Rating: 
Summary: The Perfect Tribute
Review: This production is the perfect tribute to veterans of WWII who sacrificed their lives to preserve our precious freedom. It is without a doubt the best war movie ever made. I can't wait to share this series with famiy and friends alike.
Rating:
Summary: 5 stars plus!
Review: As a 15 year old high school student my generation has not been able to experience a victory as great as the many our country has accomplished in the past, but this series took me there. Amazing is a understatement for this series. It truly touched my heart. I own the book and I have seen many WWII movies but this by far takes the cake. Truly epic, I felt as if I knew the characters. I hope this series will be on dvd/vhs by Christmas!
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Remembering Those Before Us
Review: After watching each episode in this series, I realized how little I knew about the struggles both physical and emotional that the soldiers of this era endured.The series brought home to me the sacrifices made by many so that today's world can exist. Showing all facets of the emotional spectrum, made the characters very real, and displayed heroism in the true meaning of the word. I would recommend this series without reservation.
Rating:
Summary: Documentary, not a "movie"
Review: Band of Brothers was the reason I got HBO, even though I'm no fan of Stephen Ambrose; he habitually exaggerates the importance of the Western Allies' effort against the Nazis. (The Russians consumed something like 85% of total German war output. Where's their book, Mr. Ambrose?) But this miniseries delivered real history! It's important to view BoB as an earnest attempt to produce a documentary re-creation as opposed to a "movie." Yes, war is at turns chaotic, bloody, and sometimes even banal. In the spirit of full disclosure of real events, BoB reflects these factors, so you've been advised. (Incidentally, the term "Band of Brothers" comes from Shakespeare's Henry V "We Happy Few" soliloquy.)
Rating:
Summary: The Single Best TV Production Of All Time!!
Review: I think this mini-series even eclipses "I, Claudius" to take 'top TV honors'. I'll also say it's the best WWII story and production (cinema, documentary or whatever) I've ever seen and I've seen a lot! "Band Of Brothers" tells the true and incredible odyssey of Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st "Screaming Eagles" Airborne Division, U.S. Army - from their formation in Georgia (1942), to Berlin and the end of the war in Europe (1945). The demand for, and on, elite paratroopers was unending and they were deployed as "the tip of the spear" of every major allied offensive (and many minor ones too) on the Western Front. Jumping behind enemy lines, often without critical equipment and supplies or lacking enough rest and under terrible conditions, they saw more than their share of hard combat and E Company itself took nearly 150% casualties. (Statistically at least, that's 100% of the company - 140 men and 7 officers - and half again of their replacements, lost). The scope of the war is limited to E Company - the German POV is vanishingly small, life stateside, after their training and deployment in Normandy, is only referred to, usually in connection with mail call (or the wounded), and, apart from the brief and infrequent visit and/or pep talk from their company commander, the top brass is never seen. But the impact of the war on E Company, the civilians and other outfits they meet along the way (and on us) is anything but limited! The effects are as awesome as they are devastating. There are so many reasons why it's effective. For one, as I've said, the story is true. If you've read the book you're in for a treat. The series follows the book to an unprecedented degree for movies. Not everything that's in the book is in the series, but everything that's in the series is in the book - finally, directors that understand the drama in real-life events! Even if you haven't read it, you're still in for a treat. Thanks to meticulous directing, you're rarely allowed to feel comfortable about the ultimate fates of the individual characters. Even when you are allowed, the directing is a very sure-handed affair. But most of the time you find yourself in the kind of war in which you never quite know what will happen next - who's going to be wounded and sent back into combat, promoted, demoted or transferred, wounded seriously enough to be sent home, captured, separated from their unit, killed, either in combat or by accident, or even murdered (though not in E Company itself). After all, this is not fiction-based material where the author is 'choosing' who survives. Here, when one character can no longer tell the tale, another member of the company will tell the story through his own eyes and few if any POV are left out. The subtext is on the war within one's self and the loss and value of meaningful humanity. The wonderful cinematography replaces slow-motion effects with high shutter speeds in adrenaline-charged sequences - without bothering to stress formal compositions within the frame. It conveys a vivid "you are there" sense of immediacy. And yet at the same time, the overall vision is SO superbly and fully realized from start to finnish. The non-combat scenes will easily hold your attention and the battle sequences themselves are not only utterly convincing, but truly harrowing. And the whole thing is filled with potent, poetic imagery - the simple act of enclosing a violin within its coffin-like case - a metaphor for the humanity claimed by a world war, or the closing of a blood-smeared ambulance door during the high-water mark of E Company's casualties, or, the drawn-from-life moment of fatal hesitation - and doe-eyed look of disbelief - in the face of a clearly under-aged Nazi boy/soldier - the first victim in a bloody surprise attack - vibrantly resonate, like so many sounds and images in this work, with profound, often devastating meaning, and haunt the soul long afterward. Trust me, it's an absolute knockout. Additionally, Spielberg and company engage in a judicious amount of cliche busting. I won't give things away here, but if you've seen your share of war movies, you won't be disappointed. Since the head-honcho behind this 10 hour event is none other than Spielberg, comparisons with his "Saving Private Ryan" are bound to come up, especially since the directing and production values are of similarly high standards, and at first glance maybe, seemingly familiar. But at least one reviewer at Amazon criticizes "Ryan" for being fundamentally a war film made by, and for, pacifists (citing its first half hour as an example), and that since the war is basically evil and all the men are inherently good, it's difficult to believe their comments on the war. I think there may be something to that. But, in "Brothers", the war seems a little more necessary than evil, even if it is not always so clearly understood nor as well rationalized by its participants, as in "Ryan". Here, the weight of combat is far more personally affecting through its undeniable impact on the men of Easy Company. There is much cause for empathy here. Although I've never seen combat, this series makes me want to send a BIG thank you to ALL our servicemen and women. And again, though I wasn't there, I sometimes talk to and read from and about those who were, and to me at least, "Brothers" edges out "Ryan" and leaves all the rest behind as the best depiction of WWII on film to date. My brother and I were raised on my dad's war stories (he was with the 11th Armored Division during the Battle of the Bulge) and they stuck in our heads. As a result we grew up with a shared interest in all things WWII. As a WWII buff I was hard pressed to find much of anything amiss in the series from artillery, aircraft and armored vehicles to small arms and field equipment - right down to the uniforms - U.S., British, French or German. There are big and small suprises everywhere you look - even an operational Jagdpanther, no less(!). I hope the interviews I saw on HBO will be included on the DVD - it would be a crime if they weren't. If they are, you'll not only come to know, respect and appreciate the characters in the series (by the way, the acting is superb all around and David Schwimmer is great as Capt. Sobel!), but, appreciate the men of E Company even more through the eyes of the survivors, themselves. In fact, I'm astonished at how little difference there seems to be between the actors in the series and their real-life counterparts. As a footnote, I recall reading somewhere that Stephen Ambrose (who wrote "Brothers"), while interviewing a subject, was hoping to get permission to use some of the man's war stories in a book (non-fiction of course). When Ambrose, whose eye for courage is arguably unmatched, prompted him, the veteran said "Well, ok, but don't make me out to be some kind of hero or something" - to which Ambrose replied "I don't make heroes, I just write about 'em". Like some others here, I subscribed to HBO just to see this show. Having read the excellent book, which, by the way, I also strongly recommend since it illuminates a bit more that the series can easily focus on, my expectations of the series were either matched or simply blown away! All in all it is a stunning and masterful tribute to E company, paratroopers and to all those involved with that war. I'm tempted to say it will not be equalled for a long time to come. Whether you are familiar with this story or not I can't recommend this mini-series highly enough! If I could, I'd give it fifty stars!!
Rating:
Summary: The Best War Film Since "Saving Private Ryan"
Review: When I saw each episode on HBO I was amazed at how it depicted war so closely. It was the type of film that kept you at watching, and guessing what was going to happen next. The film also had actors closely depict the true men of Easy Company. I strongly recommend people of all ages to see this mini-series. People will truly understand the sacrifices the 101st went through every day of their time spent in the war. So, if you haven't seen this mini-series, see it.
Rating:
Summary: Not Just Another Great "War Movie"...
Review: Arguably one of the finest works ever produced for television, in ANY genre. The first episode aired just days before the tragedy of 9/11/01, adding to the impact of this epic. It took the combined talents of Spielberg and Hanks to finally do justice to those men who gave so much in a war too-often forgotten. Not only did I gain immense appreciation for the horrific conditions they endured, I developed immense pride in the heroic sacrifices of others that preserved my American freedoms. HBO, the time for this story is NOW! Please don't sit on this release; America deserves to hear this story - again and again!
Rating:
Summary: This should be part of history books!!!!
Review: It is a fantastic follow up for Saving Private R. from Spielberg!
I 've seen the battlefields in Europe where I am living and have a much deeper respect now for all the men who faught there. This should be part of all the history books on school!!! So this should be on DVD asap!!!
Spielberg and Hanks: Thx!!!
Edwin van der Meer
The Netherlands
Europe
Rating:
Summary: Subscribed to HBO just for this title.
Review: We had "basic" cable until my husband heard about this series. We then subscribed to HBO and watched every episode from then on. We did, however, miss the beginning episodes, 1,2 and 3, I believe. I cannot wait for the entire series to be released in DVD or VHS!!! I have several ideas for gifts and, of course, we need one for ourselves.
This is by far the BEST WW II series we have EVER seen. Let's get it out soon!! Christmas would be nice!!
Penny Waldron, Tucson, AZ
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: Simply one of the finest stories of what soldiers went through in the European Theater of Operations. I am a very dedicated Stephen Ambrose fan, and this miniseries was true to the book. Probably the finest as far as what shelling in a forest must been like. At Bastogne, you can feel the cold these brave men endured. The frostbite looks as real as I have seen, and I am a RN. Stellar performances by the actors. Excellent casting. David Schwimmer as Captain Sobel was a master stroke. Hats off not only to the cast and crew, but eternal thanks to all the men and women of the armed forces. What a fitting tribute to a "Company of Heroes". After reading the book and seeing the series, I feel that I know Bill Guarnere, Richard Winters, "Buck" Compton, and "Bull" Randleman.
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