1.5K Messages
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35.2K Points
Nine Live Polls: The U.S. Armed Services
A nine part poll series on the movies and TV series of the Armed Services of the United States divided by branch. At urbane's suggestion the Navy and Army lists were split because they have so many titles.
Army Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567303976/
Army TV List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567363450/
Navy Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567301956/
Navy TV List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567363441/
Marine Corps Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567303329/
Marine Corps TV List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567603378/
Air Force and Space Force Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567306684/
Air Force and Space Force Series List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567601835/
Coast Guard List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567302779/
Maxence_G
4.5K Messages
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71K Points
2 years ago
R.I.P. United States Space Force
There is no film about them.
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urbanemovies
9.9K Messages
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162K Points
2 years ago
I like the idea and general execution of it. I do have a couple suggestions for your consideration.
1) I would tighten up the inclusion criteria a bit (ie Space Force is not in the USAF) and add notes when necessary for those titles that are a bit amiguous, have multi-branch representation or otherwise have a need, so poll takers understand you understand that you aware of situation specifics:
A)Apocalypse Now (half the movie is set on a Navy PBR and four of the seven top characters are Navy personel)
*multi-branch representation
B) The Right Stuff, both versions (The Mercury Seven astronauts are sourced from the USAF(3), USN(3) and USMC (1).)
*multi-branch representation
C) A Few Good Men (three of the top nine characters are Navy personel, while six of the top nine are Marines)
*multi-branch representation
D) Pearl Harbor (Despite the name and settings, it really more about the US Army Air Corp flyers and US Army nurses. It shouldn't be classified as being about the US Navy, even a multi-branch representation note would be generous toward the limited action the Navy gets in this film)
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urbanemovies
9.9K Messages
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162K Points
2 years ago
It seems really hard do each of these armed service branches justice. There are way too many titles for the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and far too few titles for the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Coast Guard with the U.S. Marine Corps. and U.S. Air Force lying somewhere in between those extremes.
ARMY:
https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?keywords=u.s.%20army&sort=num_votes,desc
NAVY:
https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?keywords=u.s.%20navy&sort=num_votes,desc
MARINES:
https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?keywords=u.s.%20marine&sort=num_votes,desc&start=1&ref_=adv_nxt
AIR FORCE:
https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?keywords=u.s.%20air%20force&sort=num_votes,desc&start=51&ref_=adv_nxt
COAST GUARD:
https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?keywords=u.s.%20coast%20guard&sort=num_votes,desc&start=1&ref_=adv_nxt
Maybe, one way to manage the disparity is to split the armed services that can justify two polls into a theatrical movie title poll and a seperate combined television and streaming title poll. This way you won't omit worthy titles and be well covered over the history of each branch. Alternatively, you could beef up some answer pools by including films involving the armed service commands, US Army Air Corp [ie VIII Bomber Command's Twelve O'Clock High (1949) begets the Eighth Air Force of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC)] and US Air Force Space Operations [ie NORAD's War Games(1983) remains the same command just moving from the Air Force to the Space Force as the United States' bi-national partner] that later evolved into own armed force branches.
Plus, the answer pool seems very heavy on the movies set during the last 75 years and doesn't fully represent the almost full 250 years of U.S. military history (Civil War, War of 1812, Boxer Rebellion, Banana Wars, Barbary Wars, Oregon Indian Wars, American Revolution, etc.), including larger and smaller conflicts. There seem to be notable movies that could be included that are important in telling the story of a particular armed service, a particular conflict or facet of a engagement.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_armed_conflicts_involving_the_United_States
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_the_United_States
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_military_operations
FYC:
Hacksaw Ridge (2016), Glory (1989), The Monuments Men (2014), 12 Strong (2018), Camp X-Ray (2014), Casualties of War (1989), Kelly's Heroes (1970), Greyhound (2020), Midway (2019), Sand Pebbles (1966), Red Tails (2012), Memphis Belle (1990), Gettysburg (1993), 1941 (1979), The Caine Mutiny (1954), Catch-22 (1970), Good Kill (2014), The Big Red One (1980), Midway (1976), Mister Roberts (1955), Miracle at St. Anna, Twelve O'Clock High (1949), Operation Petticoat (1959), Shores of Tripoli (1942), John Paul Jones (1959)
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CyrilMartin
815 Messages
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12K Points
2 years ago
My Vote: For Army List
Band of Brothers
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urbanemovies
9.9K Messages
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162K Points
2 years ago
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urbanemovies
9.9K Messages
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162K Points
2 years ago
US Space Force
I only know of the one TV series and no films that portrays the US Space Force as we know it.
However, there are other US fictional space agencies that were depicted in previous science fiction films set in 2020 A.D. and beyond , like Air Force Space Command in 1959's First Man into Space and American National Space Administration (military split of NASA) in 1968's Planet of the Apes that maybe be justified as being the US Space Force (albeit by a different name). I would think any organization that has a military focus, that is not called NASA, and is a U.S. based Space agency (not a world) is basically the US Space Force. You might be able to find a dozen or more to justify giving the US Space Force its own poll, if you want. As I run across more titles like these I will point them out.
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urbanemovies
9.9K Messages
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162K Points
2 years ago
US Marine Corps
I think the list is solid as is. Personally, where you are pushing the limit, I would split off a TV version to have about ten to twenty TV series and TV movies. You then could add some notable older theatrical USMC movies that are not on the list (Max, Last Flag Flying, Mine, The Flying Leathernecks, Battle Cry, Brothers, Gung Ho, etc.) with the open slots you created. The USMC TV titles that are not listed are The Code, The Kill Point, The Lietenant(1963), Men of Annapolis TV series, Blue Angels TV series, and Siege of Firebase Gloria TV movie.
But, I think it is fine either way and more of a judgement call.
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_films_featuring_the_United_States_Marine_Corps
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Television_shows_about_the_United_States_Marine_Corps
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urbanemovies
9.9K Messages
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162K Points
2 years ago
US Air Force
I think the list is solid as is. Personally, I would split off a TV version to have about ten to fifteen TV series and TV movies. It would make the lists more complete and still have some room to add future US Air Force titles. You then could add some notable older theatrical Air Force movies that are not on the list (The Thing from Another World, Sayonara, Good Kill, Air Force One, Project X, Last Full Measure, Bombers B-52, Aloha, Good Morning Vietnam, etc.) with the open slots you created. The US Air Force TV titles that are not listed are The Project Blue Book TV sci-fi series from the History channel, possibly the Taken TV series and The Day After TV movie.
But, I think it is fine either way and more of a judgement call. Also, the 75th anniversary of the US Air Force (18 Sept 1947) is a month out and the 115th anniversary of its original founding as an Army unit (1 August 1907) is a week away. You celebrate both anniversaries with two polls.
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urbanemovies
9.9K Messages
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162K Points
2 years ago
US Army & Navy Television
Again, both TV lists for the US Army and US Navy seem solid for the most part. I do see a handful of notable TV series omissions (see lists below). Structurally, where there are so many theatrical film titles, shifting some of that burden to the TV split would be a good idea. If you included made-for-television movies, TV specials, TV mini-series, TV series, reality series and streaming series under an everything else TV poll specific to each military branch it would create more balance and some space on the theatrical side. Also, it avoids the whole issue of whether it is movie or special or two or three part mini-series for the TV broadcasts that were television events.
I would probably take a look at the TV movies again, if you plan to fold them under the TV polls. I listed a couple, but there are quite a few worthy ones that might deserve inclusion when have slots to spare and they could replace some of the weaker TV series, making for overall stronger answer pools across the board.
US Army TV: Enlisted, The Unit, F-Troop, Private Benjamin (TV Series), Combat!, Hogan's Heros, The Lost Battalion (TV movie), etc.
US Navy TV: Operation Petticoat(TV series) Men of Annapolis, Silent Service, Carrier, Winds of War, War and Remberance, Ironclads (TV movie), etc.
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urbanemovies
9.9K Messages
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162K Points
2 years ago
US Navy Films
IMHO, I would list the Top Gun sequel with the original to be consistent with how you have done it elsewhere. Plus, the movies are very similar, in my opinion. I would take a second look at these highly rated, Oscar nominated, or othewise very Navy movies: Sand Pebbles, Mr. Roberts(plus its sequel, Ensign Pulver in the same slot), Run Silent, Run Deep, In Harm's Way, The Last Detail, Ice Station Zebra (Navy/Marines), and The Fighting Seabees. I am sure there are others that could be added, but these seem to check a variety of boxes the most to me. I think in some cases they are better US Navy representatives or cover a time period or naval command not already represented or an aspect/theme that is under represented. Obviously, to add a title you have to remove a title, as answer slots at a premium. So, some tough calls will have to be made.
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urbanemovies
9.9K Messages
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162K Points
2 years ago
US Army Films
IMHO, I would take a second look at these highly rated, Oscar nominated, or othewise very US Army movies: The Thin Red Line, The Men Who Stared At Goats, The Big Red One, Fort Apache, From Here to Eternity, Wings, A Soldier's Story, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, Battle of the Bulge, Battleground and The Patriot (US Continental Army). I am sure there are others that could be added, but these seem to check a variety of boxes the most to me. I think in some cases, they are better US Army representatives or cover a time period or Army command not already represented or an aspect/theme that is under represented. Obviously, to add a title you have to remove a title, as answer slots at a premium. I think some should replace the half-dozen US Army movies that are combined lesser seen and have a lower than 6.0 IMDb-rating. IMHO, those are the the type of film title that should be the first to go. So, some tough calls will have to be made.
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urbanemovies
9.9K Messages
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162K Points
2 years ago
Homestretch, Quick Fixes & Final Thoughts
Army TV List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567363450/
add the "Multi-Service Representation" note to Logan's Heroes even though it all Army Air Corp, other foreign armed services are represented
Navy TV List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567363441/
???? add Emerald Point N.A.S. TV series
add the "Multi-Service Representation" notes to the JAG TV series and Men of Annapolis
Marine Corps Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567303329/
add the "Multi-Service Representation" note to the A Few Good Men film
???? I probably wouldn't add the film, but you could add the Midway (1976) and a "Multi-Service Representation" note for the USMC for its land troop, airplane and Torpedo boat defense of the island.
Marine Corps TV List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567603378/
add the "Multi-Service Representation" note to JAG TV series
???? add the Men of Annapolis TV series with the "Multi-Service Representation" note
Air Force and Space Force Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567306684/
add the "Multi-Service Representation" note to The Right Stuff film
add the "or any its sequels" note to Iron Man film
Air Force and Space Force Series List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567601835/
No changes
Coast Guard List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567302779/
I would swap the CG Mission Critical TV series out #35 spot for another title that isnt about the Coast Guard 100%. (ie Around the World title). I still would check the Wikipedia plots on some of the older Coast Guard films; I have no doubt the Coast Guard is in them, just how much.
Army Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567303976/
Typo on "or any othe rfilm not listed" on #35 "The Patriot"
add the "Multi-Service Representation" note to MacArthur film
Navy Movie List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls567301956/
add the "Multi-Service Representation" note to the Midway film for the USMC for its land troop, airplane and Torpedo boat defense of the island.
On the Army and Navy Movie lists you could argue all day about which films belong and which ones don't and in the end you are still going to have deserving films left off. When there are far too many great films and far too few answer slots to fill them, it is inevitable.
That said, my take is 99% in agreement with yours. However, I don't think the Army films, Basic and The General's Daughter belong on the Army film list, when you are leaving The Long Gray Line, Fort Apache and to a lesser extent The Men Who Stared At Goats off. Likwise, I don't think the Navy films, Wings of the Eagle or The Philadelphia Experiment belong on the Navy film list, when you are leaving Run Silent, Run Deep, In Harm's Way off instead.
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urbanemovies
9.9K Messages
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162K Points
2 years ago
USAF Film
Battle Hymn is a 1957 American war film directed by Douglas Sirk and starring Rock Hudson as Lieutenant Colonel Dean E. Hess, a real-life United States Air Force fighter pilot in the Korean War who helped evacuate several hundred war orphans to safety.
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Peter_pbn
Champion
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14.3K Messages
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328.7K Points
2 years ago
U.S. Army Films
https://www.imdb.com/poll/gs0TZl5qxf4/
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urbanemovies
9.9K Messages
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162K Points
2 years ago
One down, eight to go. I am not surprised, but still disappointed that some of the low vote getters have not garnered more support.
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