TORA! TORA! TORA! Blu-ray Review

Never has incompetence been so thrilling!  No, I'm not talking about Richard Fleischer's handling of the story of Pearl Harbor, I'm talking about the US involvement in a Keystone Kops-style hullabaloo leading up to the actual bombing.  Fleischer and the team behind the American story in this film pull no punches, and while the characters on screen may be total screw ups, the film itself is magnificent.  Tora! Tora! Tora! was released in England and Japan on Blu-ray a while ago, but Fox Home Entertainment chose to wait for the 70th anniversary of the bombing to release this deluxe set, and it looks and sounds quite impressive.  In addition a stellar looking transfer, we get several hours of historical and contemporary extra material in a lovely digibook package that is well worth picking up.

Tora! Tora! Tora!...is the code that advised Japanese Imperial Navy commanders that the devastating December 7, 1941 attack on Hawaii commenced with utter surprise and without resistance. Torpedo bombers, dive bombers and fighter planes swept down upon Pearl Harbor and other military targets, killing over 2,400 and wounding over 1,200. More than a dozen ships were damaged or destroyed. Dozens of aircraft were lost. America, "the sleeping giant," was abruptly awakened by WWII.

Tora! Tora! Tora! is Twentieth Century Fox's meticulously researched and painstakingly authentic reenactment of "the date which will live in infamy" and the political and military intrigue that preceded it. This stunning and definitive war docudrama stars Jason Robards, Martin Balsam and E.G. Marshall.

Richard Fleischer's Tora! Tora! Tora! may not be the definitive film about World War II, but it's spectacle was unmatched in its day, there's no doubting that. The first time I saw this film, I was shocked at what a poor light the US forces were shown in, but in the film's quest to get it right, the writers showed no mercy, and the Japanese come off looking like the heroes.  Well almost, a last minute denouement with the Japanese commanding officer gives the Americans a little bit of a kick in the ass that keeps this from being a complete touchdown dance for the Japanese side. 

Of particular interest to ScreenAnarchy readers is the Japanese side of the film, which went through quite a few changes before actually getting made.  Initially the film was offered to Akira Kurosawa, who apparently went completely bonkers during his several weeks on the project and turned in precisely zero feet of usual footage.  Once Kurosawa was canned, the job was picked up by Toshio Masuda and the legendary Kinji Fukasaku. Fukasaku was in charge of the dialogue, and Masuda the action as far as I can tell.

Tora! Tora! Tora! feels very much like two different films, but it works in context.  The Japanese side feels very controlled and restrained, which contrasts distinctly with the American portion of the film which plays more fast and loose with action, comedy, and dialogue.  These contrasts sync up well with the action in the film and the attitudes of the two sides of the war.

I'm no expert on the film, though there are many out there who are, but I can say that I enjoyed it immensely, in spite of its epic length.  Once the action kicks in near the two hour mark, Tora! Tora! Tora! is unstoppable.  There are some blistering aerial stunts as well as numerous explosions and crazy stunts nearly-gone-wrong that made it into the film.  I found myself rewinding several times to make sure that I'd seen what I thought I did.  This film must've been an insurance company nightmare.

Tora! Tora! Tora! is one of the few American films made following World War II that took a look at the Japanese side with any kind of authority.  The producer's commitment to veracity pays off, and the film does not end up being the kind of propaganda to which US audiences had become accustomed. Two thumbs up from this guy, the film works as an action picture and only slightly less as a historical document.

The Disc:

I'm gonna keep this short and sweet.  The disc looks and sounds incredible.  The image is sharp and clear without much evidence of tinkering, and the eventual aural onslaught is quite raucous. I was expecting less than I got and I came out pleasantly surprised.

One area in which you cannot fault Fox is the extra material on this behemoth set.  It is apparent right from the first instant you see the beautiful digibook packaging with a 32 page booklet containing essays, character bios, and cast bios, as well as little pieces on the airplanes featured in the film.  On the disc itself, the avalanche of material continues.  There is a feature commentary with Stuart Galbraith and co-director Richard Fleischer, there are three TV programs covering the production and its historical veracity, there are Fox Movietone News clips from the time of the bombing itself and beyond, as well as production stills and the trailer.  Overall I think it adds up to around four hours of bonus material, maybe more.

If you're like me and you love war films, this is certainly one to own, and Fox Home Entertainment have done this film justice, highly recommended.