Another one of Channel 4's "100 Greatest Lists"

100 GREATEST WAR MOVIES
Here are the Top 15:

15. The Killing Fields, 1984

14. The Guns Of Navarone, 1961

13. Braveheart, 1995

12. The Deer Hunter, 1978

11. The Dam Busters, 1954

10. The Bridge On The River Kwai, 1957

9. Black Hawk Down , 2001

8. Zulu, 1964

7. A Bridge Too Far, 1977

6. Platoon, 1986

5. Full Metal Jacket, 1987

4. Schindler's List, 1993

3. The Great Escape, 1963

2. Apocalypse Now, 1979

1. Saving Private Ryan, 1998

If you'd like to see the full 100 list here is a link:
Channel 4\'s - 100 Greatest War Films - as voted by the UK Public

Yeah I watched most of it until the footy was on. It's a real shame the Pianist only got to 32. I suspect probably because of the lack of people who have actually seen it. It really struck a chord with me. I think it's in the top ten greatest films ever made never mind just war films.

Yeah I watched up untill The Deer Hunter then I fell asleep lol I've never seen The Painist, its been on sky movies but I've never got round to actually watching it, i'll have to though because a few people have said now that they thought it was really good

Yeah it's actually one of those films, apart from the awards it has won (maybe that's detered people), that not many have watched it. But when they do they usually have very good things to say about it. You know I didn't even want to watch it until a mate forced me. It looked disinteresting and a bit of an artsy fartsy Oscar movie. I can't believe how wrong I was.

If you do watch it, don't make any plans afterwords. I was exhausted after seeing it it really hits the emotions.

Yeah....that's exactly what a great movie is supposed to do. Hitting the emotions. Debz, whenever you get the chance of watching The pianist, don't lose it.

Wow you guy's have made me want to really watch it now!

Jesus, what an awful list.

Mick

What? It is a great list.

It may be a great list indeed, but the order isn't. Saving Private Ryan is a fantastic film, ultra-realistic (as regards presenting war on celluloid for what it is), but it offers nothing new to the genre of war films. I find The Killing Fields a much more gutwrenching and emotional film.

And topping the list (by some distance) is, for me, The Battle of Algiers (1965). The Great Escape at number 3? La Grande Illusion (1937) is way better, the ultimate PoW film. Zulu's great too, but it's all just one big battle. Triumph over adversity trajectory. Over and over again.

Apocalypse Now, The Deer Hunter, The Battle of Algiers would be very high on my list. Only one of them got anywhere near respectable on here. (Some may say The Deer Hunter is respectable, but not as long as it's ranked behind Black Hawk Down, which is a technically accomplished but emotionally dull and very unremarkable effort.

Thanks for reading,
Mick

I agree with you here, eventhough I have not watched many of the movies in that list. Black Hawk Down was a very average movie - you could switch channels and come back at any time to watch bullets flying and a soldier trying to jump from one wall to another trying to dodge a bullet. First someone shouts something at the top of his voice for 3-4 seconds. Then everyone exchanges angry looks and starts pumping bullets for another 10 min. Over-rated.

I like Blackhawk Down being in the top 10. My personal favorite war film for many reasons. The main being how acuratelyu it depicts the event. Most people, especially critics of the film, dont realize this.

It's surprising that "The thin red line" is not listed in the top 15. I found it to be a very particular war movie. Deeper and more intellectual of many of its genre, I believe.

And Greter than most war films I might add.

Personally, I am glad "A Bridge Too Far" is meantioned, as I really think it's one of the underrated films.

My pick for greatest war film is either "The Bridge on the River Kwai" or "Apocalypse Now"... both are neck and neck. I don't consider dramas like "Schindler's List" and "The Pianist" as war films...

I couldn't agree more.