FROM COMBAT! DISCUSSION LIST ARCHIVES
Producer Steve Rubin discusses the COMBAT! Movie

To: Armornerd
From: Steve Rubin
ARMOR IN WAR FILMS (AND IN "COMBAT: THE MOTION PICTURE")

I too find unrealistic armor in movies a major distraction. Even in "Patton," which is a terrific film, I was disappointed at the battles between American M-60s and, well, American M-60s. The best tanks I ever saw were in "Kelly's Heroes," which had Shermans versus some very good looking Tigers (although, the production designer, Harry Lange, told me they were "manufactured" by the prop and special effects departments, rather than actual Tigers.) To my knowledge, there hasn't been an American war movie with actual German tanks (gang, if you know of one, I'd be interested). We occasionally see German armored cars, kubelwagens (the only vehicle to survive, it seems, in any quantity, but seldom actual battle tanks. The only time I've ever seen a real Panther or Tiger is collecting bird dung in front of some war museum.

The script for the "Combat" movie stays away from major armor clashes - although there are a couple of key sequences involving charging tanks and infantry. Amazingly, thanks to modern film effects, you can make one Tiger look like 30 with a couple of key strokes. The same fellow who made Lieutenant Dan's legs disappear in "Forrest Gump" can recreate Panzer Lehr in mass. When I was over in Normandy for the D-Day 50th Anniversary ceremonies, I also saw a ton of American soft-skin vehicles from all over Europe (indicating to me that reinactment organizations are over there too). In any case, I plan to monitor the equipment needs on the movie, as carefully as possible.

Best,
Steve Rubin
"COMBAT!"

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