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The Thin Red Line vs Saving Private Ryan
Posted on 8/21/25 at 6:15 pm
Posted on 8/21/25 at 6:15 pm
Both came out in ‘98 and it seemed like Saving Private Ryan stole all the thunder but I enjoyed The Thin Red Line more, even as a 14 year old. Especially the score and cinematography. SPR felt like just another Spielberg film but TTRL was something different entirely
23
Posted on 8/21/25 at 6:30 pm to DavidTheGnome
I like viewing them as complimentary rather than competitive. Two different subject matters and two different styles of film making.
The Pacific experience was a lot different than what happened in Europe - two different wars really. Then you could toss in Enemy at the Gates for the carnage that was the Russian front.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 6:42 pm to DavidTheGnome
The Thin Red Line is an absolute masterpiece, easily my favorite war movie of all time. Saving Private Ryan is also a great film, and rightfully lauded for it's accurate depiction of the beach landing, but I find the fabricated plot lacking substance. The movie would have been much better to ignore the typical need for an invented storyline and focus solely on the horror of the war and its effects on the Tom Hanks character.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 6:49 pm to DavidTheGnome
quote:
SPR felt like just another Spielberg
Gonna have to disagree here. To me SPR doesn’t feel like a Spielberg film to me at all.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 6:49 pm to DavidTheGnome
Supposedly, they had to Cut a good bit of TTRL due to time restrictions.
So, I dont remember if their is a full version out there that really encauplates what the director was shooting specifically for.
Thats 1 theory
So, I dont remember if their is a full version out there that really encauplates what the director was shooting specifically for.
Thats 1 theory
Posted on 8/21/25 at 7:03 pm to DavidTheGnome
The cinematography in the Thin Red Line is second to none. Gorgeous looking film. Given that, they are two completely different films, and not because one was in the Pacific amd the other in Europe. SPR was fairly straightforward in it's storytelling with a clear picture of heroes and villans. Thin Red Line was more concerned with how war affected the way soldiers thought about war. Both great movies.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 7:03 pm to DavidTheGnome
Honestly, TTRL was worse because of all the weird cameos. Travolta? Wait, there's Clooney! Hey, it's Woody! Should've stuck with Caviezel and Brody (who was famously supposed to be the main character).
Posted on 8/21/25 at 7:21 pm to Handsome Pete
Thin Red Line is a weird watch for me. When I first saw it I loved it but each time I watched after I like it less.
With that said, I think Caviezel and Penn performances stood out for me. The other characters just weren't very likeable.
With that said, I think Caviezel and Penn performances stood out for me. The other characters just weren't very likeable.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 7:30 pm to Handsome Pete
quote:
Honestly, TTRL was worse because of all the weird cameos. Travolta? Wait, there's Clooney! Hey, it's Woody!
I wholeheartedly agree with this even though it is my favorite. The Clooney and Travolta casting for what ended as minor roles added zero value to the film.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 7:36 pm to Tangineck
Yeah the cameos were strange and I wish they just used unknown actors. But it’s still a fantastic movie
Posted on 8/21/25 at 8:27 pm to DavidTheGnome
They’re both considered war films but I still feel like it’s an apples to oranges comparison. I love both films, Malick is still one of my favorite directors.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 9:36 pm to DavidTheGnome
Nothing beats the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan. Nothing.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 9:54 pm to DavidTheGnome
TTRL insists upon itself.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 10:07 pm to Zephyrius
quote:
Thin Red Line is a weird watch for me. When I first saw it I loved it but each time I watched after I like it less.
These days, I feel that way about most Malick movies. On first watch they struck me as more profound than they really are. I can see how, if you catch them at just the right time in life, they can feel like impactful works of art. But now, if I sat down to rewatch The Tree of Life, it would mostly come across as overly pretentious.
I’m less moved by films in general than I was when I was younger. Part of that comes down to the kinds of movies being made now, but I think it has more to do with getting older, and maybe a bit more jaded.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 10:19 pm to Handsome Pete
quote:
Honestly, TTRL was worse because of all the weird cameos. Travolta? Wait, there's Clooney! Hey, it's Woody!
Strictly speaking I don't think they're cameos but rather their parts were reduced to nothing. Maybe they should have been cut out entirely to avoid taking people out of the movie but it bothers me less and less over time. It was strange at first though.
quote:
Brody (who was famously supposed to be the main character).
And wasn't even informed until right before the movie premiered.
Posted on 8/21/25 at 10:23 pm to PhilipMarlowe
Thats a great reply. His movies are for most part made the same with different subjects. Constant naration with little dialogue. Opting to copy real life sircumstance on camera instead of scripted plots.
TTRL and Badlands have more of a typical movie feel vs all of his other projects. Tree of Life and Days of Heaven are the same film imho.
TTRL and Badlands have more of a typical movie feel vs all of his other projects. Tree of Life and Days of Heaven are the same film imho.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 5:31 am to DavidTheGnome
Thin red line was crap. Turned it off.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 8:51 am to JoeHackett
quote:I found a lot of the casting decisions to be a distraction. As others point out it's jarring when some big name actor shows up, is in one scene, then disappears. You keep wondering if they're going to show up again and if they're going to play some big part in the plot, but that's it, they don't appear again. This was Malick's first film in twenty years so every name actor in Hollywood wanted to be in it. While distracting, it was probably helpful to him in getting the film made.
Strictly speaking I don't think they're cameos but rather their parts were reduced to nothing. Maybe they should have been cut out entirely to avoid taking people out of the movie but it bothers me less and less over time. It was strange at first though.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 9:36 am to DavidTheGnome
Both ‘good’ movies, but neither are anywhere near my Top 25 war films.
Thin Red Line is extremely visually appealing, arguably the best overall cinematography in a war film, but the plot is confusing and weak and all over the place.
Saving Private Ryan is AMAZING the first and last 30 minutes. Probably the best-designed combat scenes (at the time) ever in a movie. But the middle 60-90 minutes is a dumpster fire with horrific writing.
I saw both of these films at the theater when they were released. Enjoyed both, but also had issues with both.
Thin Red Line is extremely visually appealing, arguably the best overall cinematography in a war film, but the plot is confusing and weak and all over the place.
Saving Private Ryan is AMAZING the first and last 30 minutes. Probably the best-designed combat scenes (at the time) ever in a movie. But the middle 60-90 minutes is a dumpster fire with horrific writing.
I saw both of these films at the theater when they were released. Enjoyed both, but also had issues with both.
Posted on 8/22/25 at 10:03 am to Tangineck
quote:
The movie would have been much better to ignore the typical need for an invented storyline and focus solely on the horror of the war and its effects on the Tom Hanks character.
So you wanted it to not be Saving Private Ryan. A non fabricated version of SPR is just a 20 minute Omaha Beach scene. I personally liked SPR better than TTRL, but I didn't find it to lack substance. I really like the "sacrifice 10 to save one" theme.
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