Aces High [DVD] [1976]

I decided to add this to my collection after seeing it numerous time over the years on TV. Arguably one of the finest WW1 films ever made, Aces High portrays the often very short life of pilots in the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) during the First World War. It has an excellent cast including Malcolm McDowell, Christopher Plummer, Simon Ward and a very young Peter Firth (the film was made in 1976).Peter Firth plays the naive officer who joins the RFC straight from school. The life expectancy of pilots during WW1 was approximately 14 days and the tagline for the film is 'High above the trenches 14 days is a long life...This is the 15th day!'Aces High is also a study of the class-ridden reality of the RFC and several scenes duly send up the officer class.There are some excellent flying/dog fighting sequemces (some borrowed from that other WW1 flying film, 'The Blue Max' starring George Peppard). Apparently the planes used in the film are not completely authentic, but unless you are an 'expert' your unlikely to notice.Definitely an anti-war film, Aces High ultimately has a sad (if perhaps predicatble) ending. Recommended if you like war films with a flying element to them. Certainly worth the price!

This film was very much inspired by Derek Robinson's debut novel "War Story" (Booker shortilsted, superb & only the beginning). This was a film that was often on TV while I was pre-pubing through the '70s. I haven't seen it for years, and I enjoyed how much my perspective (& sympathies) has altered over the years. I'm a lifelong bookworm, but Derek Robinson has been this decade's big surprise treat for me. There's an informal, but very noticable connection between this film & Ribinson's work....put 'em together & see. Cheers, guys ;o)-

A very good and touching film on WW1 focusing on people and not stunts or dramatized entertaining bloodshed.The air-to-air sequences obviously do not stand up to the scrutiny of the true aviation buff but they are nicely done and appear more realistic than those in other famous war films. For obvious reasons no real WW1-aircraft could be used and back in 1976 there were no computers available to generate pictures like those in Saving Private Ryan for example. This does absolutely no harm to the story. On the contrary, this and other shortcomings in ground sceneries (for instance lorries are not accurate and ruins are too papiermaché-like) does make the film all the more human and touching.To sum it up: Aces High is not yet another popcorn movie on war claiming a critical and human approach to the subject like some classics. It is a subtle work of art which leaves the spectator really thinking about the futility of menslaughter. Its major stronghold is that it shows how young men are diligently manipulated by unseen forces in order to do things which ar thaught them to be heroic but in reality serve interests which are not their own... and not even those of their immediate manipulators. Sincerely recommended!

The opening scenes show our "Ace" GRESHAM telling his old house that "We are caning them. You will want to cane them too when your turn comes. I only hope it isn't all over before you get the opportunity"The film revolves around, and tries to recapture, the life of a scout squadron " somewhere in France" 6 months after "Bloody April 1917" during the First World War. I first watched this film as a child in the early 80's and even at that tender age, found it rather moving given the fact that the aim is not to glamourise war but to demonise it. For RFC purists, there are a few anomilies, mainly that 76 Squadron RFC was never used as a fighter squadron. That aside, The story was well constructed, the cast impressive and nearly 20 years later, I still feel this is a film that can be watched over and again A firm favourite in mine and Pete Tarski's eyes. Thanks for reading my review.

This film doesn't age at all it's over forty years old and still as good as when it was first released. Good acting Simon Ward is great as a burned out pilot as is Malcolm McDowell as the tarnished hero worshipped commanding officer. The aerial sequences are really good too.

I saw this a long time ago. Watched it again recently and thought the story was very good indeed. A young man joins up expecting dash and dare alongside an old upper school hero he admires. Then the reality of the air war slowly begins to kick in over eight days.

Still a classic film, even after all these years, based on Journey's End. Malcolm McDowell turns in an excellent performance as John Grisham, the commander of Squadron of RFC pilots on the Western front. The film portrays the interaction between himself, a new pilot from the same school and the pilots within the Squadron.

Very theatrical, actors sitting around the piano, smoking pipes and singing jolly songs supposedly learnt at Eton and Cambridge. Stereotype of chaps flying and dying, the flying excellent, the reel or two with the French prostitutes was nearly as daring as the pilots exploits. 'Working class' shown as mechanics and labourers always in awe of the nobs, them and us. Good attempt at trying to portray the youthful age of the volunteers. The story very young man joins older hero's reluctantly loses virginity, gets killed, older man says I told you so, cries whilst writing dear John letter whilst thinking at least he got his leg over

Super Film, Blitzlieferung, angenehmer Preis. Vielen Dank.

I will have to get a blue ray playerI did not see it was blue ray. My fault

Il m'a fallu longtemps chercher pour trouver cet excellent film. Cette version multilingue (donc avec une VF !) est excellente, et le film est impressionnant !

They regularly classify this one as an anti-war film. But if that conjures up bizarre images of pompous idiot superiors, comically psychotic crazies, and pointless bloody troop offensives, that's not what "Aces" is about. There's no attempt to blame either opponent or humiliate anyone, the object being rather to demonstrate that war is never a glorious exercise for its participants. The movie doesn't preach, just shows you how things stood and lets you decide what the essence of war is, thus striking a fair middle ground between glorification and grotesque.Anyhow, details. The film essentially covers a week in the lives of a British Royal Flying Corps squadron ten miles from the western front in WWI France. Day one, replacement fighter pilot Lt. Stephen Crofts/Peter Firth reports to former Eton schoolmate/present commanding officer Maj. John Gresham/Malcolm McDowell, meets the rest of the crew including warm and well-adjusted elder Capt. "Uncle" Sinclair/Christopher Plummer and seriously shaken Lt. Crawford/Simon Ward. Over the next seven days, the new kid learns to fly and fight and hopefully better the average fighter pilot's life expectancy of two weeks (there's a statistic you remember). People die regularly on the daily patrols, manning their astoundingly rickety machines without even a parachute, while you too are sweating who might be next.The story line isn't innovative, but the acting by the four engaging leads and the expertly filmed action in the airborne battle scenes keep things tense and interesting. Not to be missed if you're into WWI in general or the pioneer flying days in particular.

Lost one star only because of the video quality. Not awful, just not spectacular. The movie itself is probably a pretty accurate depiction of the (short) life of a WWI replacement fighter pilot. All-Star cast.