So, "Red Tails" | Forums

[Ba5tard5word]

Let's see if this posts...



This trailer makes it look like it could be pretty decent, but the shorter ads I've seen on TV make it look really corny. Hopefully Lucas didn't meddle too much and try to make it too Phantom Menace-y. I can't imagine anyone's seen the full movie yet?

[Feathered_IV]

The subject is certainly interesting, but I don't think George Lucas is sophisticated enough to do it justice.

[Worf101]

See my Sig. Of course, will be there front and center. I've outfitted myself with a "fairly" accurate pilots uniform for the occaission. I'll post pics on Sat or Monday. My thoughts on the film going in are the following:

Graphics and Flight Models:
From a military historical perspective they've gotten a lot more right than they do wrong. I'm a military historian and a rivet head. Recent films like "Pearl Harbor" and "Fly Boys" made my head want to explode. In the former the P-40's and Zero's flew around like X-Wings and Tie-Fighters. But a cetain amount of this has to be expected in any movie. From the trailers the ships tend to be modeled correctly altough some of the German squadron markings are "off". At least the planes look right. Except for the Battle of Britain, most WWII airplane engagements were akin to Pilot A who's above and behind Opponent B, drops down on him and kills him before he knew what happened. Not very entertaining. As long as they keep it within reason, a certain amount of run and gun is expected.

History:
Lucas said on the Daily show that this movie is NOT about the politics of the Tuskegee Airmen but about their bravery. I contend that their contribution was not extraordinary to a thousand other Squadrons UNLESS you put it in historical context. However Lucas said all he wanted to do was make a film about heoric, young pilots in WWII who just happened to be black. Where he's bucking the system with this one is that in all Big Ethnic Blockbusters... well most anyway, you MUST have a white male lead to sell the product to middleclass white America...
"Dances With Wolves" - Costner
"Last Samurai" - Cruise
"Glory" - Matthew Broderick
"The Help" - I'm being facetious.

That is why he claims it too him sooooooo long to get the film green lighted. I believe he oughtta know.

Personally, I just hope it's a good film Lucas's track record hasn't been too good of late. Here's hoping he strikes gold here.

Worf

[arthursmedley]

"Inspired by true events" Uh-oh.

[Dance]

Thanks Worf, for a post that I could read

[Ba5tard5word]

For one thing Lucas produced it, he got some other guy to direct it. That could mean a lot of things though, producers often meddle, and Lucas hasn't made anything good since the 80's.

If it is just an action movie that tells the story of what happened in a relatively exciting way with a lot of realism I think it could be good, like Saving Private Ryan. But the reason you never see aviation warfare movies anymore is that audiences for action movies have changed so much--ironically many say that Star Wars is to blame, creating an audience that craves big-budget blockbusters with broad appeal to everyone, which means unrealistic effects, corny dialogue with pointless humor, silly plots. The original Star Wars films pulled it off well but some say it spawned all the corny action movies of the 80's and the current trend towards Michael Bay-style movies. But before SW you saw a lot of smart, serious war movies that you never see anymore. Lucas has said he just wants to tell the story, and that he didn't force it to be a Hollywood-friendly movie, but I really wonder if he's internalized the notion that all action movies have to go for a lowest common denominator audience, he's certainly gone for this in all his 90's and 00's movies.

On the other hand I generally hate Spielberg with a passion but I can't deny that he did a fantastic job with Saving Private Ryan, which is really one of the best war movies of all time because it combines brutal special effects with a decent storyline and really gritty and believeable action scenes.

[danjama]

Just look at the thumbnail of that video! Then, you watch the video...disappointment reigns.

[Feathered_IV]

That thumbnail is like a Nicolas Trudgian wet dream.

[Metatron_123]

For one thing Lucas produced it, he got some other guy to direct it. That could mean a lot of things though, producers often meddle, and Lucas hasn't made anything good since the 80's.

If it is just an action movie that tells the story of what happened in a relatively exciting way with a lot of realism I think it could be good, like Saving Private Ryan. But the reason you never see aviation warfare movies anymore is that audiences for action movies have changed so much--ironically many say that Star Wars is to blame, creating an audience that craves big-budget blockbusters with broad appeal to everyone, which means unrealistic effects, corny dialogue with pointless humor, silly plots. The original Star Wars films pulled it off well but some say it spawned all the corny action movies of the 80's and the current trend towards Michael Bay-style movies. But before SW you saw a lot of smart, serious war movies that you never see anymore. Lucas has said he just wants to tell the story, and that he didn't force it to be a Hollywood-friendly movie, but I really wonder if he's internalized the notion that all action movies have to go for a lowest common denominator audience, he's certainly gone for this in all his 90's and 00's movies.

On the other hand I generally hate Spielberg with a passion but I can't deny that he did a fantastic job with Saving Private Ryan, which is really one of the best war movies of all time because it combines brutal special effects with a decent storyline and really gritty and believeable action scenes.

Good post, I enjoyed reading it. There have however been a number of quality war films recently, notably Letters from Iwo Jima and Flags Of Our Fathers. I think the idea that the quality of cinema is regressing may be an illusion to an extent... One only bothers to watch old films that are considered classics 99% of the time, therefore one gets the impression that old cinema is by definition good.

If the trailer is anything to go by... This looks terrible. Chest thumping machismo, simplistic plot (the bombers were getting slaughtered until the all black squadron saved them!).

I thought the B-17 spiralling down to it's doom looked stunning though. Not convinced by the flashy maneuvers pulled off by the fighters. Thrust vectoring??

[BillyTheKid_22]

I love it RED TAILS!