633 Squadron [DVD]

I think everyone here must have seen this film, it was a bit like 'The Great Escape' and on every Bank Holiday. It tells the story of a fictitious RAF squadron of Mosquito fighter-bombers that go on a mission to Norway in 1944 to destroy a German factory that is producing fuel for the V2 rockets. The film was based on the novel '633 Squadron' written by a former RAF officer Frederick E Smith.The film is clearly ripping of 'The Dambusters' film of a decade or so earlier by covering a similar sort of raid. This movie is rather more Boy's Own stuff. As this film was American financed they insisted on two American leads in Cliff Robertson and George Chakiris. Robertson plays a US Squadron Leader who is a member of one of three Eagle Squadrons* so that does a good job of explaining why he is in the movie but Chakiris is playing a member of the Norwegian Resistance but he is OK. The rest of the cast is made up of British stalwarts. Angus (Shughie McFee) Lennie must have come straight from filming 'The Great Escape' to make this film. He is joined by Harry Andrews, Donald Houston, Suzan Farmer, Michael Goodliffe and Johnny (Mike Baldwin) Briggs. You have to wonder in how many films Harry Andrews played an officer in war films!The flying sequences are really well filmed indeed with real Mosquitoes used. They were leased from a Flying School in Gloucestershire. A lot of the aircraft used in the film are still in existence today. Scotland was used to double for Norway and for the training flights. There is some fairly good model work used for aircraft crashing or exploding mid-air. It was 1963 and the effects team do an OK job.The film is probably best remembered for its stirring theme music by Ron Goodwin. It must crop up on every Best of compilation of Music from War Films. It really is a belter of a tune.Sadly the pq of this film is not good and it is the same source as the 2004 DVD. As it was issued by a budget company called Final Cut it has had zero restoration. So every blemish, fleck, bit of dirt that was present on the DVD is here again in HD. It has had no colour restoration so some scenes look dull and lifeless. Don't get me wrong it is an improvement on the DVD but not dramatically.The DVD contains a cinema trailer and subtitles. Both of these are missing from the BD.Extras: 3 featurettes. Two of which are really poor. They have so called war film experts like Kim Newman spouting mostly tripe. Newman should stick to horror films in which he is an expert. He says he doesn't know why an American is serving in the RAF and perhaps he is meant to be Canadian. Cliff Robertson clearly states in the film that he is member of an Eagle Squadron! The Eagle Squadrons who were all volunteer US pilots who joined the RAF before the USA entered the war. The third featurette is however very good indeed as it tells you about The Mirisch Company who produced the film. The fellow, Paul Kerr, that talks about the company really knows what he is talking about and is writing a book about the company.I am glad I only paid £7.99 for this BD because, as David Dickinson would say, its all its money.For the BD 3/10. For the film 9/10.

The acting is brilliant with a host of well known stars headed by Harry Andrews and Cliff Robertson who wanted to do the flying in the film. But the stars of the film are the mosquitoes, their beautiful lines, Merlin engines and their ability to perform like ballerinas in the sky above war torn Norway steal the show. I remember the film first coming out and it was one of the reasons I learnt to fly. Although the film was made in Scotland and the Germans are shown for what they are, it is still British film making at its best and it still stands the test of time amongst the top war film greats. You should watch this as a quiet night in with a glass of wine and crisp or with the kid to teach them about history. Keep an eye out for Crocodile Dundee, the only problem is they never made a sequel.

hi,just recived my bluray 633 squadron to day,20-5-2019,the transfare could have been better,there is a lot of lines in the film that should have been put right,when re mastering the film,the people who remastered this movie,must not have checked or watch the finished product ???these lines in the film last for 15 or 20 seconds,but should have been right ???this is why im only giving it 3 stars,with modern tecknoligy this could have been put right,t power

Sitting here in 2017 I'm really having difficulty in reviewing this 1964 film. Judged by today's expectations it can appear dated and even amateur in places but is this fair?The movie has been a staple of British TV for decades and I remember watching fondly as a child. The fictitious squadron is assigned a fictitious mission to destroy a Nazi war factory, concealed in a Norwegian fjord. At the outset the film only claims to be 'inspired by true events' and the action is combination of the real bombing of the Gestapo HQ in Copenhagen and the sabotage of the Vermork heavy water factory in Norway.Cliff Robertson plays the gritty squadron leader well enough (american for reasons of US box office) and George Chakiris is a Norwegian resistance leader, a strange choice as he is of Greek parentage. As with war moves of the time there is a throw away love interest angle but isn't too intrusive. The supporting cast of air force officers are adequate and the multi-national nature of RAF at this time is truthfully portrayed. The real stars of the film are however the wooden Mosquito aircraft themselves and the flying sequences are still thrilling, supported by Ron Goodwin's classic stirring score.So far so good until the film's climax the actual raid itself. I've tried to be generous but the bombing sequences using models are poor and would I think have been unconvincing even in 1964. Incidentally 1964 was when production started on the Thunderbirds TV series which took the use of 'action models' to a new level. Today's computer games are far more realistic never mind Hollywood CGI.I've settled on four stars for a family friendly, action movie that doesn't take too many liberties with wartime history. Just prepare yourselves for derisive laughter from today's young viewers at the end.