Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #825 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-10-22
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Formats: PAL, Subtitled
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 6
• Running time: 598 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
A genuinely epic achievement, the 10-part World War II drama Band of Brothers is a television series that makes big-screen Hollywood war movies look small in comparison. Based on the book by historian Stephen Ambrose, the series follows the US 101st Airborne Division's "Easy" E-Company from initial training through D-Day and across Holland, Belgium, Germany and Austria until the end of the war. Coproduced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, the series take its initial inspiration from Saving Private Ryan and borrows that film's visceral visual approach to combat scenes using hand-held camerawork and de-saturated photography. But where Band of Brothers excels is in its scrupulous attention to the realities of military life (retired US Marine Captain Dale Dye, who also co-stars, is the man to credit). After the high drama of the parachute drop on D-Day, Easy's greatest trial comes during the Battle of the Bulge, when they are besieged at Bastogne in the depths of winter. In one of the most harrowing and credible depictions of war ever committed to film we see the men enduring the repeated artillery attacks of the German forces and experience, if only vicariously, some of the sheer terror of the assault, while being humbled by the soldiers' courage and determination. Such feelings are enhanced by the series' masterstroke--bookend interviews with the surviving members of Easy Company, who talk with barely suppressed emotion of the experiences we see recreated. The endorsement of these veterans elevates Band of Brothers beyond any mere "war film"--its extraordinary achievement is that it shows the horror and savagery of war without gloss or jingoism, and yet celebrates the fraternal bonds and dogged heroism of the men who fought.

On the DVD: Band of Brothers arrives handsomely packaged in a six-disc commemorative tin, with disc 6 containing all the extras, the meatiest of which is the marvellous 80-minute documentary "We Stand Alone Together" about the real men of Easy Company. There's also a first-rate, genuinely interesting 30-minute "making of" feature about actor boot camp, visual effects and blowing up fake trees among many other things. This is complemented by actor Ron Livingston's revealing Video Diaries of boot camp. Additionally there's a "Who's Who" section and footage of the HBO premiere at Utah Beach, plus a TV spot for car company Jeep. --Mark Walker

Customer Reviews

BRILLIANT - Everyone Should See This Series
BRILLIANT
One of the best war series ever - as time goes by we tend to forget that so many people gave their lives for our freedom - watch this and remember. Gripping stuff a must have in everyone's collection.

Everyone should be made to watch this!!
Having just finished watching this i felt compelled to write something about its magnificence. It is Saving Private Ryan the series - only even better. The presence of Spielberg and Hanks is clearly evident in the production quality, the acting and script also being flawless. The difference is that while Saving Private Ryan was a story about a single mission in WW2 this series follows the real frontline advance of the Allied force as seen through the eyes of Easy Company.
Each episode begins with captions of interviews with the real members of Easy Company which adds perspective and is above all interesting, if at times saddening. The DVD extras are also fascinating.
I dont know what else can be added to the comments made by others except to say that i believe everyone should be made to watch this. If not for the fact that it is the best thing ever committed to film, then to understand what these brave men went through for our freedom. As all students are shown Schindlers list at some point during their education, so too should they be shown this.
For the price that this is available it is a complete bargain so take my advice and just click "add to shopping basket" and move on. This is unmissable!

Band of Brothers
Very watchable, bit clinical but well made. The tin box is neat worth the extra cost.