Band Of Brothers - First Impressions

Firstly, WOW. I thought the first two-parts of this mini series were superb.
Everything looked and sounded realistic with the paratrooper landing being a highlight.

A few dodgy accents crept in though. .

Can't wait for the DVD, anyone know when it'ss be released?

And what did you all think? Apparantly the veterans of easy comapny stood up and applauded Spielberg and Hanks upon first showing.
Hope this series carrys on at the same quality.

[Stuart Wright]

Yeah looked good.
The filming technique capturing the 'heat of battle' is identical to Saving Private Ryan.
Look forward to the full big screen surround sound experience from DVD.

[Landyrover]

I too was very impressed! Particularly liked the way interviews with surviving members of Easy Company proceeded each part. Bought it to life even more and served as a reminder that these guys actually went through the hell that is war that was portrayed so well in these films (not that film can EVER, of course, communicate the feelings of those actually subjected to such horrors).

I eagerly anticipate the remainder of these films and look forward to their release on DVD, which I have been reliably informed on another forum is early 2002.

[General Skanky]

I loved it.
Excellent.
I particularly liked 'Ross' as the idiot Captain.
I was also surprised at the final note, on how the attack on the guns is still used as a text book assault today!
Can't wait until next week and the DVD. :D

[michaelm]

TWO PARTS??? I thought Tuesday's was the first part with Friday's on BBC2 being a repeat of it.

Aparently the bands of brothers was cut on friday night. i hope the repeat on BBC1 next Wednesday is going to be uncut. These cuts i read in an other forum.

[gargoyle]

I'v just watched 'Band of Brothers' and my opinion? Superb!
I'v heard quite a few negative views slagging it off as being 'too american' and not offering a british or allied point of view - as far as I'm concerned , its a film by Spielberg and Hanks about the war from an american perspective and based around real life , with quotes from surviving vets - if you can get around that , it is totally engrossing and I intend to buy the dvd when it becomes available.
The only bugbear I find is the 'sepia' look which makes for a dull,murky appearance.

[KAO]

Loved it too. One question though...the guy playing Winters...is he Steve McQueen reincarted or what? From some angles it was spooky!

[Juzminator]

Originally posted by Thornastor:
Aparently the bands of brothers was cut on friday night. i hope the repeat on BBC1 next Wednesday is going to be uncut. These cuts i read in an other forum.

You got any more info on the nature of these cuts mate?

[PoochJD]

HI,

I can't see BOB being cut, even if it did go out between 8:30pm and 10:20pm. THe BBC preceeded the showing with clear warnings, as did the Radio Times. What reasons would they have to censor something from the likes of Spielberg and Hanks, that WW2 veterans have said is as near to the realism of war as they've ever seen?!

I think that the reason it is going out on BBC2 is because it is going to be shown uncut, earlier than maybe expected, because BBC2 does show contentious and difficult material, not necessarily intended to be liked by everyone. This might explain why the BBC1 repeat is not airing till 10:35pm on Wednesday night, when BBC1 audiences are more likely to tolerate controversial and possibly offensive material.

Anyhow, if they can show "Pulp Fiction" and "Strange Days" on BBC2 at 10pm on Saturday nights, then I don't think "BOB" is going to look too out-of-place. It may be graphic and quite uncompromising, but it would probably be no more than the equivalent of a 15 certificate film, just like "Schindler's List" or "Saving Private Ryan", and they were both acclaimed for the way they dealt with their subjects.

Like the previous correspondant asked, if you could post more details on any "alleged" censorship cuts, then please do so, as many of us would like to know what and why such cuts were made.

Alternatively, people can contact the BBC Viewer Enquiries department on 08700-100-222. Their ofice is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Hope this helps.

Pooch

Checkout the cuts on www.dvddebate.com by the assistant editor.

[Rambo John J]

Well, if true I'd say I was too big and ugly to need nurse-maiding whilst watching a bit of TV. I notice there's no mention of source for the cuts he's got listed there, although it really didn't harm the programme not having those bits in it.
Still, that's not the point, is it? Unnecessary in my opinion. I just don't see any need for it.

[Stuart Wright]

Originally posted by Anton, Deputy Editor T/DVD:
<STRONG>I used to devour each week in my Battle and Action comic books as a kid.</STRONG>

Cool another ACTION fan. Gore galore !
My nickname at school was HC Dude !!

[PoochJD]

Thornastor,

Your link doesn't go to anything other than DVD Debate's main page. I tried doing a search for "Band Of Brothers", but nothing comes up. Maybe you can post a better link, please?

Also, the BBC have said that the series will only have been edited if:-

1) the series was pre-cut before they received their copies, or
2) due to recent events in the US and Afghanistan that could offend or upset people.

However, if the latter is the case, surely it would be better to wait until this is all over with, and then air it uncut, surely?

I am still going to tape the series, but if I like it, then I would like to get an uncut DVD edition, definitely!

Finally, whilst Rambo is correct about US TV standards being far stricter, this only applies to US terrestrial TV, and not some of the cable and satellite stations. It also varies if the show is intended for syndication (that is, to be aired by different TV networks, all over the US), or just by one station, e.g. Fox, NBC et al.

I think I am correct in saying that US cable station HBO (or Home Box Office) had a hand in this programme, hence the violence and language being far stronger than is normal for US TV. HBO also do "Oz", "Spawn: The Animated Series", "The Sopranos" and "The Corner" (an anti-drug TV mini-series). Many of HBO's series contain violence, sex or bad language that other networks would never allow!

Pooch

[Beek1]

Rather annoyingly I completely forgot about show and only caught it from about the time of the parchute drop. Still what I saw was excellent, mixing historical accuracy with those boys' own kind of stories I used to devour each week in my Battle and Action comic books as a kid.
I hadn't really been paying attention to DVD news about the series, but now I can't wait. What I really need to know though is if there has been any informtation about the show being remastered for Dolby Digital 5.1 for DVD. Anyone heard anything about this yet?