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Saving Private Ryan: The Men, the Mission, the Movie : A Film by Steven Spielberg
Over 50,000 sold—the only illustrated companion book to the extraodinary film. Includes excerpts from Stephen Ambrose's books, screenplay extracts, and commentary by Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Janusz Kaminski and others. 100 illustrations, 130 color plates.
- GenresFilmNonfiction
96 pages, Hardcover
First published July 24, 1998
5 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
Steven Spielberg
95 books191 followersSteven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Spielberg is a three-time Academy Award winner and is the highest grossing filmmaker of all time; his films having made nearly $8 billion internationally. Forbes magazine places Spielberg's net worth at $3 billion. As of 2006, Premiere listed him as the most powerful and influential figure in the motion picture industry. Time listed him as one of the 100 Greatest People of the Century. And at the end of the twentieth century, Life named him the most influential person of his generation. In a career that spans almost four decades, Spielberg's films have touched many themes and genres. During the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, three of his films, Jaws, E.T., and Jurassic Park became the highest grossing films for their time. During his early years as a director, his sci-fi and adventure films were often seen as the archetype of modern Hollywood blockbuster filmmaking. In later years, his movies began addressing such historical issues as the Holocaust, slavery, war, and terrorism.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 11, 2024
In my solitude
You haunt me
With reveries
Of days gone by
In my solitude
You taunt me
With memories
That never die
You haunt me
With reveries
Of days gone by
In my solitude
You taunt me
With memories
That never die
July 29, 2025
Saving Private Ryan, written by Robert Rodat, directed by Steven Spielberg
A different version of this note and thoughts on other books are available at:
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... and http://realini.blogspot.ro/
This is one of the best and most popular movies ever made.
It is at number 28 on the IMDB list of most popular films:
- http://www.imdb.com/chart/top?ref_=tt...
it has won five Academy Awards, been nominated for others and won multiple prestigious prizes around the world.
The film is also on The New York Times’ Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made List:
- http://www.listchallenges.com/new-yor...
the story is overwhelming and believable: the many dead, the horrible violence, bravery and cowardice have been real.
It is also an interesting angle, with the Saving of Private Ryan at the forefront, but with the background of the World War II.
The cast is formidable:
- Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, Paul Giamatti- one of my favorites, Ted Danson- an outstanding professional, Dennis Farina- very likeable and good, Bryan Cranston- Breaking Good in a brief role, Vin Diesel- somebody I do not care much for and so many other excellent actors…
And the director is Steven Spielberg, showing here that he can create anything and he really is one of the best…
The introduction is gruesome, but one of the best entries there ever was, with the invasion of Normandy.
June 6th, 1944 as it was, with many soldiers killed, acts of bravery but also the dark side of war that involved murder.
In one scene, some American soldiers advance towards Germans that evidently want to surrender, with hands up.
The “good guys” keep shouting to their enemies and these answer in…German, but it is not good enough and they are killed.
Unjustified and to make matters worse, if that is even possible, the murders mock their victims with…”look, we cleaned ourselves for dinner.
Captain Miller aka Tom hanks is witnessing this and so many other outrageous deaths, violence throughout the film.
He used to be a teacher of English in his civilian life, but he now has to cope with attempts at desertion and mainly… the Nazis.
The mother of Private Ryan has to receive three letters of condolences, for three of her sons killed in battle.
When they notice this, officials in the Army decide to try and Save the only remaining son, given that this mother has had enough sacrifice in the family.
So they send a team, led by Captain Miller, to extract Private Ryan and send him home from the front.
It is not just a difficult task, for on the way soldiers are killed- and spoiler alerts are not needed for that, because it makes sense, doesn’t it? - and at times all hell breaks loose, with acts of heroism and cowardice.
I thought that the take on this war was extraordinary in that it showed real life and what happens, not the fairy tales that are made up
At one point, one member of the team is really scared and as a consequence he cannot even move from the spot where he is.
If he did, he could save the life of one of his mates, engaged in a life or death struggle with the enemy.
But this anti-hero sits there on the steps leading to where his fellow soldier was giving his life for country and freedom.
And the audience can realize that this is a different film, for in other takes, heroes simply destroy the enemy.
Our side is better, always ready to shoot and kill, fly from danger and always shooting down the enemy tank or plane.
In this magnificent film we learn that it does not always work that way and heroes fight alongside ordinary men…
A different version of this note and thoughts on other books are available at:
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... and http://realini.blogspot.ro/
This is one of the best and most popular movies ever made.
It is at number 28 on the IMDB list of most popular films:
- http://www.imdb.com/chart/top?ref_=tt...
it has won five Academy Awards, been nominated for others and won multiple prestigious prizes around the world.
The film is also on The New York Times’ Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made List:
- http://www.listchallenges.com/new-yor...
the story is overwhelming and believable: the many dead, the horrible violence, bravery and cowardice have been real.
It is also an interesting angle, with the Saving of Private Ryan at the forefront, but with the background of the World War II.
The cast is formidable:
- Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, Paul Giamatti- one of my favorites, Ted Danson- an outstanding professional, Dennis Farina- very likeable and good, Bryan Cranston- Breaking Good in a brief role, Vin Diesel- somebody I do not care much for and so many other excellent actors…
And the director is Steven Spielberg, showing here that he can create anything and he really is one of the best…
The introduction is gruesome, but one of the best entries there ever was, with the invasion of Normandy.
June 6th, 1944 as it was, with many soldiers killed, acts of bravery but also the dark side of war that involved murder.
In one scene, some American soldiers advance towards Germans that evidently want to surrender, with hands up.
The “good guys” keep shouting to their enemies and these answer in…German, but it is not good enough and they are killed.
Unjustified and to make matters worse, if that is even possible, the murders mock their victims with…”look, we cleaned ourselves for dinner.
Captain Miller aka Tom hanks is witnessing this and so many other outrageous deaths, violence throughout the film.
He used to be a teacher of English in his civilian life, but he now has to cope with attempts at desertion and mainly… the Nazis.
The mother of Private Ryan has to receive three letters of condolences, for three of her sons killed in battle.
When they notice this, officials in the Army decide to try and Save the only remaining son, given that this mother has had enough sacrifice in the family.
So they send a team, led by Captain Miller, to extract Private Ryan and send him home from the front.
It is not just a difficult task, for on the way soldiers are killed- and spoiler alerts are not needed for that, because it makes sense, doesn’t it? - and at times all hell breaks loose, with acts of heroism and cowardice.
I thought that the take on this war was extraordinary in that it showed real life and what happens, not the fairy tales that are made up
At one point, one member of the team is really scared and as a consequence he cannot even move from the spot where he is.
If he did, he could save the life of one of his mates, engaged in a life or death struggle with the enemy.
But this anti-hero sits there on the steps leading to where his fellow soldier was giving his life for country and freedom.
And the audience can realize that this is a different film, for in other takes, heroes simply destroy the enemy.
Our side is better, always ready to shoot and kill, fly from danger and always shooting down the enemy tank or plane.
In this magnificent film we learn that it does not always work that way and heroes fight alongside ordinary men…
November 10, 2023
This is an illustrated companion hardcover book to the movie, Saving Private Ryan. It has full-page photos, excerpts, and commentary from those who made the film. It's relatively short and makes a great coffee table book for your veteran and or history huff. If you've seen the movie you'll like this.
February 19, 2023
Estoy feliz de haber dado con este libro. Las reseñas son muy buenas, aunque lo mejor de todos son las fotografías que tienen! El papel y la calidad de la impresión superaron mi expectativa.
April 22, 2023
Nice picture book with great Still Photos of GREAT MOMENTS in the movie.
If You Love The Movie You Will Appreciate This Book.
If You Love The Movie You Will Appreciate This Book.
Read
May 8, 2013I decided to read this book because i recently watched the movie and i thought the book would bring out more details about how things went. I was also recommended to read it from one of my friends sister, she had read it too. The category this covers on the bingo board is 'A book with a main male character.' I thought this category was interesting because it seemed different to any other books I've read. I dont usually read war/history books. My favorite quote from the book would be when Ryan tells Sargent that he doesnt want to come back to his family in America, he would rather stay fighting in war with his brothers. Something new I learned from this book would be to strive and succeed and never hold back or give up. Watching the movie and reading the book really inspired me to love your friends like family too. To me the setting in this book was interesting, the soldiers were in battle in France with German troops everywhere. It was set during the time of the invasion of Normandy in World War II. This interested me more because I like war movies if they're really good but this has to be the best. I rate it 5 out of 5.
November 12, 2012
i really likes the book. it was about war. i also like the movie. it has a god story line. i like the way they explain it in the book. i made me change the way i think about war.
private james ryan has 2 older brothers and he is the only one left. his other brothers die in action. a group of soldiers put together a mission to get the kid home. some of them die on the way. they recue him but most f the men die saving him.
I recommend this book tio anybody who like war. If you like good stories read this
private james ryan has 2 older brothers and he is the only one left. his other brothers die in action. a group of soldiers put together a mission to get the kid home. some of them die on the way. they recue him but most f the men die saving him.
I recommend this book tio anybody who like war. If you like good stories read this
March 16, 2016
Well, I truly enjoyed reading this book as much as I enjoyed the movie. It is a great story, Steven Spielberg and David James has great insight and knows how to pull the reader into the story.Very well written and highly recommended.
July 4, 2007
Book written after the movie. Not much to be said. Still it stayed pretty true to the movie & was clear.
March 8, 2011
i thought the book was alright. There was a lot of war in and fighting. The was the best when they saved him. I recommend the book for peoplewho like war.
January 26, 2011
If you liked the movie, you will probably like this book. It's a bit of behind the scenes look at the film, along with quotes from real WWII vets.
August 2, 2011
The photographs and some of the interviews are excellent, but I wish this was a more thorough document of the production itself.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews