Saving Private Ryan

Release: July 24, 1998

Budget: $70,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross: $482,349,603

Saving Private Ryan takes place during the Normandy invasion of World War II. The film tells the story of eight marines tasked with saving the life of an ordinary soldier, who none of them know.

 

It is said that Saving Private Ryan is the greatest war movie ever.

 

Roger Ebert gave Saving Private Ryan four stars out of four and called it “a powerful experience”.

Janet Maslin of The New York Times called it “the finest war movie of our time”.

Gene Siskel, critic of Chicago Tribune, said that the film “accomplishes something I had been taught was most difficult—making an action-filled anti-war film or, at least, one that doesn’t in some way glorify or lie about combat”.

Casting

Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks) captain in the 2nd Rangers Battalion of the United States Army during World War Two, he is the protagonist of the film.

Private Richard Reiben (Edward Burns) private in the in the 2nd Rangers Battalion, hails from Brooklyn, NYC.

Private James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon) private in the 101st Airborne Division in Baker Company. Both his brothers were killed in the war and the 2nd Rangers Battalion are tasked with getting him home safely.

Private Adrian Caparzo (Vin Diesel) was one of the 7 Army Rangers handpicked by Captain Miller to find Private Ryan.

Sergeant Horvath (Tom Sizemore) serving in the 2nd Rangers Battalion of the United States Army during World War Two. He served as the deuteragonist of the film Saving Private Ryan.

Awards & Nominations

Oscar - Winner

  • Winner - Best Director - Steven Spielberg
  • Winner - Best Cinematography - Janusz Kaminski
  • Winner - Best Sound - Gary Rydstrom, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson, Ron Judkins
  • Winner - Best Film Editing - Michael Kahn
  • Winner - Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing - Gary Rydstrom, Richard Hymns

Oscar - Nominee

  • Nominated - Best Picture - Steven Spielberg, Ian Bryce, Mark Gordon, Gary Levinsohn
  • Nominated - Best Actor in a Leading Role - Tom Hanks
  • Nominated - Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen - Robert Rodat
  • Nominated - Best Art Direction - Set Decoration Thomas E. Sanders, Lisa Dean Best Makeup, Lois Burwell, Conor O'Sullivan, Daniel C. Striepeke

Golden Globe - Winner

  • Winner - Best Motion Picture - Drama
  • Winner - Best Director - Motion Picture Steven Spielberg

Golden Trailer Awards

  • Nominated - Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama Tom Hanks
  • Nominated - Best Screenplay - Motion Picture Robert Rodat
  • Nominated - Best Original Score - Motion Picture John Williams

I want to know:

In which other films does Spielberg use handheld camera techniques?

Other than Saving Private Ryan, Spielberg also used handheld cameras in Jaws and Schindler’s list.