Zulu (1964) Dir: Cy Enfeld, starring Stanley Baker and Michael Caine
Watched this again recently having been obsessed with the Colonial period as a kid. It was Michael Caine's breakthrough, it's dreadfully inaccurate like most war films and I can see it getting a big Hollywood remake at some point. What would be interesting is to see how differently modern filmmakers would choose to handle the subject matter; the original was just out of the post-war era and it shows - a romantic depiction of an heroic last stand that what was in fact a bit of a freak occurrence in the context of 19th century warfare.
It doesn't disregard the Zulu or the fact that we were invading their country but it doesn't really acknowledge it either; there's some good old stiff-upper-lip respect of the Zulu warrior prowess by the end but that's about it. Still a nostalgic experience for me to watch and the kind of film that doesn't get made anymore.
7/10
Would be interested to hear what the other Brits (or anyone else) on MB think of this. The 70's flick
Zulu Dawn with Bob Hoskins depicts the massacre at Isandlwana. The British army suffered worse defeats but it's fascinating how disastrous poor troop placement and bad timing can be...