Generation Kill

[Eliot Watts]

The real Kochner actually contributed some of the footage.

 

[ZekeBathory]

I read the original Rolling Stones article, the book, and even Nate Fick's "One Bullet Away," but I can't seem to get enough of 1st Recon's account of the 2003 invasion. I don't have cable, so I was surprised to find Generation Kill was made into an HBO mini-series.

Can anyone share an opinion on the faithfulness the DVDs show to the story? Is it worth picking up from Wal-Mart or maybe just renting?

 

[nikiterp86]

I don't know how true it is to the real story, but I can tell you that I enjoyed it quite a bit. One of the Marines who was involved actually plays himself in the series, which I thought was cool. I know there was a lot of debate about it, particularly concerning how it portrayed the officers, but I found it entertaining if nothing else.

 

[ZekeBathory]

Yeah, I heard about Sgt. Rudy Reyes playing himself. If I recall correctly, he was in his early thirties in 2003. That he's in good enough shape to play himself five years later makes me feel very, very fat.

I also caught wind of one of the senior enlisted guys they called "Casey Kasem" using his brother's blog to write a long-winded rebuttal to a lot of things Evan Wright put in the book.

 

[xcrunner09]

I have not read the book. But it is very accurate. And my dad, a marine Lt Col , agrees that it is a great representation of marine life and how it works. We both really like it and personally I'd buy it. Let me know what you think.

 

[Pat_Lucas]

P.M sent

 

[theblakeness]

I read the original Rolling Stones article, the book, and even Nate Fick's "One Bullet Away," but I can't seem to get enough of 1st Recon's account of the 2003 invasion. I don't have cable, so I was surprised to find Generation Kill was made into an HBO mini-series.

Can anyone share an opinion on the faithfulness the DVDs show to the story? Is it worth picking up from Wal-Mart or maybe just renting?

I think a better question should be about the story's faithfulness to what actually happened.

the Company Ops Chief, known as Casey Kasem in the book, has posted several times on his brother's blog arguing many points in the book and even providing video evidence to support his claims. Its my understanding that the blogs caused so much traffic that they had to be taken down. You may be able to find pieces from it with a google search.

The Battalion FAC has as well, which can be found here: http://commentaryongenerationkill.blogspot.com/2008/06/comments-on-generation-kill.html

 

[Cron]

We had a thread about the series soon after it came out: http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143625

Personally I thought it was rather good, but I did get tired of hearing "dawg" every five freaking minutes.

 

[ZekeBathory]

I think a better question should be about the story's faithfulness to what actually happened.

the Company Ops Chief, known as Casey Kasem in the book, has posted several times on his brother's blog arguing many points in the book and even providing video evidence to support his claims. Its my understanding that the blogs caused so much traffic that they had to be taken down. You may be able to find pieces from it with a google search.

The Battalion FAC has as well, which can be found here: http://commentaryongenerationkill.blogspot.com/2008/06/comments-on-generation-kill.html

I've read Casey Kasem's blog entries and seen the videos in question. If I remember correctly, the only video I saw was a short one featuring Colonel Ferrando giving a briefing. It had virtually nothing to do with any of the points of discrepancy "CK" brought up. I read his blogs and tried to give them an impartial audience, but whether I was biased or not, I couldn't come up with a final opinion on who had the better memory of the way things went down because CK's arguments were incredibly fallacious and emotional.

I hadn't seen Colonel Shoup's rebuttal, so that should make for an interesting read. Thanks!

[Edit: Annnnnd here we are with Zeke making a donkey dick out of himself by not using Search before posting. Sorry, fellas. Thanks for the heads up, Cron.]

 

[theblakeness]

I've read Casey Kasem's blog entries and seen the videos in question. If I remember correctly, the only video I saw was a short one featuring Colonel Ferrando giving a briefing. It had virtually nothing to do with any of the points of discrepancy "CK" brought up. I read his blogs and tried to give them an impartial audience, but whether I was biased or not, I couldn't come up with a final opinion on who had the better memory of the way things went down because CK's arguments were incredibly fallacious and emotional.

I hadn't seen Colonel Shoup's rebuttal, so that should make for an interesting read. Thanks!

[Edit: Annnnnd here we are with Zeke making a donkey dick out of himself by not using Search before posting. Sorry, fellas. Thanks for the heads up, Cron.]

Actually, I thought the video of Godfather's briefing was very important because it falsified the point in the book that he seemed obsessed with grooming standards in the briefing. In reality, he only mentions it as sort of a "by the way" at the end.

My problem with Wright is that he seemed to mistake the endless bitching and complaining of grunts as genuine issues of concern in the Marine Corps. His book, and the miniseries, was entertaining but I tend to take the liberal commentary on all things military with a grain of salt.

Read "No True Glory". Easily the best book I have read about USMC actions in Iraq.

 

[Big Biff]

I do not know one single enlisted Marine that disliked Generation Kill, myself included. Senior E's and Officers always have problems when a movie or story comes along and looks like it may paint the Marine Corps in a bad light but that's there right.. The series is amazing, I still can't believe how realistic southern Africa looks like the ferticle cresent.

Anyway, all I know is I can't wait to see "The Pacific"

Edit: And No True Glory is by far the best OIF book I have ever read, The movie rights have been sold since 2007, they even had Harrison Ford playing General Mattis, now that would have been a stretch. I doubt the movie will ever be made now since every OIF movie has flopped miserably. Damn shame.

 

[BarrettRC8]

I have not read the book. But it is very accurate. And my dad, a Marine Lt Col , agrees that it is a great representation of marine life and how it works. We both really like it and personally I'd buy it. Let me know what you think.

Fixed.

And Big Biff, I'm anxiously awaiting The Pacific as well.

 

[echo4nasty]

Generation Kill provides a great deal of insight on the life of Marine at the Sgt level and below. However it does not give an accurate picture of the scheme and maneuver at the division size scale. I've watched it several times and to me it captures my experience the best out of any movie about being an infantry Marine in combat. Take the series for face value, a handful of lower enlisted Marines in a war, and nothing more.

 

[Gatordev]

I have not read the book. But it is very accurate.

Um, what?


Merged.

 

[eddie]

Edit: And No True Glory is by far the best OIF book I have ever read, The movie rights have been sold since 2007, they even had Harrison Ford playing General Mattis, now that would have been a stretch. I doubt the movie will ever be made now since every OIF movie has flopped miserably. Damn shame.

When the time is right and the reasons are right, the right movie will be made.