The Real Band Of Brothers [DVD]

This DVD is a historical account of the 101st Airborne as a whole.

The main accounts in the this DVD (The Real Band of Brothers) are from men who joined the 101st Airborne 2yrs after the likes of LT Richard Winters and E company were conceived. In saying this I take nothing from the men commenting on the part they played in WW2 or their involvement in the 101st airborne as all those who gallantly fought in WW2 deserve recognition of the sacrifices they made.

However if you buy this DVD based on the above review thinking it will give the ins and outs of E company and Lt Richard Winters forget it. This is a DVD around the history of the 101st Airborne as a whole and does not refer to any particular company. Nor are their any comments from members of E company. The DVD doesnt even comment on the 101st conception or anything relating to training in TOCCOA and Currahee.

THIS DVD IS A HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE 101st AIRBORNE and should be re-titled as such NOT labelled the real band of brothers.

This is the true story of what was a real group of Americans Paratroops went through, who were to be imortalised by the title of the book, and later this mini-tv series, as the 'Band of Brothers'. Although the men portrayed in this series were only related through their military roles of being paratroops, not through family ties,they carried on being a Band of Brothers long after the war finally ended, and only the death of one of this band ended their relationships.

Whilst the story of these mens involvement was not filmed during the actual training that they carried out prior to D-Day, nor the fighting that they were involved in afterwards, it does however give those seeing this series a far truer story of what these men went through during all of their time that they were at war against the German forces.
It is often extremely difficult for modern day film makers to realise, and be able to show without perhaps adding to the actual events a group of men had been involved in, however Steven Speilberg and Tom Hanks have managed to capture as to how a group of men, all of who came from different backgrounds and places all over America, were to become what was to become not only a very potent striking force during the battles against the Nazi regime, but also a group of men who were to become a Band of Brothers.

Under the leadership of one of their officers (Lt Richard Winters) who was to lead his men into their many battles with the enemy, doing so from the front and not one of those officers who perhaps just told his men as to what they had to do whilst they went and sat in some cosy and safe place as their men risked their lives, this particular band of men all knew that this officer was one that they could fully trust to not to lead them into more danger than was needed.
All of the actors that represented each of the main characters in this story, which showed the individual involvements that took place in the real fighting, managed to replicate as closely as was possible the many battles that the now old men took part in, so that people can now see as to what the real men went through, and the actors should all be very proud of their acting, as were the men they depicted.

With the actors having met all of the men that they going to represent, or told of the deeds of those who were no longer alive, the actors then had to try to understand as to how they would have to act each scene so that it was as close to reality as was possible, and it is said that the now older men were proud to have their deeds attached to them after seeing what the actors portayed in such a realistic a way, without having people injured or killed in making such a powerful and emotional depiction of war and its brutality.
Like all wars there are times during this epic mini tv series when men were shown being killed or injured, whilst some of those taking part in the real battles also were shown having to fight their own mental battles brought on by war, as did many of what were their enemy,
Unlike some of the that have been made, which depict the American involvement during the fighting that took place in World WarII, and do not depict reality, this series is one that shows a far more realistic impression as to what the men that took part in the fighting actually experienced.

It was only at the beginning of January 2011 that the officer (Leutenant Richard Winters) who had led the real Band of Brothers during the war died. All of the men who that shared a part of this man's life, with some not living to see their exploits made into what is one of the best series of the fighting during WWII, will no doubt have been proud to have not only known this man, who led them into battle, but each of the others that they fought alongside.

I cannot recommened more strongly that those who are interested in the history of the war in Europe see this series, and that it should be remembered as to the sacrifice that was made by all those who took part in what was a brutal fight against a brutal enemy that sought to rule the world, but fortunately failed to do so due to there being men and women who were prepared to give everything to stop this from happening.

eye witness accounts of experiences of airborne soldier
varied stories from veterans involved in ww2
different situations its interesting how the war affected
each soldier differently