Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan ranks as the second worst fuck up in Academy history

5. 1980: Ordinary People > Raging Bull
4. 1964: My Fair Lady > Dr Strangelove
3. 1952: The Greatest Show on Earth > High Noon
2. 1998: Shakespeare in Love > Saving Private Ryan
1. 1941: How Green Was My Valley > Citizen Kane
 
Spielberg had a completed script for Saving Private Ryan in the late 80's. He wanted to create a new type of war film but didn't know how to go about it until he watched Stalingrad (1993).

 
skidoo1 said:
Another very good WW2 series is Band of Brothers. I believe It was done by the same director as Saving Private Ryan
I think one of the reasons I find WW2 movies so interesting is my father spent 4 years in France and Italy and saw a lot of action. He would never talk about it.
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Spielberg directed SPR whilst Band of Brothers was a TV series with various directors for each episode of which Spielberg did not do any. Both are great cinematic experiences.

Insidious Von said:
Saving Private Ryan ranks as the second worst fuck up in Academy history

5. 1980: Ordinary People > Raging Bull
4. 1964: My Fair Lady > Dr Strangelove
3. 1952: The Greatest Show on Earth > High Noon
2. 1998: Shakespeare in Love > Saving Private Ryan
1. 1941: How Green Was My Valley > Citizen Kane
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Add 1981: Chariots of Fire > Reds

Fuck up of the most Deluxe order.
 
Here's some interesting trivia.

Band of Brothers was Tom Hardy's first acting gig, he followed that up with Black Hawk Down and Star Trek: Nemesis. But substance abuse and an on set altercation with Paul Bettany (he knocked him on his butt with a face slap) made him persona non grata in Hollywood. He would cool his jets for a full seven years before Christopher Nolan gave him another chance (Inception).

 
Every time I watch SPR I see something new, which is the sign of a good movie.

This time I noticed in the opening scene on the beach that everyone was wearing a green paper armband covering their rank (perhaps so snipers wouldn't identify the officers?). They disappear after the opening scene so must have just been for the landings (like the plastic bags on the guns).
 
If I'd seen in 10 or 2 years ago I would have thought COOL. Now as I age it sickens me. So much death. So many young people. Total tragedy. If never want any part of it for myself or any one I care about. War is for young boys with lots of testosterone. And dummies with too much ego and money.
Having said that. Ww2 brought a reorganization of europe that saw prosperity and stability they'd never had before. Also turned Germany into one of the most liberal and progressive countries in the world. Even to this day. Same for Japan. U might even argue Germany and Japan won the war. They hired the allied to rid them of their tyrant dictators and rebuild their infrastructure all at the same time. And we foot the bill too!
In conclusion though SPR is tough to watch. And I hate war.
 
The opening part is totally shocking considering I complain about subway delays all the time. We just don't appreciate the times we're lucky to be alive in.
 
Keebler Elf said:
Every time I watch SPR I see something new, which is the sign of a good movie.

This time I noticed in the opening scene on the beach that everyone was wearing a green paper armband covering their rank (perhaps so snipers wouldn't identify the officers?). They disappear after the opening scene so must have just been for the landings (like the plastic bags on the guns).
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The green paper armband was specially treated material which would change colour in the presence of toxic gas. The Allies were scared that the Germans would defend the beach-head with canisters of mustard gas.

When the gas did not happen, the troops shed the armbands.
 
Personally SPR never did it for me. The scenes are very well put together, but it's basically a Hollywood actioner with a formula script with the addition of lots of "authentic" details from militaria publications and mucho flag-waving and "greatest generation" eulogizing. I recognized little details in the uniforms from WW2 collector's publications which I owned. Some of those details were in fact not authentic at all.

The whole premise about a little mini squad roaming around Normandy looking for an Airborne private in so ridiculous that I rolled my eyes. It was admitted afterwards that the premise was nonsense.

And for the record, the only Allied troops fighting SS panzer formations in the couple of days after D-Day were CANADIAN!!!!!!!!!! Not American. But Hollywood wouldn't give a shit about that.

Platoon was a far, far greater war movie.
 
trod said:
The Thin Red Line is also worth a watch.
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This.

I love Thin Red Line, I think it's one of the most interesting war movies ever made (and my personal favourite, well, maybe tied with Platoon). It's a movie that made me *feel* deeply. The juxtaposition between nature/tribal communities and the violence and stresses of war is a change in perspective that really made me think about it in a radically different way than your average war movie (i.e. fighting, brotherhood, war is hell, more fighting).
 
I think SPR was a turning point in a lot of families lucky enough to still have living vets in their midst. The earlier war films were probably a form of therapy for many vets, but SPR opened dialogue the earlier stuff never could. Sadly, most families only knew silence about what had occured.
 
Historians will probably argue this but I think the successful Normany landing was the 4th most important event of WW II, behind Stalingrad, Midway and El Alamein.
 
oagre said:
The whole premise about a little mini squad roaming around Normandy looking for an Airborne private in so ridiculous that I rolled my eyes. It was admitted afterwards that the premise was nonsense.
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Perhaps you should view the show "The Real Story: Saving Private Ryan". I caught this last week on History Television.
http://www.history.ca/video/the+real+saving+private+ryan/video.html?v=2223364666&p=63&s=aa#video

You may change your mind about the premise being ridiculous. The premise of the story is based on the US military sole survivor policy and there is much speculation that the story of Ryan is based on the real life story of the Niland brothers of Tonawanda, New York. Although the SPR movie juices up the story (e.g. the Army would not send the Rangers out on a search mission), there are many direct parallels between the Ryan story and the true life Niland story. In fact, the Niland story as a fantastic real life twist that even the movie makers could not dream up. If you enjoyed the movie, then watching this doc will make you enjoy it more.
 
I'm happy to change my opinion if I was too hasty, but I'm not sure I want to watch the entire 45 minute show. IIRC, the "last survivor" policy involved pulling the last survivor of a sibline out of combat. But this would be done by a memo to his CO.
 
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