Zealot, how do you mean 'yankised', focus on US soldiers is obviously fair enough. The bit that I found rather strange was the way the German soldiers all seemed to be staring like a bunch of twits in combat, they just didnt look like soldiers to me. They also seemed very willing to give up but then again if some of the battles were real time they would take up several entire episodes. I would really love to see a version from the German point of view but I doubt we can expect Spielburg to do one.
Yes, I mean the kill ratio, the americans were brave and some were remarklable tough yes, I agree, but they make the elite elements of the Waffen SS look like a bunch of Italians with sticks. Try 'Stalingard' or even better 'Cross of Iron', 'A bridge too far' and 'Enemy at the Gates' all give a nice german view, the first two even more so. This said, Band of Brothers is still brilliant.
I saw "Enemy At the Gates", great movie. I have seen Saving Private Ryan, annother good one. Bridge on the River Kwai was nice, Sands of Iwoa Jima was excellent, and Windtalkers was top notch. But Zealot, why do you say Band of Brothers was sort of "yank-ised". It was a movie about the 101st Airbirne, an AMERICAN air unit, not British. SO of course it's gonna be a bit "yank-ised"> But back to the movie, I never got what the big deal was when Col. Winters shot that SS kid. I mean, yea he's a kid who happens to be fighting with the SS, but so what? They were blood thirsty animals, they deserved everything they got in battle.
Must...resist...urge...to...reply...with...smart...ass...comment.... Honestly though, to look a kid in the eye, kill him, and not be bothered by it would be pretty damn bloodthirsty. What did you expect him to do, carry the kid's head around on a bayonet and shout "USA"? Then again, if you say you ate a baby, I guess so. I'd stick with kapusta pierogies myself. Yeah, it was totally american biased,germans falling down all over the place some times. But I still think they did one of the best jobs yet, and to a point I think it had to be like that just so the story and character development would flow along smoothly. I agree though, I think stalingrad is just about the best combat pic out there. Nothing can compare. [ 29. May 2003, 09:25 AM: Message edited by: Doc Raider ]
Its meaning may have been to relate on how allied soldiers would capture youngsters in German service, particularly the Hitler Judend Division, disarming and laughing at them for their young age and telling them they were too young to be a part of the conflict and to go home, later learning that these same "boys" were going back to their own lines and rearming for another attack against the same enemy that let them go.
You obviously have never seen Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. Its a great movie. But off topic. No, I do not expect Col. Winters to parade around with a SS private's head impaled on a stick yelling "USA!". I was just wondering what the big deal is. So he shot him, he's in the army, trying to shoot Krauts. That's what he trained to do, that's what he did, if he can't handle that he shouldn't have joined the army.
I think thats the whole point of the film. It shows the harsh realities of war, including the sorta things american soldiers had to go through. Shooting a child is just one of many.
Hollywood puts up the money so USA it is,you won't get a similar movie/series made about us because A)you won't get the finance here and B)you make your money in the USA film market and the American public are hardly going to flock to watch something about the British Army. What Zealot is probably referring to is the way the British armoured are made to look like a bunch of w*nkers which is totally unfair,the only other time the British are featured is when the Parachute regiment are 'rescued' by the 101st.Saving private Ryan is worse,the only mention of the British/Commonwealth on D Day is to slag off Monty.I don't think anyone disputes the fighting qualities of the 101st,or expects much of the British/empire/commonwealth troops featured,the problem I have is the negative light Mr Spielberg seems to want to show the British in. There are loads of little faults you can pick up on including from the German side,one classic is the Panther which bolts from a handful of Shermans with the commanders standing firing the turret machine guns,I think in reality a few Tommy Cookers Brewing up may have been more in order..... That said overall both the series and the film were absolutely brilliant and I enjoyed both a great deal.Why can't we have a joint effort like the Longest day,Bridge too far etc
