![Raid on Rommel [Blu-ray]](https://images-fe.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81xS9GGOBBL._AC_UL160_SR160,160_.jpg)
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.
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Customer reviews
Top reviews from other countries
Kenny Grice
Terrible HD transfer. This classic deserves better than this rather shoddy effort.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 May 2019Verified Purchase
Mr. T. Power
poor quality transfare,should be better for bluray
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 May 2019Verified Purchase
Northern wit
Creaking woodwork but still a classic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 February 2017Verified Purchase
P. R. Storey
Sunday Afternoon Favourite
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 June 2021Verified Purchase
Weslake
DVD review - the flying sequences were good, when models weren't used
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 August 2019Verified Purchase
