Fighting On Film

Pork Chop Hill (1959)

This week we examine the 1959 Korean War movie 'Pork Chop Hill', it was chosen by our fantastic Patreon supporters in this month's Patreon Pick, you can join the supporting cast for as little as £2.50 and have your say each month (just one of the perks we have on offer)! Pork Chop Hill sees Gregory Peck lead a company of US soldiers in one of the final battles of the Korean War. Directed by Oscar winner Lewis Milestone the film is one of the classic American combat films with strong casting and great action sequences that elevate this film over many of its contemporaries. Follow us on Twitter @FightingOnFilm and on Facebook. For more check out our website www.fightingonfilm.com Thanks for listening!  

Windtalkers (2002)

This week we cover John Woo's 'Windtalkers' the big budget MGM-backed blockbuster that famously flopped at the box office being panned by critics at the time of release in 2002.  Starring Nic Cage and Christian Slater as USMC sergeants tasked with looking after Navajo Codetalkers played by Adam Beach and Roger Willie, during the battle of Saipan in 1944. Despite its huge scale and attention to detail, the film fails to successfully tell the story of the bravery and sacrifice of the Navajo Codetalkers.   Join us as we attempt to unravel the missed opportunities of this failed epic. Follow us on Twitter @FightingOnFilm and on Facebook. For more check out our website www.fightingonfilm.com Thanks for listening!

Wolves of War (2022)

This week we take a look at 'Wolves of War' a new British war film starring Ed Westwick, Matt Willis & Rupert Graves. The plot sees a crack Commando team sent behind German lines in 1945 to rescue a nuclear scientist from captivity. Featuring impressive set pieces for a film of its size and some great performances from the cast.  The film harkens back to the Commando bookesque B-Movies of the 1950s/60s. We were lucky enough to receive an early copy of the film from Signature Entertainment so we could give you our thoughts in the week of the film's DVD release. Follow us on Twitter @FightingOnFilm and on Facebook. For more check out our website www.fightingonfilm.com Thanks for listening!  

The Steel Bayonet (1957)

This week we return to the works of Hammer Films with their first foray into the war movie genre with 'The Steel Bayonet'. Leo Genn leads a Company of battle-weary troops as they are ordered to defend an artillery observation post in Tunisia in 1943.  The film features many top British actors of the period along with some good depictions of the PIAT and Bren Guns. Join us as we take a look at this often overlooked classic. Follow us on Twitter @FightingOnFilm and on Facebook. For more check out our website www.fightingonfilm.com Thanks for listening!  

The Rebels of PT-218 (2021)

This week we cover 'The Rebels of PT-218' from the infamous 'Asylum' Film studio known for their mockbusters and cult b-movies. The film charts the tale of a US Liberty ship tasked with taking on a German gun battery holding up the allied invasion of Italy in 1943, yes you read that right.  Pulling from recent hits such as 'Greyhound' and other memorable naval films such as 'The Caine Mutiny' PT-218 attempts to hit the same highs as its peers but just seem so to fall flat on every front.  Join us as we take a look at this 'unique' war movie. Follow us on Twitter @FightingOnFilm and on Facebook. For more check out our website www.fightingonfilm.com Thanks for listening!  

SSVC Special

We turn to the archives of the SSVC this week as we talk about 3 of our favorite British Army training films and Documentaries from the 'Services Sound and Vision Corporation' who produced thousands of these films for the armed forces from the early 80s into the 90s. We talk through 'Operation Biting', 'Fighting Patrol', and 'SBS Oil Safe'.  Later in the episode, we read out replies from one of our hypothetical questions from the listeners which leads to Trevor Howard leaving us in hysterics! Follow us on Twitter @FightingOnFilm and on Facebook. For more check out our website www.fightingonfilm.com Thanks for listening!  

D-Day On Film With WW2TV

We hit the beaches and make a dash for the sea wall this week as we talk Normandy on Film with Paul Woodadge of WW2TV. Paul is a historian and battlefield guide who lives and works in Normandy and is the perfect guest for this run through some cinematic depictions of D-Day on screen. We cover early attempts such as 1956's Screaming Eagles right through to 1998's Saving Private Ryan.  Do these films create a stable beach head or do they end up floundering in the channel? Join us to find out. Follow us on Twitter @FightingOnFilm and on Facebook. For more check out our website www.fightingonfilm.com Thanks for listening!  

The Unbroken Line (1985)

We delve into the FoF vault this week and talk to David Carson MBE about his role as military advisor on 'The Unbroken line'.  A British Army promotional film that charts the Army from the Battle of Blenheim to the BAOR era. The episode was originally hosted on Robbie's YouTube Channel and can also be found there for viewing. Follow us on Twitter @FightingOnFilm and on Facebook. For more check out our website www.fightingonfilm.com Thanks for listening!      

Merrill’s Marauders (1962)

On this weeks episode we look back at Samuel Fuller's 'Merrill's Marauders' which shows the often gruelling conditions that the men of the 5307th Composite Unit went though in the Jungles of Burma in World War Two. We are joined by historian Gavin Mortimer who has extensively researched the Marauders and was even able to speak to veterans of the unit and shared with us how they felt about the film. Does this film do the men justice or does it fall short? Listen to find out!  Follow us on Twitter @FightingOnFilm and on Facebook. For more check out our website www.fightingonfilm.com Thanks for listening!  

We Have Ways Fest Wind-down 2022

We we're thrilled to be invited back to We Have Ways of Making You Talk's festival to put on our FoF War Movie Quiz. It was great to see old friends and new faces and speak to lots of FoF listeners. The festival had some amazing speakers and some exceptionally cool kit on display - everything from a Matilda I to an early M3 Lee tank which had been used as a range target! In this episode we not only recap some of our favourite parts of the weekend but also hear from historians and some FoF listeners as we asked everyone: Who is your favourite war movie character? We had some great answers! Apologies for some of the wind noise, it was a gusty day! Follow us on Twitter @FightingOnFilm and on Facebook. For more check out our website www.fightingonfilm.com

Vickers Guns in Film with Rich Fisher

This week we continue our series speaking to experts about interesting bits of kit featured in war films. This week we're joined by Vickers Machine Gun expert Rich Fisher, of the Vickers MG Collection & Research Association, to talk about an iconic British weapon which is represented in many classic films! We talk about our favourite screen appearances of the Vickers and some that perpetuate myths!  Follow us on Twitter @FightingOnFilm and on Facebook. For more check out our website www.fightingonfilm.com Thanks for listening!

Show & Tell #7 - Dog Soldiers & Jump Into Hell

Join us for the another edition of our Show & Tell series were we discuss films and programs we’ve been watching recently. In this edition we talk about 2002’s Dog Soldiers (sure to feature in a full length episode in the future) a horror movie following a besieged group of British squaddies and 1955's Jump Into Hell, an early, interesting depiction of the Battle of Diem Bien Phu. Follow us on Twitter @FightingOnFilm and on Facebook. For more check out our website www.fightingonfilm.com Thanks for listening!