Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-nominated war epic was released on DVD last week; this is a review of the two-disc special edition.  The film is a companion piece to Eastwood’s other war film from last year, Flags of Our Fathers, which depicts the same war from the American side.

Letters from Iwo Jima is the story of a pivotal battle between the United States and imperial Japan during WWII.  The film portrays the war from the perspective of the Japanese soldiers as they desperately attempt to keep the US from taking their island and using it against the mainland.  General Kuribayashi takes command and without proper infantry or supplies does his best to defend Iwo Jima from the country he once considered a close friend.  Meanwhile, a young, homesick infantryman named Saigo endeavors to surrender to the opposing forces as they drive his comrades deep into the caves of the desolate island.

Letters from Iwo Jima is directed by Clint Eastwood, written by Iris Yamashita, and stars Ken Watanabe, Kazunari Ninomaya, and Tsuyoshi Ihara.  Rated R

Unlike Flags of Our Fathers, Letters is a fictional account of the battle – according to Eastwood, the Japanese have spoken little of the battle in over 60 years.  It seems finding much information on what went on at Iwo Jima, beyond what we know from the US account, is quite difficult and proved a great challenge to the filmmakers.  Despite these hardships, Eastwood insists he succeeded in accurately portraying the Japanese people, even going so far as to call himself a Japanese director.  Whatever the case, this monochromatic gem takes a uniquely sympathetic look at the opposing side of one of the bloodiest battles in our nation’s history.  Be sure to check out FilmCrunch’s Letters from Iwo Jima Video Review.

• Subtitles in English, Spanish, and French
• “Red Sun, Black Sand: The Making of Letters from Iwo Jima”
• “The Faces of War: The Cast of Letters from Iwo Jima”
• “Images from the Frontlines: The Photography of Letters from Iwo Jima”
• November 2006 world premiere at Budo-kan in Tokyo
• November 2006 press conference

This is a fantastic release for this kind of film – all the features are a testament to the enormous consideration taken by the filmmakers in honoring the Japanese soldiers involved in the Iwo Jima battle.  There are in-depth interviews with all the major cast and crew members; processual script–to–screen analysis from Eastwood, the producers, and the writers; and two interesting, albeit lengthy, segments documenting the world premiere in Japan.  The second disc contains all one would need to get a clear understanding of the weight this movie carries, one directed and produced by an Americans.  The only shortcomings here are the “Images from the Frontlines” segment – really just an over-dramatized image gallery – and the lack of director commentary. 

Overall, this release is perfect for any consumer: chock-full of great features at a moderate price.