Opening scene in Saving Private Ryan - is that what war was really like?

[Trickie]

Its been said loads of times that it is the most realistic war scene ever - can anybody back this up? Obviously most WWII veterans are unwilling to talk about their experiences, but there is just something about the war scenes in that film, (not just the beach scene) they are different and more intense than any other film I have seen - more than Platoon or even Black Hawk Down, anything really.

 

[Austin316]

I'm pretty sure that when the movie came out WW2 vets said that it wasn't that glorifyd what with all the intestines spilling out everywhere

 

[Sub-Zero]

if u wanna get a glimpse of what war was like get someone to shoot one of your good friends close enough to you so that his blood splatters all over your face and in your eyes, and then run your ass off or kill him before he turns the gun on you next....x1000

 

[CFZB]

that was a good movie.

 

[spongebob]

only thru war shall man understand peace.

 

[jnevin]

All I know is, the first time I saw that movie, it made me duck in my seat when I heard the bullets whizzing by. My dad did two tours in Vietnam and it rattled him pretty good. Didn't talk about it though. Based on his reaction, I'd say it had to have been realistic.

 

[Razorguns]

Spielberg consulted pretty closely with veterans when he created that movie. Many who watched that said it was pretty 'dead fucking on'.

War is scary bro. When bullets and people start dying around you -- it's scary. Only your internal will to live keeps you going and focused.

 

[eat big]

Apparently, that movie is about as accurate as it comes to war. Many war Vets were advising Spielberg. Most of the cast had to go through a mini-camp to get a handle on what it was really like to live in a war. The story is based on the Niland Brothers. If you want to see the most accurate depiction of World War II then get Band of Brothers. It is correct down to every character's name in Easy Company. There are several men from easy company describing what it was like right before each episode. Spielberg and Hanks took part in the production of Band of Brothers. Which is why Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers are so accurate. Watch the Bonus Features of Saving Private Ryan and you can see Spielberg saying something like: "We didn't want anyone to think the movie was fun because war is not fun. We did this by being as realistic as possible."

 

[StickFigure]

I remember that when the movie came out they had to open up help lines for vets to call after they saw the movie because of how tramatically real the war was depicted.

 

[big4life]

My father was a 20 year marine, who served in the pacific during WWII and the Korean war, and was in three beach landings. He would tell stories about rickshaw races with his buddies in Shanghai, the pranks that they pulled on each other, and many other times and events, but he never talked about the battles. I know that he never really like war movies, or any movie with lots of blood. I think that he believed that they glorified death, when it is really something far more brutal, and he had seen enough of that for many lifetimes.