“Tora! Tora! Tora!” is the Japanese signal to attack – and the movie meticulously recreates the attack on Pearl Harbor and the events leading up to it. Opening scenes contrast the American and Japanese positions. Japanese imperialists decide to stage the attack. Top U.S. brass ignore it’s possibility. Intercepted Japanese messages warn of it – but never reach F.D.R.’s desk. Radar warnings are disregarded. Even the entrapment of a Japanese submarine in Pearl Harbor before the attack goes unreported. Ultimately the Day of Infamy arrives – in the most spectacular, gut-wrenching cavalcade of action-packed footage ever. You’ll see moments of unsurpassed spectacle and heroism: U.S. fighters trying to take off and being hit as they taxi; men blasted from the decks of torpedoed ships while trying to rescue buddies; savage aerial dogfights pitting lone American fliers against squadrons of Imperial war planes. It’s the most dazzling recreation of America’s darkest day – and some of her finest hours.”Sir, there’s a large formation of planes coming in from the north, 140 miles, 3 degrees east.” “Yeah? Don’t worry about it.” This is just one of the many mishaps chronicled in Tora! Tora! Tora! The epic film shows the bombing of Pearl Harbor from both sides in the historic first American-Japanese coproduction: American director Richard Fleischer oversaw the complicated production (the Japanese sequences were directed by Toshio Masuda and Kinji Fukasaku, after Akira Kurosawa withdrew from the film), wrestling a sprawling story with dozens of characters into a manageable, fairly easy-to-follow film. The first half maps out the collapse of diplomacy between the nations and the military blunders that left naval and air forces sitting ducks for the impending attack, while the second half is an amazing re-creation of the devastating battle. While Tora! Tora! Tora! lacks the strong central characters that anchor the best war movies, the real star of the film is the climactic 30-minute battle, a massive feat of cinematic engineering that expertly conveys the surprise, the chaos, and the immense destruction of the only attack by a foreign power on American soil since the Revolutionary War. The special effects won a well-deserved Oscar, but the film was shut out of every other category by, ironically, the other epic war picture of the year, Patton. –Sean Axmaker
Buy “Tora! Tora! Tora! “ For Only $9.98
April 17, 2008
#1
BORING! BORING! BORING! And hopelessly jingoistic as well; you best bet might be to join in about two-thirds of the way through this mess! At least then you see carnage instead of tote boards; heroes instead of cowards, soilders instead of senators. A let-down that was hyped to rival PATTON.
April 17, 2008
#2
When I first heard about this film, I had thought that an hour of the film would be devoted to attack on Pearl Harbor. Instead, I watched a thirty minute fight sequence (exciting, but not as visually stunning as the visual effects work and masterful camera work used in the BETTER 40-minute sequence of the massive action epic PEARL HARBOR.) that was preceded by over an hour-and-a-half long introduction that features dull characters and boring talks. The only thing that kept me from falling asleep was the Japanese sequences involving the plans of attack, and some funny sequences involving oneliners. I also didn’t quite agree with their portrayal of Dorie Miller, the mess attendant who shot down two Japanese airplanes, and won the first naval cross for an African-American. The character was only given about ten seconds of film time. I was very upset. The portrayal in PEARL HARBOR was 100% better, given that the role was given to a great actor, Cuba Gooding, Jr. I was also very dissapointed with the way they ended the film. It was too depressing. Nothing was said of what happened after the attack, except for Yamamoto’s famous line: “All I fear that we have done is awaken a sleeping giant.” Please, if you want to see a film that takes you back to that time, see PEARL HARBOR, an miss this waste of money. Trust me, you’ll save a good amount. Grade: D+.
April 17, 2008
#3
The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor seems to be accurate, as to time, and place, and naval/military deployments. However, the screen writers have gone out of their way to depict Americans as either stupid, ignorant, or unconcerned. While on the other hand, the Japanese enemy is depicted as polite, wise, and opposed to war, and the number of American casualties seems of little importance.
It is apparent that the dialog was written in Tokyo; and it surely could have been the product of General Tojo’s war-time propaganda machine.
Yashida and Yamamoto, et al., say things like: 1- “We have awakened a sleeping giant.” 2- “I’ve lived in Washington and studied at Harvard, so I know the Americans are a proud and just people.” 3- “If war becomes inevitable America would be the most formidible foe we ever fought.” Such words belie the truth: Japan’s intended world conquest, in conjunction with her NAZI allies, as revealed at Corregidor and on the Bataan Death March, and earlier in China and Korea.
The Japs were very much a part of the European Holocaust, in that they were willing allies of the NAZI Party; in this video the blame for the NAZI alliance is laid on General Tojo, not the Navy, and not the Emperor. The good fellows in Tora! Tora! Tora! were “only following orders.” Sound familiar???
In keeping with the general disingenuousness of this 20th Century Home Entertainment product, customers who are paying for a commercial-free viewing experience are getting several minutes of advertisements, for several different 20th Century videos. The advertisements are not disclosed on the packaging, or at the point of purchase. A sneak attack, very much like the Japanese killing of Americans at Pearl.
April 17, 2008
#4
Just received this DVD and was very disappointed, after reading all the other customer reviews. The Wide Screen format was hard to watch, and not nearly wide enough, and the story was basically slow, boring, and basically no character development. I should have just rented it. Quite a disappointment.
April 17, 2008
#5
Ever wonder why hollywood directors take so many liberties when making a war movie? In my opinion, this film provides a more than adequate answer.
Granted, the attack scene is very well executed, with special effects that are impressive even today. But the rest of the film is dry and soulless. The characters spout dialogue that sounds like it was taken out of a college history textbook word for word.
If you want an impressive factual account of Dec. 7 and the preceeding events, then check out the two DVD History Channel documentary. If you want to see an entertaining Pearl Harbor film that is true to the essence of the 1940′s, see Michail Bay’s Pearl Harbor.
Of course, if you fall in between those two extremes, then Tora Tora Tora just might be the one for you.