Comments on: Flags of Our Fathers

By: Andrew Milo

Andrew Milo — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 18:51:56 +0000

Hi Martin,

Welcome to my blog and thanks very much for the kind words! It bother’s me greatly what our country takes for granted, and I agree that it is really good to know that others are out there feeling the same way. I think its a dual sadness about the general public – one, that the soldiers go largely unappreciated and two, how few of the public it seems would stand tall in a truly bad situation.

God willing, we’ll never have to find out…

By: Martin

Martin — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 14:17:27 +0000

Sometimes I wonder if others have the same thoughts as I do about those who have sacrificed all for our freedoms. I look around and see so much ambivalence, it seems as though most people care more for beer and football than for celebrating the lives given for our freedoms or politics for that matter. Then I stumbled upon your blog and this post…and it brought back those same feelings which arise whenever I view a movie such as “Flags” or I see an interview with one of our WWII heroes. It is nice to know that the patriotic pride, the sadness and other emotions are shared by others as well when it comes to the sacrifices of our fellow Americans. thank you for expressing in words exactly what I have trouble explaining to even my wife.

By: Mike Milo

Mike Milo — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 20:07:10 +0000

I agree bro, I also could not sit in a safe place knowing you were in trouble and I think it was a great analogy to use for the safety our soldiers give us and what they go through for us. I really liked Flag of our fathers too but I also agree with harry in the I liked letters form Iwo Jima better as FOF focused a lot on the propaganda behind the photo of the soldiers while the LFIJ focused more on the battle itself which i preferred to learn about.

By: Harry

Harry — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 05:52:22 +0000

First off, I agree Andy that I can’t imagine what soldiers in battle go through and am greatful for their sacrifices.

I’ve always been moved by good war movies, because they focus on a element of our society that so many like to ignore, and even belittle: the fact that many have had to fight and give their lives in conflicts they didn’t create, and often against foes that left unchecked, would have crushed the freedoms we enjoy today.

And Jason is right- Letters from Iwo Jima was extraordinary. (I was amazed to learn that it actually had a shoestring budget compared to Flags, but IMHO is the better of the two films).

It’s one of the only films I’ve ever seen that has even attempted to tell the story of the Pacific war from the viewpoint of the average Japanese solider. Most refreshing was that it portrays them as REAL people caught up in doing the bidding of their government and its crazy imperial objectives, rather than the usual tact of showing them all as Banzai-charging, brainwashed, Kamikaze robots.

I love the way the film is a mirror image of Flags- many events during the battle in Flags, are revealed from the opposite viewpoint in Letters.

I can’t wait to actually sit down and watch the two films back to back one weekend when I have time.

By: Jason Lomberg

Jason Lomberg — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 03:11:45 +0000

You should also check out the companion film, Letters from Iwo Jima (which I felt to be superior). Letters shows the antithesis of the American military. I think the difference between the two is summed up in the following line from the movie 300 (also a great one):

Xerxes: Imagine what horrible fate awaits my enemies when I would gladly kill any of my own men for victory.
Spartan King Leonidas: And I would die for any of mine.

It fits Letters to a T.