This is pretty cool.
A significant number of the actors from HBO’s “Band of Brothers” did this a couple of years back, 20 years after the release of the series. But I didn’t see it until now.
I wish I’d seen it on D-Day itself, but hey, the Battle of Normandy was still far from won on June 7. So I pass it on, and hope you enjoy. Curahee!
It starts with “Captain Winters,” but you’ll recognize a number of the guys. Quite a few are Brits, which works well with Shakespeare, as they don’t have to put on American accents. But there are some Yanks as well — “Malarkey” and yes, the incomparable “George Luz.” (Actually, Luz should have done it as an impersonation of Major Horton.)
One or two of the guys look too young to have played soldiers two decades earlier. But on the whole, you see graybeards who seem ready to play the “old man” part of the “Henry V” speech:
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian:’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Of course, the real old men, the ones with real scars to show, are all gone now. At least, all the ones whose portrayers in the series had speaking parts. (Unless you know of someone I don’t know about.) To them truly should go the honor.
But I also honor everyone involved in this series. And I’m glad quite a few of the real guys were still alive to see the tribute, and be a part of it.
I think this is James Madio, who played Frank Perconte. Isn’t it?
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This reminds me.
I’ve always considered “Band of Brothers” to be somewhere in my Top Five, but I’m not sure where, in relation to, say, “West Wing” and “The Wire.”
The other day, I ran across for the first time the Rolling Stone list of “100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.”
And “Band of Brothers” isn’t even on the list. Of the top ONE HUNDRED!
There are good things about this list, such as the fact that they’ve got The Sopranos and The Wire at No. 1 and No. 2.
They’ve got “The Rockford Files” and other middling mediocre shows, and the perfectly awful “24” (which I thought was going to be good — boy, was I disappointed).
But no “Band of Brothers.” Which I found disgusting. Still do.
But I haven’t written about that yet, because I figure I need to present my own Top Five or at least Top Ten (which is easier), and that would take some time…
By the way, the BBC put “Band of Brothers” at 36 on their best-100 list…
Oops. That was a list of 100 best shows of the 21st century, not all time…
Uh-oh. Now I’m ticked off about something else, after looking at a similar list from The Guardian.
Both of those Brit publications list the best shows since 2000 — a very tight time frame — and NEITHER of them lists “The IT Crowd.”
That’s inexcusable…
Saw this clip a year or so ago…can’t remember when. I annually watch the first two episodes of Band of Brothers on D-Day eve.
Oh, yeah.
That second one is one of the best. But here’s a question: Which episode is THE best?
I say it’s episode 7, “The Breaking Point.” For those who don’t remember, here is the synopsis from Wikipedia:
Or, as Bill Guarnere (before losing his leg) summed up the situation:
Yeah, the scene in when Spears explains to them that you have to essentially think that you’re already dead in order to perform your job is pretty powerful. It’s also contrasted with Dike’s failure of leadership, and there’s the moment when Winters wants to go in and take charge of his old Company, but he’s reminded that’s not his job anymore.
I would also put up “Points” for a top episode. The liberation of Berchtesgaden is really well done, with Nixon getting to see the liquor stockpile as a funny moment. Also, there’s the really great scene of the German commander who references the “brotherhood in combat” that isn’t ever explicitly stated by anyone in the 506 PIR, but is certainly applicable to them, as Winters listens. There’s also the great moment when Sobel fails to salute Winters (now a higher rank) and is called out for it. The best part is right after, Nixon’s face just subtly smirking behind Winters. It’s great understated acting.
All good stuff.
But I don’t think this was in that episode: “Spears explains to them that you have to essentially think that you’re already dead in order to perform your job is pretty powerful.”
I think that was in “Carentan.” He said it to Blithe, and that was the episode that was largely about Blithe and his problems. Speirs says it before the Battle of Bloody Gulch….
These list things are very subjective. We all have different backgrounds and life experiences that can lead us to different assessments that others may find odd. And that’s fine. So without any snarky comments here’s my preliminary top 10:
10. Big Bang Theory
9. All in the Family
8. Star Trek
7. Gilligan’s Island
6. The Simpsons
5. Twilight Zone
4. Queen’s Gambit
3. I Love Lucy
2. Black Mirror
1. Severance
Those are mostly pretty good shows.
But you know what? Everybody keeps telling me how great “Severance” is, and I’ve tried to watch it, but just haven’t gotten into it.
Although I think people were right to recommend “Ted Lasso.” I’ve enjoyed that.
But you know what I’ve enjoyed most on Apple TV+? “Slow Horses.” That was great, and it’s really frustrating that I have to wait now for the second season to come out. Come on, people, I know you already shot it — you showed me the preview. So put it on the air!
Good list but not familiar with 1, 2 & 4. I watch the INSP channel and really enjoy the old Westerns. What is fascinating to me is about most of the older Westerns is when the episodes address issues that are relevant today.
How Native Americans were treated and some of the responses would be relevant today. Spousal abuse, fidelity, and other traits that were unacceptable then just as they are now. The treatment of females as second-class humans and how many reacted to it has been explored on several of the Gunsmoke episodes.
Many of our well-known actors had their debuts on Gunsmoke, Bonanza, High Chapparal, and The Virginian. It was fun watching the future Captain Kirk play the part of an outlaw on a couple of episodes. Another good actor who was the future Mr. Spock had a few roles in Gunsmoke portraying a Native American. Now, they would be accused of “cultural appropriation”.
Well, to each his or her own and hope each one enjoys watching their favorite shows. Don’t watch much, have too many other things to occupy my mind and time.
There have also been some really awful shows:
My Mother the Car
Hogans Heroes
Fear Factor (with Joe Rogan)
Jerry Springer
The Rush Limbaugh Show
Mary Hartman
The Bachelor/Bachelorette
Beavus and Butthead
Tucker Carlson
The $64000 Question
Pee Wees Big Adventure
The Housewives of Beverly Hills
I think you mean “Pee Wee’s Playhouse.”
“Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” was the movie about him trying to find his bike. I kind of enjoyed that…
If you disagree, you should start by saying, “I know you are, but what am I?”
OK, that wasn’t one of the best parts of the movie.
But this was:
Here’s another:
I need to remember to say “Nobody hipped me to that, dude” more often…
By the way, those were some awful shows on bud’s latest list. I don’t know what they were on when they came up with “My Mother the Car.”
As for “Hogan’s Heroes” — even when I was watching it as a kid (I watched everything on TV back then), I knew it was offensive. Rest assured that later, I never asked my father-in-law — who was captured at the Battle of the Bulge and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of the Nazis — whether he had watched it. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have appreciated the “humor” in the situation.
Interestingly, here’s a tidbit I ran across just in the last few days — Albert S. Ruddy, one of the guys who came up with “Hogan’s Heroes,” is now better known for producing “The Godfather.”
He’s one of the main characters in the new movie about the making of that classic…
I’d sort of like to see “The Offer,” but I already subscribe to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Disney+ and Britbox.
I’m not going to sign up for Paramount+, also…
Link to a video that makes sense about gun ownership.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/retired-marine-s-gun-control-video-goes-viral-hear-his-solution-on-gun-violence/vi-AAYfQEG?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=7167fddf2b5f425a84619c038df5c39f
Thought this would be a good place for the video. A thoughtful and reasonable approach by a former Marine on gun laws and how they should be applied to everyone purchasing a gun. The point he makes is a good one and should be applied to every gun purchase in the US.
I am a strong 2nd Amendment supporter but believe in reasonable and enforceable laws pertaining to our rights to be responsible owners. I also support legislation that requires anyone purchasing a handgun or AR-15 to complete a training course before taking possession of a weapon. Until the training course is completed, the gun should be in possession of the trainer and only fired while in the presence of the trainer and only after completing and passing the course be given to the owner to take home. Plus, a safe and secure place for storage after leaving the custody of the trainer be provided in the home.
No 18-year-old should be able to walk into a gun shop or gun show and purchase a weapon under any circumstances. If you watch the video by the former marine, it makes perfect sense to have age restrictions even if someone is a member of the military.
Legislation will never be enough to stop someone who is determined to commit mass murder of children or random people but there should be enough safety provisions to at least eliminate as much of the danger as possible and at the same time, protect our 2nd Amendment rights under the Constitution.