The latest remake of, ''All Quiet On The Western Front''

[Ithaca Gunner]

I've read the book, I've see the 1930 movie, read the book again, watched the 1979 remake with Ernest Borgnine and Richard Thomas, watched the 1930 version again. Last week I watched the Netflix 2022 remake. How could anybody screw this up so bad? They had a book and two previous movies to get it right to the title!

This remake is equal in disaster to Winchester's post 1964 Model 70 rifle. Like the Model 70, it may have been acceptable IF they didn't use the title of the book or first two movies, (had Winchester named the 1964 rifle something other than a Model 70 it probably would have gone a lot better). Had Netflix named this movie something other than, ''All Quiet On The Western Front'' I would praise it. The cinematography is great, special effects are fantastic, props seem accurate, (a lot more so than the 1979 version) the story line might be acceptable if the title were something else. The only thing that the remake follows to the book is, the two main characters, Paul and Kat, and they both get killed before the end of the war, and that's it. It's a whole different story line, no where resembling the book or first two movies. I tell ya, the story is totally different! The last act of the movie is also disturbing, the Germans launch an offensive at 10:45, November 11, 1918? The Germans from what I've read sat quietly in their positions waiting for 11:00 and peace. The only troops I know of to have attacked on the morning of 11-11-18 were American, and the Germans tried to wave them off before shooting in self defense.

Al in all the movie isn't bad, but it's not, ''All Quiet On The Western Front''. Not even close.

[sledgehammer001]

You sound just like me! My family hates watching a made-from-the-book movie with me. If it shares the title, references the book in the synopsis, by golly it should follow the book!
Problem is, this new generation has to make everything 'theirs' to feel validated.

[lancem]

I don't feel so bad now. I've started watching it twice and I am halfway through it though I don't think I will go back for a third try.

[BNE]

Thanks for this post. I have been on a WW1 kick lately and thought about watching it. I probably will still watch it. I am more interested in understanding what it was like to be in those situations than I am if it follows the book or not. I am turned off if it is not historically accurate. Just me.

BNE

[ascast]

I think the Brit launched an attack on the morning of the 11th, also the krauts in a very limited way. dont pay for tv ( yet)

[fastdadio]

I call them out for what they are, Leftflix. If one pays close attention, everything they produce has subliminal messaging of woke, lbgqxy, commie, BS in it. I watched a remake of Chips the other night. Mainly because we are a law enforcement/military/first responder family and ride motorcycles. Sure enough, they just had to add some homo messaging into the story line. I cancelled them a couple years ago. Fastlady wasn't real happy about it because she watches some of it. Then it turned back up in our streaming menu because our daughter signed up for it and they allow sharing to multiple devices. Oh well, at least I'm not paying for it.

[Thumbcocker]

For a German series done right check out Generation War.

[HWooldridge]

I've read the book, I've see the 1930 movie, read the book again, watched the 1979 remake with Ernest Borgnine and Richard Thomas, watched the 1930 version again. Last week I watched the Netflix 2022 remake. How could anybody screw this up so bad? They had a book and two previous movies to get it right to the title!

This remake is equal in disaster to Winchester's post 1964 Model 70 rifle. Like the Model 70, it may have been acceptable IF they didn't use the title of the book or first two movies, (had Winchester named the 1964 rifle something other than a Model 70 it probably would have gone a lot better). Had Netflix named this movie something other than, ''All Quiet On The Western Front'' I would praise it. The cinematography is great, special effects are fantastic, props seem accurate, (a lot more so than the 1979 version) the story line might be acceptable if the title were something else. The only thing that the remake follows to the book is, the two main characters, Paul and Kat, and they both get killed before the end of the war, and that's it. It's a whole different story line, no where resembling the book or first two movies. I tell ya, the story is totally different! The last act of the movie is also disturbing, the Germans launch an offensive at 10:45, November 11, 1918? The Germans from what I've read sat quietly in their positions waiting for 11:00 and peace. The only troops I know of to have attacked on the morning of 11-11-18 were American, and the Germans tried to wave them off before shooting in self defense.

Al in all the movie isn't bad, but it's not, ''All Quiet On The Western Front''. Not even close.

I watched it and generally liked the movie but also picked out the historical inaccuracies (I just ignored them). Funny thing is that it's an entirely German produced film; I don't know if Netflix financed it ahead of production or bought it later. In any case, I'm sure it was planned as a drama and not a documentary.

I also really liked "Quigley Down Under" but it has its own share of mildly unbelievable scenes. Face it, Hollywood only gets it right occasionally - how many times have we seen old movies from the 40's and 50's that were just wrong? Indians at Little Bighorn shooting at Custer with '92 Winchesters, etc.

[1Hawkeye]

I agree this new version is very dark compared to both previous ones. I haven't read the book but I'm sure that it is nothing like the mess Netflix is showing. I also have a hard time believing that it's a German made film who's going to shoot themselves in the foot like that I think its a French film and they are just saying it's German because all the French troops are portrayed as heroes. Every French film I've ever seen it's the same thing they are the good guys the English are idiots and the Germans are bullies. The other thing that they really screwed up was when rat killed himself with a fork that was just to damn dark.

[Ithaca Gunner]

It wouldn't be a bad movie IF they didn't use the title, ''All Quiet On The Western Front''. One of my favorite movies is, ''The Wind And The Lion'' which follows a historical event maybe 5-10% of the actual facts, but it's still a good movie. As to accuracy of general conditions of WWI endured by those who fought it, aside from too much trench time it was pretty good. Special effects and cinematography were great, the story line sucked and aside from the names, didn't follow the book or the previous movies at all. Simply not calling it, ''All Quiet On The Western Front'' would have gone a long way to rescue this film.

You're right, Thumbcocker, ''Generation War'' was excellent! The ending was too true and made me share the anger felt by the officer character who was in a U.S. army office after the war and they were granting immunity to the SS officers in order that they might rat out their superiors, and from what I've read, that's the way it went.

[MaryB]

Don't watch the latest Dune remake... they cut off half the story! Ends in a really stupid spot...

[metricmonkeywrench]

I tripped over Panfilov's 28 Men on youtube though I don't understand Russian it was a really good modern production war movie, they did a great job keeping it "real". Long gone are the days of the great studio productions such as The Longest Day, A Bridge to Far and so on, though Saving Pvt Ryan and the HBO productions of Band of Brothers and The Pacific are mainstays on my movie shelf but i believe those were done well in advance of the cancel culture that has taken over Hollywood.

I'm with the group though- anything that is is re-made has tended towards pandering to a specific group or with a hidden adjenda.

[thxmrgarand]

If anyone is interested in WWI, I very much recommend reading The Guns of August, which I re-read a couple years ago. I think I first read that book in 1962, or thereabouts, and I do not know how many times I have read it. Often the daily reports of the war in Ukraine, as shown on YouTube, make me think of similarities between that current war and WWI.

I hope this doesn't offend anyone, and I certainly do not intend to offend in saying it, but when I was growing up and when during the first decades of my working life everyone who was a leader, both elected and in the business world who was a US military veteran had served in a war the US won. Now all the veterans, at least using the broader scope, are veterans of wars we lost, and while I have never seen mention of that in the media I find the differences and consequences to be transformative. If we could once again vote for and elect WWI and/or WWII veterans we would have a very different world today!

[1Hawkeye]

Don't watch the latest Dune remake... they cut off half the story! Ends in a really stupid spot...

I agree with dune also why end a movie at the halfway point of the original although it was well cast.

[Baltimoreed]

Thought there was going to be another Dune film to finish the story. Watched the latest AQOTWF and thought it was well done as far as the equipment, acting and cinematography but the storyline was changed around and the ending was very dumb. I thought 1917 was a great film with a very dumb storyline.

[GregLaROCHE]

The 1930s movie is great. I haven’t seen the others. Maybe I should watch the 1979 version before this most recent.

[andy h]

I agree with dune also why end a movie at the halfway point of the original although it was well cast.

Dune is a 2 part film , They started filming pt 2 in july ,The second part will be released in November 23.

[Ickisrulz]

You sound just like me! My family hates watching a made-from-the-book movie with me. If it shares the title, references the book in the synopsis, by golly it should follow the book!
Problem is, this new generation has to make everything 'theirs' to feel validated.

The trend of a movie not faithfully following its source material began long before "this new generation."

[andrew375]

I think the Brit launched an attack on the morning of the 11th, also the krauts in a very limited way. dont pay for tv ( yet)

You need to watch this BBC documentary (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00fg9hw), presented by Michael Palin that tells of the killing that went on right up to final seconds of the war.

It's probably available on YouTube.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I thought 1917 was a great film with a very dumb storyline.

I also like 1917. More new condition Lee Enfield rifles than I thought remained in existence!

DG