Saving Private Ryan Coursework
Directed by Steven Spielberg and acted by Tom Hanks, Saving Private Ryan, won the hearts of millions with its action packed storyline. Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) and his unit go on a mission to find Private James Ryan (Matt Damon), to tell him that his brothers have died at battle. The film also won three different types of awards. The Golden Globe, The Oscar and The Grammy.
Steven Spielberg has directed the opening battle sequence to be shocking and realistic, by using desaturated colours. This is effective because it shows the difference in time from the graveyard, which is present, and Omaha beach, which is the past. Another good effect is the use of the handheld camera. The cameraman follows captain miller up the beach and then zooms in on his face. This makes it look like we’re there. The final dramatic and realistic things are the special effects. The pyrotechnics, like the gunfire and explosions look real. The make-up looks like there really are wounds and blood. These play a big part in the whole of the film.
Scene one is an effective opening scene. It opens on an American flag. This is patriotic. It makes the Americans feel proud about their country. As it cuts from the flag, a man and his family are walking down a path, the man is James Ryan, we find this out later on in the film. We then find out they are walking to Colleville Sur Mer, James Ryan then walks past gravestones. He then falls to his knees. There is only one word of dialogue in this scene and that is James son shouting him as he walls. The camera then zooms into his eyes then cuts to Omaha Beach. There is a sudden change of colour it goes from a contrast of white, green and blue to a foggy dark war site. This is the desaturated. This is effective to the audience as it shows the time going from present to the past.