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The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

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The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

Old 04-25-10, 04:51 AM
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The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

The Pacific

Synopsis:

Spoiler:
The battle for control of Peleliu continues in October 1944 as Sledge's unit is rocked by devastating casualties, disheartened by an enemy unwilling to surrender and brought to the breaking point by the brutality of war. Meanwhile, Basilone's war-bond campaign begins to weigh on his conscience.
Old 04-25-10, 02:00 PM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

I am hoping they continue to improve. Watching BOB for the first time while also watching this and I've got to say The Pacific is starting to lose ground in being worthy to be compared to BOB. Perhaps Iwo Jima will put it over the top but that's what...2 episodes away?
Old 04-25-10, 09:00 PM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

Didn't really like this episode. The whole series is really getting repetitive for me.

Yeah, we know it was brutal and absolute Hell. Every time Sledge has been on screen he's just had this "deer in the headlights" look to him. I know we're supposed to see just how bad it was through his eyes, but frankly it's getting boring. Again, we know it was really bad. I don't think they need to keep jamming it down our throats.

It seems like there just isn't that much material in this series. It's weird saying that because I know that the Pacific theater has TONS of material to show, but this series is just battle scene after battle scene and then we see the soliders moping around. There has to be more.

Band of Brothers had plenty of battle scenes and plenty of soldiers moping around scenes too but at least each episode felt different and new. The Pacific just seems to be the same thing every episode.
Old 04-25-10, 09:54 PM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

Maybe the Pacific was repetitive. Oh, look, a small island. Oh damn, they're deeply entrenched. Oh look, that guy hiding jumped out and stabbed me from behind. Oh good, we captured the island. Oh, look, a small island ...

This is probably why WWI movies are few as well. Oh, look a trench, commence bombardment. Charge! Massive casualties, gained fifty yards. Oh, look, a trench ....

It's a shame, because I love war movies, but many wars seem best represented by words in history books rather than movies. For example, it was hard to watch extreme thirst to a point, then it got annoying and repetitive, and then the guilt sets in as I remember that real men suffered this exact torture, and I'm complaining its boring to watch. In history books, you learn that thirst was a major factor, and then move on.

Perhaps this is why movies that focus on a battle are better than those that focus on a campaign. Sorry for the rant. The Pacific certainly does one thing well - it highlights how incredibly well-done Band of Brothers was.
Old 04-25-10, 10:26 PM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

Originally Posted by outlander78
Maybe the Pacific was repetitive. Oh, look, a small island. Oh damn, they're deeply entrenched. Oh look, that guy hiding jumped out and stabbed me from behind. Oh good, we captured the island. Oh, look, a small island ...
Yeah, I'm disappointed that they aren't covering the Pacific Theater naval battles in parallel with the island battles. The contrast in the style of fighting between the two could've given a change of pace in the miniseries.

The Battle of Midway, the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Battle of Santa Cruz, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the Battle of Leyte Gulf - at least one of these naval battles should've been a part of this miniseries. As the miniseries is now, a person would think the Pacific Theater was only fighting on islands and nothing else.
Old 04-25-10, 10:30 PM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

Watching the battle on Peleliu over the past couple episodes keeps reminding me of Call Of Duty: World At War.

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x0OM__-rBS4&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x0OM__-rBS4&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Especially with the previous episode and the airfield:

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sH7WuN-xs0A&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sH7WuN-xs0A&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Old 04-25-10, 11:44 PM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

I'm still enjoying it, yeah it can't hold a candle to BoB, but it's still telling an interesting story. It was nice getting a break from Leckie.

Problem is still focusing on guys getting wounded who the audience barely knows so you're spending the next 2 or 3 minutes trying to figure out who the hell that was.
Old 04-26-10, 12:49 AM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

Originally Posted by MrX
I'm still enjoying it, yeah it can't hold a candle to BoB, but it's still telling an interesting story. It was nice getting a break from Leckie.

Problem is still focusing on guys getting wounded who the audience barely knows so you're spending the next 2 or 3 minutes trying to figure out who the hell that was.
I'm thinking the same thing. It's good, probably one of the best things to see on tv this year. But BoB is all-time hall of fame good.
Old 04-26-10, 02:35 AM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

Why didnt the guy want sledge taking the teeth? Did he see it as crossing some line that he didnt want so see sledge cross or something? Even though he has done it himself.
Old 04-26-10, 07:27 AM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

Originally Posted by Thrush
Why didnt the guy want sledge taking the teeth? Did he see it as crossing some line that he didnt want so see sledge cross or something? Even though he has done it himself.
That's it exacly. Though in reality, it wasn't Snafu that disuaded Sledge.
Old 04-26-10, 11:05 AM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

Originally Posted by Thrush
Why didnt the guy want sledge taking the teeth? Did he see it as crossing some line that he didnt want so see sledge cross or something? Even though he has done it himself.
He knows Sledge is soft, and that's why he calls him 'Sledgehammer' I think. He sees this obviously soft, sensitive kid who still mans up when it counts and makes war.

He didn't want Sledge doing something his sensitive ass would be all worried about later. He can do it and know it's war, but he knows Sledge shouldn't.

That was my favorite part of this episode.

I knew from the beginning that without the narrative voice of Ambrose this couldn't have the flow and... substance of BoB. I think I posted that in the first thread. But I'm still liking this.
Old 04-26-10, 06:01 PM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

I have loved the past 3 episodes dealing with Peleliu, Sledge, and his company. Snafu has been my favorite character. Gunny is great as well; what a badass.
Old 04-28-10, 10:54 AM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

I thought dropping pebbles in the open skull of the Japanese soldier, while Sledge was trying to eat, was pretty fucking intense. I thought this was one of the better episodes, and that the bunker battle was exciting.
Old 04-28-10, 11:47 AM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

Originally Posted by Dr Mabuse
I knew from the beginning that without the narrative voice of Ambrose this couldn't have the flow and... substance of BoB. I think I posted that in the first thread. But I'm still liking this.
Yeah, now that we're well into the miniseries, that's also what I think is the main weakness too. Despite his now tarnished reputation both for plagiarizing from others and for making up source interviews, the late Stephen Ambrose did provide a strong narrative structure to Band of Brothers that seems to be missing in The Pacific. Technically, they are equal. But, from a storytelling point of view, Band of Brothers is superior.

Last edited by dhmac; 04-28-10 at 11:50 AM.
Old 04-28-10, 12:14 PM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

I don't think Ambrose's reputation is "tarnished" is it? The 'shocking' accusations turned out to be fairly small things and not hold a lot of water as I understand it. He only footnoted the passages he used from others instead of using quotes and credits in the text.

All the passages were credited in the footnotes of the book, so I find the 'plagiarism' charge a little bit much. Ambrose said he did it for the sake of the story flow, and considering how he excelled at that part it's hard to fault his motives.

Not sure what you mean about the interviews part.
Old 04-28-10, 12:37 PM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

Originally Posted by Dr Mabuse
I don't think Ambrose's reputation is "tarnished" is it? The 'shocking' accusations turned out to be fairly small things and not hold a lot of water as I understand it. He only footnoted the passages he used from others instead of using quotes and credits in the text.

All the passages were credited in the footnotes of the book, so I find the 'plagiarism' charge a little bit much. Ambrose said he did it for the sake of the story flow, and considering how he excelled at that part it's hard to fault his motives.

Not sure what you mean about the interviews part.
In a nutshell, pretty much all his stories of being close to and interviewing Eisenhower were all fantasies.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/historian-s...ry?id=10489472
Old 04-28-10, 01:29 PM
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Re: The Pacific -- "Part Seven" -- 4/25/10

Originally Posted by TheBigDave
Watching the battle on Peleliu over the past couple episodes keeps reminding me of Call Of Duty: World At War.
My kid and I are constantly referencing scenes from both to compare each other. We started yelling things like Sledgehammer should go into the trench on the right because he would find a flamethrower. Then he could burn snipers out of the trees.

Sometimes it's like they've blue-screened live actors over CoD backgrounds.

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