Sometimes it’s wild to interact with a film after something has made fun of a part if not all of it. Allan Dwan’s Sands of Iwo Jima has ZAZ’s Airplane! to thank for its deflating of much of its heart and soul. Elmer Bertstien’s love theme for Airplaine! Is the same or very very very close approximation (whatever the legal amount is allowed) which every time it plays (which is about one hundred and thirty-two times in Sands of Iwo Jima) it all induces laughter. That added to the fact that Wayne’s character is named Stryker the same as John Wayne’s hard-as-nails Sargeant that is the center of the film.
Dwan’s war film is well-meaning in its earnestness showcasing Screen Legend Wayne as he teaches sometimes with a boot-in-the-ass mentality the company of louts into mean-lean-fighting-machines. Told over two combat skirmishes the company lives, dies, and learns to work together as they finally end up on Iwo Jima. The healthy amount of melodrama and good-natured humor and drama is packed in between action making this the kind of wartime drama more than just another men on a mission film.
John Wayne is a perfect fit for the grumpy but well-meaning Sargeant John Stryker. The star gives that patented Wayne charisma on full tilt here even when he’s being a bastard. Though even when he is berating his men you know it’s for their own good. Like the hard-drinking father of yesteryear, he just wants his boys to make it through the war. He has no time for crap or those that dilly-dally. In those moments where he loses men, Wayne brings his particular gravitas to bear. The result is the importance and human causalities are felt, especially when the tragedy of the piece comes to full realization.
Of course, any film about the battle of Iwo Jima would not be complete until the actual raising of the Flag. At this moment, no matter the satire of other films, Dwan and Company bring the power and meaning of that iconic moment in history to full realization.
The Transfer
The all-new HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative is a black and white marvel of image quality and what is possible with 4K UHD. The Academy standard 1.33 image is FLAWLESS – nary a scratch or issue with the source material. Flawless in the way that the very best Black and White 4K UHD discs are with a clarity and a beautiful sheen of grain structure that feels almost three dimensional. This is an exemplary job of what is possible within the 4K format and the very best of image quality.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
NEW Audio Commentary by Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Combat Films: American Realism Author Steven Jay Rubin
DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):
NEW Audio Commentary by Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Combat Films: American Realism Author Steven Jay Rubin
The Making of Sands of Iwo Jima: Hosted by Leonard Maltin
Theatrical Trailer
The all-new Audio Commentary by Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Combat Films: American Realism Author Steven Jay Rubin begins with the fact that this was Republic Pictures most expensive film and how this ballooned. Some of the details include that Wayne was originally not supposed to star – but how he came to star; the state of the war film when this film was made; the reasons why the Marine Corps backed this film and cooperated with the production with resources; the casting what if of Kirk Douglas as Stryker; the rewriting of the screenplay for John Wayne’s requests; a larger discussion of the career of John Wayne – specifically where the star was during this film; a discussion of the geographical and historical context for the various islands that the film takes place on; the miniature and VFX work of the Lidecker’s – also a discussion of the various war films they worked on; a discussion of the professional and personal life of Allan Dwan; a discussion of the various military technology and weaponry – how they were used in the Pacific theater of WW2; a larger discussion throughout of the various actors that appear in the film; and much more. Mitchel and Rubin provide a truly fascinating commentary track on this interesting production.
The Making of Sands of Iwo Jima: Hosted by Leonard Maltin (17:50) – this brief making-of covers all aspects of the production with a surprising amount of detail. From the casting of Wayne (who did not want to initially do the film); the rewriting of the film; the production of the film – including the use of the US Marine Corps resources; the release and box office success; and much more. Not only hosted by Maltin there are comments by Actor John Agar, Richard Jaeckel, Wally Casey, son of John Wayne – Michael Wayne, Brig. Gen. Len Fribourg, USMC.
Kino Lorber continues to bring important and classic Hollywood films to 4K with the care and special features they deserve. Sands of Iwo Jima is no different. Recommended!!!
Kino Lorber’s 4K UHD Edition of Sands of Iwo Jima is out April 15th
John Wayne stars in the WW2 Classic Sands of Iwo Jima. Kino Lorber’s 4K UHD edition comes armed with a beautiful 4K Restoration.
The Film
Note: The film uses racial slurs throughout.
Sometimes it’s wild to interact with a film after something has made fun of a part if not all of it. Allan Dwan’s Sands of Iwo Jima has ZAZ’s Airplane! to thank for its deflating of much of its heart and soul. Elmer Bertstien’s love theme for Airplaine! Is the same or very very very close approximation (whatever the legal amount is allowed) which every time it plays (which is about one hundred and thirty-two times in Sands of Iwo Jima) it all induces laughter. That added to the fact that Wayne’s character is named Stryker the same as John Wayne’s hard-as-nails Sargeant that is the center of the film.
Dwan’s war film is well-meaning in its earnestness showcasing Screen Legend Wayne as he teaches sometimes with a boot-in-the-ass mentality the company of louts into mean-lean-fighting-machines. Told over two combat skirmishes the company lives, dies, and learns to work together as they finally end up on Iwo Jima. The healthy amount of melodrama and good-natured humor and drama is packed in between action making this the kind of wartime drama more than just another men on a mission film.
John Wayne is a perfect fit for the grumpy but well-meaning Sargeant John Stryker. The star gives that patented Wayne charisma on full tilt here even when he’s being a bastard. Though even when he is berating his men you know it’s for their own good. Like the hard-drinking father of yesteryear, he just wants his boys to make it through the war. He has no time for crap or those that dilly-dally. In those moments where he loses men, Wayne brings his particular gravitas to bear. The result is the importance and human causalities are felt, especially when the tragedy of the piece comes to full realization.
Of course, any film about the battle of Iwo Jima would not be complete until the actual raising of the Flag. At this moment, no matter the satire of other films, Dwan and Company bring the power and meaning of that iconic moment in history to full realization.
The Transfer
The all-new HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative is a black and white marvel of image quality and what is possible with 4K UHD. The Academy standard 1.33 image is FLAWLESS – nary a scratch or issue with the source material. Flawless in the way that the very best Black and White 4K UHD discs are with a clarity and a beautiful sheen of grain structure that feels almost three dimensional. This is an exemplary job of what is possible within the 4K format and the very best of image quality.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):
The all-new Audio Commentary by Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Combat Films: American Realism Author Steven Jay Rubin begins with the fact that this was Republic Pictures most expensive film and how this ballooned. Some of the details include that Wayne was originally not supposed to star – but how he came to star; the state of the war film when this film was made; the reasons why the Marine Corps backed this film and cooperated with the production with resources; the casting what if of Kirk Douglas as Stryker; the rewriting of the screenplay for John Wayne’s requests; a larger discussion of the career of John Wayne – specifically where the star was during this film; a discussion of the geographical and historical context for the various islands that the film takes place on; the miniature and VFX work of the Lidecker’s – also a discussion of the various war films they worked on; a discussion of the professional and personal life of Allan Dwan; a discussion of the various military technology and weaponry – how they were used in the Pacific theater of WW2; a larger discussion throughout of the various actors that appear in the film; and much more. Mitchel and Rubin provide a truly fascinating commentary track on this interesting production.
The Making of Sands of Iwo Jima: Hosted by Leonard Maltin (17:50) – this brief making-of covers all aspects of the production with a surprising amount of detail. From the casting of Wayne (who did not want to initially do the film); the rewriting of the film; the production of the film – including the use of the US Marine Corps resources; the release and box office success; and much more. Not only hosted by Maltin there are comments by Actor John Agar, Richard Jaeckel, Wally Casey, son of John Wayne – Michael Wayne, Brig. Gen. Len Fribourg, USMC.
Rounding out the special features are trailers for Sands of Iwo Jima (1:53); The Horse Soldiers (2:39); Hatari! (3:01); Donovan’s Reef (2:40); Wake Island (2:08); Five Graves to Cairo (2:13); Attack! (2:31); Run Silent, Run Deep (3:02); The Train (4:26); Hell is For Heroes (2:55)
The Final Thought
Kino Lorber continues to bring important and classic Hollywood films to 4K with the care and special features they deserve. Sands of Iwo Jima is no different. Recommended!!!
Kino Lorber’s 4K UHD Edition of Sands of Iwo Jima is out April 15th
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