Saturday, January 3, 2009

north africa or bust

Nothing says macho like jumping dunes in a jeep with guns blazing. The show was called RAT PATROL (1966-68) and Brook and I used to watch religiously. There were other WWII themed movies airing in the early to mid 60's which include: Combat! Twelve O'clock High and Gallent Men.

The show was pulled from broadcast in Europe because the English took offense to the dominant American presence in the show. It was after all the English/New Zealand/Rhodesion LONG RANGE DESERT GROUP that took it to the Jerrys by modifying trucks and jeeps with machine guns.

Rat Patrol was a good show, but it seems to me that I would have enjoyed the show just as much with more British behind the guns.

4 comments:

Brook said...

A movie about the LRDG and/or David Sterling's SAS would make a great desert war movie. 10:1 a current porduction company would screw it up with PC anachronisms, overreliance on computer FX, or just too big a budget. But a British film made in the 1950s in black and white! Where's my Wayback machine?

David Finlayson said...

If there were a Wayback machine - how many sane minded folk would be skipping out on the next four to eight years?

Brook said...

Makes you wish you could face all your troubles with a jeep, some comrades, and a .50 cal Ma Deuce. All while wearing an Aussie digger.

David Finlayson said...

Are there any sand dunes in Washington, DC?