Need a movie with a good retreat from battle scene!
September 20, 2011 3:58 PM Subscribe
What are some good movies (clips) that have a retreat from a battle scene? Specifically looking for times when the good guys have to retreat, regroup, replan, then try again (hopefully for victory). More details below
I'm giving the opening talk on an 8th grade boys confirmation retreat. We are using war movies as an underlying theme, becoming a christian soldier, etc... gets 8th grade boys fired up...
So, I'm trying to find a good movie clip where the army or team or whatever retreat from a battle, regroup, replan, then try again... it'll work into my talk. Other options are a movie with a CLEAN basic training scene... i can't show full metal jacket or anything like that...
please help!
I'm giving the opening talk on an 8th grade boys confirmation retreat. We are using war movies as an underlying theme, becoming a christian soldier, etc... gets 8th grade boys fired up...
So, I'm trying to find a good movie clip where the army or team or whatever retreat from a battle, regroup, replan, then try again... it'll work into my talk. Other options are a movie with a CLEAN basic training scene... i can't show full metal jacket or anything like that...
please help!
The Battle of Helm's Deep in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
posted by enlarged to show texture at 4:12 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by enlarged to show texture at 4:12 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Typed Helm's Deep first. Corrected to:
Faramir shouting "Fall back to Minas Tirith." Lord of the Rings, part 3.
posted by Namlit at 4:15 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Faramir shouting "Fall back to Minas Tirith." Lord of the Rings, part 3.
posted by Namlit at 4:15 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Since we're talking about 8th grade boys here, how about ending your montage with a nice bit of hilariousness from Monty Python and the Holy Grail? There are at least two "retreat" scenes (though they would be more accurately described as "run away!" scenes).
I can't find the full clips on youtube, but the ones I'm thinking of are...
1) The scene in front of the cave with the rabbit. They send in a knight, he gets eaten, then they charge, and a whole bunch of knights get attacked. By the cute little bunny. They all shout "run away! run away!" and go back to safety and regroup, where they finally decide to use the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch to best the bunny.
2) The scene in front of the French castle. They're sitting there outside the castle, trying to figure out how to get in. Just storming it won't work, because the French guys fling a cow at them. ("Run away! Run away!") Then they go back and regroup, and come up with the plan of hiding folks in a big wooden rabbit that they present to the French knights as a gift. (Of course, that doesn't work, either, and they fling the wooden rabbit right back at them.)
posted by phunniemee at 4:18 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
I can't find the full clips on youtube, but the ones I'm thinking of are...
1) The scene in front of the cave with the rabbit. They send in a knight, he gets eaten, then they charge, and a whole bunch of knights get attacked. By the cute little bunny. They all shout "run away! run away!" and go back to safety and regroup, where they finally decide to use the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch to best the bunny.
2) The scene in front of the French castle. They're sitting there outside the castle, trying to figure out how to get in. Just storming it won't work, because the French guys fling a cow at them. ("Run away! Run away!") Then they go back and regroup, and come up with the plan of hiding folks in a big wooden rabbit that they present to the French knights as a gift. (Of course, that doesn't work, either, and they fling the wooden rabbit right back at them.)
posted by phunniemee at 4:18 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
The Magnificent Seven, when they get kicked out of town (not really a battle, but they were forced to leave under threat of being slaughtered), but return.
Particularly, you may be able to use Calvera's dying question: You came back - for a place like this. Why? A man like you. Why?
posted by chengjih at 4:21 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Particularly, you may be able to use Calvera's dying question: You came back - for a place like this. Why? A man like you. Why?
posted by chengjih at 4:21 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Mulan has a very clean basic training montage. To the best Disney song ever. If you get desperate for choices.
posted by spec80 at 4:21 PM on September 20, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by spec80 at 4:21 PM on September 20, 2011 [3 favorites]
The loooong tracking shot and aftermath of the French attack in The Longest Day.
posted by N-stoff at 4:22 PM on September 20, 2011
posted by N-stoff at 4:22 PM on September 20, 2011
"The Battle of the Bulge", though it isn't historically very accurate.
"Midway", likewise.
If you're looking for historical examples, the Zulu War is a good one. The first attempt by the British to conquer Zulu-land resulted in the Battle of Islandlwana, where the entire British force (including a lot of native levies) were slaughtered nearly to the man.
They pulled back, reorganized, changed tactics and then won the war on their second attempt.
(Isandlwana ranks with Little Big Horn as the two most devastating defeats of colonial forces by aboriginal defenders in modern history.)
There were two movies made about the Zulu war, but neither of them presents the entire campaign. "Zulu!" shows the events of the Battle of Rorke's Drift. "Zulu Dawn" shows the campaign up to Isandlwana.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 4:29 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
"Midway", likewise.
If you're looking for historical examples, the Zulu War is a good one. The first attempt by the British to conquer Zulu-land resulted in the Battle of Islandlwana, where the entire British force (including a lot of native levies) were slaughtered nearly to the man.
They pulled back, reorganized, changed tactics and then won the war on their second attempt.
(Isandlwana ranks with Little Big Horn as the two most devastating defeats of colonial forces by aboriginal defenders in modern history.)
There were two movies made about the Zulu war, but neither of them presents the entire campaign. "Zulu!" shows the events of the Battle of Rorke's Drift. "Zulu Dawn" shows the campaign up to Isandlwana.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 4:29 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
That was your plan? Get her?
Also, the 36th Chamber of Shaolin has some fantastic training scenes.
posted by Paragon at 4:32 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Also, the 36th Chamber of Shaolin has some fantastic training scenes.
posted by Paragon at 4:32 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Can't remember how clean the language is, but the "Operation Market Garden" episode of Band of Brothers has a great scene where Easy Company advances into what is essentially a trap, and then discover that the houses that appears to be sparsely defended are actually defended by a Panzer company and several machine guns. The men come under intense fire and have to fall back and fight there way back out of the engagement. Dramatically and cinema-graphically it's wonderful stuff, albeit graphic and potentially too "real" for your teaching situation.
The actual episode is number 4, "Replacements."
More info here.
posted by mosk at 4:43 PM on September 20, 2011
The actual episode is number 4, "Replacements."
More info here.
posted by mosk at 4:43 PM on September 20, 2011
Blackhawk Down - retreat/regroup is pretty much the whole movie
posted by timsteil at 4:50 PM on September 20, 2011
posted by timsteil at 4:50 PM on September 20, 2011
Not a movie, but Battlestar Galactica (new version) is one big long retreat of humans from the Cylons trying to exterminate them.
posted by I'm Brian and so's my wife! at 5:01 PM on September 20, 2011
posted by I'm Brian and so's my wife! at 5:01 PM on September 20, 2011
Gettysburg presents three (I think) retreats -- the first hesitant one by Union forces (good guys?), the initial rout of the Confederates at Little Round Top, and the final one by the defeated Confederates. Its prequel, Gods and Generals, depicts the Confederate retreat from Fredricksburg.
There are a few retreats in the Sharpe's series, but I can't recall any individually.
Tactical Withdrawal at, you guessed it, TVTropes, but not much there.
posted by dhartung at 5:19 PM on September 20, 2011
There are a few retreats in the Sharpe's series, but I can't recall any individually.
Tactical Withdrawal at, you guessed it, TVTropes, but not much there.
posted by dhartung at 5:19 PM on September 20, 2011
This is not exactly a movie -
but episode 4 of Band of Brothers depicts Easy Company's retreat from Nuenen during Operation Market Garden.
posted by Flood at 5:51 PM on September 20, 2011
but episode 4 of Band of Brothers depicts Easy Company's retreat from Nuenen during Operation Market Garden.
posted by Flood at 5:51 PM on September 20, 2011
Independence Day, when Will Smith and the other fighter planes from El Toro go up against the alien ship and discover they have shields! Then they try to run away and get pursued by the alien ship's fighters. For extra credit you could use the "redemption" theme for the military pilot gone drunk crop duster who saves the day at the end!
posted by forthright at 5:56 PM on September 20, 2011
posted by forthright at 5:56 PM on September 20, 2011
Best answer: The second Narnia movie, Prince Caspian, had a very well done sequence where the heroes' sortie fails and they have to retreat. Of course they eventually win at the end of the movie.
posted by fingersandtoes at 6:45 PM on September 20, 2011
posted by fingersandtoes at 6:45 PM on September 20, 2011
The "once more into the breach" speech from Henry V
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 8:14 PM on September 20, 2011
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 8:14 PM on September 20, 2011
aliens...the scene where the space marines first enter the alien nest...
posted by sexyrobot at 8:27 PM on September 20, 2011
posted by sexyrobot at 8:27 PM on September 20, 2011
The battle at the end of Saving Private Ryan. Before the battle starts they plan on how they're going to retreat through the town. "This position right here, this is the Alamo. They push us back this far, last man alive blows the bridge."
posted by kirkaracha at 9:15 PM on September 20, 2011
posted by kirkaracha at 9:15 PM on September 20, 2011
Seconding the Prince Caspian scene. That was the first thing that came to mind. It may be a little graphic - but 8th grade boys may be considerably tougher than I am.
posted by korej at 10:49 PM on September 20, 2011
posted by korej at 10:49 PM on September 20, 2011
This may be too heavy for 8th graders but the ending 15 minutes or so of Tears of the Sun has a very dramatic retreat sequence.
posted by elendil71 at 3:36 AM on September 21, 2011
posted by elendil71 at 3:36 AM on September 21, 2011
Not a movie, but I just watched this last night: Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Best of Both Worlds. There's a lot of subtext about being confident, respectful, honorable, and loyal.
posted by desjardins at 7:55 AM on September 21, 2011
posted by desjardins at 7:55 AM on September 21, 2011
I forgot to mention that it's available for streaming on Netflix.
posted by desjardins at 7:56 AM on September 21, 2011
posted by desjardins at 7:56 AM on September 21, 2011
Master and Commander. The story takes place on tall ships and includes strong friendships, sacrifice and camaraderie as well as retreat, regrouping, pursuit and battle. It's also a visually beautiful movie. And clean language-wise as I recall.
posted by WeaverRose at 8:50 AM on September 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by WeaverRose at 8:50 AM on September 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
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posted by BobbyVan at 4:08 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]