tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post7237539208914102873..comments2024-03-27T10:50:17.270-05:00Comments on Rough Edges: The Red BaronJames Reasonerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-44164074840679843462010-06-16T23:57:10.430-05:002010-06-16T23:57:10.430-05:00James,
Yup, "that scene" was indeed a gr...James,<br />Yup, "that scene" was indeed a great moment in the history of action shows. Totally unbelievable, but I liked it anyway.Brian Drakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01233187184688491057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-63141680684433905972010-06-15T22:35:40.620-05:002010-06-15T22:35:40.620-05:00If you want reasonably authentic (though british e...If you want reasonably authentic (though british empire boys own book style) fiction about the royal flying corps in WW I, read the Biggles books by Capt. WE Johns (who was, himself, a WW I pilot in the independent air force, which succeeded the royal flying corps and became the royal air force).<br /><br />WW I did have a lot of camaraderie between flyers on both sides. Enough to justify / provide some sort of basis to the incident where Der Rote Baron meets Brown and philosophizes with him.Suresh Ramasubramanianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06115337255064583852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-47846254075057522332010-06-15T16:06:13.646-05:002010-06-15T16:06:13.646-05:00Brian,
I'll see if Netflix has PIECE OF CAKE. ...Brian,<br />I'll see if Netflix has PIECE OF CAKE. I think I've heard of it. For me, FLYBOYS would be worth it if just for that one scene near the end. I'll bet you know the one I'm talking about.James Reasonerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-91935419669103377082010-06-15T13:05:32.992-05:002010-06-15T13:05:32.992-05:00I don't know if I could sit through a movie ab...I don't know if I could sit through a movie about the Red Baron. I, too, would be distracted by waiting for Snoopy and his doghouse to come flying by to save the day. (Not that I don't care for war movies told from the "other" side--Das Boot was amazing.) And, James, I must echo your appreciation for FLYBOYS, which I caught on television recently. It was probably the one time where I really enjoyed the predictability, if that makes sense. I think that, deep down, I wanted to be in one of those planes, so maybe that's why I enjoyed it so much.<br /><br />Another great aviation war film is "Piece of Cake"--a British miniseries about Spitfire pilots in World War Two. Best part about it? No CGI. Those are REAL airplanes, and they look wonderful. It should be on DVD.Brian Drakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01233187184688491057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-24262933662418766922010-06-15T12:21:27.980-05:002010-06-15T12:21:27.980-05:00Fred,
I remember reading Gibbons' book about v...Fred,<br />I remember reading Gibbons' book about von Richtofen sometime in the 60s as well, in that same Bantam paperback edition. Pretty good book, as I recall. I'll check out those Derek Robinson novels, too. I know his name but don't think I've ever read anything by him.James Reasonerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-19121016205640018712010-06-15T10:27:10.626-05:002010-06-15T10:27:10.626-05:00I have fond but vague memories of Floyd Gibbons...I have fond but vague memories of Floyd Gibbons' THE RED KNIGHT OF GERMANY, which remained in print at least as late as 1964, when I bought the Bantam paperback. I believe Gibbons' book was a bestseller for many years and first popularized von Richthofen's reputation in the U.S. I haven't read widely in the WWI air war literature, but from some accounts, not all the airmen shared that "brother warrior" feeling for the enemy; a kill was a kill. Derek Robinson wrote a couple of gritty, jaundiced novels about the Royal Flying Corps -- GOSHAWK SQUADRON and WAR STORY. One occupational hazard for the fliers -- fumes from the castor oil that lubricated their engines would blow back into the cockpit give them the trots.Fred Blosserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07307848103704970189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-44621056275319567282010-06-15T09:02:27.630-05:002010-06-15T09:02:27.630-05:00Ron,
No, I'm not familiar with Salter's no...Ron,<br />No, I'm not familiar with Salter's novel, but I'll check it out. Thanks for the tip. It's probably safe to say that a lot of people have heard of the Red Baron only because of Snoopy.James Reasonerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18049917964433932612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7527967.post-59604975290933968772010-06-15T08:17:19.200-05:002010-06-15T08:17:19.200-05:00Thanks. I'm the wrong age to remember the song...Thanks. I'm the wrong age to remember the song, but didn't Snoopy keep his memory alive in American pop culture?<br /><br />The kind of gallantry of these WWI fighters is part of another world, with its own code of ethics. Seems to have been as much sport as armed conflict.<br /><br />Have you ever read James Salter's novel <b>The Hunters</b> about American fighter pilots in Korea? A different world, but again with its own code of ethics.Ron Scheerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15357501069513854664noreply@blogger.com