The Pacific - Finally

[Shinpachi]

Shinpachi, do you feel it is a fair portrayal of how events happened so far? This series is hard to watch from an American perspective, I imagine it is even harder from your perspective. The Pacific island campains was such huge loss of life on both sides, and I truly feel sorry for the average Japanese foot soldier on how they were treated and basically viewed as cannon fodder IMO. Tom Hanks and Spielberg claim to have done a huge amount of research to make everything as historically accurate as possible. From your point of view, and based on your country's history, is there anything you feel that is in accurate or wrong? I'm really interested in your opinion if you would be willing to discuss it.

I was almost throwing up when I saw a Jap's rotten skull covered with a helmet(Type 90) which was displayed on a pole beside the GIs dining place. I know Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg are very in favor of Japanese and Japanese culture well, so it would be a matter of preference.

Calling the Japs 'Jap' is good as it was true and sounds realistic on the screen.
I have ever seen "The Great Raid" but was disappointed somewhat because they were so polite as to say "Japanese" in the movie though the movie was not introduced in Japan officially after all. As far as I know, "The Pacific" is the first US war-movie in which the soldiers use the historical term 'Jap' with no hesitation. In our local forum on ww2, this is favorably accepted as an evidence that the war was truely over, as well as the Japanese soldiers wear correct IJA uniforms with the Type 98 infantry rifles and speak natural Japanese, unlike "Baa Baa- Black Sheep". Also, to see a trailer of "The Pacific" on Youtube, a friend of mine says this is the first time he sees the Type 0 transport plane(Nakajima's license production of DC-3) on the war-movie made in the post war.

However, as a war-movie, it might be too realistic and maniac to enjoy in our side.
I hope the producer did not rely on the Charles Lindbergh's diary too much.... like throwing out Japs alive from a flying airplane.

Thanks, Messy1, for giving me a chance to comment.
"The Pacific" is a good movie without any malice.

 

[Shinpachi]

Sorry. The infantry rifle was Type 38, not 98.

 

[ortonablue]

Only 50 minutes long left us hanging, You would enjoy it more if you watched 2-4 episodes in a row. Identifing characters during gun fights is difficult. I am trying my best not to compare to BOBrothers. The Pacific theme song is not as inspiring as BOB's. However The Pacific is worth the wate so far, I Love it.

 

[Messy1]

Thank you for the insight Shinpachi. I always find your opinions interesting and really enjoy hearing a point of view from a Japanese citizen.

 

[Shinpachi]

You are welcome, Messy1.

 

[Gnomey]

Watched the second episode yesterday. Thought it was gripping but they did cram a lot into the time which I thought could of been spread over at least another episode. Still enjoyed it and can't wait for the next one.

 

[Pong]

Watched it last night, and though the two episodes were very good, HBO ticked me off by cutting several scenes (Leckie shooting the Japanese soldier in the river, the part where the officer in Basilone's platoon gets shot) in the series.

But I liked the scene where they looted the Army supplies, and the part where Leckie is warned not to wear any shoes or smoke any cigars he might not have, and when he sees a box of whiskey he says afterward

"Don't drink any hooch you might not have."

Awesome line. (Oops, spoiler. )

 

[proton45]

I felt sick.

Yes it is quite horrible...but I like the fact that they are showing it the way it was. I remember that when I was young you could still find war books in my elementary school library. These picture books contained photographs of the heads of Japanese soldiers stuck on the top of US Army tanks. Sometimes my school mates would laugh about these pictures. I would always feel very confused and upset with my classmates. I was an American and yet I could identify with the faces in the pictures. Not only that but my classmates identified some part of me as being Japanese...and yet they couldn't understand why I was upset by their cavalier attitude. Today the world is very different, but back then the war was still a very resent memory for many people. WW2 veterans where our teachers, shop owners...and parents, their attitudes and their experiences where often voiced very openly and we listened like children do.

I dont know why, but seeing the war presented in such an honest way feels satisfying to me...

 

[rochie]

starts here tomorow night, showing first two episodes back to back, have already told work i'm leaving in enough time to get home for it.

 

[Shinpachi]

Yes it is quite horrible...but I like the fact that they are showing it the way it was. I remember that when I was young you could still find war books in my elementary school library. These picture books contained photographs of the heads of Japanese soldiers stuck on the top of US Army tanks. Sometimes my school mates would laugh about these pictures. I would always feel very confused and upset with my classmates. I was an American and yet I could identify with the faces in the pictures. Not only that but my classmates identified some part of me as being Japanese...and yet they couldn't understand why I was upset by their cavalier attitude. Today the world is very different, but back then the war was still a very resent memory for many people. WW2 veterans where our teachers, shop owners...and parents, their attitudes and their experiences where often voiced very openly and we listened like children do.

I dont know why, but seeing the war presented in such an honest way feels satisfying to me...

OK, That's it, proton45.

I felt sick to see
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeqsiRuDwM0too...
I admire they watched everything very well in Nanking of 1937.

 

[proton45]

OK, That's it, proton45.

I felt sick to see
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeqsiRuDwM0too...
I admire they watched everything very well in Nanking of 1937.

Yes, that is very upsetting too...

Have you seen this movie?
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=133e5QxaSsI

I thought that this movie took a very "even hand" to the subject...most Chinese productions of the event take a sensationalistic approach. This production was aware of the gravity of the deaths without feeling a need to "turn the violence into pornography"...

 

[evangilder]

Shinpachi-san, I watched the whole John Rabe movie through youtube. It was an amazing story and even more interesting that it was based on what really happened with real characters. It's interesting to watch a movie where you are rooting for someone who is a Nazi.

 

[Shinpachi]

Hello, evangilder.

I am understanding that the movie "John Rabe" is showing the present Germans' agony.
The agony which they can never justify what they did in the previous war.
I know how they feel well because we cannot do it either.
Sorry for them.

******************
Hello, proton45.

The Chinese movie "Nanking Nanking" is a strange movie and looks very political considering the present
China-Japan relationship.

A Japanese officer killed himself in the end because it was hard for him to kill the Chinese people anymore.
I am glad to know the generousity of Chinese producer but, frankly, unnatural.

As long as I know, IJA soldiers were a killing machine. If they had any trouble, it would have been the daily violence inside the military and the circumstances they were placed that they could not see their families so easily again as they never expected coming home alive.

Sorry. This is the time for "The Pacific - part 4"
Thanks!

 

[Messy1]

Going home tonight to watch Episode 4 I DVR'ed last night. Looking forward to it.

 

[Messy1]

Watched episode 4 last night. So far, I am a little disappointed in this series. Seems to be lacking a little compared to BoB, although I know it is a different story, I am still disappointed a little bit. It has not drawn me into the characters or story as Bob did. And I really want to be drawn into these characters. It is a immensely important part of history, just do not think the movie is giving the characters or this story their due.

 

[comiso90]

Its obvious that one of their goals was to explore areas that BoB didn't go in to depth:

Psychological effects on combatants..
Impact on Civilians

Its admirable to try different angles but so far, I'm not impressed.

 

[twoeagles]

I really had to shake my head when I saw a Peregrine Falcon, in the jungle, picking at the head of a dead soldier. It's the small things that make or break it for me, even though I give Hollywood a lot of room for error.

 

[ToughOmbre]

I am trying NOT to compare it to BOB. I've seen BOB numerous times (got the DVD set) so certainly I'm a lot more familiar with the characters.

I've always been more interested in the ground war in the ETO than the PTO, so right off the bat I'm partial to BOB.

The naval battles of the Pacific are far more interesting than Guadalcanal, Peleliu, Philippines etc., the exceptions being Iwo Jima and Tarawa.

Guess what I'm trying to say is that so far, "Band of Brothers" is my choice over "the Pacific".

But I'm still enjoying it.

TO

 

[Gnomey]

I'm also still enjoying it. I also I'm more partial to Band of Brothers but still think so far they have done a good job. I suppose we can only make full judgement after all ten parts so let's see what happens. I'm certainly looking forward to the next 6 parts.

 

[Thorlifter]

I finished watching the whole series last night.

IMO, the whole series is VERY different than BoB, and that's a good thing. My first opinion is I did not enjoy it as much as BoB, but I'm looking forward to watching it a 2nd time to pick up on things I missed out on. The Pacific seemed much, much darker and focused on the aftermath of battles and the hard times endured by the U.S. servicemen. It also seemed to focus on the stories of guys that had a harder time dealing with war.

But, I think that its high time that side of the story was told. While I have not been involved in combat, I can only assume that after hand to hand battle, seeing people blown apart, bodies rotting, etc., that one just didn't walk back 200 yards and get in a pickup game of cards with your buddies.

While I love looking at a beautiful woman, I saw zero reason to include the sex scenes they did. They could have shown them walk into a room and close the door and I think we can figure out what happened next. On the other hand, I thought the battle scenes from Iwo Jima and Okinawa were spectacular.

Its my opinion that, I think it was episode 4 or 5, where the guy was in the rear area in the hospital, that almost the entire hour was spent on just him was dragged on way to long and the battle of Iwo Jima was cut too short.

Just my two cents.....