|
|
Post by legionnaire on Aug 18, 2006 18:03:39 GMT -5
NEW Japanese Trailer now up for both films! Looks spectacular and incredible scenes!  Ken Watanabe as the Commander. Or this must be the Japanese version second film Eastwood is producing for the Japanese audience only. rough translation of Watanabe's (Gen. Koribayashi) speech to his men; "for the sake of our country. no matter to be the last soldier, our mission is to fight the enemy at this island. Keep in mind you can never go back to the homeland." Crint! has joined the other side!  Philip |
|
|
|
Post by VeeVee on Aug 19, 2006 11:55:49 GMT -5
I hope they release both movies in a 2-disc collector's edition package. Maybe even a 3-disc set full of behind the scenes and special features.
|
|
|
|
Post by VeeVee on Oct 28, 2006 20:28:01 GMT -5
I finally saw it today. Surprisingly... I have no complaints or nitpicks about it. I thought it hit home. I didn't mind the jumping around. It kept it interesting and kept me guessing. It was a way to start open loops to keep the audience somewhat guessing instead of the usual cut and dry from beginning-to-end scheme.
I thought it hit home more than The Great Raid. Very poignant yet inspiring. Any movie (especially a war movie) that inspires me to try to be a better person coming out of the theater is 2-thumbs up for me. Best $6 I've spent in a while (matinee).
Incidentally, Ira Hayes had jump wings on his uniform stateside. I didn't know he was jump-qualified.
EDIT: That picture above of Clint with Ken Watanabe looks like he's telling him, "Go ahead... make my day..." ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by legionnaire on Oct 29, 2006 0:50:27 GMT -5
I just read in the book stores the latest WWII special magazine devoted to IWO and it had an interview on Clint E. He mentions the Japanese version "Letters from Iwo" , the night battle scenes were filmed in BARSTOW, i repeat BARSTOW, CA. Just north of us here.
He also got to meet the the grandson of Gen Kuribayashi and the son of the Baron and members of the Iwo Jima association of Japan. Everything was filmed in Japanese. And has a similar treatment were there are flashbacks on the men back in Japan with their families.
Gen Kuribayashi studied english at Harvard and was against the attack on the US which he found foolish of Japan. Clint eastwood had the letters of Kuribayashi tranlated.
Philip
|
|
|
|
Post by transport on Oct 31, 2006 7:30:01 GMT -5
Recently saw FOOF, and found it very moving and pretty correct as far as uniforms and equipment. Yeah they can't get everything perfect.
And yes Ira was one of the early ParaMarines, and wearing his jump wings is correct.
Great movie and can't wait to get it on DVD.
Transport out
|
|
|
|
Post by VeeVee on Oct 31, 2006 16:29:53 GMT -5
There were many old people (WWII vet-looking types) in the theater when I saw it.
Is the Letters From Iwo going to be shown here at all? Even if subtitled? Or is that straight to DVD?
|
|
|
|
Post by legionnaire on Oct 31, 2006 19:00:14 GMT -5
From what I've read it will be released next year, it's a smaller budgeted film compared to FOOF as a lot of the scenes in IWO are either in caves or night battles ( filmed in Barstow) The film will tell it from the perspective of the Japanese soldiers most of whom did not want to be sent to that island they new they were doomed. Chances are it will be subtitled here for sure. Clint mentions that they had a chance to film all the dialogue in english too but stuck with authenticity of the original language. The screenplay was wrote but a Japanese American lady. And Clint was really surprised that most of the Japanese Actors had never heard of Iwo Jima and it's history in WWII. That's how schocking the Japanese educational systwm for omitting it's country's history and crimes in WWII to it's younger generation.  Philip |
|
|
|
Post by VeeVee on Dec 7, 2006 17:30:25 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by legionnaire on Dec 7, 2006 19:23:34 GMT -5
DECEMBER 7, 2006, Thursday
"Letters From Iwo Jima" the second of Clint Eastwood's two part look at WWII, is the National Board of Review of Motion Picture's pick as the BEST FILM of 2006.
Also on the list, announced Wednesday; "Flags of Our fathers," in which Eastwood shows the aftermath of war through the eyes of the military men who raised the American flag during the battle of Iwo Jima.
"Letters" which depicts the war from the Japanese perspective with a mostly Japanese cast, originally wa scheduled to hit theaters in February 2007, but Warner Bros. recently bumped up the release date to Dec. 20.
The national Board of Motion Pictures, forme 97 years ago, s composed of Film historians, students and educators.
The Orange County register
|
|
|
|
Post by legionnaire on Dec 11, 2006 17:52:55 GMT -5
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association top movie of 2006 pick is "Letters from Iwo Jima"
The American Film Institute released its picks for the year's top 10 movies last Sunday, including "Letters from iwo Jima".
|
|
|
|
Post by VeeVee on Dec 20, 2006 11:26:31 GMT -5
LFIJ is showing today. The earliest I can see it may have to be the weekend of new year's though.  |
|
|
|
Post by legionnaire on Dec 26, 2006 13:30:51 GMT -5
I saw "Letters" last Saturday at the beautiful Cinerama dome in LA with the Ortega family.
Truly one of THE best films for 2006! Much MUCH better film story than "Flagsof our Fathers". THIS IS a MUST SEE film! If I compare this to Saving P... This is a far better film! Story wise as it is all true based on the letters and even the battle scenes all from the Japanese point of view. The Japanese cast was superb!
A definite best picture winner at the Academy awards!
Clint Eastwood has created a new style of cinema war story telling. And the soundtrack was very simple no over bearing John Williams score!
Philip
|
|
|
|
Post by VeeVee on Dec 26, 2006 20:10:14 GMT -5
I discovered it's only really out in LA and NYC. (boo) I'm off from work tomorrow and was looking forward to seeing it, but it's not really out yet. You guys are lucky to see it there. It's probably going to be released nationwide in the middle of January.  |
|
|
|
Post by VeeVee on Jan 29, 2007 7:47:09 GMT -5
I finally saw Letters yesterday. Very powerful. One of the "sub-lessons/messages" that I took from the movie is how ignorance could be a tragedy in itself. I like the clash of psyche between the "ignorant" Japanese soldiers who were fed propaganda all their lives (who were taught that Americans were savages), and those who were travelled, educated, and not so ignorant.
Overall it's the latest contribution to the message that everyone loses in war no matter who wins.
A little commentary (DO NOT READ if you haven't seen the movie and plan to):
When Saigo discovered the dead body of his friend who tried to surrender, it was the only time he really flat out cried in the movie in sheer despair. Tthere were a lot ot teary-eyed scenes but this one was sheer despair.
It's easy to dismiss it as simply grief for his friend. It was but more than that, it was the sinking realization that there was no hope. Up to that point they were all living with a hope that things would turn out okay. Some of them hoped to surrender and survive. But when he saw his friend shot by Americans when he surrendered. He knew there was no other alternative, he would die surrendering or die fighting with his comrades. He would die no matter what and never get back to his family.
|
|
|
|
Post by legionnaire on Jan 29, 2007 11:03:16 GMT -5
Glad you finally saw it. We saw it AGAIN last Saturday! Still a great film! I noticed more things now. PLEASE IGNORE THIS REPLIES BELOW IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE FILM!the "ignorant" Japanese soldiers who were fed propaganda all their lives (who were taught that Americans were savages), When Saigo discovered the dead body of his friend who tried to surrender, Saigo's new friend originally believed Americans were savages, and realized his ignorance when he witness a dying Marine. Tragically his original belief came true. Ang malas talaga! There was a missing scene in that film. When Kuribayashi was going to lead a general night time charge just before the attack he was all of sudden being help to walk uphill which he could not do anymore with his aide Fujita. There is something missing here. And I guess the white cloth wrapped crossed on Kuribayashi's back must be a his night identification so his men could see him were he would be up front? Philip |
|
|
|
Post by legionnaire on Jan 29, 2007 11:04:21 GMT -5
Glad you finally saw it. We saw it AGAIN last Saturday! Still a great film! I noticed more things now.
I know the night time battles were filmed in Barstow!
So when we will have a "Letters from Bataan and Corregidor" film come to reality.
The Koreans already have the biggest and most expensive war film titled "Tai Guk Gi " (Brothehood of war) and it was very well done.
PLEASE IGNORE THIS REPLIES BELOW IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE FILM!
Japanese soldiers who were fed propaganda all their lives (who were taught that Americans were savages), When Saigo discovered the dead body of his friend who tried to surrender
Saigo's new friend originally believed Americans were savages, and realized his ignorance when he witness a dying Marine. Tragically his original belief came true. Ang malas talaga!
There was a missing scene in that film. When Kuribayashi was going to lead a general night time charge just before the attack he was all of sudden being help to walk uphill which he could not do anymore with his aide Fujita. There is something missing here.
And I guess the white cloth wrapped crossed on Kuribayashi's back must be a his night identification so his men could see him were he would be up front?
Philip
|
|
|
|
Post by VeeVee on May 23, 2007 23:08:45 GMT -5
The 2-disc DVD of both movies just came out. I picked up both but haven't watched the second discs yet.
|
|
|
|
Post by VeeVee on Jun 21, 2007 6:30:03 GMT -5
|
|
