There was major turnover of personnel in the months after the dams raid, right? That's an argument against a series that covers a long timeframe. Band of Brothers, for instance (which I happen to be re-watching) focuses on a core group throughout, although with significant parts by others in some episodes. Are there successful mini-series with major changes in characters in a season?
By: Moggy C
- 1st January 2019 at 13:49Permalink- Edited 1st January 2019 at 13:50
There was major turnover of personnel in the months after the dams raid, right? That's an argument against a series that covers a long timeframe.
This seems to be suggesting the production of a documentary rather than a drama. Band of Brothers only touched on reality fleetingly, so why would a 617 Squadron mini-series have to stick slavishly to fact?
here was major turnover of personnel in the months after the dams raid, right? That's an argument against a series that covers a long timeframe.
This seems to be suggesting the production of a documentary rather than a drama. Band of Brothers only touched on reality fleetingly, so why would a 617 Squadron mini-series have to stick slavishly to fact?
Moggy
In the context of the producer's comments with the Telegragh (lifted by the Daily Mail) about doing a more realistic version than was possible then (including addressing combat fatigue), needing large-scale mucking about with characters is an argument against a production over a longer timeframe. The aircrews' experience levels and tour duration etc should be part of a reasonably realistic story.
By: Creaking Door
- 2nd January 2019 at 18:30Permalink
Not sure I'd agree that 'Band of Brothers only touched on reality fleetingly'!
As far as I'm aware the production company went to extraordinary lengths, especially these days, to have the series follow reality as closely as possible. They were fortunate that, in many cases, the principal characters were still alive and actually featured these veterans in documentary interviews at the beginning or end of most episodes. Of course the book by Stephen Ambrose is very good but the producers even tried to find actors that actually looked like the soldiers they were trying to portray.
It's no great coincidence surely that the principal characters were still alive. The book, and the series were based on their recollections. But we none of us will ever know whether their recollections are accurate. I give you Bob Stanford Tuck.
By: Creaking Door
- 2nd January 2019 at 19:08Permalink- Edited 2nd January 2019 at 19:12
Agreed, although I haven't read anything written by, or about, Bob Stanford Tuck.
I would say, going back to another of your posts, that any film or mini-series about important historical events, especially wartime events, should 'stick slavishly to the facts'. I'd go so far as saying that the producers have a duty to stick slavishly to the facts. Otherwise you end up with, otherwise, really impressive filmmaking being squandered on the likes of Saving Private Ryan or Titanic (where the producers reproduced exactly the rivet-patterns on the large-scale model of the Titanic they built for the film but felt the need to include a gun-battle during the sinking as, presumably, they felt the sinking itself lacked drama)!
And it shouldn't be forgotten that much of the average person's historical knowledge comes from the cinema or the mini-series; apparently the grave of the character played by Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan is the most visited grave in Normandy...
...well it would have been the most visited if he had been a real person.
Surely there is no need to 'sex-up' the story of the Dambusters anyway?
By: Creaking Door
- 4th January 2019 at 14:10Permalink- Edited 4th January 2019 at 14:12
Just a thought about the film / mini-series argument; couldn't 'Dambusters', or any other subject for that matter, have been released in both formats?
The two most impressive 'war films' in my opinion are Band of Brothers and Das Boot which were both made originally in the mini-series format, but Das Boot was also released in the cinema in a shortened film format; it was done, successfully, nearly forty years ago so surely it could be done again today (especially with the proliferation of TV channels these days).
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By: ErrolC - 31st December 2018 at 19:28 Permalink
There was major turnover of personnel in the months after the dams raid, right? That's an argument against a series that covers a long timeframe. Band of Brothers, for instance (which I happen to be re-watching) focuses on a core group throughout, although with significant parts by others in some episodes. Are there successful mini-series with major changes in characters in a season?
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By: Sabrejet - 31st December 2018 at 19:53 Permalink
Breaking Bad did a good job of killing off key characters...
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By: Matt Poole - 31st December 2018 at 20:59 Permalink
Or "Twelve O'Clock Low"?
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By: Moggy C - 1st January 2019 at 13:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 2019 at 13:50
This seems to be suggesting the production of a documentary rather than a drama. Band of Brothers only touched on reality fleetingly, so why would a 617 Squadron mini-series have to stick slavishly to fact?
Moggy
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By: QldSpitty - 1st January 2019 at 23:27 Permalink
The Pacific series only stayed with a few key characters due to the turnover of personnel.
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By: ErrolC - 2nd January 2019 at 01:14 Permalink
In the context of the producer's comments with the Telegragh (lifted by the Daily Mail) about doing a more realistic version than was possible then (including addressing combat fatigue), needing large-scale mucking about with characters is an argument against a production over a longer timeframe. The aircrews' experience levels and tour duration etc should be part of a reasonably realistic story.
Posts: 9,739
By: Creaking Door - 2nd January 2019 at 18:30 Permalink
Not sure I'd agree that 'Band of Brothers only touched on reality fleetingly'!
As far as I'm aware the production company went to extraordinary lengths, especially these days, to have the series follow reality as closely as possible. They were fortunate that, in many cases, the principal characters were still alive and actually featured these veterans in documentary interviews at the beginning or end of most episodes. Of course the book by Stephen Ambrose is very good but the producers even tried to find actors that actually looked like the soldiers they were trying to portray.
Posts: 16,832
By: Moggy C - 2nd January 2019 at 18:52 Permalink
It's no great coincidence surely that the principal characters were still alive. The book, and the series were based on their recollections. But we none of us will ever know whether their recollections are accurate. I give you Bob Stanford Tuck.
Moggy
Posts: 9,739
By: Creaking Door - 2nd January 2019 at 19:08 Permalink - Edited 2nd January 2019 at 19:12
Agreed, although I haven't read anything written by, or about, Bob Stanford Tuck.
I would say, going back to another of your posts, that any film or mini-series about important historical events, especially wartime events, should 'stick slavishly to the facts'. I'd go so far as saying that the producers have a duty to stick slavishly to the facts. Otherwise you end up with, otherwise, really impressive filmmaking being squandered on the likes of Saving Private Ryan or Titanic (where the producers reproduced exactly the rivet-patterns on the large-scale model of the Titanic they built for the film but felt the need to include a gun-battle during the sinking as, presumably, they felt the sinking itself lacked drama)!
And it shouldn't be forgotten that much of the average person's historical knowledge comes from the cinema or the mini-series; apparently the grave of the character played by Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan is the most visited grave in Normandy...
...well it would have been the most visited if he had been a real person.
Surely there is no need to 'sex-up' the story of the Dambusters anyway?
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By: John Green - 2nd January 2019 at 20:50 Permalink
What exactly does the reference to 'accurate recollections' and Robert Stanford Tuck mean ?
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By: Moggy C - 3rd January 2019 at 09:47 Permalink
RST and "line-shoot" frequently went together. No criticism intended, just a statement of fact
Moggy
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By: John Green - 3rd January 2019 at 10:57 Permalink
Gotcha ! Similar to DB's alleged affliction ?
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By: Creaking Door - 4th January 2019 at 14:10 Permalink - Edited 4th January 2019 at 14:12
Just a thought about the film / mini-series argument; couldn't 'Dambusters', or any other subject for that matter, have been released in both formats?
The two most impressive 'war films' in my opinion are Band of Brothers and Das Boot which were both made originally in the mini-series format, but Das Boot was also released in the cinema in a shortened film format; it was done, successfully, nearly forty years ago so surely it could be done again today (especially with the proliferation of TV channels these days).