Letter from Iwo Jima (2007) earned high praise from a historian, who commended director Clint Eastwood’s approach to capturing the conflict on film. Written by Iris Yamashita, Paul Haggis and Tadamichi Kuribayashi, Eastwood’s World War II film chronicles the Battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of the Japanese commander and his forces defending the titular island. The film serves as a companion film to Eastwood’s Flags of our ancestors (2006), which depicts the same battle but from an American perspective.
In a recent video for Inside, Historian John McManus analyzes selected scenes from Letter from Iwo JimaAwarding the film a strong grade of nine out of 10. According to McManus, the film accurately depicts elements of the battle, including the extensive Japanese tunnel system on the island, the weapons and fortifications they used, and actual military machine gun shooting techniques. what makes Letter from Iwo Jima Most special, however, McManus explains, is the fact that it pairs so nicely with Flags of our ancestors. Check out a selection of his analysis or watch the video below:
“I give it a nine out of 10. What makes Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima kind of special is I don’t know of any other circumstance with a movie that kind of portrays both sides in two different films, that has that kind of Companion piece you can watch both of them and you can really get a good sense of what the battle was like from both points of view.
What Clint Eastwood’s companion films mean for his depiction of Iwo Jima
How flags of our forefathers compares to letters from Iwo Jima
As McManus explains, why Letter from Iwo Jima And Flags of our ancestors Reach is more or less unprecedented in the entertainment landscape, at least on a big Hollywood level. Flags of our ancestors Hit theaters first in October 2006 with Letter from Iwo Jima It then received a limited release in December before going wide in February 2007. The first film was a financial disappointment despite generally positive reviews, but Letter from Iwo Jima It fared better in both respects, earning a glowing critical response and performing better relative to its budget at the box office.
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Clint Eastwood’s Battle of Iwo Jima films compared |
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes critics score |
Rotten Tomatoes audience score |
Estimated budget |
Worldwide Box Office |
|
Flags of our ancestors |
76% |
69% |
$55 million |
$65.9 million |
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Letter from Iwo Jima |
91% |
86% |
$19 million |
$68.6 million |
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Despite Flags of our ancestors The two films have a very complete and accurate picture of the battle of Iwo Jima, which took place in 1945 from February 19 to March 26. Flags of our ancestors Earned a 10 out of 10, meaning both films offer plenty of historical authenticity.
Most Hollywood war films depict wartime conflicts from an American perspective, because that is obviously what American audiences are most interested in seeing. Telling such stories from an American perspective, however, means that the enemy forces usually become a name without a cannon fodder. Letter from Iwo Jima Humanizes General Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) and his forcesAnd it makes Eastwood’s larger depiction of the conflict feel much more full and thoughtful.
Our take on characters from Iwo Jima’s historical accuracy
Why the Eastwood film is worth celebrating
Although both of Eastwood’s Battle of Iwo Jima films are laudable, I always preferred it Letter from Iwo Jima. The movie arguably works stronger on an emotional and character level, especially due to Watanabe’s strong performance as General Kuribayashi.
The film was generally more enlightening from an educational perspectiveAs well, because the Japanese approach to combat during the Battle of Iwo Jima and World War II in general is very different from the Allied approach. Eastwood’s commitment to historical authenticity on both sides of the conflict is commendable and both films together remain a stunning achievement.
Source: Inside