Saving Private Ryan

[Danny]

       Since I made a few comments about war in the thread Sky Pilot.
        I'd like to balance it with this thread.  The VERY BEST movie made in modern times about WWII is this one.  The middle is so, so. But the beginning is as accurate as any of the many books I've read on D-day.

     Plus the way it starts with private Ryan visiting the graves of the the men who died to save him is very touching.  This is based on a true event.  The ending is also a heart wrenching thing to watch. 

      This is the movie that made "Band of Brothers" a possibility.  And of course "The Pacific" as well.

       I often think,  that if I had to fight in a war, it would have been worth it,  to die for my brother, country and for freedom in WWII.
       Mankind's unwillingness to learn from that great sacrifice has made every conflict since, a petty exercise in futility. That many brave young men bled and died for. But At least most of them gave their all for their "Brothers in Arms". I hold them all in deepest respect and honor.

[ducktrapper]

I preferred Band of Brothers. SPR got stupid after the actual landings. Like the men in the company, I couldn't accept the premise and I sure didn't buy that saving Pvt. Ryan was the best thing to come out of WWII. However, I agree with your last thoughts. Man in the High Castle is a frightening alternative and I can't speak German or Japanese.     

[Danny]

I preferred Band of Brothers. SPR got stupid after the actual landings. Like the men in the company, I couldn't accept the premise and I sure didn't buy that saving Pvt. Ryan was the best thing to come out of WWII. However, I agree with your last thoughts. Man in the High Castle is a frightening alternative and I can't speak German or Japanese.      

Not the best on WWII, the best on D- DAY. I know I didn't write it that way,  but it's what I meant.
     Band of Brothers was better.

[Mikeymac]

       I often think,  that if I had to fight in a war, it would have been worth it,  to die for my brother, country and for freedom in WWII.
       Mankind's unwillingness to learn from that great sacrifice has made every conflict since, a petty exercise in futility. That many brave young men bled and died for. But At least most of them gave their all for their "Brothers in Arms". I hold them all in deepest respect and honor.

+1. Good words, Danny.

I haven't seen Band of Brothers, so I can't comment on which might be "better." Another excellent (and very tough to watch) movie about POW's held by the Japanese during WWII is "To End All Wars."

The two best known stars in the cast are Kiefer Sutherland (way before "24") and Mark Strong (who played the evil villain in the 2nd Sherlock Holmes movie that starred Robert Downey, Jr.).

It's based on the book "Bridge Over the River Kwai" - and is a much more faithful rendition than the original film that starred folks like David Niven. So much so that when the book has been re-released in the last few years, they've changed the title to "To End All Wars." True story of some Scottish, British and at least one Yank soldier (Sutherland) who experience the evil treatment of the Japanese as POW's - forced to build a railway in southeast Asia. In order to overcome the evil and desire for revenge in their own hearts, they create a "school" in which they study classics like Plato and Aristotle, but also the Bible, in order to maintain their humanity and not become animals.

That doesn't sound very exciting, but it's powerful. Every time I watch it I walk away realizing what a good life I have...

[ducktrapper]

Not the best on WWII, the best on D- DAY. I know I didn't write it that way,  but it's what I meant.
     Band of Brothers was better.

I agree. The first part of the movie on the landing at Omaha beach is an amazing piece of film work. Band of Brothers portrayal of the exploits of Easy Company is terrific and much more historically accurate, however.       

[Danny]

I agree. The first part of the movie on the landing at Omaha beach is an amazing piece of film work. Band of Brothers portrayal of the exploits of Easy Company is terrific and much more historically accurate, however.       

Absolutley, even though they did make some mistakes in B of B.

[Caleb]

I've seen Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers.   Both are powerful and very well done productions (understatement when it comes to SPR).  The scene in SPR where the older German soldier kills the younger American with the knife might be the single most disturbing thing I've ever seen in a movie.  To know that things like that actually happened, hand to hand killing and not just with bombs and guns. (I realize that is the history of warfare through the ages, but to see it in a more modern context seemed to have more of an impact.) Man, that was tough to watch.  I've probably thought of that scene dozens of times over the years and it never fails to make me respect what the men in WWII did and went through.  

I believe films like this have the power to inspire younger people to get outside themselves, their own time period, and their own interests, and show them that not only is there a whole world out there, but a whole world that might not have been if not for great men.  

I watched both SPR and BoB with my teenage son and he was greatly moved.  I will say, and this might make me sound like a prude, but the absolutely needless bedroom scene toward the end of BoB was a real put off to me.  They got through almost the entire series without showing needless skin, and in true HBO fashion, had to slip some kind of nonsense in for good measure.  I never went on to watch The Pacific because I figured they'd probably do the same thing there.  

[ducktrapper]

I've seen Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers.   Both are powerful and very well done productions (understatement when it comes to SPR).  The scene in SPR where the older German soldier kills the younger American with the knife might be the single most disturbing thing I've ever seen in a movie.  To know that things like that actually happened, hand to hand killing and not just with bombs and guns. (I realize that is the history of warfare through the ages, but to see it in a more modern context seemed to have more of an impact.) Man, that was tough to watch.  I've probably thought of that scene dozens of times over the years and it never fails to make me respect what the men in WWII did and went through.  

I believe films like this have the power to inspire younger people to get outside themselves, their own time period, and their own interests, and show them that not only is there a whole world out there, but a whole world that might not have been if not for great men.  

I watched both SPR and BoB with my teenage son and he was greatly moved.  I will say, and this might make me sound like a prude, but the absolutely needless bedroom scene toward the end of BoB was a real put off to me.  They got through almost the entire series without showing needless skin, and in true HBO fashion, had to slip some kind of nonsense in for good measure.  I never went on to watch The Pacific because I figured they'd probably do the same thing there.  

I have it on good authority that there was no sex in WWII just hand to hand .... combat. Let me get this straight, however, while disturbing, you liked the scene which included up close and personal killing but were offended by nudity? Okay then.     

[Danny]

Major Dick Winters had a lot of things cut out VIA Tom Hanks. He thought they were totally unnecessary in telling the story.

   He was also concerned about the young people that would be seeing BAND OF BROTHERS.

   I also think that sex scene  had nothing to do with telling the story.  It could have been implied without full nudity.  If I was watching the series with my wife or kids,  grandkids etc. It would have been a very embarrassing moment for all. I do have teenage and older grandkids.

[Danny]

Also if you know the vocabulary of a soldier or marine,  you know every adverb,adjetive,noun etc. starts with the F word.

But if they spoke on screen as in real life it would wear most of us out.  FUBAR , was used very well in SPR. I thought it was a good inside joke they ran for awhile.

[Walkerman]

I remember Rush Limbaugh saying the watching SPR was just like being on Omaha Beach.  Well, no.  Sitting on your couch, there was no danger of actually being shot.    My favorite WWII shows are the documentaries which show the actual fighting.  I hope we never go thru something like that again.  But that was not the worst.  In the Civil War, we lost more lives than in WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam Nam combined.

[ducktrapper]

Well I've always been a bit dumbfounded that we can watch all sorts of violence with the whole family but nudity (I'm not talking hard core porn) makes us uncomfortable.   

[Riverbend]

Great movies, both, and being a post WWII baby, I grew up with that war being a very close memory to many. I'm also currently reading some fiction from the 50's and it's obvious how much influence WWII had for years. It's seemed to have all but disappeared these days; the hardships, the worldwide threat, the sacrifices, the recovery, etc. are but distant memories to most. I only hope that myself and all my descendants never see a WWIII.   

[teh]

I've watched both Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers and read B of B by Stephen Ambrose.

Both are good but anyone who has not watched  "The War" (7 part documentary) by Ken Burns should watch it and purchase the companion volume. This is clearly the most powerful WWII story I have read and watched. The story follows the citizens from four towns: Sacramento, CA, Waterbury, CT, Luzerne, MN and Mobile, AL throughout and following the war and covers everything from the war across the globe and the war back home including the experiences of those working in defense factories and those Japanese Americans who were rounded up and sent to interment camps.

When Glenn Frazier recounts his experience during the Bataan Death March, his meeting with the commander at the prison camp and his call home to his family who had been told he was dead, it will make you consider your own life and what's important.

Harry Truman who managed to get into the Army with bad eyesight once said, "The only new things to learn are found in the history you haven't read."

[Hooked]

Retired Army 1SG, artilleryman, paratrooper here. While SPR is a great movie, based loosely on actual events, Band of Brothers gets the vote from us 82d Airborne types hands down. Flag, home, family all go out of the picture when the rounds start falling. Not letting your buddy down is what keeps men doing incredible things in impossible situations. After - you might remember that you could have made your wife a widow, but not at the moment. And that's a good thing!

Today's troops face a totally different war - figuring out if the kid walking down the street is wrapped in dynamite is not something WWII troops had to think about. Psychological stresses are different from a Battle of the Bulge shelling (best combat scenes in BoB, IMHO), not generally as intense and sustained, but differently awful. I'm at Walter Reed fairly often, and love talking with 'my guys' who have been there/done that. (Getting guitars or fishing rods in their hands is great therapy btw.) The change in the national media and populace attitude toward the troops is welcome - it was not good being a soldier in the immediate post-Vietnam days.

Not sure how this got so rambling - need more coffee... Y'all play on!

Lou

[ducktrapper]

Retired Army 1SG, artilleryman, paratrooper here. While SPR is a great movie, based loosely on actual events, Band of Brothers gets the vote from us 82d Airborne types hands down. Flag, home, family all go out of the picture when the rounds start falling. Not letting your buddy down is what keeps men doing incredible things in impossible situations. After - you might remember that you could have made your wife a widow, but not at the moment. And that's a good thing!

Today's troops face a totally different war - figuring out if the kid walking down the street is wrapped in dynamite is not something WWII troops had to think about. Psychological stresses are different from a Battle of the Bulge shelling (best combat scenes in BoB, IMHO), not generally as intense and sustained, but differently awful. I'm at Walter Reed fairly often, and love talking with 'my guys' who have been there/done that. (Getting guitars or fishing rods in their hands is great therapy btw.) The change in the national media and populace attitude toward the troops is welcome - it was not good being a soldier in the immediate post-Vietnam days.

Not sure how this got so rambling - need more coffee... Y'all play on!

Lou

Thanks Lou.   

[Caleb]

Let me get this straight, however, while disturbing, you liked the scene which included up close and personal killing but were offended by nudity? Okay then.     

The violence, while disturbing, served a purpose and was a legit part of the story; the woman humping a soldier in a bed was just HBO nonsense and served no purpose.  That was my point. 

[Danny]

Thanks Lou.   

Retired Army 1SG, artilleryman, paratrooper here. While SPR is a great movie, based loosely on actual events, Band of Brothers gets the vote from us 82d Airborne types hands down. Flag, home, family all go out of the picture when the rounds start falling. Not letting your buddy down is what keeps men doing incredible things in impossible situations. After - you might remember that you could have made your wife a widow, but not at the moment. And that's a good thing!

Today's troops face a totally different war - figuring out if the kid walking down the street is wrapped in dynamite is not something WWII troops had to think about. Psychological stresses are different from a Battle of the Bulge shelling (best combat scenes in BoB, IMHO), not generally as intense and sustained, but differently awful. I'm at Walter Reed fairly often, and love talking with 'my guys' who have been there/done that. (Getting guitars or fishing rods in their hands is great therapy btw.) The change in the national media and populace attitude toward the troops is welcome - it was not good being a soldier in the immediate post-Vietnam days.

Not sure how this got so rambling - need more coffee... Y'all play on!

Lou

Thanks Lou.

I've watched both Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers and read B of B by Stephen Ambrose.

Both are good but anyone who has not watched  "The War" (7 part documentary) by Ken Burns should watch it and purchase the companion volume. This is clearly the most powerful WWII story I have read and watched. The story follows the citizens from four towns: Sacramento, CA, Waterbury, CT, Luzerne, MN and Mobile, AL throughout and following the war and covers everything from the war across the globe and the war back home including the experiences of those working in defense factories and those Japanese Americans who were rounded up and sent to interment camps.

When Glenn Frazier recounts his experience during the Bataan Death March, his meeting with the commander at the prison camp and his call home to his family who had been told he was dead, it will make you consider your own life and what's important.

Harry Truman who managed to get into the Army with bad eyesight once said, "The only new things to learn are found in the history you haven't read."

Ken Burns does a fine job. Harry Truman was the right man, at the right time in history.

    Many good thoughts, thank you.