so i, like many of you, just watched part 1, and 2. how do you feel?? i give it an 8 on a numeric scale, but i was pretty hyped up for it. discuss
I saw it, and I didn't think it was too bad. I never thought Ross could be such a d******d. There's a lot of characters to keep up with, so slow people like myself will probably need to watch it a few times. Production values seem pretty good--definitely not the like the cheesy miniseries of yesteryear. I guess Roots and Lonesome Dove put a stop to that. Funny thing is: I haven't had HBO since college, and my wife never had it after she left home either. We talked about it yesterday and we decided to go ahead and get it. We both saw our first episode of the Sopranos last night.....and I think we're hooked.
I enjoyed BoB... I think it was very much like Saving Private Ryan as far as production and authenticity... of course it is Hanks and Spielberg so that would explain that... I too was very hyped for this mini-series and I definately don't want to miss an episode. The wife, on the other hand, was not too into it, she said, "they're just shooting, I don't know whats going on" at that point I had to start explaining and of course, missing the episode... so she thought it was OK... I thought it rocked... Does anyone know if there were actually Americans fighting for Germany like that one scene depicted? The scene in question is where one of the paratroops comes across a group of German prisoners and one is from Oregon, the American/German prisoner says his father told him he had to enlist and fight for "the fatherland" and all Germans should participate, blah blah... I thought that was an interesting sidenote in the episode.... looking forward to next weeks episode... rH
I thought it was very good. Outstanding for a mini-series. I agree though, it's a little hard to keep up with, especially with so many characters, all dressed alike with camo & dirt on thier faces. On the Americans fighting for Germany -- yes, that happened quite a bit. There were a lot of people with crossed ties before the war, and a number of Germans that attended US Universities, etc. It also went the other way, with German nationals siding with the U.S. -- more common with Jewish Germans, for obvious resons. W.E.B. Griffith has this in his WWII novels, but it doesn't come up often.
I am really enjoying the book which I am reading concurrently with the mini-series so that I can get all the detail. The show is a little fast paced but it gives the authentic feel of the battlefield. Pure Chaos. I have picked up on a few characters I know so far. David Schwimmer of course. Then there is also the guy that plays in Oz on HBO and the lead character from Office Space is in there too. Lt Winter's buddy. I really liked that they kept the Saving Private Ryan camera work and effects. It seems so authentic. If you read the book ( I do recommend all of Ambrose's books) they really dog Lt. Sobel (ROSS). "F'ing Jew" is their favorite phrase. They portray him as a lot stronger in the film, the book tells of how weak he was and what a "chicken****" he was. I can't say enough about this film already. I really think that we should do more to honor our veterans. Most young people don't realize the sacrifice of the "Greatest Generation." Could anyone imagine being called up to duty and being shipped off to another continent? I cant. I was very impressed by the D-Day airborne drop. The planes being shot up and the up close anti-aircraft flak. I like the names of the soldiers too, Milarche rules! I also recommend Tom Brokaw's series on the "Greatest Generation." 9.5 out of 10 stars. Only 9.5/10 because they are making me wait a week until the next 2 episodes.
Excellent post, Wink3Cat5! I'm close to starting "The Wild Blue" by Stephen Ambrose (the men who flew the B-24s over Germany) . "Greatest Generation" has been on my list to read for quite some time....it is on deck. Recent WWII I would also recommend: "Ghost Soldiers" Hampton Sides "In Harm's Way" Doug Stanton (sinking of USS INDIANAPOLIS)
I really enjoyed it, top notch stuff. The scene where Sobel cuts down the fence was hysterical! The fight scenes were also fantastic.
DARN IT !!! I missed it, will there be a chance to catch up during the week... &*^#$*&@^(@*&^ DaDakota
Air dates for all episodes: http://www.hbo.com/band/landing/premiere.html catch up, people... if the rest of the mini-series is anything like the first two, you don't want to miss them! rH
im glad some of you responded to my pathetic start to this thread. i finally now have time to really write about the show and give now a day old review. if you look at it as television. it is amazing tellivision. if you look at it as a movie, or rather 10 movies.. well its good. i think in its entirety it will be amazing cinema. I have read about and studied the 101st quite a bit. i am so glad there is a producer/network as well as a famous director finally backing a project like this. the crazy stuff the 101 did was really after d-day. sure they were dropped all over frace and still persevered, but they were surrounded by germans for weeks and weeks during the battle of the bulge. im sure the bulge is the climax of the series, and i really cant wait for that. there were a few parts ireally enjoyed. possibly because they never have really been put to film before, and also because of how well they were documented. 1, the previously mentioned oregon born german soldiar. in advanced history classes we learn all about this stuff, but the common man is ignorant to it. im glad they show the human side of it, and not all germans are bad. then on top of that the executed. not im glad they did that too, because was is hell and the "goog guys"(winners) murdered innocents just like the "evil" Germans did. hell we shot thousands of prisoners and surendering troops, but all we herar about is the germans lining up the jews and prisoners. im just glad there is some historical accuracy there previously unshown. 2 the planes being discheveled. dure they mention in other films such as private ryan and the longest day that the air drop was botched in some way, but they actually showed the drop. they showed these planes getting shot to crap and they showed the pilots panicing. we gotta remember that this was the first time planed carried people over enemy territory to start an invasion. thuis was new, ans only previously simulated. and how can you simulate flak and bullets?? these pilots had never been shot at, had never flown over france, and many had fairly fecently learned to fly. it is amazing we succeded at all. i also liked that they showed the size of the airdrop. it was something like 20,000 people and they deffinately let you know it was huge when they showed all those parachutes falling. in training when while puking after the spageti they forged as a unit against soble by singing up the hill and when the one guy ran the other joined him to support him there were cool "brother" moments like that i also like the interviews with actual soldiars before each segment. if you know an old guy, talk to him!! he will entertain, and knows more than you will ever immagine ok well maybe its a 9, but time will tell PEACE PS if you dont have HBO, get HBO for this show
So, I got the box set for my birthdy and since revieving it on Thursday I have been pretty dedicated to watching it. with the excaption going out last night to celebrate my 28th I have watched some every night. I finished the whole thing including the 2 hour documentary at the end. do you ever feel truely insignifigant in this world?? have you ever said anything disrespectfull to an olod man you didnt know. or old people in general? As far as I am concerned, they can drive slow all they want. I would too if I had lived through all of that mess. that generation defined this nation and defined the world. I feel like at 28 I havnt done ****. this morning I thanked all 4 of my grandparents for the sacrafices they made. I am glad i got to do that before I loose any of them. an Airplane mechanic in Detroit a Minesweeper construction factory manager in New London CT a secretary for the war office in SanFrancisco and a little rosey the riveter in Geneseo yup there is some great stuff in this series, I highly recomend it PEACE
They were mostly normal people called by their country to do something amazing. Besides the lazy apathetic aspect of our generation, I'm sure there's enough American dignity and nationalism in our bones to do something similar if it should ever happen again. I'm pretty sure that miniseries is seared in my head as the best moment on television ever...
Wow - I was reading some of this thread again and realized the dates on the original post - 09-10-2001. I am just trying to remember that day, kinda sad. Back on topic - VOR, I hope I get the DVD set for XMAS, I have been hinting to my wife pretty hard. I have the episodes on my computer now, so that will have to do until XMAS, it is kinda expensive, but well worth it.
