A new "Sink the Bismarck!" movie?

Discussions on naval-war movies, films and games.
Orville H. Larson
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Post by Orville H. Larson »

paul mercer wrote:If a new film is made I hope more attention is paid to HMS Rodney who did after all, score the first major hit.
HMS RODNEY is barely mentioned in "Sink the BISMARCK!" A serious omission. It's good that RODNEY was in on the finish, because KING GEORGE V's guns malfunctioned during the action.

RODNEY's 16-inchers didn't.
costas
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A movie? no thanks.

Post by costas »

I don't like the idea of a new Bismarck movie.
The whole situation is too complex for the Hollywood system.
I don't doubt about JCWilmore's good intentions but in order
to make a commercially successful film, several Hollywood guys
will -to put it politely- fiddle/interfere with everything, screenplay
included.
This can lead to gross generalisations, over-simplifications or
pure inventions for the sake of success.
I don't blame them, you can't make a 90 min movie aimed at laymen
based only on historical records and facts.
There are too many gaps and places and roles that need to be filled...
Bear in mind that in the Bismarck case the people were as
important as the military hardware itself. At least six persons
(should call them characters from now on?) were involved and their
actions and decisions were interacting with each other's.
This is too complex for a film aspiring to a blockbuster.
(e.g. can you substantiate Lutjens was a defeatist, or Holland was
naive?)
At the end of the day, I am 100% sure that none of us will be asked
for his approval...
costas
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Post by costas »

Has anybody read JCWilmore's script ?
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RF
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Post by RF »

It doesn't have to be Hollywood that produces the film.
''Give me a Ping and one Ping only'' - Sean Connery.
costas
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Post by costas »

RF, I agree:
'It doesn't have to be Hollywood that produces the film.'
But this is what the author wishes:
'...generate enough hits to draw Hollywood's attention...'
Egidius
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Re: A new "Sink the Bismarck!" movie?

Post by Egidius »

I think that the idea for a new bismarck movie is more that great, but it will be a very huge massive -and last but not least- expensive project.
In my opinion there should be made a real scale Bismarck, and the story has to show both sides really humaniously, and show the real life aboard all ships, the excitement, and it has to be very good characters and actors. You have to smell the real fear that those brave young boys of 19-21 years old had, being in the small spaces everywere in the ships while being at war in the atlantic. It was very serious, and a very serious moment, the danger that could change WWII, especially for Europe.

The problem, however is, to get the budget for such a large scale movie. The budget of U571 was more than 90 million USD, but the Japanese Yamato movie was made for less then 30 million USD. The Japanese goverment and several investors payed for building the real scale Yamato, wich also would be possible with a 1:1 Bismarck in Europe. Collaboration with a museum or anything.
As with Pearl harbour, it would be great if both German and British Marine could help as sponsors (fuel, providing choppers and personel, archive materials, use of old ships that can be used and so on). In this battle in the Denmark strait as many brave people died as in Pearl Harbor, but it is a far more exciting story. I think this movie has to contain also the facts before the operation Rheinubung, the secret plans and building of Bismarck. Also the fear of the british that the superbattleships would break out, and the espionage stuff that has to do with it.

There are several plans and I know already several rich people who want to invest in such a project, but if this movie has to be made in the same large scaler proportions like pearl harbor, a very large budget is needed and more than 4 years of preparations before even cast or shoot anything. I am a young film producer (35) and did a lot with special effects, green screen, High Definition movies and think that there are possibillities and I also planned some researsch trips to people and archives and sources to get such a budget fixed for this huge project. At this very moment i pay these trips for research work all by myself, only because I'm very interested to produce this movie one day.

However, it would be a very honourable project, not only to honour the more than 3500 people who died in this battle, but also the fact that this was a real crucial thing that should have changed the war, think for instance what number of (british) casualties it had cost if the Bismarck was returned with Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, or with Tirpitz(!). And if England had no fuel or supplies anymore to maintain defences because of the commerce raids of the german fleet. Was it more difficult for the Allies to defeat Germany if the Bismarck sunk almost every konvoy that supplied England from 1941?

I looking for people who wants to help or work for this movie, I searched already for planes, uniforms, materials, archives, locations, possibillities to solve problems to avoid huge sets such as The Blohm & Voss warf, the real battleviews aboard all ships, shots of the fjord and so on and so on. It has to be a very high quality movie to remember, and no movie that is a "nice try".
If anyone has suggestions or ideas or want to help let me know, I have categorized already a database of people and their scources, materials, guaranteed donations, locations and occupasions.
thnx, Egidius
costas
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A new Bismarck movie; it looks imminent

Post by costas »

First things first: I don't think a new Bismarck movie should be made.
I am with the 'No' group, 2.3% (171 votes, 19th poll)
Egidius, your post seems to be related more to Alec Siegel's thread. ('If a Bismarck movie were to be written...')
The project is too ambitious: it's in Hollywood's scale.
Why the movie has to be so expensive?
Why a real Bismarck? (Is it true that Cameron didn't have a real Titanic and used something else?)
Have you got the scenario/script/plot? how the 90mins will be filled ?
Do you have a preliminary plan about the expenditure? i.e. how much of your budget will be allocated for the cast, for effects, the extras, for the studio, film directors etc.?
A movie about Bismarck (in my opinion) should be based more on strategy, people, dilemmas, options, actions, counteractions, risks, luck, etc. (i.e. an intellectual chess-like game) and much less on explosions, digital effects and irrelevant subplots. Of primary importance (of course) are the real facts and the script should adhere to them strictly.
The single fictitious thing in the film should be the dialogues, (very subtle and dangerous topic) provided they are carefully written and do not alter or hinder the events.
As for the digital ships themeselves, it doesn't matter much if some detail is not in the right proportion or not in the right place etc etc.
Please read and take into account the posts in the two threads.
Finally, Bismarck will be neither Battleship Potemkin (Eisenstein's) nor (Cameron's) Titanic$$$ nor Pearl Harbour (Wow!). Why you risk your investors's money in such a trivial story ? How long a brief battle can get?
costas
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Post by costas »

the last comments were an exaggeration. hope you 'll manage to make a good movie.
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Admiral-scheer
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Post by Admiral-scheer »

Well you can't just solely base a movie on facts and historical accuracy (You need the general stuff though), that just becomes more or less a documentary.

The simple purpose of a movie is to entertain people and thus make money.That is why you got to change things a bit.

I think putting more drama (like what Egidus mentionned earily) into a movie would be great instead of action and effects.

What I am trying to say is that in a movie you can't have things like: Bismarck has excalty here, Hood here, etc...

You need general accuracy not total accuracy.
I don't think we need a serious mention of Rodney as She (?) was only in the final battle of the Bismarck and did not suffer any damage like the way POW did (shell in the bridge) or Hood.

What we need to be seriouly protrayed is: Bismarck, Prinz Eugen (not as much) Hood, POW.

Maybe some scenes before Rheinbung would be a nice touch (like what Egidus mentioned about Blohm and Voss).
Best regards
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RF
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Post by RF »

Admiral-scheer wrote: What we need to be seriouly protrayed is: Bismarck, Prinz Eugen (not as much) Hood, POW.
You can't miss out the Dorsetshire - she actually sank the Bismarck....
''Give me a Ping and one Ping only'' - Sean Connery.
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RF
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Post by RF »

Admiral-scheer wrote:.

Maybe some scenes before Rheinbung would be a nice touch (like what Egidus mentioned about Blohm and Voss).
Fine. How about Operation Berlin as a introduction....
''Give me a Ping and one Ping only'' - Sean Connery.
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RF
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Post by RF »

Admiral-scheer wrote:
Well you can't just solely base a movie on facts and historical accuracy (You need the general stuff though), that just becomes more or less a documentary.

The simple purpose of a movie is to entertain people and thus make money.That is why you got to change things a bit.
I've no problem with that - provided you don't falsify history or slander some of the characters who happen to be on the losing side....
''Give me a Ping and one Ping only'' - Sean Connery.
paul mercer
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Post by paul mercer »

One more thing, please, please, do not let the crews on the British ships have American accents!!
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RF
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Post by RF »

The same goes for the German ships as well!!!!
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Re: A new "Sink the Bismarck!" movie?

Post by In Iron and Blood »

I have been working (2 1/2 years)on a new script for a Bismarck movie. There is German charater (Mullenheim-Rechberg) and fictional character on the English side. Winston Churchill sets the screen play by giving the viewer the over all view of the war situation (things were going badly in May 1941). The script starts with his speech (finest Hour) and nearly ends with his speech in the house of commons reporting the destruction of the Bismarck. The screen play is centered around the Norfolk which as you all know was there at the begining and at the end. The Hollywood part is this(there are many), The Norfolk plays the part of the sheffield at one time and the Dorsetshire (in at least rescuing German crew) at another point. The Hood story is built up and there are many sub-plots. yes there is a love story. A small one about a man fighting for his country and the one he loves. The script is almost complete(It will still need alot of work to fine tune it) and the first part is being reviewed by :quiet:. I will say no more. It may come to something or not. If it does I will post it and If it doesn't I will still post it.

Joe Hoffman
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