A Few Words About A few words about...™ Tora Tora Tora -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[battlebeast]

I would say the only good film about Pearl Harbor is FROM HERE TO ETERNITY. And that’s a GREAT film.

 

[Keith Cobby]

I've lined up The Longest Day for next week.

 

[Paul Rossen]

Dramatically it's a dull film. I saw it originally in 70mm and thought it very disappointing. I have the disc but haven't had the enthusiasm to watch it yet!

I also saw Tora in 70mm during its original roadshow run and thought it was a terrible film. Saw it once more during its general release. It was still a terrible film.

 

[trajan007]

I thought the only 70mm print was shown in Japan..

 

[trajan007]

I think TORA was the most intelligent and realistic film made about Pearl Harbor.

 

[MartinP.]

^^^

I'll have to disagree in regards to the impact of the attack on those who were harmed, it's very antiseptic. People were shot and blown up and burned up. There are photos that I don't think have ever been released of stacks of amputated arms and legs outside the windows of hospitals operating on those who were attacked. You get no sense of the terror that was witnessed by the military or civilians. As was written in the very first post in this thread, there was an element of comedy in the film that Robert and myself, too, find problematic.

I would say the only good film about Pearl Harbor is FROM HERE TO ETERNITY. And that’s a GREAT film.

Yes, but when one thinks of Pearl Harbor, it's the attack one thinks of and that's a small part of this film, as it is in Air Force, In Harm's Way, The Revolt of Mamie Stover and others. And because of when it was made, I've come to think of it as skirting the adult issues raised...I just find it laughable referring to the prostitutes as dance hall hostesses. Maybe I shouldn't have read the novel...or seen the musical.

 

[Douglas R]

I thought the only 70mm print was shown in Japan..

The film had 70mm showings in London and other U.K. cities. I happened to see it in 70mm in Sheffield.

 

[Robin9]

I liked much about it, a well made and balanced film, with an interesting structure. I just know that i wouldn't watch it again.

Thanks to your post, I'm going to watch it again tomorrow! (Still waiting for Great Day In The Morning to arrive)

 

[Johnny Angell]

I think TORA was the most intelligent and realistic film made about Pearl Harbor.

Perhaps this is why many find it not as dramatic as it should be and why Hollywood history usually takes more liberty with the facts.

 

[Alan Tully]

I saw this a couple of weeks ago (I recorded it off the telly), it is a good film, with a good pay off at the end, but it's also a bit of a slog. I will buy the Blu-ray one day, maybe.

 

[skylark68]

I guess even if the story has been told several times theatrically, a more realistic take ala the first act of Saving Private Ryan might be called for.

I still think this is probably the best Pearl Harbor film though.

 

[Nick*Z]

Dramatically it's a dull film. I saw it originally in 70mm and thought it very disappointing. I have the disc but haven't had the enthusiasm to watch it yet!

The producers wanted a factually-based drama, of course, completely ignoring the fact that a little artistic license is required to make history palpable in cinema form. What they got instead was almost a documentary, with all the parts played with irreverent rigidity by stars too scared to offer themselves in lieu of creating a sort of living waxworks in moving tableau form. Static movie.

I own it for posterity and have watched it in its entirety once, and bits and pieces since, merely to see if I could warm to its performances. I can't - although, I sincerely acknowledge the meticulous craftsmanship in this exercise. But if I want a documentary about Pearl Harbor or WWII I'll watch The World At War - narrated by Laurence Olivier. If I want a great movie about Pearl Harbor - though not entirely - I'll give From Here To Eternity a spin.

 

[Rick Thompson]

But if I want a documentary about Pearl Harbor or WWII I'll watch The World At War - narrated by Laurence Olivier. If I want a great movie about Pearl Harbor - though not entirely - I'll give From Here To Eternity a spin.

I watched that series in its entirety, and its chapter on Pearl Harbor was unimpressive, and at least one "fact" they cited was outright wrong. And don't ask me which one, as I saw it several years ago -- but it jumped right out at me as I've done a lot of reading on Pearl Harbor (Prange, Lord, Toland, Morison, etc.). As for Olivier's narration, all I could figure is that the producers went cheap and would only pay his monotone rate.

 

[OliverK]

The film had 70mm showings in London and other U.K. cities. I happened to see it in 70mm in Sheffield.

Watched a 70mm BlowUp from the UK 2 1/2 years ago and the quality was quite good. There is a small chance we may have seen the same print but decades apart.

It may be a bit drawn out but compared to other productions they really tried to be accurate with what happened and even with the ships and the planes. Except for that issue with Akagi I really liked the ship models:
http://www.modelshipsinthecinema.com/2013/04/tora-tora-tora-1970.html
http://lasamurai.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-behind-scenes-look-at-ijn-fleet-of.html