Today is 143rd anniversary of the defence of Rorke's Drift ... and I hope to watch the film ZULU again this afternoon.
Whilst the film is by no means an accurate recreation of the actual events, and probably represents attitudes and actions that are no longer currently acceptable, it remains popular. The battle has almost become more mythical than real, in no small part due to the film.
It is a sobering thought that when I was born in 1950, that was almost halfway between the fighting at Rorke’s Drift and today. It’s enough to make one feel quite old! Mind you, the film was made in 1964 … which was fifty-nine years ago!
I watched it again a couple of weeks back and particularly noted perspectives presented that would not happen today. Still, keeping it in its own context, I appreciated the movie for what it is, accepting that it was a quite remarkable creature from a very different time. I hadn't considered that the film and I are the same age.
ReplyDeleteIrishserb,
DeleteThe TALKING PICTURES channel on Freeview regularly precedes the transmission of old films with a warning that ‘ Some viewers may be offended by the language and attitudes expressed by some characters ... which reflect the time it was made’. I suspect that if ZULU was transmitted on terrestrial TV nowadays, it would have to be after the 9.00pm watershed and a similar warning.
The problem seems to be that these days most people have little or no ability to contextualise things that they see … or that they are always on the lookout for things to be offended by.
All the best,
Bob
I watched this a week or so ago and it's still a cracking film, despite repeated viewings over the years alongside accuracy issues. The final assault with the singing by both sides does stir the soul!
ReplyDeleteSteve J.,
DeleteI understand that in a survey taken some years ago, ZULU was found to be the favourite film of past and present British Army infantry soldiers. It’s not really surprising as it reinforces the sort of attitudes one wants to see in one’s ordinary soldiers; fighting together against the odds for one’s mates.
All the best,
Bob
Bob, you note that the film 'probably represents attitudes and actions that are no longer currently acceptable.' This must surely be true of any film or novel that realistically portrays historical periods before these 'politically correct' times. I often watch old Westerns on television and notice that now they tend to be preceded by warnings that they may contain language of the period that may offend, or some similar wording. Presumably this is because nineteenth century cowboys, 7th Cavalry troopers and settlers used terms other than 'Native Americans' and 'persons of mixed race' when speaking. One would imagine that people offended by such things would simply not watch that type of film. Yet I also notice that films of Charles Dickens' or Jane Austen's novels are not preceded by warnings that they depict class discrimination, women being treated as inferior to men, exploitation of working people and abuse of children by putting them in factories, down mines and up chimneys...
ReplyDeleteApart from its historical inaccuracies, Zulu reflects the attitudes of the era when it was made, rather than those of 1879, by having Stanley Baker as Chard say words to the effect that he would not have endured such a 'butcher's shop' again if he had previously been in combat. Since Chard did not resign his commission after Rorke's Drift but remained in the Army there seems no reason to imagine he felt anything other than relief that he and the majority of the men under his command had survived and defeated the Zulu attacks.
Similarly, in the film Waterloo a blond British soldier leaves the safety of his square to wonder 'Why?' they are all fighting.
I think both scenes were inserted so the producers could claim their films had some sort of 'anti-war' message if they received any criticism for 'glorifying war' by filming these battles.
How long before wargame shows, books and magazines carry similar warnings, I wonder?
Enjoy a good film! Arthur
Arthur1815 (Arthur),
DeleteI totally agree with what you have written in your comment.
I suspect that the work of Charles Dickens and Jane Austen have been sufficiently ‘sanitised’ by time and TV/film adaptation for most people not to realise what the world was actually like when they were written. Squalor and degradation are depicted as something picturesque rather than the norm that most people had to live with during the nineteenth century.
The word ‘poverty’ is much overused these days. The sort of poverty that my family experienced when I was young would horrify many under thirty-year-olds … but they strove to improve their lot, and thanks to the introduction of the Welfare State, they did.
I could spend hours discussing the effectiveness and impact of the anti-war movement of the 60s and 70s, but suffice it to say, I think that they were a luxury that people were able to afford because of the sacrifices made by earlier generations.
Will all aspects of wargaming have to have their own warning signs to avoid offending people? I do hope not, but …
All the best,
Bob
I remember seeing the film when it first came out at the age of 8 and yes it does seem a long time ago!
ReplyDeleteWhilst it is a good idea to try not to cause offence we equally have a responsibility to try not to be offended and this second part of the deal seems to be pretty much ignored these days.
Stryker,
DeleteI also saw the film for the first time when it came out … and I was 14 at the time.
The problem these days is the apparent ease with which people take offence, even if none was intended. I’m sure that some of the things I’ve written in the past - particularly with regard to Colonial wargaming - will be found offensive in the future if it hasn’t been already!
All the best,
Bob
Today is 144rd anniversary of the battle of Isandhlwana too
ReplyDeleteFrench Follower,
DeleteVery true. It tends to get forgotten, mainly because of the success of the film ZULU. ZULU DAWN is a much more accurate film … but somehow it just didn’t seem to grab the imagination of the public in the same way.
All the best,
Bob
Lol....I think Isandhlwana is forgotten in Britain primarily because it was an almighty cock up Bob! Zulu is one of my favourite films too and I can remember seeing it at the pictures around the age of ten (1972) and everyone of a similar age cheering raucously as the Twenty Fourth mowed down scores of black chaps with their volley fire....the film may not have been very PC, but neither were we!
ReplyDeleteRross,
DeleteVery true about Isandhlwana ... and ZULU DAWN did little to improve most people's understanding of events, which is a great pity as in may ways it was a very good film.
I doubt that any film company would make these films nowadays for fear of offending people ... which is a pity as it might actually spark a proper discussion about topics like casual racism and the role of the empire builders.
All the best,
Bob