Rating: Summary: Husband says it's great! Review: I have to admit, this isn't my kind of movie, but my husband is thrilled. He cites high quality, excellent acting and a moving story-line.
Rating: Summary: Has to be my most favorite WWII movie/documentary thing ever Review: TIIIGHT! If you are interested/a scholar of WWII, this is a great movie for you. Although it doesn't give a whole lot of history, it's really not needed. Didn't comply with your typical WWII (or war) movie--not overly dramatic nor repetitive battle scenes. Sweet movie! Get it!
Rating: Summary: Can't get any better... Review: I watched this with my Dad, and knew we had to get it! I love most war movies, and think they are all great, but I've NEVER seen one as good as this one! The price is a little much, but hey, what would you expect for an item as good as this, that is this long? I recommend you get it, because you'll never find a war movie as good as this one!
Rating: Summary: Setting it straight Review: The German Cold War Infantry Officer's review of April 27, 2003, writes a good review most of which I agree. but unfortunately, he speaks about the German soldiers' families being "murdered by American phosphorus bombs" while he ignores the air raids on Britain that killed innocents as well. Worse, he regurtitates the falsehood that US fighter aircraft strafed women and children after the raids on Dresden. This never happened! I was a 14-year-old runner for Dresden Air Raid Police(Luftschutzpolizei)whose story was chronicled in John Toland's book "The Last Hundred Days". Both night raids of 13/14 February, 1945, by the RAF bombers were NOT accompanied by US fighters. The British flew quite low over the city and once could hear the roar of the engines quite clearly. In the early morning hours of the 14th, I was at the banks of the Elbe river where many hundreds had sought refuge. I saw no evidence of any injuries of deaths because of strafing. Stories that this in fact had occurred began the fowlling day. I spoke to many who where at river and no one confirmed this. There was NO strafing during the US daylight raids on the 14th. However,weeks later, US Mustangs did strafe along the river, hitting barges carrying troops and supplies, absolutely military targets.
Rating: Summary: Dresden war crime disputed Review: BAND OF BROTHERS is an excellent (especially for television)adaptation of an excellent book, but with a different mood and style from the book, reminicent of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, with its eerie, grainy and choppy combat camera work. Like that movie, BAND OF BROTHERS leaves one thinking about each episode long after viewing. The actors are not well known, which adds to the realism. I can't say that I actually enjoyed watching the series, but am glad that I, well, survived it. However, my main reason for writing this review is to disagree with some points in a previous review, that by a "German infantry officer." He makes some controversial, but interesting, observations about the war and the German army that I found myself agreeing with on many points, although some are too general (There WERE strong, experienced and well-equipped German units in France, and the Germans certainly respected American units like the 101st Airborne for good reason). With all due respect, though, I must hotly debate one statement he made in regard to the bombing of Dresden. This refers to the alleged strafing by American P-51 Mustangs of civilians trying to escape the fires at the riverbank. Germans who were there (some of whom I have personally spoken to) have always disputed this accusation, and indeed, after the fall of the Soviet Union, proof emerged from KGB documents and former East Bloc intelligence officers that the entire episode was fabricated by "disinformatzia" experts to discredit the United States, especially in Germany. I am referring only to the supposed strafing episode, not the larger issue of the horrible firebombing of Dresden, which has always, and hopefully will be continued, to be researched, written about, and debated.
Rating: Summary: Truth is stranger than fiction and far more compelling Review: Television as a medium takes a good deal of criticism for basically being intellectual garbage devoid of anything good. 200 channels and nothing to watch just is as common as it is ironic. Band of Brothers changed that for me. This DVD set is a must for anyone who is interested in military history or simply a compelling story. Truth is stranger than fiction. It is also more compelling. The 10 episodes are generally good but there were one or two that I did not think measured up to the rest. Each was directed by a different director and took different views of the events from the book. With each episode being somewhat encapsulated by this, yet the series is basically, chronological. In turn this makes the 600 or so minutes of program go through many emotional and stressful change ups. My personal favorites are the first three episodes and the holocaust episode. The first two do a great job of setting up the company and the individual men. The thirs is D-Day and does an incredible job of showing how terrible and confusing combat is. The Holocaust episode I thought was one of the strongest though. It was simply a fine example of soldiers coming across a concentration camp and not knowing exactly what it was about. The horrors and atrocities speak for themselves and are very much put into the context of the episode rather than preaching the obvious facts that Nazi's were despicable. From a production values perpective, Band of Brothers is incredible. Watching the "making of" really illustrated how much effort went into the show. There were a few minor technical issues, like red telephone boxes in WWII UK (those popped up after the war, according to a Brit friend watching along with me). Band of Brothers is worthy of any DVD library and one of the best things to be shown on TV that was not a sporting event.
Rating: Summary: this is for "German Cold War Infantry Officer " Review: Wake up and smell the good Ole U S of A!! This is selective for a reason, it's a movie about the brotherhood of soldiers for Easy Company during WWII. This is not a movie about other countries and their forces. Just like "Blackhawk Down" is a movie about U.S. special forces in Mogadishu. This is a movie about a US unit, it will be from their perspective and memories. So don't be trying to bash this movie, cause it is centered on US unit it's going to be about a US unit. It pisses me off when you Europeans bash our war movies. They are our war movies about our US units, thus the movie would be from our soldiers perspectives. Just like "IWO JIMA" "TORA TORA TORA" or "Battle of Britain" don't make references to all the other WWII units involved. This isn't a movie about The German 1st SS Panzer "Leibstandarte", 5th SS "Viking", FJR 1/FJD, 1./LL STURM RGT, Fallschirm Pionier Batallion 1. Neither is this movie about the Russian 49th Guards Rifle Division, 89th Guards Rifle Division, 8th Guards Mechanized Corps, 36th Motorized Rifle Division. Nor is this about the British 3rd Para Brigade, 8th Army, the British 3rd Division, the 50th Division, the 6th Airborne Division King's Shropshire Light Infantry, the East Yorkshire, and Devonshire regiments. These countries could make their own movie about what their forces did during WWII, I could care less. They have a right to make a movie from their soldiers perspectives with them as a center piece, doesn't mean I'll bash it for not showing the US side of things. This movie was centered on one company, Easy Company part of 506th PIR "Parachute Infantry Regiment", which was part of the 101'st Airborne. Other main units that were part of the Normandy airdrop were 3rd Battalion 502nd PIR, 506th PIR, and even the 82nd Airborne. Then came Carentan, Market Garden, Battle of the Bulge, and the Siege of Bastogne. There were other units involved in all those fights, but this movie wasn't about the other units. Remeber this isn't about all the other WWII units, this isn't a documentary, its the story soldiers experiences from mainly one company during WWII. And oh by the way, my dad is a US Vietnam Vet.
Rating: Summary: Great Series Review: I had many family members in WW2 and besides Saving Private Ryan this is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time about WW2. I suggest this movie to everyone!
Rating: Summary: 10th Armored Division? Review: This is an amazing series and well worth the imposing price. The quality of the film and the acting are outstanding! There is drama as well as realism. Unfortunately, there is a sort of tunnel vision which afflicts the entire series. I understand that it is seen through the eyes of one specific company and its surrounding regiment and division, but the average American viewer could easily watch this series and form the impression that this division (or maybe special types of troops such as paratroops or rangers) won WWII for the good ol' USA. This is especially true if one watches this series with the other Spielberg\Hanks Collaboration- Saving Private Ryan. I don't mean to split hairs or detract from the incredible bravery of these men, but unfortunately in over-glorifying one unit in a country that learns history through exposure to popular culture, the greater accomplishments of other less glamorous types is sad. The untold truth is (and there is a passing mention of them as "doggies" in BoB) that the leg infantryman who slugged it out in the ETO made possible our victory as did his counter parts in the forgotten Armored Divisions- SIXTEEN of which fought in Europe. The 101st was not alone in Bastogne!!! A combat command of the 10th Armored Division was there with them. Why are they NEVER mentioned? The only picture we see of regular infantry in BoB is rag tag soldiers retreating through the bulge in a daze. Leg infantry divisions suffered upwards of 250% casualties after being committed to combat. Divisions like the 1st,3rd,4th,9th,28th and 29th suffered between 150-250% casualties and were almost never taken out of the line- unlike the much vaunted "elite" 101st. Just don't forget the hundreds of thousands of "doggies" who went through the meatgrinders of the hedgerows and the Huertgen.
Rating: Summary: Compelling, riveting and informative Review: Quite possibly the best footage created of WWII re-enactments. The documentary style openings lend a feeling of connection to the characters that you will find in no other movie, including "Saving Private Ryan". Also the extra material that comes with the DVD's is extremely informative in a simple intuitive timeline menu. Highly recommended for anyone interested in WWII history.
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