The Red Baron [Blu-ray]

Many reviewers missed the point in my opinion. On the one hand, you have those who say it's not accurate enough, others complain that it is "too corny" and still others who think it is worse than "Flyboys", the WW1 film starring James Franco et al., In some ways both are similarly successful but getting right to the point on this film the balance is actually extremely impressive in that, while the creators do take some liberties with the facts, they do it for a very useful reason----they made the decision to bring the most important aspects of the German aces to life and in this they have succeeded marvelously and here is why you should buy this film, even before Flyboys (get them both ultimately). In fact for knowledgable pilots and historians of German Aces of WW1, this film is far more accurate than any other film on the subject to date and to prove it, one only needs to look at the incredible attention to detail. Just a few---notice the "side slip" Voss uses (along with Josef Jacobs, this was one of the "secret weapons" of the German pilots and it worked fabulously in both Albatross and Fokker), where only rudder is used to turn quickly. Notice the "washed out" crosses on MvR's Albatross. Notice it's a DV, while many others still fly the more slab sided DIIIs. Note that although many of the individual markings indicate A/C from units other than J's 4,6,10 or 11, a study of history tells us they did switch places not infrequently for a variety of reasons. There are wonderful representations of Jacob's smoke blowing devil, Kirchstein's Zebra (or Udet's since he borrowed K's later, LvR's red-yellow bird, Voss and Kissenberth's and Graf von GK---many represented for the first time in film. Catch the OAW manufacturer on MvR's early DIII? Look for the radiator shutter controls where they were and the open valve tappets on the Mercedes inline---rotary, not radial on the Dr1's. And consider how much history is jam packed into this film and you will be amazed. LvR's much greater PC (in Germany at the time) attitude compared with later MvR, the interesting and skillful development of best friend Voss' character wonderfully brought to life by Germany's most talented and popular actor Til Schweiger, and the amazing casting---(that's pretty much what Hindenburg looked and acted like!). Okay, you can nitpick details--probably a Clerget not a Bentley in Voss' Dr1 but how many young people have heard of a Clerget? Yet a Bentley thanks to current pop culture is well-known by those under 25, so a wider appeal is the result. And do we really know it was not a Bentley? New facts are emerging all the time. Recent medical records show MvR was wounded by a "newbie" in the Circus, not by the two seater he was battling when he received his head wound. So hold your "facts" for now and enjoy the massive history. Sure it's a Curtiss Jenny on the home estate, but you have to admit, it's about as close to a Rumpler C1 or CII as you'll see in film. Sure Hawker should have been in a DH2, but an Se5a is prettier. In the end, this is a love story and Lena Heady makes Kate believable. Fiennes plays a useful role as Roy Brown complete with accent and of course the liberties with history are off, but the bottom line is, the characters are very useful and interesting and unless we want WW 1 films about aces to only be shown at EAA conventions, we should be a little more open-minded. The more you read, the more you will appreciate that this is not corny for WW 1 Germany, nor is it lacking in dialogue if you listen carefully. It is a love story between a man and a woman and between men and men and the real characters are wonderfully represented as skillfully as the flying, the aircraft, the life, the scenes. Bodenshatz really was like that, per interviews and diaries and so was Hoeppner. I love the way they wove in the closeness of the combatants----RB's comment....you are all related in Europe....and the way the fighting in the air was so much different from the other military arms. If you watch this film more than once you will see it is actually a love story with incredible action to keep it moving along with subtle dialogue (Voss' comment....."Trust me I had to argue a little with the chap" about the stolen Bentley (clerget) and fabulous relationships. MvR actually did all those things and more---he was at the surrender meetings and met future bolshevik leaders--true story. He was truly one of the most caring leaders who grew up at lightning speed. So here is a movie that will actually age like fine wine. For me, it is up there with some of the romantic classics like Casablanca because it shows tragic romance in the worst possible settings amid a brutal war. So many touching moments----Sterni waving goodbye to Voss, MvR's grief right after giving him the harmonica (notice one other accurate detail.....in Berlin, three beautiful women walk by and what does MvR notice? An ad for a Seidel harmonica--two facts are revealed---MvR hardly noticed women (other than Kate) and his pilot comrades were more important to him than almost anything else and second, his incredible attention to noticing everything, which was remarked about by many who were there---he "saw Sterni lose it" and he noticed that Roy Brown unsnapped his holster---there are many stories of how he "saw everything". These are just a few of the incredible number of details that make up a "cliff notes" of real history and the history is better than hollywood. Speaking of that, I wonder what people don't like about Flyboys? One cool thing is there again---the coordination of aircraft timing is off, but do we really care? How many Bristol F2's have you seen in the movies lately? I admit, that Cassidy's character borrows a lot from MvR's real-life character, but I'm willing to bet Hawker was a lot like that or at least there is a composite of British leaders that were. So if you are a flier like me, enjoy the really fun details like a whirling rotary rather than a radial (about time!), the "ladies landing" (almost) by MvR (true event), and the love stories in the midst of incredible brutality. If you put aside your biases, what you will have in almost every detail, some representative fact of true events and you will be far more informed and entertained that way. Watch the movie more than twice and you will come to appreciate this masterpiece for what it is.

It was Ok, but I didn't like the "family guy cutaways." First he's on the ground, then he's flying. Then he's on the ground again, then he's flying again. Again and Again, why don't we see him at least finishing his battles?

I first watched this movie on Redbox and loved it! Weeks later, I watched it on Netflix and loved it! Then I decided to buy it, watched it when it came in the mail yesterday, and still loved it!The story goes into who Baron Manfred von Richthofen really was--a man of mystery which some called him. I first heard about the Red Baron as a kid reading "Peanuts" comic strips and wondering what that dog Snoopy was imitating while sitting on his doghouse and in an outdated flying outfit. Then I heard the mentions of a great German ace, one of the best in WW1 with over 80 kills before his own plane went down in flames in the spring of 1918. When I first watched it, I found out what kind of man that the Baron really was, a respectful one.Apparently, he made little notice of his reputation until 1916, which is where the movie begins. The first scene is of the Baron and his German flying squadron soaring over the mourners at the funeral of a fallen British pilot-officer, and as the stunned Allied troops look on with surprise, the Baron drops a bunch of flowers directly into the freshly-dug grave from overhead, getting chewed out for it by a German superior later on. As the number of kills increase to his name, you see him confirm his kills by ripping off the flying insignia from each destroyed Allied plane, and finally get promoted to commanding his own squadron, which his younger brother even joins. But what really makes a name for himself is when he downs a British major, a flying ace that no one thought he had a chance at defeating.von Richthofen believes in fighting a war the "gentleman" way. "We down planes, not pilots." he says, giving his enemies the chance to land their wrecked plane safely. He is outraged during a scene in the movie when his cocky brother is seen directly over the airfield, gunning down a helpless British plane and murdering the pilot when it was already apparent that the British plane was going down anyway. The German ruler, Kaiser Wilhelm II, is impressed with him, telling him in one scene, "The ladies must be all over you.""Not many ladies are up at 10,000 feet." the Baron says, drawing laughter from the surprised Kaiser and his staff.But finally, an attractive nurse named Kate, who even tends to the Baron as well when he is injured, opens his eyes and shows him what the war really has to offer. So many hospitals, that they all have to be numbered, and full to the brim with wounded men, most of which will soon die.The war soon goes into the massive German spring offensive of 1918. You see the Baron and his planes chewing up the entire British air fleet overhead, but the war is different on the ground, where the Baron can easily see advancing German infantry being cut into ribbons by British machine guns. He even tells a German general before the offensive that he thinks Germany must surrender. "You know how I became the victor of 63 aerial battles? Every time I got into a fight that I could not win, I flew away." He tells the same to his own pilots, to disengage from battles that they clearly have no advantage of over the enemy, but the Generals are not impressed. Even though the enemy respects and fears him, the Baron seems to sense that his own end is near, and flies on his final mission. His death is credited to Captain Roy Brown of the Canadian Flying Corps, a pilot he had encountered twice earlier in the war and in the movie, where he helps the wounded Captain Brown out of a wrecked plane, and then when both men face each other in battle and force each other down, where both men have a respectful chat before the Baron points him to where his lines will be.Such a sad end to the Baron's life and flying career, but also a great movie to span his achievements all within 2 hours! This movie was excellent and is recommended to anyone who liked watching "Flyboys." Aerial combat movie fans must have this on their shelves!

Viewed this movie a few times over the years mostly on TV as has been stated in other reviews not historically accurate, a few things would have made this better, lead actor was more young floppy haired Romantic dude than making the effort to emulate the look of a young prussian warrior aristocrat.The Roy Brown actor instead of wearing flight goggles like all the other pilots was flying around wearing a pair of John Lennons cast off sun glasses. Odd mix as the film does give a great feeling of being in that WW1 era costums, locations, fighting machines set details Arial sequences are all there. Film just falls down somehow as it wanders away from the real events. Still I did buy the Dvd so a reasonable Sunday afternoon type of watchable sometimes well filmed romp. Also this was more enjoyable at this viewing due to being watched on a decent Home Cinema even the dvd has a pretty good surround ambiance that helped envelope the viewer in the movie. I much prefer The Blue Max or Aces High to this one.

A very enjoyable film to watch the only downside is the story is quite sketchy, as you sometimes left wondering what happened next, but enjoyable nevertheless.

Brilliant transfer to Blu-ray

excellent film well acted with good action scenes

How could you blow a story as good as this and how could you make the audience care less for your hero? The story of this film could write itself. How unfortunate!