Saving Private Ryan (Film): your impressions

[CruciformSword 2]

I have not seen the film Saving Private Ryan. When it came out, i was too young for the content of the film (strong war scenes), and my mom wouldn't let me see it. I just want to know what everyone thinks of it before i see it (that is if my mom let's me :roll: ) , and if it's worth seeing, (and how gory it gets).

-Jason

[Morn 8]

What if you are inbetween loved it and ok?

[AHerrera83 0]

The Invasion of Normandy in Saving Private Ryan is absolutely outstanding. Spielberg structured every step of the invasion to show a clear picture of what it was like. After that, when the plot actually starts, it's an ok film, but nothing out of the ordinary.

If you were too young for SPR, you'll probably have no idea what I'm talking about, but for the older members; didn't it seem like an episode of Combat!? :wow:

[Morn 8]

Well said AHerrera83!

[Romão 2,274]

The invasion scne alone is worth it. the rest of the film is also great...the cinematography is amazing.

[Rogue_Leader 2]

LOVE IT!!!! yipee

TWO BIG THUMBS UP!!!!

Easily one of my favorite movies.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

You asked if it is gory and yes it is one of the most gory war films made.

Spielberg wanted it to be the vision of hell the battle was.

It may be the greatest war film ever, but it is not necessarily a great film ovrall. It lapses into some phoney sentimental sequences, that ring as false or forced.

It also has several sequences of such horrifing intensity. I applaud your mother's judgement for not allowing you to see the film until she feels you are ready.

It is not a film that begs for repeated viewing.

As a historical picture it paints a realistic snapshot of the era without being too inaccurate.

[Morn 8]

It may be the greatest war film ever

Morn - Who thinks that Joe is obviously not a war film fan

[The Five Tones 302]

Gory? Yes, but more gory, graphic or nightmare-inducing than anything you may have already caught on cable or non-cable TV? Hardly.

I too, thought it was a great film but with a terrible, slightly jingoistic framing device (I won't spoil). Not sure why I didn't like Williams' (tastefully used) music either -- probably cos I am not big on his "American elegy" scores. No offense, Yankee cousins, actually, I do love the Midway score, the March from 1941, and the like.

I think, though, that Amistad and The Colour Purple are Spielberg's best American subject films to date.

[Morn 8]

What do you think of Copland?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

It may be the greatest war film ever

Morn - Who thinks that Joe is obviously not a war film fan

Name some clearly better then.

Joe, who has watched far more movies than Morn.

[Morn 8]

Born on the 4th of July

Full Metal Jacket

Apocalypse Now

Black Hawk Down

Barry Lyndon

Now if only all of SPR was as good as the first 20 minutes

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Born on the 4th of July

Full Metal Jacket

Apocalypse Now  

Black Hawk Down

Barry Lyndon  

Now if only all of SPR was as good as the first 20 minutes

SPR is a better film overall the BOTFJ, which I don't think of as a war film.

Full Metal Jacket, LOL LOL LOL

BlackHawk Down two words Ridley Scott.

Acrapashit Now, such an overblown film. Didn't care for it when it was released and the Redux version only made it worse. Still while it deals with war, I find it more a psychological drama more than a war film.

Barry Lyndon, wrong period, and so sooooooooooooooo boooooooringggg.

I might have had a harder time if you had said The Deer Hunter, which I also feel falls under the psychological drama rather than a pure war film.

But leaving those films out Morn, lets go another direction. SPR is the best WWII war film. Agree or disagree, name some better WWII films.

[Morn 8]

Perhaps, I just find everything perfect about it other than the plot

[The Five Tones 302]

What do you think of Copland?

I think much of Copland is great, earlier is better, some does nothing for me. Of course, Williams is coming as much out of Copland as of any other composer. But when it comes to the first half of C20 America, I would much rather listen to Ives, Varese or Gershwin.

[Morn 8]

Full Metal Jacket? Barry Lyndon? No wonder you hate AI

Ridley Scott is great!

BOTFJ is a great film at showing the horror of war and the affect of war of soldiers.

Apocalypse Now... you don't like any film that's unusual do you?

[chs058 0]

What about Platoon?

Thin red line?

[Morn 8]

Platoon, seemed over done and typical.

Thin Red Line was very good but never really showed how bad war can be.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I don't like most Kubrick films,

Love Stranglove, Clockwork Orange, Spartacus,

Saw Barry Lyndon back before you were born, and my opinion hasn't changed in 25 years.

As a rule I don't like most Vietnam war pictures, they are some of the most preachy films ever made. They all strike me as yeah we know there was WWI & WWII, but only in Vietnam did we know true suffering. SPR shows that to be false.

BOT4J is a pale reminder of how great a film like the Best Years of Our Lives is.

Ridley (I don't know how to light a film) Scott is one of those love him or hate him directors. Love Thelma and Louise if for no other reason than it shows clips from my Arkansas Razorbacks football game against the Houston Cougars in 1989. Like Alien, hate Hannibal, dislike Gladiator, can't believe that BHD is so darkly shot for a film that takes place in Somalia, where everything is dirt under the sun. It was ok, wished it had a few more real American's playing Americans. We wont go there with Blade Runner.

As for Apocalypse Now, I like some of the imagery, but overall I find no connectiont any of the characters. And in the post Godfather era, we were supposed to rave about this film, since its Coppola, but I didn't buy that excuse either. Seems more about a filmmakers excess than anything else.

I'm an autuer, an artist, respect me.

Saving Private Ryan isn't a great film in tradition respects, the story line is average, I'll admit, but its visions of war were much different than we had seen. Ridley Scott graciously borrowed from Spielberg in BHD, as has most directors since that film. SPR has a great beginning, 27 minutes of pure wartorn horror. The finale is equalling compelling. I see it as a 5 act film with parts 1, 3, and 5 being great, and parts 2 and 4, being tedious. And like the very end of Schindler's List, Stevie goes for the crying scene that while real in a human sense seems forced in the film. It was stylistically a brave film, even if the substance was somewhat less.

[Morn 8]

As a rule I don't like most Vietnam war pictures, they are some of the most preachy films ever made. They all strike me as yeah we know there was WWI & WWII, but only in Vietnam did we know true suffering. SPR shows that to be false.

Odd, maybe it's something to do with growing up with it. All wars are suffering.

As for Apocalypse Now, I like some of the imagery, but overall I find no connectiont any of the characters. And in the post Godfather era, we were supposed to rave about this film, since its Coppola, but I didn't buy that excuse either. Seems more about a filmmakers excess than anything else.  

I'm an autuer, an artist, respect me.

It's a very interesting and enjoyable film!

[Romão 2,274]

SPR is, ate least, a fantastic tour-de-force of Spielberg's directing capabilities.

[Guest]

Best war film ever made. Simply amazing.

[Harry Potter 0]

Saving Private Ryan is not your sterotypical war film. The film is more about the comraderie of war, rather than the blood and guts and intense action of most war movies. Yes, there are very bloody scenes in the movie, but the overall intent of the movie is brotherhood, and how a team can overcome obstacles to get to their goal. I think the film is wonderful, but like Joe said, it's not one which you want to watch over and over again.

~Harry

[Big John 3]

I think of SPR as a soldier film, not a war film. i think of war films as those that are striving to tell part of a war story - a particular battle or campaign that was fought. To me, SPR was more a movie about the conflicting disposability of soldiers and the indispensibility of sons.

I think Midway is a good war movie. I also thought We Were Soldiers was a good war movie, as was Black Hawk Down. If you haven't read the original articles at the Philadelphia Inquirer, check it out here: http://inquirer.philly.com/packages/somali...6/default16.asp

You'll be amazed at what was NOT made up for the movie.

BigJohn

[Ren 75]

i watched both saving private ryan and black hawk down and i will probably never watch them again. They were both good movies, i just can't stand watching people's bodies getting blown apart. :cry:

[Justin 2]

I put down "It's ok" because I don't really love the movie. It's not an enjoyable fim but I respect it.

Very well made.

Justin -

[Wickenstein 0]

Saving Private Ryan:

Great film. It's one of my favorites. I enjoy the actual movie more than just the first twenty minutes. Truly remarkable and even entertaining movie.

Apocalypse Now:

Another of my favorites. I refuse to believe it's a war film though. It's about men who become Gods because of their power. It's about the sheer hell of war and how it corrupts and pollutes the human soul. Just look at all the atrocitities that an supposed American Hero like Kurtz commits while under the influence of such power and delusions.

p.s. I can't find anything significant that the redux adds to the film. Whatever benefits are recieved from the new scenes are tarnished because of its slow pacing and just plain awkwardness. I can't even think of a single scene I like that was added. They should have put some of the Scott Glenn as Colby subplot back in. I would have found that at least interesting to watch.

[Rogue_Leader 2]

i watched both saving private ryan and black hawk down and i will probably never watch them again.  They were both good movies, i just can't stand watching people's bodies getting blown apart.   :cry:

Dammit Soldier! Straighten up and get tough! you don't win wars with that attitude!

[Ollie 1,059]

SPR is a fine film and I have it on DVD but I can't watch it too often because it is emotionally draining for me. I remember sitting in the theatre and crying, with about 200 other patrons, when the End Credits started rolling with Williams Hymm to the Fallen playing.

[Ren 75]

all i have to say is yuck....gory

[Morn 8]

All I have to say is, be a man

[Figo 2]

It is emotionally draining. Perhaps "love it" is not the best way to phrase your poll. It is definitely worth seeing, a powerful statement, but personally not one I would like to experience ever again. The Omaha Beach landing is amazing. No music, no dialogue, just good, solid visual storytelling. The final battle, too, is harrowing. Very good movie, but "love it" I do not (although, given the choices, that is how I'll vote).

[Morn 8]

I'd like the final battle more if it was as realistic as the opening battle. I mean, it was like a John Wayne movie. And the Germans were not using German tactics at all. The German commander was unbelievably incompetent.

[Figo 2]

Well, I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but how much more realistic can you get than that fcensoredg knife!

Figo, who will never, ever forget that fcensoredg knife.

[CruciformSword 2]

It is emotionally draining.  Perhaps "love it" is not the best way to phrase your poll.

So what would be better "really like it"?

-Jason

[Figo 2]

It's just a really movie, okay? Don't hassle me with these terms of endearment.