Band Of Brothers - Complete HBO Series commemorative gift set (6 Disc Box Set) [2001] | ![Band Of Brothers - Complete HBO Series commemorative gift set (6 Disc Box Set) [2001]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5154X0SP0ZL._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Actors: Damian Lewis, Donnie Wahlberg, Ron Livingston, Scott Grimes, Peter Youngblood Hills
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: £59.99
Buy New: £14.95
You Save: £45.04 (75%)
New (19) Used (7) Collectible (3) from £13.29
Rating:  185 reviews
Sales Rank: 39
Format: Box Set, Pal, Widescreen
Languages: French (Subtitled), Swedish (Subtitled), Norwegian (Subtitled), Danish (Subtitled), Finnish (Subtitled), Croatian (Subtitled), Czech (Subtitled), Greek (Subtitled), Hebrew (Subtitled), Hungarian (Subtitled), Icelandic (Subtitled), Polish (Subtitled), Turkish (Subtitled), Dutch (Subtitled), Bulgarian (Subtitled), Romanian (Subtitled), Arabic (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Dubbed)
Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Number Of Items: 6
Running Time: 782
Discs: 6
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.8 x 1.7
EAN: 7321900251525
ASIN: B00005UP86
Theatrical Release Date: September 9, 2001
Release Date: November 5, 2002
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: 100% Guaranteed, Sameday 1st Class Dispatch, Brand New Still Sealed
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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 box set with two episodes on each of the first five discs. Sound (Dolby 5.1) and picture (1.78:1 widescreen) only enhance the series' epic credentials. Disc 6 contains 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
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| Customer Reviews: Read 180 more reviews...
Spectacular January 9, 2009
Filmed in 2000 and transmitted in 2001, Band of Brothers is a 10-part mini-series which remains the most expensive TV series ever made (at least until the budget for its new companion series, The Pacific, is revealed). The series was developed by Steven Spielberg as a continuation of the themes and ideas he explored in his hit 1998 movie, Saving Private Ryan. Whilst the film's running time meant that only a small portion of the Second World War could be depicted, the greater scope and length afforded to a series meant that more of the conflict could be shown and the characters' story arcs would be more satisfying. Also, it was decided that, unlike the purely fictitious Saving Private Ryan, the TV companion piece would be based on true events and real soldiers. The rights to the book Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose were purchased and Ambrose and the surviving soldiers portrayed in the book were brought in to consult on the project.
Band of Brothers opens in 1942, shortly after the formation of the 101st Airborne Division by the US Army. The first episode follows the training of Easy Company at Toccoa, Georgia, over the course of a year. They are placed in the care of Captain Herbert Sobel (Friends' David Schwimmer) who trains them far harder than the other men of the 101st, with the result that soon the company has a reputation as the best company in the division. However, Sobel's methods make him highly unpopular with the men, especially when it is revealed that his nerves fail him in field exercises. The unit is shipped to England to train and prepare for D-Day, but Sobel's limitations are eventually recognised and he is relieved of command. The second episode has the 101st parachute into Normandy just ahead of the beach landings. When Easy Company's commanding officer is killed during the drop, it falls to Lt. Richard Winters (Damien Lewis) to assume command and lead a daring attack on a German artillery position targeting the beaches. Winters becomes the closest thing to a central character and is one of only a few characters to appear in every episode.
What initially impresses about Band of Brothers is its authenticity. Its production values would be impressive for a movie, but for a TV series they are stunning. But where the series really works is its focus on the characters. Whilst some events are dramatised or compressed for timing reasons, pretty much everything that happens in the series is based on a true event and every one of the main characters is based on a real person. This makes the series unpredictable and strongly emotionally resonant: if a character is wounded or killed without warning, it is because his real-life counterpart was wounded or killed at that point of the war. This is also why every single actor brings his A-game to his role: when the person you are playing is actually going to be watching your performance, or if he has passed away and his friends are, then you definitely need to be on top form.
The producers seemed to realise early on that simply having ten episodes of non-stop carnage would get boring pretty quickly, so each episode is built around different characters and premises, and the individual episode directors are allowed to indulge their own artistic styles somewhat more than is normal on a television drama. A particular stand-out is the sixth episode, which focuses on Easy Company's medic during the Battle of the Bulge and follows him from unit to unit, seeing his friends get wounded and having to patch them up, or having to watch them die. It is an incredible piece of television drama. As is traditional with HBO, they don't make things too easy for the viewer. Easy Company is made up of several platoons, with some episodes focusing entirely on one group and others on all of them, meaning that characters appear, disappear and reappear from episode to episode. Characters are also promoted, demoted, wounded or killed off and the viewer is expected to work out who is who and what they are doing sometimes very quickly. This lack of spoon-feeding is as refreshing here as it is on other HBO productions such as The Wire, but casual viewers may find themselves swamped on first viewing.
The series employs an interestingly desaturised colour tone, which puts its feel somewhere between full colour and black and white. Whilst this adds immensely to atmosphere, it does make telling some of the characters apart difficult, again on first viewing, especially as most of the time they are wearing full combat gear and helmets. For these reasons the series rewards careful re-watching and is also better suited to the DVD format, with the viewer able to watch several episodes in a row and work out who is who and what their roles within the company are.
The series' action sequences rival some of the strongest war movies in their intensity and vividness, but it's in the quiet moments that it excels. The banter between the men is authentic and the importance of the bonds that form between soldiers in combat with regards to keeping them sane is strongly emphasised (more cliched, "I love you, Sarge!" moments are firmly absent, thankfully). In fact, one of the strongest moments in the series comes when one of the company's toughest, most effective lieutenants suddenly breaks down after seeing two of his men get their legs blown off in front of him. The mental pressures of the war are portrayed as being as dangerous and difficult to deal with as enemy action. Questions of morality in warfare are also intelligently raised: one soldier is rumoured as having brutally gunned down more than a dozen unarmed German PoWs on D-Day but later proves himself to be the bravest and most efficient officer in the unit whose actions repeatedly save the lives of his men.
Band of Brothers (*****) is a staggeringly impressive piece of work, not just for its incredible budget and impressive special effects, but for its intelligent and often powerful writing, phenomenal acting and the resonance provided by knowing that pretty much everything that happened in the series is based on a real event. It is available on DVD in the UK and USA, and also now on Blu-Ray in the UK and USA.
fantastic December 20, 2008
i honestly have nothing to add to the previous reviews other than my five-stars. this series is quite simply fantastic. ANYONE will enjoy it - you, your granny, your mistress, your maid, your paperboy, your MP, your gynaecologist. and at this price you will CERTAINLY not be wasting your money.
Believe the hype December 17, 2008
Simple. Band of brothers is completely and utterly the best war series ever made, in fact to me it even tops any war film i've seen.
It's like saving private ryan only better and whats more, all the charectars and scenarios are real.
The whole thing is action packed but theres so much more to it than what one would expect - you can really get to know the charectars, and really miss the ones that die.
It's a thought provoking series, for example the boys stumble upon an abandoned concentration camp, complete with deserted jewish prisoners.
As for the set, awesome extra features, beautiful box, lots of things to watch when not watching the feature.
This is going for a great price here on Amazon. Even if you're not a war enthusiast, these are great peices of film making.
five stars!
15? Don't think, just buy it! December 15, 2008
This is just a no brainer. An excellent and engrossing tv series, with a great story, characters and production, this is just an essential buy.
Lest we forget December 9, 2008
If you liked 'The Winds of War' and 'The Holocaust' both brilliant. Then I think you'll like 'Band of Brothers' It's another brilliant timeless World War 2 epic. I can see that most has already been said by others in the reviews I've read. But if you've just been introduced to this series then your education has just begun. Remember the words 'Lest we forget?' Believe me you'll remember this one.
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