Naval History Forums

I would love to see a new movie about the Bismarck but I would hate to see some Hollywood hack take your script and then "Pearl Harbor" it. I love war movies but I walked out on Pearl harbor.

This is the whole problem about making such a movie. And the longer after the event it portrays the easier it becomes to ''doctor'' history.

Now I will say something that a lot of you will laught at. I wrote a script about the Bismarck back in 1998. Some time later (long time ago), I found this forum and I tried to get information to make contact with the German author of the book I based my script, however I got STONED by some people here. They thought I was just another "crazy" fan trying to get contact with the survivors of the shp. They said things like "leave him alone", "let him live in peace" etc, etc. I think I did not make my point clear. So, I still have the script with me. I did it just for fun, to try to make my imagination to work. I give it to a friend of mine in Amsterdam (she is a film director), and she said "well, it is not bad, but it will cost millions and millions." So, hehehe NO CHANCE.

However I like it and I really enjoy to read it (some people like it as well). It is 90 or 95 % based on the German side, it has real crew names as characters and it is bases on facts. I wonder how many of "us" out there have made their own script.

the name of the script is:

BATTLESHIP

nothing else, just: BATTLESHIP.

I named it like that thinking in all the seamen lost in battleships or any other warship.

Regards

Edgar

Well, Hollywood has "millions and millions". You have to convince someone important that it's worthwhile. Usually that means they can make money on it, but not always.

This is the key point. It would have to have interest to Hollywood, and that means an American angle to serve American audiences....

There are actually a lot of good films and tv series being filmend in Canada now. New Zealand also has a growing film industry. In the case of Canada there are substantial government subsidies or at least tax breaks. That and the lower wages make it easier to get something filmed up there.

Do bear in mind that the way the film industry works is that the majority of films that are produced - up to 80% - turn out to be financial turkeys and are effectively funded by the 10% that turn out to be box office hits. With such a ratio no one is going to touch a film unless it is assessed as likely or possible to have some success.

It would need the 'Das Boot' treatment, realistic, truthful and gritty. Would welcome any such movie/film.

Someone would need to decide which version of events were going to be followed, what I mean is, was the Bismarck scuttled or sunk by the Royal Navy? Personally I think they scuttled her, the Germans have a long tradition or scuttling their ships. However there are many who believe otherwise, and think she was sunk by the Royal navy.

Another ship that should have a film made about her is the Scharnhorst. With the exception of the Bismarck, the Scharnhorst has perhaps one of the most interesting careers of any battleships in World War 2. Scharnhorst has great victories, and defeats, and a real ending (i.e. not being bombed, but being subk in a sea battle).

There is little doubt in my mind that Bismarck was scuttled, but I also believe she was already slowly sinking from accumulated damage.

Agreed, the Bismarck would have sunk within a day, had the Germans not scuttled her during the battle. Anyhow, they would have had to scuttle her sooner or latter, after he rudders were jammed there was no hope of her returning to home waters.

Fantor wrote: However I like it and I really enjoy to read it (some people like it as well). It is 90 or 95 % based on the German side, it has real crew names as characters and it is bases on facts. I wonder how many of "us" out there have made their own script.

the name of the script is:

BATTLESHIP

nothing else, just: BATTLESHIP.

I named it like that thinking in all the seamen lost in battleships or any other warship.

Regards

Edgar

Can you give a basic synopsis of this script?

I finally finished the script for a Bismarck movie titled "In Iron and Blood". I have sent out treatment letters to some agents and have gotten some positive feedback. Those agenies that have responded by email to my letter have recieved my script. I am building on this to broaden my contacts. It has only been a Iittle more then a week from when I first mailed the letters. Not bad I think. I still hope some may contact me through regular mail. I hope something may come of all this. I believe that it is a story that needs to be redone. The original "Sink the Bismarck" needs to be up dated. Other WWII stories such as D-day have been up-dated "Longest day" compared to "Saving Private Ryan".
Joe

Hear hear! Saving Private Ryan has got to be one of the closest movies to what WWII really was that I have seen. Though, what role shall Tom Hanks play? He he he...

Do we need Tom Hanks? The US involvement was very limited.

I hope we are not suggesting that American actors should play the role of Lutjens etc Even the Karel Stepaneck version would be preferable to that.

RF wrote:Do we need Tom Hanks? The US involvement was very limited.

I hope we are not suggesting that American actors should play the role of Lutjens etc Even the Karel Stepaneck version would be preferable to that.

No, but if it isn't made in the states you might not have the technology and skills necessary to make the battle scenes as realistic as they could be.