Clint Eastwood's new, ambitious project

[SpencerH]

I think Eastwood-Spielberg will be an interesting combo. One has a grip on the personal-story side of things while the other has a grip on the epic side of films.

[SpencerH]

Originally posted by Tattila the Hun
Hum, I allways thought the picture was staged...

There was a real flag raising, but IIRC they did go back and take the photo after the battle was won.

EDIT: the first flag was raised at 10:20 am then the second flag was raised (when the famous photo was taken) several hours later.

[OzzyKP]

Sounds interesting.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Atahualpa
Interesting idea.
I wish him luck for this project and I hope it will not end in an americanization of the japanese movie, where all our western moral values are reflected and the originality and historical accuracy suffer strongly.

Since Eastwood is directing it, rather than Spielberg (though he never considered a Japanese viewpoint movie), I have faith.

[SpencerH]

I wonder whether Ira Hayes story will be a part of the american side? Possibly not, since his personal drama doesnt occur until long after the battle.

[Imran Siddiqui]

The film follows three survivors: Ira Hayes (played by Adam Beach), Rene Gagnon (Jesse Bradford) and John Bradley (Ryan Phillippe), the co-author's father. To put it mildly, their lives do not continue on a heroic trajectory. At one point Bradley, forever assailed by nightmares that he never discusses, wishes that "there hadn't been a flag on the end of that pole."

[SpencerH]

My point was that Hayes tragedy doesnt occur till after Iwo Jima. If the movie is about the battle, then why focus on those three in particular?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by SpencerH
My point was that Hayes tragedy doesnt occur till after Iwo Jima. If the movie is about the battle, then why focus on those three in particular?

Because it really ISN'T about the battle. Its about how the guys who put up the flag where used and abused (after all what would putting up a flag in Soldier's Field in Chicago have to do with the battle itself?)

[q=OP]The book, by James Bradley and Ron Powers, recounts the ultimately tragic tale of six young U.S. Marines who happened to raise a huge American flag atop Mount Suribachi in the midst of the great battle for Iwo Jima during World War II, of how an Associated Press photographer squeezed off what he thought was a routine shot of them doing so that became an iconic image, of what happened to some of those kids (only three survived the next few days of battle) when they were hustled home to be heedlessly exploited by the U.S. government to raise civilian morale and, incidentally, sell billions of dollars' worth of war bonds. [/q]

[Seeker]

Read on...because the American section focusses as much if not more on the post-war experiences of the 3 surviving flag-planters. Which is really cool. Too many of these war movies assume that these people have lives that are bookended by their wars '...and they all got married and lived out the American Dream happily ever after in the Wonderful Fifties' nonsense.

I've heard it even BEGINS with the flag-planting (there is obviously still fighting after this 3 of the planters got killed), then continues for a few compressed years, then goes back.

[SpencerH]

From the title of the article

"Clint's Double Take
Eastwood directs two films on the battle of Iwo Jima: one from the U.S. side, the other from the Japanese
By RICHARD SCHICKEL"

That suggests a movie about Iwo Jima, not a movie about what happens years after.


OTOH I see your point about what the movie appears to be about from later comments. Unfortunately, when I see quotes like:

"when they were hustled home to be heedlessly exploited by the U.S. government to raise civilian morale and, incidentally, sell billions of dollars' worth of war bonds. "

I have to wonder if this will be another politically correct piece of trash like Pearl Harbor (although I doubt it with Eastwood at the helm).

[ajbera]

Originally posted by GePap
While I never saw Unforgiven...

Do yourself a favor and see it. Powerful and bleak, with superb performances (Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, Richard Harris). Just amazingly good. A Perfect World, with Kevin Costner, is also terrific. I have lots of faith in Clint's abilities.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Az
Mystic River

Bobby, ya have faw hahts!!

To which he should have replied

"And which haht will be pumping while i pahk my cah in Hahvad yad?"

Pahdon me, but i was not as overwhelmed by Mystic River as everyone else.

Didnt see that boxing-euthanasia flick.

[Ted Striker]

Originally posted by ajbera


Do yourself a favor and see it. Powerful and bleak, with superb performances (Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, Richard Harris). Just amazingly good. A Perfect World, with Kevin Costner, is also terrific. I have lots of faith in Clint's abilities.

Bad azz movie

Essentially a comentary on the whole western movies done over the past 50 years.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by ajbera


Do yourself a favor and see it. Powerful and bleak, with superb performances (Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, Richard Harris). Just amazingly good. A Perfect World, with Kevin Costner, is also terrific. I have lots of faith in Clint's abilities.

I agree, A Perfect World is a wonderful movie. To bad so few people saw it.

Mystic River was good but not that great.

Haven't seen Million Dollar Baby, but from what I can tell, the only difference between it and The Next Karate Kid, is that Mr Miyagi doesn't kill her at the end.



ACK!

[Ted Striker]

Perfect World was the bomb.



That whole scene where he's in the house with the black family, and the bagpipe music was playing, was surreal.

Brilliant, brilliant movie.

I agree that Mystic River was good but not great. Maybe it was Tim Robbins, for some reason Tim annoys me.