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Flags of Our Fathers
Thematically ambitious and emotionally complex, Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers is an intimate epic with much to say about war and the nature of heroism in America. Based on the non-fiction bestseller by James Bradley (with Ron Powers), and adapted by Million Dollar Baby screenwriter Paul Haggis (Jarhead screenwriter William Broyles Jr. wrote an earlier draft that was abandoned when Eastwood signed on to direct), this isn't so much a conventional war movie as it is a thought-provoking meditation on our collective need for heroes, even at the expense of those we deem heroic. In telling the story of the six men (five Marines, one Navy medic) who raised the American flag of victory on the battle-ravaged Japanese island of Iwo Jima on February 23rd, 1945, Eastwood takes us deep into the horror of war (in painstakingly authentic Iwo Jima battle scenes) while emphasizing how three of the surviving flag-raisers (played by Adam Beach, Ryan Phillippe, and Jesse Bradford) became reluctant celebrities--and resentful pawns in a wartime publicity campaign – after their flag-raising was immortalized by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal in the most famous photograph in military history.

As the surviving flag-raisers reluctantly play their public roles as "the heroes of Iwo Jima" during an exhausting (but clearly necessary) wartime bond rally tour, Flags of Our Fathers evolves into a pointed study of battlefield valor and misplaced idolatry, incorporating subtle comment on the bogus nature of celebrity, the trauma of battle, and the true meaning of heroism in wartime. Wisely avoiding any direct parallels to contemporary history, Eastwood allows us to draw our own conclusions about the Iwo Jima flag-raisers and how their postwar histories (both noble and tragic) simultaneously illustrate the hazards of exploited celebrity and society's genuine need for admirable role models during times of national crisis. Flags of Our Fathers defies the expectations of those seeking a more straightforward war-action drama, but it's richly satisfying, impeccably crafted film that manages to be genuinely patriotic (in celebrating the camaraderie of soldiers in battle) while dramatizing the ultimate futility of war. Eastwood's follow-up film, Letters from Iwo Jima, examines the Iwo Jima conflict from the Japanese perspective. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVDs
The two-disc special edition of Flags of Our Fathers offers a fine balance of behind-the-scenes production features and archival history. Disc 1 is entirely dedicated to Clint Eastwood's acclaimed wartime drama, paired with an abundance of special features on disc 2. First up is a three-minute introduction by Clint Eastwood, who explains his attraction to James Bradley's nonfiction bestseller, how he partnered with Steven Spielberg to coproduce this ambitious production, and the themes of wartime valor and misguided celebrity that he wished to illuminate. Next, author Bradley recalls the process of seeing his book translated to film (including interview clips with screenwriters William Broyles Jr. and Paul Haggis) and his involvement with the production as an authoritative consultant. In the 20-minute featurette "Six Brave Men," the actors who played the celebrated Iwo Jima flag-raisers speak about their characters, how they fit into the history of Iwo Jima, and the responsibility of honoring their memories with historically accurate portrayals. "The Making of an Epic" is a 30-minute behind-the-scenes documentary covering all aspects of production, from the decision to film in Iceland (where black volcanic sand matched the barren beaches of Iwo Jima) to the individual contributions of key personnel, most notably cinematographer Tom Stern, editor Joel Cox, costume designer Deborah Hopper, the late, great production designer Henry Bumstead, and Eastwood's longtime casting director, the late Phyllis Huffman. (The making-of feature is dedicated to Bumstead and Huffman, who both succumbed to cancer shortly after production was completed.) "Raising the Flag" (running a little over three minutes) focuses on the cast and crew's meticulous re-creation of the second Iwo Jima flag-raising, demonstrating the reverent care with which each soldier's movements were duplicated in exacting detail. "Looking into the Past" is a nearly 10-minute assembly of 1945 newsreel footage, showing many of the actual events that were dramatized in Eastwood's film, and demonstrating the impressive efforts that went into making Flags of Our Fathers as authentic as it could possibly be. The 15-minute "Visual Effects" featurette provides a detailed analysis of Digital Domain's diligent efforts to achieve convincing photo-realistic images in the film's epic-scale battle sequences, home-front bond rallies, and other sequences where CGI wizardry was required. The original theatrical trailer for Flags of Our Fathers is also included. --Jeff Shannon

Letters from Iwo Jima
Critically hailed as an instant classic, Clint Eastwood's Letters from Iwo Jima is a masterwork of uncommon humanity and a harrowing, unforgettable indictment of the horrors of war. In an unprecedented demonstration of worldly citizenship, Eastwood (from a spare, tightly focused screenplay by first-time screenwriter Iris Yamashita) has crafted a truly Japanese film, with Japanese dialogue (with subtitles) and filmed in a contemplative Japanese style, serving as both complement and counterpoint to Eastwood's previously released companion film Flags of Our Fathers. Where the earlier film employed a complex non-linear structure and epic-scale production values to dramatize one of the bloodiest battles of World War II and its traumatic impact on American soldiers, Letters reveals the battle of Iwo Jima from the tunnel- and cave-dwelling perspective of the Japanese, hopelessly outnumbered, deprived of reinforcements, and doomed to die in inevitable defeat. While maintaining many of the traditions of the conventional war drama, Eastwood extends his sympathetic touch to humanize "the enemy," revealing the internal and external conflicts of soldiers and officers alike, forced by circumstance to sacrifice themselves or defend their honor against insurmountable odds. From the weary reluctance of a young recruit named Saigo (Kazunari Ninomiya) to the dignified yet desperately anguished strategy of Japanese commander Tadamichi Kuribayashi (played by Oscar-nominated The Last Samurai costar Ken Watanabe), whose letters home inspired the film's title and present-day framing device, Letters from Iwo Jima (which conveys the bleakness of battle through a near-total absence of color) steadfastly avoids the glorification of war while paying honorable tribute to ill-fated men who can only dream of the comforts of home. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVDs
Like the film itself, the two-disc special edition of Letters from Iwo Jima is predominantly Japanese in content, and that's as it should be. Disc 1 presents the film in a flawless widescreen transfer, with a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround soundtrack that perfectly captures the film's wide dynamic range. The optional subtitles can be turned off for those wishing to immerse themselves in a completely Japanese viewing experience. Disc 2 opens with "Red Sun, Black Sand: The Making of Letters from Iwo Jima," a 20-minute behind-the-scenes documentary that concisely covers all aspects of production, from director Clint Eastwood's initial decision to create a companion piece to Flags of Our Fathers, to interview comments from principal cast and crew, the latter including Flags screenwriters Paul Haggis and Letters screenwriter Iris Yamashita, costume designer Deborah Hopper, editor Joel Cox, cinematographer Tom Stern, production designer James Murakami (taking over for the ailing Henry Bumstead), and coproducer Rob Lorenz. "The Faces of Combat" is an 18-minute featurette about selecting the Japanese (and Japanese-American) cast of Letters, and how they were chosen through the international collaboration of Eastwood's long-time casting director Phyllis Huffman (who turned over some of her duties to her son while struggling with terminal illness) and Japanese casting associate Yumi Takada, who filled important roles with Japanese celebrities (like pop star Kazunari Ninomiya, who plays "Saigo") and unknown actors alike.

"Images from the Frontlines" is a 3.5-minute montage of images from the film and behind-the-scenes, set to the sparse piano theme of Eastwood's original score. The remaining bonus features chronicle the world premiere of Letters in Tokyo on November 15, 2006. The premiere itself is covered in a 16-minute featurette taped at the famous Budokan arena, where we see the red-carpet procession, a full-capacity audience despite cold November weather, and introductory comments from the film's primary cast and crew, many of them quite moving with regard to the satisfaction of working on a film that helps Japanese viewers come to terms with a painful chapter of their history. The following day's press conference (at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo hotel) is a 24-minute Q&A; session covering much of the same territory, with additional testimony from principal cast & crew. Throughout this two-day event, it's clear that Eastwood (referring to himself as "a Japanese director who doesn't speak the Japanese language") was warmly embraced by the Japanese, and that Letters from Iwo Jima had served its intended purpose, reminding us of the horrors of war while uniting both Japanese and Americans in somber reflection, 61 years after the battle of Iwo Jima. --Jeff Shannon

On the bonus fifth disc is an A&E; documentary Heroes of Iwo Jima from 2001 narrated by Gene Hackman, and "To the Shores of Iwo Jima," a 1945 short film that was Oscar-nominated for best documentary short.

Product Description
5 Disc Commemorative Collector's Edition includes Flags of Our Fathers 2-Disc Special Edition Letters From Iwo Jima 2-Disc Special Edition and bonus disc including 1) Heroes of Iwo Jima (History Channel documentary hosted by Gene Hackman) 2) To the Shores of Iwo Jima (Academy Award nominated 1945 UA short)

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17 Reviews 5 star:  (14) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:  (1) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review (17 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   46 of 48 people found the following review helpful: Eastwood's Two-Film War Epic Gets The Release It Deserves., April 11, 2007 By  J. Bradley (Charleston, WV USA) - See all my reviews    I'm really glad they're releasing the films in this two-film set. The films deserve to be examined back-to-back. It was a shame the distribution of the films in theatres couldn't be coordinated so the releases were closer together creating more of an "event" status around them. These films are a stark, striking, bold entry in the pantheon of World War Two movies (war movies in general for that matter). I've not seen a bolder attempt since Oliver Stone's Vietnam trilogy of films (Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July and Heaven and Earth (maybe this release of Eastwood's films will prompt them to give Stone's series a similar DVD treatment). The two films, very dramatically examine war on various fronts, not just the combat milieau. The broader scope of Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima - combined, are unique for the war film genre, and it will finally get the exposure it deserves and I hope more people discover the films via this release.   28 of 28 people found the following review helpful: 5 stars is not enough for these 2 magnificent films...., May 23, 2007 By  Grigory's Girl "Grigory's Girl" (NYC) - See all my reviews    Clint Eastwood has proven himself (if there was ever any doubt after Million Dollar Baby) to be a master filmmaker. With Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby under his belt (2 bonafide masterpieces), one wondered how he would top them. His answer was to direct not only one but TWO films about WWII (the other being Letters from Iwo Jima. To make 2 great films at 76 (back to back no less) is no easy feat. But to make 2 films of such depth, poetry, humanity, and poignancy is even more beautiful and moving. When you realise that 90 percent of what Hollywood puts out ranges from atrocious to mediocre, and then you watch these 2 magnificent films, it restores your faith in filmmaking and that even Hollywood, which has been maligned (quite rightly) over the last 30 years or so, can still contribute to film as an art form. Clint has been compared (rightly, I believe) to John Ford. There has been beauty and poetry galore in Clint's last 3 films in particular, and in many others as well. Ford's films also had that poetry and lyricism, and a depth that most filmmakers rarely posses. In these 2 films, there is poetry, subtlety, and substance to spare. Flags of Our Fathers generally got mixed reviews from critics, and many were disappointed. Out of the two films, it was the one that most people disliked. I wasn't disappointed at all, and I think the film is a masterpiece. It is truthful, sad, cynical, heartbreaking, and yet, somehow uplifting in some ways. It centers on the offical lies about the famous Iwo Jima photograph. We find out the exact circumstances as to why this photo was rendered, and we find out on the 3 servicemen who were exploited by the Roosevelt Administration (showing that exploiting servicemen is a bipartisan enterprise) and how they were pretty much jettisoned after the government had no further use for them. In many Eastwood films, there are a few bad performances in the minor roles. Here that isn't the case. The trio of lead actors, Adam Beach, Ryan Phillipe, and Jesse Bradford, are superb. There isn't a false note or performance in the entire film. One of the best aspects about this film is how it's edited. The film has graphic war footage, but it's interpersed in the film in an interesting way. The war footage, unlike other overly graphic war films like Saving Private Ryan, doesn't revel in its cruelty. It's there to move the film along. This film also really gives you a sense of the battle for Iwo Jima. You see the military strategy in how they take the island, painful step by painful step. The military people here are not the stupid, gung ho types that often are portrayed in Hollywood films. They are much more down to earth and real. Regardless about your feelings about war and the cause of, you can't help but feel for all soldiers after seeing this film (and its companion Letters). The ending of this film is one of the more beautiful that I've seen. It flashes back to a rather simple scene that ends up being unexpectedly poignant. Letters is equally extraordinary. Despite its depiction of war, it is a much quieter, serene, and moving film that Flags. It does touch on how soldiers are pawns in politicans' schemes like Flags, but this film concentrates almost exclusively on the Japanese soldiers themselves. Ken Watanabe gives a towering performance as the commander of the island, a vastly intelligent, articulate, caring man, who nevertheless does what he feels is his duty to his country, knowing very well that he will most likely be killed. Like Flags, we really get to know these soldiers like we were in the platoon ourselves, and aside from a few war speeches, Letters and Flags never feel like they are propaganda, gun-ho garbage that Hollywood and others have been known for putting out. Clint's direction is breathtakingly assured. When you take into account that Clint speaks no Japanese, and he directs a film almost exclusively in Japanese, it makes the film even more extraordinary to behold. There has only been a few films in history that have managed to do this, a film where a foreign director immerses himself so much in the culture that if you didn't know it was a foreign director directing the film, you'd swear it was a native of the country (Kurosawa's Dersu Uzala, Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, and Tarkovsky's The Sacrifice are examples of this phenomenon). Perhaps the best example of Clint's direction is in the following scene. One of the Japanese soldiers arrives at the island, and the other soldiers believe him to be a spy sent by the officers. He eventually tells them his story, and why he was sent to Iwo Jima. He was enforcing curfew in a local town with one of his officers, and they pass by one of the houses where a dog is barking rather loudly. The officer informs the soldier to take the dog inside the house, and shoot it. The soldier takes the dog into the house, and the family is horrified. The soldier shoots a bullet in the air, and tells the family to keep the dog quiet. The soldier then leaves the house, but the dog barks again. The officer becomes furious, and he goes into the house to shoot the dog. But you never see the dog being shot, you only hear the shot, and see the soldier's reaction (only the officer goes into the house). This makes the scene so powerful and sad. The soldier was sent to Iwo Jima because he let the dog live, and the officer was furious that the soldier disobeyed him. The way Clint films this scene is why it's so memorable. A lesser director would have shown the dog getting shot, with hand held shots and hysterical screaming. He would have tried to justify his decision by saying "it's more realistic", which it is, but there is no art, poetry, or intelligence in that. It's lame shock value, which will always lessen the dramatic impact of a scene. This is a great set. It's worth picking up for the films alone. Kudos to Warner Brothers for funding this immensely ambitious project, and for Clint Eastwood for making it so memorable and moving....   20 of 23 people found the following review helpful: Honorable, May 23, 2007 By  Raymond F. Gillis (Yonkers, New York) - See all my reviews    I won't go into great detail...I tried that with Flags...this film comes down to one line..."I will always be in Front of you...." Now THERE was a Commander. It brought tears to my eyes.... A brilliant set of films these...emotional on many levels. Share your thoughts with other customers:  See all 17 customer reviews...		Most Recent Customer Reviews terrible boring unwatchable nonsense more boring bad filmmaking from this over rated stoic and sadly incompetent director-- i grant you- million dollar baby was great-- i guess because hillary swank was in it and... Read more Published 14 days ago by Robert I. Bloom Iwo Jima I am not a Clint Eastwood fan but these two films are really great. Seeing them together is the only way to get a full appreciation of the horros of war from both sides - the... Read more Published 14 days ago by Fay E. Slater Great buy, and worth the wait for the whole set to arrive Also included is the special DVD with Gene Hackman hosting a look back at the battle. I've seen that before on the History Channel or the Military Channel, can't remember which... Read more Published 16 days ago by Anthony O. Allen FLAGS AND LETTERS FROM IWO I thoroughly enjoyed both films. But I was particularly struck by the film "Letters from Iwo Jima". I have studied World War II history but this movie offers a different viewpoint... Read more Published 16 days ago by N. Hornung Present This was given as a gift for my dad and he was so happy. I know he enjoyed the movies and I can't wait to borrow it too! Published 16 days ago by Debbie T. Not to Be Forgotten This is an historical view of the first order. The American view is well done and powerful. The Japanese point of view is a wonderful balance. Read more Published 17 days ago by woodsprite Close To Perfect..... Excellent if not "Perfect" simple boxed set. Letters From Iwo Jima SHOULD have won an academy award for best picture! Read more Published 17 days ago by Scott E. Bruneau THE DEFINITIVE FILMS OF THE PACIFIC WAR! When taken together, "Flags of our Fathers" and "Letters from Iwo Jima" are the definitive films set in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Read more Published 22 days ago by Steven Hancock Not a John Wayne War Film it's Director Client Estwood This maybe the best War films out there - back to back they give you a understanding of the times and captures the era perfectly - I heard the NPR radio interview of Clint... Read more Published 1 month ago by John G. Tubbs The war film summit gets the DVD set it deserves With the magnificent double feature of FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS and LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA, producer/director Clint Eastwood has given viewers the greatest Memorial Day homage in movie... Read more Published 1 month ago by Stephen H. Wood Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews See all 17 customer reviews...

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