*** Official FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS Discussion Thread - Page 2

Patrick Sun · 10-21-2006, 08:47 PM

Mine was "WTF is Paul Walker doing in this movie?"

Ray H · 10-22-2006, 12:48 AM

Saw it earlier. I really liked it. It was an emotional and gripping story of three men, their experiences in battle, and how it affected them in life.

JonZ · 10-23-2006, 08:59 AM

I liked it as well. The only part that bothered me was the scene where we see what happened to the other soldiers and we get 3 dead scenes in a row.

Didnt read the book.

Robert Crawford · 10-23-2006, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonZ

I liked it as well. The only part that bothered me was the scene where we see what happened to the other soldiers and we get 3 dead scenes in a row.

Didnt read the book.

That's when Bradley, the corpsman was having flashbacks to their deaths. By the way, some of them died more gruesome than what was portrayed on the screen and that's besides Iggy's death. Also, of the 250 men in their company, only 27 of them left that island six week later after the island was secured with the rest of them either dead or already wounded beforehand and evaculated.

Crawdaddy

Tino · 10-23-2006, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonZ

I liked it as well. The only part that bothered me was the scene where we see what happened to the other soldiers and we get 3 dead scenes in a row.

Didnt read the book.

That's one of the problems I had with the film. We really didn't get to know those other three men so when their deaths were shown, they weren't as powerful as they could have been.

todd s · 10-23-2006, 01:18 PM

Regarding the fate of Iggy. Maybe, they will show it or discuss it the the Japanese POV movie coming next year.

Robert Crawford · 10-23-2006, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tino

That's one of the problems I had with the film. We really didn't get to know those other three men so when their deaths were shown, they weren't as powerful as they could have been.

I agree to a certain point, but disagree overall after viewing the film as a whole because of later scenes involving the family members of those three men. From his limited scenes, you got a good idea about Mike Strank and what others thought of him when he died. You especially got that sense of what type of person and marine he was, when Ira Hayes broke down and cried on his mother's shoulder or that scene in the hotel room when Hayes was talking about Strank. I am not a real emotional person, but those scenes caused more than a few tears from my eyes. I felt the same thing for Harlon Block's family scenes, particularly, the scene when Ira Hayes met Block's father to tell him the truth about who raised the flag.

Crawdaddy

Robert Crawford · 10-23-2006, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by todd s

Regarding the fate of Iggy. Maybe, they will show it or discuss it the the Japanese POV movie coming next year.

I don't think any of those soldiers will be shown in this film. However, I am sure he will show the brutality of the Japanese soldiers and hopefully show how many of those young soldiers were programmed to be so vicious towards the enemy and their own soldiers, but also suicidal to themselves.

Crawdaddy

Nathan V · 10-23-2006, 05:49 PM

I thought casting name actors in those bit parts was a good cinematic shorthand that saved from having to listen to those all-too-familiar "I'm from New York" speeches. I found the scenes to be suitably powerful- imagine being 19, and holding death in your hands.

I'm curious about two things-

In reality, how closely do soldiers in this type of situation get to know each other? Does everybody become best friends, or are fellow soldiers just people you're around a lot?

And, how do you folks feel about curved screens? I didn't mind them until this weekend, when I sat in the front right section of the cinerama dome for this film, and the curvature of screen (which is very significant at the dome) completely distorted the side of the image closest to me. Horizon lines and subtitles were a joke. I don't mind screens that are barely curved, but the level of distortion I experienced couldn't have been more distracting.

I'll have a full review up soon. For now- very good film. Outstanding perfs and great direction. I admired the loose, free-flowing structure. I love Clint's "jazz" approach. 80% of the takes are first takes(!), says EW. Storyboards and shot lists were not used.

What did you guys think of the present-day "researching son" thread?

Robert Crawford · 10-23-2006, 06:38 PM

In reality, how closely do soldiers in this type of situation get to know each other? Does everybody become best friends, or are fellow soldiers just people you're around a lot?

They become close because they're indoctrine to be that way. During boot camp and whatever further training you receive, the marines break you down as a person/individual and then they rebuild you, so you can function as a team with the rest of your unit.

Crawdaddy

Tino · 10-23-2006, 08:12 PM

Quote:

What did you guys think of the present-day "researching son" thread?

That was the basis for the entire book so I didn't mind at all.

Quote:

I agree to a certain point, but disagree overall after viewing the film as a whole because of later scenes involving the family members of those three men.

And ya see Crawdaddy, those family scenes lacked the emotional power for me because we didn't really get to know those men.

Still, I'm glad it worked for some of you. I really wish it did for me.