Ask the zulus- - they loved working on this film and particularly loved Stanley Baker who would play movies at night projected onto a large rock that was whitewashed for the purpose. Blacks and whites were not supposed to socialise in Apartheid South Africa at the time. Baker ignored this, and made many friends including Chief Buthelezi who visited Baker in England. The Chief was often prompted to condemn the film. He always defended it saying that history was important, good and bad. And baker always admired the courage of the zulu nation. The film is a homage to those people, and to the ordinary soldiers of the British Army who risked all for a few shillings.... and for eachother.
@@gehtdianschasau8372 they were not actors they were Zulu descendants from the tribes 100 miles from where it was filmed. The king of the zulus was actully played by his grandson.
@@davidmiller636 Very interresting. i will look that up, if i remember. Then they propably got paid even less, than i assumed. Money is overrated anyways.
@@gehtdianschasau8372 not saying they weren't paid much. But it was better to have true zulus and think of the time in south Africa its was actually a big step to hire them. With the partide in full swing and all that.
I actually remember watching this movie as a kid and noticing that the Zulus were not demonized. A well done movie about a historic event without belittling one side or the other. More movies should be done this way.
Contrast this with say, Black Hawk Down, whilst it's got excellent combat scenes and some great characters, the way it treats the Somali's whoever they are is awful.
For a movie set in Colonial Africa, that's quite respectful of them. See, Oliver Stone? This is how you "get it right". This is how historical sensitivity is achieved on film.
The Zulus were played by actual Zulus. They had never seen a movie before so the producers showed them some old westerns so they had an idea what was expected of them. The Zulu king Cetewayo was played by Chief Buthelezi who was the tribal leader of the Zulus.
Fun fact, when they made the film they were not allowed to pay the zulu actors, so the film makers donated all the cattle used in the film to them instead which was worth more than what they would have paid them
@@michalsafarik929 Possible, but Wikipedia is far from accurate on many things too, so I wouldn't like to comment either way. It's a nice little anecdote if it is true though, and if not, hey, they got paid...
@@nikkirazelli3250 in 2006 maybe, but wikipedia these days is accurate, you can't edit anything without someone else's approval and the users throughly researches etc.
@@michalsafarik929 id becareful with wikipedia bud. They have been rewriti g facts on eikipedia to make white people liok bad on a daily. A regular book written by the ajthors of those who fought the war and those who participated in the movie making is a better source than wikipedia.
Fun fact Mangosuthu Buthelezi is his name is the long time leader of the IFP (Inkhata Freedom Party) A Zulu nationalist party who have declined politically but still gain significant support in the heart of rural KwaZulu-Natal. During aparthied he was appointed leader of the KwaZulu bantustan. Bantustans were "independent" tribal homelands set up as a last ditch effort by the Aparthied government to satisfy the international and local movements but the ANC rejected this. In the 90s South africa was extremely close to civil war as there were many conflicts towards the end of aparthied and groups were fighting for power. Mangosuthu Buthelezi wanted an independent Zulu Empire but the ANC rejected this so a civil war in the province of modern day KwaZulu-Natal took place between IFP and ANC eventually Mangosuthu Buthelezi negotiated peace and took part in the 1994 election.
That could be argued because his Inkata Freedom Party was against the democratic elections of 1994, they killed a lot of people who were ANC, PAC etc and lastly they were keen on joining up with AWB so KZN would be country on its own. Political force, me thinks not for there is nothing he has contributed such as Bantu Biko, Chris Hani, Mangaliso Sobukwe, Solomon Mahlangu and many more
@@athikoloto5886 He later agreed to the election and played a major role post 1994 but during apartheid he was a major force as he had a whole Zulu nation behind him
One other inaccuracy he fails to mention. Pvt. Henry Hook, played by James Booth, is portrayed in the film as a drunkard and insubordinate, malingering in hospital, even under arrest. In fact, Hook was a tea-totaller and model soldier. He won the V.C. for a reason. When they attended the debut, Hook's descendants were so insulted at the smear to his good name they walked out of the film.
Not saying your wrong but with a movie having so much connected with direct history one might say he gained it through means that the British saw as a noble soldier but from a different light or others who were there can only prove it and if people told me my ancestor was a drunkard I'd prolly walk out too I'm just saying there's no way knowing the actual truth
Sadly even brilliant filmmaker who are devoted to historical accuracy seem to feel entitled to smear an individuals legacy forever if it makes for a more compelling story. Remember the character or Mr Ismay from Titanic? The coward who first caused the distaster by pressuring the captain to go faster to generate publicity by beating a record and then he sneaked onto a lifeboat among women and children to save himself? Well, that is bullshit. There is no historical record that Ismay told the captain to race for a record and no objective reason why he would want that. And as far as his conduct during the disaster itself goes, this is what the official inquiry found: "Mr. Ismay, after rendering assistance to many passengers, found "C" collapsible, the last boat on the starboard side, actually being lowered. No other people were there at the time. There was room for him and he jumped in. Had he not jumped in he would merely have added one more life, namely, his own, to the number of those lost."
@@JohnSmith-li6mn I love this movie, one of my favorites, so not trying to tear it down. But there is no evidence to my knowledge that shows Pvt. Henry Hook as being anything but a model soldier and tea-totaler. I think they needed to make some colorful characters to spice up the script and few military characters appeal to an audience so much as the misfit who rises to the occasion and shows his mettle--think the Black Sheep squadron (another misrepresented group), the Maine soldiers under arrest who end up saving Chamberlain's life in "Gettysburg" when the fight starts, etc. So they unfortunately picked out Hook for reasons only Enfield and Baker really know. It would have been better to have a fictional character, but then you can't show a fictional character winning the V.C. so that wasn't possible. I could be wrong, but I believe I am accurate here, barring evidence I have not seen.
"Mankind has had ten-thousand years of experience fighting and if we must fight we have no excuse for not fighting well." T. E. Lawrence . another great British warrior.
I still remember nearly the entire movie, after the passing of a half century -- a wonderful movie. Lawrence of Arabia, The Vikings, and Ben Hur were all among the earliest movies to inspire my interest in history. Pictorial History Books, TV Westerns and Disney Shows like Davey Crockett did a lot for it too. The Zulu movie was just icing on the cake.
I'm surprised you didn't mention the fact that Hook's portrayal as a criminal drunk wasn't accurate, and hugely offended his family and descendants. He was actually the model of a professional career soldier. Zulu is one of my favourite movies, but that fact always slightly tarnishes it for me, that they basically rewrote the image of a man forever, for a story.
Fun Fact : Michael Caine auditioned to play Hook, but they didn't think he looked like a Cockney :-) ! So they said "Can you do a posh accent ?" , he said yes and the rest is history.
Also, Colour Sergeant Frank Bourne, was only 23 years old at the time of the battle and was 5'6" tall. He is portrayed in the movie by Nigel Green, who was 40 years old and 6' 4" tall.
If it were British, it would colonise your computer, massively upgrade it, advance its technological, social and political standards about 100 years into the future, leave a few pissed off ill informed people and lots of directly related positively impacted and grateful people.
One other little inaccuracy. Virtually all the British men at the battle had moustaches and large sideburns, as was the military fashion at the time. I don't think any of them were clean-shaven. Incidentally, one of my schoolfriends in the 70s had a British uniform worn at Rorke's Drift on a dummy in their house. One of his forefathers had been at the battle, perhaps a great-grandfather. Their family used to go to see the movie any time it came around the local cinemas (as they used to do in the days before VCRs and DVDs to fill out the cinema programmes).
also im not to sure if correct but the regimental badge on their piff helmets would have been taken off during a campaign or in the field but do you think they would have been taken off a roksdrift seeming they didnt expect to fight at first
Interesting point - Colour Sergeant Bourne (as portrayed by the big, brash, middle-aged Nigel Green) was actually a short 24 year old at the time. He went on to become a Lieutenant Colonel and died of natural causes on VE day 1945 as the last survivor of Rorke's Drift at the age of 91.
Yes - and he was known to have amazing rapport with his men which is how he became a colour sergeant so young. IIRC he was offered the choice of a VC or a commission and chose the latter.
@@paulcollins2995 Take comfort in the fact that he died peacefully in his sleep in his 90th decade, quite likely after just finding out that the Allies had won the war. Not a bad way to go!
@@PointlessSillyName Maybe the Victory of the British during the Second world war relieved his soul and he was ready to go. He got to live long enough to see his nation overcome the Axis powers and the Triple Alliance. His life must have been incredible.
Pvt Hook was slandered in this film. In real life hook was a successful Welsh farmer who joined the Army for reasons unknown. He was a life long teetotaler. He was a London Hansom Cab driver who was highly respected by all the other drivers when he died. None of them knew he was VC winner until a Military Band arrived for the funeral..
I'm South African (Setswana is my ethnic cultural group) and I haven't seen this movie, but this review has certainly peaked my interest. I love history and movies, especially war movies that are not just based on historical events, but ones that have a message of anti-war because I believe that any war film should comment and criticize about the subject matter. I'm glad that the movie portrays both sides of the conflict with respect and that you ramifications of war are not just not necessary, but we just end up being butchering human beings for a pointless cause. I think I've shyed away from it because a film of that particular subject matter could traditionally go one way by portraying one side as righteous heroes in the face of adversity against an evil, monstrous, antagonistic one dimensional group, but really, both sides are equally right and wrong in the situation. I'm more eager to watch it now and hope to see more films take this approach when it comes to making war films.
Private John Williams, who defended the hospital and dragged out several patients whilst fending off Zulus, lived and is buried in my town, Cwmbran! There is a memorial service for him this Saturday at 11AM
In terms of historical accuracy there is a number of problems with the weapons used in the movie. The filmmakers couldn't source enough Martini-Henry rifles so they equipped many of the soldiers with Enfields which were not in service in that period. Likewise the officers in the film were equipped with Webley revolvers instead of Adams revolvers. Perhaps most glaringly obvious of all, the spears used by the Zulus in the movie were model 1879 mark D Assegai's when as everybody knows the Zulus actually used model 1879 marks B's during the battle... Ok... I might have made that last bit up
Those werent real Zulu warriors anyway. Real Zulu warriors are seven feet tall and shoot fireballs out of their ass while killing englishmen in the hundrets.
The great thing about this film is how it portrayed the old way of life of the Zulu. You could never witness an event like that mass wedding today, nor hear that terrific girls’ chant which, if you listen carefully, forms the melodic basis of John Barry’s fine score.
Sad how very recently there was a petition to ban this great and amazing film from a charity event because of how "rasicst" it is. Love how you point out that every time someone says how aweful, savage or barbaric the Zulus are they get immediately shut down
Ryan EXACTLY.... Also they were given all the animals used in producing this film because they couldn't be paid the same way as the white actors because they were filming in South Africa during Apartheid. In addition the guy who plays the Zulu chieftain is a direct descendant of him
Oversimplification. Pequot were probably highly territorial/expansionist tribe who simply would not believe in peace or diplomacy. As for Seven Years War - Indians were not playing games - they were fighting, they understood the most fundamental rule of war - destroy the enemy. As for Fort William Henry - French insulted indians with some of their gestures along without giving them gifts, so Indians too their prize from the british leaving the fort. As for scalping - it's normal ( for Indians of the time ) to take a scalp. It was a trophy. It didn't matter if the victim was dead or alive. But it's still nothing compared to Zulus modern or past.
@ There were also Tribes that didn't kill enemies in the hope of capturing them and forcing them into their own tribes. Kinda like how the Romans conquered
This film actually respects the Zulus-it is shot so that both sides feel very similar. They're both empires, they're both made of ordinary men fighting for their crown, no matter how bad the cause, they're warriors, they're here because it's their job, not because one nation is better than the other. It's very WW1.
I'm South African, and those beautiful mountains in the background are the Drakensberg (Dragon Mountains) and the main one you see is called the Amphitheatre. I haven't watched this film, but I will now because of the gorgeous SA scenery and also you have eased my mind that the Zulus are not portrayed negatively, nor the Brits as superior. It was the one thing that has stopped me from watching it before.
@@CausticSpace Oh damn. Didn't realize he meant that no one's really bothered by racism if you're not American. Oh well. Thankfully his views aren't reflected by the rest of the world.
That setting, with the Amphitheatre in the background is geographically inaccurate. Every time I see that, I am reminded that my wife and I have sat on the rim of that escarpment by the Tugela falls.
would have been nice if you drew a distinction between the Boers and the much-later English colonists. To lump them both together as "white settlers" is on the same level as lumping the Khoisan in with the Zulus.
@Life By The Numbers voortrekker means "travel before" directly, they were closer to pioneers than settlers, also on the colonizing fact, the boers only fought the zulus after the retief delegation massacre, before that negotiations were being made for peaceful boundaries for the natal colony. Also hi from south africa
The problem with that is that while zulus are congoid and khoisan capoid the british and boers are both caucasioid. Not only that but unlike zulus who completely speak different languages of families the boers and british speak both germanic languages. Oh and they are both christian.
I like the end when the brits arent exactly proud of their victory, they knew this was horrific. They had just barely escaped death by absolute destruction. They had to use every tool in their arsenal to avoid death.
Hi, I live in South Africa. If u didn't know that's where this battle from Zulu took place. Now, over here the Anglo Zulu war and Anglo Boer war are dear to all English, Afrikaans and Zulu hearts. To hear that people want to get rid of this movie is absurd and honestly quite saddening.
The_Dusty_ L if I had my way I'd force dianne abbot to watch this film at least once a week just to see her roll her eyes and scrunch her ugly dial up.
Though I cannot claim any real understanding of the issues at hand, being two nationalities and continents removed from you and yours experiences in the matter, in your position I would take the very idea of banning this film or any other artwork you believe properly represents the subject as a personal insult. My apologies if my comment, based on such a limited understanding as it is, in any way offends or appears disingenuous as that is not my intent. As an artist, formerly professionally so in fact, I find the banning of creative works by anyone for any reason to border on a personal insult, the kind that gets me in a fighting mood I do not usually experience because frankly getting that angry is physically exhausting and I am rather lazy by nature.
One point that has disappointed me is that the Colour Sergeant was not acknowledged in the final credits. He was the youngest Colour Sergeant in the British Army, not old as depicted in the film, and was awarded the DCM. He passed away the day after the German surrender in WW2. On the other hand Nigel Green was suburb in the movie.
Indeed and Nigel told me a lot about the Zulu filming. I was an extra in the 1965 film: The Face Of Fu Manchu (Dir: Don Sharp) and he plays Nayland- Smith therein, in my scene. I'm all of 2 secs as a young boy dead on a bike, killed by Fu Manchu (Christopher Lee)..in the fictional Essex coastal town of Fleetwick, with deadly poison gas.
I always did like Caine's character ordering the regimented load, aim, fire routine, only to finish with, "Fire at will!" That's the moment one of the Welsh guys turns to his mate and says, "That's awfully nice of him!" Always makes me smile, even in a film as grim as Zulu. It's a nice little scene that shows even the human spirit even in the most inhumane situations.
I love this film, but were the Zulu's & British really "polar opposites"? Since the days of Shaka the Zulu were a major imperialist power. They wiped out other tribes & forced others to move thousands of miles away from their homelands. Imperialism is imperialism, whether it's wearing a red coat or carrying a steer hide shield. As with most good war films, the best part of the story is about the human beings caught up in the machinations of the powers-that-be.
Well said. Spoils of war applies to all conflicts, whether its between a family feud in some remote jungle in the middle of ancient Peru, or between two vast Empires spanning half the world.
The Zulu nation was not very nice to the tribes it conquered, killed and enslaved. The Zulu's formed the backbone of the police and army of the White South African regime as most other black tribes of Southern Africa hated them for their history.
Perfect Dan Cole! I was the publicity stills photographer on this film, and there was no racism amoung the cast and crew also the 250 Zulu extras who were used and edited into separate sequences (to indicate 4000 warriors!)
I watched this a thousand times in my youth too, I was entranced by the Zulus their great chants, war cries and song. I am currently working on a piece of music which tries to incorporate an element of Zulu chanting similar to how they were used in the Zulu film. It's early days yet but it'll be interesting to see how it comes together and ends up sounding
One of mine too, and I’m 80. Also Night of the Generals, The Lion in Winter, Lawrence of Arabia, and the original Blade Runner! Have to watch them at least once a year.
@@meowterrolszo6727 "It didn't show any racism or discrimination towards Zulu's in my opinion" exactly - it provided no explanation of why the Zulus would wish to wage war on the welshmen and englishmen - while at the same time portraying the welshmen and englishmen as real characters and heroes and the zulus as nothing more than cannon fodder..
Andi Pandi Yeah I agree the zulu where essentially cannon fodder, but I guess that's because it was represented through the British perspective and not the Zulu one. I thought the movie did well though in explaining Zulu tactics and portraying them as fearsome warriors unafraid of death.
@@meowterrolszo6727 "I thought the movie did well though in explaining Zulu tactics and portraying them as fearsome warriors unafraid of death" so worked well on all levels as an infantile advert for war - rather than exploring all of the richness of the human condition or more effectively challenging the futile and corrupt nature of that game.
Andi Pandi What? How and why is it the a 1964 films job to do that? Also it's a movie focused on a battle why does it need to "explore the richness of human condition"?
The "Loins" of the Zulu Horns strategy, were actually a reserve, often time ordered to sit with their back to the battle so they wouldn't be affected by the deaths of their comrades.
Damir Pryce I suppose, what with an adoption of shorter thrusting spears over longer throwing spears, though culture wise they were closer to the Cossack's with their organization.
+KageRyuuUji Wow, it must have been embarrassing being them. I mean, not only were they known pretty much as "The Balls", but they had to sit on their asses and wait until things got hairy or the battle ended.
Jack Murphy Quite the opposite actually as they were often times brought in to finish the fight much the same way more veteran or elite troops would be, so it's safe to consider the loins to be the "cream of the crop", as oddly sexual as that analogy sounds.
Pol Pot, The Khmer Revolution, Year Zero... Tearing down historical statues and symbols, denouncing the ideas of founding fathers, banning “objective” literature, denigrating and silencing all opposing viewpoints via state sponsored media and the threat of violence. Does that sound at all familiar?
Unfortunately, there are people who think that if you censor the unpleasant bits in history they'll go away as if they never happened. This is exactly the wrong way to think.
@ShiRen Mao yes because conservatives never tried to ban gays, lesbians, and interracial relationships on TV and film did they. Also remember the south didn't succeed from the union because of slavery it was because of state rights. You know the state's rights to own slaves.
My dad and I have watched this movie together so many times. I remember being a little kid and learning and admiring the respect between the Zulus and Brits in this clash. One of my favorite movies of all time. Classic film.
There's only one thing wrong with this film review. Everytime they show a clip of the film, I just want to watch the rest of the scene, and in turn the rest of the film!
@@Loosehead My grandfather, who had fought in the Pacific Theatre in WWII, always had a preference for CS Borune. Apparently he is the only character using a bayonet correctly.
@@thrownwithgreatforce3562 the real Colour Sergeant Bourne was only 23, not the ‘Old sweat’ as in the film, he was the youngest of his rank at the time in the army and was known by the troops as the ‘Kid’. He was also the last surviving member of the Rorkes Drift defenders, he died on VE Day 1945.
@@corditekid1 Ahhh that explains why he opted for commission rather than honours. If he had his whole career ahead of him then it's a no-brainer. Thanks for the info!
This movie didn't address a very important info The Zulu aren't the natives of the land . the natives are the Khoi-san tribes who were mass killed by the Zulu Zulu are natives to Congo not south Africa
@@Tareltonlives It's not to justify British atrocities and imperialism but to understand that this war wasn't between a colonial power and a local innocent tribes but between two assholes
@@zeight80 Who are you talking about ? the Zulu ? they aren't natives to south Africa or Swaziland the natives are Khoi-san who were almost wiped out by Zulu at least 84%
I saw Zulu with my mum and dad when it first came out, and i still put it on my DVD player from time to time. It,s in my top 10 of all time. Truly a all time classic. And being half welsh is a Bonus.
My dad was a soldier who fought in the Angola Border War. He told me there are very little victory cries in modern war, when the quiet finally comes over the battlefield you stand there, dusty and bloody in disgust as the aftermath of what just happened sinks in. Its always somber and reserved.
My dad took me to the cinema to see this when i was little. Watching it always causes bitter-sweet nostalgia. It was, and is, an anti-war film. Although it has a firm place in my heart, the film managed to destroy for ever the reputation of Private Hook, who was not “a thief, a coward, and an insubordinate barrack room lawyer”, but a model soldier, and a tee-totaller. His family have fought for decades to have his name and reputation restored.
Watched first few minutes of this, stopped, got the movie and watched it for the first time, came back here and finished watching. Yup, it's a really astounding film, I wish I saw it as as kid.
Watched, " Zulu " as a young boy. I've now seen it perhaps 50x. I never grow tired of it and the quality and accuracy of this historical event from 1879. The bravery of the defender's of Rorkes Drift by the British army. As well as the bravery and strength shown by the Zulu warriors. This has made the movie Zulu one of my favourite films of all time. 💪🏼
my dad and grandad both served in the regiment that fought here. my grandad is funnily enough an extra in this film, one of the Welshmen. apparently, the film makers asked a couple lads from the regiment if they wanted to be in the film. good to know he's a small piece of both military and cinematic history :D
the regiment that fought here was the south wales borderers. my grandfather also served in this regiment. i am too young to have known him well. other historical inaccuracies not mentioned here and which do not matter include the sergeant's stripes which should be on the right arm and not the left and the white helmets which should be pale brown by being dyed with tea. private hook went on to become an RSM and his portrayal as an alcoholic bum so upset his descendants that they walked out of the film. i love those sexy zulu ladies. apparently the white actors and crew were forbidden under apartheid to even look at them. 2nd lt chard was 3 years senior to 2nd lt bromhead and not 3 months. well spotted the 303 rifles. i cannot. maybe some of them have a bolt action. all in all both zulu and zulu dawn are great movies.
Shame it was the 2nd battalion the Warwick's only became S.W.B two years after this battle look it up...in fact go to Monmouth museum its all there taffy
My favorite character is the Swiss police officer with the wounded foot. The part where he hops out of the hospital and fights the Zulu in hand to hand combat including rescuing Chard is the best part in the movie imo
@@gribwitch Really? Try telling the Royal & Merchant Navies that it was a disaster. They were sent to lift 40,000 men, and actually lifted 338,000, Some disaster.
One historical inaccuracy not mentioned is the portrayal of Henry Hook as a malingerer, con man, and, as Bromhead puts it, "insubordinate barracks room lawyer". He was, in reality, a model soldier, a near teetotaler, and even a lay preacher. The portrayal, in fact, was offensive enough to Hook's two elderly daughters to cause them to walk out in disgust from a screening of the movie.
4 роки тому
Fair play...the part was taken by a CRAP actor......
Agreed. If they wanted an anti hero that redeems himself during the battle, they should have chosen Corporal William Allen. William Allen was actually a Sergeant before being demoted due to his habit of drinking whilst on duty. Although his attitude was not as bad as the Hook potrayed in the film, Allen was certainly bitter about his demotion. It is safe to say that both characters were completely mixed up when the script was written.
Very insightful analysis. "Zulu" is and remains one of my favorite movies, even with all the inaccuracies you enumerated. As you stated, the empathy for both sides bridges the political auspices involved. As an old warrior myself (Vietnam), I can appreciate the respect for the other side and their capabilities. In my old age, I feel a stronger kinship for the Vietnamese who faced us in battle than I do for the anti-war civilians back in the USA who mocked and attacked us upon returning home for answering the country's call. Good video.
smith lovy: ....Why shouldn't there be empathy for a former opponent? You help me understand. I didn't ask for your response, yet you gave it without being asked for your presence either.
smith lovy: ...I've already answered the question by turning it back to you in the same manner in which you posed it to me. Your resorting to juvenile name-calling illustrates that my understanding of your intention was correct. By descending to name-calling, you have marked yourself for exclusion from any further attention. I'm not here to justify anything to anyone, just leave my opinion on the posted video. Have a nice life.
deathtrooper666: ...The form of government in North Vietnam was not as allowing of protest as was the American government back in the Vietnam Era. Anyone who would have protested and treated returning NVA soldiers the way we were treated would have probably been incarcerated on the spot, and sent to "re-education camps" to iron the bugs out of their politics. That was the treatment given to the defeated South Vietnamese veterans and people, which is what eventually engendered the horrible events of the refugee "Vietnamese Boat People", many of whom perished at sea trying to flee their overrun country. As for North Vietnamese civilians feeling sympathy for Americans, I believe they would have kept their opinions to themselves for fear of being called out by political cadres, to be charged and tried as enemies of the people. To the best of my knowledge, there were no incidents of "counter demonstrations" against the NVA's activities battling the RVN. I'm not an actual "historian" who has gone deeply into all the data available. I was just a Grunt.
deathtrooper666: ...Each country on this planet is welcome to their choices of beliefs, both religious and political. I was addressing the behavior concerning the men who answered my country's call, versus those who chose to avoid it for whatever purpose, and the anger shown towards the returning warriors, who hoped to leave "hell" behind them when they returned home and instead found it to be a psychological minefield back in the USA. I was personally wished dead by some Americans, directly to my face, because of my obvious military service (in uniform). I controlled myself and did them no harm, but it was most difficult on my part. It had nothing to do with the religious beliefs of either side of the equation.
Hippies man... The epitome of man children who know nothing of the hardships of life acting like they deserve to be listened to despite contributing nothing. My grandad had a lot of issues with how they treated returning servicemen, they had so little respect for their fellow countrymen who serve their country diligently and without question. What a shower of wankers they were (and still are in their modern day form of SJWs).
Sir John Rouse Merriot Chard was my relative......it still fills me with pride that he was the commanding officer, and won one of 11 Victoria Crosses in that battle.
@Sean Kean I can only say that you have missed out on one of the best films EVER. Very few make my "watch again" list, this one is at the top. Must have watched it at least 20 times.
I've always loved this movie. I was completely captivated watching it the first time. I remember later praising the movie to my best friend and having him say: "Is that the one where it's nothing but the Zulus running at the British and then running away and then doing that over and over again? That's the most boring movie I've ever watched!" I realized then he and I looked at movies very differently....LOL
@@jstenberg3192 Woah, steady on. The first Rambo movie is an excellent drama. Anyway, my own story. I used to work with a young lad, around 20 or so, some years ago. We were talking about previous jobs and random stuff, and I mentioned that I had just come from being a Godfather tour guide in Sicily, i start waffling on about the Godfather, and he asks me if I'd seen 'Four Brothers'. I said 'what's a random Mark Wahlberg movie got to do with the Godfather', and he replied 'because that's a good movie too. . .'. I quickly checked out of that conversation.
The worst historical inaccuracy is the portrayal of Henry Hook who was neither a thief nor a malingerer. I'm surprised the reviewer didn't pick that up.
I had read that Hook's family had attended the premiere in London, but walked out when they found out how he was portrayed in the movie, and have criticized the movie since.
I know. It is very odd. If they felt they needed an anti-hero in the midst of the battle, why not just make up a name? No one would ever take umbrage to the inclusion of another fictional character in the film, especially in light of the various other liberties and fictional characters. * Spoiler * Perhaps they felt that the character's redemption and bravery at the end ultimately surmounted the portrayed negative aspects and therefore gave him a hero's role, but still... It was a real man with real living relatives that they were charging with all sorts of false villainous traits. Not only was he not a drunk, he actually did not drink at all!
Good point. I missed that when I commented about the Reverend. Hook is another character that was treated poorly. Also Chard and Bromhead had no dispute about rank as Maj Spalding who commanded the regiment departed and specifically put Chard in command.
OOOOooooops. I also forgot to mention the treatment of Commissary Dalton. He was the most combat experienced member of the unit and greatly assisted in the defense planning.
The British in fact sang God save the Queen, the National Anthem and shook hands before the final Zulu charge, they expected to die. It’s recorded in the soldiers letters and journals.
Without question, my favorite movie of all time since I saw it in June 1964 as a first run release while I was a college student with a major in cultural anthropology. It was the first time I'd seen a movie treat non-Europeans as human beings. For the last 55 years I have watched the movie perhaps 20-25 times. It still remains fresh for me. Thank you for your take on this classic and epic cinematic blockbuster.
Zulus attack! Fight back to back! Show them no mercy and fire at will! Kill or be killed! Facing, awaiting a hostile spear! A new frontier! The end is near! There's no surrender, the lines must hold! The story told! Rorkes Drift control!
I love this film not only because it’s Micheal Canine’s first, but because as someone who is both part British and part (Zulu) South African it paints my history in a real light. I’m glad I could see what a real Zulu is from this film and learn of that heritage which my own family is estranged from.
It was Caine's first major movie part, but he had done bit acting in prior films. Look for him in 1961's THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE in a bit part as a policeman directing traffic.
@@JeffreyDeCristofaro Thanks for mentioning this. I was going to say just that. The Day The Earth Caught Fire is a favorite. Even though it's a small bit part, Michael Caine stands out.
12:28 - Slight inaccuracy with the song, the regimental song wasn't "Men of Harlech" but rather "The Warwickshire Lad" and there was no song contest during the battle.
As a sixteen-year-old and contemplating the possibility of battle in VietNam in the near future, I never felt my heart sink as deeply as when the Zulus lined up on the ridge the last time. I've never felt that while watching anything else, any other time, before or since. Absolutely terrifying.
I too as worried about being sent to Viet Nam in those days. The real british heroes were not the two officers, but service corps men supplying ammunition. I hate war, but it fascinates young men. Tragically. Goaded on by young women even more tragic.
At the end of the day.. it was a battle between 2 extremely brave groups of men against each other , the British where trapped like rats in a trap and lured the Zulus into basically a firing squad. ....The way the Zulus fought was just to keep attacking......fucking brave men on both side's
Sir Michael Caine is the only remaining leading cast member alive today from this movie. There are many Zulu extras who are still alive and can claim participation (and still do).
I loved the movie Zulu as a teen that went thru some horrific battles in Vietnam at places like the Khe Sanh Hill Fights. It is so amazing to realize you are still alive after the dust clears. Blood and guts everywhere. I was wounded 6 times in just over a year and developed Combat PTSD.
Thank you James. There is still so much polarization about the war that it misses the fact that a lot of young men like you went where your country told you to go, did your job, and were often treated shabbily in return. I appreciate what you did and am glad you made it home. Thank you.
Very good. Just one other inaccuracy that I can think of: The British didn't actually wear those helmets in their brilliant-white colour against the Zulus, but instead, they stained them (with tea!) to make their troop movements harder to see over distance! Oh, and Private Hook was a highly professional soldier ... not the careless, alcoholic one portrayed in the film. Oh yes, and that triple-line rifle defense at the end didn't actually take place ... or so I read but hey, this was a (awesome) film, not a documentary! I'd better stop there! :-)
I was watching that firing line in the vid above and thinking that it would not be enough to stop that number of warriors at that range. They would have been firing independently as fast as they could. I imagine the zulus bottlenecked at various places and the rifle fire was able to go through several of them at once.
There are photos (well, I've only seen 1 personally) of the British army arriving at zululand with brilliant white helmets and their plates on and everything, but you are right many would have dyed their piths with tea or mud
Captain Bogroll Indeed; better than standing out like a sore thumb! But then, those bright red tunics stood out somewhat! I think it's clear to see why uniforms evolved to use more camouflage colours!
Johnny P I think the British were the first to use dull colours for the purpose of hiding. WWI encouraged the rest of the major powers to follow suit who hadn't already done so.
Big important fundamental flaw and inaccuracy of this film . At the time of Rorkes drift the 24th foot was an English Regiment . It identified with Warwickshire . It only became Welsh after the Haldane reforms years later.
It wasn’t a Welsh or welch regiment but it was made up of predominantly welshmen at Rourkes Drift, Chard V.C was an RE and from my home town of Plymouth
@@MarlboroughBlenheim1 actually Of the 122 soldiers of the 24th Regiment present at the Battle of Rorke's Drift, 49 are known to have been of English nationality, 32 were Welsh, 16 were Irish, one was a Scot, and three were born overseas. The nationalities of the remaining 21 are unknown.
Another is that there was no chanting, singing or banging on shields, the zulu's led by Dabulamanzi, ( who was riding a white horse oddly enough) came running around the spur of the mountain and just charged at the British
@@tafnac75 correct in the film zulu dawn ,, the regimetal marches are played the first one being "warwickshire lad" in order of battle preferences ,, ie warwicks being 6th of foot ,,,
The second battalion had a lot of Welsh in its ranks as I believe the 24th had relocated to Brecon and recruited from surrounding areas although they didn't become south Wales borderers until a few years after the battle
Me and my brother watched this in the odeon deptford broadway,he said to me half of the zulus were london bus driver's...Not a lot of people know that.
One of my favourite battle movies! As a woman imof colour I was impressed by the representation of the Zulus (so much better than in previous movies, where Africans were portrayed as mindless brutes).
Zulu society was technologically primitive but extremely well organizes. They carved out an empire for themselves and even beat a European army with nothing but organization, good tactics and sheer courage.
There's been a lot of (mostly justified) flaming about the British Empire, but there's one thing no-one has mentioned, and that is the great respect we Brits hold for people who have fought us to a standstill: eg the Zulu, the Sudanese and the Maori.
The roll call scene at the end of the battle pops into my head every once in awhile. Haunting. Some of these old films just know exactly how to get you
I thought Nigel Green (Colour Sargent Bourne) was exceptional in this film and that scene was a stand-out. He said so much without saying anything anytime a man didn't respond.
Wow, I wonder how many other people can trace their families back - I taught English in Cambodia with a direct descendant of Hook. There was an amazing family resemblance. Hook and Bourne are two of my favourite characters in the film.
At the time of the battle he was in his early twenties and the rankers called him the kid i believe he went on to become a general in the first world war
While they could only fire once before reloading, those Martini-Henry rifles, in trained hands, could throw out a pretty high volume of fire for their day.
It was an issue with their shim brass boxer ammunition expanding in the hot breech that caused jams, eventually solid brass shell cases replaced them and the Martini got a reputation for reliability, no help to the lads at Rorke's Drift though.
I read an article where the Pvt Hooks Daughters were invited to the opening of the movie. They walked out because of the portrayal of their father as a lazy drunk that rises to the occasion. the real Hooks was a teetotaler and considered an exemplary soldier.
@@chrisguy1790 Not sure. Articles say elderly daughters. Hook was born in 1850 died 1905. The film was 1964. 114 years after his birth. So lets say he had a kid when he was 30 she would be 84 at the film's premier . Certainly could have been either daughters or grand daughters but they were described as elderly
I can help with the doubts expressed after this remark. My Auntie went to school with one of Henry Hook's granddaughters. The school was The Royal Soldiers Daughter's School in Hampstead, and the year would have been around 1935. In 1964 (when the film came out) my auntie was 44 years old, and her mother, my grandmother, was 68 years old. So, it could have been Hook's daughters or granddaughters who walked out of the premier - they would all have been young enough to attend and show their disapproval.
As a boy my school was opposite the church where John William's VC is buried. I ended up an officer in 24th. The respect still shown to the Zulu immense. I have been to Rorke,s Drift and I amazed B coy survived that day. A tremendous story for both sides. The views expressed were also those of generation who had seen the horrors of WW2. My fathers and uncles new the horrors
The old ladies were on Blue Peter show as guests if I remember correctly, watched it on tv at the time , I was 6 years old , they weren't impressed, my dad took me to see the movie at the time 1964. The film wasn't accurate anyway
I've read a lot of the comments here and most blame the British but the British government had told the governer of Natal (South Africa) NOT to invaded the Zulu Kingdom but he ignored them saying the Zulus were more of a threat than they actually were. Also Rorkes Drift was on the British side of the river so they were defending their territory from the Zulu invaders, who were told not to cross the river.
ScoutTrooper Merc makes sense but you also have to understand that it was a cold war between them. Tension was building, if it wasn't the Zulus, the the British would've attacked them. And it seems as if morality is warped in war. But your point does make sense.
Great movie !!!! Loved it!!!! Back in 83 in Wainwright, Alberta we were drinking in the mess when a British Artillery unit came in. We bought each other drinks and sang Regimental songs to each other what a great night!!!!
One of my favorite parts of the movie is where you can hear the Zulu's beating their shields in the distance and and Bromhead make's the comment: "Damn funny, like a, like a train". The reason I like this part so much is that when I first watched this movie I had head phones on and it sounded so cool to hear the "train".
I love the movie Zulu! History Buff's favourite parts are my favourite parts too! The chanting, the "Men of Harlech", the volley fire. Some of my very favourite actors are in this movie too---Michael Caine, Stanley Baker and Nigel Green. Great movie and a great review of it. Congratulations on a great job!
Nigel Green's performance as Colour Sergeant Bourne is one of the best things in this film, but there's another historical inaccuracy: Green was 39 when it was made, but the real Frank Bourne was 23 (and ten inches shorter than Green - 5'6" to Green's 6'4") and the youngest Colour Sergeant in the entire British Army. He later rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, served in the First World War and died in 1945 at the age of 90.
Brutus Barnabus it’s more the fact they bravely fought anyway... they even caused the worst defeat to an advanced modern army with only basic equipment ever!
When I first watched this classic film was around the mid 60's on TV, black & white TV. It was the ABC Sunday Night At The Movies. I was about 9 or 10 years old. Boring at the beginning but then very exciting about in the middle towards the end. My favorite character in this movie was the Sgt. He seemed cool,calm and collective, but the look in his eyes he showed true fear. Zulu is one of my favorite movies.
The first time I saw this was at my Grandmother's house and it may have even been the same airing to which you are referring. It was the first movie I was allowed to stay up past my bedtime to watch so it always has that nostalgic connection. I believe you are referring to Sergeant-Major Bourne....did you know that in reality he was only 23 at the time of this battle? He was the youngest person to have ever held this rank at that point and was referred to by his troops and others as "the kid." A cool fact too is that he actually lived until one day after Germany surrendered in WWII (VE Day - 8 May 1945 - Bourne died 9 May 1945).
@@mitch3043 Just to put the record straight, Bourne was a Colour Sergeant (although he had been a corporal only a few months before). He served in the army until the First World War and reached the rank of Colonel, which must have been amazing in the Victorian army.
Ask the zulus- - they loved working on this film and particularly loved Stanley Baker who would play movies at night projected onto a large rock that was whitewashed for the purpose. Blacks and whites were not supposed to socialise in Apartheid South Africa at the time. Baker ignored this, and made many friends including Chief Buthelezi who visited Baker in England. The Chief was often prompted to condemn the film. He always defended it saying that history was important, good and bad. And baker always admired the courage of the zulu nation. The film is a homage to those people, and to the ordinary soldiers of the British Army who risked all for a few shillings.... and for eachother.
@@davecrupel2817,hear, hear!!!
Great background about this Movie!
I never knew actual zulus watched this movie
@@johnsementa9844 They acted in it, why wouldn't they see it?
@@Gazmus Consider it was shot in South Africa when Apartheid was the law of the land...
One of the greatest movies ever made. And, fun fact: The Zulus were portrayed by.....the Zulus.
This is bascially Waterloo - re-enactment filmed, not movie :D
Not only that, but their chief was portrayed by their chief....Mangosuthu Buthelezi
I’ve thought that for 50 years,my god what a beautifully filmed film,it’s a classic....
And Michael Caine was portrayed by Michael Caine. He is Michael Caine in every film he has made!!!
@@kernowarty Not a lot of people know that. 😉
The scale of the battle scene is very impressive, especially considering that there isn't any CGI trickery going on.
My guess would be, that the actors of the Zulu didn't get paid too much.
@@gehtdianschasau8372 they were not actors they were Zulu descendants from the tribes 100 miles from where it was filmed. The king of the zulus was actully played by his grandson.
@@davidmiller636 Very interresting. i will look that up, if i remember. Then they propably got paid even less, than i assumed. Money is overrated anyways.
@@gehtdianschasau8372 not saying they weren't paid much. But it was better to have true zulus and think of the time in south Africa its was actually a big step to hire them. With the partide in full swing and all that.
@@davidmiller636 It shure was better to have them. I was also sincere about money being overrated. Can't buy yourself love, or child laughter
I actually remember watching this movie as a kid and noticing that the Zulus were not demonized. A well done movie about a historic event without belittling one side or the other. More movies should be done this way.
Although it did rather suggest the Zulus were especially noble. Leaving the fight out of respect for fellow braves rather than self interest.
Contrast this with say, Black Hawk Down, whilst it's got excellent combat scenes and some great characters, the way it treats the Somali's whoever they are is awful.
@@markmatthews7202 I saw Black Hawk Down. Great movie. Excellent combat scenes like you said. I agree 100%
For a movie set in Colonial Africa, that's quite respectful of them.
See, Oliver Stone? This is how you "get it right". This is how historical sensitivity is achieved on film.
The Zulus were played by actual Zulus. They had never seen a movie before so the producers showed them some old westerns so they had an idea what was expected of them. The Zulu king Cetewayo was played by Chief Buthelezi who was the tribal leader of the Zulus.
Whites played by actual whites but the horses were goats in coats
@@jakobkell7212 lol
@AvariceNntied @Jakob kell
@jakob kell Lool both of you got a point, kinda a catch 22.
@@mariobadia4553 how df do you tag bloodclat
Chief Buthelezi was Cetewayos' great grandson
Fun fact, when they made the film they were not allowed to pay the zulu actors, so the film makers donated all the cattle used in the film to them instead which was worth more than what they would have paid them
thats actually a myth, they were paid (according to wikipedia equivalent of nine shillings per day each).
@@michalsafarik929 Possible, but Wikipedia is far from accurate on many things too, so I wouldn't like to comment either way. It's a nice little anecdote if it is true though, and if not, hey, they got paid...
@@nikkirazelli3250 in 2006 maybe, but wikipedia these days is accurate, you can't edit anything without someone else's approval and the users throughly researches etc.
Part of the pay was the wristwatches that you can see some of the warriors wearing in the film.
@@michalsafarik929 id becareful with wikipedia bud. They have been rewriti g facts on eikipedia to make white people liok bad on a daily. A regular book written by the ajthors of those who fought the war and those who participated in the movie making is a better source than wikipedia.
The Zulu King was played by his great great Grandson, in the film, and he want on to be a political force himself.
Ryan Hook in the film was a great character, it's too bad they dragged someone through the mud when they could have just invented the antihero.
Fun fact Mangosuthu Buthelezi is his name is the long time leader of the IFP (Inkhata Freedom Party) A Zulu nationalist party who have declined politically but still gain significant support in the heart of rural KwaZulu-Natal. During aparthied he was appointed leader of the KwaZulu bantustan. Bantustans were "independent" tribal homelands set up as a last ditch effort by the Aparthied government to satisfy the international and local movements but the ANC rejected this. In the 90s South africa was extremely close to civil war as there were many conflicts towards the end of aparthied and groups were fighting for power. Mangosuthu Buthelezi wanted an independent Zulu Empire but the ANC rejected this so a civil war in the province of modern day KwaZulu-Natal took place between IFP and ANC eventually Mangosuthu Buthelezi negotiated peace and took part in the 1994 election.
he looks like a fat corrupt asshole, was he??
That could be argued because his Inkata Freedom Party was against the democratic elections of 1994, they killed a lot of people who were ANC, PAC etc and lastly they were keen on joining up with AWB so KZN would be country on its own. Political force, me thinks not for there is nothing he has contributed such as Bantu Biko, Chris Hani, Mangaliso Sobukwe, Solomon Mahlangu and many more
@@athikoloto5886 He later agreed to the election and played a major role post 1994 but during apartheid he was a major force as he had a whole Zulu nation behind him
The part where the Zulus applaud the British for their Bravery is basically them saying gg.
Sadly it never happened in real life.
Gg no re
😂
now today it's all ez trash git gud kid
@@EthanJaye all said by ignorant little 9 year olds who fortnite dance when they think they get a question right in school
One other inaccuracy he fails to mention. Pvt. Henry Hook, played by James Booth, is portrayed in the film as a drunkard and insubordinate, malingering in hospital, even under arrest. In fact, Hook was a tea-totaller and model soldier. He won the V.C. for a reason. When they attended the debut, Hook's descendants were so insulted at the smear to his good name they walked out of the film.
Brad Schaeffer that’s sad to hear
Not saying your wrong but with a movie having so much connected with direct history one might say he gained it through means that the British saw as a noble soldier but from a different light or others who were there can only prove it and if people told me my ancestor was a drunkard I'd prolly walk out too I'm just saying there's no way knowing the actual truth
Sadly even brilliant filmmaker who are devoted to historical accuracy seem to feel entitled to smear an individuals legacy forever if it makes for a more compelling story. Remember the character or Mr Ismay from Titanic? The coward who first caused the distaster by pressuring the captain to go faster to generate publicity by beating a record and then he sneaked onto a lifeboat among women and children to save himself? Well, that is bullshit. There is no historical record that Ismay told the captain to race for a record and no objective reason why he would want that. And as far as his conduct during the disaster itself goes, this is what the official inquiry found: "Mr. Ismay, after rendering assistance to many passengers, found "C" collapsible, the last boat on the starboard side, actually being lowered. No other people were there at the time. There was room for him and he jumped in. Had he not jumped in he would merely have added one more life, namely, his own, to the number of those lost."
@@JohnSmith-li6mn I love this movie, one of my favorites, so not trying to tear it down. But there is no evidence to my knowledge that shows Pvt. Henry Hook as being anything but a model soldier and tea-totaler. I think they needed to make some colorful characters to spice up the script and few military characters appeal to an audience so much as the misfit who rises to the occasion and shows his mettle--think the Black Sheep squadron (another misrepresented group), the Maine soldiers under arrest who end up saving Chamberlain's life in "Gettysburg" when the fight starts, etc. So they unfortunately picked out Hook for reasons only Enfield and Baker really know. It would have been better to have a fictional character, but then you can't show a fictional character winning the V.C. so that wasn't possible. I could be wrong, but I believe I am accurate here, barring evidence I have not seen.
John Smith yes there is. He was a Methodist. He wouldn’t be allowed in the Church if he was a drunk.
"Mankind has had ten-thousand years of experience fighting and if we must fight we have no excuse for not fighting well." T. E. Lawrence . another great British warrior.
👍
@Megalodon Unlocked You can't deny that Lawrence of Arabia was a fierce warrior
That's why I respect lawrence of arabia
The middle east would be a better place if the British government had listend to him
One man spreads his wings
“The prerequisite for any British campaign is that the enemy should under no circumstances carry guns” - Captain Edmund Blackadder IV
"Even spears made us think twice. The people we prefered to fight were two feet tall and armed with dry grass"
@@lavrentivs9891 but what about Mboto Gorge?
@@hallamhal "Ten thousand Watutsi warriors armed to the teeth with kiwi fruit and dry guava halves."
"I smell penny's" - probably Edmund Blackadder IV
@Britannia the zulus had rifles too? Lmao they most certainly did not, and you sounded so confident too
I still remember nearly the entire movie, after the passing of a half century -- a wonderful movie. Lawrence of Arabia, The Vikings, and Ben Hur were all among the earliest movies to inspire my interest in history. Pictorial History Books, TV Westerns and Disney Shows like Davey Crockett did a lot for it too. The Zulu movie was just icing on the cake.
Great movies, all you mentioned. Watch El Cid, you won't be disappointed.
I am Zulu from South Africa...Have to say great job getting the historical facts on point🎖✨
Sanibonani laphaya
Rorke's drift buster!
Uhh then how the heck did you get an iPad?
I'm glad to hear from a Zulu - keep the proud tradition!
@@slooeverysunday7065 He bought it with German sliced off ears.
I'm surprised you didn't mention the fact that Hook's portrayal as a criminal drunk wasn't accurate, and hugely offended his family and descendants. He was actually the model of a professional career soldier. Zulu is one of my favourite movies, but that fact always slightly tarnishes it for me, that they basically rewrote the image of a man forever, for a story.
Fun Fact : Michael Caine auditioned to play Hook, but they didn't think he looked like a Cockney :-) ! So they said "Can you do a posh accent ?" , he said yes and the rest is history.
@@maggiesmith856 Fun fact, it was an English regiment at RD.
@@dulls8475 The Welsh Borderers ? They were part of the British army, true.
@@maggiesmith856 It was not the Welsh Borderers at RD. Zulu was a film and not real life. It was the Warwickshire regiment at RD.
Also, Colour Sergeant Frank Bourne, was only 23 years old at the time of the battle and was 5'6" tall. He is portrayed in the movie by Nigel Green, who was 40 years old and 6' 4" tall.
This video is so British, it colonised my computer.
+Brandon M Haha, and after it gains freedom, civil war!
+lomax343 Okay, sorry. Colonised.
+lomax343 thanks for that I'll use it against the Canadians and Americans I work with
If it were British, it would colonise your computer, massively upgrade it, advance its technological, social and political standards about 100 years into the future, leave a few pissed off ill informed people and lots of directly related positively impacted and grateful people.
+MKRM27 After watching this video, I actually upgraded my computer tenfold.
The “Men of Harlech” scene was one of the most epic things I have seen in any movie, the atmosphere it creates before the final battle is incredible.
Watched the movie dozens of times and that always raises the hairs on my arms. Those 10 minutes are some of the best scenes shot ever.
The singing scene never happened, brill film but full of mistakes.
Yeah, I was sad when I found out they didn’t sing like that irl, but it makes for such a great scene that that little inaccuracy is totally worth it
@@ottovonbearsmark8876 And it wasn't a Welsh Regiment either.
@@thebrothers3971 correct, 24th were the 2nd Warwickshire’s. So would have more likely sung, “Shit on the Villa!” Than Men of Harlech.
One other little inaccuracy. Virtually all the British men at the battle had moustaches and large sideburns, as was the military fashion at the time. I don't think any of them were clean-shaven.
Incidentally, one of my schoolfriends in the 70s had a British uniform worn at Rorke's Drift on a dummy in their house. One of his forefathers had been at the battle, perhaps a great-grandfather. Their family used to go to see the movie any time it came around the local cinemas (as they used to do in the days before VCRs and DVDs to fill out the cinema programmes).
The extras were men from the 5th south african infantry so no beards
Or other victorian fads
also im not to sure if correct but the regimental badge on their piff helmets would have been taken off during a campaign or in the field but do you think they would have been taken off a roksdrift seeming they didnt expect to fight at first
@@angloaust1575 I was actually referring to the named cast members, though of course the extras would have had to match.
True. Moustaches were mandatory until 1916. Soldiers needed special permission not to have one.
I doubt if any of them wore the amount of mascara and eyeliner Michael Caine was wearing either!
Interesting point - Colour Sergeant Bourne (as portrayed by the big, brash, middle-aged Nigel Green) was actually a short 24 year old at the time.
He went on to become a Lieutenant Colonel and died of natural causes on VE day 1945 as the last survivor of Rorke's Drift at the age of 91.
Yes - and he was known to have amazing rapport with his men which is how he became a colour sergeant so young. IIRC he was offered the choice of a VC or a commission and chose the latter.
I hate the fact that he died A. on VE day and B. that he died in general. I love that character do much.
@@paulcollins2995
Take comfort in the fact that he died peacefully in his sleep in his 90th decade, quite likely after just finding out that the Allies had won the war. Not a bad way to go!
@@PointlessSillyName Maybe the Victory of the British during the Second world war relieved his soul and he was ready to go. He got to live long enough to see his nation overcome the Axis powers and the Triple Alliance. His life must have been incredible.
@@PointlessSillyName 90th decade?!He lived to be over 900 years old,he did really well!
Pvt Hook was slandered in this film. In real life hook was a successful Welsh farmer who joined the Army for reasons unknown. He was a life long teetotaler. He was a London Hansom Cab driver who was highly respected by all the other drivers when he died. None of them knew he was VC winner until a Military Band arrived for the funeral..
Gloucester. born raised died and buried in Churcham, just over the river from Gloucester.
Ayy I'm from Gloucester, it's a proper shithole here.
The Hidden so am i. not that bad
Alistair Shaw
Depends which bit you're from haha
The Hidden My Girlfriend comes from coney hill. and we live in the east of london currently Gloucester isnt that bad
I'm South African (Setswana is my ethnic cultural group) and I haven't seen this movie, but this review has certainly peaked my interest. I love history and movies, especially war movies that are not just based on historical events, but ones that have a message of anti-war because I believe that any war film should comment and criticize about the subject matter. I'm glad that the movie portrays both sides of the conflict with respect and that you ramifications of war are not just not necessary, but we just end up being butchering human beings for a pointless cause. I think I've shyed away from it because a film of that particular subject matter could traditionally go one way by portraying one side as righteous heroes in the face of adversity against an evil, monstrous, antagonistic one dimensional group, but really, both sides are equally right and wrong in the situation. I'm more eager to watch it now and hope to see more films take this approach when it comes to making war films.
What's this? Actual history? Almost factual?
And respectful treatment of both sides?
Unheard of! This will never do!
@A Moye He's talking about History Buffs not being biased and siding with either side but viewing both sides as equally bad and siding with neither
@@Hypnopotimus27 It wasn't their idea to leave home in the first place.
@A Moye respect would be the Zulu not invading their neighbors and slaughtering them
@A Moye Cry a river bitch.
@@maggiesmith2600 Ignoring the fact african warlords on the coast sold the blacks into slavery
Private John Williams, who defended the hospital and dragged out several patients whilst fending off Zulus, lived and is buried in my town, Cwmbran! There is a memorial service for him this Saturday at 11AM
In terms of historical accuracy there is a number of problems with the weapons used in the movie. The filmmakers couldn't source enough Martini-Henry rifles so they equipped many of the soldiers with Enfields which were not in service in that period. Likewise the officers in the film were equipped with Webley revolvers instead of Adams revolvers. Perhaps most glaringly obvious of all, the spears used by the Zulus in the movie were model 1879 mark D Assegai's when as everybody knows the Zulus actually used model 1879 marks B's during the battle...
Ok... I might have made that last bit up
😂
Are you sure? I think I may have seen some mark C Assegais in the middle of the battle ;) :D
Those werent real Zulu warriors anyway. Real Zulu warriors are seven feet tall and shoot fireballs out of their ass while killing englishmen in the hundrets.
I'm pretty sure we're missing the Type 43 Assault Club that the Zulu's deployed during Rorkes Drift.
I thought the Type 43 wasn't issued until later that year.
The great thing about this film is how it portrayed the old way of life of the Zulu. You could never witness an event like that mass wedding today, nor hear that terrific girls’ chant which, if you listen carefully, forms the melodic basis of John Barry’s fine score.
Sad how very recently there was a petition to ban this great and amazing film from a charity event because of how "rasicst" it is. Love how you point out that every time someone says how aweful, savage or barbaric the Zulus are they get immediately shut down
Ryan EXACTLY.... Also they were given all the animals used in producing this film because they couldn't be paid the same way as the white actors because they were filming in South Africa during Apartheid. In addition the guy who plays the Zulu chieftain is a direct descendant of him
American Indians were defending their homes. Zulus did not.
Oversimplification. Pequot were probably highly territorial/expansionist tribe who simply would not believe in peace or diplomacy. As for Seven Years War - Indians were not playing games - they were fighting, they understood the most fundamental rule of war - destroy the enemy. As for Fort William Henry - French insulted indians with some of their gestures along without giving them gifts, so Indians too their prize from the british leaving the fort. As for scalping - it's normal ( for Indians of the time ) to take a scalp. It was a trophy. It didn't matter if the victim was dead or alive. But it's still nothing compared to Zulus modern or past.
@ There were also Tribes that didn't kill enemies in the hope of capturing them and forcing them into their own tribes. Kinda like how the Romans conquered
This film actually respects the Zulus-it is shot so that both sides feel very similar. They're both empires, they're both made of ordinary men fighting for their crown, no matter how bad the cause, they're warriors, they're here because it's their job, not because one nation is better than the other. It's very WW1.
I'm South African, and those beautiful mountains in the background are the Drakensberg (Dragon Mountains) and the main one you see is called the Amphitheatre. I haven't watched this film, but I will now because of the gorgeous SA scenery and also you have eased my mind that the Zulus are not portrayed negatively, nor the Brits as superior. It was the one thing that has stopped me from watching it before.
@@npcimknot958 American politics? They don't appear once in the movie.
i hope you see it and report Back here . And we must remember it ( movies ) are an art trying to imitate Life .
@@kilpta4746 I think you confused his comment
@@CausticSpace Oh damn. Didn't realize he meant that no one's really bothered by racism if you're not American. Oh well. Thankfully his views aren't reflected by the rest of the world.
That setting, with the Amphitheatre in the background is geographically inaccurate. Every time I see that, I am reminded that my wife and I have sat on the rim of that escarpment by the Tugela falls.
would have been nice if you drew a distinction between the Boers and the much-later English colonists. To lump them both together as "white settlers" is on the same level as lumping the Khoisan in with the Zulus.
That was a learned and cultured analogy you used. Bravo
That was a learned and cultured analogy you used. Bravo
@Life By The Numbers voortrekker means "travel before" directly, they were closer to pioneers than settlers, also on the colonizing fact, the boers only fought the zulus after the retief delegation massacre, before that negotiations were being made for peaceful boundaries for the natal colony. Also hi from south africa
It simplifies things in terms of the Europeans and the Africans.
The problem with that is that while zulus are congoid and khoisan capoid the british and boers are both caucasioid. Not only that but unlike zulus who completely speak different languages of families the boers and british speak both germanic languages. Oh and they are both christian.
I like the end when the brits arent exactly proud of their victory, they knew this was horrific. They had just barely escaped death by absolute destruction. They had to use every tool in their arsenal to avoid death.
Very well said mate and a good observation
"They've got a very good bass section.... But no top tenors!" Best quote ever in a movie!
And then the Brits proceed to sing hella low themselves 🤣
Karim QK I thought he was talking about the welsh when he said that?
@@Aron-ru5zk he was
@@Aron-ru5zk thank god someone knows it was the welsh
I loved when the same guy was earlier told "I have work for baritones as well as tenors" (while building the bridge)
Hi, I live in South Africa. If u didn't know that's where this battle from Zulu took place. Now, over here the Anglo Zulu war and Anglo Boer war are dear to all English, Afrikaans and Zulu hearts. To hear that people want to get rid of this movie is absurd and honestly quite saddening.
The_Dusty_ L if I had my way I'd force dianne abbot to watch this film at least once a week just to see her roll her eyes and scrunch her ugly dial up.
I do not know how any war can be dear to someone's heart. War is something to avoid at all reasonable cost.
Though I cannot claim any real understanding of the issues at hand, being two nationalities and continents removed from you and yours experiences in the matter, in your position I would take the very idea of banning this film or any other artwork you believe properly represents the subject as a personal insult. My apologies if my comment, based on such a limited understanding as it is, in any way offends or appears disingenuous as that is not my intent. As an artist, formerly professionally so in fact, I find the banning of creative works by anyone for any reason to border on a personal insult, the kind that gets me in a fighting mood I do not usually experience because frankly getting that angry is physically exhausting and I am rather lazy by nature.
@@GhostBear3067 what will/ would THEY do with The Naked Prey? A Boy 10 Feet Tall? HONDO, for f#$%s sake?
Don't worry Dusty . It will not be suppressed . English nationalism is on the increase . Sick of pandering to blacks .
One point that has disappointed me is that the Colour Sergeant was not acknowledged in the final credits. He was the youngest Colour Sergeant in the British Army, not old as depicted in the film, and was awarded the DCM. He passed away the day after the German surrender in WW2. On the other hand Nigel Green was suburb in the movie.
Indeed and Nigel told me a lot about the Zulu filming. I was an extra in the 1965 film: The Face Of Fu Manchu (Dir: Don Sharp) and he plays Nayland- Smith therein, in my scene. I'm all of 2 secs as a young boy dead on a bike, killed by Fu Manchu (Christopher Lee)..in the fictional Essex coastal town of Fleetwick, with deadly poison gas.
@@davidlally592Superb work, David. Never seen a better casualty of war
The real colour Sergeant was actually just 5ft 6ins tall, but built like a brick out house.
Nick, you have been doing this for so long without ever changing your approach. Thank you so much for all your hard work.
I always did like Caine's character ordering the regimented load, aim, fire routine, only to finish with, "Fire at will!"
That's the moment one of the Welsh guys turns to his mate and says, "That's awfully nice of him!"
Always makes me smile, even in a film as grim as Zulu. It's a nice little scene that shows even the human spirit even in the most inhumane situations.
i bet it sucked to be the guy named Will though.
tgNn
Nn
It's a very soldierly piece of humour. From what I've read the British Army is renowned for it, even under dire circumstances.
I love this film, but were the Zulu's & British really "polar opposites"? Since the days of Shaka the Zulu were a major imperialist power. They wiped out other tribes & forced others to move thousands of miles away from their homelands. Imperialism is imperialism, whether it's wearing a red coat or carrying a steer hide shield. As with most good war films, the best part of the story is about the human beings caught up in the machinations of the powers-that-be.
Well said. Spoils of war applies to all conflicts, whether its between a family feud in some remote jungle in the middle of ancient Peru, or between two vast Empires spanning half the world.
Dan Cole
British are worse! The Zulus were just black.
@@dozhadeville444 XD
The Zulu nation was not very nice to the tribes it conquered, killed and enslaved. The Zulu's formed the backbone of the police and army of the White South African regime as most other black tribes of Southern Africa hated them for their history.
Perfect Dan Cole! I was the publicity stills photographer on this film, and there was no racism amoung the cast and crew also the 250 Zulu extras who were used and edited into separate sequences (to indicate 4000 warriors!)
thank you..my favourite film of all time and I'm 73
your favourite film of ALL time?????
I watched this a thousand times in my youth too, I was entranced by the Zulus their great chants, war cries and song. I am currently working on a piece of music which tries to incorporate an element of Zulu chanting similar to how they were used in the Zulu film. It's early days yet but it'll be interesting to see how it comes together and ends up sounding
Mine too. Seen it a hundred times. I'm 44.
One of my favorites to and I am 55. I own it on DVD.
One of mine too, and I’m 80. Also Night of the Generals, The Lion in Winter, Lawrence of Arabia, and the original Blade Runner! Have to watch them at least once a year.
This movie works even better as a sequel to "Zulu Dawn". Watching both back to back is incredible.
Is that the one about Islandwana
@@Kaiserboo1871 Yes exactly, and the strategic and diplomatic blunders that led up to it.
Yes. :)
Thanks for the recommendation
Zulu Dawn is an underappreciated gem.
I find it disgusting that people, who may not even have seen this film, want to ban it, for what I see as political purposes, It sickens me.
I saw the movie roughly 2 weeks ago, why do they want it taken down? It didn't show any racism or discrimination towards Zulu's in my opinion.
@@meowterrolszo6727
"It didn't show any racism or discrimination towards Zulu's in my opinion"
exactly - it provided no explanation of why the Zulus would wish to wage war on the welshmen and englishmen - while at the same time portraying the welshmen and englishmen as real characters and heroes and the zulus as nothing more than cannon fodder..
Andi Pandi Yeah I agree the zulu where essentially cannon fodder, but I guess that's because it was represented through the British perspective and not the Zulu one. I thought the movie did well though in explaining Zulu tactics and portraying them as fearsome warriors unafraid of death.
@@meowterrolszo6727
"I thought the movie did well though in explaining Zulu tactics and portraying them as fearsome warriors unafraid of death"
so worked well on all levels as an infantile advert for war - rather than exploring all of the richness of the human condition or more effectively challenging the futile and corrupt nature of that game.
Andi Pandi What? How and why is it the a 1964 films job to do that? Also it's a movie focused on a battle why does it need to "explore the richness of human condition"?
The "Loins" of the Zulu Horns strategy, were actually a reserve, often time ordered to sit with their back to the battle so they wouldn't be affected by the deaths of their comrades.
Damir Pryce I suppose, what with an adoption of shorter thrusting spears over longer throwing spears, though culture wise they were closer to the Cossack's with their organization.
+KageRyuuUji Wow, it must have been embarrassing being them. I mean, not only were they known pretty much as "The Balls", but they had to sit on their asses and wait until things got hairy or the battle ended.
+KageRyuuUji This post should be on the top.
+KageRyuuUji Sounds like my Groins. :(
Jack Murphy Quite the opposite actually as they were often times brought in to finish the fight much the same way more veteran or elite troops would be, so it's safe to consider the loins to be the "cream of the crop", as oddly sexual as that analogy sounds.
How can anybody BAN history . IT HAPPENED.Very good review.
because people want to repeate the worst atrocities in it again.
we keep history to learn from it beware those that seek to erase it for ANY reason.
Pol Pot, The Khmer Revolution, Year Zero...
Tearing down historical statues and symbols, denouncing the ideas of founding fathers, banning “objective” literature, denigrating and silencing all opposing viewpoints via state sponsored media and the threat of violence. Does that sound at all familiar?
That's right, in fact, many of the atrocities of WW2 are so real that you go to jail if you question or investigate them!
Unfortunately, there are people who think that if you censor the unpleasant bits in history they'll go away as if they never happened. This is exactly the wrong way to think.
@ShiRen Mao yes because conservatives never tried to ban gays, lesbians, and interracial relationships on TV and film did they. Also remember the south didn't succeed from the union because of slavery it was because of state rights. You know the state's rights to own slaves.
The shot of Caine taking out his sword and exchanging it for the rifle was nice touch.
This is one of my all time favorite movies. It was impeccably done.
Should be viewed on a theater screen. Beautiful scenery.
My dad and I have watched this movie together so many times. I remember being a little kid and learning and admiring the respect between the Zulus and Brits in this clash. One of my favorite movies of all time. Classic film.
There's only one thing wrong with this film review.
Everytime they show a clip of the film, I just want to watch the rest of the scene, and in turn the rest of the film!
Buck Tarbrush just watch the movie
@@jacksonwhiteside7609 OK. Will do.
It IS a great film.
I know what you mean.
movies free on youtube.
I saw this movie in the 1980s when I was on all-night staff duty in the US Army. Ever since, I've thought it was the best war movie ever made.
Funny you say that, just saw Zulu for the first time on Staff Duty
Private: "He's right, why us? Why us??
Color Seargent Bourne: "Coz we're 'ere lad. Nobody else."
"And a bayonet sir, with a bit of guts behind it". Never go into battle without a Colour Sergeant Bourne.
@@Loosehead My grandfather, who had fought in the Pacific Theatre in WWII, always had a preference for CS Borune. Apparently he is the only character using a bayonet correctly.
@@thrownwithgreatforce3562 the real Colour Sergeant Bourne was only 23, not the ‘Old sweat’ as in the film, he was the youngest of his rank at the time in the army and was known by the troops as the ‘Kid’. He was also the last surviving member of the Rorkes Drift defenders, he died on VE Day 1945.
@@corditekid1 Ahhh that explains why he opted for commission rather than honours. If he had his whole career ahead of him then it's a no-brainer. Thanks for the info!
A Colour Sergeant Bourne lurks in every British heart. We do very well when our backs are against the wall.
6:25
possibly the most British sentence I have ever heard.
Which sentence?
Jonathan Hodgson - "Looks bad in the newspapers and upsets civilians at their breakfast."
Jolly good sentence chap-*british person gets punched* NO PLAID CYMRU
This movie didn't address a very important info
The Zulu aren't the natives of the land . the natives are the Khoi-san tribes who were mass killed by the Zulu
Zulu are natives to Congo not south Africa
It's called the bantu expansion. It's how the bantu moved from a tiny region in west africa to all most every part of africa.
Yes, and the English didn't rule England until the 5th century or so. I fail to see how this justifies British imperialism
@@Tareltonlives
It's not to justify British atrocities and imperialism but to understand that this war wasn't between a colonial power and a local innocent tribes but between two assholes
No, They we're from Swaziland and a bit of north-western from South Africa.
@@zeight80
Who are you talking about ? the Zulu ? they aren't natives to south Africa or Swaziland the natives are Khoi-san who were almost wiped out by Zulu at least 84%
I saw Zulu with my mum and dad when it first came out, and i still put it on my DVD player from time to time. It,s in my top 10 of all time. Truly a all time classic. And being half welsh is a Bonus.
My dad was a soldier who fought in the Angola Border War. He told me there are very little victory cries in modern war, when the quiet finally comes over the battlefield you stand there, dusty and bloody in disgust as the aftermath of what just happened sinks in. Its always somber and reserved.
It’s not Possible, unless he was your great or grandfather, unless you are like *really* old which I doubt.
@@dukekevy6650 what? The Angolan Bush war was between 1966 and 1990 Paul here could very well be younger than you
*1866 and 1890 please go back to school, if they were still alive they would be in their hundreds
@@dukekevy6650 what? What are you talking about? If this is supposed to be a joke its not funny
The Zulu wars was in the 1800s not the *1900s*, or else we'd be using Machine Guns and Automatic Rifles
My dad took me to the cinema to see this when i was little. Watching it always causes bitter-sweet nostalgia. It was, and is, an anti-war film. Although it has a firm place in my heart, the film managed to destroy for ever the reputation of Private Hook, who was not “a thief, a coward, and an insubordinate barrack room lawyer”, but a model soldier, and a tee-totaller. His family have fought for decades to have his name and reputation restored.
Adrian Rosenlund-Hudson
There is a reason Hook is seen as dishonorable. Either he disagreed with the European ways or he was gay.
And Color Sgt. bourne was only 26 years old. He was a Battalion CO in WW1
What's a tee-totaller?
@@Serjo777 A tee-totaler is someone who never drinks alcohol.
@@seshe7Wouldn't that be a Tea Totaller.
Watched first few minutes of this, stopped, got the movie and watched it for the first time, came back here and finished watching. Yup, it's a really astounding film, I wish I saw it as as kid.
Watched, " Zulu " as a young boy. I've now seen it perhaps 50x. I never grow tired of it and the quality and accuracy of this historical event from 1879. The bravery of the defender's of Rorkes Drift by the British army. As well as the bravery and strength shown by the Zulu warriors. This has made the movie Zulu one of my favourite films of all time. 💪🏼
One of the best openings on UA-cam.
I know! I keep rewatching it
ikr
+Badjoke Maker what is the intro song.
+sam cockings I know, right? I can't find it anywhere but I've heard it everywhere!
+Badjoke Maker It really is fantastic. Definitely TV quality.
my dad and grandad both served in the regiment that fought here. my grandad is funnily enough an extra in this film, one of the Welshmen. apparently, the film makers asked a couple lads from the regiment if they wanted to be in the film. good to know he's a small piece of both military and cinematic history :D
I thought you were claiming your Dad and Grandad were AT the battle. Really confused me for a sec.
heh, sorry for the confusion. might raise a couple eyebrows if i claimed that! :D
That Reference Guy yeah relatives of the guys that took part were invited to the premiere. Did ur dad go?
the regiment that fought here was the south wales borderers. my grandfather also served in this regiment. i am too young to have known him well. other historical inaccuracies not mentioned here and which do not matter include the sergeant's stripes which should be on the right arm and not the left and the white helmets which should be pale brown by being dyed with tea. private hook went on to become an RSM and his portrayal as an alcoholic bum so upset his descendants that they walked out of the film. i love those sexy zulu ladies. apparently the white actors and crew were forbidden under apartheid to even look at them. 2nd lt chard was 3 years senior to 2nd lt bromhead and not 3 months. well spotted the 303 rifles. i cannot. maybe some of them have a bolt action. all in all both zulu and zulu dawn are great movies.
Shame it was the 2nd battalion the Warwick's only became S.W.B two years after this battle look it up...in fact go to Monmouth museum its all there taffy
soldier (I assume):What do you know about Zulus?
Soldier2: A bunch of savages isn't it?
*Electric Guitar rift*
Zulus attack
@@admiralyawn3106 Fight back to back
@@nickdafreak9141 Show them no mercy and Fire at will!
Jaime Fookin' Lannister Facing, awaiting a hostile spear!
Jaime Fookin' Lannister the end is near! there's no surrender!
My favorite character is the Swiss police officer with the wounded foot. The part where he hops out of the hospital and fights the Zulu in hand to hand combat including rescuing Chard is the best part in the movie imo
"The army doesn't like 2 disasters in a day"
**laughs in 1940**
Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead:
"Sixty! We got at least sixty, wouldn't you say" ?
Ardendorff:
"That leaves only 3,940".
The British army didn't suffer truly horrible disasters in WW2 the same level as the battle of the somme
@@jonataspereira1691 The evacuation of Dunkirk was a disaster, though not in casualty terms.
who does?
@@gribwitch Really? Try telling the Royal & Merchant Navies that it was a disaster. They were sent to lift 40,000 men, and actually lifted 338,000, Some disaster.
One historical inaccuracy not mentioned is the portrayal of Henry Hook as a malingerer, con man, and, as Bromhead puts it, "insubordinate barracks room lawyer". He was, in reality, a model soldier, a near teetotaler, and even a lay preacher. The portrayal, in fact, was offensive enough to Hook's two elderly daughters to cause them to walk out in disgust from a screening of the movie.
Fair play...the part was taken by a CRAP actor......
Agreed. If they wanted an anti hero that redeems himself during the battle, they should have chosen Corporal William Allen.
William Allen was actually a Sergeant before being demoted due to his habit of drinking whilst on duty. Although his attitude was not as bad as the Hook potrayed in the film, Allen was certainly bitter about his demotion.
It is safe to say that both characters were completely mixed up when the script was written.
Very insightful analysis. "Zulu" is and remains one of my favorite movies, even with all the inaccuracies you enumerated. As you stated, the empathy for both sides bridges the political auspices involved. As an old warrior myself (Vietnam), I can appreciate the respect for the other side and their capabilities. In my old age, I feel a stronger kinship for the Vietnamese who faced us in battle than I do for the anti-war civilians back in the USA who mocked and attacked us upon returning home for answering the country's call. Good video.
smith lovy: ....Why shouldn't there be empathy for a former opponent? You help me understand. I didn't ask for your response, yet you gave it without being asked for your presence either.
smith lovy: ...I've already answered the question by turning it back to you in the same manner in which you posed it to me. Your resorting to juvenile name-calling illustrates that my understanding of your intention was correct. By descending to name-calling, you have marked yourself for exclusion from any further attention. I'm not here to justify anything to anyone, just leave my opinion on the posted video. Have a nice life.
deathtrooper666: ...The form of government in North Vietnam was not as allowing of protest as was the American government back in the Vietnam Era. Anyone who would have protested and treated returning NVA soldiers the way we were treated would have probably been incarcerated on the spot, and sent to "re-education camps" to iron the bugs out of their politics. That was the treatment given to the defeated South Vietnamese veterans and people, which is what eventually engendered the horrible events of the refugee "Vietnamese Boat People", many of whom perished at sea trying to flee their overrun country. As for North Vietnamese civilians feeling sympathy for Americans, I believe they would have kept their opinions to themselves for fear of being called out by political cadres, to be charged and tried as enemies of the people. To the best of my knowledge, there were no incidents of "counter demonstrations" against the NVA's activities battling the RVN. I'm not an actual "historian" who has gone deeply into all the data available. I was just a Grunt.
deathtrooper666: ...Each country on this planet is welcome to their choices of beliefs, both religious and political. I was addressing the behavior concerning the men who answered my country's call, versus those who chose to avoid it for whatever purpose, and the anger shown towards the returning warriors, who hoped to leave "hell" behind them when they returned home and instead found it to be a psychological minefield back in the USA. I was personally wished dead by some Americans, directly to my face, because of my obvious military service (in uniform). I controlled myself and did them no harm, but it was most difficult on my part. It had nothing to do with the religious beliefs of either side of the equation.
Hippies man... The epitome of man children who know nothing of the hardships of life acting like they deserve to be listened to despite contributing nothing. My grandad had a lot of issues with how they treated returning servicemen, they had so little respect for their fellow countrymen who serve their country diligently and without question. What a shower of wankers they were (and still are in their modern day form of SJWs).
The part where Michael Caine says "You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off" was the turning point in this battle imho.
Sir John Rouse Merriot Chard was my relative......it still fills me with pride that he was the commanding officer, and won one of 11 Victoria Crosses in that battle.
Been to his grave and Hook's
One of my favorite films....Sir Chard deserved the VC
@Sean Kean I can only say that you have missed out on one of the best films EVER.
Very few make my "watch again" list, this one is at the top.
Must have watched it at least 20 times.
Damn you Chard !!!! Damn all you butchers !!!!
one of the VC winners lived local to myself, few miles down the road.
I've always loved this movie. I was completely captivated watching it the first time. I remember later praising the movie to my best friend and having him say: "Is that the one where it's nothing but the Zulus running at the British and then running away and then doing that over and over again? That's the most boring movie I've ever watched!" I realized then he and I looked at movies very differently....LOL
Rambo and other crap movies like that were made for people like your friend. Guaranteed he isn't a subscriber to this channel! lol
@@jstenberg3192 Woah, steady on. The first Rambo movie is an excellent drama.
Anyway, my own story. I used to work with a young lad, around 20 or so, some years ago. We were talking about previous jobs and random stuff, and I mentioned that I had just come from being a Godfather tour guide in Sicily, i start waffling on about the Godfather, and he asks me if I'd seen 'Four Brothers'. I said 'what's a random Mark Wahlberg movie got to do with the Godfather', and he replied 'because that's a good movie too. . .'.
I quickly checked out of that conversation.
@@johnbull1568 point taken, my friend. Cheers. And first Rambo was decent....bad example on my part.
The worst historical inaccuracy is the portrayal of Henry Hook who was neither a thief nor a malingerer. I'm surprised the reviewer didn't pick that up.
I had read that Hook's family had attended the premiere in London, but walked out when they found out how he was portrayed in the movie, and have criticized the movie since.
+Ray Medrano Correct.
I know. It is very odd. If they felt they needed an anti-hero in the midst of the battle, why not just make up a name? No one would ever take umbrage to the inclusion of another fictional character in the film, especially in light of the various other liberties and fictional characters.
* Spoiler * Perhaps they felt that the character's redemption and bravery at the end ultimately surmounted the portrayed negative aspects and therefore gave him a hero's role, but still... It was a real man with real living relatives that they were charging with all sorts of false villainous traits. Not only was he not a drunk, he actually did not drink at all!
Good point. I missed that when I commented about the Reverend. Hook is another character that was treated poorly. Also Chard and Bromhead had no dispute about rank as Maj Spalding who commanded the regiment departed and specifically put Chard in command.
OOOOooooops. I also forgot to mention the treatment of Commissary Dalton. He was the most combat experienced member of the unit and greatly assisted in the defense planning.
The British in fact sang God save the Queen, the National Anthem and shook hands before the final Zulu charge, they expected to die. It’s recorded in the soldiers letters and journals.
Without question, my favorite movie of all time since I saw it in June 1964 as a first run release while I was a college student with a major in cultural anthropology. It was the first time I'd seen a movie treat non-Europeans as human beings. For the last 55 years I have watched the movie perhaps 20-25 times. It still remains fresh for me. Thank you for your take on this classic and epic cinematic blockbuster.
Zulus attack!
Fight back to back!
Show them no mercy and fire at will!
Kill or be killed!
Facing, awaiting a hostile spear!
A new frontier!
The end is near!
There's no surrender, the lines must hold!
The story told!
Rorkes Drift control!
I had this song stuck in my head during a test in school:/
BUT THE SONG IS FIRE!!
Such a good song
Demitrium long live salaton
Demitrium
Your a poet and
don't even know it!
Demitrium Sabaton!! such a great song!!!
I love this film not only because it’s Micheal Canine’s first, but because as someone who is both part British and part (Zulu) South African it paints my history in a real light. I’m glad I could see what a real Zulu is from this film and learn of that heritage which my own family is estranged from.
The Zulus are some of the great warriors in history, and this film gives them their due.
It was Caine's first major movie part, but he had done bit acting in prior films. Look for him in 1961's THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE in a bit part as a policeman directing traffic.
@@JeffreyDeCristofaro Thanks for mentioning this. I was going to say just that. The Day The Earth Caught Fire is a favorite. Even though it's a small bit part, Michael Caine stands out.
12:28 - Slight inaccuracy with the song, the regimental song wasn't "Men of Harlech" but rather "The Warwickshire Lad" and there was no song contest during the battle.
The sound design and music in this film is wonderful; and Stanley Baker's voice is pure, liquid delight.
As a sixteen-year-old and contemplating the possibility of battle in VietNam in the near future, I never felt my heart sink as deeply as when the Zulus lined up on the ridge the last time. I've never felt that while watching anything else, any other time, before or since. Absolutely terrifying.
@Abel Castro I sure as heck was 16 when I saw that movie. What wasn't clear to you?
And be honest Timothy...The Americans DIDN'T win in Vietnam EITHER.......
I too as worried about being sent to Viet Nam in those days.
The real british heroes were not the two officers, but service corps men supplying ammunition.
I hate war, but it fascinates young men. Tragically.
Goaded on by young women even more tragic.
@@johnconlon9652 The goading by women is absoutely true. Encoded in evolution if that's the right verb.
At the end of the day.. it was a battle between 2 extremely brave groups of men against each other , the British where trapped like rats in a trap and lured the Zulus into basically a firing squad. ....The way the Zulus fought was just to keep attacking......fucking brave men on both side's
Sir Michael Caine is the only remaining leading cast member alive today from this movie. There are many Zulu extras who are still alive and can claim participation (and still do).
I loved the movie Zulu as a teen that went thru some horrific battles in Vietnam at places like the Khe Sanh Hill Fights. It is so amazing to realize you are still alive after the dust clears. Blood and guts everywhere. I was wounded 6 times in just over a year and developed Combat PTSD.
Thank you James. There is still so much polarization about the war that it misses the fact that a lot of young men like you went where your country told you to go, did your job, and were often treated shabbily in return. I appreciate what you did and am glad you made it home. Thank you.
Very good. Just one other inaccuracy that I can think of: The British didn't actually wear those helmets in their brilliant-white colour against the Zulus, but instead, they stained them (with tea!) to make their troop movements harder to see over distance!
Oh, and Private Hook was a highly professional soldier ... not the careless, alcoholic one portrayed in the film. Oh yes, and that triple-line rifle defense at the end didn't actually take place ... or so I read but hey, this was a (awesome) film, not a documentary! I'd better stop there! :-)
I was watching that firing line in the vid above and thinking that it would not be enough to stop that number of warriors at that range. They would have been firing independently as fast as they could.
I imagine the zulus bottlenecked at various places and the rifle fire was able to go through several of them at once.
There are photos (well, I've only seen 1 personally) of the British army arriving at zululand with brilliant white helmets and their plates on and everything, but you are right many would have dyed their piths with tea or mud
Captain Bogroll Indeed; better than standing out like a sore thumb! But then, those bright red tunics stood out somewhat! I think it's clear to see why uniforms evolved to use more camouflage colours!
Johnny P I think the British were the first to use dull colours for the purpose of hiding. WWI encouraged the rest of the major powers to follow suit who hadn't already done so.
Catubrannos And the French were slower as they wore their long blue coats. Not sure if/when the French changed from that uniform?
Big important fundamental flaw and inaccuracy of this film . At the time of Rorkes drift the 24th foot was an English Regiment . It identified with Warwickshire . It only became Welsh after the Haldane reforms years later.
It wasn’t a Welsh or welch regiment but it was made up of predominantly welshmen at Rourkes Drift, Chard V.C was an RE and from my home town of Plymouth
@@MarlboroughBlenheim1 actually Of the 122 soldiers of the 24th Regiment present at the Battle of Rorke's Drift, 49 are known to have been of English nationality, 32 were Welsh, 16 were Irish, one was a Scot, and three were born overseas. The nationalities of the remaining 21 are unknown.
Another is that there was no chanting, singing or banging on shields, the zulu's led by Dabulamanzi, ( who was riding a white horse oddly enough) came running around the spur of the mountain and just charged at the British
@@tafnac75 correct in the film zulu dawn ,, the regimetal marches are played the first one being "warwickshire lad" in order of battle preferences ,, ie warwicks being 6th of foot ,,,
The second battalion had a lot of Welsh in its ranks as I believe the 24th had relocated to Brecon and recruited from surrounding areas although they didn't become south Wales borderers until a few years after the battle
I’ll tell my man to clean your kit.
Don’t bother.
No bother. I’m not offering to clean it myself!
One of the greatest scenes ever!
The devastation of volley fire. Disciplined men in rank, shoulder to shoulder, laying down a wall of lead. It was so well done.
When you watch each succeeding roll call scene, you hear fewer men respond, adding more drama.
There is also a lot of understated humour in this movie.
Me and my brother watched this in the odeon deptford broadway,he said to me half of the zulus were london bus driver's...Not a lot of people know that.
@@iphonemodDOTcom It was filmed in South Africa with members of the Zulu nation... Your brother was just being racist.
BillyTheKid the Zulu’s were actual zulus, the king was the grandson of the actual king.
One of my favourite battle movies! As a woman imof colour I was impressed by the representation of the Zulus (so much better than in previous movies, where Africans were portrayed as mindless brutes).
Zulu society was technologically primitive but extremely well organizes. They carved out an empire for themselves and even beat a European army with nothing but organization, good tactics and sheer courage.
@@hagamapama it not what you have its how you think if your smart enough you can kill a elephant with just a pencil this is how the zulu thought
What does imof mean?
@@disneydisney1490 Typo. Phrase is "woman of color" guessing she was on mobile
There's been a lot of (mostly justified) flaming about the British Empire, but there's one thing no-one has mentioned, and that is the great respect we Brits hold for people who have fought us to a standstill: eg the Zulu, the Sudanese and the Maori.
The roll call scene at the end of the battle pops into my head every once in awhile. Haunting. Some of these old films just know exactly how to get you
"Hitch. You're alive. I saw you." 😂
I thought Nigel Green (Colour Sargent Bourne) was exceptional in this film and that scene was a stand-out. He said so much without saying anything anytime a man didn't respond.
“Zulu’s attack, fight back to back
Show them no mercy and fire at will
Kill or be killed”
Sabaton
That Will, must have been a nasty bastard, everyone wants to shoot at him.
Facing, awaiting
a hostile spear.
a new frontier.
the end is near.
Never surrender!
The lines must hold.
The story told.
Rorke's drift controlled.
I’d say fuck off to our illustrious sabaton guests but fuck it
Poor Will he cops it every time
Thank you
Lt. Col. Frank Edward Bourne (played in the movie by Nigel Green) was my ancestor, according to my father.
Wow, I wonder how many other people can trace their families back - I taught English in Cambodia with a direct descendant of Hook. There was an amazing family resemblance. Hook and Bourne are two of my favourite characters in the film.
Doubt
Then you should be a very proud man
At the time of the battle he was in his early twenties and the rankers called him the kid i believe he went on to become a general in the first world war
@@russhughes3144 Thanks very much for that, That is some Career then
HIGHLY unappreciated movie CLASSIC!!!
you're joking right? 95% on rotten tomatoes says otherwise. now the more accurate sequel that no one watches? Zulu Dawn? THATS underappreciated
Should be viewed on a theater screen. Beautiful scenery.
One of the most memorable films I have ever seen, and first seen as a young child at a drive-in with speaker box next to my ears.....Profound effect!
While they could only fire once before reloading, those Martini-Henry rifles, in trained hands, could throw out a pretty high volume of fire for their day.
Believe that the Martini-Henry had issues with jamming after extensive use.
The good old British riflemen are definitely the right hands.
Most guns do when they're red hot.
They guns got so hot the barrels burnt their hands.
It was an issue with their shim brass boxer ammunition expanding in the hot breech that caused jams, eventually solid brass shell cases replaced them and the Martini got a reputation for reliability, no help to the lads at Rorke's Drift though.
No joke, this review almost brought a tear to my eye at a few points. Fantastically done.
I read an article where the Pvt Hooks Daughters were invited to the opening of the movie. They walked out because of the portrayal of their father as a lazy drunk that rises to the occasion. the real Hooks was a teetotaler and considered an exemplary soldier.
Granddaughters
@@chrisguy1790 Not sure. Articles say elderly daughters. Hook was born in 1850 died 1905. The film was 1964. 114 years after his birth. So lets say he had a kid when he was 30 she would be 84 at the film's premier . Certainly could have been either daughters or grand daughters but they were described as elderly
I can help with the doubts expressed after this remark. My Auntie went to school with one of Henry Hook's granddaughters. The school was The Royal Soldiers Daughter's School in Hampstead, and the year would have been around 1935. In 1964 (when the film came out) my auntie was 44 years old, and her mother, my grandmother, was 68 years old. So, it could have been Hook's daughters or granddaughters who walked out of the premier - they would all have been young enough to attend and show their disapproval.
As a boy my school was opposite the church where John William's VC is buried. I ended up an officer in 24th. The respect still shown to the Zulu immense. I have been to Rorke,s Drift and I amazed B coy survived that day. A tremendous story for both sides. The views expressed were also those of generation who had seen the horrors of WW2. My fathers and uncles new the horrors
The old ladies were on Blue Peter show as guests if I remember correctly, watched it on tv at the time , I was 6 years old , they weren't impressed, my dad took me to see the movie at the time 1964.
The film wasn't accurate anyway
I would enjoy hearing your take on The Siege at Jadotville from 2016.
And thank you for doing this noble work of enlightening the gullible.
Basically the modern Rorke's Drift
Did you know the Australian Army showed this film to all new recruits for many years during their basic training.
rly
Thats a bit, uh, sus
Nice review. The correction of historical inaccuracies is excellent, without downplaying the film. Well done, sir. From a retired history professor. 🙂
I've read a lot of the comments here and most blame the British but the British government had told the governer of Natal (South Africa) NOT to invaded the Zulu Kingdom but he ignored them saying the Zulus were more of a threat than they actually were. Also Rorkes Drift was on the British side of the river so they were defending their territory from the Zulu invaders, who were told not to cross the river.
John Cornell thank you
John Cornell now we wait for the trolls
John Cornell our own Rorkes Drift
John Cornell then FIX BAYONETS!!!
ScoutTrooper Merc makes sense but you also have to understand that it was a cold war between them. Tension was building, if it wasn't the Zulus, the the British would've attacked them. And it seems as if morality is warped in war. But your point does make sense.
Great movie !!!! Loved it!!!! Back in 83 in Wainwright, Alberta we were drinking in the mess when a British Artillery unit came in. We bought each other drinks and sang Regimental songs to each other what a great night!!!!
“A Zulu regiment can RUN! RUN 15 miles and fight a battle at the end of it!”
He said 50
oof
Chewy That’s “a Zulu regiment can run Fifty (50) miles and fight a battle at the end of it”. From The Washing of the Spears by Donald L. Morris.
I've always wondered, was it 50 or 15? Does it really matter?
rokndady he just capping they can run a 100 miles
One of my favorite parts of the movie is where you can hear the Zulu's beating their shields in the distance and and Bromhead make's the comment: "Damn funny, like a, like a train". The reason I like this part so much is that when I first watched this movie I had head phones on and it sounded so cool to hear the "train".
I love the movie Zulu! History Buff's favourite parts are my favourite parts too! The chanting, the "Men of Harlech", the volley fire. Some of my very favourite actors are in this movie too---Michael Caine, Stanley Baker and Nigel Green. Great movie and a great review of it. Congratulations on a great job!
Still one of my all time favorites and still gives me goosebumps.
Nigel Green's performance as Colour Sergeant Bourne is one of the best things in this film, but there's another historical inaccuracy: Green was 39 when it was made, but the real Frank Bourne was 23 (and ten inches shorter than Green - 5'6" to Green's 6'4") and the youngest Colour Sergeant in the entire British Army. He later rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, served in the First World War and died in 1945 at the age of 90.
Proud to be ZULU man yes we still strong we still standing our ancestors still protecting us.sisazoma kuyoze kuwe ilanga sikhona siphila asiyi ndawo
@@brutusbarnabus8098 what the actual fuck is this comment
Brutus Barnabus you sir are a grade A twat.
Respect to the Zulu from a Spanish conquistador
Brutus Barnabus it’s more the fact they bravely fought anyway... they even caused the worst defeat to an advanced modern army with only basic equipment ever!
@@reddyshreddy5050 don't listen to that troll. The Zulu's are alive and atill fighting! Love and respect from a a pacifist jew ✊🏾✡
When I first watched this classic film was around the mid 60's on TV, black & white TV. It was the ABC Sunday Night At The Movies. I was about 9 or 10 years old. Boring at the beginning but then very exciting about in the middle towards the end. My favorite character in this movie was the Sgt. He seemed cool,calm and collective, but the look in his eyes he showed true fear. Zulu is one of my favorite movies.
The first time I saw this was at my Grandmother's house and it may have even been the same airing to which you are referring. It was the first movie I was allowed to stay up past my bedtime to watch so it always has that nostalgic connection. I believe you are referring to Sergeant-Major Bourne....did you know that in reality he was only 23 at the time of this battle? He was the youngest person to have ever held this rank at that point and was referred to by his troops and others as "the kid." A cool fact too is that he actually lived until one day after Germany surrendered in WWII (VE Day - 8 May 1945 - Bourne died 9 May 1945).
@@mitch3043 Just to put the record straight, Bourne was a Colour Sergeant (although he had been a corporal only a few months before). He served in the army until the First World War and reached the rank of Colonel, which must have been amazing in the Victorian army.
Great review, Zulu was a seminal film for me too and gave me a love of history. I look forward to more. Really well done.