I read the reviews before I purchased the DVD. Most of the previous reviewers gave this a 5 star rating. I've never seen nor heard of this film, and after watching it, I can see why. It feels like a low budget, thrown together film with actors that had other jobs at the same time (notice the hair on these men?) Wilde looks like he's never held a pistol before, and those tanks...WWII vintage??
The japs in the rear don't even act like they've been invaded. Drawing pictures of plants, sitting around eating rice, etc.
To its credit (thus not just 1 star), some of the graphic scenes are a "first". And there is a nude scene in one flashback.
Finally, the ultimate test. After watching about 15 minutes, my son asked "how much longer is this"? 'Nuff said.
Hard-boiled W.W.II movie that pulls no punches.
Beach Red is finally out on video. One of the best films about World War II and it's made by people who were there.
This movie was produced by film companies from Japan, U.S.A. and the Philipines. Cornell Wilde stars and directs this film that inspired The Thin Red Line remake and Saving Private Ryan. Rip Torn co-stars as a battle harden sergant who uses unorthodox techniques to get information from his p.o.w.s. A grim film that was way ahead of it's time. Terrance Mallick must have really loved this movie, The Thin Red Line is virtually a remake. Go out and get the extended version of Big Red One as well, Two highly underrated films about World War II.
I guarantee full satisfaction.
BEACH RED: a Great Anti-War Film now on DVD
**May Contain Spoilers**
After seeing BEACH RED, many viewers are likely to ask how they have missed this film all this time, and why they have not heard about it before. It's pretty likely that this movie never truly got its due because it was released in 1967 at the height of the Vietnam War. The public was probably too 'burnt out' on TV war coverage to want to go see a war film in a theater. That's just a theory.
Seeing this film after Terence Malick's great THE THIN RED LINE (1998) can create a startling effect. It's possible that Malick knew BEACH RED, and was inspired by some of its techniques, or it may be just a coincidence. The use of voice-over to hear character's thoughts was probably something quite new in 1967, and the Pacific island setting is nearly as lush and sensually appealing as it is in the Malick film. Both films make use of the natural beauty of the surroundings to contrast with the harsh dramatic setting. And both films are unflinching in their depiction of the suffering that combat can bring, both physical and emotional. Early in, we see "Mouse" a soldier paralyzed with fear, who repeats "Please, oh please" over and over. It's very striking to see Wilde's film portray a crying or fearful young soldier in such an objective way. The fate of "Mouse" is also graphically, unsparingly depicted. This sequence occurs in the first 15 minutes, and the rest of the film contains many equally strong scenes, for both US soldiers and Japanese. There is an effective, if sometimes crude, use of flashback to reveal the men's emotional backgrounds. The film seems to make a definite point of not favoring Americans over Japanese at the basic human level, and this is greatly to its credit. As an actor, Cornel Wilde casts himself as a sympathetic commanding officer who views his men as his charges. He completely avoids any sentimentality in this role, which deserves recognition as one of his best on film. Apart from Rip Torn, who vigorously plays a blood & thunder Marine, there are no other recognizable faces in the cast. This, too, works in the film's favor to allow the spectator to focus on character and situation more than actor personality. In sum, BEACH RED is a powerful war/anti-war film may now receive the praise it deserves.
We certainly can be grateful for this nicely transferred DVD of BEACH RED. The package contains only a trailer for extras, but the image quality is superb in every way. Anyone could be forgiven for thinking this movie was made only 15 or 20 years ago, based on how well it looks here. (The double-sided DVD has a pan & scan version on one side, but the widescreen image is too beautiful to ever make that version useful.)
A small complaint about the DVD is with the sound: dialogue sounds far softer than sound effects. So if you adjust for the loud explosions and combat sounds, you may have trouble hearing the dialogue.
I have not seen the movie. This was a gift that was shipped to a different address. More Info about this DVD Director(s): Ron Winston DVD Release Date: Released the 19 April 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Not the typical WW2 spif. Plot is familiar with new Cmdr. trying to fit in and win the loyalty of his men. Enough action to keep the movie interesting. Shows importance of the Underwater Demolition Teams. If you like WW2 navy films, this would be worth viewing. More Info about this DVD Director(s): Lloyd Bacon DVD Release Date: Released the 24 May 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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I am delighted to have this hard-to-find film! It played like a charm! Thanks for the fine service. More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Gregory Peck - Bernard Lee Director(s): Robert Parrish DVD Release Date: Released the 19 April 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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The German offensive in December 1944 became the basis for this all-star Hollywood take on the Battle of the Bulge. Henry Fonda is an officer who predicts the assault, Robert Ryan and Dana Andrews are Army brass skeptical of his intuitions, and Robert Shaw (his hair dyed yellow and his eyes glinting with malice) is a German officer leading the tank attack. Shaw is certainly the most compelling thing about the film, especially in his philosophical debates with ambivalent underling Hans Christian Blech. Elsewhere, the movie jumps around to sidebar stories (cowardly James MacArthur becomes a leader, wheeler-dealer Telly Savalas falls in love) while messing around with the historical facts of the battle. There are interesting episodes, such as the Malmedy massacre of American POWs and the... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Henry Fonda - Robert Shaw - Robert Ryan Director(s): Ken Annakin DVD Release Date: Released the 03 May 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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