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Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)

R  |   |  Drama, History, War  |  2 February 2007 (USA)
7.9
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Ratings: 7.9/10 from 126,574 users   Metascore: 89/100
Reviews: 314 user | 250 critic | 37 from Metacritic.com

The story of the battle of Iwo Jima between the United States and Imperial Japan during World War II, as told from the perspective of the Japanese who fought it.

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Title: Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)

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Won 1 Oscar. Another 22 wins & 29 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Lieutenant Ito (as Shidou Nakamura)
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Nobumasa Sakagami ...
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Sam (as Lucas Elliot)
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Medic Endo (as Sonny Seiichi Saito)
Steve Santa Sekiyoshi ...
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Storyline

The island of Iwo Jima stands between the American military force and the home islands of Japan. Therefore the Imperial Japanese Army is desperate to prevent it from falling into American hands and providing a launching point for an invasion of Japan. General Tadamichi Kuribayashi is given command of the forces on the island and sets out to prepare for the imminent attack. General Kuribayashi, however, does not favor the rigid traditional approach recommended by his subordinates, and resentment and resistance fester among his staff. In the lower echelons, a young soldier, Saigo, a poor baker in civilian life, strives with his friends to survive the harsh regime of the Japanese army itself, all the while knowing that a fierce battle looms. When the American invasion begins, both Kuribayashi and Saigo find strength, honor, courage, and horrors beyond imagination. Written by Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

The battle of Iwo Jima seen through the eyes of the Japanese soldiers. See more »

Genres:

Drama | History | War

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic war violence | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

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Release Date:

2 February 2007 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Red Sun, Black Sand  »

Filming Locations:

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Box Office

Budget:

$19,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$122,548 (USA) (22 December 2006)

Gross:

$13,753,931 (USA) (20 April 2007)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

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Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

General Tadamichi Kuribayashi's pistol is a Colt M1911A1 with white ivory grips. The pistol was designed by John M. Browning in 1911 and was the US sidearm all the way up to 1986. See more »

Goofs

All the motor vehicles have the steering wheel on the left. Japanese vehicles, like the British, have the steering wheel on the right, as they keep to the left side of the road. See more »

Quotes

General Tadamichi Kuribayashi: The United States is the *last* country in the world that Japan should fight.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in The O'Reilly Factor: Episode dated 11 June 2008 (2008) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Outstanding!!
15 December 2006 | by (Japan) – See all my reviews

I have watched this film twice already this week (first week of release here in Japan). I am an American living in Japan for the past twenty two years and have yet to see such a strong performance from an (almost) all-Japanese cast. This movie draws you into the caves and makes you a part of the Japanese soldier's life. The main characters all have an interesting story to tell. But in the end the message is clear. War is futile.

The strangest part of all. Clint Eastwood has made a Japanese movie that the Japanese should have made. There is almost no way to tell it was a "foriegn" production until you see the credits.


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Message Boards

Recent Posts
Best War Movie? chiliwaterboy
So how much of this was actually filmed in Iwo Jima? SixteenSaltines
Unfair depiction of the Japanese... nebreen
Who's the jap. soldier found in the cave at 2:06:50? zahcary
what happened to siago? amglamuro
A different view of the battle? xxjoseph23xx
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