Notes about Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan is a action packed war film based on World War II. It was first released on September 11th 1998; it was directed by Steven Spielberg whose other famous films include: Jaws, E. T, Jurassic Park and Shindlers List. Saving Private Ryan breaks some of the traditional conventions of the war film genre as its first twenty four minutes recreates the US troops landing at the Omaha beach in Normandy and the search for James Ryan and to get him back safe begins.

The one hundred and seventy minute long action film was a joint production by DreamWorks and Paramount. The film won five academy awards (Oscars) including best director 1999. The leading cast include Tom Hanks (Captain Miller). Tom Sizemore (Sergeant Havorth), Berry Pepper (Private Jackson) and Matt Dawman (Private Ryan). The film recreates life as a soldier in World War II.The opening battle sequence consists of twenty minutes of chaos and horrific blood splatter, the opening battle sequence was also very realistic as everything was happening very fast people dying and screaming continuously added to the confusion and devastation as their were soldiers running and gunshots being fired in all directions this made the whole opening battle sequence very destructive.

The use of the handheld camera in the battle sequence increases and emphasises on the impact caused and makes the opening sequence very lively and this makes us the audience feel part of the action and as if we are making our way around the beach.Spielberg used the effect of desaturated colour in the film as it made it look more like a World War II newsreel footage and this then added to the realism and that Spielberg wanted from the start "I was looking for realism all the time". In interviews when the film was released Spielberg was questioned upon the opening sequence " I wanted to put chaos upon the screen. I wanted the audience to feel the same as the green recruits"As the film opens you can see an old man (James Ryan) walking towards the Coleville SurMer memorial graveyard a graveyard made for the remembrance of the people who died in the Second World War . As James stops at a gravestone the camera slowly zooms into Ryan's face and then to a big close up of his eye, the camera carries on zooming in onto the eye creating a very tense mood. Finally the camera fully zooms into a big close up of James Ryan eye and within his eye we see a blazing fire.

Next the camera cuts to a deep focus shot of the beach of iron hedgehogs in the foreground and background this is a flash back to June 6th 1944 as the U. S army prepares to land at Omaha beach in Normandy. Next we see a long shot of boats as they approach the shore, there is no dialogue in the beginning of the transition but we hear the sound of waves gradually increasing and the loud of roar of the boat engines, this sets a mood of tension and fear for the audience and we are also then given a cursory introduction to some of the main characters Captain Miller etc.As the camera cuts to a close up of Captain Millers hands shaking we also see shots of the other soldiers and their terrifying expressions and continuous sounds of vomiting and nausea whilst the clear instructions are being shouted out this shows us the audience how nervous the soldiers are and the fear inside them is fully shown with their expressions. As the boats approach Omaha beach the U.

S army are greeted with massive German artillery bombardment and immediate rapid gunfire which creates a sense if confusion because of people running around unpredictably and dying one after the other this increased the chaotic drama.As soon as the boat doors open U. S mass murder begins as before even getting off the boat many of the soldiers are being killed and shot. The camera cuts to a medium and close up shots of soldiers being killed with the background sound of very loud gunfire this shows us the true welfare of war and battle as people are dying for the cause of peace this is also shows us that the battle is not going to end quickly as but sides did not stop firing.As the battle commences the camera cuts to a close up of soldiers being assailed with bullets killing them and taking there lives.

In a matter of seconds boats full of people were dead or seriously wounded due to the shower of bullets fired by the Germans and this implied that the German only had one motive and objective to completely destroy the Americans. The camera then cuts to an over the shoulder shot gives German perspective emphasising a sense of power and advantage over the Americans as they had already buried hundreds of soldiers with heavy gunfire.The gruesome and revolting tragedy continues as soldiers were being operated on or parts being amputated on the battlefield this creates a very perturbed and uncomfortable feeling as medic-soldiers had their hands filled with blood and were cutting open others trying to save them. As the American soldiers plunged into the water to save their lives the camera follows them, creating a American perspective to show the struggle and tension that they were going through on land and under water.We hear bullets zip through the water still killing the Americans soldiers this also suggested that the Americans had no escape and could not back down now as it was too late either they fought and died or tried to save themselves and still died this was the dilemma that some of the American soldiers faced and Spielberg created a realistic recreation of this.

Every time the camera went under water the sound muted creating the soldiers perspective, once again the brilliant camerawork brings whole audience close to the action and violence commencing.Under attack the Americans are helpless, confused and some are unaware what to do or how to react. Again the camera cuts to a German perspective showing and creating the power they have and the immense difficulty of the American mission. This made us the audience feel that the Americans are fighting a lost war as they are being killed one after the other, this also makes us feel that no-one will survive out of the American army, as soldiers get shot continuously with no limits as the German army lead by Adolf Hitler didn't feel no pity.As the chaos increased on the eight kilometre Omaha beach the camera cuts to a close up of Captain Miller as he emerges from the blood diluted sea, confused and bamboozled Captain Miller lays on the ground looking around. As bullets fly past we are put into more nerve-racking moments of drama when soldiers run for cover not taking anything in consideration and stepping on the dead and wounded.

Next the camera jerks as a slow motion of Captain Millers expressions are taken with no sound the camera shots are edited alternately with random horror taking place around the Captain. Captain Miller's perspective in addition creates a worrying situation as the Captain of the army lays shocked, senseless and shaking as he sees his soldiers' dead. This creates an even harder situation for us the audience as the Captain is terrified this also shows us that Captain Miller is slightly starting to lose hope in his troops and himself.The muted sound accompanies the slow motion of Millers view around the beach which creates a chance for us the audience to think what has happened about the mass murder.

As the camera cuts from Captain Miller's perspective to a close up of him spilling bloody water out of his round green helmet, and placing it back on firmly. This shows us that in the war blood splatter is no big thing and is a part of the war and life as a soldier to be covered in blood of enemies and your own troops.As the captain stands back upon to his feet covered in blood and gruesome body parts the sound returns nosily the explosions can be heard very loud and echo throughout the beach everywhere. As Captain Miller returns back upon on to his feet we hear the sound of young soldiers shouting to him for instructions over all the gunfire, this shows us that Captain Miller is a very important person in the battle and he is needed by the rest of the troops to commence the battle.

After seeing the all the devastation Captain Miller regains to his senses and begins to resume his responsibilities as a Captain leading the troops and recruits back into the war. Due to this we see and get a realistic insight of the true horror of war and how every soldier makes big impact on the whole mission. Again the camerawork is brilliant as it shows us the audience all the devastation through the eyes of Captain Miller who is leading the U. S army behind the enemy lines.

This shows us how hard it would have been for the Captain to see hundreds of his own recruits and troops lying dead on the battlefield. As the battle draws closer to t he end we see a close up shot of Millers hand shaking and then a close up of Millers eyes, next the camera cut to the Captain Millers perspective showing us his viewpoint of the beach and his recruits which who have survived. The peace and calmness is a relief for us the audience after the exhausting tension, action and violence.The camera then cuts to the long shot of the bloody water washing over the dead bodies, this shows us how many people have died in the battle and also makes us feel very emotional as so many young soldiers went to war and only some retuned due to the difficult challenge they were put against the German army.

The sound of the gentle music fades away and we hear the peaceful waves after the prolonged noise and chaotic destruction, s Spielberg contrast both the sounds of heavy gunfire throughout the war with the sound of gentle waves after the war.The camera then cuts and shows us blood diluted red waves crashing on to the beach and covering the bodies at this moment we see how many have sacrificed their lives for their country and for the sake of peace. The colossal amount of bodies also shocks us as we now realize the true reality, revulsion and enormity of war. As the camera shows us a long shot of the bodies on the battlefields it also then cuts to random objects and items e.

g. the boots of a soldiers and a blood filled helmet are some of the things shown.This make us s the audience feel very emotive for the soldiers as they lost their lives and lie on the beach being away with the waves. The melancholy and downhearted music added to the solemnity of the images of dead soldiers and Spielberg used this as a sign of respect for the soldiers. The camera then gradually cuts to a long shot of the beach sowing all the destruction, next the camera slowly pans left and zooms in on to the wording on the backpack of one of the soldiers 'Ryan'.

The name Ryan then links to the first twenty four minutes of the film (the battle sequence) as he was a paratrooper and was battling in the war, also the name related to the title and the plot of the film 'Saving Private Ryan' as they had to save James Ryan as his three older brothers were dead in duration of three days and the government had sent a command to Captain Miller to find and bring back James Ryan alive as it would have been to hard for their mother to receive the news that she has lost four sons.The opening scene in Saving Private Ryan prepared us well for the rest of the film as it showed us the plot of the story at the beginning as the typists were typing out the death notices for Mrs Ryan and showed us that there were continuous deaths of her three sons and one was still out behind enemy lines. From this point we find out the plot of the story and the title also links in and we find out that the film is about how the Captain saves Private Ryan and sends him back alive. After knowing the plot of the film we then know that what is going to follow and we are fully prepared for it.The opening battle sequence is very shocking and realistic as it shows us the true reality of war and how the recruits and troops felt when they were on the battlefield it also shows us open operations and amputations taking place on the battlefield.

I think Spielberg has achieved and succeeded in situating 'Chaos up on the screen' as he made the opening battle scene last twenty four minutes and this was full of chaos and unpredictability as we didn't know what was going to happen next at any moment in the battle sequence.Also in the opening battle the U. S army was under attack even before they had left the boats this also was very chaotic as soldiers were jumping overboard into the sea to save themselves also we see soldiers running out onto the battlefield and getting shot in a matter of seconds of leaving the boat. Also Spielberg showed a lot of gore and blood which also added to the effect of chaos and made us the audience feel the pain and emotive for the soldiers.

Overall I think that Saving Private Ryan is the best war film made to date as it shows the true reality and horrors of war, also the film shows us how life would have been in the Second World War for the soldiers. The film puts forward all the things that soldiers would have had to put up with and how they lay dead on the battlefield after they had lost their lives. Also Saving Private Ryan is differentiated from other war time films as it has a different story and a very realistic recreation of the war battle.