Zulu

[Jon Skagfeld]

Those of you who, like me, watch "Zulu" and "Zulu Dawn", from time to time might be interested in the following:

WRT to the thread which Hanno linked in, about the 60+ year old Maisy Battery, in the same publication, Armourer Militaria Magazine, Issue 73, Jan/Feb 2006, is the following extract from an article on p 72...

"The death last year of James Booth, who played Hook in the film "Zulu"...

...and Joe Powell, who played Sgt Windridge...

...another "Zulu" star, Larry Taylor who played Pte Hughes (soldier with the leather collar)...also took part in "Zulu Dawn".

In passing, it's interesting to note that Henry Hook (Yer no good Hookie...Hookie, that's a flogging offense.) was a Temperance man, not taken to drink at all.

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

I loved the scene in the movie where they fixed bayonets and one trooper had his fall off the end of the rifle barrel.I watched a documentary on Hookie.He apparently drove a horse drawn cab in London and finally died in obscurity.They actually showed his old gravestone where he's buried

[wayne c. petrie]

Jon
The movie Zulu is my favorite.
Have You done a google search on Stanley Baker? There is a lot of interesting data there.
He put a lot of his own money into the movie.He also had the original VC awarded to Lt.Chard,altough Baker was told it was a duplicate.Proved to be the real thing after Baker died.

Wayne

[Jon Skagfeld]

Wayne (et al)...in that google search for Stanley Baker, there is a a web site...www.rorkesdriftvc.com which has a great deal of detail about that battle and others during the Zulu War. There are several myths explained away.

[Keith Webb]

I had a bit of a look at some sites which deal with the movie (which, despite the lack of CMPs I still enjoy) and found these details to watch for next time the film is on:

Goofs for
Zulu (1964)

Continuity: During the battle in the hospital, when Hook bayonets a Zulu up against the wall, the bayonet clearly goes under the armpit, not through as the mark left on the wall afterwards would suggest.

Anachronisms: Set in 1879, several Zulu warriors are wearing wrist watches, probably the same ones that the production company paid the extras with.

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: At one point in the film, a bright flash of sunshine can be seen reflecting briefly on what was believed to be a vehicle windscreen up on a hill behind Rorke's Drift. However, Stanley Baker's widow and others who have visited the site confirm that it was impossible to get any sort of vehicle onto the ridge, so there must be some other explanation (probably a spear).

Factual errors: The soldiers wear parade dress uniforms, including white helmets displaying the regimental crest. On active service they would have worn a more basic uniform with plain cork helmets, as depicted correctly in Zulu Dawn (1979).

Anachronisms: The 24th is identified as the "South Wales Borderers". In 1879 the regiment was the 2nd Warwickshire. It did not become a Welsh regiment until 1881.

Anachronisms: Airliner contrails are visible.

Continuity: Chard breaks his revolver to unload it twice as he talks to Bromhead. Both times, the empty shells are ejected.

Anachronisms: The revolvers used by the officers are of WWI issue.

Continuity: When Chard fights the two Zulus who break through the line, a soldier near him is shot and drops his rifle. In the next shot Chard picks up the rifle which has a bayonet attached to it and uses it to fight the Zulus - except that when the stricken soldier dropped it, it didn't have a bayonet on it.

Continuity: When Cpl. Allen is shot while helping Hitch, he grasps the right-hand side of his chest, but in all other scenes the wound is on the left side.

Factual errors: The Zulu chief Cetshwayo did not send his impi to attack Rorke's Drift, and in fact ordered that the installation be left alone. It was one of his half-brothers who ordered and led the attack, figuring he would get a quick victory and impress the king.

Anachronisms: A few of the battle scenes show British soldiers with bolt-action rifles. Apparently there weren't enough Martini-Henrys to go around.

Errors in geography: When Lt. Bromhead (Michael Caine) is seen returning from his hunt, the bearers are carrying a dead cheetah and a springbok. The springbok is an antelope that inhabits arid areas in the northwest of South Africa, and was never present in Natal.

Revealing mistakes: In order to simulate 4,000 Zulu warriors lining up on a ridge, when only 500 Zulu extras were available, long wooden frames were used with 10-12 Zulu shields attached to the front of them with a real Zulu at each end. As the Zulus line up for the final "Fellow Braves" chant, there is one shot in which these shield-frames are obvious.

Revealing mistakes: When Reverend Otto Witt flees Cetshwayo's kraal after the report of the massacre at Isandlwana you can tell that there is a stunt driver in the wagon. The man has a beard.

Continuity: After Pvt Hook breaks into the doctor's cabinet and steals the brandy, he smashes the top off, when he takes a drink the bottle shape has changed.

Source

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

It's 7:20 PM EST here in Caanada.Thaat meaans,breaking down your comments,I'll be up all night watching my movie,with a pen in haand,agreeing with your Auzzie comments!!

Thanks a lot mate !!!

[Keith Webb]

Originally posted by Garry Shipton
It's 7:20 PM EST here in Caanada.Thaat meaans,breaking down your comments,I'll be up all night watching my movie,with a pen in haand,agreeing with your Auzzie comments!!

Thanks a lot mate !!!

LMAO!

They weren't MY comments Garry, I found them on a site which I added a link to.

Quite a good site for movies, actually.

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

About 25 yrs ago I went with a friend of mine to his parents' house on some errand.He knew I was interested in militaria,and asked if I knew anything about a rifle that his father had acquired many years before.Lo and behold he presents me with a Martini-Henry,A heavy sucker.He goes on to tell me that his dad thinks there should be a bayonet for it,but could not find one for this particular rifle.Two weeks later I was at an arms show,and asked a distributor of bayonets if he had any for a Martini,which he had,I called my friend Mr. Palmer to come immediately to the show,whereeby he bought the bayonet which fit the Martini like a glove,and which he presented to his dad on Fathers' Day.Every time afterward when I met his dad,he'd say,"Oh you're the bayonet guy".Up to three years ago,that rifle and bayonet hung proudly over the fireplace in their home.