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 enlarge | Director: John Irvin
Actors: Ron Eldard, Zak Orth, Frank Whaley, Dylan Bruno, Devon Gummersall
Studio: Hbo Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $9.98
Buy New: $4.00
You Save: $5.98 (60%)
New (18) Used (23) Collectible (1) from $3.66
Avg. Customer Rating:  115 reviews
Sales Rank: 4976
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 92
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
DVD Layers: 1
DVD Sides: 1
Picture Format: Pan & Scan
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.6 x 0.6
MPN: D91480D
ISBN: 6305161941
UPC: 026359148026
EAN: 9786305161943
ASIN: 6305161941
Theatrical Release Date: June 27, 1998
Release Date: November 10, 1998
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW, Factory Sealed items direct from the Studios. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Quick International Airmail!
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| Customer Reviews:
 As good as any war film ever made July 3, 2006
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
This is truly a soldier's film, capturing in a microcosm of film everything which is horrible about war, from the disdain of the field grade officers whose lives aren't in danger, to the horrific decisions and life that the soldiers endured. A prior reviewer explained the inability to capture the reality of the bridge scene, especially given the budget of this film. It certainly caputures everything else about being a soldier and this insane expenditure of men's lives for no reasonable purpose.
As for the language, it's very mild by soldier standards. I spent a year in Vietnam, and the language we used was far worse, and used in almost every sentence. I doubt profanity emerged first with the Vietnam war, and it's probably been inherent in warriors for thousands of years.
The story itself focuse on a private who has to make an almost impossible decision at the beginning of the film, killing the only other survivor of his platoon, to prevent the man from suffering. It represents every impossible decision which soldiers have been faced with for centuries. War is not fought by civilized values, and this film displays that reality, and why soldier don't say much about what they did in wars.
The experiences harden the private, and make him willing to do virtually anything to escape the madness which was trying to advance through this forest, but he's such a good soldier that he keeps getting promoted, as he keeps surviving, despite his anti-authoritarian attitude and contempt for officers, the Army, and most things.
I really identified with this film. Unlike Saving Private Ryan, it doesn't have the huge flaw of a caricature (the corporal clerk who wastes so much time in that film). Everyone in When Trumpets Fade is very real. The horrors of combat itself are very well done, and the general horror of that campaign are well displayed. We see the insanity of attacking into ranged artillery fire. We see the indifference of higher officers who don't care what is impossible, as they simply pass on insane orders of their superiors to their subordinates, who are the ones who will die.
It's as good as any war film I've ever seen. Only a WWII veteran of that battle could comment on certain aspects of the film. I noted one reviewer thought it was absurd that a whistle was used to start an advance. I'm not so sure. Often the military does things which make no sense.
As a war veteran, however, I found the film virtually flawless, in what it displays about war, and about soldiers, and from what I know about that battle, it does a great job of generally capturing the horrors of the Hurtgen Forest.
Easily the most underrated war movie of all time April 8, 2006
10 out of 12 found this review helpful
I have seen a lot of war movies, from Platoon to Thin Red Line to Saving Private Ryan. None of them have anything on this movie. Eldard was excellent in his portrayal as Pvt. David Manning. This movie was just that a movie, it doesn't rely on slick packaging or a lot of hype; it just delivers a great story about WWII. It may not be 100% historically correct but who cares? This is a real war movie; it doesn't have some uplifting aspect to it. This is a movie about a guy who doesn't want to be there but cannot get out
One of the Best March 13, 2006
7 out of 11 found this review helpful
I've watched it 4 times, and am ready for the fifth. Up there
in league with Pvt. Ryan.
Dark Side of War March 7, 2006
9 out of 11 found this review helpful
This was a facinating study of a soldier and how he dealt with death. It also highlighted one of the biggest mistakes Ike made during the war in one of the most poorly considered campaigns: the Hertzog forrest. The big mistake was throwing green recruits into line outfits--- where they died in rank. A few days of training and the survival rate would have been better and they would have been more useful. The Forest campaign was to capture the Saar region of Germany. Even the Germans knew better. It was really dumb, ruined a couple of divisions and could have cost the war if the Germans had been more successful in the Battle of the Bulge. The story was excellent. This is one of the best war flicks of all time for its gritty reality.
If this review was helpful, please add your vote -- Thanks.
 Trumpets February 21, 2006
1 out of 12 found this review helpful
Although I liked the movie overall, I think it could have been a little more "historically correct." Also, the ending was a let down.
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