"The Pacific"

iceman (Mike) · #1 10-04-2010, 05:43 AM

Is anyone else as excited as me about watching "The Pacific" series that starts next week? (8:30pm Wednesday, Ch 7).

I absolutely LOVED "Band of Brothers" (have watched the whole series at least 3 times), and early indications are that The Pacific is just as good if not better.

Really really excited! I know I'll be buying the box set as soon as it's available!

Craig.a.c (Craig) · #2 10-04-2010, 05:44 AM

Looks like it will be a great series.

Anything from Hanks and Spielberg is going to be awesome though.

lacad01 (Adam) · #3 10-04-2010, 07:04 AM

Yep, definitely looking forward tot it.

astronut (John) · #4 10-04-2010, 08:03 AM

Ditto!!

norm · #5 10-04-2010, 08:05 AM

Saving Private Ryan was on again and that was a brilliant movie, so looking forward to The Pacific.

Norm

AdrianF (Adrian) · #6 10-04-2010, 09:25 AM

Tried to watch Saving Private Ryan twice and fell asleep twice.
Maybe 3rd time lucky

Adrian

kinetic (Steve) · #7 10-04-2010, 09:32 AM

We've lost count how many times we have watched B.O.B. Mike.
It's one of those rare, well made productions where it's not
typical over the top formula war action. For us it's emotional stuff
and the inclusion of the real war veterans obviously gets you in.
Even Dick Winters talking about what his grandson asked him at the end
still brings a tear. Every time. It's so raw and honest.
I sincerely hope that the Pacific doesn't let all that down.
I hope it's doesn't degrade back to formula stuff to just cash in on
B.O.B's success as a fine production.
B.O.B. doesn't glorify war. It just showed what the poor buggers went through.

Steve

h0ughy (David) · #8 10-04-2010, 09:34 AM

I have seen the first 4 episodes - it is indeed a great series. the first two are great for the introduction and immersion into the series, the third seems to move slow but that is the intent, however it picks up in the 4th. I am so looking forward to the rest of the series. Though i will say its not one for the kiddies to see - very strong themes.

GeoffW1 (Geoff) · #9 10-04-2010, 10:28 AM

Hi,

Yes, agreed. The Yanks are nowadays criticised often for being warlike, but their campaign in the Pacific was a very different matter for them, and us too.

Many of their island battles produced casualty figures more akin to WW1, for instance, more than 12000 Americans were killed at Okinawa, with 1000's more dying later of their wounds.

Then what of the Japanese? 110000 dead in the same battle, and no-one knows accurately how many civilians died there.

So I'll be interested to see how the series treats this. It is known that the American population by mid 1945 was becoming so restive about the lengthening casualty lists (and they lost over 135000 killed in Europe too) that it was a major factor in President Truman's decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan. It is estimated that if mainland Japan had been invaded, there would have been about 400000 Allied casualties.

I'd like to see more Australian movies along these lines too (remembrance I mean). Kokoda was fairly good at that I thought, and gave a picture of the conditions there, but Australians also endured many awful battles later.

I can't say Cheers about this

kinetic (Steve) · #10 10-04-2010, 10:53 AM

There are parts of Terrence Malick's 'The Thin Red Line' that have the same
underlying atmosphere and emotion.
When James Caviezel's character is narrating scenes of imagery like
beautiful rainforests and streams and closeups of insects and you
know the tension is building to a terrible conflict ahead.
Pure beauty mixed in with him saying:

This great evil. Where does it come from? How'd it steal into the world?
What seed, what root did it grow from? . Powerful and emotional stuff.
That's rare in war stories. Most of the rest of the
film is formula stuff though in my opinion.

Steve

wavelandscott (Scott) · #11 10-04-2010, 02:52 PM

I've watched some of "The Pacific" and think it is pretty good but I enjoyed Band of Brothers better...

Baddad (Marty) · #12 10-04-2010, 04:34 PM

Hi Mike, Hi Norm,

Its the first I have heard of "The Pacific". Not much of a movie fan.
I did like B.O.Bros. and Saving Private Ryan. Not only did the series and movie have good story lines but also realism.

Old soldiers will tell you that both movies have that 'OMG' its just as it was.
Then the goose bumps start.

From your recommendation alone I'll be looking for 'The Pacific', Mike. Thanks.

Additionally we are nearing Anzac Day. A time to recognise what the people represented in these movies went through so we can look freely through our scopes. It could have been different.

Cheers Marty

multiweb (Marc) · #13 10-04-2010, 08:16 PM

Yeah the trailers look great. Really looking forward to the series too. Band of Brothers is one of my fav too. I have the whole boxset and watched it many times. I really enjoyed the commentaries with the real characters from the movie talking about their experience during the war. It was interesting to refer to the movie and you could really feel what they went through especially when they're talking about their fallen mates and they're short of words with overwhelming emotion. Pretty deep stuff.

Waxing_Gibbous (Peter) · #14 11-04-2010, 12:46 AM

Looks like it might be OK. A little too much melodramatic "mush" in the trailers, but hopefully that'll be minimal.
BoB was superb.
Fingers crossed.

Tandum (Robin) · #15 11-04-2010, 04:17 AM

I don't think it's in the same league as Band of Brothers. Seems like just another war flick to me.
But hey, I thought the hurt locker was rubbish

Analog6 (Odille) · #16 11-04-2010, 05:29 AM

We are looking forward to it too. BOB is a much watched series here. The acting and direction are superb and it is so real, not the over-glamourised hype. Saving Private Ryan is a big hit here too.

A movie you'll enjoy if you liked these two is The Lost Battalion (2001 made for TV movie with Ricky Shroder).

Synopsis from IMBD: As the First World War draws to a close, American troops penetrate deep into German held French territory, under pressure from French and British allies to advance quickly and smash the last of the German Army in France. "The Lost Battalion" is the true story of a group of 800 American soldiers, attached to the 77th American Division, who were ordered to advance into the Argonne Forest, against heavy German resistance, and hold their position at whatever the cost.

Interestingly, this is a remake of a silent movie made in 1919 with most of the characters played by themselves.

From IMDB: As much as possible, the enactment of the events were made with the original people who survived. Actual maps and documents were used in the film, which was authorized by the U.S. Government. Some footage by the U.S. Signal Corps was also used in the film.

I'd love to get hold of a copy of that one, but no one even seems to know where it is kept.

MuntiNZ (Daz) · #17 11-04-2010, 08:51 AM

Mate I wanna see them do a roman army flick!!!!
Is any one getting sick of WW2 stuff to now?
But I reckon a roman war movie would be totally epic so long as it doesnt have Russell Crowe in it!!!

rat156 · #18 11-04-2010, 10:05 AM

I, like many here, have managed to see the first four episodes. I'd have to agree with the general feeling, that it's not quite as good as BoB. I also have the box set of BoB and my family complains whenever I watch them as I put the sound up too loud apparently.

There are some challenging concepts in The Pacific, the fourth episode in particular has highlighted some of these, I can't say too much more without spoilers.

Unfortunately there are historical inaccuracies which have pervaded through this series from BoB which make the action scenes a bit "Hollywood".

Overall, must see TV, I am an unabashed fan of HBO productions, this one is still very good.

Cheers
Stuart

MikeyB (Michael) · #19 11-04-2010, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Analog6

We are looking forward to it too. BOB is a much watched series here. The acting and direction are superb and it is so real, not the over-glamourised hype. Saving Private Ryan is a big hit here too.

A movie you'll enjoy if you liked these two is The Lost Battalion (2001 made for TV movie with Ricky Shroder).

Synopsis from IMBD: As the First World War draws to a close, American troops penetrate deep into German held French territory, under pressure from French and British allies to advance quickly and smash the last of the German Army in France. "The Lost Battalion" is the true story of a group of 800 American soldiers, attached to the 77th American Division, who were ordered to advance into the Argonne Forest, against heavy German resistance, and hold their position at whatever the cost.

Interestingly, this is a remake of a silent movie made in 1919 with most of the characters played by themselves.

From IMDB: As much as possible, the enactment of the events were made with the original people who survived. Actual maps and documents were used in the film, which was authorized by the U.S. Government. Some footage by the U.S. Signal Corps was also used in the film.

I'd love to get hold of a copy of that one, but no one even seems to know where it is kept.

The 2001 remake of "The Lost Batallion" (directed by Australia's own Russell Mulcahy, of "Razorback" and "Highlander" fame!), is available on YouTube in nine 10 minute segments, starting here.

GeoffW1 (Geoff) · #20 11-04-2010, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tandum

I don't think it's in the same league as Band of Brothers. Seems like just another war flick to me.
But hey, I thought the hurt locker was rubbish

Hi,

We just went to see Hurt Locker, and I thought it was really patchy. The parts which should have had a big message were just skated quickly, such as when the bomb tech returned home and found he had disconnected from the world.

Cheers