sink the Bismark

[turbidite]

Got the opportunity to watch it yesterday and was a bit surprised by the picture given of Admiral Lutjens (ie the "always remember you are germans, always remember you are nazis"). Was he really like that - the few survivors of the sinking have told this story or is it "artistic license" ?

Also some swordfish planes are shot down in the movie and if I remember well what I've read, all planes went back untouched ? :hmm:

On the other hand you get to see a short glimpse of Erich Topp at the very beginning

[Pax Melmacia]

Visit http://www.kbismarck.com/. They have quite a mouthful about the (in)accuracies of the movie.

Along this thread, with Hollywood's current fixation on remakes, CGI and big explosions, IMHO they should remake 'Bismarck' (and 'Das Boot'? ). Ah, I can just see it now. Admiral Luetjens doing a wire stunt . . .

[fred8615]

Remake "Sink the Bismarck"? I would be in favor of that. Not only for the better special effects (though the original isn't bad at all), but to hopefully make a more historically accurate version. Of course for that, it would have to be a British production. Hollywood couldn't stand not mucking things up.

[Pax Melmacia]

I, too, would like to see that remake. What would be intriguing is if they present the controversy surrounding the sinking of Bismarck. There are many who believe that she was not sunk by Swordfish torpedoes as has been assumed all this time, but was in fact scuttled by her crew, making the Big Biz truly unsinkable.

[fred8615]

A few weeks ago, the Discovery HD Channel ran a two hour documentary on filmmaker James Cameron's expedition to the Bismarck wreck. They did a very detailed survey of the wreck, including sending a robot mini sub into parts of the ship. While there was extensive damage to the upper works from shellfire, and to the lower hull from torpedoes, the Torpedo Protection System appeared to be completely intact. The expedition believed this meant the ship could not have sunk solely by the torpedoes that did hit it. Bismark *had* to have been scuttled.

[joea]

Originally Posted by Pax Melmacia

I, too, would like to see that remake. What would be intriguing is if they present the controversy surrounding the sinking of Bismarck. There are many who believe that she was not sunk by Swordfish torpedoes as has been assumed all this time, but was in fact scuttled by her crew, making the Big Biz truly unsinkable.

No one ever said Bismarck was sunk by Swordfish torpedos. A Swordfish got a lucky hit on the rudders crippling Bismarck and allowing the Home Fleet to catch up with her and blast her to bits. Thing is the Brits were so close they only shot up the upper works (mind you knocking out her armament). I think you're think of the fact the a cruiser shot a few torpedos just after which Bismarck sank, which of course was too quick.

It is a bit silly, Bismarck as I keep saying when this question is brought up was pretty much irreparable. No way the Germans could have repaired her even if she were towed to France...and sctulling probably just speed up her sinking (once the crew abandoned ship there was no one left to do damage control) and prevented the risk of capture of the hulk.

[Pax Melmacia]

No one ever said Bismarck was sunk by Swordfish torpedos.

Ah, yes, you're right. I do remember now that Biz was struck last by ship-launched torps, and that it was an aerial torpedo that wrecked her rudder, which made her a sitting duck.

I'm trying to make a model of the Bismarck, and one puzzling thing I've encountered in my research is that even if a few crew members survived the war, none of them have been able to shed light on some unanswerwed questions like the scuttling (altho one claims he heard the charges go off) and whether the monstrous swastika on the forward deck was painted out or not before its last battle. (The Nat Geo pictures show a swastika, but it could have been covered by a tarp or else the fresh paint washed away through the years.) For that matter, no one can say for if the swastika's field was red or gray.

[Grayback]

Originally Posted by fred8615

Remake "Sink the Bismarck"? I would be in favor of that. Not only for the better special effects (though the original isn't bad at all), but to hopefully make a more historically accurate version. Of course for that, it would have to be a British production. Hollywood couldn't stand not mucking things up.

Interesting since the original was a British production - meaning that if it wasn't accurate enough, we can't really blame Hollywood for it. As for FX, I think too much CGI spoils all, and doubt that any would improve on the original.

[Agrippa]

Though I never did get around to seeing the movie, I have read the book by C. S. Forester, which is very good (but too short). Unfortunately, with the state moviemaking is in today, especially when dealing with historical plots, I wouldn't want anything remade. Studios spend too much money on special effects that they can't afford to pay much for anything else... like good writing, character development, etc. I have a terrible feeling that a remade "Sink the Bismark" would end up like Pearl Harbor did.

[AJ!]

Sink the Bismark was a great film. Many see it as the best film made in the UK and
I agree that a remake would probably end up a cheap hollywood action flick.....

One thing that is still undetermined though is whether it was Bismarck or Prinz Eugens shells that destroyed the Hood during the fight

[Sailor Steve]

Only undetermined in an absolute sense. Most naval experts who have written on the subject give little credence to the Prinz Eugen idea.

[badhat17]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Only undetermined in an absolute sense. Most naval experts who have written on the subject give little credence to the Prinz Eugen idea.

Most naval experts were not actualy present.

[Saukko]

For Finnish viewers, MTV3 airs this movie today, well actually tomorrow, starting 0:15 am (!), I guess I have to tape it. I don't remember seeing this movie before, so looking forward to it.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by badhat17

Most naval experts were not actualy present.

Neither were the promoters of the Prinz Eugen theory. In fact no one knows for sure what the actual cause was. I've even heard the speculation that it was an accidental overram on the part of a Hood gunner. Do you think that's likely? Neither do I. The people who have done the most research involving all the available data generally agree that the best probability was a 38cm shell from Bismarck.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Saukko

For Finnish viewers, MTV3 airs this movie today, well actually tomorrow, starting 0:15 am (!), I guess I have to tape it. I don't remember seeing this movie before, so looking forward to it.

Watching it atm.