jsslatic Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 (edited) Never seen it before, just watched it now on Sky Anytime. If you haven't seen it, it's bloody good and worth checking out. Also, if anyone knows per chance of any good history books on the Battle of Rorke's Drift than please let me know, it's really got me interested and would be a welcome break from my British Civil Wars dissertation crap. Edited December 18, 2008 by jsslatic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeslover Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Never seen it before, just watched it now on Sky Anytime. If you haven't seen it, it's bloody good and worth checking out. Also, if anyone knows per chance of any good history books on the Battle of Rorke's Drift than please let me know, it's really got me interested and would be a welcome break from my British Civil Wars dissertation crap. A classic Sunday afternoon film. I have a friend who I suspect will be able to point you in the way of some history books about it, I will consult him. What I do know about it myself: They weren't overwhelmingly Welsh, although some were There is a lot of suspicion that the battle, heroic as the soldiers there were, was bigged up to deflect attention from the enormous cock-up that saw 3 times as many British troops slaughtered through inept generalship a few days before (as seen in the enormously inferior film Zulu Dawn). The more boring of the officers in the film happened to have spent years studying how to build fortifications from random stuff. There's a stroke of fortune. The Zulu King in the film was played by Chief Buthelezi, the somewhat sinister power behind the throne of the then current Zulu King in the Apartheid era. The thoughts of the actual King about this are not, to my knowledge, recorded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsslatic Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 A classic Sunday afternoon film. I have a friend who I suspect will be able to point you in the way of some history books about it, I will consult him. What I do know about it myself: They weren't overwhelmingly Welsh, although some were There is a lot of suspicion that the battle, heroic as the soldiers there were, was bigged up to deflect attention from the enormous cock-up that saw 3 times as many British troops slaughtered through inept generalship a few days before (as seen in the enormously inferior film Zulu Dawn). The more boring of the officers in the film happened to have spent years studying how to build fortifications from random stuff. There's a stroke of fortune. The Zulu King in the film was played by Chief Buthelezi, the somewhat sinister power behind the throne of the then current Zulu King in the Apartheid era. The thoughts of the actual King about this are not, to my knowledge, recorded. Thanks mate, let me know if you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markoasis Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Never seen it before, just watched it now on Sky Anytime. If you haven't seen it, it's bloody good and worth checking out. Also, if anyone knows per chance of any good history books on the Battle of Rorke's Drift than please let me know, it's really got me interested and would be a welcome break from my British Civil Wars dissertation crap. Right, at the next staff meeting I will be bringing rules change to the table. "all those applying to be owtb members must have watched Zulu before their account are authorised" and "exsisting members who have not seen Zulu have unitl 1st Jan 2009 to do so or their accounts will be suspended until they do see it and pass a test based on the film" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stebuzz Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Never seen it before, just watched it now on Sky Anytime. If you haven't seen it, it's bloody good and worth checking out. Also, if anyone knows per chance of any good history books on the Battle of Rorke's Drift than please let me know, it's really got me interested and would be a welcome break from my British Civil Wars dissertation crap. have read up on the actual battle, as usual with the cinema a certain amount of licence was used. 17 british troops were killed and some 300 zulu bodies found. but in the film it seems far more even. private henry hook wasnt as big a villain as he is in the film. his ancestors in 1963 werent very pleased when they saw how he was portrayed, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudemedic Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 I'm surprsied anyone over 18 hasn't seen Zulu in this country, the number of times its on TV. Its a good film and its Welshness always brings my Dad to the verge of tears, especially the 'Men of Harlech' bit (its a shame Cardiff use it as walk on music). I think LeesLover is right though its importance (and the number of VCs it got- always annoys me the Welsh got so many VCs compared to Gallipoli) was overstated to cover up the failings of the day before (the battle of Ishandawara (sp?) as seen in Zulu Dawn). It is a testiment to the British Army that perhaps the proudest day in their illustrious history was the day after arguably the worst. Although it was a great achievement and there was some serious bravery I always feel that the technological advantage we had (guns v. spears and animal skin shields anyone) is underplayed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oa_exile Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 (edited) I (and a few others) bumped into them once in Birmingham Edited December 18, 2008 by oa_exile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky_Latic Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Never seen it before, just watched it now on Sky Anytime. If you haven't seen it, it's bloody good and worth checking out. Also, if anyone knows per chance of any good history books on the Battle of Rorke's Drift than please let me know, it's really got me interested and would be a welcome break from my British Civil Wars dissertation crap. Never seen Zulu before now? Where have you been. It's a classic British film. Zulu Dawn is decent as well. private henry hook wasnt as big a villain as he is in the film. his ancestors in 1963 werent very pleased when they saw how he was portrayed, He wasnt even forced to join the army. He signed up and was posted in the Hospital as part of a small guard to protect the patients. Reports even suggest he never even touched alcohol and was a teetotaler. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Henry_Hook There's a very long account of his from the battle which he wrote in 1905. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsslatic Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 Right, at the next staff meeting I will be bringing rules change to the table. "all those applying to be owtb members must have watched Zulu before their account are authorised" and "exsisting members who have not seen Zulu have unitl 1st Jan 2009 to do so or their accounts will be suspended until they do see it and pass a test based on the film" I'm surprsied anyone over 18 hasn't seen Zulu in this country, the number of times its on TV. Never seen Zulu before now? Where have you been. It's a classic British film. Wish I hadn't mentioned it now! To be honest, my film repertoire is not particularly extensive, I get quite a bit of stick from my housemates over the number of films I apparently should have seen but haven't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yard Dog Posted December 19, 2008 Share Posted December 19, 2008 Been ages since I've seen Zulu - top film though. Bridge on the River Kwai - another good sunday afternoon film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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