MovieChat Forums > Battle of the Bulge (1966) Discussion > Empire Strikes The Bulge!

Empire Strikes The Bulge!

posted 14 years ago by buckaroobanzai50
4 replies | jump to latest

I've seen this film about half a dozen times in the last 30 years, but, I've only just noticed something. The similarities between it and Empire Strikes Back:

1) Just before the Nazis massacre the marines, one soldier says; "I have a bad feeling about this."

2) When Col. Hessler (Robert Shaw) tells the tank driver to "...finish off..." the Sherman tank, and they blow it up, an almost carbon copy of that scene appears in ESB when the AT ATs blow up the rebel shield generator.

3) At the end when Conrad (Hans Christian Blech) is walking home, there is a wide zoom shot from a helicopter, before he takes off his bags. There is also a similar zoom-in shot at the beginning of Empire, when Luke is astride his Tauntaun.

I think George Lucas may well have been inspired by this movie...

[–] sloanny1 14 years ago

Also, The director's name is Ken Annakin.

[–] buckaroobanzai50 14 years ago

Oh yes yes yes!!

I didn't spot that obvious connection.

I'm not mad then. There's something in this. LOL!!

[–] thatguy_78757 13 years ago

The first Star Wars borrowed just about EVERYTHING from other movies....
cowboy movies, the space battles are clearly ww2 battles in space

Im gonna watch Bulge again to see what youre talking about

[–] ScottMolling 13 years ago

Hmm...before I even opened this to read OP's post, the title alone made me recognize how similar the first tank battle is about an hour into the movie to the ATAT walkers advancing on the rebel base at the beginning of Empire.

I wouldn't say this is a bad thing, it's actually kinda cool.