Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)

The story of the battle of Iwo Jima between the United States and Imperial Japan during World War II, as told from the perspective of the Japanese who fought it.

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Iris Yamashita (screenplay), Iris Yamashita (story),

Stars:

Ken Watanabe, Kazunari Ninomiya, Tsuyoshi Ihara

Won 1 Oscar. Another 25 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ken Watanabe	...	General Kuribayashi
Kazunari Ninomiya	...	Saigo
Tsuyoshi Ihara	...	Baron Nishi
Ryo Kase	...	Shimizu
Shidô Nakamura	...	Lieutenant Ito (as Shidou Nakamura)
Hiroshi Watanabe	...	Lieutenant Fujita
Takumi Bando	...	Captain Tanida
Yuki Matsuzaki	...	Nozaki
Takashi Yamaguchi	...	Kashiwara
Eijiro Ozaki	...	Lieutenant Okubo
Nae	...	Hanako
Nobumasa Sakagami	...	Admiral Ohsugi
Lucas Elliot Eberl	...	Sam (as Lucas Elliot)
Sonny Saito	...	Medic Endo (as Sonny Seiichi Saito)
Steve Santa Sekiyoshi	...	Kanda

Storyline

The island of Iwo Jima stands between the American military force and the home islands of Japan. Therefore the Imperial Japanese Army is desperate to prevent it from falling into American hands and providing a launching point for an invasion of Japan. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi is given command of the forces on the island and sets out to prepare for the imminent attack. General Kuribayashi, however, does not favor the rigid traditional approach recommended by his subordinates, and resentment and resistance fester among his staff. In the lower echelons, a young soldier, Saigo, a poor baker in civilian life, strives with his friends to survive the harsh regime of the Japanese army itself, all the while knowing that a fierce battle looms. When the American invasion begins, both Kuribayashi and Saigo find strength, honor, courage, and horrors beyond imagination.

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Plot Keywords:

island | japan | general | iwo jima | invasion | 

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Taglines:

From the director of "Flags of our Fathers" comes the completion of the Iwo Jima saga

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Genres:

Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic war violence

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros [Germany] Warner Bros [France]

Country:

USA

Language:

Japanese English

Release Date:

2 February 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Red Sun, Black Sand

Filming Locations:

Iwo Jima, Japan

Box Office

Budget:

$19,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$122,548 (USA) (22 December 2006)

Gross:

$13,753,931 (USA) (20 April 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks SKG, Warner Bros., Malpaso Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

141 min

Sound Mix:

DTS SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The only cast member to be in both this film and its companion piece, Flags of Our Fathers, appears in the flamethrowing image of Chuck Lindberg (played by Alessandro Mastrobuono). He advances on a bunker with a flamethrower. Individual members of the casts of both films have met, though never officially presented together, as there are commonalities between the casts in the acting community.

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Goofs

The world map seen in the Japanese command center on Iwo Jima does not demarcate the then British colony of Newfoundland, including it a part of Canada instead. Newfoundland did not join Canada until 1949.

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Quotes

Baron Nishi: [reading the letter from the mother of Sam, the dead marine] And always do what's right because it's right.

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: LeBron James/Kanye West (2007)

User Reviews

Eastwood Has Done It Again...

At the age of 74, Clint Eastwood became the oldest person to win the Best Director Oscar for "Million Dollar Baby". With his new movie; "Letters From Iwo Jima," it looks like he might set the record even higher.

In "Flags of of our Fathers" we look into the horribly graphic War World II from the American point of view. In the movie which was filmed back to back with "Flags of our Fathers," in "Letters to Iwo Jima" we see it how it was for the opposing Japanese side.

Letters from Iwo Jima is a truly incredible, yet horrifying experience. The film seemingly pulls the audience into the middle of the war, with explosions and bullets going off everywhere, and disturbing screams of agony coming from the wounded soldiers. The film can be confusing at times, with the Japanese language and sudden attacks and explosions, but things are all cleared up at the end.

Eastwood has really outdone himself this time, at the age of 76 years he has created one of the best (if not the best) war films in history. During the two and a half hours not once did I look at watch, nor did the film begin to drag. Letters from Iwo Jima is a true masterpiece, possibly even the best film of 2006.

9.5/10