"Unbroken"

Very nice article,watched an interview this morning ,with the man behind the book. They where some tough people.
 
Read the book, not the movie (but Angelina worked directly with Louis during the production)
 
I read the book right after it came out, but I can't tell you that it makes me want to go see the movie, especially given the usual Hollywood treatment of such things.
 
I read the book and saw the movie on opening night.

The book: Amazing! Laura Hillenbrand is an awesome author.

The movie: A bit long. It left out some of the content from the book, of course, it would be twice as long if not. They captured the good stuff though.
Overall I thought it was good and worth seeing. Some of the scenes "hang" too long for my taste in an attempt at creating dramatic effect, but what do I know about filmmaking.

I'd recommend it, but it's not really a flying movie.
 
Saw it last night. That was intense! If you're looking for a flying movie, this is not it. That's only the first maybe 30 minutes. The rest of the 2.5hr movie is survival and imprisonment. It is very well done. And it is not a kids film.
 
I've read the book and now have seen the movie. I went with my wife and two sons last night. Book was intense, as was the movie, but you must read the book to get the full effect of what "unbroken" really means. Most importantly, to me, seeing the movie has inspired my short-attention span sons to read the book (hectoring by dad to read it hadn't done any good - imagine that!).
 
I've checked my local library. All copies of the book, e-book, and audio book are checked out with about a 2-3 month wait time. I noticed there are two versions of the book, the latest is a 'Young Adult' edition.

I thought that newspaper article was interesting; the experiences of the two and their ways of dealing with their feelings towards their guards.
 
This and other stories like it have been around since the late 40s. I remember reading accounts like these back in the 70s when I was a kid. I always used to wish someone would make them into movies back then. Funny how Hollywood decides what is noteworthy and what is not.
 
Art VanDelay said:
This and other stories like it have been around since the late 40s. I remember reading accounts like these back in the 70s when I was a kid. I always used to wish someone would make them into movies back then. Funny how Hollywood decides what is noteworthy and what is not.
Click to expand...

My dad used to point out people that he knew. Then he would tell me about their experiences. He would point out someone and tell me he was in the Philippines and lost his heel when a Jap soldier shot him during the death march. Or another, he was a POW in Japan and Korea. And that person was shot down over France in late '42 and spent almost a year getting back. And this guy, see his thumbs? He lost the ends because he was a tail gunner in a B-17. His thumbs froze because he wore out the thumbs on his gloves on the triggers.

I didn't learn about a friend of mines dad until after he died that he was a POW in Stalag 3. I did know that he didn't think the Tv show "Hogan's Heroes" was funny at all.

My MIL told me how the Japanese planes bombed her village one day, then marched in the next day and took all the school books, food and money. Her brothers had hid out in the hills after the planes left and spent the occupation fighting with resistance forces. Her teenage sister was forced to be a "comfort girl" for the Japanese officers.

Then one day they heard terrific fighting coming from the beach. They heard the Americans were coming ashore. The next day there was cause for celebration. The Americans had returned. My MIL stood and saluted as General Douglas MacArthur and the president of the Philippines drove by in a jeep.

So many stories.

That generation is quickly dying out. So many men came back and didn't talk about their experiences, so as they die those stories are lost forever.
 
It's not just the soldiers (and Army Air Corp, and Army Air Forces), sailors, and Marines with those stories either. As this inerview shows, there were plenty of regular Americans caught up in it, too.
 
Zeldman said:
My MIL told me how the Japanese planes bombed her village one day, then marched in the next day and took all the school books, food and money. Her brothers had hid out in the hills after the planes left and spent the occupation fighting with resistance forces. Her teenage sister was forced to be a "comfort girl" for the Japanese officers.

Then one day they heard terrific fighting coming from the beach. They heard the Americans were coming ashore. The next day there was cause for celebration. The Americans had returned. My MIL stood and saluted as General Douglas MacArthur and the president of the Philippines drove by in a jeep.

So many stories.

That generation is quickly dying out. So many men came back and didn't talk about their experiences, so as they die those stories are lost forever.
Click to expand...

It's long and grueling to even watch, but NetFlix has Ken Burns' "The War" in 7 episodes. Helps put things in perspective.
 
I never know how much I should pursue the topic when talking to vets. My papa is a Korean war vet and seems ok with the topic overall.

I knew a Hanoi Hilton guy pretty well. Great guy and all. Told me how the Mig 21 got him but wouldn't dare go near the experience in the camp. Never pushed the topic.

My great uncle was a vet of the Iwo Jima landings and the war itself. Never got to meet him, unfortunately.
 
The hotel we are staying at in Gallup, NM tonight has a large photo behind the front desk of what's obviously a reunion of all of the Navaho Code Talkers that must have been held here at some point, and a signed book cover about them, on another wall.

I tried to strike up a conversation with two different staff members about the photo, one knew who the Code Talkers were and that we lost the last original one this year, but that was it. No info on how the photo came to be, when it was taken, or anything.

The other didn't even feign interest in the photo at all. Just old junk on a wall to him.

Seeing the photo was a treat. Seeing the reaction of the young person to it, not so much.
 
Saw the movie. Was pretty well done but the violence and torture was significantly tempered for movie audiences, compared to what was solidly documented in the book. The movie glosses over the number of prisoners who died of dysentery and malnourishment also. Everyone looks relatively healthy and certainly not any attempt to show Zamporini weighed only 65 lbs and very close to striving to death when he was liberated.

Six chapters of the book about Zamporini's religious conversion after turning to alcoholism, and lifelong relationship with Billy Graham, was also summarily deleted by Hollywood.

Whether one believes or not, Zamporini's life story in his own words isn't complete without those chapters. The Billy Graham folks have a documentary online with interviews by Mr. Zamporini.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top