Donald Ward
@WardoftheStates • 4,265 subscribers
Salmon-Slinger, Hicktown Reporter (Ret), Gearjammer, Duck Wrangler, Amateur Cryptozoologist, Failed Autodidact, History No-it-All, Original Tea Partier (ID #95)
Videos
You might think your job is bad. But at least you're not the producer who spent three weeks convincing George Lucas to delete the scene in The Phantom Menace where they show podracer Ratts Tyerell's entire family moments before his gruesome death; including his kids, wife, and newborn who got their right from the hospital.
Donald Ward1,480,608 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
The Audie Murphy biopic To Hell and Back (1955) gets it right with how to knockout a German tank. The Americans and Germans are fighting over control of a farmhouse at Anzio. The purpose is to get artillery spotters with a radio on the top floor. The forward observer team uses its radio to direct naval gunfire on five German tanks which are assaulting their position. The platoon leader Lt. Manning, who buys the farm, is shown carrying a "handie walkie" handheld radio. American units in World War 2 were in constant communication with each other. Combined arms means coordinating infantry, armor, artillery, air, and sea power which the US excelled at. A few nitpicks aside, the reason this scene from To Hell and Back comes off as real, as poignant, is because it was lifted directly from Murphy's own exploits as told in his autobiography by the same name.
Donald Ward430,973 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
An old Italian sword-and-sandals movie made seven decades ago is far superior to Christopher Nolan's "Odyssey" made for "modern audiences". Just witness The Suitors scene from Ulysses (1954) starring Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn. Ulysses/Odysseus as portrayed by Douglas has no remorse or pity about brutally killing his rivals dead. Motion pictures used to actually care about the source material. Film producers understood that audiences wanted an entertaining product that was chock full of adventure and romance.
Donald Ward109,407 görüntüleme • 1 ay önce
This line delivered by Commander Tiann Jerjerrod is actually the most important set up in Return of the Jedi. It tells the audience the Empire has A PLAN. RotJ director Richard Marquand has English actor Michael Pennington STOP to deliver the line which he does in a conspiratorial tone. "I tell you this station will be operational... AS PLANNED" It foreshadows that there is a Plan. The Plan is obviously to capture Luke Skywalker and destroy the Rebel fleet. The Emperor knows it. Vader knows it. Commander Jerjerrod knows it. No one else does. Certainly not any of the other grunts in the loading bay and Commander Jerjerrod's voice drops down hinting that now isn't the time to discuss it. This is what is known as good writing and directing. As always the audience is distracted by the incomplete appearance of Death Star 2 and the Dad Joke one-liner Vader delivers next with "The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am."
Donald Ward205,921 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
I loved Stargate SG-1 because it didn't condescend to the audience by recycling tired SciFi tropes. This is my FAVORITE scene. No negotiating. No half hour struggle session to see what the Replicators want. Straight action. "We ARE Replicators" "Ah" *Mag dumps on the baddies*
Donald Ward117,238 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
The Longest Day (1962) is a great shoot-em-up war movie. (And I know for some of you guys this is your favorite World War 2 action flick) Shot on location in Normandy, the action follows the perspective of British, American, German, and French troops who participated in Operation Overlord. It's based on the 1959 book with the same name by Irish journalist Cornelius Ryan and was a blockbuster hit featuring an ensemble cast of basically every Hollywood star who was alive at the time. The Longest Day also became a staple on syndicated television. It's how I watched it first. My favorite part of the motion picture is the Free French Commando assault on the German fortifications at the Port of Ouistreham featuring a 90 second single take shot from helicopters by veteran director Daryl F. Zanuck complete with dozens of extras participating in an infantry assault, explosions, and more extras portraying German soldiers manning crew served weapons.
Donald Ward106,141 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
Daha fazla içerik yok.