Saving Private Ryan Is An OK Movie With A Great Beginning ..

I watched that "100 Best War Movies" programme on TV t'other night and (shock, horror) Saving Private Ryan was number one. Now - I know it's a good film but here's my point - the opening scenes until just after the Omaha landing are completely brilliant but after that it turns into just another action/war movie albeit with a darker tone than most. If I were voting for best bit of a war film I would probably give it to SPR as I've seen nothing that strips war to the bone as effectively as those opening scenes - but best movie - its let down by the rest (angels on our shoulders indeed - here comes the cavalry). I think the problem with the movie is that the Omaha landings were actually just a backdrop for the main story - the search for the last Ryan brother - but that's the bit that most people remember and judge the movie by - the main plot which takes up most of the film then becomes almost incidental.

 

I think Hamburger Hill, When trumpetts fade, and Das Boot are the best war movies.

 

I'm really making a point about Private Ryan.

 

Ryan is overated. Quality is good but story leaves much to desire.

CSP you wrote my list.

 

Go back and reread Lone Wolfs' initial comment... he states the "best BIT of a war-move" not best war-movie. Big difference.
I must agree with his vote for the opening scenes of SPR and the landings at Omaha. As a member of the audience watching it on the "BIG" screen in Dolby-Surround, I came very close to ducking behind the fellow ahead of me during those scenes of stuttering MG42s pounding-out death and destruction.
With the jerky, hand-held camera-work and the sound of bullets ping-ping-pinging-off the beach obstacles, it was as close to being in the fight as I could imagine. The viewers senses were near-overwhelmed from sounds and graphic scenes of death at a roller-coaster pace.
It remains one of the most stunning pieces of camera-work I've seen in film. Absolutely brilliant.
THAT'S what Lone Wolf is referring to.

Tim

 

Thanks to Surroundsound, in the scene where they fought the halftrack, I actually looked over my left shoulder, where the track noises were coming from!

 

the final nva assault on sheens regiment in PLATOON ....The duval lead helo assault on vc village in apocolpse now ....the omaha landings in spr is the best ever.i agree ..last big dogfight and infantry attack in blue max ,,,last attack in zulu .. g.c. scotts prayer to god with bastogne backdrop ..naval broadside and boardin in master and comander

 

Not really a WW2 film, but I like the movie "The Wild Geese", also "A Bridge too Far" and "Jacknife".

Best Regards,
Che.

 

Sorry guys - I've edited the thread title as I never meant to reopen the "best movie" thread. Mea Culpa.

:-?

 

spr was , of course hollywooded up for the final alamo battle scene ..alas a real life battle scene would not be enough action for movie audiences ...one squad of G.I.s would not wipe out 2 companies of waffen or heer troops ....but another great scene besides the omaha landings was the death of the medic after the assault on the mg position by the radar tower ...that was by far the most moveing combat death scene ever shown in any war movie ever ,imo...the tiny bleeding abdomin wound ,the helpless comrades watching him slip away ..the moriphine styretes ...very sad and very real...spieberg is a master of his craft .