# I'm looking for war movies with scenes of artillery falling **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 11, 2008, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200 "2008-11-11T16:18:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/1 "2008-11-11T16:18:31Z")
Here’s why: I’m working on my fantasy novel, or rather was before I left for work this morning. The story’s set in 1987. I’m on at a battle scene, and the viewpoint character, a 14-year-old boy from a poor family, is in a city being bombarded by artillery. He’s in a shelter; so he knows this from sound rather than sight. He hears the whistle of rockets, in other words, followed by explosions. As the VC is a only a kid, and is an American whose never lived overseas or in a battle zone, he must make this deduction based on his own experience, which to me, means movies. When I left this morning I used the movie _Platoon_ as the character’s reference point. But it’s been a long time since I’ve seen that movie, and as I ponder the matter, I’m afraid I’m mistaken about there being such a scene in that movie. Also, the kid’s family is poor, and I can’t see them as having money for theatres or for cable tv; the movies he would have seen would have been on broadcast. As Platoon came out in '86, I’m doubtful he would have seen it in December '87 on ABC, NC, or CBS. Anybody have a thought on what other movie the kid might have seen? ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/2 "2008-11-11T16:32:06Z")
The first battle scene in “Patton” has the US Army shelling advancing German tanks & infantry. Lots of artillery pieces firing & artillery explosions in that. And it got plenty of network airtime in the 70’s & 80’s. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/3 "2008-11-11T16:37:08Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > The first battle scene in “Patton” has the US Army shelling advancing German tanks & infantry. Lots of artillery pieces firing & artillery explosions in that. And it got plenty of network airtime in the 70’s & 80’s. Thanks; that’s a good one. I should have mentioned in the OP that the VC idolizes his dead father, who was a US Marine, so any films specifically about leathernecks would be wonderfully appreciated. :: slinking back to Wikipedia :: ---
**Author:** ![History\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b19c9b/32.png) [@History\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/History_Geek)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/4 "2008-11-11T16:53:10Z")
There were several episodes of _M_A_S_H\* that showed the camp being shelled (usually by friendly fire, it seemed). For Marines under fire, you could look at _Sands of Iwo Jima_. I can’t think of any other specific titles right now, but there are tons of films covering Marines in the PTO. And though it doesn’t fit the requirements in your OP, the movie _The Lost Battalion_ has some great artillery barrage scenes, including one where a guy takes a direct hit and gets vaporized on-screen. It’s an awesome effect and in general the movie conveys the horror of an incoming barrage. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/5 "2008-11-11T17:03:24Z")
There’s a memorable scene in _The Longest Day_ when the naval bombardment begins. A French townsman sneers out of his window as a none-too-bright looking German soldier rides past on a donkey, delivering coffee to the troops manning the beach defenses. The German suddenly notices that the sea is covered from one side of the horizon to the other with warships. As he stares in stupid amazement, the entire armada opens fire. Geysers of dirt explode on every side, and the poor slob has to run for his life. Meanwhile, the Frenchman is screaming jubilantly and waving his tricolor from the window, while his wife attempts to drag him to safety. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/6 "2008-11-11T17:15:53Z")
> [@History\_Geek](#): > > There were several episodes of _M_A_S_H\* that showed the camp being shelled (usually by friendly fire, it seemed). For Marines under fire, you could look at _Sands of Iwo Jima_. I can’t think of any other specific titles right now, but there are tons of films covering Marines in the PTO. I may be having a brain fart when it comes to M_A_S\*H. Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t what we hear in that case generally just the explosions? As I’ve written the scene, the VC hears the whistling of the rockets beforehand as well. I mention that because I’m contrasting the sounds heard earlier in the attack. ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/7 "2008-11-11T18:58:38Z")
Never Mind ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/8 "2008-11-11T19:09:29Z")
I suppose _Stripes_ is right out. “Incoming!” ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/9 "2008-11-11T19:40:31Z")
> [@History\_Geek](#): > > There were several episodes of _M_A_S_H\* that showed the camp being shelled (usually by friendly fire, it seemed). For Marines under fire, you could look at _Sands of Iwo Jima_. I can’t think of any other specific titles right now, but there are tons of films covering Marines in the PTO. > > And though it doesn’t fit the requirements in your OP, the movie _The Lost Battalion_ has some great artillery barrage scenes, including one where a guy takes a direct hit and gets vaporized on-screen. It’s an awesome effect and in general the movie conveys the horror of an incoming barrage. Sands of Iwo Jima is perfect, as I’ve already established, just as an aside, that the kid’s grandfather was at Tarawa. I’ll have to rent it and see if there’s any scene that I can use as a reference. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/10 "2008-11-11T19:58:55Z")
Keep in mind that if the bombardment in your fantasy novel includes anything comparable to V-2 rockets, there’ll be no sound before they hit, because they come in supersonic. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/11 "2008-11-11T20:16:13Z")
In Full Metal Jacket, there is a scene at the beginning of the Tet Offensive. The grunts are relaxing in a tent and they hear some booming. Those don’t sound like fireworks. Those don’t sound like outgoing… Shit! Glory has some being pounded by cannon fire. In Pirates of the Carribbean the Black Pearl bombards the town before they attack. I’m pretty sure there is an artilly scene in A Very Long Engagement, but I can’t recall a specific scene. (but it is a damn good movie so you should watch it anyway) ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/12 "2008-11-11T20:20:17Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > Keep in mind that if the bombardment in your fantasy novel includes anything comparable to V-2 rockets, there’ll be no sound before they hit, because they come in supersonic. The bombing is coming from ships off shore; I doubt it’s supersonic. Besides, I don’t think it matters, because story structure prevents me from specifying exactly what is happening; the kid is a KID; he doesn’t know exactly what weapons are being used, and the person who’d be inclined to tell him is off playing Superman elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/13 "2008-11-11T20:23:10Z")
Not sure if Band of Brothers has been shown on broadcast TV yet, but the Bastogne episode has multiple artillery bombardments of the defending troops in foxholes in the forest. And it has a long monologue regarding the nature of being under artillery fire. And of course it misses your cut off by a long time… ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/14 "2008-11-11T20:24:45Z")
Not quite what you’re looking for, but worth a mention: There’s a doc that airs occasionally on the History Channel that shows a simulation of the mortal blow that the Bismarck inflicted upon the Hood, showing the path of the shell from a “Slim Pickens” point of view. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/15 "2008-11-11T20:32:16Z")
> [@villa](#): > > Not sure if Band of Brothers has been shown on broadcast TV yet, but the Bastogne episode has multiple artillery bombardments of the defending troops in foxholes in the forest. And it has a long monologue regarding the nature of being under artillery fire. > > And of course it misses your cut off by a long time… To me that is by far the most realistic scene of being on the wrong end of artillery ever made. ---
**Author:** ![Claptree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Claptree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claptree)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/16 "2008-11-11T20:35:36Z")
I did my national service in an artillery regiment. One day we went to an observation post to see a live shelling in action. The first sound I heard was from the howitzers themselves; deep, rapid booms, followed a few seconds later by the whistling sound from the shells growing louder, and finally the detonations. I was a bit disappointed with the visuals as my regiment primarily used zone detonations - about 4 meters above ground - to spread shrapnel over a larger area than a direct impact hit would affect. Just smoke puffs, basically. I believe this is widely used against soft or lightly armored targets. The observation post was about 500m from the impact zone, and some 20-25 km from the howitzers. It contrasted quite a lot from what I’ve seen in movies, and I thought it might be useful. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/17 "2008-11-11T20:39:20Z")
> [@Claptree](#): > > I did my national service in an artillery regiment. One day we went to an observation post to see a live shelling in action. > > The first sound I heard was from the howitzers themselves; deep, rapid booms, followed a few seconds later by the whistling sound from the shells growing louder, and finally the detonations. I was a bit disappointed with the visuals as my regiment primarily used zone detonations - about 4 meters above ground - to spread shrapnel over a larger area than a direct impact hit would affect. Just smoke puffs, basically. I believe this is widely used against soft or lightly armored targets. > > The observation post was about 500m from the impact zone, and some 20-25 km from the howitzers. > > It contrasted quite a lot from what I’ve seen in movies, and I thought it might be useful. In one sense it is useful; the auditory imagery (there’s a nice oxymoron for you) exactly as I was imagining it. The kid doesn’t get to actually see any of it, though, as he’s in a shelter during the worst of it, and by the time he gets out the enemy has moved from soften-'em-up mode to capture-slaves-mode. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/18 "2008-11-11T20:57:56Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > In one sense it is useful; the auditory imagery (there’s a nice oxymoron for you) exactly as I was imagining it. The kid doesn’t get to actually see any of it, though, as he’s in a shelter during the worst of it, and by the time he gets out the enemy has moved from soften-'em-up mode to capture-slaves-mode. The problem with your scene is that being around artillery or other kinds of explosions is not like you see it in movies. The big difference is that you feel the explosions (and the actual firing of the guns) more than you hear them. Your character would more likely be contrasting how different the reality is from what he saw on TV. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/19 "2008-11-11T21:37:36Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > The problem with your scene is that being around artillery or other kinds of explosions is not like you see it in movies. The big difference is that you feel the explosions (and the actual firing of the guns) more than you hear them. Your character would more likely be contrasting how different the reality is from what he saw on TV. Several times I’ve contrasted the character’s expectations with reality, so that works fine. What I meant was that, since he’s inside the entire time the shelling is going on, he never actually sees it. (The bomb shleter has no windows, for reasons left as an exercise for the class.) ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200/20 "2008-11-11T21:38:39Z")
_All Quiet on the Western Front_ has some very impressive artillery scenes, especially for such an old movie. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-looking-for-war-movies-with-scenes-of-artillery-falling/472200.md?page=2)