HBO's Generation Kill - Page 4

Gonna watch episode 7 tonight or tomorrow morning and then watch all in a row another day. It's just that good.

Looks like the packaging will fit in nicely with The Wire's too.

Yeah, it's almost like season 6 of The Wire, focusing on the army.

Shit. Anyone knows if the round table is online? We don't have HBO On demand up here...

Just finished reading the book. As InTheShadows said, this series is incredibly faithful although the reporter has been removed from interactions whenever possible. The higher-ups come off better because the book explains their decisions in better detail. They even have a methodology: "maneuver warfare," pushing ahead without establishing a supply line or rear security. This was the first test of a strategy encouraged by Rumsfeld, and as an invasion it was successful.

Also, the book more clearly states that these guys were often the northernmost part of the invasion force, "the tip of the spear." That means the invasion of Iraq was at times fronted by a Justin Timberlake and Wheatus obsessed ex-nerd high on Ripped Fuel, who left the Marines to work the desk at a 24 hour gym, a guy who sang Gordon Lightfoot's Sundown while killing people, a dog-killing enthusiast who is now training to be a LAPD cop, and a Rolling Stone reporter.

And although they claim their disagreements with the text are damning and I don't think they are, in addition to Casey Kasem's rebuttal above there's also Major Shoup's, which is more reasoned and readable:

http://commentaryongenerationkill.blogspot.com/

In its comments section there is a lengthy rebuttal to the rebuttal by Evan Wright.

I think the miniseries is a perfect companion to the book. They should package it with the DVD, seriously.

I wish they could have fit in the incident when Wright woke up Person to tell him that they were being bombed and Person told him to go back to sleep because it was just "danger close" artillery. And then in the morning they realized they actually were almost creamed by Iraqi artillery. Not a major plot point, but it would have been fun to see. I also wish they could have gotten someone else to play Wright. He really does take great pains to remove himself from the narrative of the book, so most of what Lee Tergesen is left with are goofy reaction shots that I can't really buy. Other than that one little complaint I was pretty much blown away and can't wait to get this one on dvd.

I'm pretty sure this was in the series. The scene only lasted a minute or less so it's easy to miss, but it ended with Fick telling them the following morning that they survived a danger close artillery attack.

Aha, I kind of watched this all in one sitting, so it may have blurred out of remembrance. Also, if you read the book and immediately watch the series, things get a little confused. (Oh, and I should have said "Friendly" danger close artillery in that first sentence) My opinion still stands about Tergesen, though. Maybe it's my own prejudice - I kept getting flashes of him singing Bohemian Rhapsody in the back of the Mirth Mobile when he had a lot to do on screen.

I lost my voice last night and i've been giggling like and idiot all day every time i speak. Picturing i'm the Godfather and trying to mimic him and his answers.

I need to watch this show again soon.