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Top Gun - US movie industry writes out the Brits! (Read 427 times)
Mar 23rd, 2009 at 2:30pm

C   Offline
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Deary me. After U-571 and Ben Affleck winning the BoB in Pearl Harbo(u)r, Hollywood has done it again! This time it's Top Gun, and that even had a British director! Roll Eyes Grin Grin Grin

Only joking. Wink Grin

Seriously though, this is a good article in today's Telegraph, describing the role played by Royal Navy instructors setting up the USNFWS in the late-60s, when the USN were having a tough time in Vietnam - particularly with the Phantom. It's from a decent author to - Rowland White, who is best known for his bestselling story of the Black Buck raid of XM607 during the Falklands.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/5032158/American-Top...





 
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Reply #1 - Mar 23rd, 2009 at 2:39pm

Hagar   Offline
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I hope the book is better written than that article which I find extremely difficult to read. Roll Eyes
 

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Reply #2 - Mar 23rd, 2009 at 3:05pm

C   Offline
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Hagar wrote on Mar 23rd, 2009 at 2:39pm:
I hope the book is better written than that article which I find extremely difficult to read. Roll Eyes


It's the Telegraph - what do you expect? Just be thankful it wasn't one of the higher quality dailies! Wink There's a danger the person writing the article has a degree - in something - not necessarily English. Smiley

As for the book, his previous was Vulcan 607, of which I haven't heard a bad word, and thoroughly enjoyed reading myself. Smiley
 
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Reply #3 - Mar 23rd, 2009 at 3:26pm

expat   Offline
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There was also an accompanying article about Hollywood and its portrayal of history via the silver screen.   Flexing the truth

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Reply #4 - Mar 23rd, 2009 at 4:16pm

C   Offline
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expat wrote on Mar 23rd, 2009 at 3:26pm:
There was also an accompanying article about Hollywood and its portrayal of history via the silver screen.   Flexing the truth

Matt


Quite why they felt they needed to roll out that old chesnut I have no idea - to this story it has absolutely no relevance! Smiley

It is an interesting article though, and something I had no idea about. At the time there was an awful lot of UK/US co-operation, mainly with the introduction of the Harrier with the RAF and USMC, but this was news to me.
 
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Reply #5 - Mar 25th, 2009 at 7:02pm

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Makes you wonder what Hollywood will do with the Dambusters remake. Could a B-17 have lifted Upkeep? Brad Pitt for Gibson maybe? Wink Grin
 

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Reply #6 - Mar 26th, 2009 at 5:56am

expat   Offline
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HawkerTempest5 wrote on Mar 25th, 2009 at 7:02pm:
Makes you wonder what Hollywood will do with the Dambusters remake. Could a B-17 have lifted Upkeep? Brad Pitt for Gibson maybe? Wink Grin


Or the Cockleshell Hero's..................Chuck Norris in a Ridged Raider Grin

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Reply #7 - Mar 26th, 2009 at 4:43pm

C   Offline
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HawkerTempest5 wrote on Mar 25th, 2009 at 7:02pm:
Makes you wonder what Hollywood will do with the Dambusters remake. Could a B-17 have lifted Upkeep? Brad Pitt for Gibson maybe? Wink Grin


That's not Hollywood though, and is being made by someone with an historic appreciation. Wink
 
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Reply #8 - Mar 26th, 2009 at 5:16pm

Hagar   Offline
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C wrote on Mar 26th, 2009 at 4:43pm:
HawkerTempest5 wrote on Mar 25th, 2009 at 7:02pm:
Makes you wonder what Hollywood will do with the Dambusters remake. Could a B-17 have lifted Upkeep? Brad Pitt for Gibson maybe? Wink Grin


That's not Hollywood though, and is being made by someone with an historic appreciation. Wink

Apparently Mel Gibson originally acquired the rights with the idea of directing it so a Hollywood version was not so far-fetched. People tend to forget that there were a lot of Commonwealth aircrew in RAF Bomber Command & 617 Squadron had its fair share of Australians, Canadians & New Zealanders. Apologies to any that I've left out.

Is there any news on progress? The last I heard was back in 2006. Peter Jackson will be the producer with his protege Christian Rivers directing. Sir David Frost was involved as executive producer & Stephen Fry writing the script.

It will be interesting to see how it turns out. Very difficult to improve on a classic even if the original was in black & white. That adds to the authenticity for me. I read somewhere that they had already started work on full-sized Lancaster replicas. The main difference will be that they had real Lancasters available for the original film. CGI is very clever now but it cannot take the place of the real thing.

Unfortunately I suspect the whole project will be overshadowed by controversy over the name of W/Cdr Guy Gibson's dog. Whatever they decide to do it's a no-win situation.
 

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Reply #9 - Mar 26th, 2009 at 5:31pm

C   Offline
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Hagar wrote on Mar 26th, 2009 at 5:16pm:
C wrote on Mar 26th, 2009 at 4:43pm:
HawkerTempest5 wrote on Mar 25th, 2009 at 7:02pm:
Makes you wonder what Hollywood will do with the Dambusters remake. Could a B-17 have lifted Upkeep? Brad Pitt for Gibson maybe? Wink Grin


That's not Hollywood though, and is being made by someone with an historic appreciation. Wink


Is there any news on progress? The last I heard was back in 2006. Peter Jackson will be the producer with his protege Christian Rivers directing. Sir David Frost was involved as executive producer & Stephen Fry writing the script.

It will be interesting to see how it turns out. Very difficult to improve on a classic even if the original was in black & white. That adds to the authenticity for me. I read somewhere that they had already started work on full-sized Lancaster replicas. The main difference will be that they had real Lancasters available for the original film. CGI is very clever now but it cannot take the place of the real thing.

Unfortunately I suspect the whole project will be overshadowed by controversy over the name of W/Cdr Guy Gibson's dog. Whatever they decide to do it's a no-win situation.


I had a look at Weta studios' website the other day, and there's no mention of it there, although there were reports of production having started (large scale lanc reproductions etc). Hopefully they'll achieve a good balance of CGI, and real live footage.
 
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