Letters from IwoJima

[MrBern]

Is there no thread for this film yet?

I caught it the other nite. I hadnt really enjoyed 'Flag of Our Fathers' , but was open minded that this companion piece might redeem ClintEastwood's efforts.
Thought it was FABULOUS. It was everything that 'Flag' wasnt. A great War movie that delivers the story so that youre enthralled & quite sure that war is hellish. It humanizes the japanese forces & helps the viewer understand their motivations to fight & die for their empire.

a must see. In fact you might have to see it twice to absorb the performances whil reading those subtitles...

 

[Feraud]

Thanks for the review MrBern!
I am adding this to my "to see" list.

 

[Lincsong]

NOt out in the Bay Area yet.

 

[Solid Citizen]

Eastwood Movie

My understanding was that BOTH films will be part of the same package when they come out on DVD.

SC

 

[Andykev]

Thanks for the review

I appreciate your "movie review". More from many of our members is vital. I plan on seeing this movie very soon, and now more so with your comments. Thanks.

One question: what about bringing a 15 year old boy to see it? Too graphic, or very educational?

 

[Solid Citizen]

15 Yr. Old OK for Flags

IMO 15 is fine for Flags, since I haven't seen Letters, but assume same intensity level .

SC

 

[MrBern]

I think a teenager should be able to handle it.
There are no sex or rape scenes as in TheGoodGerman.
Theres no foul language as its all subtitled.
But it is a warfilm & there are plenty of combat deaths, executions, explosions & flamethrowers.

 

[MissHuff]

I am interested to see Letters from IwoJima although I've yet to see Flags. I think that it interests me more because most of the time you don't get a historically set movie that focuses on the other/non-american side of the war. I also think Ken Watanabe is a wonderful actor and can't pass up a movie with him in it.

 

[MrBern]

I am interested to see Letters from IwoJima although I've yet to see Flags. I think that it interests me more because most of the time you don't get a historically set movie that focuses on the other/non-american side of the war. I also think Ken Watanabe is a wonderful actor and can't pass up a movie with him in it.

Yes, its the reason why I've been dying to see this film, the depiction of the 'enemy' in a fair & balanced manner. I think if there were a sympathetic film about Nazis, a lot of people would be outraged. Tho I'm not trying to mitigate any groups involvement in WWII's Axis power.

if you ever have the chance, check out the old WWII film GoForBroke. http://imdb.com/title/tt0043590/
Its the story of Japanese-american GIs fighting in Europe. Far better than say, WINDTALKERS.

 

[LaMedicine]

Letters to Iwo Jima opened on Dec.9 here, and I want to see both Flags and Letters, but haven’t had the chance to, yet. However, I’ve read some good reviews here. One interesting point of view was that Gen. Kuribayashi couldn’t have been portrayed thus by Japanese film makers. We as a country have constitutionally denounced use of armed forces in resolving conflicts, so we have reservations about openly acclaiming or lauding members of the military, especially officers.

Of the actors, of course, Ken Watanabe is outstanding, but other actors were equally praised. Shido Nakamura, a Kabuki actor, as the “villain”, Takeshi Ihara as Baron Nishi, the Olympic Gold Medalist equestrian. Especially noted was Kazuya Ninomiya, one of the members of an idol singer group very popular here, still in his early twenties, as Saigo, the young soldier with wife and child back home. I have heard some rumors that he may cop a nomination for supporting actor in the Oscar race.

Another interesting article was that Letters was given a special preview to some 60 members of the Kuribayashi clan in Nagano, a week before the premier. A grand nephew of Gen. Kuribayashi commented that "He is the pride of the family, but at the same time, he lost so many of his men, it was not our place to show our respect openly. The Kuribayashi family is very grateful for the generosity of Americans in depicting the battle and Gen. Kuribayashi with respect and in earnest."

As Miss Huff says, it isn’t often that WW II is portrayed from the non-allied side. I guess the 60+ years was needed for all sides to be able to look at it with a better perspective.

 

[Marv]

I too didn't like Flags but hoping to see Letters when it opens in the UK, from the reviews so far it looks like it's a belter.

 

[Jack Scorpion]

Big fan of Eastwood, but hesitant to see a couple war movies. I'd heard such downer stuff about Flags that I'd pretty much decided not to see either. However, you guys have convinced me to give Letters a shot.

 

[Feraud]

What I find interesting is how Eastwood made two films on the same subject based on different points of view and receives negative reviews for one film and positive for the other.
The film credits show he used basically the same crew for each film.

What gives?

 

[MrBern]

What I find interesting is how Eastwood made two films on the same subject based on different points of view and receives negative reviews for one film and positive for the other.
The film credits show he used basically the same crew for each film.

What gives?

I believe scripts or at least the novels, were by two diff authors.

And really, the anti-war sentiment seems to float better when viewing the fascist forces.

 

[LaMedicine]

It is my understanding that Letters is original, has no book it is based on save roughly on a biography of Kuribayashi, of which there are several. There is no book that has the same storyline as Letters, at least, not in Japanese, but rather, put together basically by Eastwood who read extensively about Kuribayashi and the known letters from the soldiers on the island to their family. I have read that he started out by reading a biography of Kuribayashi, which is not translated into English, so Eastwood had it translated personally for him, as he had all other Japanese references he went through, and the screenwriter he contracted is a Japanese American.
The story about the letters being discoverd 60 years later itself is fiction, and the story line was compiled from the numerous letters that remain in the hands of the families, some of which are published, others that are scattered in archives, while the rest are still with the original families.

I also agree with MrBern that part of the interest comes from the fact that most war movies are done from the perspective of the side the film makers are from, and the inhumane qualities of the enemy are often stressed to make the point, while Letters is unique in that it was made by someone who by all accounts is on the opposite line, and made as much as possible from the perspective of the enemy.
I myself am partly interested in seeing it because I am wondering how something that for us induces complex emotions, to say the least, is portrayed from the opposite side of the line.

 

[MrBern]

We've seen movies about Japanese Americans in WWII.
Films like GoForBroke illustrated the experience of Jpn-Americans proving themselves in combat, or
Come See the Paradise
http://imdb.com/title/tt0099291/
a `30s romance between a NY Irishman who marries a japanese american gal on the west coast...and how theyre lives are impacted by WWII & the camps they are detained in.

LettersFromIwoJima is interesting cuz its like the movie Titanic, you know the dark ending. The emotions are so complex, you cant cheer w/ enthusiam when the combat becomes lethal for either side. Its a really well done anti-war statement, w/o getting up on a soapbox.
FlagsofOurFathers had... stuff like the warbond dinner where the dessert is formed to look like the flag raising, and then the strawberry sauce is drenched on top. Not the most subtle image.

 

[Solid Citizen]

Mr. Eastwood

I've heard in some quarters that Mr. Eastwood has received criticism for the soon to be released Letters from Iwo flic for a protrayal of the enemy @ "victims" ??? I still plan to see the film!

SC

 

[Lincsong]

I've heard in some quarters that Mr. Eastwood has received criticism for the soon to be released Letters from Iwo flic for a protrayal of the enemy @ "victims" ??? I still plan to see the film!

SC

Yes, that is controversial. How would such a film about German soldiers at The Bulge or on the Eastern Front be taken?[huh]

 

[Hondo]

I am not so sure [huh]
I mean if all persons in regards to letters are no longer living, I don't see a problem but if still alive who gave them to Mr. Eastwood?
I;m not big on awards shows, but I've heard that "Little Miss Sunshine" has beat out Iwo Jima as fourth nominated Oscar film, Iwo Jima was to be released this spring but after “Flags of Our Fathers” didn’t do well at the box office, Eastwood rushed Iwo Jima out, I don’t why [huh], film goers,or youth can be flickle, picky about movies on first run, I still plan to see and buy both films.
Little Miss Sunshine no matter how charming, funny can wait on my list.
But then I'm just a old guy, film noir buff.

 

[Feraud]

Yes, that is controversial. How would such a film about German soldiers at The Bulge or on the Eastern Front be taken?[huh]

Our political correctness waxes and wanes depending on the group. How accepted a film will be depends on how knowledgeable the public is on their history.