I'm awed by the opening theme of Band of Brothers. Composed by Michael Kamen, it's haunting, uplifting...it expresses the emotional range of the nine-plus hour film in just a few minutes. The story goes that Kamen was working on the score for some piece of shlock (can't remember what), couldn't get anywhere, and was approached or referred by Hanks to do Band of Brothers. Hanks knew Kamen from the miniseries From the Earth to the Moon, which Hanks produced and Kamen scored.

The HBO Band of Brothers miniseries chronicles the World War II experiences of Easy Company, from boot to discharge...or in some cases, death. Each of the nine episodes is independently directed, and that variety created a multidimensioned whole. It worked. Indeed, each episode worked on its own, carried its own theme, pace, emotion. Each time I see it, the more moved, the more emotional I get about these men and their sacrifices.

This HBO, Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks production is a true gem, a masterpiece, a deep and moving experience. This film is both a work of art and history.

I'm very interested in reading Dick Winters' Beyond Band of Brothers. I reviewed a bit of it in a bookstore some time ago. Looks very good.

Wikipedia has an excellent entry on Band of Brothers

19 April 2007 - History Channel played the entire series over the weekend. I managed to watch all but part I. So moving. With each viewing I get something different. This time I paid more attention to tactics and with trying to follow the full roster of soldiers more closely. Got so stirred up, I've begun reading Winter's Beyond Band of Brothers, in which he fills in some details of the story.

I was bothered when they didn't identify the people in the real-life interviews that pre-pended each episode. But I understand why they withheld the names. It would have given away who lived through the war--but I sure wanted to know. They did identify them at the end, after the story was told. What brave, amazing men. I could almost guess who was who...casting seemed right on.

I was so impressed with 'Doc Roe,' the medic featured in one of the parts. And Bull, of course. Wanted to know more of why Winter's considered him such a fine soldier. Sad that Webster died in an auto accident so early. Bet he would have written some good stuff about the war had he lived longer. Martin, Liebgott (?), oh and the enigmatic Speirs. All heros.

Band of Brothers [SOUNDTRACK]
Band of Brothers [DVD]
Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters

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