I just watched "The Beast" and I was surprised by how good it was. I didn't really like the end, but other than that it is definitely in my top 10 movies.

A note on Enemy at the Gates...

Does anyone really know if that German major was real? Ive heard conflicting reports on everything that his real name may be unknown too he never even existed.

cadet kelly :P

mine is Three kings

GuyOnThe Right:

I actually bought the book, Enemy At The Gates, after I saw the movie. I expected alot more about the Sniper duel, but the book is actually about the ENTIRE battle of Stalingrad. It's suprisingly an EXCELLENT book, I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. The sniper duel is actually taken from only a meager two pages from the book, but the writer of the movie really did his research (in other places, as well).

Major Koenig DID exist, and WAS the basis for the German sniper in the movie. And he actually DID run a shooting school in Germany prior to his mission in Russia. The only part the movie got wrong:

Zeitsev and Tanya were never reunited. (Remember the end of the movie, when he goes to her hospital bed?) Zeitsev married after the war, and never saw Tanya again.

A comment on Cadet Kelly... why why why does that movie keep coming up?!?!?! Everywhere I turn. Drill team commander, Drill and Ceremonies Officer and Staff, not to mention at the recent drill meet some of our guys judged. -sigh- I think I need to see this movie.

Originally Posted by dragon_master_gunner

GuyOnThe Right:

I actually bought the book, Enemy At The Gates, after I saw the movie. I expected alot more about the Sniper duel, but the book is actually about the ENTIRE battle of Stalingrad. It's suprisingly an EXCELLENT book, I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. The sniper duel is actually taken from only a meager two pages from the book, but the writer of the movie really did his research (in other places, as well).

I have this book, and now I think I'll started reading it! TY

Let me know what you think about it when you are done. Please don't expect there to be a whole lot about that sniper duel. The book is about the whole battle on a much larger scale. But small personal stories about individual people are mixed in, as well. At the end of the book, there ia a type of epilogue that gives you an idea of what some of the survivors mentioned in the book did after the war. Vasilly Zeitsev is one of them.

The movie "Stalingrad" is excellent. It's german, and it's got this weird feel to it, kind of surreal, but it really captures the desperation of the germans as they realized they were in too deep.
"Alls Quiet on the Western Front" is also good, if a little dated.
"Gettysburg" is also worth it. But "Gods and Generals" Bored the s#!+ out of me.

I've never seen the movie (I need to now though!!!!) But All Quiet on the Western Front is an amazing book. I had to read it for US History and hated it the first time, but then I read it again when I was bored and it's really good.