Flags of Our Fathers

[Randy]

I saw in the LA Times movie section for movies for 2006, that the movie "Flags of Our Fathers" should be out this fall. This is a Clint Eastwood & Spielberg film about the battle of Iwo Jima and the raising of the Flag on Mt. Suribachi. It should be interesting, considering how good "Saving Private Ryan" is.

[KG Erwin]

Randy, check out this forum http://www.the-pacific-war.com/phpBB2/index.php which features discussions about the FooF movie and the Pacific War in general. I think you'd like it. [;)]

[brador]

I just hope the hero does'nt die like John Wayne did in the "Sands of Iwo Jima" still a great movie!

[BruceAZ_MatrixForum]

Can't wait!

We have a couple of Marine retires in Sun City that fought there. I spoke with one and all he would say was how bad the terrain (beaches) was. I hope it is as good as SPR as I really liked that movie.

Recon
Semper Fi

[Afrika Korps]

WOW! I had not heard of this...two movies, one from each POV...now that is something.

Very excited.

I am still waiting for someone to make The Forgotten Soldier into a movie...

[sabrejack]

ORIGINAL: brador

I just hope the hero does'nt die like John Wayne did in the "Sands of Iwo Jima" still a great movie!

Great, I hadn't seen it... guess I don't need to now...

[;)]

[brador]

ORIGINAL: sabrejack

ORIGINAL: brador

I just hope the hero does'nt die like John Wayne did in the "Sands of Iwo Jima" still a great movie!

Great, I hadn't seen it... guess I don't need to now...

[;)]

Sorry sabrejack! Didn't mean to ruin it for you. A good film otherwise[:D]

[KG Erwin]

Guys, if you wanna see a magnificent and underrated Pacific War movie, 1950's "Halls of Montezuma " is a GREAT one. Not only do you have Richard Widmark, Karl Malden, Jack Webb, Jack Palance, Richard Wagner and Richard Boone, but you also have footage of real Amtracs and a few real Sherman tanks in it. A MUST for Marine fans and SPWaW players who want to get a "feel" for Pacific island assaults , IMHO.

PS This film also touches upon the effects of fear and combat stress, which made it ahead of its time. In true all-American style, though, the guys just "tough it out" and keep going. That's BS -- nevertheless, the implications are there.

[Randy]

KG, thanks for that info. Knowing Speilbergs realism for Saving Private Ryan, I hope this is just as good. I wonder where they'll get all the amtracs for the film? They'll probably have a couple and just computerize the rest. After SPR, they can't really use fake stuff any more, especially with all the WWII historians out there who will scrutinize the hell out of the movie!

[DoubleDeuce]

ORIGINAL: KG Erwin
PS This film also touches upon the effects of fear and combat stress, which made it ahead of its time. In true all-American style, though, the guys just "tough it out" and keep going. That's BS -- nevertheless, the implications are there.

How is this BS? While I am sure some did crack under the pressure, the vast majority did not. An just think, they did it all without prozac although I'm sure they had plenty of cigarettes and alcohol to help. My point is, the current generation (in the US) has no concept of the hardships that that generation endured. Many these days consider having to do without cable for a couple days or having to walk 3 blocks to the store (to probably get their cigs and beer) as having to "tough it out" in life. These men are/were obviously made of something far different than the "Whats in it for me?" generation of today.

I do agree with you on the quality of the movie though. [:)]

[Afrika Korps]

Remember, that our government refused to treat or even consider PTSD as a problem until just the last few years.

After Vietnam, a well known Senator told an open committee that the current vets were a bunch of "cry babies". I learned about all of this after a really nice conversation with Max Cleland, former head of the VA and triple amputee from the 'nam.

I love those old war movies, but you really have to take a lot of them with a grain of salt and realize that in the era they were made they served a purpose.

While I agree that many today are not of "the right stuff", I know a few today that are...especially in our (US) all volunteer military.