Saving Private Ryan, 1998 - DVD

After watching Schindler's List, I decided to give it the old one-two punch of Spielberg and WWII.

I'm not a huge fan of this film, particularly the middle part. I'm more a fan of the Omaha Beach scene, the war scenes which dot the film, and the end scene.

Everything else, I found that Rodat really layed on the syrup. The characters are typical war characters that you'd find in any war movie... particularly Vietnam war movies. I found that Goldberg, Diesel and Burns characters were written with cliches in mind. Pepper's character was well written and developed. Davies' character was also well written. Sizemore's character seemed tailor made for him. He would reprise the roll in Black Hawk Down, almost to a T.

Tom Hanks, regardless of the character, is able to develop the character so that his personality and his acting ability take over and convince us. I've always been a fan of his, and am always impressed with his work.

I have a real problem with the casting of Matt Damon. At the time he was the flavor of the month, and I think he was brought in for star power alone. I don't think using him added anything to the character. In fact, I think it took away from the character, because we know Damon... an unknown, or slightly more unknown would have been more realistic.

As I did with List, I would like to share with you my quick comments on SPR in my review of AI:

Saving Private Ryan. Using one of the all time safest actors in Hollywood, Tom Hanks, ILM and Kaminski created a fantastically violent film that showed no gray area in the realm and ideas of war. The first forty minutes are the most brutal I'd ever seen, and I thought the film was one of the prettier ones in history. Then came act II. Jesus, again, dripping with that Spielberg crap, the only thing that propels this movie is the violence. The story is ludicrous and, again, sentimentally drowning. Hanks tries desperately to save this film, but to no avail. This was a film that Spielberg got claps on the back from many WWII veterans, even though all he did was depict some violence, and not any of the real attrocities of the war. Good going, make some money, donate some, here's a medal, give us a call when you're out on the coast, we'll do lunch.

Yeah, ok.

Third act, we're treated to every girls dream guy (in 1998), Matt Damon. Sure, throw him in the mix for a larger audience. No, couldn't get an unknown for the part. That wouldn't get the ticket sales up. Do you see the pattern here? He's taking 'safe' actors to act in his films. These blockbuster names for pretty movies with pathetic stories.

This little review I happen to agree with (as I disagreed with my take on List... read both the AI and List review for details on that debacle...).

Hanks is a very safe actor, especially after 1994. His double Oscar for Best Actor secured him that... and secured him a profit at the box office for every film he made after that (save The Ladykillers).

Though I can't blame Spielberg for the sentimental crap... that's all on Rodat's shoulders. Taken from the real life story of the Niland brothers, Rodat gave us a second act that dragged on inbetween fighting. We got to know the team that was on the mission to save Private Ryan... but I think the part was a little too drawn out. I understand that a certain amount of setting up was in order... and a certain amount of realism to boot... but I think the second act failed.

Some decent cameos in this film, including Ted Danson, Paul Giamatti and Dennis Farina. Some strange choices, but they did good jobs.

Production designer Thomas E. Sanders did an incredible job helping produce a realistic Germany. It's funny, though... just as Allan Starski was the PD on List, Spielberg has never used either of the men again. Sanders has some very good films to his list of credits, along with two Oscar nominations. We Were Soldiers, Mission: Impossible II, Braveheart and Dracula (the Coppola version).

Again, we get Kaminski's excellent work in this film. One of the things that I found to be a good choice (artistically) was the color desaturation of the film. I think it helped give more of an authentic feeling to not only the action but to the development of the era.

The film took home five Oscars, nominated for six others. Effects and Sound Effects, Best Editing, Best Cinematographer, Best Sound. Those I can understand... the film excelled in those areas.

Spielberg was up against Shakespeare in Love, The Thin Red Line, The Truman Show and Life is Beautiful for Best Director, and won. I couldn't tell you if he deserved to win... I think that The Thin Red Line is a better picture than SPR, but that's just my opinion. John Madden did an excellent job with Shakespeare, which won some of the biggies: Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Script and Best Picture.

I've always been fascinated by the prospect of Best Picture and Best Director being given out to two different films. Amazing.

SPR was also nominated for Best Makeup, Best Actor (Hanks), Best Art-Direction / Set-Direction, Best Script, Best Picture and Best Music. I guess the Academy felt bad that they'd voted for Spielberg to win best director, so they gave it to Shakespeare to make up for it, or something... or the other way around. Just doesn't make any sense.

I certainly don't think this is one of Spielberg's best. Violence propels this film forward, and that has nothing to do with Spielberg. Violence makes it fascinating to watch.