Netflix recommendations?

[jmcquate]

Just watched the first two episodes of "Masters of the Air". I enjoyed it. They got a lot right. The only nit I have to pick, is in episode two. When they are attacked by Luftwaffe fighters, coming off target, they say that they are Ju-88s. Didn't know that medium bombers were sent up against allied heavy bombers.

 

[Griz882]

Just watched the first two episodes of "Masters of the Air". I enjoyed it. They got a lot right. The only nit I have to pick, is in episode two. When they are attacked by Luftwaffe fighters, coming off target, they say that they are Ju-88s. Didn't know that medium bombers were sent up against allied heavy bombers.

The JU-88 “C” series was developed as a heavy fighter and had several kills.

 

[Random8145]

Netflix has a new series out called WWII: From the Frontlines." It doesnt seem to present anything new from a historical perspective but holy crap it has some really spectacularly restored combat footage, among the best ever I think, from the war. I have only watched one episode but there is footage from onboard planes dogfighting Japanese fighters, footage from a ship shooting down Japanese planes, and an artillery combat scene of the British in North Africa. Some of them look like watching a good movie or HBO special except it's the real thing, which I suppose shows how well the filmmakers have portrayed a lot. Regarding other episodes, the opinion I've seen around the Internet is the same, amazing footage but nothing new history-wise.

 

[Gatordev]

I watched episodes 1 and 2 of what I'm calling Elvis Bombs Nazis last night. First impression was good. They definitely paid very close attention to all the technical details. I have no idea if that was how you'd actually bring a B-17 down in a high-crosswind landing, but it looked believable.

My only gripe is more or less the same one I had about The Pacific - it's cool that they throw us right into the action and all, but with the exception of one or two "name" actors, I had zero idea who all the other characters were even after two episodes. I was having trouble even keeping track of who was on what crew, and obviously doesn't help that for most of the scenes they're buried under their flight gear. As opposed to Band of Brothers, with the scenes at Toccoa and in England giving us a chance to see the characters interact and get to care about what happens to them before the bullets start flying. Plus, any flying show is going to have a lot of technical details...all of us on this board are airplane nerds to one degree or another, but I suspect anyone who isn't one is going to feel pretty lost.

I haven't watched any episodes yet, but the review I read of the series portends a bigger issue that matches what you describe. The characters just aren't fleshed out as well as they were in BoB. The result is they're more players in a scene than portraying a story that really grabs the viewer, again, like BoB.

 

[Uncle Fester]

I haven't watched any episodes yet, but the review I read of the series portends a bigger issue that matches what you describe. The characters just aren't fleshed out as well as they were in BoB. The result is they're more players in a scene than portraying a story that really grabs the viewer, again, like BoB.

I re-watched episodes 1 & 2 last night before the new ep drops tomorrow. On re-watch it’s a little easier to follow who’s who. Other than Buck, Bucky, and Crosby the Airsick Nav, I still couldn’t tell you any of the characters’ names, though.

On the other hand, so many secondary/background characters from Band of Brothers wound up being A-listers or nearly so (Tom Hardy, Michael Fassbender, Simon Pegg, Stephen Graham, Jimmy Fallon, James McAvoy) it’d be cool if something like that happened with this show.

 

[Gatordev]

On the other hand, so many secondary/background characters from Band of Brothers wound up being A-listers or nearly so (Tom Hardy, Michael Fassbender, Simon Pegg, Stephen Graham, Jimmy Fallon, James McAvoy) it’d be cool if something like that happened with this show.

Every time I watch the series, I find a new one. I'm about 3/4 through BoB right now and finally noticed McAvoy this time. You also forgot Jamie Bamber (BSG and the British Law&Order) and Marc Warren (Hustle...a British show that started strong but kind of petered out, later to be remade on TNT under a different name with American actors).

I have to argue with Jimmy Fallon though. He was already pretty hot then. I have to believe that was done as a favor from one of the 326th times Hanks hosted SNL.

A separate thought...One thing that I've been a little more disappointed in BoB this time is how many factual errors keep popping up, many from Ambrose not ever fact-checking things members of Easy told him in their recollections. Still a great story told really well, but a lot of the errors were things that were negative towards individuals.

 

[jmcquate]

little more disappointed in BoB this time is how many factual errors keep popping up, many from Ambrose not ever fact-checking things members of Easy told him in their recollections

Like Blithes' death.

 

[number9]

Like Blithes' death.

I'll never understand how the credits in that show have not been updated. In the age of DVDs and Blu-Ray, sure, I don't really expect them to reissue the show (but it would be nice). But in the age of streaming? C'mon.

 

[Gatordev]

Like Blithes' death.

And Dyke's.

 

[Uncle Fester]

I have to argue with Jimmy Fallon though. He was already pretty hot then. I have to believe that was done as a favor from one of the 326th times Hanks hosted SNL.

Was he? I couldn't swear one way or another but back when the show first came out I just remember going, oh was that guy in the jeep that guy that does Weekend Update?

A separate thought...One thing that I've been a little more disappointed in BoB this time is how many factual errors keep popping up, many from Ambrose not ever fact-checking things members of Easy told him in their recollections. Still a great story told really well, but a lot of the errors were things that were negative towards individuals.

Yeah, I think the factual errors and omissions are mostly on Ambrose. Unfortunately over the last few years some dirt has come up about his integrity and research ability. Great writer, maybe not so great a historian as many people (including me) believed.

One thing I've seen mentioned many times in connection with the show was that it's rather unfair to Herbert Sobel. He apparently was indeed a colossal prick, but not the jittery, incompetent putz he's depicted as. He didn't sit out D-Day like the show implies, he jumped with the rest of the regiment and got a Bronze Star for leading an attack on a German machine-gun nest. Didn't have the best time of it after the war, eventually spent nearly 20 years living in a VA nursing home after a botched suicide attempt before finally dying in 1987. The show kinda pissing on the poor bastard's grave made good drama but maybe wasn't deserved.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Was he? I couldn't swear one way or another but back when the show first came out I just remember going, oh was that guy in the jeep that guy that does Weekend Update?


Yeah, I think the factual errors and omissions are mostly on Ambrose. Unfortunately over the last few years some dirt has come up about his integrity and research ability. Great writer, maybe not so great a historian as many people (including me) believed.

One thing I've seen mentioned many times in connection with the show was that it's rather unfair to Herbert Sobel. He apparently was indeed a colossal prick, but not the jittery, incompetent putz he's depicted as. He didn't sit out D-Day like the show implies, he jumped with the rest of the regiment and got a Bronze Star for leading an attack on a German machine-gun nest. Didn't have the best time of it after the war, eventually spent nearly 20 years living in a VA nursing home after a botched suicide attempt before finally dying in 1987. The show kinda pissing on the poor bastard's grave made good drama but maybe wasn't deserved.

I wonder how much of this has come to light since so many people have focused on Easy company in the wake of BoB's popularity. Hindsight is 20/20, and it's been literally decades at this point.

Not saying Ambrose deserves to be let off the hook for inaccuracies or inconsistencies, but without his writing and the ensuing screen play, many of us (likely myself) might never have heard of Easy company.

 

[Griz882]

I enjoyed episode 3 of Masters of the Air. And thought it was good. The raid on Regensburg was accurately portrayed as a running aerial gun fight. In fact, the 100th got chewed up on that raid. Still, I think some timelines are a bit off but so far I’m fine with the Hollywood magic. I particularly liked the slow motion moment during the fight.

 

[ChuckMK23]

I enjoyed episode 3 of Masters of the Air. And thought it was good. The raid on Regensburg was accurately portrayed as a running aerial gun fight. In fact, the 100th got chewed up on that raid. Still, I think some timelines are a bit off but so far I’m fine with the Hollywood magic. I particularly liked the slow motion moment during the fight.

 

[Gatordev]

Unfortunately over the last few years some dirt has come up about his integrity and research ability.

I wonder how much of this has come to light since so many people have focused on Easy company in the wake of BoB's popularity. Hindsight is 20/20, and it's been literally decades at this point.

Ambrose caught a lot of flak for something back in the late '90's or early aughts. I can't remember what it was about or which book it was, but his methods were questioned quite some time ago and not just "internet recent."

I remember there being a bunch of news stories on the news about it. I wouldn't be surprised if Grizz or Flash can drop a link on us in about 10 seconds.

 

[Griz882]

Ambrose caught a lot of flak for something back in the late '90's or early aughts. I can't remember what it was about or which book it was, but his methods were questioned quite some time ago and not just "internet recent."

I remember there being a bunch of news stories on the news about it. I wouldn't be surprised if Grizz or Flash can drop a link on us in about 10 seconds.

Here you go…please note it was 7 seconds but only timed from my reading, not actual posting time.

Why Stephen Ambrose's plagiarism matters.

Stephen Ambrose handled his first plagiarism scandal of the week with the graceful humility you'd expect from America's Uncle History. Over the...

slate.com

In a way it is quaint to read this again in the current climate where Harvard presidents and senior scholars are racking up hundreds of citation “missteps.” In my opinion Ambrose’s greatest sin was his abuse of work done by his graduate students…professionally that hurts.