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Flags of Our Fathers (Widescreen Edition) |  | Director: Clint Eastwood
Actors: Ryan Phillippe, Barry Pepper, Joseph Cross, Jesse Bradford, Christopher Curry
Studio: Dreamworks Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $12.99
Buy Used: $0.50
as of 7/31/2010 13:38 MDT details
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New (34) Used (131) from $0.50
Seller: river-city-books
Rating:  283 reviews
Sales Rank: 3529
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language), Korean (Original Language), French (Dubbed)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Running Time: 132 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: PARD117824D
UPC: 097361178240
EAN: 0097361178240
ASIN: B000M4RG42
Theatrical Release Date: October 20, 2006
Release Date: February 6, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
THE LIFE STORIES OF SIX MEN WHO RAISED THE FLAG AT THE BATTLE OF IWO JIMA, A TURNING POINT IN WWII.
Amazon.com
Thematically ambitious and emotionally complex, Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers is an intimate epic with much to say about war and the nature of heroism in America. Based on the non-fiction bestseller by James Bradley (with Ron Powers), and adapted by Million Dollar Baby screenwriter Paul Haggis (Jarhead screenwriter William Broyles Jr. wrote an earlier draft that was abandoned when Eastwood signed on to direct), this isn't so much a conventional war movie as it is a thought-provoking meditation on our collective need for heroes, even at the expense of those we deem heroic. In telling the story of the six men (five Marines, one Navy medic) who raised the American flag of victory on the battle-ravaged Japanese island of Iwo Jima on February 23rd, 1945, Eastwood takes us deep into the horror of war (in painstakingly authentic Iwo Jima battle scenes) while emphasizing how three of the surviving flag-raisers (played by Adam Beach, Ryan Phillippe, and Jesse Bradford) became reluctant celebrities - and resentful pawns in a wartime publicity campaign - after their flag-raising was immortalized by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal in the most famous photograph in military history. As the surviving flag-raisers reluctantly play their public roles as "the heroes of Iwo Jima" during an exhausting (but clearly necessary) wartime bond rally tour, Flags of Our Fathers evolves into a pointed study of battlefield valor and misplaced idolatry, incorporating subtle comment on the bogus nature of celebrity, the trauma of battle, and the true meaning of heroism in wartime. Wisely avoiding any direct parallels to contemporary history, Eastwood allows us to draw our own conclusions about the Iwo Jima flag-raisers and how their postwar histories (both noble and tragic) simultaneously illustrate the hazards of exploited celebrity and society's genuine need for admirable role models during times of national crisis. Flags of Our Fathers defies the expectations of those seeking a more straightforward war-action drama, but it's richly satisfying, impeccably crafted film that manages to be genuinely patriotic (in celebrating the camaraderie of soldiers in battle) while dramatizing the ultimate futility of war. Eastwood's follow-up film, Letters from Iwo Jima, examines the Iwo Jima conflict from the Japanese perspective. --Jeff Shannon Beyond Flags of Our Fathers 
Other World War II DVDs | 
Essential DVDs by Director Clint Eastwood | 
Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley | Stills from Flags of Our Fathers (click for larger image)
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 283
 good but book was better July 1, 2010
Matthew Ptak (Baltimore, MD USA)
This movie has great scenary, I great story line, acting, etc. I preferred the book, which is usually the case with most adapted movies. I would recomend it to any WWII war buff. I would have liked to have seen a little less gore (yes of course gore is real in war but you can express it without being so blantant) Also, one minor complaint, I found myself saying after the first 30 mins, "I get it, I get it, you are not a hero, I got it by the first 5 minutes, now can we move on and show more about the people that bravely fought for the island and how they won the island" In short, I wanted to walk away from the movie feeling proud of the flag raising and all the marines, etc on Iwo instead of feeling ashamed to even look at the flag raising.
 so-so June 24, 2010
Caraculiambro (La Mancha and environs)
I was expecting a harrowing movie about war. Kind of like what "Saving Private Ryan" was for Normandy, only for the Battle of Iwo Jima.
As deft as Eastwood is as a director, I feel this is largely a forgettable, medicore film. A couple of these reasons are Eastwood's fault; a couple of them he couldn't have done anything about.
1. The characters all look the same! Since you couldn't tell them apart, it was hard to get going with their stories. Which one is Hank? Which one is Harlon? (I also had this complaint about the companion movie, but if say that there it would be dismissed as racism.)
2. Unlike Normandy, the Battle of Iwo Jima simply does not lend itself well to cinematic vigor, except for the shot of the fleet from atop Suribachi.
3. The story of the Indian had no insights. Yeah, it's interesting that that was an Indian guy. But I think Eastwood had no idea what to say about it and no idea what to do: in end, you just end up getting another stereotypical drunk Indian story.
4. Regrettably, it seemed like Eastwood torpedoed the whole theme of sacrifice by getting into the boys back home having to stump around selling war bonds. Sure, this was hucksterism, but is that really the direction the film should have took? In the end, it was almost as if the movie wasn't about soldiers and sacrifice, but the literal truth of the flag's having been placed and re-placed. This was an unfortunate decision.
5. Jumping back and forth around in time was not recommended: it made everything much more confusing.
 Shows the reality of what happened to these heroes June 18, 2010
Doc Beech (Dallas Tx)
This movie shows you the true side of what happened to these warriors after thier celebrity lives and even during them. It does take some of the glory away from the marines, but it shows you that a navy corpsman was involved in the flag raising. It also shows you how hard it made thier lives, and the struggles they went through during and after the war. Bringing reality and harshness into what is a lot of the time seen as glory without pain, this movie is a must see for everyone.
Flags of Our Fathers DVD June 18, 2010
Manny M. Agah
An excellent war-drama, and in my opinion, Clint Eastwood's finest picture. A moving and timeless film. The enhanced 2.35:1 picture is excellent.
 Ok movie but enough of the profanity April 12, 2010
Movie Critic (Orange County, CA)
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
We all love Clint, his movies and his acting. This was a good movie overall, but the only thing that ruined it was the profanity, especially the unneccesary language from the part played by Bud Gerber (John Slattery). Too much of "F" this, and "GD" that", along with others. I know this is war and almost anything goes, but I'm certain back in the 1940's the text was not used so freely as it is in todays society. Because of this, the movie doesn't make it real nor does it make the movie a good quality, it good have been better. Maybe someday a director will take more control of the dialog/script and make a great quality movie for all to see.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 283
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