Band of Brothers [Blu-ray]
Based on the bestseller by Stephen E. Ambrose, the epic 10-part miniseries Band of Brothers tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as soldiers’ journals and letters, Band of Brothers chronicles the experiences of these men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear. They were an elite rifle company parachuting into France early on D-Day morning, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and capturing Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest at Berchtesgaden. They were also a unit that suffered 150 percent casualties, and whose lives became legend.An impressively rigorous, unsentimental, and harrowing look at combat during World War II, Band of Brothers follows a company of airborne infantry–Easy Company–from boot camp through the end of the war. The brutality of training takes the audience by increments to the even greater brutality of the war; Easy Company took part in some of the most difficult battles, including the D-Day invasion of Normandy, the failed invasion of Holland, and the Battle of the Bulge, as well as the liberation of a concentration camp and the capture of Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest. But what makes these episodes work is not their historical sweep but their emphasis on riveting details (such as the rattle of a plane as the paratroopers wait to leap, or a flower in the buttonhole of a German soldier) and procedures (from military tactics to the workings of bureaucratic hierarchies). The scope of this miniseries (10 episodes, plus an actual documentary filled with interviews with surviving veterans) allows not only a thoroughness impossible in a two-hour movie, but also captures the wide range of responses to the stress and trauma of war–fear, cynicism, cruelty, compassion, and all-encompassing confusion. The result is a realism that makes both simplistic judgments and jingoistic enthusiasm impossible; the things these soldiers had to do are both terrible and understandable, and the psychological price they paid is made clear. The writing, directing, and acting are superb throughout. The cast is largely unknown, emphasizing the team of actors as a whole unit, much like the regiment; Damian Lewis and Ron Livingston play the central roles of two officers with grit and intelligence. Band of Brothers turns a vast historical event into a series of potent personal experiences; it’s a deeply engrossing and affecting accomplishment. –Bret Fetzer
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars grab this now!
hands down, best war movie I’ve ever seen… and I’ve seen a LOT. I own the standard DVD set and just picked up the blu-ray set last week. very significant upgrade in picture quality even on my 32″ 720p LCD screen. if you are a fan of this series, the blu-ray set is a MUST HAVE at this sale price!
5 Stars Amazing on Blue Ray!
Great Series! I love this on Blue Ray with the additional features and commentary. Perfect!
5 Stars Already love your normal DVD’s? It’s totally worth it to get the Blu ray!!!!
Purchased the regular DVD’s a few years ago and absolutely love it. Thought it may be overkill to buy a whole new set on Blu Ray. I was wrong!! It’s like I’m watching a whole new series. THe picture is amazing. I can see all the tiny pores in the actors skin….it’s that clear!!! WOW
5 Stars Fabulous series
If you want to know what it was like to fight in WWII, watch this series. My relatives who fought in the war says it’s spot on. Hard to watch at times but a great series - highly recommend.
5 Stars As good as it gets. . .
Tom Hanks & Steven Spielberg originally produced this 10 hour long HBO miniseries about the exploits of E-Company from the US 101st Airborne during WWII. The interactive features on this set are astounding. With DVDs the best a fan could hope for where entertaining and insightful documentaries and commentaries, but with Blu-Ray you can actually have an interactive experience. One such feature is the “field guide timeline” where you can click and watch war-time news reels about the battles in question, look at interactive maps, or read info on soldiers & equipment as the episode plays. The other feature, my favorite, is where, w/ a picture-in-picture box, the actual men of Easy Company comment about what’s happening on screen as the episode plays. This is a must own set for any WWII buff w/ a Blu-Ray player.
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