Summary

• Band of Brothers achieves historical accuracy by using primary sources and interviews with veterans of Easy Company to create genuine and realistic stories.
• The long-format storytelling of Band of Brothers allows for natural character development and gives attention to smaller subplots.
• Band of Brothers stands out for its portrayal of interpersonal relationships and the impact of WWII on different locations, as well as exploring the aftermath of the war and its complex realities.

Though the Oscar-winning 1999 movie Saving Private Ryan and the 2001 mini-series Band of Brothers actors went on to careers that became huge, including Tom Hardy, Michael Fassbender, and Damien Lewis, to name just a few.

Max's 10-hour mini-series put the nearly three-hour runtime of Saving Private Ryan to shame, and after watching the 2001 documentary The Making of Band of Brothers it's not hard to see why. So much effort was put into bringing the feats of Easy Company to life including employing over 10,000 extras and creating 500 speaking roles, to making thousands of period appropriate costumes and traveling to real European locations. It cost $125 million to make and 3 years to complete, but it's not hard to see why it remains one of the best dramatic series, about WWII or otherwise.

8 Historical Accuracy (Using Letters & Veteran Interviews From Easy Company)

In order to achieve the highest level of historical accuracy, the writers behind Band of Brothers used primary source material to inform their creative decisions. This meant that real letters from the soldiers of Easy Company were scoured for details that would enrich the viewing experience and make their stories feel more genuine. Wherever possible, interviews with the of Easy Company still alive at the time of filming were also mined for information that would translate to the Band of Brothers and the characters on screen feeling like real people rather than stereotypes and ciphers.

7 Band Of Brothers Benefits From Long-Format Storytelling

Since Band of Brothers is a mini-series it can include a lot more than a movie like Saving Private Ryan, and the series benefits from the long-format storytelling option because it allows characters to develop naturally and relationships to develop organically without feeling rushed. It's important to take time because, with such a large cast, it's easy to get confused about the characters, particularly during chaotic battle sequences. Smaller subplots are given the attention they deserve rather than struggling to achieve notice amidst the main characters or the prime plot points.

6 The Interpersonal Relationships Are Better In Band Of Brothers

While the thousands of period costumes are amazing, and the battle scenes are thrilling, the most impressive aspect of Band of Brothers is how it handles the interpersonal relationships between the soldiers. From the top brass on down, the series gets to know each man on a personal level, which forces fans to really care about what happens to them in tense situations. Saving Private Ryan still packs an emotional punch on this front, but it has to utilize a shorthand when it comes to dramatic beats between characters to keep the plot moving, whereas Band of Brothers can linger on the friendships developed from the loyalty of Easy Company.

5 The Scope Of WWII Is Larger In Band Of Brothers

The scope of WWII feels larger in Band of Brothers because everything about it's scale is much bigger than in Saving Private Ryan. The plot takes Easy Company from Albourne and Upottery in England to , Normandy, and Holland, before finding it way to Bastogne, with sets recreating villages, military vehicles, and thousands of extras everywhere adding to the complexity of the production. Because it doesn't take place mainly in one location, fans get to see how WWII is affecting other areas of Europe.

4 Saving Private Ryan Only Follows 8 Soldiers Vs An Entire Company

Saving Private Ryan only follows one group of men from when they first sign up for their training, to the end of the war in Europe. While it might seem like a movie with fewer main characters would be more intimate and raw than a mini-series about dozens more, it felt isolated at times from everything else going on. Following Easy Company makes for a more interesting dynamic because it lays the groundwork for what will become one of the most well-known companies in the U.S. Army.

3 Band Of Brothers Had Better Special Effects

Saving Private Ryan was a first-rate movie, but even a couple of years of separation meant that Band of Brothers had access to superior special effects. Even though it had 10,000 extras, it also featured the next generation of CGI to add to numerous battle scenes. It was able to utilize a lot of the best parts of the film and put them through a top tier production facility with the primary focus of recreating the past in a genuine way.

2 Band Of Brothers Shows More WWII Locations

While it does show a highlight reel of WWI's greatest hits like D-Day at Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge, Band of Brothers forgot one Easy Company battle involving the destruction of the Son Bridge, most were meticulously documented.

1 Band Of Brothers Shows The Repercussions Of WWII

One of the most important things that Band of Brothers shows about WWII is the aftermath of all of its numerous conflicts. While it's wonderful to see Easy Company liberate a concentration camp and see the end of the war, it doesn't negate the complicated reality of the end of the war. From emotional turmoil and PTSD, to the treatment of German prisoners of war by sociopathic officers who want to inflict horrible violence on the enemy even after WWII is over, Band of Brothers leaves fans with many sobering themes to contemplate.