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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 2982
Released: May 3, 2005 |
| Our Price: $4.34 |
| Used Price: $3.99 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Nazi Panzer forces stage a last-ditch Belgian front offensive that could turn the tide of WWII. Henry Fonda Robert Shaw and Robert Ryan in the spectacular recreation of a crucial campaign. Year: 1965Running Time: 170 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE UPC: 085391108627
Description of Battle of the Bulge:
The German offensive in December 1944 became the basis for this all-star Hollywood take on the Battle of the Bulge. Henry Fonda is an officer who predicts the assault, Robert Ryan and Dana Andrews are Army brass skeptical of his intuitions, and Robert Shaw (his hair dyed yellow and his eyes glinting with malice) is a German officer leading the tank attack. Shaw is certainly the most compelling thing about the film, especially in his philosophical debates with ambivalent underling Hans Christian Blech. Elsewhere, the movie jumps around to sidebar stories (cowardly James MacArthur becomes a leader, wheeler-dealer Telly Savalas falls in love) while messing around with the historical facts of the battle. There are interesting episodes, such as the Malmedy massacre of American POWs and the Germans' use of English-speaking spies, but overall Battle of the Bulge has the feeling of having been patched together from different scripts. On the physical level the movie comes up short, with the Spanish locations rarely suggesting the wintry misery of the battle, and the use of models and studio sets highly inadequate. A number of war films from this era are compelling on their own terms, but in the wake of Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, this one looks antique. --Robert Horton
Battle of the Bulge Reviews:
Great new version! 
2008-10-03 - This new release of this movie has really been improved to enable the Blu-ray technology. The dividers that were present with the other older versions are gone. They were such a distraction. It really has grown through the use of blu-ray. Highly recommend.
King Tiger 
2008-09-06 - My Grandson is crazy about Tanks.My self it's not one of my favorite War Ficks.
Terrible movie 
2008-08-14 - If the name of an event is used in a movie, then it should be as factual as possible. Where is the snow and the armies wearing the proper uniform. How come fictional characters and events were used. I thew my copy in the trash where it belongs. I is not based on a true story as it says it is. It should be lnamed "Battle of the Bulge, a fictional story"
Enjoyable Movie; Horrible Account of History
2008-06-25 - When it comes to the film "The Battle of the Bulge", I feel one should seperate the generally epic and enjoyable film from its horrendous telling of history.
On the positive side, "The Battle of the Bulge" is a truely epic war film complete with a very suitable musical score and some talented actors. Robert Shaw gives a very memorable performance as a German tank officer who enjoys battle while Hans Christian Blech does a fine job as his older, combat weary aide. The actors portraying the Americans (Fonda, Bronson, Ryan, etc.) do a generally good job though overall Shaw and Blech steal the show. While lacking the realistic gore of "Saving Private Ryan", this film does have some impressive battle scenes. The massive tank battle near the conclusion is overall a superb example of filmaking. While some models were employed in shots of tanks exploding, a lot of the action was filmed with an impressive number of actual tanks. There is also a memorable scene of a German tank brigade advancing through a snowy forest just before the first battle scene. Also, this DVD has some scenes that had been cut from a video version I had previously had and also has contemporary interviews (including Shaw), a theatrical trailer, as well as a featurette.
While the movie is fun to watch, its depiction of history is particullary bad. As there were very few Tiger II tanks left and M-4 Shermans may have been hard to find, I see little problem with the film using M-47 Pattons and M-24 Chaffees respectively in their place. In fact, some M-24 tanks saw service in Europe before the war ended. That said, it was laughable to see one of the people interviewed say that they were using the tanks which actually fought in the battle (he should have known better though a very few M-24s may have been in the Ardennes fighting). Also, tiger tanks (whether I or II) never formed brigades. Battalions were the largest formations they comprised (the 501st was the unit that supported Piper's spearhead's breakout on December 17th). Also, most German tanks in the Ardennes were either Panzer Mark IV tanks or Panzer V Panthers and not Panzer Mark VI Tigers. Also, why don't the allies have air support in the final tank battle since the skies are plainly clear (the terrain in the scene is incorrect as well though I can see why the filmakers would want to film a tank battle on open country)? To create suspense, the film makes it appear the Germans had a chance at possible victory. In truth, their plan was almost surely doomed though they could have inflicted more allied casualties if some events had been changed around.
Anyway, if you like epic war movies, I recommend this one. Just don't expect it to be historically accurate. For those interested in a popular level discussion of the battle, I would recommend the original Osprey Campaign Series book on the Ardennes and a later book in the same series dealing with the Northern Front of the battle (I haven't read the book dealing with the southern Ardennes).
Theme song "Panzerlied" lyrics by Kurt Wiele 
2008-06-16 - This is supposed to be an epic war movie. And it is. It is a great vehicle for many of the popular actors of the time which includes some immortals. This is not intended to be a documentary. The over all intent of this presentation other than entertainment is to show that war has a lasting effect on those people that live through it.
The story is of course the title "Battle of the Bulge" only instead of concentrating on Bastogne we are treated to the formula which on the U.S. side Lt. Col. Daniel Kiley (Henry Fonda) figures out them sneaky Germans is going to attack through the forest and of course Col. Pritchard (Dana Andrews) wants to have Lt. Col. Kiley committed. On the German side Col. Martin Hessler (Robert Shaw) just wants to have fun playing tank and wants the war to go on for ever; however his sidekick Cpl. Conrad (Hans Christian Blech) has this thing about preserving his offspring from joining the fun of an endless war.
Can Gen. Grey (Robert Ryan) find a mistake the Germans have made and turn this around or will the German juggernaut just keep coming on. No fair looking at this movie from hindsight.
I have watched this movie on and off for several decades and even though the Blu-ray version does not add any new words or scenes to the movie it does add a sort of 3D effect that adds to ones viewing pleasure. As an added bonus Director Ken Annakin and Actor James McArthur (who plays Lt. Weaver in the movie) are still alive and adds a voice over commentary
The Longest Day [Blu-ray]
