Comparing The Longest Day Directed by Andrew Martin and Saving Private Ryan Directed by Steven Spielberg

Comparing The Longest Day Directed by Andrew Martin and Saving Private Ryan Directed by Steven Spielberg

These two directors were trying to achieve different goals, 'The

Longest Day' was made post-war in 1962 and when the war may still of

been in peoples thoughts and where many of the people who fought in

the war would still be alive. However 'Saving Private Ryan' was made

much later on in 1999, by then the world has gladly put this terrible

event behind it. Steven Spielberg is not as biased because his

audience now do not have the same attitude as in 1962, only 17 years

after the war.

I feel the aim of Andrew Martin was to achieve a film America would be

proud of showing it in its full glory and might. I think this because

of the fact that the soldiers who fought would still be alive so to

honour them as well.

Steven Spielberg's aim is totally contrasting, he is very much

anti-war and his film is made far more realistic then the invulnerable

soldiers in 'The Longest Day'. He also now has the ability to use many

modern features for example sophisticated special effects. Both of the

films were very good in there time because the directors made what the

audience wanted.

The differences between the two films are shown clearly in the beach

landing scenes. Both scenes show the same historic event, the Omaha

beach landing in 1944. However, the way the two directors depict this

event highlights the way Hollywood's portrayal of war has changed. The

first shot of Robert Mitchum's character in 'The Longest Day' shows

him standing above the rest of the soldier, this straight away shows

him as in control and a superior officer. Tom Hank...

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hows his comrades being shot at with very confusing un-organised

motions. There are also a under-water camera which shows red

under-water very distinctly and everything else is greyscale.

In the beach scene in 'The Longest Day' there is a very positive

attitude especially of that which is radiated off Robert Mitchum's

character where he leads the men in with no fear, he even says "you

had better go back and get your gun" to a young soldier even though it

would mean going back into the crossfire and risking his life.

The two films depict war differently war differently due to the times

when they were made, 'The Longest Day' tries to make a film America

would love while 'Saving Private Ryan' uses modern techniques and

camera angles to show a realistic less biased portrayal of what it

would have been like.