Is this movie quite different from Flags Of Our Fathers?

Posted by townsend (A) on January 29, 2007 at 17:31:35

In Reply to: "Letters from Iwo Jima." Definitely worth posted by tinear on January 29, 2007 at 16:24:20:

I disliked Flags. After about thirty minutes, this heavy-handed movie had made its point, and then proceeded to make it again, and again, and again, AD NAUSEUM for the next hour--i.e., the real heroes died fighting on the island, and the GIs touring the country raising war bonds weren't the real heroes. The U.S. government was prostituting these men.

The flashing backs were distracting and tired.

Finally, there was very little combat in the movie, and what little there was wasn't done well. At least Speilberg in SPR well depicted the horror of the Normandy invasion.

I don't know what invading these Japanese islands was like first hand, but my father, who was a Master Sergeant in the army, fought the Japanese for four years in the Pacific theater. I remember him telling me that the U.S. navy had laid a heavy bombardment before the Army went ashore on Leyte. Yet when the army hit the beach, it was as if the enemy hadn't been softened up at all (presumably because they were deeply dug in and protected in the caves).

Why wasn't the horror of these landings depicted accurately? That wasn't the point of his movie? It would have been a better movie had the landing been portrayed in its full horror. Then we would better understand the sacrifice of the Americans who fought in the Pacific.

Yes, I know, it wasn't meant to be a typical war movie, but whatever it was, I think it missed the mark.

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - "Letters from Iwo Jima." Definitely worth - tinear 16:24:20 01/29/07 (9)

The two films are made to be viewed... - mkuller 10:47:12 01/30/07 (1)

First off, have you seen it? I understand your point, of course, but my - tinear 05:27:08 02/01/07 (0)

Is this movie quite different from Flags Of Our Fathers? - townsend 17:31:35 01/29/07 (4)

Pretty Much Agree With Your Assessment - Daryl Zero 15:44:14 02/01/07 (0)

"Flags Of Our Fathers" was like bad television (nt) - Jimmy NYC 05:24:37 01/31/07 (0)

Haven't seen Flags. Letters, actually, is much more like a play. It - tinear 04:33:40 01/30/07 (1)

Re: Haven't seen Flags. Letters, actually, is much more like a play. It - jamesgarvin 07:35:45 01/30/07 (0)

Of the films nominated for best picture it would get my vote. - sjb 16:52:35 01/29/07 (1)

More that the ratio seemed correct than the scale. - sjb 10:48:10 01/30/07 (0)

Follow Ups

Is this movie quite different from Flags Of Our Fathers? - townsend 17:31:35 01/29/07 (4)

Pretty Much Agree With Your Assessment - Daryl Zero 15:44:14 02/01/07 (0)

"Flags Of Our Fathers" was like bad television (nt) - Jimmy NYC 05:24:37 01/31/07 (0)

Haven't seen Flags. Letters, actually, is much more like a play. It - tinear 04:33:40 01/30/07 (1)

Re: Haven't seen Flags. Letters, actually, is much more like a play. It - jamesgarvin 07:35:45 01/30/07 (0)

You can not post to an archived thread.