HBO's "The Pacific"

Thanks for putting it in perspective, Clint. Hanks is an actor, but he's gained a lot of credibility...amongst who I'm not sure. After the first episode, I'm wondering how this series is going to turn out.

P.S. Heard also only the first episode will be free on HBO.com. After that it's another who knows...

 

Options if you don't have HBO, As I did with Band of Brothers, just rent it. It will be out for DVD release very quickly. Chances are you won't miss much if you wait. Don't run out and buy it as the price will be riduculous. If you collect war flicks the price will be way down after all of the hype and hullabaloo dies down.

As for Tom Hanks, I watched Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers but would get more historical insight from the stapler on my desk. He is foolish as well as wrong. One just has to see and listen to the Marines interviewed on World At War to understand how they felt about the Japanese. Many were very caring about the prisoners and were horrified not elated about the soldiers and citizens who jumped off the cliffs or grenaded themselves in Okinawa. As for the lack of argument of racism we were allied with the Chinese and Filipinos. Don't worry about the confused(He's getting old) appologist and enjoy the miniseries.

 

Looks pretty good. A little confusing and choppy flow. I feel it's not a cohesive story to those who are not familiar with the Guadalcanal campaign. Then again it's just the first episode and maybe the 2nd and 3rd ones would round-up the Guadalcanal story better. Unless there are pretty effective flashbacks, I'm afraid a lot of the essence of the Guadalcanal campaign had been skipped over.

The screenplay seems a little more experience-centric, rather than a telling of a cohesive big-picture story. So it seems like the scenes are a mosaic of "sights and sounds" experiences, with a few scenes helping to clue the viewer in as to what's going on in the big picture. These sensory treats are excellent. The visuals and sounds are great. The location they picked for the Tenaru/Ilu river is spot on in the descriptions and photos I've seen.

In terms of emotionally drawing the audience, it's not quite there. It seems there were too many "fast forwards" and failing to make the situation sink in on the viewers. Just in reference to the first episode. The next episodes may round everything up well. We'll see.

As I've also mentioned in a different post, the marines were shown armed with 1903A3 rifles which were not available yet during the Guadalcanal timeframe -- and according to some usmc history buffs, were not even issued to the marines at all at any time. Shouldn't be a problem to most everyone, just to some.

I'm still looking forward to seeing the rest of the series. It should be pretty good nonetheless and should draw interest in the PTO experience and veterans.

 

LMAO

You guys are too kind.

Whatever I can do to help. It does look like they will only show the 1st episode for free so we shall see.

I'm not worried, I have it in my Q on Netflix. I don't have to see it right away and it saves TONS of money (HBO ain't cheap) hehe

 

I did the same, it is sitting there awaiting "availability". So, even if that is only a "one episode" teaser on the HBO freebie spot, I'll still get to check it out when it can be had.

 

Hanks is an idiot. That is all.

 

No that is not all, To make such a statement to such a worldwide respected director should require more then such a disingenuous accusation. Elaborate on your obviously well though out remark?

 

Maybe the History Channel will air re-runs of "The Pacific" in between episodes of Axemen, Ice Road Truckers and the pawn shop heroes....

 

Direct TV is playing it on "101"

 

Nothing you'll ever see, on the silver screen, or on TV will be overdone as far as what it was really like. Ever.
The "slow" episode focused on the first part of Guadalcanal...a 6 months struggle. It was the first ground combat the Marines (the US!) faced in WWII...I think it showed plenty enough as far as what green troops were experiencing and what it was like.
This is all taken, very painstakingly from what I have read (all the books including the companion of the series) that has to do with it...from eye witness accounts.

 

I get HBO free for two weeks PAST the finale of The Pacific..WIN!!!

 

I now believe that the Pacific is coming to dvd in November and NOT in June as previously stated. I was browsing through the Pacific novel in Walmart and believe that the mini is going to exclude and air combat. Many of the battles such as Midway, coral sea, and a few others will be left out.

 

I just watched the first episode. Having been the primary writer of the Wikipedia article on the subject, I was very interested in how it was presented. I've noticed that traffic for the WP article has increased a little since the series debuted.

I think HBO did a good job at compressing 10 months of war into one hour for the first episode. I was a little disappointed that they skipped the Battle of Edson's Ridge, because in my mind there was no land battle of the Pacific war in which victory or defeat for either side walked so much the razor's edge. Because HBO elected to follow Leckie's and Basilone's stories, however, it appears they were stuck skipping that battle. It looks like the Battle for Henderson Field, in which Chesty Puller's Marine Battalion with help from a US Army battalion saved Henderson Field, will be featured in the next episode.

One major quibble I have over the first episode was the depiction of the landing crafts used to beach the Marines on Guadalcanal. The episode showed boats with front landing ramps. This is entirely inaccurate. All of the landing craft used at Guadalcanal in the initial landings did not have moveable front loading/unloading ramps. The Marines had to jump over and hoist cargo over the sides. Other than that, it seemed ok. The Tenaru battle obviously followed Leckie's book and therefore neglected to illustrate the important contribution that the heavy weapons unit made with their 37mm anti-tank guns firing cannister ammunition which helped shred the three Japanese human wave attacks that occurred during that battle. Also, the episode didn't show the Marine light tanks counterattacking into the coconut grove the next day.

 

I thought episode two was well done, it just wasn't long enough. You knew who the characters were from episode 1. To really do the battle justice it would have taken at least five of the ten episodes, which is not possible given the intended scope of the project. They did manage to fit in snippits of the hardships the Marines underwent, without dwelling on it to the degree it would have become boring. I'm looking forward to the next episode.

 

From the previews it looks like episode 3 is where it will be more about the men, and a change to get to know them a little more. you really don't know too much about each man as an individual so far in the first 2 episodes, though last nights episode the battle was very well done.

 

The only thing I have negative to say, is that it takes 10 minutes to get into the actual episode after the opening credits, the Tom Hanks narrative, and then the recap from last weeks show. I am really enjoying this so far though.

 

I dont find it showed many hardships whatsoever, from the way it appeared it would seem that the Marines had spent their whole life in the Jungle in comparison to the Japanese who simply ran at them like ignorant tools.

Never the less entertaining.

 

other then the stealing of food and supplies from fellow soldiers, the rice menu and the "Peaches and runner" scene I also agree it seems isolated compared to how wide spread the hunger was.

 

I second your landing craft observation.

There are many vinettes in Leckie's memoir that were not depicted: the Marine who had his own flashlight, pliers and other dental tools who searched the mouths of Japanese dead for gold teeth. I suppose this would not have shed a positive light on some Marines. In his book, Leckie did not put the lone Japanese survivor out of him misery with a .45, but shot at a fleeing Jap with a Springfield. The Jap fell, but Leckie was not sure if he dropped him or not. The Crocodile, whose V wake the Marines had noticed at night, feasting of the Japanese corpses was not shown. And last but not least, as a New Jersey native, actor James Badge Dale (PFC Leckie) does not have the distinct north Jersey accent down at all. I even thought I detected a slight southern accent uggh!

Greg C.