Letters from Iwo Jima

http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/lettersfromiwojima/

Looks great, finally an epic war movie from the Japanese perspective

I'm really looking forward to seeing this one , its not often the Japanese are Portrayed as anything but Psycoes with death wishes.

Too bad it probably wouldn't release in a theater in my city , if it does im willing to pay double just to see it.

It should be good; if anything its obviously better than all those other America vs Japan movies out there. In all the ones I've seen there is a squad of 12 Americans vs 200000 Japanese men who run out into the open field spraying with a machine gun for 10 minutes, get gunned down, and then all the rest follow suite. Not only is it overexaggeration of the American victory (the battle was not a massacre) but the Japanese are portrayed as suicidal idiots. They may be fearless of death, but even the untrained peasant is at least smart enough hide behind a tree while he reloads.

Usually the country that loses the war makes the more realistic war movie, from what I have seen.

Isn't this the parallel to "Flags of our Fathers?"

Yeah, they're both directed by Clint Eastwood, same people working on them and everything. Flags and Letters are part of a Iwo Jima series

Cant wait to see this as well. I wish they had kept the original title though: Red Sun, Black Sand. It just sounds so much cooler. Or even better just call it: Red Sun, Black Sand: Letters from Iwo Jima.

I agree that last tital sounds like it would be best.

Very interesting, Iwo Jima is the only major battle in the Pacific theatre where the marines suffered more casualties then the Japanese.

The Japanese general was a very educated man and even studied in America as an officer.

Imagine how it must have been like to land on those beaches and have silence...then moments later all hell breaks loose...that was iwo jima.

BANZAI!! Looks like a must see.

It looks like it is the best film of the year...the critics are loving this movie.

I want to see this so bad, clint eastwood is god.

Not attempting to turn this political, actually seriously curious. Anyone know of any Japanese films that show the Pacific War from a non Japanese perspective? I know for example Japan is rather sensitive in accepting blame for its actions in China and rest of Asia so curious if any Japanese filmmakers have attempted to approach that touchy topic.

Anyway Eastwood makes great movies so definately something to look forward to. It is kinda of a shame Flags of our Fathers basically got buried. Would be nice to see a movie from the German perspective, as Letters seems to prove you can do a movie about soldiers/commanders themselves without endorsing the genocidal madmen that lead the countries during WW2. Love to see a movie about D-Day from German perspective or Ardennes.

It should be good; if anything its obviously better than all those other America vs Japan movies out there. In all the ones I've seen there is a squad of 12 Americans vs 200000 Japanese men who run out into the open field spraying with a machine gun for 10 minutes, get gunned down, and then all the rest follow suite. Not only is it overexaggeration of the American victory

What movies specifically are you talking about? If talking about Vietnam movies then Ill agree but most Pacific War movies have been more along the lines of naval conflict movies. The only real stand out god awful PW movie was of course Pearl Harbor.

Originally Posted by danzig

What movies specifically are you talking about? If talking about Vietnam movies then Ill agree but most Pacific War movies have been more along the lines of naval conflict movies. The only real stand out god awful PW movie was of course Pearl Harbor.

I think he refers to that abominous John Woo movie "Windtalkers" where Nic Cage was hip-shooting half the japanese army with his 1-million round thompson.


I agree though, more movies from "the other side" please. I think society is mature enough for that.

Originally Posted by Rapax

I think he refers to that abominous John Woo movie "Windtalkers" where Nic Cage was hip-shooting half the japanese army with his 1-million round thompson.

Oh man forgot about that one, yeah that movie was so horrible I think it was purged from my mind as an act of bodily self defense.

I agree though, more movies from "the other side" please. I think society is mature enough for that.

I unfortunately dont agree, society isnt ready for that not yet atleast. Kinda of sad, it isnt like you have to glorify the German government, Vietnam era movies showed you can produce good movies without embracing bone headed moves by the American government. Granted WW2/Germany is an entirely different beast but has to be doable, just dont think any one has the nerve to do it for fear of backlash.

There was also that highly embarrassing scene in Windtalkers when the Indian guy was pushing Cage out at rifle point in front of the Japanese to trick them. Yes, the American characters think the Indians look kind of like Japs - we got that - but the idea that the JAPANESE were going to be fooled, just right up there on the screen in all its ludicrous racially-blind glory - I cringed so hard my buttock-muscles started bursting the stitches on my cinema-seat upholstery.

There are classic German movies made from the German perspective, like Stalingrad and Das Boot. There was a horror movie made from the German perspective called The Bunker about a squad occupying an old WW1 bunker waiting for the Americans to attack, driven insane by the ghosts of deserters they'd executed.

Finally. Remember Wind Talkers?