Enemy At The Gates

[refuse_resist]

Has anyone ever seen this movie? It stars Jude Law who plays Vassili Zaitsev, a Russian sniper during World War 2. Anyway, here's a description about it that's on the back on the DVD...

The year is 1942 and the Nazis are cutting a deadly swath through Russia. Under the leadership of Kruschev [Bob Hoskins], the citizens of Stalingrad are mounting a brave resistance, spurred by exploits of their local hero, Vassili Zaitsev [Jude Law]. An expert sniper, Vassili's deeds have become legendary -- thanks to propaganda produced by Vassili's best friend, a political officer named Danilov [Joseph Fiennes]. To stop Vassili, the Germans dispatch their best sniper, Major Konig [Ed Harris], to Stalingrad. When Vassili and Danilov both fall in love with a beautiful soldier [Rachel Weisz], Danilov deserts his friend. leaving Vassili to face his German counterpart alone. As the city burns, Vassili and Konig begin a cunning game of cat and mouse, waging a private war for courage, honor and country.

If you haven't seen it, check it out A.S.A.P. It's well worth it.

[Pawn Power]

I saw the movie, it was entertaining.
Stalingrad was defiantly one of the most hard fought battles in history.

[BOZG]

Good if you want to put historical analysis on hold, like I do. Some people get too caught up in the political and historical aspect of films and don't just sit back and enjoy them. Though it's perfectly fine to argue with someone who's not actually conscious of what's going on in it.

[Agent provocateur]

Yeah I saw it but it has an anti-communist slant to it. Did you notice? Take the final scenes for instance when the other guy who is in love with the girl decides to become sniper fodder. What were his final statements? Something to the effect that socialism will never work: "Some are rich in love. Some are poor in love." Blah blah Blah. And then the guy with the metal teeth. His ranting and ravings near drove me to the edge of hysteria.

[komon]

i saw the film .and if it is anti something then it is anti war.and jean jacques annaud is a great director (the quest for fire, the bear and le grand bleu) never saw those ones?

[prom]

Agent provocateur:
Yeah I saw it but it has an anti-communist slant to it. Did you notice? Take the final scenes for instance when the other guy who is in love with the girl decides to become sniper fodder. What were his final statements? Something to the effect that socialism will never work: "Some are rich in love. Some are poor in love." Blah blah Blah. And then the guy with the metal teeth. His ranting and ravings near drove me to the edge of hysteriaI wouldn't say it was anti-communist at all. The "Some are rich in love. Some are poor in love" part was very well. It shows that no society will be perfect, since jealousy and emotion are part of human nature. The struggle for equality is eternal.
Eventually the guy regrets his jealousy and sacrifices himself for the greater good. In the end he remains loyal to the red army and his comrads.

I found it to be a great movie :)

[fernando]

I liked the movie...kinda annoyed that the Russian talked like Americans and Britts instead of having heavy Russian accents...and the whole "socialism doesnt work" crap annoyed me...but it was a cool movie

[Urban Rubble]

Yeah, I love this movie. I love the scene at the start when they fake like they're dead under all the bodies and then snipe 5 nazis in the head without being seen.

[cubist]

it is a very entertaining movie.

agreed rubble that bit is great

[antieverything]

How the fuck and you possibly expect a movie about the most terrible place in the Soviet Union during one of the most terrible times in Soviet history to give a rosy picture of Communism? Remember, we're dealing with Stalinism here--where a soldier's family was in constant danger of death or exile...where young men were packed into train cars and forced at gunpoint to march to their almost certain death. Say what you will about whether or not this contributed to the eventual victory of the allies but the point is, it wasn't a fun time to be alive!

[HueyPNewton26]

whatever the slant it was still a great movie

[TrotskyHunter]

It's an ok action movie, but it's not based on any history at all. Firstly Stalingrad was a mostly infantry battle, no tanks were involved generally.

The movie was anti-communist bullshit, yes. But so is Rambo, and I think the first one isn't so bad (entertainment wise). More anti-"stalinist" hysteria trying to make the USSR look like a hellhole to keep the western public faithful.

[Maksym]

Originally posted by [email protected] 6 2004, 06:26 PM
How the fuck and you possibly expect a movie about the most terrible place in the Soviet Union during one of the most terrible times in Soviet history to give a rosy picture of Communism? Remember, we're dealing with Stalinism here--where a soldier's family was in constant danger of death or exile...where young men were packed into train cars and forced at gunpoint to march to their almost certain death. Say what you will about whether or not this contributed to the eventual victory of the allies but the point is, it wasn't a fun time to be alive!
You’re a fool.
My Uncle, his comrades and 27 million other Soviet citizens died for Socialism since they loved freedom. You are just a deluded by western propaganda that is jealous of the sacrifice, courage and honour that the Soviet people demonstrated.

Enemy at the Gates has to be the worst film I have ever seen on the Eastern front. If you are a serious historian then see the Soviet film, Come and See. Also see Stalingrad, which is a German film.

[Zingu]

I only like the first part, the crossing of the river and the infantry charge.


It is a common myth that the Soviet Army was underarmed at the time, the divisions that were still dug in at the Tractor factories and the other pockets of resistance still in Stalingrad were armed to the teeth which allowed them to repell fascist assaults until Operation Little Saturn and Operation Uranus(?) were launched whiched ended in the virtual annilation of the German Third Army, over 300,000 fascists surrendered.

From that day on, South German Army Command was smashed.

[Cal]

Good film but load of shite,

As a student of history mainly Russian it was just all wrong!!

Sniping wasn't a heavily used at Stalingrad

and a lot of other issues have been rasied already.

Things like this do piss me off because history is re-written, people may say just enjoy the film but a whole generations believe what they see to be true and that can't be right.

and I hate myself becuase I thoroughly enjoyed it!!

Damn them Hollywood bastards!

Don't even get me started on Braveheart

[leftist resistance]

I enjoyed the intensity of the movie but i must say,it is loaded with shit.


Things like this do piss me off because history is re-written

There are other movies that do the same.They just wanna spice things up and get more money.They'll put it as 'based on true story'.The events are actual but the plot may be fictitious.

I don't believe the commisars would stay at the back during battle.

Evil capitalists,making lies about brave solders of the Red Army

[RedAnarchist]

The Soviets lost 20 million men and women in the Second World War. If that isnt brave, if that isnt a great sacrifice to kill the Nazi monster, what is? The Americans didint even help us and the USSR until they got attacked themselves.

[commieboy]

I love the movie...it's one of my favorites in my DVD collection. It even prompted me to buy a version of the rifles the USSR used in the second world war.

But i'd have to say throughout the whole movie my favorite character was the old Sniper Koulikov who hated the USSR and communism because he had his teeth smashed out. my favorite line was when he was yelling at the spotter to get the soup...and he finished it with, "And don't spill it you marxist bastard!"

historical accuracy aside, i loved the movie

[Karl Marx's Camel]

Well, speaking of entertainment, I think it is a good film. But it it is Anti-Soviet at its best (http://www.battlefield.ru/shame/enemy/enemy.html)

[Guerrilla22]

Fuck the movie, read the book, it is a day to day account of the battle and one of the best reads on the war on eastern front.

[Don't Change Your Name]

I saw it

It's pretty good...concerning ENTERTAINMENT, not "historical accuracy".

[Cal]

Fuck the movie, read the book, it is a day to day account of the battle and one of the best reads on the war on eastern front.

Do it.

Fantastic Book 900 million times better than the movie.

Stalngrad, A. Beevor ISBN 0-14-024985-0

Also by the same author and just as good

Berlin:The Downfall 1945 ISBN 0-140-28696-9
The Spanish Civil War ISBN 0-304-35840-1

Highly recommended

[PRC-UTE]

I agree, Cal, Antony Beevor's one of the best historical writers out there. Very even handed, readable and knowledgable.

[Invader Zim]

having heard a bad press about it from other people I know, I am proud to say I still have not seen it, and I don't intend to. I just wish I had listened when they said the same about the "Titanic". :shudders:

[Kronic.SoLjAh]

American mainstream movie with a blockbuster actor about Russian history, im not to up on Russian history, but my Russia friend was clenching his teeth in disgust, he thought it was pretty bs.


but hey, we are just kids :D

[Zingu]

I was highly annoyed by the historical inaccuracies, especially the English accents in Southern Russia.
Stalin would have gone on a purge of English spies if he discovered such treachery.

[MiniOswald]

I read beevors stalingrad, it is a very good book, i pity those poor bastards who had to run the flotilla by the north part of stalingrad.

[Zingu]

Originally posted by [email protected] 27 2004, 11:42 PM
I read beevors stalingrad, it is a very good book, i pity those poor bastards who had to run the flotilla by the north part of stalingrad.
A very good book indeed, read myself too, my freind borrowed it and I never saw it again, bastard.