Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers & Letters from Iwo Jima

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 16 Sep 2006, 06:06

Two WW2 films directed by Clint Eastwood set at the Battle of Iwo Jima. Flags of Our Fathers is from the Allied perspective, Letters from Iwo Jima from the Japanese POV.

Letters stars Ken Watanabe and is supposedly in entirely Japanese - if the IMDB is to be trusted (making it the first American film like that since Paul Schrader's Mishima).

Flags Trailer - 28.4MB MOV Downloadable
Letters & Flags Trailer - WMV Streaming

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 20 Sep 2006, 20:38

Cheers Eva. Surprise surprise the media has neglected to even mention "Letters from Iwo Jima".

That is indeed an interesting idea, especially as each side gets a film. I hope Clint spoke to lots of Japanese there at the time, instead of the usual Western take on what the East were thinking.

Considering Eastwood is against flash camera work I imagine these are more drama than action?

p.s - Are they being released at the same time?

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 20 Sep 2006, 22:06

The trailer for "Flags of Our Fathers" makes it looked really dull. Yawn ANOTHER film where the Yanks give themselves a pat on the back.

God they look to do that

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 20 Sep 2006, 23:08

Well, the Japanese were the bad guys

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 21 Sep 2006, 00:25

Stateside:- Flag is out in October, Letters in December.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 21 Sep 2006, 19:02

I guess December and January then for Europe.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 21 Sep 2006, 19:34

Touché, Mark

I think Brad means in the sense that, its told solely from the US POV, which would be OK except it ignores the contribution of other allies

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 21 Sep 2006, 19:59

I just meant it looks like the usual gushing American film with so much patriotism I want to throw up but now you mention it that's a good point too.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 22 Sep 2006, 00:28

As long as it's nothing like Shaving Ryan's Privates....

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 02 Jan 2007, 14:57

Pre-order "Flags" at CD-WOW.
http://www13.cd-wow.com/detail_results_ ... de=1853325
Due for release on Feb. 6th.

But I'm rather looking forward to "Letters".

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 02 Jan 2007, 19:17

I'm looking forward to both.

Markgway wrote:As long as it's nothing like Shaving Ryan's Privates....

I doubt it, Eastwood is nothing like Spielberg as a director. I hear the start of SPR is similar here which is fine in my book it went down hill from then on.

Although overall I liked SPR.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 02 Jan 2007, 20:09

bradavon wrote:I'm looking forward to both.

Markgway wrote:As long as it's nothing like Shaving Ryan's Privates....
I doubt it, Eastwood is nothing like Spielberg as a director. I hear the start of SPR is similar here which is fine in my book it went down hill from then on.

Although overall I liked SPR.

The films are produced by Spielberg however.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 03 Jan 2007, 00:35

thelostdragon wrote:The films are produced by Spielberg however.

...and he would've given zero interference to Eastwood's artistic reign. From I gather, Eastwood is highly respected in Hollywood as a filmmaker and people fall over themselves to work with the man.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 03 Jan 2007, 00:41

True, Eva!

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 12 Jan 2007, 19:59

This has been only out 3 weeks and it's now gone from my local cinema :shock:

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 20 Jan 2007, 18:58

It was never treated as a major release anyway, I went to watch it the weekend it came out and was stunned when I found out it was playing on the smallest screen. Not usually a big deal, but this cinema is the largest in Europe with 30screens - 10 of which are big fuckers, but the people running the place figured Flags of our Fathers wasn't worthy of any of them (Black Christmas playing for its 2nd week was though

).

Anyway, good film but not great, first half is too muddled and confusing thanks to the editting and the fact it is just about the most quiet film i've ever seen at the cinema.

Oh and it's very critical of the USA.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 21 Jan 2007, 20:02

Shingster wrote:Oh and it's very critical of the USA.

Interesting. I think most people who work in Hollywood are.

I can't work out why it was only given a small release.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 24 Jan 2007, 04:01

I am just listening to the soundtrack of "Letters from Iwo Jima". Can't wait to see this film. It opens in February over here.