"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

I went to see the new Dunkirk film yesterday. A lot of effort has been made, and the filming and acting is good, but overall I was left disappointed. CGI has led to some very lazy film-making over the past couple of decades, and in some ways its lack of use in Dunkirk is to be applauded, but it has to be said that the beaches, which were packed with troops, look rather empty with only a couple of thousand extras, and the small-ship rescue fleet is reduced to a couple of dozen vessels. The film therefore fails to capture the sheer scale of the event. Tighter shots might have worked better. The fact that numbers of tens and hundreds of thousands keep being referred to, only further highlights the lack of numbers in the film. I wasn't that impressed with the script either, which does not reflect the overwhelming discipline and camaraderie, which are a central feature of all accounts. The aerial shots are perhaps the best, even though there are only three Spitfires, and a similar number of Messerschmidts/Stukas/Heinkels. Worth a visit to the cinema, but ultimately disappointing in my opinion.
 
Yesterday my wife and I spent the day at Jamestown, the first English settlement in America.

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@ Barrett : did Eleanor try Santa's teeth for size? LOL :D I love the way she looks at him!

I tried the quizz and the cities are NY, Yonkers and Jersey City, quite accurate as I learned most of my English in an English village down South of Quebec not far from where the red vanishes! Unsurprisingly the red regions spread from Louisana to ... Maine :)
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BTW we say "the devil is beating his wife and marying his daughter" when there's a rainbow under the rain. (le diable bat sa femme et marie sa fille)
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:) I was very surprised that I only had to answer 'other' once I think, and with the 'sunshine and showers' thing, the option was something like'We don't have a word for that' :thumbsup:
Because the sun hardly ever shines in Yorkshire, especially not when it's raining? ;)
 
Barrett that Eleanor is one beautiful child you sir are a lucky man because nothing is more special than daddy's little girl. :)

Jack I knew I liked you and now that we know you are from the south I know why. :D:rolleyes:
 
Because the sun hardly ever shines in Yorkshire, especially not when it's raining? ;)

:D :thumbsup:

Jack I knew I liked you and now that we know you are from the south I know why. :D:rolleyes:

Thanks Randy! :D :thumbsup:

I had expected that the Hurricane would be around somewhere....

I don't want to post any spoilers, but the RAF presence in the film completely contradicts history. Likewise it's portrayal of the French (and for the most part, lack therof), which has understandably caused controversy in France. I hate it when film makers take such liberties with history, because many people accept movies as historical fact.
 
I don't want to post any spoilers, but the RAF presence in the film completely contradicts history. Likewise it's portrayal of the French (and for the most part, lack therof), which has understandably caused controversy in France. I hate it when film makers take such liberties with history, because many people accept movies as historical fact.

The beginning of the old Battle of Britain movie from the 60's certainly did a bit better in giving the background of the story in a few minutes. Perhaps, in current Hollywood style, they are saving storyline for a prequel to Dunkirk....
 
The beginning of the old Battle of Britain movie from the 60's certainly did a bit better in giving the background of the story in a few minutes. Perhaps, in current Hollywood style, they are saving storyline for a prequel to Dunkirk....

Yes, in many ways it's been done better before. Perhaps! :D :thumbsup:

I was preparing myself for a very intense experience, but in my opinion, the beach scenes are nothing compared to those in Saving Private Ryan (different battle obviously).
 
Yes, in many ways it's been done better before. Perhaps! :D :thumbsup:

I was preparing myself for a very intense experience, but in my opinion, the beach scenes are nothing compared to those in Saving Private Ryan (different battle obviously).
I think our expectations of realism have changed for the better over time, and Saving Private Ryan was a pivotal film in this regard. Dunkirk seems to be a bit of a throwback in many ways in comparison, but I also want to avoid spoilers.
 
I don't want to post any spoilers, but the RAF presence in the film completely contradicts history. Likewise it's portrayal of the French (and for the most part, lack therof), which has understandably caused controversy in France. I hate it when film makers take such liberties with history, because many people accept movies as historical fact.
A lot of people here was quite surprised to see that Dunkirk was advertised as "the first victory"... but to be true it is doubtful it will make the same career the Longest day or the Battle of Britain had. The name "Dunkerque" is felt as a phenomenal mess for the French and the Belgians. Still today it is not rare to find a bullet or something of that period on the seaside.

In 1964 there was a French movie named Week end at Dunkirk (Week-end à Zuydcoote) , after a book whose author had been in the action.
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In 1964 there was a French movie named Week end at Dunkirk (Week-end à Zuydcoote) , after a book whose author had been in the action.
I will need to find a version in English, I have been trying to get a broader understanding on history since encountering France last year. It is very difficult to find information in my area about a lot of things from the French point of view. My guide during my trip was very good at pointing out many historical side notes as we went through the north (my youngest daughter was inspired to do a school report on his family's contribution during the war).
 
I think our expectations of realism have changed for the better over time, and Saving Private Ryan was a pivotal film in this regard. Dunkirk seems to be a bit of a throwback in many ways in comparison, but I also want to avoid spoilers.

Yes, I think you're right Bart :thumbsup:

A lot of people here was quite surprised to see that Dunkirk was advertised as "the first victory"... but to be true it is doubtful it will make the same career the Longest day or the Battle of Britain had. The name "Dunkerque" is felt as a phenomenal mess for the French and the Belgians. Still today it is not rare to find a bullet or something of that period on the seaside.

In 1964 there was a French movie named Week end at Dunkirk (Week-end à Zuydcoote) , after a book whose author had been in the action.
220px-Week_end_a_zuydcoote.jpg



'The First Victory' is a very odd way of describing things, to say the least! :eek: As you know, my friend, I used to live and work in the area. It annoys me to see the valiant French defence of the retreat being reduced to half a dozen surly individuals on a barricade, and the 100,000 French soldiers evacuated to Britain reduced to a solitary stowaway! :(
 
'The First Victory' is a very odd way of describing things, to say the least! :eek: As you know, my friend, I used to live and work in the area. It annoys me to see the valiant French defence of the retreat being reduced to half a dozen surly individuals on a barricade, and the 100,000 French soldiers evacuated to Britain reduced to a solitary stowaway! :(
The problem is that the Operation Dynamo was decided by the English Officers without warning the French Army who expected to counter-attack and join the BEF. And once again Mr Winston has to be praised because he decided the same treatment would apply for both armies in the evacuation, thus saving for a while 140,000 French and Belgian soldiers.
XIIth Infantry Division defended the seaside and 35,000 men were sent to the stalags. It is to hope that Mr Nolan will never make movies about Dakar or Mers-El-Kébir! :eek::D:D:D
 
The problem is that the Operation Dynamo was decided by the English Officers without warning the French Army who expected to counter-attack and join the BEF. And once again Mr Winston has to be praised because he decided the same treatment would apply for both armies in the evacuation, thus saving for a while 140,000 French and Belgian soldiers.
XIIth Infantry Division defended the seaside and 35,000 men were sent to the stalags. It is to hope that Mr Nolan will never make movies about Dakar or Mers-El-Kébir! :eek::D:D:D

Yes indeed :thumbsdown: I had expected better from the film :(
 
BTW we say "the devil is beating his wife and marying his daughter" when there's a rainbow under the rain. (le diable bat sa femme et marie sa fille)
That is taking it to the next level! When I was a kid in NY, my mother used to use "the devil is beating his wife," and claimed that it came from her mother (who was born in Germany but raised on Long Island).
 
i just recently got back from summer camp, being an Assistant Scout Master leading young scouts into being good leaders and men to be someday, it was a hot week peaking on Thursday with a 114 degree heat index. Getting home I started to unpack all of my gear and re-organize it and stumbled across I knife of mine I got last November at a gun show.

Last November I was working a gun show with a couple of friends helping a now friend of mine, sell off some of her fathers collection to help repay for some of his medical bills he experienced shortly before his death last year. While he had many old relics, including Mausers from about 8 different countries, Remington made Mosin Nagant, marlins, winchesters, and many more, he also had some "junk". Now we had rented out three tables, and the end table was being used for stuff with either a low price tag or no price tag at all. Stuff like random parts, old cleaning supplies, some guns that wouldn't sell for much, and some BB/pellet guns.

I had arrived a little bit earlier than the rest of them, some other dealers were there too getting set up for the final day. One of them walked in, and just looked over and happened to see one the three BB guns sitting on our table, stopped dead in his tracks and walked over at a fairly rapid pace. He bent over, squinted, and looked up. I'll never forget his words when he looked at me. "My, my brother had one of those when we were younger. I still have mine, but mom got rid of his because she could not bear it. He had a heart problem and died when he was 15 years old. I haven't seen another one like it until Now." After a moment of silence, I said take it, take all three if he wants they are his now.

Now he looked at me and started reaching for his wallet, but I told him No take them, you have already paid. He asked a few questions about them and that's when I told him I was helping My friend sell off what was her dads collection before he passed away. He looked at me and said "I only got two arms, would you mind carrying one of them to my booth?" So I helped him carry them over to his booth. He was retired and made traditional arrows, spears, knives and such out of flint, quartz, amd obsidian to supplement his retirement.
He pointed to a pile of arrows, me being me I picked one up and looked it over. He said "you like it, that is made of a malberry branch my neighbor was getting rid of." He looked at me and said "keep it, you've already paid." I tried to pay for it of course but he would not let me. So I started to walk back to my booth, amazed, when he yelled out "wait a minute." I turned back around, and he was holding a beautiful obsidian knife, straight black, with a deer antler handle held on with real sinew. I was stunned. " I've learned over my 60 odd some years of life that a lot of people now a days have black hearts. You, do not. And so I wish to give this to you, a black heart. It will be the only black heart you will have in your life. Thank you so much for what you have done, it means so much even if it is so little. " It then occurred to me that the obsidian was in the shape of a heart. He wouldn't let me pay for it, or give it back.
I will post photos of it soon, once a learn how. But that is my knife with a Heart. I still can't believe he just gave it to me, he already paid me back. later discussions with him I learned that the stuff he makes brings in most of his income. I still look it over in awe. The entire time I was at his booth he was struggling to hold back tears.

While this story is not as good as any of jackknife's stories it still holds much weight in my heart. I would love to hear your stories of knives with a heart. Photos to come soon. And remember Do a good turn Daily. You never know how much it will effect someone's life.
 
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