Japan Gets Clint Better Than We Do

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Japan Gets Clint Better Than We Do

This Japanese trailer -- short and hard but quite intriguing, especially in its use of desaturated, close-to-monochome color -- is very clearly promoting Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima (i.e., formerly known as Red Sun, Black Sand) as war films joined at the hip -- as an epic-scaled, double-dip, you-can't-see-just-one experience.

The emphasis in the Japanese trailer, naturally, is on star Ken Watanabe -- he has the longest dialogue clip -- and other Japanese actors who will (apparently) appear only in Letters. (The Flags of Our Fathers script I read earlier this year has no Japanese speaking parts.) The trailer shows glimpses of American cast members -- Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach, etc. -- but that's all.

Clint Eastwood during shooting of Flags of Our Fathers (DreamWorks/Paramount, 10.20)

What's especially interesting are the Japanese release dates, as confirmed on the Japanese website: 10.28.06 for Fathers (which is odd because 10.28 is a Saturday) and 12.9.06 for Letters . The U.S. release dates, however, are 10.20.06 and sometime in January 2007, respectively. There's no locked-in date for Letters at this point, or so I've been told.

DreamWorks/Paramount has kibboshed the idea of both films coming out on these shores in the same year -- they want Letters to mainly be regarded as aesthetic support for Flags of Our Fathers, which, of course, is what the Oscar effort will be all about.

Flags is the primary film in Eastwood's head -- a time-trippy art movie about how Iow Jima veterans feel about the notions of heroism and standing with their buddies -- as well as the American side of the Iwo Jima issue, and DreamWorks/Paramount thinks (or so I gather) that Academy members will be confused as to which film to vote for if both films are released in late '06.

Maybe DreamWorks/Paramount also figured Academy members would complain about having to digest two movies as a single thing. And that they might complain about sore rears. That sounds shallow, but you wouldn't believe how some Academy members talk about moviegoing during Oscar season. Their irreverence is amazing.

Clint Eastwood directing Ken Watanabe during shooting of Letters from Iwo Jima

Maybe DreamWorks/Paramount is right but I don't agree -- cluelessness and shallowness should never be catered to -- and I've been saying so for a while now.

I've thought all along that these films should both be released in late '06, because they need to be absorbed as one big single war epic and regarded as a single entity by Academy members. I think these films should be released just as they're being released in Japan -- in late October and early December -- and that they should appear on the Oscar ballot together -- Flags of Our Fathers & Letters from Iwo Jima as a one-vote, one-movie deal.

That's out the window, of course, and too bad but that's that. But sooner or later the films will be offered together as a double-disc DVD, and it would be fascinating to see them shown as a big double-feature in theatres. I don't think they can be cut together like Francis Coppola cut Godfather I and II into The Godfather Saga (i.e., that piece that ran on TV in the late '70s) but maybe that'll happen down the road...who knows?

I know that in my head, at least, I'll always see Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima as the ultimate Siamese twin World War II movie.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 15, 2006 at 9:38 AM

comment #1

Edward says ...

Jeffrey, I agree. These films are the heads and tails of the same coin and should be shown--if not as a double feature--then at least in the same year.

Letters looks very interesting. I think it took real courage for Clint Eastwood to make a film from the Japanese perspective. It's unfortunate that so many don't care for foreign language films, my wife being one. They really miss out on exploring different cinematic cultures in the way they should be seen in their original language.

Posted by Edward at August 15, 2006 10:59 AM

comment #2

MoisesChiu says ...

I'm still questioning the studio's logic of pitching Red Sun, Black Sand as a title. Wasn't there another one kicked around that was somethingsomething Lanterns?

I think the cut-together, massive epic could happen as a D-Day tie in or something, with the studio throwing that as a counter-summer offering to the Good Ol' Boy Nation. The concept of Tora! Tora! Tora! applied to Iwo Jima works, and the pieces of the puzlle are right there anyway.

Would the combined effort stand a half-assed chance at being called Red Sun, Black Sand, or am I beating a dead horse?

Posted by MoisesChiu at August 15, 2006 11:10 AM

comment #3

Sid Yobbo says ...

I agree with what Jeff says. Ideally both movies should be released together but I can sympathise with Paramount's predicament re any Oscar campaign. Anyway come the DVD release we'll be able to watch 'em back to back anyway and if Letters/Red Sun is released in January, well, it's only a few months between them. Btw, that's a very tantalising trailer Warner Japan has cut. The desaturation looks even more extreme than that of Ryan - it's practically black and white. Nice music too.

Posted by Sid Yobbo at August 15, 2006 11:14 AM

comment #4

Daniel Fienberg says ...

Moises,

When the "Letter from Iwo Jima" project was first mentioned, the working title was "Lamps Before the Wind," which obviously didn't last very long...

-Daniel

Posted by Daniel Fienberg at August 15, 2006 11:27 AM

comment #5

Mark G. says ...

One thing for sure, a Saturday release in Japan is not odd at all but the rule...

Posted by Mark G. at August 15, 2006 11:46 AM

comment #6

tholl-yung says ...

Kudos to Eastwood and the trailer. That guy walking into frame at the end was as breathtaking as it was eerie. Plus it's a magnificent nod to pushing the artistic envelop of digital intermediary.

Posted by tholl-yung at August 15, 2006 11:57 AM

comment #7

actionman says ...

These movies are going to kick some manly ass. Clint doing 2 hard-core WW2 flicks...i am foaming with anticipation.

Posted by actionman at August 15, 2006 12:04 PM

comment #8

Todd says ...

These are the only two films I'm truelly looking forward to seeing. I hope it lives up to my expectations. If it does this should be the one to get the Oscar.

Posted by Todd at August 15, 2006 12:11 PM

comment #9

ZacharyTF says ...

Hopefully, Paramount/Dreamworks will see the light and release Letters from Iwo Jima in a one-week qualifying run at the end of the year and push it for Best Foreign Language Film.

I don't know about you guys, but over the last 5 years, I've come to anticipate Clint Eastwood films more than Martin Scorsese films and who would've thought that possible 15 years ago?

Posted by ZacharyTF at August 15, 2006 12:12 PM

comment #10

sardine says ...

i don't think clint has ever made a good movie.

Posted by sardine at August 15, 2006 12:20 PM

comment #11

Todd says ...

BTW both films are these two. All the others can be seen at home on DVD. Clint get's me out to the Theatre. He's really come into his prime an like William Shatner shows people life begins after 50.

Posted by Todd at August 15, 2006 12:26 PM

comment #12

MoisesChiu says ...

ZacharyTF- I don't think it'd qualify due to the Academy's policies on Foreign Film financing. ParaWorks/Dreamamount threw the money into Letters.

Thanks for the info, Daniel. Lamps Before the Wind, what another lovely title.

Posted by MoisesChiu at August 15, 2006 12:35 PM

comment #13

Edward says ...

Sardine, you obviously haven't seen "Bird" or "Unforgiven" two masterpieces.

Posted by Edward at August 15, 2006 12:48 PM

comment #14

Monument says ...

To say that Clint has never made a good movie goes beyond bad taste into the realm of pure ignorance. Million Dollar Baby, Mystic River, Unforgiven, and A Perfect World are all fucking excellent, not to mention many of his other films which are damn good. If there is a more self assured, and talented director out there, I don't know who it is. He's certainly making better films than Scorcese these days.

Posted by Monument at August 15, 2006 1:52 PM

comment #15

blythecummings says ...

It's FUCKING GREAT to have two new Clint Eastwood movies coming. Even with Paul Walker, Ryan Phillipe, and Jesse Bradford in them. And that's saying something.

Posted by blythecummings at August 15, 2006 2:02 PM

comment #16

Nicol D says ...

The films look beautifully shot. I only hope Clint understands the difference between the WWII generation and the Vietnam generation.

If Flags is all gloopy soldiers saying they only did it for thier buddies; that they really didn't love thier country and worried that they killed too many babies, he'll have a lot of PO'ed WWII vets on his ass.

My dad had me late in life, therefore I am a Gen Xer with a WWII dad who died when I was a teen. I've talked to many WWII vets in my life and thier views on war are very different than those of the 'Nam (Holy Fuck Man, I just shot a baby, give me a doob while I listen to Hendrix) generation.

I hold out hope, but Haggis' involvement does give me pause.

Know I'm not supposed to say this but that's the fact.

I love Clint, but he doesn't get an automatic free pass.

Posted by Nicol D at August 15, 2006 2:14 PM

comment #17

OddDuck says ...

Nicol D,

Of course their views on war are different, as was the respective worlds they lived in, not to mention the kind of wars they were a part of.

And your characterization of the "Vietnam Generation" is pretty insulting.

Posted by OddDuck at August 15, 2006 2:30 PM

comment #18

Nicol D says ...

If you think that view of the Vietnam Generation is insulting, then don't blame me.

Blame the filmmakers who have constantly depicted the American military like this for virtually 4 decades since Vietnam. Few films dealing with Vietnam (even the great ones like Platoon, Apocalypse Now or Full Metal Jacket) have not kowtowed to this stereotype.

Love it or hate it, if Eastwood goes this route, or something simliar to it with Flags, it will be horrible.

The vibe I am getting is that he is treading in this sort of water of dissillusionment.

Again, I hope I am wrong but I am largely basing this on Jeffrey's own review of the script and Haggis' involvement.

The vibe I got was that it was WWII with a 'Nam mentality. We'll see soon.

Posted by Nicol D at August 15, 2006 3:10 PM

comment #19

sardine says ...

have seen every movie clint has made. am sorry we disagree, but bird, unforgiven and mystic river are bad....dreary and hysterical. however, it will be fun to see ryan p. and paul w., and i hope to like every movie i see.... this one is no exception. million dollar baby...was especially rotten. Nothing he's done comes close to marty s.......look at mean streets, taxi driver, alice doesn't live here anymore, the last waltz, even gangs of ny, a river of shit that flowed. Gangs it bad, but it was watchable. the last temptation of chirst was interesting. kundun was magical. so disagree we do.

Posted by sardine at August 15, 2006 3:12 PM

comment #20

Dan Revill says ...

I think that the Academy loves Watanabe, and the powers that be would be foolish not to release at least a one week run of Red Sun, Black Sand before the year is up.
I told my friends he'd get an Oscar nom when I first saw The Last Samurai trailer, and I bet he would get another nod here. He has a great presence that many actors over here would die to have.

Posted by Dan Revill at August 15, 2006 3:13 PM

comment #21

Monument says ...

WWII vets had an advantage in that their war had a clearly defined purpose and a clearly defined enemy, the Vietnam war (not to mention the current one) did not have that. It was commonplace for children to set booby traps and fire on troops, it was often impossible to tell the difference between civilians and soldiers.

My dad is a Vietnam vet; your characterization of soldiers from his era is highly ignorant and blatantly insulting.

You do realize that Clint Eastwood is 76 years old don't you? He's closer to the age of WWII vets than Vietnam.

Vietnam was a different kind of war, and you clearly know very little about the people who were involved

Posted by Monument at August 15, 2006 3:15 PM

comment #22

sardine says ...

Posted by sardine at August 15, 2006 3:15 PM

comment #23

mdc says ...

Monument,

Nicol D. clearly doesn't need me to defend him, but I think his description of Vietnam-era soldiers referred to the cliched way they're portrayed in movies, not to the actual soldiers themselves. At least I hope that's what he meant.

It's a nightmare that American soldiers are back in that same position in Iraq, surrounded by an enemy 24/7, not just on a battlefield, and serving multiple tours, tours extended etc, and for a questionable cause. And like Vietnam vets who were treated like the bad guys when they went home, the guys now just meet indifference & ignorance when they return. No-one wants to hear about this war.

Posted by mdc at August 15, 2006 6:24 PM