Fox War Classics on DVD
The Longest Day
Patton
Tora! Tora! Tora!
Three classic 20 Century Fox war movies have been re-released
in new special edition DVD's that do each of these films justice. All are now
featuring anamorphic widescreen video and variations of Dolby Digital audio
that bring the best viewing and listening experience yet to these outstanding
feature presentations.
The Longest Day
While it lacks "Saving Private Ryan's" gut-wrenching
realism or emotional punch, this 1962 epic is an excellent companion piece
to "Ryan," putting Spielberg's story into context in the overall
D-Day picture.
Produced by Darryl F. Zanuck and shot by three different
directors (one American, one British, and one German), the three hour film
tells the "whole story" of the Normandy invasion, from before the
go ahead was given until after the famed landings on the beaches. In fact,
the beach landings that begin "Saving Private Ryan" don't happen
until "The Longest Day" is two thirds over.
The movie gives us all sides of the invasion, featuring
a lot of German perspective filmed in German (with English subtitles), views
from the French populace and underground (subtitled), and a wide variety of
Allied views - from paratroopers and glider troops to fighter pilots, "the
brass" at the top and, of course, the grunts who assaulted the beaches
and cliffs of Normandy.
The screenplay, which Cornelius Ryan based on his book of
the same name, covers some of the preparations for battle, and follows many
of the events. It's a much "cleaner" view than that of "Saving
Private Ryan," and in that way is a more traditional war movie than Spielberg's
epic.
But "The Longest Day" is an epic on its own, featuring
incredible views of the air and sea armada that went to France on that fateful
day. The views of the massing ships and waves of aircraft are spectacular (the
film won Oscars for its special effects and cinematography), and the shots
of thousands of soldiers landing on the beaches couldn't be shot on a conventional
budget today without the use of digital special effects.
The cast is a veritable "Who's Who" of the period,
and there's no mention of them in the opening credits (or "credit;" only
the title is displayed on screen near the movie's beginning), perhaps so people
don't spend the next three hours keeping tally of the stars who keep appearing.
But there's a bunch of them (some 50 international stars of various magnitude
are on hand, from John Wayne to Gert Frobe). Their egos appear to have been
held in check and they give their all to the production.
This DVD features anamorphic widescreen video, fortunately,
and the black and white image looks very good. Audio is Dolby Digital 4.0 surround,
and it's fine considering the film's age.
Extras include an audio commentary by historian Mary Corey
and another one by director Ken Annakin on disc one. Disc two kicks off with
an all new featurette "A Day to Remember," as well as "Longest
Day: A Salute to Courage." You also get the AMC Backstory: The Longest
Day, "D-Day revisited," "Richard Zanuck on The Longest Day," the
trailer and a photo gallery.
Fans of "Saving Private Ryan" who haven't seen "The
Longest Day" really should view the older film to get a broader perspective
of the events that helped form the world in which we live today. Because we
should never forget what those ordinary heroes did for us.
The Longest Day, from 20th Century Fox Home Video
178 minutes, anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1, 6x9 TV compatible), Dolby Digital
4.0
Starring 48 International Stars
Produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, Written by Cornelius Ryan, based on his book
British Exterior Episodes Directed by Ken Annakin, American Exterior Episodes
Directed by Andrew Marton, German Episodes Directed by Bernhard Wicki
Patton
George C. Scott won (and refused) the Best Actor Oscar for
his outstanding portrayal of U.S. General George S. Patton, the famed World
War II army general who was a military genius and also a bit of a loose
cannon so far as his superiors are concerned. But despite his rough edges and
politically incorrect mien, he was usually right militarily and as the movie
shows if the Allied forces had used him to his potential rather than making
him a sacrificial lamb on the altar of political correctness the war may have
been won even earlier.
But at this point in time it's pointless to second guess such things, though
it never hurts to learn from history.
And who'd have thought political correctness was around
in the 1940's?
Scott is riveting as Patton, who we first see in North Africa
where he goes after Nazi Field Marshall Rommel (the so-called Desert Fox).
The movie follows him across Africa and through Sicily and the invasion of
France and Germany and the eventual fall of the Third Reich. It's an apparently
fairly honest look at the man, warts and all, including his famous temper and
his insubordination. And also his vision.
Francis Ford Coppola co-wrote the screenplay (and got fired
from the gig, according to his introduction to the DVD) with Edmund H. North
sharing the credit, and later won an Oscar for it. Other Oscars included Best
Picture and Best Director, and it's easy to see why the film was so honored:
this is one of the great biopics, one of the great war epics and and even one
of the great "just plain stories" of human nature, bravery, duty and honor.
Karl Malden also gives a solid performance as General Omar
Bradley, who starts out as Patton's junior then ends up commanding him, and
Michael Bates is also very good as the flamboyant Field Marshall Montgomery – with
whom Patton is in competition throughout the movie.
The anamorphic widescreen picture is very good, sharp and
clean and colorful, with only occasional graininess. Audio is Dolby Digital
5.0 surround and though the lack of that "point one" channel may
make you think there'll be no bass this isn't the case – so you'll still
get to feel the explosions, just not as much as if they had used a low frequency
effects channel that didn't exist in 1970 anyway.
Extras abound, from the abovementioned introduction by Francis
Coppola to an all new running commentary, again by Coppola. Disc two features
the documentaries "The Making of Patton," "History Through the
Lens: Patton – A Rebel Revisited" and "Patton's Ghost Corps".
There's also a production still gallery accompanied by Jerry Goldsmith's outstanding
musical score, a behind the scenes still gallery with audio essay, and the
original theatrical trailer.
Patton, from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
171 min. anamorphic widescreen (2.20:1, 16x9 TV compatible), Dolby Digital
5.0
Starring George C. Scott, Karl Malden
Produced by Frank McCarthy
Written by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North, directed by Franklin J.
Schaffner
Tora! Tora! Tora!
Before there was Pearl Harbor there was Tora! Tora! Tora!,
a far better film that features special effects that for their day were just
as spectacular as the digital ones in the Bruckheimer/Bay update.
The film is told from both sides of the attack, with the "human interest"
story of Peal Harbor submerged in the military aspects. Separate directors
handles the American and Japanese sides, and it works very well. The late
Richard Fleischer, who directed such films as 20,000
Leagues Under the Sea and Doctor
Doolittle, directed the U.S. side of the complex production (Japanese
sequences were helmed by Toshio Masuda and Kinji Fukasaku), and rather than
the result being an incoherent mish mash, we instead are treated to a large
and sprawling tale that manages to blend diverse sides and ideologies and dozens
of major characters into a film that's tight, entertaining and spectacular.
Whileit's well known that the attack caught the Americans with their collective
pants down, we learn that it didn't necessarily have to be that way. But bad
luck, bad timing, and some dumb decisions combined to create that day of infamy.
The movie details the failure of diplomacy between the two countries and the
military snafus (some of which appear to have been based at least as much on
ego than on logic) that left the U.S. forces open for the attack.
The attack itself is recreated in amazing detail by the
filmmakers and is spectacular in its effects as well as in the way it manages
to convey the chaos on the American side, the joy of the Japanese pilots at
their job well done, and the tragic destruction and loss of life the attack
wrought. The special effects won an Oscar that was well deserved, and
it could probably have won more such honors if not for that year's Oscar steamroller,
Patton.
The DVD is presented in anamorphic widescreen, 16x9 TV compatible, and the
picture quality is first rate. There's a little grain in places, but for
the most part the image is sharp and clean. Audio is Dolby Digital 4.1 surround
and though there isn't a lot of surround the audio quality is very good overall.
Extras include a commentary by director Richard Fleischer
and Japanese film historian Stuart Galbraith IV on disc one. The two disc set
also includes two historical documentaries, an AMC Backstory on the film, still
picture galleries, the original trailer and ten Fox Movietone News features.
Tora! Tora! Tora! From 20th Century Fox Home
Entertainment
144 min. anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1, 16x9 TV compatible), Dolby Digital
4.1
Starring Martin Balsam, Soh Yamamura, Joseph Cotton, Tatsuya Mihashi
Produced
by Elmo Williams
Written by Larry Forrester, Hideo Oguni, Ryuzo Mirkushima, directed by Richard
Fleischer
