Unbroken

Just saw the movie and liked it very much. As you'd expect a good deal of the book was cut out. Nothing was said about Zamperini's postwar difficulties and the influence of Billy Graham being a great help to him.

The movie has a wonderful 1940's feel and the CGI B-24 combat scenes are great. That said...

Couple of stupid mistakes at the last on the planes that will bother only me and Dragonflyde. Maybe Sukey and Rick the Librarian... The POW Camp Rescue B-29 has U.S. National markings on both wings, too far inboard (Is it possible they marked them that way for that mission? Doubtful). The plane that flies him back home to California at the end of the war is a Lockheed Electra in prewar US markings and bearing Australian civil markings (country code VH).

They spend all this big money making the movie and they can't find a knowledgeable airplane goon to advise them. Heck I'd have done it for free.

The Arisakas looked like parade rifles, nice shiny stocks.

Thanks for the review Griff. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie. As in most case with Hollywood however, they don't follow the true story as in this case his accepting Christ at a Billy Graham event.

One thing I have a question about that was in the movie relates to his being taken to Radio Tokyo to do a "hello mother" broadcast. He was given a taste of life at Radio Tokyo and shown three guys in pinks and greens class A's and asked to do real propaganda work. If we had servicemen who did such broadcasts did they get in trouble after the war? Or was that just hushed up?

I know the ETO (orig CBI!) deserter who flew a p-38 to the Germans did broadcasts and wore an SS uniform, ultimately did time.

Griff, as long as the period pilots didn't wear their "David Clarks" I'd be happy. :) I see that boo-boo more than anything else...

Thank you for the review, its up in the air (no pun intended) whether we'll see that or the Foxcatcher this weekend.

I really liked the B-24 sequence. It really brought home the fragility of aluminum skins and their vulnerability to 7.7 and 20mm fire... Breezy in there... Especially on the catwalk trying to close the bomb doors.

Griff, most Arisakas were very shiny when new. I posted pics a while back of a bunch of known original finishes ranging from yellow to red and almost flat to high gloss.

As to the markings on the planes.....if that is the worst they do, that is pretty darn good for Hollywood. As to the Billy Graham thing, to me, the movie is geared toward the experiences up to and during the war so the post war life could just be viewed as not being relevant to the story they wanted to tell while it may have been a part you really wanted to hear. This is a big problem with going from book to movie.

The Japanese objections to the movie make me want to see it just to tick them off. The response to the objections was less than defiant but at least they did not completely cave to the revisionists.

Only complaint was the depiction of the psychopathic guard Watanabe. They used a popular Japanese actor who was too young, too attractive and too tall. The book stressed Watanabe's penchant for attacking the larger of the prisoners. Watanabe focusing in on Zamperini for both his physical attributes as well as his relatively famous image. The couple photos from the book really relayed the evil in this guy (to me, at least).

I just got back here after a long spell. I gave heard there is a sequel to be released soon and it will entail Mr. Z's struggle with his post war demons and ultimate triumph. Will pay to see that one

Read the book and saw the movie. Look forward to the sequel.