When “Saving Private Ryan” was released, a hotline was set up by the US Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans affected by Steven Spielberg’s vision of the classic.
Unanimously praised for its realism, Saving Private Ryan had affected many American veterans when it was released. Some had thus had to leave cinemas during the famous landing scene while others had been victims of post-traumatic stress disorder after seeing Steven Spielberg’s film.
To protect its own, the US Department of Veterans Affairs had acted quite spectacularly a few days before the release, in July 1998. The army had in fact set up a national hotline for veterans or members of their families who would be traumatized by scenes from the feature film.
At the end of the phone, people in pain could then speak with mental health specialists available to help them cope with bereavement or post-traumatic stress disorder, said Joel Preston Smith of Portland VA Medical Center, in remarks reported by APNews.
“I think the movie is going to hit a lot of people hard”said Deborah Richter, therapist and director of the Portland Vet Center, a counseling center for military veterans who have experienced combat.
“John Wayne did a lot of movies looking at that WWII experience, but not as graphically as I think Saving Private Ryan will be.”she continued. “It’s a very different perspective on pain, suffering and real murder.”
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“Seeing a film like this is the ultimate trigger for post-traumatic experiences”, concluded Deborah Richter, who felt that the hotline set up by the army was the ideal forum to seek help. Less than two weeks after its launch, the hotline in question had received more than 170 calls.
Saving Private Ryan, led by Tom Hanks and Matt Damon in particular, is considered a classic war movie. Steven Spielberg’s work, which grossed over $482 million worldwide, won five Oscars, including Best Director.
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