Pearl Harbor [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

Blu-ray improves an ordinary film!!

Amazing sound, good pictue quality

Didnt like the movie content, but it has some good action scenes

great sound!

Best Blu-Ray yet

Pearl Harbor [Blu-ray]
Starring: Ben Affleck , Alec Baldwin , Kate Beckinsale , Colm Feore , and William Fichtner
Director: Michael Bay
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000JVSUS4
Release Date: 2006-12-19

Description

History comes alive in the unforgettable motion picture PEARL HARBOR, the spectacular blockbuster brought to the screen by Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay. Experience the groundbreaking special effects that place you at the center of one of the watershed events of the twentieth century, presented for the first time through the magic of Blu-ray Disc® technology! Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett and Kate Beckinsale star in this real-life tale of catastrophic defeat, heroic victory, personal courage and sacrifice. See the battle as never before in 1080p high definition, while the astonishing 5.1 48 kHz, 24-bit uncompressed audio will make you feel as though you're in the cockpit of your own fighter plane. The unparalleled realism of Blu-ray Disc® technology delivers a breathtaking reenactment of the "date which will live in infamy."

Customer Reviews:

Blu-ray improves an ordinary film!!.......2007-09-03

So a film that in standard definition was average at best, is really brought to life and justice is done to it on Blu-ray. The raging battle scene at the end of the film is just awe-inspiring and jaw dropping. A pleasure to watch. Story line was still a bit cheesy, but hey, you aren't buying Pearl Harbour for its stunning war time plot now are you? :P

Amazing sound, good pictue quality.......2007-05-12

This is a great movie to show off your sound system. The uncompressed 5.1 pcm is outstanding.

Didnt like the movie content, but it has some good action scenes.......2007-04-11

The back story blows! But of course the Action sequences of the actual battle are what makes this movie worth watching. Who ever wrote the back story should be gutted then burned. What could have been a great movie was ruined.

great sound!.......2007-04-03

Nice video transfer but better sound. Uncompressed 5.1 PCM, the perfect demo disc.

Best Blu-Ray yet.......2007-03-17

I have several Blu-Ray movies, but this one is the best of them all.

Pearl Harbor (Two-Disc 60th Anniversary Commemorative Edition)

Average customer rating:

Terrible, just terrible....
Absolutely the WORST war movie ever made.
If the WHOLE movie was just a black screen with no sound, it would have been a better movie
Stick to Transforming Robots Mr. Bay....
see tora tora tora

Pearl Harbor (Two-Disc 60th Anniversary Commemorative Edition)
Starring: Ben Affleck , Alec Baldwin , Kate Beckinsale , Colm Feore , and William Fichtner
Director: Michael Bay
Manufacturer: Touchstone / Disney
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00003CXTG
Release Date: 2001-12-04

Amazon.com

To call Pearl Harbor a throwback to old-time war movies is something of an understatement. Director Michael Bay's epic take on the bombing that brought the United States into World War II hijacks every war movie situation and cliché (some affectionate, some stale) you've ever seen and gives them a shiny, glossy spin until the whole movie practically gleams. Planes glisten, water sparkles, trees beckon--and Bay's re-creation of the bombing itself, a 30-minute sequence that's tightly choreographed and amazingly photographed, sets the action movie bar up quite a few notches. And in updating the classic war film, Bay and screenwriter Randall Wallace (Braveheart) use that old plot standby, the love triangle--this time, it's between two pilots (Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett) and a nurse (Kate Beckinsale) who find themselves stationed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, during what they thought would be a nice, sunny tour of duty. Then, of course, history intervened.

For the first 90 minutes of the movie, Affleck and Beckinsale find a nice, appealing chemistry that plays on his strengths as a movie star and hers as a serious actress--he gives her glamour, she gives him smarts. Their truncated romance--the beginning of which is told in flashback so we can get right to the point where he has to leave her to go to England--works, thanks to their charm. They're no Kate and Leo from Titanic (a strategy the film strives hard toward), but they're pretty darn adorable in their own right. Hartnett, as the not entirely unwelcome third wheel, squints bravely but makes only a slight dent in the film. Everyone else in Pearl Harbor--from Cuba Gooding Jr.'s brave navy seaman to Jon Voight's able impersonation of FDR--is pretty much a glorified walk-on, taking a backseat to the pyrotechnics and action sequences that keep the three-hour film in fairly constant motion. But when that action does take hold, Pearl Harbor is quite a thrilling ride. --Mark Englehart

Description

History comes alive in the unforgettable epic motion picture PEARL HARBOR, the spectacular blockbuster brought to the screen by Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay. Astounding visual and audio effects put you at the center of the event that changed the world -- that early Sunday morning in paradise when warplanes screamed across the peaceful skies of Pearl Harbor and jolted America into World War II. This real-life tale of catastrophic defeat, heroic victory, and personal courage focuses on the war's devastating impact on two daring young pilots, Ben Affleck (ARMAGEDDON) and Josh Hartnet (BLACK HAWK DOWN), and a beautiful, dedicated nurse, Kate Beckinsale (SERENDIPITY). PEARL HARBOR is extraordinary moviemaking -- a breathtaking reenactment of the "date which will live in infamy" and a heartfelt tribute to the men and women who lived it.

Customer Reviews:

Terrible, just terrible...........2007-09-08

No wonder almost half the reviewers here gave this flick 3 stars or less...
Shallow plot, way over romanced, and farfetched (how on earth could the fighter pilots have gone to bombers - carrier bombers at that - in that kind of timeframe is beyond me. This includes a stint fighting alongside the RAF in England).
This movie rates with "U-571" on an accuracy level.
It also does no justice to the two pilots Taylor and Welch (real guys who fought at Pearl Harbor) which is a real shame.

Absolutely the WORST war movie ever made. .......2007-09-06

This thing is utter and complete garbage from beginning to end. It has absolutely NO historical accuracy whatsoever except that the Japanese did in fact speak Japanese. Other than that, pretty much everything's pure poorly researched fantasy. This is not only a terrible waste of time and money, the fictional story it tells isn't any good either. It's rubish.

If the WHOLE movie was just a black screen with no sound, it would have been a better movie.......2007-08-10

This film contains everything and only everything that's wrong with America today:

Glaring discrimination in favor of attractive people.
All the "heroes" are astonishingly attractive men and women. While I don't have anything against attractive men and women, it's just so obvious that that's the reason why they were chosen for those roles. The real heroes in Pearl Harbor didn't come from Entertainment Magazine. They were made of common clay. Some maybe attractive, some maybe not so attractive.

Not history so much as propoganda:
They make it seem like before Pearl Harbor America was the only reason Britain was still standing on two feet. Sort of like America was fighting the war before it started fighting the war. Now I'm an American and am proud of our nation's accomplishments, but I'm not proud of the distorted image of history that this movie falsely suggests. There were indeed some American pilots who volunteered to help Britain before Pearl Harbor. But these were few and far between. Like every other nation, America was in it to advance its own interests. And that involved squeezing Britain by trading British bases in the Caribean in return for giving them some, yes, crucial war supplies.

Nothing original (let me amend that: nothing original that is good).
We've seen this type of love story in the movies so many times and it has been done oh so much better. Even though they're attractive, it's ironic that the bad chemistry makes it just painful to watch.

Off the top of my head, I can think of one movie that I dislike about as much as this one: Armageddon. But at least Armageddon knew that it wasn't portraying reality and didn't expect its audience to think it reflected reality.

Simply dreadful.

Stick to Transforming Robots Mr. Bay...........2007-08-06

What a awful disgrace of history on film. To take one of the most tragic days in American history and distill it down to a tepid romance is shameful. Just because a film is 3hrs. plus doesn't make it a epic and the miscalculation to spend the first third of the movie away from Hawaii is just bad storytelling. Why not begin with the men on the ships and get to know some real characters that we actually care about instead of some cheesy 3way love triangle, that way when the terrible attack occurs we feel real sympathy for the men instead of blasting us with mind numbing sound and effects. This could have been a great film about a important day if Spielberg or Cameron had done it. The finished film here will be remembered only as a national embarrassment.

see tora tora tora.......2007-07-19

this movie was very corny and overdone. one star for the special effects. Tora Tora Tora should have been called Pearl Harbor and this version should have been called...Tragedy at Pearl

The Final Countdown (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

One of the top 5 "What If?" movies
Review
If You Like "The Phildelphia Experiment", You Will Enjoy This Too.
To Win or Not To Win?
Do they tamper, or do they not?

The Final Countdown (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Kirk Douglas , Martin Sheen , Katharine Ross , James Farentino , and Ron O'Neal
Director: Don Taylor
Manufacturer: Blue Underground
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000096IAC
Release Date: 2004-03-30

Amazon.com

With a tantalizing "what-if?" scenario and a respectable cast of Hollywood veterans, The Final Countdown plays like a grand-scale episode of The Twilight Zone. It's really no more than that, and time-travel movies have grown far more sophisticated since this popular 1980 release, but there's still some life remaining in the movie's basic premise: What if a modern-era Navy aircraft carrier--in this case the real-life nuclear-powered U.S.S. Nimitz--was caught in an anomalous storm and thrust 40 years backwards in time to the eve of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor? Will the ship's commander (Kirk Douglas) interfere with history? Will the visiting systems analyst (Martin Sheen) convince him not to? Will a rescued senator from 1941 (Charles Durning) play an unexpected role in the future of American politics? Veteran TV director Don Taylor doesn't do much with the ideas posed by this potentially intriguing plot; he seems more interested in satisfying aviation buffs with loving footage of F-14 "Jolly Roger" fighter jets, made possible by the Navy's generous cooperation. That makes The Final Countdown a better Navy film than a full-fledged time-travel fantasy, but there's a nice little twist at the end, and the plot holes are easy to ignore. James Cameron would've done it better, but this popcorn thriller makes an enjoyable double-bill with The Philadelphia Experiment. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

One of the top 5 "What If?" movies.......2007-09-11

A great time-travel what would happen if movie. First-rate production and story line. Well worth the cost.

Review.......2007-08-23

In German No English Subtitles. I Live in English speaking country and am hearing impaired. Refused to replace item.

If You Like "The Phildelphia Experiment", You Will Enjoy This Too........2007-06-27

While this film's special effects are very dated, the overall film is quite inventive and fun although it is not very original. The story has the stoic Kirk Douglass as the commander of the USS Nimitz, a nuclear aircraft carrier, that is accidentally (?) transported back to the day of Pearl Harbor's attack. Naturally, they take some time getting used to the idea of time travel, but once that sets in their bigger dilemma is deciding whether or not to change history and stop the pending attack on Pearl.

The story line is compelling and there are some intriguing plot twists. Also, the film is well-acted by very familiar faces in addition to Douglass such as the great character actor Charles Durning as a pivotal 1941 U.S. Senator and potential president to succeed FDR should history be altered, the regal Katherine Ross as his assistant, the always believable James Farentino as Douglass's right hand man who is a secret historian writing a book on Pearl Harbor, and the terrific and awfully young looking but ever-confident Martin Sheen (whose hairstyle changes with nearly every scene) who is a mysterious civilian "observer."

My only complaints about this film are the special effects which were poor even for its time, the dialogue which is stiff is some places and overwrought in others, and the absolutely horrific score which I wish was forgettable; it was best suited for a western and not a military film. My son jokingly said that he expected to see General Custer and his troops at any moment on the deck of the carrier. Other than that, this film is good fun, has an intriguing idea, and has some nice plot twists.

See also the following review for better insight than I offered:

Do they tamper, or do they not?, May 20, 2007
By C. MCCALLISTER "dr dolphin"

To Win or Not To Win?.......2007-05-27

What would you do if you were in command of the U.S.S. Nimitz aircraft carrier (yes with F-14 tomcats) and you suddenly found yourself located exactly 2 days before the attack on pearl harbor, having gone through a swirly light, and loud noise. (they get knocked out by the noise)its the day before the attack on pearl habor. right down to radio frequencies being different its so unique. this is one of those rare films that came out and surprised many people with the cool idea of being in a place and time With everything needed to change history! then all thats left to decide is to change the past or not? this film is dated and is restored fairly well however its still a great film starring kirk Douglas. truly a classic great! 5 stars!

Do they tamper, or do they not?.......2007-05-21

Story: The U.S.S. Nimitz, a nuclear aircraft carrier, encounters a strange storm in 1981 and, when the ship clears the storm, the crew eventually figures out that they have been catapulted back to 1941. Specifically, they end up one day before the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, and they are near Pearl Harbor. A fully-armed nuclear aircraft carrier, with a full complement of 1981 aircraft, right where it could do a lot of damage to the Japanese invasion force, possibly even destroy it. So, the question becomes, "Should they?" Should they tamper with history and re-write it? They are United States military servicemen, in a combat situation, and most the crew says, "Go for it!" But, what of the ramifications? That question becomes highlighted when a 1941 Japanese Zero blows up a 1941 private yacht, near the U.S.S. Nimitz, and the survivors are rescued by the 1981 Navy. Amongst those survivors is a powerful Senator, who could end up being Franklin Roosevelt's Vice President in 1944 (instead of Truman) and then succeed Roosevelt when he dies, thus changing politics from 1941 on.

Cast: The cast is impressive, with Kirk Douglas as the Captain of the Nimitz, Martin Sheen as a Department of Defense observer, Charles Durning as the arrogant, powerful, but basically ethical 1941 Senator Sam Chapman, Katharine Ross as Chapman's beautiful and intelligent assistant, and James Farentino as the Executive Officer of the Nimitz, who is also a history buff writing a book about the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

What was done right: I like Kirk Douglas, and I like how he did this role, with a mixture of intelligence, confidence, and command presence. I also like the premise, which would have horrified Star Trek's Captain Picard ("The Temporal Prime Directive! We must preserve the time-line!"). The footage of the aircraft was impressive, the plot twists were interesting, and I really enjoyed the small surprise at the end.

What could have been better: I did not care for the special effects, especially the temporal storm episodes. They seemed cheap to me, even by the standards of when the film was made (1980). The script was weak at times, with Martin Sheen's dialogue sounding melodramatic, and the melodramatic effect was sometimes exacerbated by a musical score that sounded soap-opera-ish at times.

Personal comment: Perhaps I like the premise of The Final Countdown more than most because I appreciate the manifestations of World War Two. My father was an American soldier when he met my mother in Belgium. No war means no meeting, no wedding bells, no me. I cannot say that my existence counters the horrors of World War Two, but I do appreciate the complex consequences of a world-wide event.

Average customer rating:

A highly underrated comedy
Boring, Tedious and Unfunny
second time around
Slapstick and Destruction! Wow!!
Don't judge a movie by the names on the box...

1941 (Collector's Edition)
Starring: Dan Aykroyd , Ned Beatty , John Belushi , Lorraine Gary , and Bobby Di Cicco
Director: Steven Spielberg
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0783231032
Release Date: 1999-03-23

Amazon.com

Watching this director's cut, it's finally possible to see why the studio made Spielberg mercilessly hack up this comedy: it's a screaming movie (everyone screams a lot), and screaming movies do not need character development. So all those character-development scenes hit the cutting-room floor and, surprise, they were all critical to Spielberg's pace for the humor in this film. The screaming wasn't that funny then--and it still isn't--but what is funny are the reinserted development scenes, showcasing the now-evident sense of hysteria in the Los Angeles community, post-Pearl Harbor. A bunch of certified nitwits, and a few certified lunatics, act as if Tojo Hideki's entire Imperial force is just off the mainland. Actually, one Japanese submarine is, and it helps fuel the frenzy. John Belushi is Wild Bill Kelso, an insane fighter pilot, and Dan Aykroyd plays a conciliatory tank commander. Robert Stack's performance as General Stilwell, one of the best of the film, finally makes sense. Also fun for the numerous cameos, Spielberg's inside jokes, and John Williams's great score. --Keith Simanton

Customer Reviews:

A highly underrated comedy.......2007-08-10

1941 was one of the most underrated comedies ever. Now I will be honest, this is not an award winner by any means. The plot goes nowhere and is scattered all over the place. However the actors in the film make some of the most memorable characters in movie history! The late, great John Belushi is perfectly cast as the highly unstable Capt. Wild Bill Kelso.(Although his lack of screen time is dissapointing.) Belushi gives one of his best performances in the role. Other highlights are all of the scenes involving the Japanese submarine crew and their captain( another brillant performance by the legendary Toshiro Mifune), Robert Stack as the general trying to hold everyone together in this time of panic. And of course the hilarious scenes involving Ned Beatty fireing from his front yard onto the Japanese submarine! I laugh everytime I watch that part. I felt that the DVD suffers from the addtional scenes that were added back in. While watching the movie I could see why they were cut. They are pretty much pointless to the rest of the film and are not the least bit funny. If you watch this movie just take the time to look at each individual storyline and you will see the humor in it and find it quite enjoyable. If you try to figure out how they are all going to tie in together and figure out the entire plot, then you are in for some real dissapointment. One of the special features I thought was entertaining was the reprints of the reviews that critics gave this film when it was released. Wow! Its a good thing Steven Speilberg had Jaws to help him out before this because he got no mercy from the critics on this one! Worth watching a few times before you judge it too harshly.

Boring, Tedious and Unfunny.......2007-06-20

As with another user who wrote in a review, I found this in a discount bin at Wal-Mart. I'd always been aware of the movie, at least from a musical point of view, because John Williams recorded the march and "Swing! Swing! Swing!," his Benny Goodman pastiche, when he was with the Boston Pops Orchestra. (Both are wonderful pieces of music.) But I'd never seen the film. Now I wish I hadn't.

I'm sorry, but this thing misfires in almost every gag. There are some wonderful concepts here, and some hysterical situations (in both senses of the word). And some fine slapstick visuals. But the whole thing is so incredidbly heavy-handed and forced that whatever humor should have been there is crushed to death. In his comments in the bonus material for this DVD (taken quite obviously from a laser-disc version released many years ago), even Spielberg admits that the film should have been funnier. I'll see his bet and raise it: It should have been funny.

Laurel & Hardy could have done the destruction bit in far less time and on a shoestring budget and it would have been funny. The same thing happened a few years ago with a film called MOUSE HUNT, in which an entire mansion is destroyed. Again, L&H did it better in less time. Woody Allen, I believe, once said that any comedy over 90 minutes is doomed to failure. A "comedy" like this, running two hours and 20-some minutes, is sheer torture.

second time around.......2007-06-13

First dvd we got was flawed, replacement is perfect. thanks for quick turnaround!

Slapstick and Destruction! Wow!!.......2007-06-07

I "discovered" this funny movie on theatrical cut VHS many years ago and laffed alot. The directors cut does not diminish the pace. The DVD re-issue of the old Laser Disc in widescreen is OK but Universal gave the public a non-anamorphic version for 16x9 televisions (BOO on Universal!!). This is a collectors version???? Phooey! The zoom setting on projection TVs mess with the period style photography so I watch it on the 4x3 and the picture is sharper despite the purposeful soft, foggy 60 years ago "look". Everyone in this production does a fine job, it's too bad the more positive reviews in Europe were not included.

Don't judge a movie by the names on the box..........2007-05-23

This was in the cheap bin at Wal-Mart, so I thought I'd give it a chance, seeing as how it 'featured' Dan Akroyd and John Belushi directed by Steven Spielberg. Towards the end of the movie, I found myself crying out for the pain to end. Most of the humor lies in the ridiculous slapstick category, which would make it a great children's movie if not for the constant sexual references (honestly, the funniest joke was the innuendo about the B-17). My only hope is that you see this review while trying to decide if you should purchase the DVD, and it makes you decide not to buy it. Epic Failure in the truest sense of the term.

The Final Countdown (Full Screen Edition)

Average customer rating:

One of the top 5 "What If?" movies
Review
If You Like "The Phildelphia Experiment", You Will Enjoy This Too.
To Win or Not To Win?
Do they tamper, or do they not?

The Final Countdown (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Kirk Douglas , Martin Sheen , Katharine Ross , James Farentino , and Ron O'Neal
Director: Don Taylor
Manufacturer: Blue Underground
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000096IAD
Release Date: 2004-03-30

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

One of the top 5 "What If?" movies.......2007-09-11

A great time-travel what would happen if movie. First-rate production and story line. Well worth the cost.

Review.......2007-08-23

In German No English Subtitles. I Live in English speaking country and am hearing impaired. Refused to replace item.

If You Like "The Phildelphia Experiment", You Will Enjoy This Too........2007-06-27

To Win or Not To Win?.......2007-05-27

Do they tamper, or do they not?.......2007-05-21

The Final Countdown (2-Disc Limited Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

One of the top 5 "What If?" movies
Review
If You Like "The Phildelphia Experiment", You Will Enjoy This Too.
To Win or Not To Win?
Do they tamper, or do they not?

The Final Countdown (2-Disc Limited Special Edition)
Starring: Kirk Douglas , Martin Sheen , Katharine Ross , James Farentino , and Ron O'Neal
Director: Don Taylor
Manufacturer: Blue Underground
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00019GHQ6
Release Date: 2004-03-30

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

One of the top 5 "What If?" movies.......2007-09-11

A great time-travel what would happen if movie. First-rate production and story line. Well worth the cost.

Review.......2007-08-23

In German No English Subtitles. I Live in English speaking country and am hearing impaired. Refused to replace item.

If You Like "The Phildelphia Experiment", You Will Enjoy This Too........2007-06-27

To Win or Not To Win?.......2007-05-27

Do they tamper, or do they not?.......2007-05-21

Average customer rating:

How America felt in 1942
Wake Island
Realistic study of brave men in War...
A priceless epic in film and WWII history in itself.
A War Time, Stir-'Em Up Movie, And Very Well Done

Wake Island
Starring: Brian Donlevy , Robert Preston , Macdonald Carey , Albert Dekker , and Barbara Britton
Director: John Farrow
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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ASIN: B0001FVDIC
Release Date: 2004-05-25

Amazon.com

Wake Island, a sandbar rising 21 feet out of the South Pacific, was among the first U.S. outposts to be hit by the Japanese, virtually simultaneously with Pearl Harbor. Wake Island the movie was among Hollywood's earliest responses to America's being attacked and drawn into WWII. The Marine Corps defenders of Wake became instant war heroes, akin to the martyrs of the Alamo. Nothing could be done to rescue or even to reinforce and resupply them, and they fought on through air attacks and naval bombardment for two weeks until, finally overrun, they were wiped out.

That searing historical context had a lot to do with the movie's impact in 1942, and the sight of the dark forms of enemy planes coming over the horizon for the first time still carries a shock. Wake Island's a decent film, and it doesn't dishonor its subject with sham heroics and grandstanding. But the New York Film Critics voted John Farrow best director of 1942, and that's a reach. The first half hour sets up the allegory of America as melting pot (there's even a corporal named Goebbels), establishes horseplay as the coin of democratic discourse (especially for gyrenes Robert Preston and the Oscar-nominated William Bendix), and fosters familiar friction between new commander Brian Donlevy and civilian construction supervisor Albert Dekker. Then shortly after a beaming Japanese peace envoy has stopped by for dinner, things get rough. The scenes of warfare are more than adequate, but they'd soon be outdone, sometimes in films much less worthy than Wake Island. --Richard T. Jameson

Customer Reviews:

How America felt in 1942.......2007-08-20

This movie plays fast and loose with some historical facts, but for once it's understandable. Made only months after Wake Island fell the truth around the final fall of this far flung outpost was not generally known. What was known was incorporated into the film, that some 435 US Marines with 4 planes surviving the first air raid, held out in the face of massive Japanese assault for more than 2 weeks. As larger, better garrisoned areas fell in hours, this tiny atoll became known as the "Alamo of the Pacific" and inspired Americans in those dark days after World War Two.
This movie played on that patriotism. It waved the flag and told america 'we can hold out." The garrison of Wake is depicted as a pleasant mix of America,and Americans. Rough and ready for a beer or a brawl but basically good Joes who'd argue over a woman they met a year ago, but share the last swallow in their canteen.
The only flaw is that the Japanese are depicted as mindless, almost facelss monsters, but considering the time, this is understandable. In fact the 'Japanese' troops were played by Philipine argiculture workers who did not want to portray the Japanese in ap ositive light, their homeland had also been attacked by Japan. Look for the careful editing in the battle scenes. The entire invasion force had a tendency to drop dead at a single rifle shot.
One image that almost gets lost is when the Japanese storm the radio center. Refusing to move away from his radio the wireless operator is gunned down while broadcasting one last defiant report. What is shown on his note pad as he falls to the ground was the actual last message sent from Wake before it fell: "The enemy has landed but the issue is still in doubt." It wasn't in doubt at all but the defiante spirit of that message inspired real Americans, and that is how this film should be viewed. It is the story of a defeat, but a defeat which showed an indefategable spirit, and showed Americans what they could achieve.

Wake Island.......2007-05-07

Wake Island (1942) chronicles the "real account" of the battle for Wake Island that occurred between December 8, 1941 and the fall of the island in latter December of the same year. The portrayed "real account" is by no means 100% accurate but does represent the patriotic theme that was prevelent in the U.S. during that time and does (more or less) follow the actual historical account of the battle. It is an excellent, stirring movie and the quality of the master is the best in terms of video and audio quality. The actors -- Brian Donlevy, William Bendix, Preston Foster and MacDonald Carey are all very believable in their roles. Special effects are good for that time period -- especially the initial Japanese invasion of the island that was thwarted by the outgunned, outmanned Marine garrison. The ending of the movie is not accurate at all and one that veterans of the particular Pacific theatre of operations resented at the end of the war.

Realistic study of brave men in War..........2007-01-17

"Wake Island" is a battle for a small atoll in the Central Pacific Ocean west of Honolulu, which was attacked by the Japanese on December 7, 1941, hours after Pearl Harbor... The small U.S. marine garrison held out until the Japanese overran the island on December 23...

It is a story of sacrifice of the gallant and doomed defenders, movingly portrayed by William Bendix, Robert Preston, Brian Donlevy, MacDonald Carey and others... The battle scenes are chillingly photographed in Black and White, and the movie blows the clarion call for a new heroism... It is the 'Alamo of the Pacific,' the cry of 'Remember Wake Island," with the same stirring effects as 'Remember the Alamo,' one hundred years previously...

Well done within its limits, the film bears the unmistakable stamp of truth, and hails as a realistic portrayal of brave men in war...

A priceless epic in film and WWII history in itself........2006-10-19

It is often difficult for the average modern audience to endure such films.
These propaganda films, especially ones as succesful as "Wake Island" are crammed with predictability and politically incorrect stereotypes.
Since PC is BS, as far as I'm concerned the film makers did there best with what little resources and information they had. Painfully typical 1940's special effects, and the usual batch of Chinese actors cast as Japanese. "Manzanita Casting" was apparently missed by the production team.
You can read more about the films technical issues and interesting history on IMDB, but enjoy it for what it is with a grain of salt and in its historical context.
It made me want to be a Marine. It is doubtless thousands too joined upon its 1942 theatrical release.
A must for historians with great footage of rarely seen USMC F4F-3 Wildcats.
In the words of R. Lee Ermy- "Semper Fi!"

A War Time, Stir-'Em Up Movie, And Very Well Done .......2005-05-18

It doesn't matter the war. It doesn't matter the country. It doesn't matter the rightness of the cause. A good propaganda movie hits one theme hard: Take a group of people and let the audience get to know and sympathize with them, then show them dying bravely and willingly in defense of hometown values, preferably against an enemy who is cruel. Wake Island follows this formula so effectively and professionally that, despite how dated some of it is, it still (at least for me) can get the emotional juices flowing.

Wake Island itself is an atoll in the middle of the Pacific, scarcely more than an airstrip with sand. It has about three square miles of surface, about the size of The Mall times 11 in Washington D.C. and, at its highest point, is only 21 feet above sea level. At the time of Pearl Harbor it was defended by 385 Marines with 12 fighters, six 5" naval guns and 12 3" anti-aircraft guns. The Japanese were about to throw major naval, air and invasion forces against it. The question wasn't whether Wake would fall, but how many Japanese forces could be tied up trying to take it and how much time the Marines could buy defending it.

In the movie, the island's defenses are led by Marine Major Geoffrey Caton (Brian Donlevy). There are a number of civilian contractors on the island led by Shad McClosky (Albert Dekker). Caton is smart, realistic and tough. McClosky is tough, too, and is dedicated to his job. He wants no interference from the Marines and dislikes Caton. The Marines are represented primarily by William Bendix and Robert Preston as practical jokers, tough when it counts and always ready with their fists. The Japanese when they are seen nearly always wear thick glasses, wear smarmy smiles and have bad teeth.

The Japanese hit the island first with bombers and are held off. The naval forces move in close to bombard the island and are repelled with the loss of at least two destroyers. More bombers hit the island in raid after raid. The Marines hold out for two and a half weeks. Eventually the Japanese launch an amphibious assault. The surviving marines fight on to the last man. The last scene in the movie is Major Caton and McClosky, reconciled as friends, manning a machine gun together against charging Japanese soldiers until explosions fill the screen. Although the movie gives the strong impression that all the Marines were killed, in fact when it was apparent further defense was hopeless a surrender was arranged. That does nothing to diminish what the Marines accomplished, but propaganda films require sacrifice.

In my view, this is one of the better war films of the time, very effective in working up the emotions of the people back home. It still holds up well today. And I'll say a good word about Brian Donlevy. The guy wasn't much of an actor. He was stiff and stolid. One critic said Donlevy became as successful as he did because he came across as a tough guy, but a tough guy who could be on our side. In the right part, he could be very good. Just take look at The Great McGinty, The Glass Key, Destry Rides Again or Beau Geste. While Bill Bendix almost always played good guys, if you want to see a real psychopath in action watch him in the The Glass Key.

The DVD transfer looks very good.

Pearl Harbor - The Director's Cut (Three-Disc Vista Series)

Average customer rating:

A MUST HAVE FOR ALL WAR MOVIE FANS
Not the worst war film ever made but not the best either
It Could Have Been Worse, But I'm Not Sure How...
If you hated this film, it's your own fault for watching it
a five star attack is bookended by a two star romance that was old hat in 1941 and is just bad now.

Pearl Harbor - The Director's Cut (Three-Disc Vista Series)
Starring: Ben Affleck , Josh Hartnett , Kate Beckinsale , Cuba Gooding Jr. , and Jon Voight
Director: Michael Bay
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
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ASIN: B00005Q3TZ
Release Date: 2002-07-02

Amazon.com

Sometimes bigger is actually better. Nearly matching the size of director Michael Bay's ego, this massive four-disc set is a veritable Pearl Harbor archive, and ironically, Bay's film remains the least interesting component. It's a purely conventional Hollywood take on the tragedy, using a clichéd love triangle between two ace pilots (Josh Hartnett, Ben Affleck) and a Pearl Harbor nurse (Kate Beckinsale) as an "intimate" means of spectacularly re-creating the attack that thrust America into World War II. The director's cut adds little to the previous DVD release, apart from authentic R-rated carnage during the Japanese raid, and minor expansion of the Hartnett-Beckinsale romance. Commentaries range from superfluous (Bay and film historian Jeanine Basinger) to highly entertaining (Ben Affleck and costars) and technically informative (primary production team), and a spirited examination of visual effects (with Bay and ILM supervisor Eric Brevig) is guaranteed to fascinate anyone interested in physical effects and CGI. A broad "making of" documentary is noteworthy for one-time viewing, while abundant historical records make this a valuable compilation of definitive materials.

The History Channel's "One Hour over Tokyo" and "Unsung Heroes of Pearl Harbor" provide depth that Bay's movie lacks, and Charles Kiselyak's interactive timeline is arguably the finest feature included, providing an in-depth historical perspective on U.S.-Japan relations. Even a brief reenactment of a Pearl Harbor nurse's journal is moving in a way that Bay's film can only try to be, while the "Interactive Attack Sequence" provides a multifaceted exploration of the entire production process (a highly educational feature for aspiring filmmakers). All in all, these four discs offer an admirable balance between Bay's technically impressive but ill-conceived epic and a thorough, fitting tribute to those who endured hell on that fateful Sunday in 1941. --Jeff Shannon

Description

PEARL HARBOR: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT Vista Series DVD is the most extensive exploration of moviemaking ever presented. Four discs showcase more than 60 new shots in the film and over 12 hours of new special features. There's never been anything like it before. History comes alive in the unforgettable epic motion picture PEARL HARBOR, the spectacular blockbuster brought to the screen by Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay. Astounding visual and audio effects put you at the center of the event that changed the world -- that early Sunday morning in paradise when warplanes screamed across the peaceful skies of Pearl Harbor and jolted America into World War II. This real-life tale of catastrophic defeat, heroic victory, and personal courage focuses on the war's devastating impact on two daring young pilots, Ben Affleck (ARMAGEDDON) and Josh Hartnett (BLACK HAWK DOWN), and a beautiful, dedicated nurse, Kate Beckinsale (SERENDIPITY). PEARL HARBOR is extraordinary moviemaking -- a breathtaking reenactment of the "date which will live in infamy" and a heartfelt tribute to the men and women who lived it.

Customer Reviews:

A MUST HAVE FOR ALL WAR MOVIE FANS.......2007-02-11

This is an awesome movie in recreating the attack on Pearl Harbor. None have done it better. Tora Tora Tora is better for historical fact, but this movie puts you in the attack. Love story aside, this movie captures the essence of the times and of the attack. You feel the emotion of what has just happened. Don't miss out on a great movie because of the secondary story of the love affair. If all possible see this movie on a large widescreen TV with surround sound. The DVD has DTS sound. I swore bullets were flying by me. They filmed this at Pearl! right at the spots where this whole thing took place. They took bits of the stories from the men and women that were there and put them into the film. For the little bit of historical fact that was not right, like Dan Akaroyed's part in the film; it is overshadowed by the real stories and information that was put in the film. The negative thing about this movie is the lead actors Ben Affleck,Josh Hartnett and Kate Beckinsale. They were good, but needed to be stronger. Now Alec Baldwin who is a great actor anyway was fantastic. A great movie! Great special features on the DVD.

Not the worst war film ever made but not the best either.......2006-09-23

I originally had high hopes for this film. After seeing the vastly superior "Tora,Tora,Tora!" I was looking forward to seeing the attack on Pearl Harbor done with today's special effects.
Unfortunately they had to throw in one of the most ridiculous love stories ever set in a war film.
The plot has to do with two childhood friends who join the Army Air Corps. While going through a physical, Ben Afleck falls in love with Kate Winslet. He then volunteers to go help the British as a fighter pilot and is subsequently shot down and presumed dead. Josh Hartnett (Affleck's best friend) falls in love with her and after months of not hearing from Ben she falls in love with Josh. Ben returns and he and Josh have a big fight...
Anyway the attack sequence was the most exciting part of the movie, it looks and sounds great if you have a home theater and a big screen TV, but if you want to see the sequence in it's entirety I suggest you go with the Vista version it's quite a bit more graphic and would have probably earned the movie an R rating (those folks at Disney probably would have hated that!) as well as all the bonus materials they include:
An interactive timeline of the events leading up to pearl harbor.
Deleted scenes
Blooper reel
Several documentaries on making the film
A great set of post cards with the actors that look like old war posters
Production diaries
The stars at boot camp
And much more....

So if you've got almost three hours to kill and want to see a great action sequence get this set and just chapter skip to the bombing.

It Could Have Been Worse, But I'm Not Sure How..........2006-08-27

The post-Don Simpson decline of Jerry Bruckheimer reached what was, at the time, an all-time low with the release of "Pearl Harbor."

There are very few movies that are just barely watchable, and one of them all but bankrupted the company that made it. No such luck here. Both Bruckheimer and Michael Bay should have been banished from Hollywood for this mess. Or, better yet, Bruckheimer should have conned Tony Scott into directing it, since he seems to be the only director he can get consistently good results out of.

In its favor, though, the lush Technicolor cinematography and ILM's frighteningly realistic visual effects almost draw attention away from the wooden acting and turgid love story. Too bad you have to sit through nearly an hour of said love story before you get to the movie's showpiece: the destruction of the Arizona. If you want something to show off your home theater setup, just cue this section up, and make sure you're playing back the DTS track. Oh, yes, and make sure you have enough to pay for any broken windows, cracked plaster and/or blown speakers that may result...

Maybe instead of releasing an extended version, they should have considered putting out a much shorter version. Like one that skips over everything before and after the attack.

If you hated this film, it's your own fault for watching it.......2006-04-26

It's a comment that sure rings true: on South Park, Cartman speaks of an injustice while Michael Bay continues to make movies. While Bad Boys, Armageddon and the Rock had cool action sequences, they were also ADD-influenced in its editing and the emotional parts of the film just rang absolutely hollow. Anyone remember the animal cracker scene from Armageddon? Well imagine a love story that's perfect for Days of Our Lives and you find a really hollow effort but with great effects.

Obviously set around the time of the Pearl Harbor attacks in 1941, we actually instead follow 2 pilots Danny and Rafe as they end up falling in love for the same nurse, Evelyn. Rafe goes away, is presumed dead and Danny and Evelyn start a relationship. In soap opera fashion, Rafe comes back who's not happy then the attack starts. This continues until the Doolittle Raid to Tokyo.

If you want a great sound demo for your stereo you of course have to cue in the actual attack. Running just shy of a half hour, it's extremely well-done and worth the price of admission, or rent or purchase. ILM did a great job and it of course has that trailer shot everybody loves. Unfortunately it's the main reason to watch the film because it's essentially 90 minutes of bad dialogue until we get there. The same problem plagued Titanic where you can literally divide the film into 2 halves and the first suffers because it took so long to get to the 2nd.

The dialogue is that bad with some that are supposed to be inspired lines but come across as laughable, especially Colonel Doolittle's since it's essentially a big speech. The love story is of course laid on a bit thick and it's not a well-written one at that. Another problem is the certain faux-epicness of it all with big slow motion shots with planes flying overhead, big camera moves around people and it just makes me cringe since they have an almost indulgent feel about them.

This is of course the big double dip where it includes everything they should've had on the original release. You get the commentaries, production diaries and featurettes as well as some historical documentaries. To add insult to injury, the historical looks have more substance than the actual film does. Oops. The director's cut adds some more gory shots that seem kind of sudden and out of the blue at times, especially with people's familiarity with the normal cut.

The effects are great but the film itself has a detached feel about it all, as if it's nothing more than a really cool action sequence. Private Ryan and Apocalypse Now's action sequences where exciting but also emotionally compelling where you felt the horrors of war, here it's just "look at the neat stuff!". I'm not demeaning the attack and massive loss of life but this film feels completely hollow in that regard.

I have no idea whether to recommend this or not so I'm going to give it the rating of a CR, meaning a cautious recommend. If you buy the film and love it then all the power to you but if you hated it, don't say I didn't warn you, this is Michael Bay after all.

a five star attack is bookended by a two star romance that was old hat in 1941 and is just bad now........2006-04-25

michael bey's "pearl harbor" is one of those "what could have been " movies. with a screen play that would have been laughed at in 1941, mr bey has tied his great f/x scenes of the attack, to a love story that is the last word in corny. the number of times logic is given up in favor of the sappy love story just kills this flawed take on america's darkest day(9/11 not withstanding)!! at nearly three and a half hours it goes on forever and really after the attack there isn't much story left to tell. a very big miss fire from mr. bey and company!!!!!!!!!!!

Average customer rating:

The Definitive Pearl Harbor Documentary
Great Documentaries On The Pacific War
A fantastic DVD
War in the pacific
A little misleading

The History Channel's Pearl Harbor
Starring: Pearl Harbor
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000059TO6
Release Date: 2001-04-24

Amazon.com

This History Channel production provides an in-depth look at the Japanese attack on the American Pacific fleet in Pearl Harbor on the fateful day of December 7, 1941. The documentary begins by providing a background to the eventual conflict in the Pacific, noting how Japan had been waging a war of conquest in China since the early 1930s. As a power struggle with the U.S. loomed on the horizon, the Japanese built a formidable navy marked by an innovative utilization of carrier-based aircraft. Special attention is given to Admiral Yamamoto, who had studied at Harvard and admired America but vigorously planned the assault on America's naval might. The attack on the morning of December 7 is explained tactically, and films shot at Pearl Harbor during the Sunday morning air raid, including shots of the massive explosion triggered by a bomb hit on the battleship USS Arizona, provide dramatic proof of how devastating the attack was. Personal stories of the battle are recalled in interviews with veterans from both sides. Various revisionist theories about how America had