Clint Eastwood as be the “IT” guy in Hollywood lately. Starting with Mystic River a couple years ago he has had a movie a year and has been nominated for plenty of awards along the way as well. In 2006 He had not 1 but 2 films come out about the same exact subject: Flags of Our Fathers (which focused on the Flag Raising at Iwo Jima and the lives of the soliders afterwards) and Letters from Iwo Jima. Well now after a successful awards season Warner Brothers is set to release Letters from Iwo Jima on May 22nd, and we have the early review.
The island of Iwo Jima stands between the American military force and the home islands of Japan. Therefore the Imperial Japanese Army is desperate to prevent it from falling into American hands and providing a launching point for an invasion of Japan. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) is given command of the forces on the island and sets out to prepare for the imminent attack. General Kuribayashi, however, does not favor the rigid traditional approach recommended by his subordinates, and resentment and resistance fester among his staff. A young soldier, Saigo, a poor baker in civilian life, strives with his friends to survive the harsh regime of the Japanese army itself, all the while knowing that a fierce battle looms. When the American invasion begins, both Kuribayashi and Saigo find strength, honor, courage, and horrors beyond imagination. Where Flags of Our Fathers used a non-linear structure and large production values to dramatize one of the bloodiest battles of World War II and its traumatic impact on the American soldiers that gought the battle, Letters reveals the battle of Iwo Jima from the tunnel- and cave-dwelling perspective of the Japanese, outnumbered, deprived, and doomed to die in inevitable defeat.
There are some very indepth special features on this disc, and thank god. The original release of Flags of our Fathers was very barebones; but dont worry 2-Disc SE and a 5 Disc Edition with both Flags and Letters is due out on the 22nd as well. This 2-Disc Special Edition includes:
• Red Sun, Black Sand: The Making of Letters From Iwo Jima - An inside look at the creation of the film with all key players.
• The Faces of Combat: The Cast of Letters From Iwo Jima - Cast members introduce the characters they portray in the film.
• Images from the Frontlines: The Photography of Letters From Iwo Jima - A still photo montage.
• November 2006 World Premiere at Budo-kan in Tokyo - Very interesting piece that shows the Japanese reaction to the film.
• November 2006 Press Conference - From Japan
- Rating: 5 out of 5
The 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is among the best ive seen. Eastwood and his Director of Photography shot this film devoid of any real vivrant colors (with the exception of the explosions in the battle scenes) so that its almost a black & white film and the disc handles it really well. One the audio side of things you get a terffic Japanese 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack with English Subtitles. Thats right the films entirely in Japanese (except for a couple lines of English Dialouge at the end by the American Soliders).
- Rating: 5 out of 5
We now have the definitive film about the Battle of Iwo Jima. Clint Eastwood had crafted a masterpiece of cinema in a language he knows nothing of and treated the Japanese people with the respect they deserve. In previous films about the battle the Japanese forces have been portrayed as evil blood thirsty savages, in Letters they are very introspective and deeply flawed people we could all relate to.
- Overall Rating: 5 out of 5
Film and Features: 5
Technical Specs: 5
Overall Review: 5
Studio: Warner Brothers
Genre: Drama
Aspect: 2.40:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Audio: Japanese 5.1 Dolby Digital
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