Mel Gibson to direct new movie on Battle of Okinawa

Another movie about war...uhmmm.

The new film will focus on Desmond Doss, an American conscientious objector who was awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II for saving 75 men during the bloody Battle of Okinawa.

Here is a link to a documentary about Desmond Doss, "The Conscientious Objector" (1h 41m): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV19wkdgCKU

Will the Japanese characters speak with a funny British accent?

"Leftenant, begin operation 'Native human Shierd'."

"Yes my rord"

“I can’t think of a better place to shoot this film than here in Sydney and New South Wales, where I was fortunate to have grown up and started my career.”

Hmmm a movie about the "Battle of Okinawa", shot in Sydney and New South Wales, about an American.

I can think of a better place, how about OKINAWA!

Hmmm a movie about the "Battle of Okinawa", shot in Sydney and New South Wales, about an American.

Isn't Sydney like super expensive? It's probably a lot cheaper to shoot the film on location in Okinawa.

The movie is surely financed with Australian money ... that's the main reason. Let's know guess who is going to be the bad guys: Japanese or Americans? I hope the script and director will remain impartial. I doubt it!

Another movie not to be shown here in Japan.

Well, Gibson certainly has his problems. But I'll say this for the man:

he's a really good film maker.

Will it be released in Japan? Or banned, like Angelina Jollies- "Unbreakable".

It will be Gibson’s first directing effort since the critically-acclaimed “Apocalypto” in 2006.

Apocalypto was sick movie. Hopefully, it's right up there with C Eastwoods, battle for Iwo Jima flick.

Apocalypto was sick movie.

You got that right. One of the best of its genre ever made.

Wassup Black Sabbath! Dude- if you liked Mel Gibson's Apocalypto, read the book "AZTEC" (1980, Gary Jennings. This book is 10 times sicker. Thank me later-

Alex80 Another movie about war...uhmmm.

Not sure what your point is, but if you're saying you're tired of Hollywood-type war movies, especially those with a US American bias, I fully agree. I do think, though, that well-made movies are one of the best ways for people who don't want to read history to learn about the past. Italians have made so many great movies. I would love to see some Italian movies showing Italian perspectives on Italian led massacres in Libya and Ethiopia. And also movies about the crusades launched from Venice, especially the one in which Constantinople was sacked. There is so much people, especially younger audiences, can learn about European colonialism and the world problems that persist today because of it, and movies are a great way to do so. Provided, of course, there is some objectivity in how the story is told.

Will it be released in Japan? Or banned, like Angelina Jollies- "Unbreakable"

Movies aren't banned in Japan--as per Article (III) 21 of the Constitution--they just fail to find a distributor. And the title of the movie was "Unbroken."

@Yubaru

Hmmm a movie about the "Battle of Okinawa", shot in Sydney and New South Wales, about an American. I can think of a better place, how about OKINAWA!

While I agree with the general sentiment (Okinawa is easily accessible these days, shoot on location whenever possible!), I can see several reasons why not:

1: Australian funding sources, as mentioned, probably will want the money spent in Australia.

2: Sydney has a more robust film industry. Simplifies logistics.

3: Most of Okinawa looks nothing like it did in WW2. Building sets out of nothing in Australia might be easier.

4: Possible political/protest complications? The locals are an ornery lot.

" I hope the script and director will remain impartial. I doubt it"

Yes, 昭和天皇 Hirohito ordered Okinawans to commit suicide rather than surrender. That will be in script, I hope. Okinawans would demand that.

In addition to mandatory suicides, I hope the film features how japanese used okinawan civilians as human shields or sent them to collect water under heavy fire. And how okinawans, who did not wish to shelter defeated ija hiding among the population, eventually revealed to the US Forces.

Sounds awesome! Yeah, I though Apocalypto was insanely awesome, can't wait for this one

Yes, 昭和天皇 Hirohito ordered Okinawans to commit suicide rather than surrender

Did he really? Let me know if there's any evidenceor document to prove that.

From the CS Monitor in 2007. Maybe not now, but once upon a time, coerced suicides were mentioned Japanese school textbooks(!), so I think we can assume that they must have happened, and quite often at that.

On the eve of the American invasion of this subtropical island 62 years ago, Haruko Miyahira heard her elder brother, Seishu, tell their father about an order from the Japanese military.

"My brother, who was then deputy mayor, told our father that US troops were about to land on the island, and said to him, 'We were ordered from the military to kill ourselves. Let's die together with good grace!'" Ms. Miyahira recalls.

Many older islanders like Miyahira recall the warnings from the Imperial Army that American soldiers, closing in on Japan at the end of World War II, would treat captured women and men brutally. Civilians were told to kill themselves rather than surrender. Then, they were each given two grenades and instructed to hurl one at the Americans and blow themselves up with the other.

"It was hammered into us by the military and wartime indoctrination," says Kaoru Miyazato, another islander who says he lost many relatives in the suicides. "The Japanese military kept a firm grip on the village office."

The history of coerced suicides during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, the bloodiest of the Pacific war, is familiar to every Japanese high school student from nationally approved textbooks. But that could change: this past spring the government said that it had ordered textbook revisions to indicate that some Okinawans committed suicide or were forced to commit mass suicide, but not 'by whom.'

The new film will focus on Desmond Doss, an American conscientious objector who was awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II for saving 75 men during the bloody Battle of Okinawa.

Wonder if the right-wingers will characterize this movie as "rascist" like they did "Unbroken", and try to keep Gibson out of the country for the premiere -- if there is one.

Mel Gibson has a lot of pull as a director. Chances are he will get a few Japanese stars in. Be hard to shut the film out of Japan then. And yes I hope they show the human shields part

Be harder to keep this one out. "Unbroekn", while a true story - was based largely on the interaction between captor and captive. Okinawa on the other hand was a huge battle with numerous participants. If Mel Gibson pulls in a few household names like Kimura Takuya or Kattori Shingo, then the chances the film will be shown in Japan are high

Well at least he's not trying to tell a story about the holocaust.

Movies aren't banned in Japan--as per Article (III) 21 of the Constitution--they just fail to find a distributor. And the title of the movie was "Unbroken."

I hope internet distributors such as Netflix, which is to start their service to Japan, will play some roles here now that Hulu Japan is under Nihon TV. Also, BBC is starting their services in Japanese. TV have been somehow playing a role in cultural isolation of Japan, which can be regarded as modern sakoku, and I'd like the net to play more active role in letting the Japanese see more various viewpoints. Considering how infectious totalitarianism is, I think variety in media will be a good start even if, admittedly, some media have louder voice.

I can think of a better place, how about OKINAWA! LMFAO could you imagine the logistical nightmares of making a movie in Japan on the scale of a hollywood flick!. the permits, licenses. permissions of the residents would take longer than the movie to be made. then yod have the opposition of the residence thinking that itll be gaijin another movie showing Japan in a bad light, instead of a Japanese WW2 movie showing Japan as a victim.

Will hold my peace until the movie is released and I have seen it.

Read a book about Desmond Doss a few years back. Never had heard of him before and was amazed at his bravery.

He was a 7 day adventist and absolutely refused to carry a weapon let alone fire one. As a medic he saved so many people in incredibly harrowing situations - in fact if you read his story it's almost too incredible to be believed, but apparently it is all true.

It will be a real task to make this movie, without reverting to sentimentalism, patriotism and hollywood-ism.

Perhaps Gibson is up to it. Worth the wait.

To those who say that Okinawa does not look like what it did in WWII, just go to see Tsukamoto Shin'ya's WWII film Nobi (Fires on the Plain) which is doing well in theaters right now (with some screenings with English subtitles, by the way). While the film is set in the Philippines, for budgetary reasons, only a few scenes were shot there and most was shot in Okinawa. It looked very convincing to me. There's plenty of untouched landscape left in Okinawa.

@sensato

I want to thank you for providing that link to the documentary about Desmond Doss. I don't think I've ever watched anything so amazing.

If you want to hear about bravery, conviction, the horrors of war, this is the documentary to see.

The man was probably the bravest man I've ever heard of.

I look forward to the movie, but the documentary should be required viewing for everyone.

Absolutely incredible.

Alex80: "Another movie about war...uhmmm."

And? We already know you like to judge movies before you've seen them, so if you're tired of war movies just don't bother watching or commenting on them. Hell, even YuriOtani, who has a lot invested in Okinawa's history, and can be very critical of anything American there, said: "Will hold my peace until the movie is released and I have seen it." which I respect.

Yubaru: "How about in OKINAWA!"

It would be ideal, if it focuses on battle scenes, which I'm sure a lot of it will, but I'm also sure there are all sorts of reasons why he chose Australia to film instead. He's Australian, for one. He's probably getting backing from the country, for two. For three I bet my bottom yen that there is FAR less red tape and there will be far fewer if any of the hassles in terms of having to cast locals, as well as other red tape in general, that there would be if filming in Japan. That said, filming in Sydney will cost a hell of a lot more. Not sure about New South Whales.

3: Most of Okinawa looks nothing like it did in WW2. Building sets out of nothing in Australia might be easier.

Like Sydney looks anything like Okinawa?

If you've ever been here you would see that there are many places here that look exactly the same as they did 70 years ago.

@ptownsend: yeah I'm tired of biased Western movies about war. They work like war propaganda. I agree with you, I would love to see well done movies about Western colonialism, also more Italian movies about our war crimes but sadly we don't get them for political reasons.

There's nothing wrong with filming in Australia. The battlefield was Hacksaw Ridge which is a beautiful park in Okinawa now and looks different of course to how it looks when this man was risking his life to save others.

The documentary is worth watching. If Mel Gibson's movie captures the theme of courage, self sacrifice and and incredible commitment to staying true to what you believe in, then it will be worth seeing.

the movie doesn't have to be anti-japanese or anti-american at all. I don't know why people can't read an article or thinking about the suffering of a person or group of people during ww2 without starting another war about it.

And if the movie means more people will also know about the suffering of the Okinawan people then that can only be good.

The military were the only ones telling civilians to take their lives so that they wouldn't be taken prisoners. They told the civilians that the Americans would rape all women and kill the children. The emperor had no say in what actually happened on the battlefield. The Japanese society didn't actually hear his voice till the end of the war.

I'll avoid that film... can't stand Mel Gibson, and as it's a modern film it'll be needlessly gory, loud and not a joy to watch. I go to the cinema to be entertained, not come out with PTSD like Fury and Saving Private Ryan. I'll stick to good old fashioned war films like The Longest Day and The Battle of Britain.

@gaijinpapa: the topic of the movie is already over-abused. Another American hero in war. I think people worldwide need different movies about war. Movies where the protagonists are not heroes. Movies that show what war is really.

sure a lot of it will, but I'm also sure there are all sorts of reasons why he chose Australia to film instead. He's Australoan

No he's not. Born in the U.S., lived in Australia for 10 years, returned to the U.S.

If Mel Gibson pulls in a few household names like Kimura Takuya or Kattori Shingo

But, wouldn't the intention be to make a serious film, with, you know, actors in it?

Alex80: "yeah I'm tired of biased Western movies about war. They work like war propaganda."

As opposed to Japanese war movies? based on books written by the likes of Hyakuta? Nah, no propaganda at all. Please! Japanese war movies are a MILLION times worse for their propaganda and omission of facts, and when one does come to Japan from the West that is a factual depiction it is either censored or banned (like Unbreakable), not to mention right wingers here going ballistic and threatening to kill people.

"the movie doesn't have to be anti-japanese"

The problem is that if the movie is historically accurate, it will indeed be "anti-Japanese," given the Japanese military's barbaric and murderous treatment of the local population at the time.

I don't know where in my posts here I defended biased Japanese movies about war. Paranoia is big in someone. Anyway Japanese movies are not watched worldwide. Hollywood movies have another power. As I already said I want to see unbiased movies about wars, not biased American OR Japanese propaganda. But Japanese war movies don't get a big distribution in my country it's so naive to compare the two industries.

Let's hope it's a better movie than that Jesus flick he made.

Hackneyed Ridge more like

In the West how many not-Western made war movies have been distributed largely in our theaters? How much your ordinary Italian, American, French, etc person get to see a different point of view about wars where Western powers were involved? This is only another big point of hypocrisy of Western democracies.In Italy your average Italian guy knows nothing about Italian war crimes and there are political reasons behind this. American sniper was a huge hit, but when can we get to see an Iraq made movie about Western attack on Iraq, distributed everywhere to the extent it can reach most of people? They tell us we live in democracy. No. We are brainwashed to believe we live in democracy. Italian people who went to watch American sniper should remember how Italy was against that war but our voice wasn't heard by our leaders in our "democratic" Nato country, rather than supporting by their money such kind of garbage.

I don't think it's possible to make an unbiased war movie. The camera will affect how viewers understand the message, however cryptic, and each viewer will bring his own experiences to interpret what is shown. A war movie that I think shows civilian perspective brilliantly is Boorman's Hope and Glory. But that takes an English perspective. Peterson's Das Boot comes close, in my opinion, to being even handed. Most audiences side with the German sailors. Kubrick's Paths of Glory and Renoir's Grande Illusione show how economic class affected troop relations in WW1, the war that brought us WW2. Coppola's Apocalypse Now showed war's absurdity. One of my favorite movies is the Battle of Algiers, which certainly is biased. Can anyone name a war movie that you came away from thinking, gee, now I understand both side's perspective?

But, wouldn't the intention be to make a serious film, with, you know, actors in it?

That didn't bother Eastwood with Letters from Iwo Jima. Gave Kazunariya Ninomiya the lead role - and ensured the film had a positive recption in Japan. On the other hand the film didn't depict anything "controversial". So, it will be interesting to see how Gibson goes with his film.

@Yubaru

Like Sydney looks anything like Okinawa? If you've ever been here you would see that there are many places here that look exactly the same as they did 70 >years ago.

I've been here for four years. And I stand by my assertion that building fake Okinawan battle sites in Australia is probably easier/cheaper than using real Okinawan locations, unless you plan to film predominantly in the northern jungles. Most of the fighting took place in the south, and areas like Kakazu Ridge and Shuri Castle are too built up to represent their WW2 versions. Not to mention the issue of permits/licenses/general Japanese bureaucracy that you can expect to use historical sites (like maybe Katsuren-jo as a Shuri stand-in)......nah, better to just build a totally fake one from scratch in a place where that's comparatively easy.

Battle scenes for HBO's "The Pacific" were shot in Victoria, where they had access to 3,000 acres (!!!!!) of land. http://www.thelocationguide.com/blog/2010/02/victoria-locations-recreate-wwii-for-hbos-the-pacific/

@Alex80

In the West how many not-Western made war movies have been distributed largely in our theaters? How much your >ordinary Italian, American, French, etc person get to see a different point of view about wars where Western powers >were involved?

This is a good point about theatrical releases, but I find that GOOD foreign war films develop quite a cult following. Stalingrad (the German film, not the new Russian one), Downfall (the source of Hitler memes), Assembly (about a PLA officer in the Chinese Civil War and later Korean War), and of course Das Boot, to name just a few.

Yeah, I should explain better my point. Getting a completely unbiased war movie is almost impossible, but if we could see more movies from all the sides, we could develop a more balanced opinion. The limited theatrical realese of not-western made movies is a big issue. @noble713: the cult following involves only intellectuals, not your average person.

No English and no Jews. He's in safe territory.

"Can anyone name a war movie that you came away from thinking, gee, now I understand both side's perspective?"

"Tora, Tora, Tora,"

"Can anyone name a war movie that you came away from thinking, gee, now I understand both side's perspective?"

Das Boot

War is hell and unfortunately more people died during the Battle of Okinawa than all those killed during the Atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Sadly many of these war films are senseless and used as propaganda to make political statements and to inspire national pride.The Battle of Okinawa was the bloodiest battle of the Pacific war. However I look forward to seeing this movie about the lifesaver hero Desmond Doss, the only man who refused to carry a gun and considered as the bravest Army person ever.

I can't imagine how the filming could go without a few major hiccups with the location set in Sydney.

The minimum wage there I believe is US$17/hour. Finding Chinese folks willing to dress up like Japanese soldiers, the very same people who willing to use their grandparents as bayonet practise rags, isn't much of a problem compared to the continuous shouting of 'WANSUI, WANSUI" by those who do accept the part. Of course, that's only until the dialect coach finally bursts out in full fury, "FOR THE 30TH BLOODY TAKE, IT'S 'BANZA'I!"

Bossu: You confuse me. What are you talking about please? Clarify so I can get your point. You are talking about this movie correct?

@MyTimeIsYourTime Japan saved so many Jews during the war,

I have read a Japanese functionary helped Jewish people, but against the dictates of his leaders. If you have different evidence showing how Japan, the nation, helped Jews, I'd like to see it.

I've been here for four years. And I stand by my assertion that building fake Okinawan battle sites in Australia is probably easier/cheaper than using real Okinawan locations, unless you plan to film predominantly in the northern jungles. Most of the fighting took place in the south, and areas like Kakazu Ridge and Shuri Castle are too built up to represent their WW2 versions. Not to mention the issue of permits/licenses/general Japanese bureaucracy that you can expect to use historical sites (like maybe Katsuren-jo as a Shuri stand-in)......nah, better to just build a totally fake one from scratch in a place where that's comparatively easy.

You know little of Okinawa if you think this way. Come back and talk to me when you've been here a while. There are better locations than the one's you suggested here, and you know little of anything about Naha if you think everywhere is built up. Feel free now to go run around Naha and see what I am talking about, and the locations as well, even in the southern end of the island there are plenty of locations suitable for filming.

If Japanese directors can film movies about the Edo period of Japan in Okinawa, I am quite sure it can be done for a WWII film.

I wasn't aware comments once posted could be disappeared.

Sorry folks but

PTownsend: My comment was removed. I was told that Mel's racism has nothing to do with the great movies he makes according to the moderator, so cannot respond to you so I do not get in trouble. (I find it hard to watch his movies)

get used to it, the rationale rarely fits the actions, and you post here at your own risk. ALL posts are open for removal, even ones ON TOPIC.

There are fascist Nazis keeping a watch on the board, along with homophobics, LGBT haters, ABe haters, and anything really negative about Japan haters that censor posts.

This too will be gone...

Moderator: You should read the garbage you just wrote and never complain again about having a post removed.

It could be a reasonable movie, if he sticks to historical facts, unlike what he did in Braveheart, which was a total travesty of recorded Scottish history.

Yeah, what is it about war movies all the time? Is it not time to let it go, or is there something about bullets flying that gets people's adrenalin racing and sells more tickets? I was really surprised when Jolie delivered her first and it was a WWII boy's movie too.

I suppose it's easier to make a simple black and white, good guys versus bad guys, cowboys versus indians type distinction in the past.

Would it be too much to ask that the Japanese army are not all Chinese extras? (As in "any Asian will do").

People who are putting thumbs down on the comments of the users who agree about the need to have more not-western war movies distributed in the West, probably are the same who complains about Japan's "ban" of Angelina Jolie masterpiece "Unbroken", that of course every single person in this world should watch to become a real human being and an unbiased historian. This only shows how hypocritical they are.

@Thunderbird2

"Das Boot"

Absolutely. Classic film.

@Alex80.

Unbroken wasn't banned in Japan. What on earth are you talking about?

What's so "enlightening" about Hollywood milking American racism and war time patriotism to make dollars yet again?

Unbroken wasn't banned in Japan. What on earth are you talking about?

I know it, indeed I wrote "ban", not ban. Can you see the difference? Some guys here use the word ban only because they likes to manipulate the facts, but this is the only correct comment:

Movies aren't banned in Japan--as per Article (III) 21 of the Constitution--they just fail to find a distributor.

Exactly like in Western countries, most of not-Western movies fail to find a distributor, ALSO and MAINLY for political reasons. Please, tell me how many Chinese or Japanese movies you are used to find in Western theaters,,, Honeslty, both in China and Japan people see more Western movies than vice-versa. And movie = soft power, one of the most powerful powers of a country to control mind people.

@Bossu: your "sense of humor" completely lacks any form of class. I should say, more blatantly, your racist comments towards Chinese and Japanese people are not funny. Not even a bit.

Chinese extras are the go to for "getting shot" extras in "Asian" movies. They have it down to an art form and there are literally an army of them.

Frankly, the "any Asians" will do attitude of Hollywood is on a par with putting actors in "blackface" or the equivalent for "red" Indians.

But if you want to see real racism in action, look out for the portrayal of Japan in Chinese movies. They are churning out about one highly prejudiced anti-Japanese war movie a week over there.

to control mind people.*

people's mind

$@MeiyouwentiAUG. 11, 2015 - 10:49AM JST Y€es, 昭和天皇 Hirohito ordered Okinawans to commit suicide rather than surrender Did he really? Let me know if there's any evidenceor document to prove that.

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No, Emperor did not. Everybody to suicide was ordered by then Military Govt which made Asahi, Mainichi and other local papers to let Japanese know their order. I think they don;t want to give their clever scheme to Emperor who were their Hitoijichi.

But this movie may encourage some US established producers to create movies in Okinawa with U'S and Japanese actors to create realistic film in Okinawa? How about Kevin Costner? Many more.

The Battle for Okinawa is important WW2 history, I'm sorry but you Japanese people are just going to have to come to terms with the fact that you LOST the war against the US. Also the people of Japan need to remember all the millions that the Japanese military and Kempatai killed and made to suffer. Not real sure if ordinary Japanese people know that 138,000 US and British POW's never came home after the war from Japanese prison camps, where as all Japanese POW's in US camps did in fact get to go home. The US showed themselves magnanamous victors, the US under MacArthur's governance rebuilt Japanese infrastructure and industry better than it was before it was devastated by US aerial bombing attacks, Japan is now a world economic superpower because of those efforts. I also know that at wars end the Japanese government at the time did not want the Japanese public to know of the terrible attrocities that were commited by their soldiers against peoples of many different countries. The Japanese media of all kinds were to always portray Japan as the victim and to downplay or outright deny and all attrocities. The people of the Philippines were especially treated harshly by Japanese soldiers. Some 5000 Filipino soldiers and 1000 US soldiers were killed by Japanese soldiers during the "Bataan Death March", 132 US POW's were doused with gasoline and set on fire to die horrible painful deaths at the Japanese prison camp on the Philippine island of Palawan. In Singapore, the Japanese attacked the Alexandra Hospitol and killed hundreds of already wounded British soldiers by bayonetting and shooting while they lay in their beds unable to defend themslves, the Japanese soldiers killed all the doctors and then raped all the nurses many times before killing them as well. The Japanese invasion of China and all the killing of pesants in not a myth, even though I dislike China immensly, but history cannot be ignored, truthfully told no matter its pain.

Japan needs to stop all the lies. denials and revisionism that is being led by the war profiteer Abe. What was done at the "Osaka Peace Museum" is a perfect example of the lies of revisionism by the curator being told by Osaka's mayor to remove and throw away any exhibit showing Japanese aggressions and invasion. I have researched and studied WW2 history for over 30 years, I know this history well, I know the US was not immuned to war crimes against Japan, but no matter what you Japanese think, the two atomic attacks spared your people from a US invasion that would have killed hundreds of thousands more than the bombings ever did. Japan would do better to just admit its past, then it would not be brought up as it is. You rarely hear of this kind of thing coming from Germany, because they atoned in the right...in my opinion, Japan has not. Put the arrogance aside for once and do the right thing...

Mel Gibson directing? Vince Vaughn acting? Alright! It's gonna be a TOTALLY quality flick then, said NO ONE ever.

"Frankly, the "any Asians" will do attitude of Hollywood..."

So what? Japanese and Asian movies practice "any white people will do," using Brits and Aussies in the roles of Americans and vice-versa. And in Hollywood, British actors frequently are cast in America roles and vice-versa. New Zealander Russell Crowe played an ancient Roman in "Gladiator."

Guess what: no one cares.

I find movies with the frantic paced back ground music upsetting. Feels like I am inside a Pachinko machine. His kinds of movies often do that. To stressful, so will keep away. Don not even want to put one cent in his pocket.

the two atomic attacks spared your people from a US invasion that would have killed hundreds of thousands more than the bombings ever

@Woody 12: There is a compelling case that the Soviet entry to the war was what caused Japan's surrender. Agree with most of the other points. Don't forget the Australian POWs as well. You forgot to mention that many Japanese hated being taken prisoner. They usually gave false names upon capture to keep their families in the dark - and in some cases attempted suicidal mass breakouts - as at Cowra. Should be an interesting film

Christopher Glen:

That didn't bother Eastwood with Letters from Iwo Jima. Gave Kazunariya Ninomiya the lead role - and ensured the film had a positive recption in Japan.

Very true. And not only that, but Eastwood managed to draw an excellent performance out of him. So maybe I was too harsh on the Smappers. I have a feeling that some of these Janiizu people actually do have some talent and ability, but they are never normally required to show it.

@Yubaru

You know little of Okinawa if you think this way. Come back and talk to me when you've been here a while. There are >better locations than the one's you suggested here, and you know little of anything about Naha if you think >everywhere is built up. Feel free now to go run around Naha and see what I am talking about, and the locations as >well, even in the southern end of the island there are plenty of locations suitable for filming.

A claustrophobic war film like Hamburger Hill is easily shot anywhere. Tiny river valleys with vegetation are abundant. But a film with expansive, wide-angle "epic" battle scenes ( which are returning to popularity IMO)? Your FX guys will be working overtime deleting modern buildings from the landscape in post-production.

How about I leverage your apparent expertise and you can just tell all of us where you would film and why. Such as "I would use Sueyoshi Park to recreate the battle of ????"

In the words of Katt Williams "Don't worry. I'll wait."

I read on Asahi, Mainichi, Chugoku and BouChou about American soldiers landed to Okinawa. Okinawam people welcomed (Remind you Okinawan people were extremely disctiminater by mainland such as they were less living than Hinin) But American did not know why they went and killed them as enemies. next day papesr had military order to be ready to kill ourselves. Schools were off but all of my classmates from city elementary school went to our middle school and argued. . Somw said they were Heimin and they don;t have katanas ro perform seppuku. No one wanted to die. OKINAWAN PEOPLE DIED OR NOT jAPANESE GOVT was not ready to surrender. If Holltwoos peoduders make film I;d bet Siest GI landed site with Americans and )kinawan actors and extras. I fon;t know how muxh they pay extras now but a lot more than assisr professors in S Calif Maybe future stars?

@JeffLee

Oh, I would agree with you regarding the foreigners used in Japanese movies. I've seen some of the worst, wooden performances in my life from them. Presumably they just use out of work English teachers?

I like accuracy.

@Woody12

When you say 30 years, I think you've been confusing "history" with 'atrocity pornography' and propaganda.

ny ny

@Woody12

When you say 30 years, I think you've been confusing "history" with 'atrocity pornography' and propaganda.

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This happend when a young person want to boss we older Japanese. Often revealing his mental age,

I hope that great attention is paid to his conscientious objector status. Its very difficult to make an anti-war movie that features war. Males are naturally and stupidly drawn to war. You can say as many anti-war things as you like, but if men are visually viewing war, they will be drawn in. That is why war movies and war games sell so well and why we just can't get rid of war.

If every man was a conscientious objector like Doss, who would fight the wars?

Anyway, a movie about this great man is long over due. I just hope they don't muck it up like so many movie makers do with historical dramas, usually by throwing in a love story that didn't exist.