Generation Kill

[1369]

Since I don't have HBO at the casa, I saw an ad tonight in the hotel where HBO is doing a mini series based on the book by Evan Wright.

I really, really, dug the book and hope they don't screw with it too much bringing it to the small screen.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/042520040X.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

[ShoogarBear]

It's made by the guys who made The Wire.

If the book was as good as you say and form holds, it will be a classic.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

I'd like to second the raves for the book. Great read.

[1369]

I'd like to second the raves for the book. Great read.


If you liked it and haven't read it, try One Bullet Away: The Making Of A Marine Officer by Nathaniel Fick.

Intersting first person account of the same three week run from one of the officers that Wright wrote about.

[balli]

I've really, really been looking forward to this. One month away.

uSQ_7u2v_zs


By Michael Samstag for Knoxville Films

I was very fortunate to be treated to an advance screening of the first two episode's of "Generation Kill" last week at the Nashville Screenwriters Conference. The seven part mini-series is based on the book "Generation Kill" written by Rolling Stone journalist Evan Wright chronicling his experience as an embedded reporter with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion‎ during the first 40-days of the US led invasion of Iraq.

Right away, "Generation Kill" is different than any other show attempting to convey what it's like to be at war. The series has more of a documentary feel--relying on the sounds of battle to heighten the tension rather than the use of traditional musical scores. The dialogue was gritty, sometimes vulgar, funny, and there were whole scenes that felt like they were recorded directly in the heat of battle. The production was enhanced further by the military technical consulting services of Sgt. Erik Kocher and Cpl. Jeffrey Carisalez who ensured that at no point did you feel you were watching actors playing Marines.

Yeah, the series is a sort of narrative-documentary hybrid--imagine The War Tapes meets the best parts of We Were Soldiers Once--but is it entertaining or simply another condemning look at the War in Iraq?

Well, it's not that easy to summarize but I can tell you that I was expecting to get caught up in the technical aspects of the show and not get swept away by the story. It was a hell of a ride! I felt like I was riding along with the Marines. Pictures I remember from photogs in Iraq came to life before my eyes. The horrors I worked hard to drink away were alive again with an unapologizing, unflinching reality I would not have thought possible outside the documentary genre.

As for whether it's a condemning portrayal of war, that's not for me to say. What it is is an honest portrayal of what it must have been like being embedded with the Marines. It took a very frank look at the problems the marines faces with the Rules of Engagement and problems within their own ranks with command and control. This is not Hollywood's version of war, though it's just as riveting as the action movies Hollywood can produce. Bravo to Evan Wright, the cast and crew of "Generation Kill" and smart people at HBO who brought this series to the public.

[DannyT]

dude this airforce cat I work with has been telling to read this book, I look for it from time to time at wal mart or other stores when I think about it but still cant find it

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

dude this airforce cat I work with has been telling to read this book, I look for it from time to time at wal mart or other stores when I think about it but still cant find it

http://www.amazon.com/Generation-Kill-Evan-Wright/dp/042520040X/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1213364067&sr=8-2

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Evan Wright and David Simon were on NPR yesterday talking about the series.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91846806

[balli]

O_05qJTeNNI

[Big P]

The first episode was cool....I am looking forward to the rest of the series, it looks really good

[PeterBurns]

Great first episode.
This is a must-see.

Can't wait til the next one.

[brettn]

Very good first episode. Watched it with a cousin of mine and he said they nailed the dialogue of the marines, for the most part anyways.

Ed Burns and David Simon are awesome. Can't wait till Sunday.

[PEP]

Dang, tried to watch it twice and couldnt get through it. Dont know what it is but I thought it sucked. Will try again next episode to give it a chance.

[1369]

Dang, tried to watch it twice and couldnt get through it. Dont know what it is but I thought it sucked. Will try again next episode to give it a chance.

PEP, you've been over there haven't you?

[PEP]

PEP, you've been over there haven't you?

Yup and I've spent lots of time with Marines and the dialogue was spot on, theyre crazy bastards. I just couldnt get into the cinematography, the scenes for some reason didnt keep my attention, weird. But I'll for sure try seeing it again because I've read the book and it was pretty good.

[spurspf]

Dude, unlike movies, HBO has the time and talent to do something right.

[mrose31]

I thought the show was pretty good I thought they did a good job with cast but for the 1st episode maybe they are sticking to book or just introduction to characters I did not think a whole lot happened. I will keep watching but I thought it was a little boring so far. I hope it gets a little better because I have HBO for shows more than movies. Even though I know this is just a miniseries I hope it last through summer and gets better. Right now most of the shows I enjoyed from HBO have finished. Sopranos, OZ, Deadwood, Rome, and recently the Wire.

[balli]

Remember that the primary theme of this first ep was the boredom the troops had to deal with as they were waiting to invade from Kuwait. I'd imagine the rather slow pace and some of the quasi-dreary cinematography was contrived to express as much. Plus, doing so probably gave them an excuse to introduce the primary characters within the context of relative safety and peacetime. Call it the calm before the storm if you will, but I'm sure as the series progresses all kinds of chaotic hell is going to break loose.

[brettn]

Remember that the primary theme of this first ep was the boredom the troops had to deal with as they were waiting to invade from Kuwait. I'd imagine the rather slow pace and some of the quasi-dreary cinematography was contrived to express as much. Plus, doing so probably gave them an excuse to introduce the primary characters within the context of relative safety and peacetime. Call it the calm before the storm if you will, but I'm sure as the series progresses all kinds of chaotic hell is going to break loose.

Right on. Anyone who's ever watched the Wire knows that the Burns and Simon always take the time to develop their characters and make, you, the viewer feel for them. When shit hits the fan and the characters find themselves in tough situations, you tend to feel for them as if you actually know these people. Granted, it wasn't the most exciting television, but it was a neccesary episode to give us some insight into who these characters are and what they're about.

[Trainwreck2100]

Anybody still watching?

[Big P]

Yes...I like it

[Anti.Hero]

Captain America LOL

[JoeChalupa]

I'm watching it. :tu

[brettn]

For anyone who may have missed an episode or two (like me), HBO is replaying the first 3 episodes tonight starting at 7:00 I believe. I'll be watching to catch up on alot of the stuff that I know I missed watching it the first time.

[Trainwreck2100]

Captain America LOL

I loved it when he shot at the tanks with his AK for no reason.

[Ballcox]

Also, remember that if you have HBO you can just go to the HBO on demand channel and watch all 3 episodes any time you want, get caught up real quick.

As for the series so far, great stuff. I was in the Army so I have some frame of reference for the military atmosphere, and they've done what I think is a great job so far (especially about the incompetence in the command structure).

I also had the chance to meet some Marines while in the Army and they are some certifiable bad motherfuckers, crazy as hell, but VERY competent in the job they do (particularly the NCO's and grunts).

[brettn]

Also, remember that if you have HBO you can just go to the HBO on demand channel and watch all 3 episodes any time you want, get caught up real quick.

As for the series so far, great stuff. I was in the Army so I have some frame of reference for the military atmosphere, and they've done what I think is a great job so far (especially about the incompetence in the command structure).

I also had the chance to meet some Marines while in the Army and they are some certifiable bad motherfuckers, crazy as hell, but VERY competent in the job they do (particularly the NCO's and grunts).

My brother's in the Army reserve, served one tour in Iraq and set for one more next year, and he pretty much echoes what you said about the incompetent command structure. I also have a cousin who's in a Marine Recon unit and he says the dialogue is about as spot on as a TV show can be. Great miniseries so far, can't wait to rewatch the first 3 episodes.

[Trainwreck2100]

"I was thinking about a little old school R&B, I'm Stevie Wonder cause I'm blind as a mother fucker in these piece of shit NVGs"

[1369]

"I was thinking about a little old school R&B, I'm Stevie Wonder cause I'm blind as a mother fucker in these piece of shit NVGs"

I finally got to see an episode this week while working down at the coast.

Great series, hopefully they'll release it to iTunes when it is done.

And the comment about the NVG's is spot on.

*Paraphrasing here*

"It costs the military over a million dollars to train us. Jump/SCUBA/SERE/Ranger school. And they have us running around in humvee's. That's like putting a finely tuned Ferrari in a demolition derby."

[MannyIsGod]

Just watched this entire series. Pretty amazing, I plan on picking up the book this weekend.

[balli]

Good bump. I quit after the fifth episode. It was great but entirely too depressing. And I don't need extra depression to know how badly we fucked up Iraq.