Informal Rewatch: Currahee and Day of Days
The BBC's recently started showing repeats of the series, two episodes a week. Thus, for the next five weeks, I'll be recording my thoughts this time round.
General notes - my TV is black and white, and the series looks just as gorgeous even without colour. Asides from some of the bits in low light, where it's hard to make anything out, most of it is still amazingly striking. It really is one of the best-looking productions I've ever seen on television.
Also, I now go a bit wibbly just at the opening titles now I know what parts of the series all the clips refer to. Especially the bit where Buck lets his helmet drop to the ground.
Currahee
- The first scene with Winters and Nixon is one of the finest pieces of introductory writing I've ever seen. Seriously, it's just so damn good from a writing perspective at how, in a single short scene, it sums up so much about the characters. Nix, especially, probably because the fundamentals of his character are easier to pin down than those of Winters. Also, this time, I finally noticed the neat little linking technique - mentioning Chicago, linking it to Sobel, and then we slide into the flashback.
- I like how, without any words needing to be said, this episode establishes that Skip and Malarkey were the best of friends right from the start. It's all in the body language. Malarkey helping Skip when he stumbles. Skip looking over his shoulder at Malarkey when after he gets told off by Sobel. Oh, it warms my sentimental heart.
- It's taken me long enough, but I'm finally certain that Harry Welsh was definitely not at Camp Toccoa. He joined Easy when they were at Camp Mackall. Also, the series seems to suggest he arrived in June '43, when I think he actually turned up in May. But more importantly regarding the TV series, I adore that within seconds of him being introduced to Nix, the Three Musketeers are acting all conspiratorial.
- Winters has the number 67 hung around his neck as he gets onto the plane. Anyone know what that's about?
- I usually used to switch off the DVD before the credits had finished. This time, for some reason, I watched them to the end, and finally noticed the In Memoriam note for Stephen Ambrose. That made me wibble a bit too.
Day of Days
- I am always, always astonished at the sheer visual beauty of the opening shots of the planes. The CGI work is incredible given that this was made at the start of this decade.
- Again, a lot of great body language here. Guarnere and his rosary, Penk fidgeting with his kit, Skip playing with his cricket, it's brilliant.
- I may well have not seen it quite properly, as it's all quite chaotic, but the series seems to imply Cobb was on the same plane as Lipton (and, thus, Buck). In reality, Cobb was in Harry's jump stick. I suppose it's just condensing for simplicity, limiting the number of different jump sticks they have to organise. But still.
- Speirs borrows cigarettes off Buck. A whole pack. I cannot believe I ONLY JUST noticed that little moment, and linked it to what follows.
- Talking of Speirs, I always laugh when he just leaps in next to Winters, absolutely covered in ammo. In Day of Days, he's almost a caricature of the gung-ho American soldier.
- Gosh, I love Hall. I really wish he survived. But why does Bill keep calling him a cowboy if he's a New Yorker?
- Ah, the Quaker thing. I love that, partially because I had a good buddy at school who reminds me of Winters to some extent, who came from a Quaker family. But of course Dick couldn't be a Quaker! They're absolute pacifists.
- It says so much about Dick, and this series, that he's making his resolution to seek peace in the second episode.
General notes - my TV is black and white, and the series looks just as gorgeous even without colour. Asides from some of the bits in low light, where it's hard to make anything out, most of it is still amazingly striking. It really is one of the best-looking productions I've ever seen on television.
Also, I now go a bit wibbly just at the opening titles now I know what parts of the series all the clips refer to. Especially the bit where Buck lets his helmet drop to the ground.
Currahee
- The first scene with Winters and Nixon is one of the finest pieces of introductory writing I've ever seen. Seriously, it's just so damn good from a writing perspective at how, in a single short scene, it sums up so much about the characters. Nix, especially, probably because the fundamentals of his character are easier to pin down than those of Winters. Also, this time, I finally noticed the neat little linking technique - mentioning Chicago, linking it to Sobel, and then we slide into the flashback.
- I like how, without any words needing to be said, this episode establishes that Skip and Malarkey were the best of friends right from the start. It's all in the body language. Malarkey helping Skip when he stumbles. Skip looking over his shoulder at Malarkey when after he gets told off by Sobel. Oh, it warms my sentimental heart.
- It's taken me long enough, but I'm finally certain that Harry Welsh was definitely not at Camp Toccoa. He joined Easy when they were at Camp Mackall. Also, the series seems to suggest he arrived in June '43, when I think he actually turned up in May. But more importantly regarding the TV series, I adore that within seconds of him being introduced to Nix, the Three Musketeers are acting all conspiratorial.
- Winters has the number 67 hung around his neck as he gets onto the plane. Anyone know what that's about?
- I usually used to switch off the DVD before the credits had finished. This time, for some reason, I watched them to the end, and finally noticed the In Memoriam note for Stephen Ambrose. That made me wibble a bit too.
Day of Days
- I am always, always astonished at the sheer visual beauty of the opening shots of the planes. The CGI work is incredible given that this was made at the start of this decade.
- Again, a lot of great body language here. Guarnere and his rosary, Penk fidgeting with his kit, Skip playing with his cricket, it's brilliant.
- I may well have not seen it quite properly, as it's all quite chaotic, but the series seems to imply Cobb was on the same plane as Lipton (and, thus, Buck). In reality, Cobb was in Harry's jump stick. I suppose it's just condensing for simplicity, limiting the number of different jump sticks they have to organise. But still.
- Speirs borrows cigarettes off Buck. A whole pack. I cannot believe I ONLY JUST noticed that little moment, and linked it to what follows.
- Talking of Speirs, I always laugh when he just leaps in next to Winters, absolutely covered in ammo. In Day of Days, he's almost a caricature of the gung-ho American soldier.
- Gosh, I love Hall. I really wish he survived. But why does Bill keep calling him a cowboy if he's a New Yorker?
- Ah, the Quaker thing. I love that, partially because I had a good buddy at school who reminds me of Winters to some extent, who came from a Quaker family. But of course Dick couldn't be a Quaker! They're absolute pacifists.
- It says so much about Dick, and this series, that he's making his resolution to seek peace in the second episode.