PandaBearBG
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I like both movies, both have similiar style, it's just that BOB has a longer running story which I think creates a more intimate attachment to the guys from Easy Co. Get both, you won't regret it.
Band of Brothers vs Saving Private Ryan
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Paul Kersey
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Band of Brothers.
I had the pleasure of growing up 2 blocks down the street from Sgt. "Bull" Randleman and his family, so I knew him for life. His daughter and I shared the same exact birthday and went all through school together. I knew he was in WWII but it wasn't a big deal. Every dad in the neighborhood was, and some also in Korea. When the movie started filming in made big local news as the actor who played him in the film made several visits to get a feel for Mr. Randleman. Sorry to say he passed away a few years ago.
I had the pleasure of growing up 2 blocks down the street from Sgt. "Bull" Randleman and his family, so I knew him for life. His daughter and I shared the same exact birthday and went all through school together. I knew he was in WWII but it wasn't a big deal. Every dad in the neighborhood was, and some also in Korea. When the movie started filming in made big local news as the actor who played him in the film made several visits to get a feel for Mr. Randleman. Sorry to say he passed away a few years ago.
Erik M
Member
both are pretty good, I think due to the length of Band of Brothers it captured more of the reality and emotion associated with the content. It has my vote.
wvshooter
Member
Some of the events portrayed in Saving Private Ryan were hopelessly unrealistic. The assault on the detached German radar station would never occur in real life. The orders were to get Pvt Ryan and that's all a real commander would have been doing while preserving the lives of his command by avoiding unnecessary contact.
Letting the German prisoner from the radar station go free was just ridiculous. In real life prisoners were only taken when the brass wanted them and the number of prisoners wanted was specified by the brass. All others were shot on the spot.
The scene where the wall falls and a dozen Germans and another dozen allied forces stood and screamed at each other to surrender for several seconds was a joke. In real life everybody in the scene would have immediately begun shooting with maybe two or three out of the total number surviving but with horrendous wounds.
I have, of course watched the film but the numerous departures from reality don't put it very high on my list. OTOH, BOB is the real deal. My favorites include "Stalingrad" and "The Iron Cross" with James Coburn was also good.
BTW, my father in law, now deceased was taken prisoner by the Germans at Normandy. He was captured with one other GI. Their papers were examined by the Germans. The other GI was shot on the spot. My father in law was spared because his name was very German. His name was Elba Egbert Kinder.
Letting the German prisoner from the radar station go free was just ridiculous. In real life prisoners were only taken when the brass wanted them and the number of prisoners wanted was specified by the brass. All others were shot on the spot.
The scene where the wall falls and a dozen Germans and another dozen allied forces stood and screamed at each other to surrender for several seconds was a joke. In real life everybody in the scene would have immediately begun shooting with maybe two or three out of the total number surviving but with horrendous wounds.
I have, of course watched the film but the numerous departures from reality don't put it very high on my list. OTOH, BOB is the real deal. My favorites include "Stalingrad" and "The Iron Cross" with James Coburn was also good.
BTW, my father in law, now deceased was taken prisoner by the Germans at Normandy. He was captured with one other GI. Their papers were examined by the Germans. The other GI was shot on the spot. My father in law was spared because his name was very German. His name was Elba Egbert Kinder.
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PandaBearBG
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I think after reading so many other post that SPR even though loosely based on an actual event, was a product of the directors and writers to tell that base story but also trying to incorporate the random acts of courage, bravery and luck that happened throughout the entire war. It kinda gave a feeling of the uncertainties and foolish acts of bravery and selfless devotion to orders and country.
The opening scenes of SPR was scary real to me. But, as others here
have said, after that the story went "Hollywood". It was an interesting story,
but not up to the level of BOB, which was all based on true events that
happened to multiple people over a period of many months.
I know a lot of people found it somewhat tedious but I enjoyed the banter
and camaraderie that went on amongst the members of Easy company
during the quiet times, away from the combat. I thought it was pretty
accurate as to what life is like in a combat rifle company between "engage-
ments", so to speak.
Walter
have said, after that the story went "Hollywood". It was an interesting story,
but not up to the level of BOB, which was all based on true events that
happened to multiple people over a period of many months.
I know a lot of people found it somewhat tedious but I enjoyed the banter
and camaraderie that went on amongst the members of Easy company
during the quiet times, away from the combat. I thought it was pretty
accurate as to what life is like in a combat rifle company between "engage-
ments", so to speak.
Walter
I like them equally well. They are both two different story's with two different aspects of WWII.
The only thing that I felt let down on with BoB was that at times, the series seemed "distant" and woefully compressed. Take for instance, Operation Market Garden. It just seemed like that part of the series was entirely to short, or lacking of what really took place during OMG. But then again, since I only know what took place from the history books, and the BoB series is about them and not the battles in their entirety, maybe for Easy Company it really was that short and .... lack luster???
The only thing that I felt let down on with BoB was that at times, the series seemed "distant" and woefully compressed. Take for instance, Operation Market Garden. It just seemed like that part of the series was entirely to short, or lacking of what really took place during OMG. But then again, since I only know what took place from the history books, and the BoB series is about them and not the battles in their entirety, maybe for Easy Company it really was that short and .... lack luster???
Liked parts of SPR but liked every minute of BOB. If you're going to buy movies you really need to buy Blackhawk Down. I can watch it time after time, except for the scenes when the sniper team goes in. Not ashamed to say that that scene makes my eyes leak.
Cosmoline
Member
I believe they were limiting the show to what the men actually experienced. For the soldiers, they would have had little idea of the larger operation or other battles.
The_Shootist
Member
All I can say is that while BoB did its first run on HBO I would move heaven and earth to set aside Sunday evenings so that I could watch it. When it ended, I felt kinda hollow. It could have been even longer and I would have watched more.
Having said that, the main reason I tuned in with high hopes (which weren't disappointed) was having seen SPR already. When I went off to see SPR in a movie theatre it was 'cause I was on vacation and bored. Thought I was going see some typical Hollyweird war movie.
Well - the opening sequence in Normandy just rocked me, and I knew then (even with the usual Hollyweird nonsense thrown in) this would be UNLIKE any war movie I had ever seen.
Both are excellent and likely doesn't do justice to compare them exactly as one is a miniseries the other a theatrical release.
Having said that, the main reason I tuned in with high hopes (which weren't disappointed) was having seen SPR already. When I went off to see SPR in a movie theatre it was 'cause I was on vacation and bored. Thought I was going see some typical Hollyweird war movie.
Well - the opening sequence in Normandy just rocked me, and I knew then (even with the usual Hollyweird nonsense thrown in) this would be UNLIKE any war movie I had ever seen.
Both are excellent and likely doesn't do justice to compare them exactly as one is a miniseries the other a theatrical release.
Al LaVodka
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Saving Private Ryan was a real movie, and a better war picture to me, although, I thought Band of Brothers was a better drama in many respects.
Al
Al
Band of Brothers because its a true story, they tell the story at least half way accurately, and Major Winters is a legend in his own time. The DVD version of BOB has interviews before each segment of the actual easy company vets (not sure if the HBO showed them or not), and ill never forget the one they did with Major Winters and he showed the pistol given to him that had never been fired. Talk about moving.
Those interviews with the vets changed my entire view on war. I probably enjoyed them more than the actual movies.
SPR is great but after I saw BOB I haven't found a movie that can top that series.
Those interviews with the vets changed my entire view on war. I probably enjoyed them more than the actual movies.
SPR is great but after I saw BOB I haven't found a movie that can top that series.
leadcounsel
member
Wow, great question. I answered that I like both equally well but for many different reasons.
First of all, they BOTH greatly influenced me to serve and deploy to combat with the 101st Airborne Division, which has an amazingly rich history. In SPR, of course Private Ryan and several other supporting cast (including Ted Danson's character with the 101st Pathfinders) were members of the 101st and they fought hard in the last part of the movie. In BoB, of course, the entire series follows what is now 4th Brigade of the 101st (Currahee). I have accomplished a lot of goals, including having served with 3rd BCT 101st on my first combat tour in Iraq. I owe some of that, oddly, to Hanks and Speilberg (quite anti-war I believe) but not so oddly to those men that fought and also gave interviews on BoB.
SPR is about 2.5 hours, 1/4 the length of BoB and therefore has to fit more character development and action in much less time. SPR is arguably the best war movie of all time. It's believable, lacks the unrealistic scenes that scar many war movies (shooting from the hip, dumb dialogue, bad effects, 'hero' characters, etc.). It's scary realism from start to end. And the characters are very real and human. Five stars.
BoB is a 10 hour miniseries. I'm a paratrooper (another goal partly as a result of the BoB series), so it's very close to my heart. I have such appreciation and admiration for those brave men that jumped into Europe. Those scenes are so chilling to me. The character development is also top shelf. War scenes are very real, but with a longer series there are more mistakes (albeit all quite minor mistakes). The characters are very real and human too. Some episodes focus on one or two characters, which is really cool. Top shelf too, and 5 stars.
Both are great investments to own. I've watched both many times. For a few bucks you can own the two best movies ever.
The other two fantastic ones in my book are Platoon and Full Metal Jacket and Black Hawk Down.
First of all, they BOTH greatly influenced me to serve and deploy to combat with the 101st Airborne Division, which has an amazingly rich history. In SPR, of course Private Ryan and several other supporting cast (including Ted Danson's character with the 101st Pathfinders) were members of the 101st and they fought hard in the last part of the movie. In BoB, of course, the entire series follows what is now 4th Brigade of the 101st (Currahee). I have accomplished a lot of goals, including having served with 3rd BCT 101st on my first combat tour in Iraq. I owe some of that, oddly, to Hanks and Speilberg (quite anti-war I believe) but not so oddly to those men that fought and also gave interviews on BoB.
SPR is about 2.5 hours, 1/4 the length of BoB and therefore has to fit more character development and action in much less time. SPR is arguably the best war movie of all time. It's believable, lacks the unrealistic scenes that scar many war movies (shooting from the hip, dumb dialogue, bad effects, 'hero' characters, etc.). It's scary realism from start to end. And the characters are very real and human. Five stars.
BoB is a 10 hour miniseries. I'm a paratrooper (another goal partly as a result of the BoB series), so it's very close to my heart. I have such appreciation and admiration for those brave men that jumped into Europe. Those scenes are so chilling to me. The character development is also top shelf. War scenes are very real, but with a longer series there are more mistakes (albeit all quite minor mistakes). The characters are very real and human too. Some episodes focus on one or two characters, which is really cool. Top shelf too, and 5 stars.
Both are great investments to own. I've watched both many times. For a few bucks you can own the two best movies ever.
The other two fantastic ones in my book are Platoon and Full Metal Jacket and Black Hawk Down.
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They're both excellent and I own both. I couldn't recommend one over the other. I think these two along with Thin Red Line belong in any collection of contemporary WWII films.
And yes, my father was an infantryman who saw heavy combat in NW Europe during the war. He approves of these as well as a 1960s film, Hell Is For Heros as being realistic depictions of combat.
And yes, my father was an infantryman who saw heavy combat in NW Europe during the war. He approves of these as well as a 1960s film, Hell Is For Heros as being realistic depictions of combat.
rocky branch
Member
SPR was too much like a comic book.
M dad was with the 506th.
He jumped Normandy, Holland, was at Bastogne and through the end.
He died when I was a kid, but left a lot of 506th related stuff I grew up with.
Primary reason I enlisted Airborne Infantry.
A lot of stuff in BOB reminded me of my airborne experience and the type of guys who do over the top stuff.
Not much enjoyable, but I preferred it over SPR.
"Airborne!"
M dad was with the 506th.
He jumped Normandy, Holland, was at Bastogne and through the end.
He died when I was a kid, but left a lot of 506th related stuff I grew up with.
Primary reason I enlisted Airborne Infantry.
A lot of stuff in BOB reminded me of my airborne experience and the type of guys who do over the top stuff.
Not much enjoyable, but I preferred it over SPR.
"Airborne!"
Justin
Moderator Emeritus
Movies are off-topic for THR, but the staff aren't all-seeing.
FWIW, both SPR and BoB are quite excellent, and I'm looking forward to seeing the new miniseries that will cover events in the Pacific.
FWIW, both SPR and BoB are quite excellent, and I'm looking forward to seeing the new miniseries that will cover events in the Pacific.
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