New DVD's and books from Amazon

I've recently bought an eclectic mix of films and books from E-Bay and Amazon.  Most I haven't viewed yet so I will not be able to match the excellent Angry Lurker's film reviews but it gives an idea of what I'm enjoying at the moment.


The Fallen : WW2 drama.  Sounded good but I've just read a review that absolutely slated it!  D'oh!




Attack on Leningrad : by the cover this looked like an Enemy at the Gates but (half way through) its a bit disappointing.  The battle scenes are graphic but unconvining, the Germans are portrayed as universally evil, moustache-twirling one-dimensional baddies.  There's a weak love story about an English female journalist trapped in the city while Gabriel Byrne will try to get her out.  I bloody hope it improves.



HMS Defiant : Alec Guiness and Dirk Bogarde in this classic film about ship conflict in Napoleonic times.  Never seen it but all the reviews say its a goody!




Robin Hood : Some great battle scenes as Russell Crowe tries out several different accents while saving England from assorted baddies.  The siege of the French castle alone is worth the entrance fee.  Good stuff!



Waterloo : See Rod Steiger's classic overacting vs Plummer's understated Wellesley.  Great film spoiled only by that ridiculous scene (put in no doubt to appeal to the 1960's anti-war movement) where the British soldier jumps out of the square to declaim man's violence against his fellow man - then gets killed.  Serves him right!



Gettysburg : I don't know much about the American Civil War so thought this would be a good introduction.  Juding by the cover photography, the luxuriant and preposterous beards alone are worth the entrance fee.



The English Civil Wars : As we're playing a few scenarios relating to the ECW I thought a quick intro into the ins, outs and battles would be useful.



I've also bought some assorted books on Tarawa, Iwo Jima and Japanese defences in WW2 in preparation for the Tarawa battle.  They haven't arrived yet, though!