Saving Private Ryan was a critical and commercial success, and is credited with contributing to a resurgence in America’s interest in World War II. Old and new films, video games, and novels about the War enjoyed renewed popularity after its release. The film's use of desaturated colors, hand-held cameras and tight angles has profoundly influenced subsequent films. Saving Private Ryan was released in 2,463 theatres on July 28, 1998, and grossed $30.5 million on its opening weekend. Domestically the film grossed $216.5 million and $265 million at the foreign box office, bringing its world wide total to about $480 million,[16] being the third highest grossing movie of 1998, behind Titanic and Armageddon.[17] Critical reception was also positive, with much praise for the realistic battle scenes[18] and the actors' performances,[19] but earning some criticism for the script and for ignoring British contributions to the D-Day landings in general and at Omaha Beach specifically.[20] The most direct example of the latter is that during the actual landing the 2nd Rangers disembarked from British ships and were taken to Omaha Beach by Royal Navy landing craft. The film depicts them as being US Coastguard-crewed craft from an American ship.[21][22] This criticism was far from universal with other critics recognizing the director's intent to make an 'American' film.[23] The film wasn't released in Malaysia after Spielberg refused to cut the violent scenes.[24] It currently scores 94% on Rotten Tomatoes[25] and 90% on Metacritic,[26] two movie reviews aggregate sites. Many critics associations, such as New York Critics Circle and Los Angeles Film Critics Association, chose Saving Private Ryan as Film of the Year.[27] The film was later nominated for eleven Academy Awards, with wins for Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, Best Editing and Best Director for Spielberg, but lost the Best Picture award to Shakespeare in Love, being one of a few that have won the Best Director award without also winning Best Picture.[28] The film also won the Golden Globes for Best Picture - Drama and Director, the BAFTA for Special Effects and Sound, the DGA Award, a Grammy Award for Best Film Soundtrack, the PGA Golden Laurel Award, and the Saturn Award for Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film.[27]
