CeleryMan7
129395
1989
16
another favorite of mine.. i remember seeing it in the theater with my mom when i was 15. was kind of shaken by the D-Day scene even though i had been warned about it beforehand. maybe not my top war film but it's for sure top 5
Ed Burns chillin
The Omaha Beach scene cost $11 million to shoot, and involved up to 1000 extras, some of whom were members of the Irish Army Reserve. Of those extras, 20-30 of them were amputees, issued with prosthetic limbs, to play soldiers who had their limbs blown off. 40 barrels of fake blood were used in these scenes
model of the city of 'Ramelle'. site of the final battle
The Omaha Beach battle was filmed in sequence over a four-week period, moving the action up the beach shot by shot and day by day. Steven Spielberg claims that none of it was storyboarded in advance. Additionally, two of the landing craft shown in these scenes were actually used in World War II
Spielberg gave Damon special treatment (like not having to do boot camp) so that the other actors would hopefully resent him, as their characters do
'Ramelle'.. which made created for the movie (not a real town) and actually a former aerospace factory in England.. sorry for the watermarks but this was the highest quality aerial image of the location that i saw
Spielberg was actually behind the camera and filmed select parts of the D-Day scenes
movie theaters were instructed to turn up the volume a few notches during screenings of the film. understandable since the sound is awesome and such a big part of the movie
tanks are big
Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford were in the running to play Captain Miller before Hanks was selected by Spielberg
that's all for SPR.. here's the others i made
https://imgur.com/gallery/CynT3Lf -- Dazed and Confused
https://imgur.com/gallery/bSoP2u4 -- Gangs of New York
https://imgur.com/gallery/y9Kxrfc -- The Shawshank Redemption
https://imgur.com/gallery/O9SsH6n -- Beetlejuice
https://imgur.com/gallery/c3amBZh - Batman (1989)
https://imgur.com/gallery/1C890od -- Titanic
https://imgur.com/gallery/mcoXkG5 - The Big Lebowski
https://imgur.com/gallery/YiXXVgH -- Die Hard
https://imgur.com/gallery/JeAgqjp - Goodfellas
https://imgur.com/gallery/7fvyQYp - Predator
https://imgur.com/gallery/7x0RarB - The Matrix
https://imgur.com/gallery/QOhVsLI - Gladiator
https://imgur.com/gallery/0JoSbTr - Robocop
https://imgur.com/gallery/ZzQ3xgj - Aliens
https://imgur.com/gallery/Q9gHx4d - T2
https://imgur.com/gallery/1SCGLPE - Starship Troopers
therandombagofmeat
Canngrim
It's all F.U.B.A.R. man
uxcell
"movie theaters were instructed to turn up the volume a few notches during screenings of the film." Yep, that was the first thing i noticed, this film was loud in the theater.
lookatthisphotographeverytimeidoitmakesmelaugh
Is that Adam Goldberg? Jesus is forgot he was in that movie. Although I haven’t seen it since it came out in theatres and I was super hung over.
Hammerwell
The beach scene is fantastic. It falls down later on to enhance the heroism and invulnerability of the protagonist. Taking on tanks and infantry and coming out unharmed is ridiculous. That's Stormtrooper level.
Hammerwell
Forgot, there's also the problem with Jacksons rifle. https://youtu.be/v2Eagq3fI0E
justplainvanilla
whatseventhepointt
I saw the movie well before 15 (hurrah for piss poor parenting lol) but more specifically around that age though I did have a teacher that showed the D-Day scene to his world history classes. The guy had some faults but he took teaching seriously. Only class that went over how to write and balance a check was his civics class, and he really hammered home reading a document before doing anything. Not reading was a quick way to an F on certain tests.
WitchCityHound
Rushing the MG nest gets me every godamn time.
TurboPuns21
And to think this movie lost the Best Picture award to Harvey Weinstein's Shakespeare in Love...what a shame...one movie is timeless - an unflinchingly honest retell of the some of the most harrowing moments in history - the other is a monument to Hollywoods endemic quid pro quo and self aggrandizing attitudes.
jesterablaze
My uncle wrote the screenplay for this. Actually, had a falling out with a long time friend of his named "Upham" because that character was not originally as cowardly. He also lost the best original screenplay Oscar to "Shakespeare in Love" which was later said to have a lot of similarities to the book "No Bed for Bacon"
goodolsen
I'd like to see one of your BTS on The Crow
LordSerapis
Can one consider a film a good war movie if it does not make them uncomfortable, to some degree?
TurboPuns21
Yes and no. A good war movie doesn't need to make you feel uncomfortable. It only needs to bring you into the shoes of those who are called upon to perform some of the most extreme tasks. It just so happens that those tasks are so out of the ordinary and so traumatic that the individuals who performed them have nothing to compare them to in their lives before the military. And so when they return they struggle because they can't process it. And this inherently leaves the audience uncomfortable.
CrunchWrapFrappuccinoo
DeepVeinZombosis
Loved it until I saw Band of Brothers, after that it just doesn't hold up.
Atrixz
As someone who went through basic training as Private Ryan, AFTER this mobie came out, I hate it
afambelafonte
Saw this in the theater. Sitting nearby was an 80 year old WW2 vet bawling his eyes out during the Omaha beach scene.
madeejit
Anyone who was in D-Day, or been to Wexford can relate.
VictusVonGuyver
The movie actually triggered several heart attacks from actual vets. The realism from D-Day triggered a lot of emotional stress they weren't prepared to relive. I can't imagine being a vet and going through that since I have enough of a hard time watching combat films and seeing swarms of people dying makes me teary eyed to begin with, especially the film Glory.
Buffoonery
My then teenage son and I saw it the weekend after it opened. There was a WWII vet with his wife a row or 2 in front of us. During the scene where the medic gets hit, the vet began to cry, and left the theater. I remember him telling his wife, "... no, I have to go. I can' see this again." She told us she didn't understand, because it was the 1st time they'd seen the movie.
teardropivyyearofthetiger
I have seen this movie a dozen times. My work has a demo Dolby Atmos theatre.on Remembrance Day we play it. It’s still as powerful as the first time I saw it. There’s no way living that day wouldn’t leave you with PTSD. Thank you for giving us the reality those heroes faced Spielberg.
seentoomuchdeath
From my simple general military training and in live fire exercises afterward, the landing scene shocked me like no other movie before or after - the realistic sounds (because they used actual WWII weapons) threw me back to those army days. That poor vet.
craigwilliams69
2 of the extras are buddies of mine. Both double amputees who lost their legs in bombings in Northern Ireland. One is a national champion skydiver, the other is a Paralympic snowboarder. Good lads. They said they were propped up in the sand with small explosive charges in their prosthetics.
sadurdaynight
Did they go through any trauma seeing their fake limbs blown off during filming? It has to be a bit odd. Go through some real life stuff losing that limb. Then sitting there with a prosthetic, and suddenly *BAM* the limb goes flying. Like "fuck, wasn't expecting this to be traumatic, but here I am".
craigwilliams69
I don’t think so. If anything I would imagine they found it funny.
NewHopeAnnex
Awesome post. 😎
nzallblack
Just watched this with my 3 girls. Still very powerful movie. We are visiting France and taking a trip to Normandy so they need to know what happened there
teardropivyyearofthetiger
My great uncle is named on Vimy Ridge. Salute him for me will you?
Nerfgunner
Tom Sizemore is a decent porn name
aThingWithTheStufAndTheJunk
Well, given his personal life, I guess you could chalk that up to nominative determinism.
pinatafarmer
If they do a re-release for the 80th next year, I'm going.
sadurdaynight
I missed this in theaters b/c I was in a low financial period of my life. Would love to see it in theaters.
UtahGimm3Tw0
Wade begging for his mom as he’s dying makes me sob everytime. The looks of helplessness on the others’ faces when they realize they can’t help him. Fuck
MangOpana
All - “Wade, tell us how to fix you, tell us what to do!” Wade - “I…I could use a little more morphine.” So sad and it gets me every time when they put him out of his misery
UtahGimm3Tw0
Same. And how the previous scene when they’re in the church Wade tells the story about his mom just adds that emotional heft to him begging for her
SuspiciousCactus
How in the world is Saving Private Ryan not your favorite war movie
happywalker
i love it but i prefer paths of glory
CeleryMan7
Paths is great. Big fan of Platoon, FMJ, Patton and 1917 as well
happywalker
also add big red one and kellys heros
artistandascholar2000
I had the honor of working on this motion picture in special FX. It was a difficult film to work on emotionally, having lived in Europe as a kid and seeing many, many war memorials. Added another layer to it all.
SwiggityDiggitySwoo
Love your posts @OP!
CeleryMan7
thanks!
zcon
what are your top war films?
willpostanything
S117MC
It always gets me when that one guy kills the other guy with the knife. Leaving out details in case someone hasn’t seen it.
LordFancypantsicus
That scene is too much for me.
kickmyballsrealhard
Unforgettable scene
duddits21
I can't actually watch that whole scene. I watched it once, and just can't do it again.
Cloudypoona
Makes me super angry at that douche!
willpostanything
koops
It was that slow plunge, then gurgling, then silence.
SmarterChiId
Upahm!
jzastrow
I'm hard pressed to think of a scene in any movie that fucks me up as much as that one
Omnislash9
Even more than the opening, that is the most harrowing scene for me
pastramionrye
Wayyyyy more harrowing. My favorite and least favorite scene.
nojustsayitdont
LOL. My mind went straight to that scene. And the coward that let him do it. Complicated movie.
MutantTurd
That scene is the main reason why I can't watch that movie anymore. That, and Ed Burns. Dude just seems like a prick.
wiggadewah
Yeah, that's the scene that keeps me from wanting to re-watch it again.
yoshimaruTERA
That scene is always omitted when broadcasted on TV in Japan. Just straight cut to Upham shaking in the stairs.
willpostanything
Zephirod
Dude I had nightmares about the scene. Horrific
sillyhyaena
Shhh shhh shhhhhhhh
Omnislash9
Exactly that. Chilling.
willpostanything
UPHAM!!!
XanderCorsaj
Yep. The quiet, the cold, "Shsh-shhh..." Awful.
tstorm
Literally the reason knives are in my top 3 fears of dying by... along with Velociraptors and dark water. GUESS THE MOVIES.
ShinyTurd
Veloci-pastor?
Mack1986
*whispers* zoom zoom
tommytraddles
It's an allegory for the Holocaust. The German tells the Jew to be quiet, it'll be over soon. The armed, but effete intellectual can't help.
willpostanything
MangOpana
A perfect example of how a supposed bystander (private Upham), by doing nothing, is actually aiding the Nazis
magitek
He could help, but he doesn’t. An even more apt metaphor.
HeyoooItsMe
Most haunting scene ever for me
MangOpana
For me it was the scene where Caparzo (Vin Diesel) gets hit by a sniper, and Jackson takes him out with a shot through the scope. Equal parts sadness and theatrical awesomeness
picklemunkey
That through the scope shot is a reference to a real shot made by Carlos Hathcock during the Vietnam war.
Ambrosyus
I feel it's kinda strange to see Damon, Hanks, and Diesel in a movie together. They usually have different genres
CoachMcgurl
I really wish Diesel did more drama. I get he got typecast a long time ago but I would have thought "Find Me Guilty" would have gotten him a couple of different roles. Granted his short film "Multi-Facial" offers a good explanation of what happens. I do kind of wonder if he found himself in an Adam Sandler position where he can keep doing F&F movies with his friends and keep making money.
CoachMcgurl
#12 And then they subsequently left them that loud for another 25 or so years.
idonotthinkitownswhatyouthinkitowns
What are your views on the myth that Vin Diesel directed the last half of the movie @op?
Drew442
It's possible, after all the movie technically is about FAMILY!
CeleryMan7
hadn't heard that, but i know vin has directed before.. but still i have a lot of trouble believing he did anything more than act in SPR
UtahGimm3Tw0
He got the job when one of Spielbergs friends gave him a VHS of a movie Vin had written, directed and starred in and was selling out of the trunk of his car in LA
fformulaa
Didn't realize he was in the movie! But there he is in #4
NoQuestionMarksInDeclarativeSentences
He's also in #1
bearatrooper
Between SPR and Black Hawk Down, basically every male actor alive at the time had a role.
LaughingInTheFaceOfDanger
BOB had micheal fassbemder, james mccavoy, and tom hardy in it too
bearatrooper
Oh yes, that's another one with everybody and their brother in the cast.
circegirl
Damien Lewis too
LaughingInTheFaceOfDanger
I think he's an awesome actor. So good in Bob but he was good in homeland. And dreamcatcher
idonotthinkitownswhatyouthinkitowns
It's where he learnt about family.
baals
He tried to save that little girl
MangOpana
“She reminded me of my niece, sir!”
Calicious
As a vet, I can't think of a single war movie I would rank higher than Saving Private Ryan.
SissiSaatana
"come and see" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091251/
SissiSaatana
After this one, opening scene of saving private feels like nice walk in the park. It's really good movie but I don't exactly want to watch it again.
notallfluffycatsarethick
„All Quiet on the Western Front“ - would be my choice in regards to ww1 at least
Trojan1109
Fury
HyggeDimsen
Platoon allegedly has scenes that Vietnam veterans struggle with sitting through.
KnightWhoSaidNi
Remember which?
Promethianfire
I remember hearing that a lot of Veterans saying they could smell the jungle while watching it.
Blackfinity
What are your thoughts on the Band Of Brothers mini-series?
JasterMereel11
BoB is good but for film and pure historical accuracy, I have to go with Tora Tora Tora. Actually having the Japanese centered parts of the film done by a Japanese film crew in Japan for their own perspective is something I have not seen done in another western WW2 war film
Calicious
It was very good, but clearly influenced by SPR in every way.
MangOpana
Wasn’t it produced (and directed?) by Spielberg and Hanks? I always thought of BoB and SPR of being very similar in terms of style for the battle scenes
olderbrotherofsnagglepuss
Yes it was, as was The Pacific, they’re doing another mini series called Masters of Air about the 100th Bomb Group in WW2
seentoomuchdeath
Awesome series, but no other movie experience before or since can reproduce the landing scene in Ryan. The sound effects (you can only experience in the theatre) using real WWII weapons made me feel I was actually there based on my military training.
LaughingInTheFaceOfDanger
The BOB artillery barrage scene in Bastogne could give it a run for its money
PlanckEraWasMyBestEra
I'm unfortunately guessing your username isn't just dark humor then?
TsubakiTragic
Grave of the Fireflies.
Promethianfire
The first time I saw that, I cried harder than I'd ever cried in my life up to that point.
Calicious
Damn good answer, but imo SPR is still on top. Just for different reasons.
TsubakiTragic
I've seen SPR a couple of times and agree is is a memorable movie. I watched Fireflies for the first time 5 years ago and was shattered. I've been promising myself to watch it again, but every weekend when I think of doing it I cannot press the button.
Calicious
I would put grave of fireflies as the best anti-war movie, but not the best war movie.
thecollective01
Maybe pair it with My Neighbor Totoro, just like they did when it was first released as a double feature in Japan lol