What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

Seeing how this is my favorite film, I'm really intrigued as to what films Speilberg looked at for inspiration. I just finished OVERLORD which shared alot of similarities with the opening shot of the men in the Higgins boat.

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

A technically masterful opening sequence followed by a mediocre-to-crappy war film?

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

Overlord did come out about 23 years earlier then SPR...

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

As far as the filmmaking style, I don't know. But the plot was inspired by the true story of the Sullivan brothers.

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

My guess was that he wanted to make a John Ford war movie for the 90's

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

There are a few Kurosawa influences.

The solider who picks his severed arm up during the fighting (Forgot which Kurosawa film originated this)

And the scene when Upham is watching a battle from the distance is reminiscent of the spy-abduction sequence from Seven Samurai when Katsushiro watches the event from a distance.

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

Do you mean Yojimbo, in which a stray dog carries a human hand in it's mouth?

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

Actually, it was closer to the story of the Niland Brothers

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

I know Spielberg is a WWII buff and being Jewish has a lot of meaning for him personally. It is also one of my favorite films and at the top of my list for upgrades to Blu-ray.

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

Steven Spielberg is JEWISH?!

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

Cornel Wilde's Beach Red was a big influence on SPR and The Thin Red Line.

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

You wouldn't think it from looking at his last name, but it's true. He was born Steven Spielstein, but changed his name once he got to Hollywood because he was worried it would sound too "ethnic".

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

I thought he was a Mexican. :hscratch:

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

If I had to guess I'd say he stole everything from the secret CIA files on Frank Dux.

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

Now who's a bright penny? ;)

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

Spielberg's biggest influences for Saving Private Ryan were:

1) The highly, highly acclaimed "The Story Of GI Joe"
2) "The Fighting Sullivans"

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

He's actually a Mexican Jew.

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

I fking hate this site

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

Really disappointing that no one has mentioned this yet.

<img src="http://camerastyloonline.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/comeandseepreview3.jpg">

gglass4269, Spielberg's style from SPR seems to come, IMHO at least in part, from Elem Klimov's Idi I Smotri (Come and See).

You should check it out.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091251/

Re: What were Speilberg's influences for Saving Private Ryan?
 

Check out a film called "A Walk in the Sun".