Tora! Tora! Tora!

Rating:
Summary: "Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy"
Review: Sunday morning, December 7, 1941 was a very fateful day for the USA. Without warning, the then militaristic Empire of Japan launched a highly successful sneak attack upon America's Pacific naval fleet based at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 21 naval vessels were sunk or severely damaged and nearly 200 aircraft (mostly on the ground) were destroyed. Of the approximate 2,350 servicemen (naval, marine & army) and 49 civilians killed (a total of 2,409), 1,177 died on the USS Arizona alone. Another 1,178 servicemen & civilians were wounded. The next day, war was declared by the U.S. on Japan following a moving speech by President Franklin Deleno Roosevelt.

29 years following the attack (1970), directors Richard Fleischer, Kinji Fukasaku, Toshio Masuda and Akira Kurosawa (who left the film before its completion) created a gripping dramatization of the events leading to and portraying the attack on Pearl Harbor in the film entitled "Tora! Tora! Tora!". The film does a superb job of trying to portray actual historic events by splitting its time almost evenly between both the US and Japanese sides. On the US side, are Adm. Husband E. Kimmel (Martin Balsam), Adm. 'Bull' Halsey (James Whitmore), Gen. Short (Jason Robards), Lt. Comdr. Kramer (Wesley Addy), Secretary of War Henry Stimson (Joseph Cotten) and Secretary of State Cordell Hull (George Macready) to name a few. On the Japanese side are Admiral Yamamoto (Sô Yamamura), Cmdr. Genda (Tatsuya Mihashi), Lt. Cmdr. Fuchida (Takahiro Tamura), Adm. Nagumo (Eijirô Tono), Gen. Hideki Tojo (Asao Uchida), Ambassador Nomura (Shogo Shimada) and Ambassador Saburo Kurusu (Hisao Toake) to name a few. One aspect of the film that helps to maintain its staunch realism is that scenes with only Japanese actors use Japanese dialog with English subtitles rather than dubbing the English or having the Japanese actors speak in English with Japanese accents. Another strength of the film is that is does not focus on one or two specific characters; instead, it allows viewers to see what happens with many characters.

Memorable scenes in the film include Ambassabor Kurusu signing the Tripartite Pact in 1940, internal politics within the Japanese government & military, poor decisions made by the U.S. forces at Pearl Harbor, geisha girls waving at practicing Japanese pilots, scenes involving Ambassador Nomura with Secretary Hull, the Japanese crews preparing for the attack and the attack itself. Admiral Kimmel was in charge of the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, General Short was in charge of the army forces. Admiral Yamamoto was in charge of planning the attack, but the Japanese attack fleet was under the command of Admiral Nagumo. The pilot in charge of the attack itself was Lt. Cmdr. Fuchida.

Since "Tora! Tora! Tora!" was filmed in 1970, the special effects (which used a lot of models) may seem dated to people who prefer advanced computer graphics, but don't let lack of special effects technology deter you from enjoying this very gripping film. The acting in the film is very good, keeping the viewers engaged while watching the events leading up to the attack, as well as the attack itself. The attack itself is portrayed very well, as are the various mistakes made by U.S. forces in Pearl Harbor prior to the attack. Overall, I rate "Tora! Tora! Tora!" with 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it.

In comparison with the 2001 film "Pearl Harbor", "Tora! Tora! Tora!" is the superior of the two for being far more historically accurate and focusing on actual historic events. In spite of using great special effects for the attack on Pearl Harbor itself, the 2001 film "Pearl Harbor" was extremely disappointing for essentially being a soap opera focused primarily upon a purely fictitious & melodramatic love triangle.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible Sound & Picture
Review: I bought this DVD for my Dad for father's day and he was ecstatic. This movie was far ahead of its time for movie making and war filming in particular. If you enjoyed "Saving Private Ryan," you will totally dig this DVD. Based on a battle during WWII, this movie will draw you in and spit you out with a better understanding of the Japanese mindset prior and during WWII. I know my Dad enjoyed this DVD and so will you. A

Joseph Dworak

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Review: This is the way that Historical Movies should be. There is a great deal of the events that lead up to the fateful meeting at Pearl Harbor. There is the fact that we had broken the Diplomatic codes, there is also the fact that the Japanese embassy had bad typists. The effects aren't bad when you consider when this movie was made. In fact, many of those effects end up reappearing in the not so good Midway movie made later. The acting was pretty good as well. The look on the face of the guy playing Admiral Short was classic as he looked out the window. The guy who played Yamamoto was pretty good too, especially his line at the end of the movie.

Rating:
Summary: Tora! Tora! Tora! Best Movie About Pearl Harbor
Review: Following in the tradition of Darryl F. Zanuck's The Longest Day (which I erroneously said was the top draw of 1963; it was the second, actually), 20th Century Fox embarked on a risky venture: to tell the true story of Pearl Harbor. To do so, they chose the same style of international cooperative effort that had paid off so well for Zanuck and Fox in 1962: to use foreign (in this case, Japanese) and American directors and cast members.

Unlike The Longest Day, however, where most, if not all of the shooting was done in French studios and locations, Tora! Tora! Tora! would be shot on both sides of the Pacific, with a team of Japanese directors - who had replaced a difficult Akira Kurosawa - filming the Japanese sequences, and Richard Fleischer and his team helming the American sequences. The directorial credits would differ depending on which side of the Pacific the movie was released. In Japanese theaters, Toshio Oguni and Kinji Fukasuka got the directorial credit, while in the U.S. Richard Fleischer was the director. Since Fox was the releasing studio, the footage from Japan was integrated into Fleischer's Hawaiian and Washington footage under the American director's supervision at Fox studios in California.

Unlike 2001's popular yet fanciful "Pearl Harbor", this motion picture is as historically accurate as Hollywood (and its Japanese collaborators) could manage. And while history buffs may say the movie skips incidents integral to the Pearl Harbor story (such as the Japanese espionage efforts on Oahu, for instance), Tora! Tora! Tora! is a good introduction to the fascinating and very complex subject of how and why Japan struck on December 7, 1941. It also shows why America was caught unprepared even though war with Japan seemed inevitable.

Even though special effects now are far better than in 1969 (when this 1970 film was made), the movie's visuals have more punch than Michael Bay's fictitious version of the Day of Infamy. Even though there are a lot of miniature effects used, especially in the 30 minute sequence depicting the attack on Pearl Harbor, the use of real planes and locations give the audience a realistic version of the Japanese assault. Real planes are used whenever possible, and even the fake Zero fighters (in reality modified T-28 Texans made to look like Mitsubishi's Zeros) are more convincing than ILM's computer generated ones in "Pearl Harbor."

Like The Longest Day before it, Tora! Tora! Tora! tries to accurately recreate historical events as faithfully as possible. The buildup to the Day of Infamy covers almost 18 months' worth of events. Starting with Japan's alliance with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy and the growing strain in U.S.-Japanese relations, there are many scenes dealing with politics, intelligence gathering, failed diplomacy, and, finally, war. Because of this, and because in many cases the dialog has appeared in non-fiction history books, the acting of the great character actors seems to some a bit stiff and unnatural. But that should not deter new viewers from watching this movie.

A word of caution. This movie does not adhere to the FDR-knew-about-the-attack-and-allowed-it-to-happen revisionist theory. Most responsible historians reject it as nonsense. If viewers are looking for this pernicious and acrimonious version of the Pearl Harbor tragedy, then this movie is not for them.

As for the DVD: released almost at the same time as Michael Bay's 2001 movie, Tora! Tora! Tora! was given a new attractive package, and taking advantage of the DVD technology, restored to its original widescreen format. I had owned the VHS version for 12 years before I bought the DVD, and there is no comparison between the videotape's pan and scan "full screen" view and widescreen....I don't understand why anyone still likes full screen versions of movies that were shot on Cinema Scope or Panavision widescreen. The director's commentary is good and informative, the sound (Dolby Surround) is excellent, and the picture is sharp and clear. The theatrical trailer and a 20-minute documentary, Day of Infamy, are also included.

This is a DVD any serious history or war movie buff should have in his or her video library.

Rating:
Summary: How about 5 stars plus 5 more
Review: This is one of the best war movies of all time. As you watch this movie,it evokes all types of feelings while watching this.It shows how many mistakes were made on the American side. We were truly caught with our pants down.The Japanese had an awesome naval defense, and I was puzzled how they devasted our naval defenses and did not finish the attack. This Pearl Harbor is the best movie ever,there is no contest. This one you have to see for yourself, why I rated it so high. God Bless those who rose up and still fought despite the overwhelming casualties and serious disadvantage.

Rating:
Summary: The definitive Pearl Harbor motion picture experience
Review: Tora! Tora! Tora! remains an unprecedented motion picture achievement, a film presenting both sides of the attack on Pearl Harbor in a fact-based style rather than delving into such fictional storylines as star-crossed lovers for the heart of its presentation. In a very real way, it is two movies in one, with one production crew telling the Japanese side of the story and another telling the American side. All of the Japanese dialogue is subtitled in English, and this makes for a much more effective presentation than dubbing ever could. There are a good many important characters on each side, with each one identified at his first appearance, but the necessarily somewhat choppy style of presentation can make it difficult to keep different characters distinguished at times. The actors, for their part, are top-notch, with the American cast including such stalwarts as Jason Robards, Joseph Cotton, and E.G. Marshall. Soh Yamamura gives a powerful portrayal of Japanese Admiral Yamamoto, the man who is in many ways the centerpiece of this drama and the character on whom the filmmakers rely in presenting the real message they attempt to convey. While the diplomatic maneuvering and piling up of unforgivable American blunders in the weeks leading up to December 7, 1941, are quite interesting in and of themselves, it is the final 30-minute battle sequence that gives Tora! Tora! Tora! its real claim to fame. This movie was released in 1970, but the special effects rival if not surpass, at least in my opinion, anything you see filmmakers doing today. The explosions and carnage on the ground as well as the aerial maneuvers and dogfights in the air are just breathtakingly stunning. No film can ever recapture the depth and destruction of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, but this movie is really quite extraordinarily realistic in its presentation.

While this is a fact-based account of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, one cannot proclaim it historically complete and accurate. The Japanese, particularly in the person of Admiral Yamamoto, are presented in something of a sympathetic light. Certainly, there were elements in the Japanese military who disagreed with such a bold attack against a potentially overpowering enemy, but this movie seems to shy away from assigning blame for such a cowardly first strike against American forces in the Pacific. Certainly, there were diplomatic blunders that can explain Japan's violation of the Geneva Conventions but nevertheless such infamous things did happen. On the American side, one is treated to an infuriatingly long list of incompetent men, actions, and decisions. The blame for the disaster is spread widely as it should be, taking into account such matters as the incomprehensible decision of keeping all available planes parked closely together on the ground as well as the refusal of army brass in Washington to read signs that blazed as brightly as day from intercepted Japanese dispatches and warnings from a number of military and intelligence sources, but the movie never penetrates the doors of the White House to ask just what FDR knew and when he knew it, nor does it ask any questions at all of the British and the secret information Winston Churchill chose not to share with his American "ally." For me to criticize this movie for ignoring these most controversial issues back in 1970 is just minor quibbling, however, as I truly deem this film to be perhaps the most realistic and impressive war movie ever made. Its manner of presentation, dealing with events rather than central characters, is a weakness of sorts, one that saw it overshadowed in the year of its own release by George C. Scott's masterful portrayal of Patton, but clearly Tora! Tora! Tora! remains the definitive motion picture representation of the day that will live in infamy and the acts, decisions, and mistakes that led up to it.

Rating:
Summary: Now that's more like it...
Review: Forget that other movie...

TORA! TORA! TORA! is the only authentic, historical recreation of the events of December 7, 1941. There's no need for a silly love triangle or Jon Voight behind a prosthetic mask. Just the facts and a fair account of events from both sides of the Pacific. Imagine that! A film that shows you both sides of the coin. I am continually amazed that this film was ever released in the United States, where we don't like to think of our enemies (or former enemies) as human beings with real concerns and conflicting motives.

Be forewarned though. Some of the dialogue in this film is quite awkward due to the need to tell a complex story within the framework of the film. You'll hear two sailors on deck casually talking about carrier movements as if they were reciting a highschool history essay.

Rating:
Summary: Educational and entertaining
Review: After reading all of the deservedly dismal reviews of Michael Bay's lamentable, insulting 2001 "Pearl Harbor" (and posting one of my own), I noticed many of the reviews recommending 1970's "Tora! Tora! Tora!" as a much better alternative, so when I had the chance to buy it, I did so. I'm not sorry I did. Particularly for a movie that's 32 years old, this one does everything that "Pearl Harbor" failed at so spectacularly. P40s and Zeroes actually fly like... well, P40s and Zeroes, not F-16 fighter jets. There were Asians aplenty in 1941 Hawaii and this film actually depicts that. They smoked like chimneys. Again, accurately shown. Watching this movie, I actually FELT like it was 1941 when new technology like deciphering equipment and radar was being smugly bandied about. Conversely, in "Pearl Harbor" they used handheld radios to communicate with fighter pilots in the air, an utterly nonexistent application of radio technology 60 years ago. There really was no sense of the time period in that movie. I'm surprised Michael Bay didn't have the Japanese attack squadron using GPS to plot the locations of the U.S. battleships. I particularly like how this film gave the background leading up to the attack and presented the story from both American and Japanese perspectives. Although there were no central "hero" characters, and much of the storyline is presented in an almost-documentary format, this does nothing to impede the sense of thrill and dread as the tension leading up to the attack grows. Watching this movie makes it even more apparent how many things Michael Bay just got dead wrong in his movie, or just didn't bother researching at all, which makes it that much more shameful. (An example: When the Japanese attack planes launched from their carriers, the sun hadn't even yet broken over the horizon -- this is accurate. In Bay's movie, however, it was full daylight. But of course, he had children playing Sunday morning baseball games at 7 a.m. too, so you can't expect much from him.) I gave "Tora! Tora! Tora!" four stars instead of five because it still overly sanitizes the attack. The G rating is a bit misleading -- if this movie were to be rated by today's standards, it would get at least a PG for occasional mild profanity and scenes of peril. However, there's no overt death or carnage whatsoever in this movie, and although the attack is very well-done (particularly the airfield attacks -- it was heartbreaking to see pilots struggle in vain to get their P40s off the ground), it surely doesn't accurately depict what had to be a savage, brutal attack. Over 2,400 Americans died, and this movie doesn't give you the thrust of that, emotionally. In all other aspects though, this film is good standing on its own, and superb when compared to the $135M train wreck that Michael Bay forced on the nation two summers ago. The supplementary material provided on the Special Edition is also worth watching for those interested in history. While you'll really miss seeing all those frighteningly close-up shots of Ben Affleck's magnificently capped teeth in this movie, you might actually feel somewhat educated on the attack as compensation. Definitely recommended.

Rating:
Summary: The best film on the attack on Pearl Harbor!
Review: This film can tell story in very good detail. NO fictional characters like in the remake Pearl Harbor, and NO corny love scenes to interfere with the action. Also this film shows more of how the Japanese had planned the attacked than that ridiculous remake. Very well acted from gifted actors such as Martin Balsam, Joseph Cotten, and E.G. Marshall, and other well acting from the unknown actors for some of us; Soh Yamamura as Yammamoto. The entire action sequence of the bombing scene was done with great directing from both directors, and beautiful Oscar nominated photography by Charles F. Wheeler, Osami Furuya, Sinsaku Himeda, and Masamichi Satoh. The Oscar winning special effects were amazing and a lot more realistic than a boucing ship in the remake (which is the worst thing they ever did since a ship can't exactly bounce in water). The music score by Jerry Goldsmith keeps the film in good tension and never interferes with the action. A very good docudrama on the attack on Pearl Harbor, this film should really explain about our stupidity and the cleverness of the Japanese during the events that led up to our entering the second World War.

Rating:
Summary: A true story-telling movie
Review: With a focus on the story instead of people, heros or whatever Perl Harbor the movie tried to do, Tora! Tora! Tora! is a much better source of information about the time before and just after the Japanese Attach on Perl Harbor.

The DVD has a nice THX encoding, only with a few hickups. But in all, the digitation of the movie and sound makes the movie look almost new, even though it has 30+ years behind it - this was made when M.A.S.H. the movie was being filed. The 30 minutes documentary is impressive too - allthough not much new stuff is rewielded.

If I miss anything it's behind the scenes of the movie - but alas, I don't think movies about making movies were fashionable back then.

For Movie and history "buffs" I would definately get this one.