Posted on 10/19/2006 8:30:57 AM PDT by Valin
It is Clint Eastwood’s “Dirty Harry”-esque directing approach - not the star-studded cast - that “Flags of Our Fathers” actor Barry Pepper credits for the oh-so-real on-screen re-enactment of World War II’s bloody Battle of Iwo Jima.
“Eastwood didn’t rehearse anything,” Sgt. Michael Strank’s alter-ego told the Track. “So we didn’t know when these massive explosions were going to be sending a ton of sand in the air or where the weapons were going to be fired.”
Battered from a blast, the startled stars would voice their surprise to Eastwood after a take. But Pepper said the Oscar winner would “just smile and say, ‘Well your look was accordingly perfect.’ ”
“That was exactly what he had in mind to get these incredibly accurate emotions of these young, 18- or 19-year-old kids scared and out of their element,” said Pepper, who also appeared in “Saving Private Ryan.”
And if an actor sustained an injury during a scene, Pepper said you had to bite the bullet and get stitched up later.
“He doesn’t wait for anybody to have their actor weeny moment,” the war movie veteran laughed. “He just expects that you are a mature actor and you can get through the film. If you don’t, then you are just left in the dust because he can pretty much take you or leave you. He’ll shoot the movie without you!”
Pepper witnessed Eastwood’s tough love first-hand when a “squib-hit” blew up in his face, bloodying his lip.
“A medic came up to me after the shot and told me I had to go to the hospital,” he recalled. “But I went up to Eastwood and said, ‘I’m not leaving because I know you - and you’ll shoot the day without me! I won’t be in the movie!’ He laughed and said, ‘Good, because it’s a long way from your heart.’ ”
Then the 76-year-old icon reached over and plucked a 1-inch copper wire that had piercedPepper’s lip adding, “But, you might want to take this out first.”
Yikes! Was Eastwood channeling Gen. Patton???
“Flags of Our Fathers” tells the story of the six men who raised the second flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford and Adam Beach portray the three survivors who are shipped back home and whisked off on a propaganda tour to raise money for the war effort.
“Flags of Our Fathers” opens in theaters tomorrow.
Try Call of Duty 2. Much better game IMHO
Our media today attempts to enforce on our minds symbols of the nadir of military performance while in WWII the media attempted to enforce on our minds symbols of the apex of military performance.
I saw Richard Roeper's review of the movie over the weekend (Ebert was out sick - I forget who was subbing). Roeper liked it because it showed how we were all deceived by the military/media in WWII or words to that effect.
If you play Call of Duty, Americas Army or Battlefield, try http://www.menofgod.us servers. The IP's are on the site.
Fantastic mini-series. Have seen in about 4 times. Dye also put the men through the paces for the movie "The Greatest Raid."
It does, however, mean breaking their will by crushing either their god (the Emperor and his Army) or their national pride (Germany)
Clint Eastwood has hemmed and hawed and said that the film can be taken "either way".
Sounds like a slimy answer and gives too much ammo to the agitprop anti-military, anti-American Left.
I'm sitting this one out until home video or a theatrical revival (say at a university or museum).
Please see #38.
"OK, gaffer, get over there and keep rolling Ben Affleck on the ground until he goes out."
Yep.
Unfortunately too many in America stoke the fires of "the insurgency" and march with banners that publicly declare "I support the insurgency in Iraq".
Cut and run is the DNC motto.
But there was one episode devoted to Bastogne - told from the medic's point of view.
I DIDN'T SAY THAT!
Well, that's my point. Bastogne wasn't the entire Bulge, and the 101st, heroes that they were, weren't the only guys who were there.
I know that...I was just adding to the conversation and not contradicting you.
(Maybe I'm just getting defensive in advance; argumentative people are coming to town at the end of the month.)
Thanks for the reply.
I have an uncle who was in the 101st and was sent to Bastogne. My aunt said he refused to talk about it. The only story she ever got out of him was that as he came over a hill with a five man squad, a burst of machine gun fire killed the other four and missed him.
Also, as an acting teacher, I disagree with this method because the actor responds to the terror as himself NOT as his character, which might be a completely different type of reaction. Shirley MacLaine once complained about this when Anne Bancroft unexpectedly threw a drink in her face in "The Turning Point."
Guadalcanal alone was more of a war than a battle.
I don't see how it could be done in four hours. The naval portion alone comprised at least four major battles - Savo Island, Santa Cruz, Eastern Solomons and Guadalcanal (which was a three-day slugfest). The land and land-based air fight were also unbelievably tense for so many months.
One looks to Iraq today and realizes just how small in scope that effort is compared to WWII. The Brits were able to pacify Iraq, Syria and Iran (the last w/ Soviet help) as almost an afterthought to their main efforts. Just looking at the Pacific War and what we accomplished in less than four years -- remarkable. The logistics alone boggle the mind.
Kol Beseder!
It's okay...
"whisked off on a propaganda tour to raise money for the war effort"
Think I'll pass.
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