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Band of Brothers Customer Reviews (1 - 3 of 117 Reviews)

some of the finest TV you will ever see
As I watch this DVD it makes me a little sad to realize just what garbage most of TV is. This production stands tall above most of the horrible pap you will see on TV. Shows like this Deadwood, the Wire (seems to be a theme with HBO shows ;), new Battlestar, etc. make one pay attention- as if you are reading a good book.
I can see now how the stories all are integrated together- one episode will introduce a theme, character, etc which may not show up to a few episodes down the road- keep your Eye on Lt Spears who makes a scary introduction but will Amaze in "Breaking Point" . Of course you get the visual and sound of the battle, which while amazing also shows the sheer carnage of modern warfare, you touch the people in Easy Company and they touch you. Almost all of this is passed on true stories told by the Men of Easy Comapny who were in the middle of all this madness. Stand outs include the episodes "Breaking Point"- a fine piece showing how to lead people and survive under extreme circumstances. "Day of Days"- the Jump into Normandy and the days that follow- you meet one of the amazing People of Easy who is also a great leader, Captain Winters. A quiet red haired Gentleman who guides his men and will be noticed throughout your viewing - keep your eyes on the interviews. You also get overwhelming documentary that if it doesn't get you on an emotional level nothing will. Think every history class and People who decide to send others into Battle should take a long look at such works as these in order to get a glimpse at the Human side of conflict. Take a look at the book also- fine piece of Nonfiction War writing that this production is built on.

One of the best portrayals of war in some time
By now, most people have heard of the mini-series Band Of Brothers. Unfortunally I neglected this show when it was originally aired in 2001 because of 9/11 and its aftermath. When I received this order from Amazon, I honestly did not know what to expect. After watching all 10 episodes, the praise this show received was well deserved. After watching the mini-series, I began to think, "can the same type of comraderie survive in this age?" I would like to hope so. On a related note, in 2004, when I was a junior in high school, I attended Boy's State which is a subordinate org. of the American Legion, a veteran's organization. There, WWII vets told me stories about best friends from childhood dying in front of them, and of acts of heroism that could not be made up by even the best hollywood screenwriter. But they put up with it for the man next to him, and in the belief that what they were doing was just. After taking into consideration of veterans as well as the portrayal of soldiers in WWII, this review can best be summed up by the words than are on the tin box: They Depended On Each Other And The World Depended On Them.

This deserves so many more stars....
Band of Brothers follows the men of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne during World War Two. The series has ten episodes about 50 minutes to an hour long, and shows just how courageous people can be when they fight for what they believe in. This 7 disk set comes with a lot of graphic violence but is very accurate in portraying the lifestyles these men had to endure for many months, as well as the friendships they made in dangerous times.

Episodes Include:

1] Currahee - This takes place a year before D-Day and the men of Easy Company have arrived at boot camp. They must learn how to shoot a rifle, throw a grenade, learn sign language for stealth, and get into amazing physical shape from training as well as by running up a steep hill called Currahee. Led by their drill instructor Lt. Sobel [played by David Schwimmer] Easy Company starts to become the best at everything. The show ends after training as the men are called up to parachute into German occupied territory one day before D-Day to secure the area for the massive invasion.

2] Day of Days- It's D-Day and Easy Company has parachuted into Normandy. Lt. Winters drops and finds he's lost his men, doesn't have a rifle, and after meeting with other men from different companies, realizes everyone has missed their dropzones. After meeting up at the area everyone is supposed to go to, Winters is given the mission to take out a German artillery position. A fierce firefight that is still studied today by soldiers in training happens as Winters and his men attack the German position. The first death of a man has Winters wondering if he will make it as well in the war.

3] Carentan - The next job for Easy Company is to take control of a German occupied French town named Carentan. Although the mission goes surprisingly well, Winters is unsure it's over just yet. He's right, as a massive German counterattack force arrives to retake Carentan. What happens next is a stalemate between the two sides and another fierce firefight in the morning. However Easy Company prevails again with the help of a couple of tanks. The men take some well deserved R&R but are then told they are going back to Normandy

4] Replacements - A new group of trainees, fresh out of bootcamp and never fired a rifle at a real person, arrive to replace those lost in the war so far. The next mission for Easy Company is called Operation Market Garden. Easy Company is ordered to take Eindhoven, a town in Holland. However the mission turns into a total failure as a massive German force turns the Allied forces back. Easy suffers many casualties and one man, Sgt. "Bull" Randleman, is stuck behind enemy lines.

5] Crossroads - Winters is now a Captain after a fantastic victory against a German SS position which leaves two whole companies of SS dead. Winters prepares a report on the attack he led and the battle is shown through his eyes as he writes his report. Near the end of the episode Easy Company is told they need to go to the front line in the forested area near Bastogne.

6] Bastogne - The 101st Airborne is surrounded by German forces and are holding the line during the Battle of the Bulge. 2 medics are the only source of relief for injured men and the story follows one of them, Eugene, as he struggles to deal with many men injured and sick. The famous response to a German demand for surrender is shown here, as the Comanding General of the Airborne responds, "Nuts." This is one of my favorite epsiodes just for the relationship between the medic, Eugene, and a nurse in the small town that holds the injured soldiers.

7] The Breaking Point - In this episode Easy Company must take the town of Foy, in Belgium. However the incompetence of the company's leader, Lt. Dike, has many of the men wondering if the company is going to suffer a lot of unnecessary casualties following him. Easy Company also suffers a month of constant shelling while sleeping in foxholes in the woods before the attack, and this epsiode shows just how demoralizing war could be. Easy Company takes the town, but not without heavy casualties. An emotional episode.

8] The Last Patrol - Easy Company is on the front line in the town of Haguenau. A new mission is sent to Easy Company to cross the river that separates a German observation position from the Allied forces to capture German soldiers. Joining the patrol is Lt. Jones, a replacement fresh out of West Point who is eager to see some real action. This is another episode that shows the toll the war is taking on the men as the platoon the men are chosen from for this mission have already dwindled down in numbers from losses in Bastogne. Although the mission is a success, the death of a soldier has Winters wondering if orders for another patrol to be sent out the next day is a good idea.

9] Why We Fight - More than 300,000 German troops have surrendered, and Easy Company finally drops into Germany. Rumors that the Germans are finished have reached the ears of the soldiers and they begin to predict when the war will end. However all that talk is pushed aside as a patrol discovers the Nazis' most disturbing secret, a concentration camp. This is another greatly emotional episode as the men are shocked at what brutality the camps show. Also, word of Hitler's suicide comes to Easy, and they are now sure victory in Europe is coming. The beginning and end for this episode are fantastic.

10] Points - Germany has surrendered, and the men are wondering if they are going home. However in order to go home they need to have a certain number of, "Points" to show they've served their part in the war. They are also well aware that the war with Japan in the Pacific is still going on, and are wondering if they will be sent there next. This is the final episode of Band of Brothers, and it shows what the men are doing now that they are at peace with the Germans. At the end of the episode they show every single man who served in Easy Company and what they did after the war. A fantastic ending to a fantastic mini-series.

Extras on Disk Seven:

We Stand Alone, Together - A great documentary that shows the real men of Easy Company and what their lives were like during the war. A really great and emotional set of interviews.

Ron Livingston's Video Diaries - Ron Livingston, the man who played Lt. Nixon, shows a set of clips he himself filmed during the, "Actor Boot Camp," as the actors prepared to play the real men of Easy Company.

The Making of Band of Brothers - A great look at the making of the mini-series. Showing the costumes, sets, and special effects.


This is a great World War 2 experience. If you like watching World War 2 movies, this is one set that you should definately look at. Highly recommended.

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