Zulu Dawn: Colonel Durnford (Burt Lancaster)

Comments for death : Zulu Dawn: Colonel Durnford (Burt Lancaster).

Having requested it on another thread it would have been remiss of me not to add this death in.

I really love this death, it is as "blaze of glory" as you can get, and it involves Burt Lancaster!! Alas it is not one i have in my collection (yet) but the i think it is on sale for about £4 in some post Xmas sales, so i will probably pick it up soon.

Thanks for putting this up. And it's nice to see you improved my write-up a little bit. It's also the first death under the letter 'Z'. *opens champagne*

I got my DVD free in a newspaper, and be warned - if it's cropped to 1.78:1, don't bother. The framing is awful and at several points, characters that are speaking or involved in the shot are cropped out!

On a side note again, I need to correct myself in the submission. Burt says "that is tell his daughter" and the soldier (whose name, according to IMDb is Sgt. Maj. Kambula) replies "I'll go, but God stays with you". I'm afraid the audio wasn't that great either and my copy had no subs (which I often use when submitting). Sorry.

I also think the archetype is 'Ambivalent (Major)' as neither side are really portrayed as being particularly good or bad.

-----------------

My DVD Aficionado page!

My reviews at ThatGuywiththeGlasses.com!



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/2007 10:03PM by Matt.

yes the first "Z"

I have tweaked the text as per requirements, but i am not sure about calling him ambivalent (major), as in the context of this film surely the British (or in burts case, American) are the good guys!? However, that said, he certainly was not a (minor) so have adjusted.

You got it free with a newspaper?! whatever next!

Trust me, I've got at least 6 Michael Caine films from my news paper.

In the film, the British forces are not really seen as good as they are sent in by Chelmsford and Frere, who are both schemeing egotists. The British are also seen torturing the Zulu, which isn't exactly positive.

-----------------

My DVD Aficionado page!

My reviews at ThatGuywiththeGlasses.com!

Yes, i appreciate that in terms of history British forces in Africa are hardly considered the good guys, but in the context of the film they are - they are the people who are defending Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift (Zulu) from a massive invading force. You can't honestly say that you wanted the Zulus to win, can you?

***off topic*** A Michael Caine fan eh? Can you tell me, does Michael Caine get killed in Jaws 4? i have never watched it all the way through as it is so excruciatingly poor.

I haven't seen it either, but according to Cinemorgue, Caine doesn't die in Jaws: The Revenge. He does, however, get bumped off in The Eagle Has Landed, which I send your way if you want.

-----------------

My DVD Aficionado page!

My reviews at ThatGuywiththeGlasses.com!

I don't recall this death (despite liking Zulu), but does it really deserve the coveted Blaze of Glory category? From the way the writeup reads I'd have to say "no". It sounds like he shoots a few poorly equipped zulus with his handgun, and as soon as he runs out of ammo gets killed. A death with some honour to be sure, but Blaze of Glory?!

He is literally going out all guns blazing. He knows he's in deep trouble at that point, so he makes a dramatic final stand to take out as many as he can with whatever he can.

-----------------

My DVD Aficionado page!

My reviews at ThatGuywiththeGlasses.com!

I think it is for deaths like this that "Blaze of glory" was invented (this and Giant Haystacks from 30 days of Night)- It is definitely a BoG death.