Corny as hell - Saving Private Ryan (1998) Discussion

[–] FutureVessel 9 years ago

The opening scene at the cemetery was one of the biggest cringe-fests I've ever seen. I don't think I've ever rolled my eyes so hard.

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[–] RoadKillBill1 9 years ago

Don't worry you and the other juvenile above will grow up some day and realize the world isn't really like Call of Duty.

TNSTAAFL

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[–] FutureVessel 9 years ago

And hopefully you will grow up some day and realize the world isn't really like a Spielberg movie.

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[–] RoadKillBill1 9 years ago

Ok, then what exactly was so cringe-worthy, and unrealistic about the first scene? Are you claiming that old combat vets, especially one from THIS war/generation and in Ryan's situation wouldn't be emotional upon seeing the grave of the man who sacrificed his life, and the lives of five others to save his life? Sure. you know all about life don't you? You come across as one of those juvenile twenty somethings who get most of his life experiences from a video screen, and makes all his "hard" choices with his thumbs.

TNSTAAFL

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[–] FutureVessel 9 years ago

More the quality of the acting, Ryan wasn't too bad, but his family.... oh my god, some of the most hammy wooden acting I've ever seen, "cringe-worthy". Not just that but the whole scene felt really forced un unnatural.
You sound bitter a bitter old man, keep crying into your beer at the local pub while wondering where your life went.

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[–] RoadKillBill1 9 years ago

The acting by the family? You mean those characters that had NO lines in that scene? Yeah, that's what I figured. You've got nothing. Run along and play, little boy. You obviously wouldn't know what "natural" was if it ran up and bit you on your ass. You are just another internet commando with no life experience.

TNSTAAFL

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[–] FutureVessel 9 years ago

lol you're showing yourself up to be an idiot now, acting's not just about saying lines buddy. It's a visual medium if you didn't notice. 

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[–] RoadKillBill1 9 years ago

What a fool! Don't even presume to teach me about acting, you pathetic little twerp. I've been on stage in one way or another my whole life. Face it. You've been caught up in a ridiculous and groundless statement, and are desperately casting about for something to justify your snide and unfounded opinion on. And you come up with the "acting" of a few un-lined, background extras as your proof? Sonny, you define the term "LAME".

TNSTAAFL

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[–] TheLoneStranger 9 years ago

What's even more ironic is that he chooses as his example of an obviously fictitious and unbelievable moment one that comes directly from Spielberg's own life and experiences:

"On my first free day I got in a car and I went to Omaha Beach. I spent a whole day there. I saw something I'll never forget. I saw a man walking ahead of me with his entire family. The man collapsed upon seeing all the crosses and Stars of David, and he began to sob uncontrollably, and his family had to help him to his feet. That's how this movie starts: it starts with something I actually observed happening right in front of me in 1972."

Here's an interesting article for anyone who considers the bookends of SPR to be nothing but corny, flag-waving, nonsense. Read it if you want or don't bother if you prefer.

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/06/the-false-patriotism-of-saving-private-ryan/371539/

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[–] dalecoleman3 9 years ago

Hilarious. Perfectly debunks that criticism.

I have long come to the conclusion that the majority among the most ardent critics of Spielberg are simply people who have significant difficulty in the admission that they possess human emotions.

And, yes, the washed-out colors of the American flag rather vividly remark upon the sadness of the sacrifice, but never offers commentary upon whether the country or the soldiers who survived, or anyone, "earn[ed] this." Indeed, the film never even supports the idea that the original public-relations mission to save Private Ryan was worthwhile. Ryan himself as an older man is almost paralyzed by the guilt that comes with it, and while the audience is allowed to draw conclusions if they so desire, the film itself ends on a note of mourned resignation, not glory, not flag-waving braggadocio.

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[–] FutureVessel 9 years ago

"caught up in a ridiculous and groundless statement" - it's an opinion you moron, in my opinion they were terrible actors, in yours they weren't. Our opinions can't be proved one way or the other. Nothing can be gained from this little exchange so I'm leaving it at that.

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[–] Jimmy_Feline 9 years ago

Nothing can be gained from this little exchange so I'm leaving it at that.

TF for that

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[–] RoadKillBill1 9 years ago

Ok then, if you prefer...a ridiculous, and groundless OPINION. Happy now?

TNSTAAFL

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[–] FutureVessel 9 years ago



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[–] Jimmy_Feline 9 years ago

Nothing can be gained from this little exchange so I'm leaving it at that.

Yet . . .

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[–] FutureVessel 9 years ago

Did I say anything? No.

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[–] RoadKillBill1 9 years ago

But aren't emoticons just a non-verbal way of saying something? You know, like background actors who don't say anything. 

BTW...in case you missed it, mine are saying I'm laughing at you.

EDIT: Oh, and BTW...something was gained by this exchange. I got to paint another dunce hat on the side of my fuselage. 
TNSTAAFL

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] Badlands1 8 years ago

I felt the movie very corny and even campy I was in the infantry, and SPR had it's moments but Spielberg's style is so cheesy, half of the characters were totally wimpy, I understand the medic and the terp were like that (they had way too much screen time and cheesy sobby lines for a serious WWII flick)
And vin diesel, the Jewish soldier and even hanks sob stories were so forced and corny..

The battle scenes felt so forced, Spielberg trying so hard to make us think this moment is so cool or this is where you must feel the emotion...
I'll always say Platoon is the most realistic war movie, it really flowed, compared to this Hollywood flag waver.

Anti-war vs Pro-war movies

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[–] justanicknamed 9 years ago

Did you see Gran Torino? Walt's grandchildren were EXCEEDINGLY disrespectful at their Grandmother's funeral. They wore inappropriate clothing to her funeral and acted inappropriately.

Yes, I know that was how the movie wanted to portray them. The point is, it isn't far from reality. I know that as the movie was letting out, some 15 or 16 year old kid turned to his dad and said, "Why did he let the Nazi go? I would have killed him right there." That made me shake my head that he didn't get it, but I hoped his dad would have been able to explain it to him.

I also had a neighbor who was a WWII vet who opened up to me more than he had anyone other than his wife. She told me that a short while after we'd spent an evening talking about all the stuff they had gone through during the war.

So, we have a WWII vet from a generation that wasn't known for being open emotionally walking around and his children and grand children, who have not had the same experiences or actually had the stories told to them, are just being themselves - and somehow that ruined the movie for you?

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[–] sfrsez 8 years ago

you are a moron. every single shot of steve repertoire is cring worthy. hes unwatchable. but people like u who love cliches are the ones who join armies anyhow

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[–] Truthtalker (1969) 7 years ago

Bingo

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[–] Gd5150 (11749) 7 years ago

Lmfao!!! Amen

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[–] indy_go_blue44 9 years ago

The only thing about the opening scene that bothered me is that after Ryan went into his 1,000 yard stare, the next scene is Tom Hanks in the landing craft. The impression given by the intro is that we're sharing Ryan's memories.

I didn't really comprehend that opening until the final scene back at the cemetery.

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[–] Lyndhen 9 years ago

Wasn't the idea behind that to make Hank's death more shocking? ie the war isn't just a story where other people die but also where the main character dies.

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] grantb-64490 8 years ago

And...? In reality, that says more about you than the movie. Thanks for sharing that extra special insight into your psychology.

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[–] 8 years ago

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[–] RoadKillBill1 8 years ago

Nah. Suing you is not necessary. We'd rather just laugh at you, maybe ridicule you a bit, then ultimately ignore you. It's more fun that way.

TNSTAAFL

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[–] 8 years ago

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[–] 8 years ago

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[–] ozart2002-919-392694 8 years ago

And I cringed after reading your idiotic comment....GFY, and then vote for Hillary. This nation already has too many losers like you.

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[–] 8 years ago

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[–] ozart2002-919-392694 8 years ago

Precisely.....I care about the future of this country - Clinton only cares about Clinton, and if you are blind to that, then you are the loser.

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[–] 8 years ago

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[–] f_rooster_manic 8 years ago

Well the whole film's just "what if we made one of those old patriotic WW2 films like in the 60s, but did it with the stereotypical Vietnam war film grit"

It's The Green Berets pretending it's Platoon. And failing.

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[–] crashdummy35 9 years ago

I agree it has some corny parts but, you gotta remember: totally different era.

People said things like "gosh" and "golly jee-wiz."

Women would actually bat their eyelashes at a fella they liked.

Boys would actually ask a girls parents for permission to date. Now a days you just click her profile and send a picture of your junk to her.

I can accept corniness in certain films.

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[–] Blubonnet_Spearman 9 years ago

It rings true to the era perfectly.

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[–] coolbrett 9 years ago

You have to expect that with a Spielberg movie. He seems to have invented corniness as we know it in Hollywood today. But despite that, it still didn't ruin the movie for me, cos the rest of it was as raw, gritty, and realistic as it gets. It's like Nolan's Batman movies. They're quite dark and serious and yet he decides to throw in several corny moments.

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[–] TwoThousandOneMark 9 years ago

Not corny so much as Spielberg-paint-by-numbers. SPR is no more than a B+ from me because frankly only the battle scenes are standouts.
'Look sir, she reminds me of my niece sir!' #eyerolling

...top 50 http://www.imdb.com/list/ls056413299/

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[–] Solanderer 9 years ago

'Look sir, she reminds me of my niece sir!' #eyerolling

Come on, I'm sure many soldiers felt the same way when seeing a little french girl emerging from a bombed-out house. Sometimes people really do the cliched thing in real situaations.

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[–] kaskait 9 years ago

I didn't think it was corny. But there were parts of the film that definitely pulled the film's punch as a whole.

The bits with the old man should have been taken out ASAP. But leave it to Spielberg to add in a bit of mealy mouth, sermonizing sentimentality.

Oh and for the naysayers. My grandfather was Airborne 82nd Div. He was nothing like the weepy old man in this film. He was tough. He told me he saw his friends shot out of the air and one best friend killed right by his side. He never broke down about it. He never regretted. Because if he had, it would have been over. Experiences like that make you aware of the odds and religion/sentimentality can't trump them.

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[–] Aqqk 8 years ago

being tough doesnt mean you cant shed some mantears. Every person is different, ask your grandad if he saw other soldiers cry, or if he had colleagues years later recount stories and got emotional.

And ryan never regretted what he did, but he came there to pay respects. Those scenes are crtical to the movie, as they link the past and the present. For me it was incredible, and at first I didn't know who the old man was (I thought it was Hanks at first).

You'll appreciate this scene as you get older, I can tell you that.

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[–] Aqqk 8 years ago

sorry OP. Youre wrong, and so are the naysayers. Nothing corny here, this was true acting at its finest. You should ask the veterans what they thought of the film, I guarantee they didn't think it was corny.

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[–] user-169-360487 8 years ago

I agree they should've taken out the scenes with the older Ryan it just ruins the rhythm and adds to the sappiness of this movie...Should've ended with Tom Hanks dying on the bridge...Still a great movie though..

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[–] MoviemanCin 8 years ago

Imtopkea, you're obviously a troll and an idiot.

Schrodinger's cat walks into a bar and doesn't.