ZULU (1964) MOVIE REACTION!
Added 2023-11-13 19:00:05 +0000 UTCMichael Caine's debut? I've never seen him so young.
Comments
The film very accurately portrays the military aspects, almost nothing was invented in that respect. The action played out as shown. The people named were mostly the actual people, but their characters are not accurate. They wanted particular characters to make the drama work. And the changes all improve the quality of the film. Making the regiment Welsh gave us the sing off. They didn't use the real location because this setting was more spectacular. The Zulu tribute, well in reality they did appear one last time but its thought they saw the relief column and retreated. There was a pastor but he was a younger man, the daughter was invented. He originally intended to fight, but decided to leave before the fighting to go to his wife and children who were on a nearby farm.
Lee Hallam
2024-10-27 07:42:10 +0000 UTCThey actually showed the Zulus westerns to show them what they wanted to do. It is a British Western, you are right.
Lee Hallam
2024-10-27 07:23:32 +0000 UTCAt the film premiere family of Hook got up and walked out as he is depicted as a thief, a drinker and trying to skip duty where in fact he was teetotal and had been a preacher before joining up and was a model soldier.
John Rivenell
2024-07-17 13:17:16 +0000 UTCI always find it interesting that especially Americans don't react to black topless women. They seem to find topless white women titillating and sexual, but put a black woman in a period drama and they don't flinch at the site of tits. Are they scared of offending black actresses pretending to be 19th century tribal women.
Henry Normal
2024-05-20 18:25:19 +0000 UTCIs it me or does he look like James Blunt at 1:58:42.
Joe Thornhill
2024-05-08 07:09:37 +0000 UTCSoldiers were like that then and are still like that, it is called discipline.
Sibbo
2024-03-11 20:38:22 +0000 UTC16:36 declared war and they're bringing John Cena lol
Shaun Priestley
2023-12-13 04:03:27 +0000 UTCAlso, fun fact: During the filming days The Zulu's couldn't legally be given money, the Zulu actors wanted to do the film too to show how brave they were, so we paid them in Cattle.
Daniel Heywood
2023-11-17 00:49:33 +0000 UTCI grew up watching this with my Grandad (Translate Granpa) one of my favorite films. Not 100% accurate but close enough. (The character 'Hook' was actually T-Total Sober in real life and his family was very unhappy with the film haha)
Daniel Heywood
2023-11-17 00:39:05 +0000 UTCI always feel like people big up Zulu's status as a top-class war movie, but say nowhere near enough about it being one of the few honest-to-god British cowboy movies. Everything about the cinematography and the soundtrack screams epic 1950s spaghetti Western; those rolling parched landscapes with high rocky ridges and promontories, the bona fide Alamo situation in the farmstead, even the red-blooded (and red-coated) hero giving it to the enemy braves with his six-shooter at one point! In many ways it does date the film, but like you say, it holds up despite those dated aspects. The whole cowboys-and-indians approach let the filmmakers cover up some of the major liberties they took with history; for instance, they quickly sow the idea that the Zulus are honourable warriors when they (twice) allow the Witts to leave dangerous situations unharmed, which sets up the final scene of the impi paying tribute to British bravery as they concede the battle. However, while the 12-hour British defence of the farm was as dogged and courageous as the movie suggests, the eventual withdrawal in reality had a lot more to do with the fact that King Cetshwayo never actually ordered the attack in the first place (it was his impetuous half-brother Prince Dabulamanzi in command), and the attackers were entirely devoid of supplies and exhausted after Isandlwhana. It was an all-or-nothing roll of the dice from Dabulamanzi against his brother's wishes, and when his piecemeal assault didn't yield overnight results, cutting his losses doubtless seemed the more sensible option (especially with a British relief column en route). All the same, it's a rattling Homeric tale of men at war, which takes pains to show the all-too-human faces of the Zulus in close combat with the redcoats. A more up-to-date take would undoubtedly show more of that Zulu perspective unfiltered through European eyes, but to his dying day Chief Buthelezi defended it as a worthwhile film that depicted his people fairly and favourably at a time when they needed a positive light shone on them. Sixty years on, it still stands up.
Ian Richards
2023-11-15 01:05:57 +0000 UTCIf you want to do another war movie reaction, highly recommend The Great Escape. Amazing film and definitely one I think you would enjoy (unless you have already seen it obviously which is entirely possible). I know it is an American film but it does feel quite British for the most part
James Lewis
2023-11-14 22:59:55 +0000 UTCthey both hold the same rank but because the engineer was commissioned three months earlier he as seniority
Daryl Hudson
2023-11-14 13:15:39 +0000 UTChe made some roles earlier but they small parts and he tended to be uncredited
Daryl Hudson
2023-11-14 12:19:06 +0000 UTCFair point, Andrew. Thanks for the clarification.
Jay
2023-11-14 03:57:04 +0000 UTCColour Sergeant Bourne was also not entirely accurate. Whilst he served as an exemplary soldier in British Army, at the time he was only 23, quite small in size and it is documented he was quite nervous around the soldiers.
Aaron Page
2023-11-14 01:58:59 +0000 UTCMichael Caine’s first starring role after “Zulu” (and where he got his first top billing) was in the following year, where he played the anti James Bond spy, Harry Palmer in “The Ipcress File” (1965). IMO this is a great spy film which spawned two lesser sequels (also starring Caine), “Funeral in Berlin” (1966) and “Billion Dollar Brain” (1967), the last of which is more like a 60’s Bond film in tone and one I favour of “Funeral in Berlin.” Another Caine film KB might like is the 1972 film, “Sleuth” which also stars Sir Laurence Olivier! It’s a film with a lot of twists and turns and keeps you guessing till the end!
Andrew Roberts
2023-11-14 01:18:17 +0000 UTCDavid Holgate, I second your recommendation re The Italian Job! Great crime caper and lots of fantastic funny one liners which I think KB would like. Jay, just to clarify something, but Michael Caine isn’t a Cockney. He was born in Rotherhithe, South London, nowhere near Cheapside in the City of London, where the famous “Bow Bells” (as in the bells of St. Mary-le-Bow church) are, and which you have to be born within the sound of, to class yourself as a Cockney! As a bloke from Caine’s neck of the woods, being lumped in as a Cockney just because you’re born in London, is not something I or my fellow South Londoners would ever want to be associated with! 🤣
Andrew Roberts
2023-11-14 01:07:33 +0000 UTCIn 2019 I was very fortunate to attend an event that marked the 140th anniversary of the Battle of Rorke’s Drift at Brecon Barracks, which today is the home of The Royal Welsh Regiment. The guest of honour was King Goodwill Zwelithini of the Zulu Nation - over the intervening years relations have become very friendly. To coincide with this anniversary the adjacent Regimental Museum had on display eight of the original Rorke’s Drift VCs which had never been seen before collectively. At the beginning of the film we see Zulu chief and future South African political leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi (who passed away in September at the age of 95) playing Zulu King Cetshwayo kaMpande, his great-grandfather.
Mark Williamson
2023-11-13 23:13:43 +0000 UTCThey should all get the VC
Mark Parker
2023-11-13 22:36:59 +0000 UTCApologies for the second comment. There's some absolute classic war movies that still stand up today. A Bridge Too Far. The Dirty Dozen. The Bridge on The River Kwai. Where Eagles Dare. The Guns of Navarone. The Eagle Has Landed. Lawrence of Arabia (if you have a spare 3 and a half hours). Das Boot (if you have a spare 4 hours). Patton. Ice Cold in Alex. The Train.
Jay
2023-11-13 22:32:51 +0000 UTCWell played for sticking through the first hour. Even the best old movies can be quite difficult to get with through the early parts. Great atmosphere building, but not the best thing when you're tired. With regards to Michael Caine,it was his first major role, and from what I remember he got a lot of criticism for his acting in this movie. Being a cockney he didn't actually talk like that in real life, he was portraying a British upper class soldier. Essentially playing against type. Thankfully he was given more suitable roles that fit his persona further down the line.
Jay
2023-11-13 22:10:05 +0000 UTCLol I mean I’m with the preacher too just not in the middle of a fight.
Brian Moran
2023-11-13 21:41:49 +0000 UTCComing across as a bit of a warmonger here Mr. Boomer 😜 ..Like all colonialist wars we shouldn't have been there in the first place. I'm with the preacher. Good movie though 👌🏼
Martyn Dawson
2023-11-13 20:43:42 +0000 UTCYeah I second this, brilliant film.
David Williams
2023-11-13 20:30:56 +0000 UTCIf you wanna see a heartwarming movie then Goodnight mr Tom is a must watch with queen boomer 😊
connor
2023-11-13 20:19:40 +0000 UTC+1 for the original Italian Job... One of my all time faves and it really shows Michael Caine in his best 'Cheeky Cockney Chappy' type role that he was so good at the time, not the posh gent he is in this movie, although I love this film too... The Italian Job even has Benny Hill in it lol who actually impresses with his acting along with so many greats of British film.
BigChanChan
2023-11-13 19:17:57 +0000 UTCAmazing film. Not as accurate as some claim of course; the two facts that leap to mind are the fact that it was not a Welsh regiment at the time, but an English border one; the majority of the soldiers there being English (though there were a lot of Welsh soldiers within it) but was only made a Welsh regiment later when it relocated its base to Wales a few years after this event. The other thing I remember is that Hook was actually a teetotal model soldier, not a drunken one with a bad attitude. His portrayal here deeply offended his family members to the point they walked out of the premiere. Michael Caine's character though, really was from a prominent military family, his relatives had been at Quebec and Waterloo, so I suppose he ended up continuing a tradition!
Aetheling
2023-11-13 19:15:14 +0000 UTCHope you get around to watching the original Italian Job
Martin Bailey
2023-11-13 19:08:00 +0000 UTC
