Buffalo Soldiers anyone?

[Golgot]

I thought we could have a blank thread, seeing as this film is only being released in a few cinemas across America. I'm seeing it Sunday hopefully. I'll let you know what your missing oh distant-cousins-without-a-sea

(oh dear, that attempt at slightly biblical word play was most dismaying wasn't it ;))

[Beale the Rippe]

You should see Dark City instead....or at least see Dark City.

You have all weekend....

I might check out this movie you speak of...but I'm not sure if it is playing anywhere around here.

[Golgot]

I might check out this movie you speak of...but I'm not sure if it is playing anywhere around here.

This is the problem.

It has been called "brave patriotism", in the sense that it criticises some aspects of america's current state. I believe this has something to do with its lack of distribution ;). The reviews I've heard say it contains some nice dark, sarcastic dialogue, and a very good ending, but with some lax production and under-par scenes along the way.

Um, and I'm busy (or at least i should be ;))

[Kong]

Kong's been looking forward to seeing it, but it will probably be a while before it opens up in his market.

[Caitlyn]

I’d like to see this… I wonder why they named it Buffalo Soldiers though… the original Buffalo Soldiers were an African American Calvary regiment sent the fight Native Americans in the late 1860‘s… the Comanche’s were the ones who coined them “Buffalo Soldiers” …

[Golgot]

Judging from the ads over here i'd say they're making a link to Bob Marley's song "Buffalo Soldiers" about the same people - and hence the drug connection with rastas etc. Well, Joaquin Phoenix is smoking a spliff in the ad anyway ;)

[Deckard]

BUFFALLO SOLDIERS comes out over here in September so im gunna be there for sure....

Its directed by the Australian guy who made Heath Ledger's breakout picture TWO HANDS.

Saw it myself and Im not a fan, but Im in the minority here in Oz so you may want to check out this Bryan Brown co starring Crime comedy thriller for yourselves.

[Golgot]

Ahh, is it now! I was sucked in by some of the little spins in Two Hands, and I liked the way he didn't bin some of the hard-knocks reality (like our Hollywood kin ;)). But yeah, it was silly in some ways and places, with some dubious premises maybe. I enjoyed it tho.

[Caitlyn]

Judging from the ads over here i'd say they're making a link to Bob Marley's song "Buffalo Soldiers" about the same people - and hence the drug connection with rastas etc. Well, Joaquin Phoenix is smoking a spliff in the ad anyway ;)

I had wondered about that... I read some the military brass are a bit upset over it because the real Buffalo soldiers have a sterling military record… many awarded medals of honor for slaughtering Native Americans…

[Golgot]

yeah looking at it like that it is a bit of a slur on those guys (tho like you say, honour wasn't exactly order of the day...)

[Monkeypunch]

I'm dying to see this. From what I read about it, it seems like it could be really brilliant, but I'll wait and see. The stuff about the Army being largely staffed by people who were given the choice of going to jail or signing up is pretty true in my experience. A lot of people I served with were there for that very reason. I can see how the Army might not like stuff like that getting out, though.

Saw the poster BTW. I want one for my apartment! :D

[Golgot]

Heheh. Not sure how it goes in britland on the "conscription" front, but i know lots of guys around the more deprived areas in the north used to file into the recruitment office every day just for lack of anything else to do/employment.

Wow, i've got to admit, i was under the impression these days it was less "conscription" based than say, vietnam. But perhaps it isn't. I'm sure there were plenty of volunteers recently tho. Still, certainly does clash with the public image!

****, wait, i wrote a review on this thread last night!! Arrrrgh. A non-spoiler one too. ****, either i've posted it somewhere else, or things crashed and i forgot to re-do it. Bugger. Had it saved n'all. ****e.

So, erm, wait, why were you talknig bout conscription monkey? I wrote bout that in the post -argh, how confusing.....(guess just from the plot breakdown you've read)...


OKAY: NON-SPOILERY-REVIEW: BUFFALO SOLDIERS.

1Lots of the snappy stylings that appeared in Two Hands are in evidence here. Joaquin Phoenix does a good job as the anti-hero (a sort of amoral crim who's been given the choice of conscription or prison). I found some elements of the love story in the centre between him and a barrack-child (daughter of a ex 'nam vet) better than some critics would have it. A few bits were kind of endearing in a two-screwed-up-kids-meet-up kind of way. They are accepting of their differences and probs etc.

This film suggests all kinds of shenanigans go on amongst peace-time soldiers (in this case, ones based in germany as the berlin wall was falling). They also cover some of the 2survivalistic visciousness amongst these defenders-of-civilisation. Some of the things that happen reflect real events (i.e. tanks wandering around and trashing things/bits of villages by mistake etc). The drug use seems reasonable to assume to some extents, and has precedents too i believe. They take it further of course, into lala land, to make it all interesting. And they certainly don't glamourise drug-abuse overall (tho the smacked-up guys in charge of a tank did make me laugh a fair bit - just the idea of that. Classy)

So over-all: Good fun hard knocks. Won't knock your socks off but should tickle your feet some.

[Golgot]

Monkey, when did you serve? Cait tells me "conscription" like that ended a while back.