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Topic:
History vs Movie: Now Disc. Spot the Anachronism: "American Graffiti"
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Drac39
Registered:
Jul '02
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Date Posted:
2/17/06 8:35pm
Subject:
History vs Movie: Now Disc. Spot the Anachronism: "American Graffiti"
- Date Edited:
6/25 12:50pm (88 edits total)
Edited By:
Zaz
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I`ve cleared this with Zaz. This thread will be very similar to Book vs Movie only we will discuss movies and their historical accuracy and how well they were made. The first movie up for discussion is Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan.
Historical Accuracy: I`d say it`s one of the few movies that truly shows the real horrors of war. I can handle large amounts of violence in movies and even I was a little squeamish while watching the beginning. Keep in mind we are only watching it and people actually lived through that. I`d say it fairly shows war,it doesn`t glamorize it nor does it over do it.
Film Making:Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski has out done Spielberg here in my opinion. He puts us in the line of combat and we have a soldier`s POV.The camera moves like a solider and the rubble goes into our eyes. Tom Hanks is an actor who really can`t create a character,but we can put Tom Hanks in different situations and see how he reacts to them. I`d say this is Hanks' finest performance.The movie also has an outstanding supporting cast. Ted Danson and Paul Giamatti actors who I picture more in comical roles really step up and give outstanding dramatic performances. Matt Damon is in the early part of his career so he isn`t bad but he isn`t at his best.
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Zaz
Title: Manager:
The Amphitheatre
Registered:
Oct '98
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Date Posted:
2/17/06 9:31pm
Subject:
RE: History Vs Movie:(Currently Discussing Saving Private Ryan)
- Date Edited:
2/17/06 9:32pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Zaz
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The D-Day portion of "Saving Private Ryan" is as close to actual battle as you will get, I think. It's very accurate and has a fierce kinetic charge.
The last sequence is apparently based on the defence of the La Friere Bridge, though the American army faced ordinary Wehrmacht units, not SS Panzers nor Tiger tanks.
The rest of the movie is variable. Harve Presnell plays an actual historical person, General George C. Marshall.
The American military did forbid brothers serving together when 5 Sullivan brothers went down with the Juneau in 1942.
The Bixby brothers in Lincoln's letter didn't all die in battle for the Union, though Lincoln thought so when he wrote it. Two died; one survived; one deserted; and one was captured and changed sides. But Lincoln's letter is still very moving.
And for those that have read "Band of Brothers", the movie was based upon the actual case of Sgt. Fritz Niland, a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne, who was successfully returned home from Normandy after the death of his two brothers in Normandy and his third brother was declared missing over Burma (subsequently returned alive).
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JediTrilobite
Registered:
Nov '99
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Date Posted:
2/18/06 4:30am
Subject:
RE: History Vs Movie:(Currently Discussing Saving Private Ryan)
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I really enjoyed Saving Private Ryan, as it is a very accurate, technically, if the story was embellished a bit from a real story.
Band of Brothers, on the other hand, is far more accurate in every regard.
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Chancellor_Ewok
Registered:
Nov '04
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Date Posted:
2/18/06 6:24am
Subject:
RE: History Vs Movie:(Currently Discussing Saving Private Ryan)
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I agree with all of the above. SPR is quite possibly the greatest war movie ever made and is rivaled only by Patton.
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Drac39
Registered:
Jul '02
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Date Posted:
2/18/06 8:44am
Subject:
RE: History Vs Movie:(Currently Discussing Saving Private Ryan)
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Chancellor_Ewok posted:
I agree with all of the above. SPR is quite possibly the greatest war movie ever made and is rivaled only by Patton.
I`d say SPR is best at showing the lives of regular soldiers
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Zaz
Title: Manager:
The Amphitheatre
Registered:
Oct '98
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Date Posted:
2/19/06 7:54pm
Subject:
RE: History Vs Movie:(Currently Discussing Saving Private Ryan)
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I remember an anecdote from the making of that movie. A veteran told the actors that when a friend is killed, you don't feel grief. You feel joy--joy that it's not you.
I'm betting that's damn straight.
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Jango10
Registered:
Sep '02
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Date Posted:
2/20/06 5:59am
Subject:
RE: History Vs Movie:(Currently Discussing Saving Private Ryan)
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Although the story itself is fiction, Saving Private Ryan shows an extremely realistic look into the Normandy Invasion with all the background stuff around it.
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Zaz
Title: Manager:
The Amphitheatre
Registered:
Oct '98
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Date Posted:
2/22/06 7:27pm
Subject:
RE: History Vs Movie:(Currently Discussing Saving Private Ryan)
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Sometimes, it's extremely realistic.
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TheBoogieMan
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Nov '01
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Date Posted:
2/23/06 4:16am
Subject:
RE: History Vs Movie:(Currently Discussing Saving Private Ryan)
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Although I don't really have time to comment, I'd like to say this is a fantastic idea for a thread, and that the Senate has a sort of paralell thread that you should check out. 
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redxavier
Registered:
Jan '03
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Date Posted:
2/23/06 11:32am
Subject:
RE: History Vs Movie:(Currently Discussing Saving Private Ryan)
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Whilst its battles are realistic (AFAIK anyway), it's not historically accurate. I still believe that A Bridge Too Far is a superior film.
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Beowulf
Registered:
May '99
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Date Posted:
2/23/06 12:31pm
Subject:
RE: History Vs Movie:(Currently Discussing Saving Private Ryan)
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Historical accuracy is pretty close to this flick, though I'm not quite sure about the bullets killing soldiers in the water...as I recall, "Mythbusters" busted that myth by trying rifles from black powder days to the modern-day .50 caliber anti-vehicle rifle, and only the black powder rifle's bullet went through the water.
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Zombi_2_1979
Registered:
Jul '05
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Date Posted:
2/23/06 3:58pm
Subject:
RE: History Vs Movie:(Currently Discussing Saving Private Ryan)
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A Bridge Too Far, The Longest Day, Cross of Iron, and A Walk In The Sun are all superior.
I don't like Saving Private Ryan at all.
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severian28
Registered:
Apr '04
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Date Posted:
2/23/06 4:13pm
Subject:
RE: History Vs Movie:(Currently Discussing Saving Private Ryan)
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The Normandy invasion has to be the most realistic war violence ever rendered in a film, moreso than the climax in " Platoon " ( although not by much - and both movies capture the essence of the wars they are depicting ). Probably " Platoon " is the more honest film, with regards to the moods of the various different soldiers, the fraggings, and just the overall depiction of an unpopular war.
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Zombi_2_1979
Registered:
Jul '05
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Date Posted:
2/23/06 4:45pm
Subject:
RE: History Vs Movie:(Currently Discussing Saving Private Ryan)
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The only thing I like about Platoon is Tom Berenger and John C McGinley but the rest and their dialogue is delivered rather laughably. In fact I am always waiting for the actors to break out laughing and say "Cut, please.. how can you expect me to spout out this crap with a straight face Oliver?".
Sure Saving Private Ryan captured the brutality of violence in war but the rest of it is pure Spielberg fantasy. I hate it.
For a more faithful and accurate rendering that is far more emotional resonant try The Longest Day. For instance when paratrooper Red Buttons lands on the church steeple and watches helplessly while his comrades cut down by German guns is based on a true historical incident (IMDb).
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Indiana_Fett
Registered:
Dec '04
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Date Posted:
2/23/06 4:46pm
Subject:
RE: History Vs Movie:(Currently Discussing Saving Private Ryan)
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IIRC, the Second Rangers didn't arrive on Omaha on the Higgins boats.
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JohnWesleyDowney
Registered:
Jan '04
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Date Posted:
2/23/06 5:21pm
Subject:
RE: History Vs Movie:(Currently Discussing Saving Private Ryan)
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I place SAVING PRIVATE RYAN alongside PATHS OF GLORY, THE DEER HUNTER,
and FULL METAL JACKET as one of the greatest war films ever made.
I loved how SPR brought World War II and the staggering sacrifices of that generation
to the attention of so many younger people living in their sheltered MTV lives. I personally
know of a dozen teenagers who became interested in history, World War II and other
aspects of America's heritage just because of the impact of that film. And it also
brought a greater appreciation of what their grandfathers did in the past to make
people free today. In some ways, it's my favorite Spielberg film.
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