'Band' led by Spielberg, Hanks

Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks co-executive produced "Band of Brothers."

By Paul Vercammen
Showbiz Today Reports

(CNN) -- They faced freezing cold. Stifling heat. Endless days of hardship. Death, from many sides, in many ways.

For the men of Easy Company, elite paratroopers from the 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, World War II was anything but easy. Yet they held together, often having their wounds treated in a hospital and then returning to the lines, fighting in some of the most brutal battles of the European theater.

Their story, told first in a book by historian Stephen Ambrose, now gets the epic treatment in HBO's miniseries "Band of Brothers." The 10-hour series was executive-produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.

VIDEO CNN's Paul Vercammen talks with Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks about their new HBO miniseries about World War II U.S. paratroopers (September 6) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   MORE STORIES • Chat transcript: 'Band of Brothers' co-star James Madio     MORE STORIES • Review: Enlist in this 'Band of Brothers'

The two have trod this ground before, for their 1998 film "Saving Private Ryan." Spielberg directed that work; Hanks played commanding officer Capt. John H. Miller. But, they say, "Band of Brothers" has a more expansive canvas.

"If there is anything you are disappointed in 'Saving Private Ryan,' it's that we really only got three days of June 1944," Hanks says. "To be able to start in July 1942 and go all the way to August (1945) and even beyond in some ways ... that, to me was a thing completely different about what we were doing."

The series cost $120 million, which Hanks readily admits. Every penny was well spent, he says.

"This isn't a top secret. Who cares?" he says. "It's the fact, the truth, that never comes back to hurt you."

"Showbiz Today Reports" correspondent Paul Vercammen spent some time with Hanks, Spielberg, and the men of the "Band," then filed this report.