Stalingrad (2013) shows the drama and horror of war. Many military experts claim the Battle for Stalingrad, which lasted for seven months, affected the outcome of World War II. Director Fedor Bondarchuk takes the approach of focusing on a small group of Russian soldiers whose mission is to hold a strategic apartment building from the Nazis. The Nazis launch several attacks on the building, but the Russians manage to fight them off. Bondarchuk also weaves the stories of the civilians of Stalingrad into his movie. They are caught between two forces engaged in urban warfare and life becomes day-to-day survival with bombs and bullets flying around them. If you’re in the mood for a classic war story full of heroism and bravery, Stalingrad will stir your blood. GRADE: B+
I missed this but it sounds like something I should see, unless the usual MTV effects are omnipresent!
The historians were right, incidentally! Thanks to Hitler’s No Retreat policy German losses were staggering, and their losses of materiel was also tremendous! I( hear that 250,000 German soldiers surrendered at Stalingrad and less than 25,000 survived their captivity!
Bob, STALINGRAD is directed by a Russian with a largely Russian cast. No MTV effects, just door-to-door fighting.
I must admit that I don’t know many specifics about Stalingrad, other than it’s role as a “turning point” in Hitler’s mistaken “Napolean strategy” of invading Russia.
Jeff, Bob’s right about Hitler’s “No Retreat” strategy dooming the Nazis. STALINGRAD is a powerful movie that shows how horrific war really is.
Bob is always right about historical facts. The man knows his stuff.
Rick, Bob is a scholar in military history. And, The Beatles.
I like inspiring war movies, but subtitles may be too much in a war movie. I’ll put it on my netflix queue, though.
Maggie, STALINGRAD offers several options with audio. I selected ENGLISH dubbing with CLOSED CAPTIONS. You could just go with the ENGLISH dubbing.
Do the captions say “Bang! Bang-bang-bang!” “Rat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat!” Exciting!
Over the years, there haven’t been that many war movies I’ve liked. Full Metal Jacket was one.
Rick, STALINGRAD doesn’t hold anything back. All the hazards of war appear on the screen. It’s the Real Deal.
I’d definitely like to see this film, George. I’m fond of WWII and Cold War movies.
Prashant, I think you’d appreciate the realism of STALINGRAD.
I can’t watch any more of these films – there were a few good ones in Germany that showed the crazyness of the Nazis – taking on the whole world even …
And also my family was involved (maybe I’ve already written about this):
My mother’s only brother was lost there – no info at all on what happened to him, other sodiers didn’t know and the Red Cross service didn’t find out anything, my grandmother never got over this.
My father made it back home – because he was wounded by Russian shrapnel.
My parents married in 1939 because my father (from a policeman he went to beocme a sergeant in the German army) felz that there was something coming – but they didn’t want children in those turbulent times at first – later they decided otherwise, I was born in 143 as a kind of souvenir for my mother,because my father felt that he might not make it.
He was near Stalingrad when he got his Knight’s Cross – for holding back the advancing Russians with his group of light anti-aicraft artillery (Flak = Flugzeug Abwehr Kanonen). And he once told me that already at the end of 1942 he was sure that the war was lost for the Germans – Russia was just too big and they had already material problems, couldn’t get enough to eat even and clothes and ammunition over those really long distances …
What a crazy idea to invade the vastness of Russia – H didn’t learn from Napoleon!
From the many mistakes I made you may see that this still moves me after all those years – of course I was born in 1943 …
Wolf, STALINGRAD is a tragic movie.
Wolf, I had deja vu reading WAR & PEACE and then watch STALINGRAD. You’re right: Hitler learned nothing from Napoleon.