I was disappointed in "Letters from Iwo Jima." I think highly of Clint Eastwood and have really enjoyed most of the films he directed.

Disappointed? Ah.....it's too bad for you, Maggers.

"Letters from Iwo Jima" is a well-intentioned film and everyone involved with it worked very hard, that's clear.

I agree you.

The acting is fine, but the lugubrious pace of the direction left me time to think about things other than the film, not a good sign.

Ah......yes, that was lugubrious pace. But this movie is not like Chuck Norris or Stallone's war action movies. "War" is lugubrious and cruel. That's what Mr. Eastwood wanted to say.

Here's my barometer for good filming making - at no time during the movie should I be thinking my own thoughts. I should be with the characters on film, into the action up to my neck and viscerally experiencing everything that is on the screen. That did not happen for me during this movie.

I can see your point. Maybe you didn't know about Japanese actors, their personality, except Ken Watanabe.

Granted, the film is ambitious and does succeed in bringing a very different point of view of WWII to Americans.

It's still surprising me. Because Mr. Eastwood made that movie from a point of view of Japan. Nobody tried it until now.

But ultimately, I found "Iwo Jima" to be uninvolving, though it worked VERY hard to manipulate me to feel for its characters. In a war movie where action takes second place to the relationships amongst the characters, I should have been much more involved with their outcomes. I wasn't. In addition, much was telegraphed loud and clear so very little came as a surprise.

I didn't dislike "Letters from Iwo Jima." It just did not meet my expectations of a Clint Eastwood directed movie.

I think this is EXACTLY Eastwood's film. Other movies, "Mystic River", "Million Dollars Baby", and "Flags of our fathers"....every films are saying about "life and death" and "how to live, how to die".


By the way, this movie had English subtitles/Japanese dialogues? Or English dubbed version?

The Madison Gamblers had a movie night yesterday. We watched FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, also directed by Clint. I was very disappointed. I don't think the movie gave a clue about the grim reality of invading a defended island. Once talked to a D-Day vet, asked him what his greatest impression was. The old soldier was wry, answered, "Beyond my piss dripping down my leg, Mike? But serious, the noise. The Navy was shelling the Nazis without a stop. Air Force planes above us, really loud. Ike said, if you see a plane overhead, it will be ours. I can't even count how many there were. Any Nazi planes got through, I didn't see any. And on the landing ship, hell, there were guys, the Navy officers with bullhorns, trying to maintain order to get us organized to land. That was my biggest impression. The noise. It was really loud."

And what was the point of the flick? "War Is Hell"? Gee, Clint, thanks. Didn't know about that.

And the flag-raising guys went on a War Bond tour. Like that's evil? To my knowledge, every War Bond drive met its goals and more. The country was =solidly= behind that war. And if a drive fell short, so what? Uncle Sam can =print money!=

And another point, Ira Hayes was allegedely not treated with proper respect. A bad thing, no two ways about it. But not too important in the context of civilization, armed by science, immolating itself.

I found it a poor flick. If I'm missing points, please clue me in, gang.

You are not missing points. But "War Is Hell".

Did you see "Letters From Iwo Jima"?

Disappointed? Ah.....it's too bad for you, Maggers.

I don't feel bad, so you shouldn't either. Movies are a crap shoot - the audience may like them or they may not.

Ah......yes, that was lugubrious pace. But this movie is not like Chuck Norris or Stallone's war action movies.

Come on, Kenji, you should know me better than to think I would mix up a Stallone or Norris film (which I've never paid to see) with a Clint Eastwood film. "Iwo Jima" dragged along. As I said in my previous post, I had time to think about many other things as I watched the movie, and that means the director didn't catch my attention and keep it.

I can see your point. Maybe you didn't know about Japanese actors, their personality, except Ken Watanabe.

You're right, I'm not familiar with Japanese actors. But then, I'm not familiar with Spanish actresses, and I just saw "Volver," a Spanish film starring women who are unknown to me, except for Penelope Cruz. I didn't need to speak Spanish or to know those actresses to be involved with their stories and to care about their characters in that movie. That sort of involvement was absent for me in "Iwo Jima" and it had nothing to do with the personality of the actors (which should never have any impact on a film). It's a result of the writing and direction; Almodovar captured my attention and kept it. Eastwood did not.

By the way, this movie had English subtitles/Japanese dialogues? Or English dubbed version?

It was subtitled. In fact, I've never seen a dubbed film in a movie theater; I wouldn't pay to see a dubbed film.


Bottom line, Kenji, we disagree on "Letters from Iwo Jima," and that's OK.

I can see your point. Maybe you didn't know about Japanese actors, their personality, except Ken Watanabe.

As I see it Kenji, it's not the actors. The actors didn't write the script, or cut the movie. And they -- for the most part -- acted according to the Directors . . . um . . . directions.

Ken V.

I don't feel bad, so you shouldn't either. Movies are a crap shoot - the audience may like them or they may not.

Actually, it's the same here in Japan.

Come on, Kenji, you should know me better than to think I would mix up a Stallone or Norris film (which I've never paid to see) with a Clint Eastwood film. "Iwo Jima" dragged along. As I said in my previous post, I had time to think about many other things as I watched the movie, and that means the director didn't catch my attention and keep it.

Oh....sorry, my example was bad. I dislike Chuck Norris movies,too!:p

It was subtitled. In fact, I've never seen a dubbed film in a movie theater; I wouldn't pay to see a dubbed film.

Me too.

Bottom line, Kenji, we disagree on "Letters from Iwo Jima," and that's OK.

Okay.

As I see it Kenji, it's not the actors. The actors didn't write the script, or cut the movie. And they -- for the most part -- acted according to the Directors . . . um . . . directions.

Ken V.

Script and cut the movie wasn't by actors. But while they are filming this movie, director Eastwood couldn't understand Japanese. So translator was in between him and actors. Also, Ken Watanabe could speak English, so he suggested some ideas to Eastwood. That's why the image of Japanese people in this movie wasn't unnatural.

I thought script had no problems.

A real story of "Letters from Iwo Jima".


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