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Reviews
The Pale Blue Eye (2022)
REAL ACTING MINUS HIGH TECH AND CAR CHASES
What an incredible joy to see a film going back to the way of the actors dominating the screen with their abilities, not blinding audiences with technology and fast cars and unnecessary OTT gunfights. I'm hoping this is a sign of things to come, with this film and a few others that have appeared recently. 19th Century based films, both true and imagined are such a relief to being overwhelmed by films that are so tech-based the actors disappear into the background unable to properly act in real settings, with everything you see being actually there not added later in cgi. The latter has a use, but best kept limited, for the benefit of both the actors and audiences. Roll on more such movies.
The Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer (1977)
UNIQUE APPROACH TO SUBJECT
I've watched this film on numerous occasions due to its alternative take on the aftermath of Little Bighorn 1876. Films depicting famous battles becomes tiresome after a while, that any new angle on the story is truly fresh and intriguing. I'd like to see a similar concept used about an officer in my own subject of interest. This film could do with a remake with the actors of today, but with more in the way of accuracy of character portrayals and more engaging dialogue in the courtroom. I feel it could really compete with the likes of the 'Breaker Morant' film which is outstanding. I find this Custer film a real gem and an interesting talking point.
Zulu Dawn (1979)
'DURNFORD'S LAST STAND'
Isandhlwana should be known in the U. K. as much as Little Bighorn in the U. S., the former even has a kind of 'British Custer' in appearance as the senior officer in command - Col. A. W. Durnford (Burt Lancaster). I'd been looking for such a British comparison to study as a military history interest. Pity they only made one film about this engagement, unlike the 'Custer's Last Stand' films, but glad they made it anyway. I prefer it so much more than ZULU, as Isandhlwana was more important than Rorke's Drift, as the defeat halted the whole British Invasion. A remake or new film is highly unlikely.