Started the Isandlwana thread in Living History and just want to see what folks thought of Zulu. I think it's a classic and all-around great flick. Wonder how accurate it is?
-Eric
-Eric
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Zulu
Hi Eric,Originally posted by peleliuexplorer View Post
Zulu is a great film and one of my favorite movies of all time. Still it is a film and they took many liberties (the portrayal of Hook, the white helmets, etc).
You should really try to get your hands on a copy of this book. It is a great read!
Regards,
Jody -
i have that book too Jody -- the definitive history of the zulu wars , in the film Mchael Caine as lt Bromhead was a dandified figure , in real life Bromhead was in his forties wore a long beard and was nearly stone deaf !Comment
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There's another movie (1979) called "Zulu at Dawn" or something of that nature. Just ordered the DVD.
-EricComment
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I have seen the movie "Zulu"many times, and still enjoy it.Comment
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Hi Eric
Zulu Dawn tries to correct some of the Zulu film flaws but has it's own flaws as well. Too much pomp in the begining and does deal with the dividing of forces somewhat. Great scene when the Scouts ride up and discover the Zulu Impi's and their (the Zulu's) reaction...like to watch Zulu Dawn and then Zulu afterwords, makes for a great afternoon. Won't say more till You've seen it.
regards
TimComment
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Fans may be interested in this book about the making of this great film -
Zulu With Some Guts Behind It: The Making of the Epic Movie
http://www.amazon.com/Zulu-Some-Guts.../dp/0953192660
Highly recommended.Comment
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What I really enjoy is how a Zulu chant from the movie "ZULU" wound up as a Germanic Tribal chant in "GLADIATOR"Comment
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about the movies ???
Hello Jim:Originally posted by Jim Woods View Post
My only complaint with "Zulu" is the lack of prop flags in same
,
which "Gladiator" did rather well with.
I love to watch movies
to see my original prop flags from same flash by on the screen. On
the same day my son and I went to the theater to see "Gladiator"
we had just watched "Ben Hur" and "Fall of the Roman Empire" on
TCM - it was quite a Roman fest day to say the least.
We likewise,
laughed loudly when the "Zulu" chant was heard in the Germania
battle scene, those around us in the theater had no clue why.
....... OLDFLAGSWANTED ........
sigpic
.......^^^ .................... some of my collection ...................... ^^^...
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Zulu is a classicComment
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And the Blue Ray version is meant to be superb...Comment
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The Washing of the Spears is a good book, but it is probably as flawed as the two films combined. It places far more of the blame for the defeat at Isandlwana on the quartermasters, and not enough on the commanders.Originally posted by Jody View Post
I would recommend reading it with an extremely open mind. The Zulu War has been written about countless times, and the two book series by Lt. Col. Mike Snook does an excellent job debunking the myths of the both battles.
How Can Man Die Better: The Secrets of Isandlwana Reveled examines the origins of the war, and actually counters much of what was said in The Washing of the Spears. And Like Wolves on the Fold: The Defense of Rorke's Drift, is an excellent follow up specifically about that engagement.
I can also recommend:
Who's Who in the Zulu War 1879 by Adrian Greaves & Ian Knight
Great Zulu Battles 1838-1906 by Ian Knight
The Zulu War: A Pictorial History by Michael Barthorp
And I haven't read it yet, but I've heard good things about Saul David's take on the Zulu War. He did an excellent job chronciling the Indian Mutiny and other wars of Queen Victoria's reign.
I started to work on a masters of military history, so I was reading up on all things about colonial Africa. So to understand the Zulus, there are a few other interesting reads:
The Scramble for Africa: White Man's Conquest of the Dark Continent From 1876 to 1912 by Thomas Pakenham, and Africa's Armies: From Honor to Infamy by Robert B. Edgerton. Edgerton also wrote a book about the so-called "Zulus of the North," the Asante peoples. This book The Fall of the Asante Empire: The Hundred-Year War for Africa's Gold Coast is another excellent read. The Asante were actually more difficult to fight than the Zulu, but because of the first movie the Zulu get all the credit.
I could go on and on. There are plenty of Bryon Farwell books, such as Mr. Kipling's Army: All the Queen's Men that really help paint a picture of what British soldier life was like.
For example, Zulu Dawn is disappointing as a film because it is so much setup and then ends abrubtly with the big battle, and the Zulu masses are poorly organized - you don't really see the "horns of the buffalo" attack but rather a mass of men dashing across a field. But the scene with the mess, and the wine and all that pomp, that's pretty accurate.
As for the helmets, I can comment in my own book: Military Sun Helmets of the World: http://www.militarysunhelmets.com
Neither movie has very good Foreign Service Helmets, but Zulu's look better - too bad at the time the British didn't wear the plates on the front. And the helmets in Zulu Dawn look they were plastic!Comment
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Anyone interested in the Zulu war of 1877-79should get the Rattray audio books. It is unbelievable to listen to David Rattray tell the story of the Day of the Dead moon. I have never heard anything as fascinating as it. Listen to the sound clip samples.
http://www.fugitivesdrift.com/?mail_order
JacquesComment
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