Search - Hell in the Pacific on DVD


Hell in the Pacific
Hell in the Pacific
Genres: Documentary
NR     2009     10hr 15min

Studio: Kc Sales Release Date: 05/05/2009

     
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Movie Details

Genres: Documentary
Sub-Genres: Documentary
Studio: Madacy Home Video
Format: DVD - Color
DVD Release Date: 04/28/2009
Release Year: 2009
Run Time: 10hr 15min
Screens: Color
Number of Discs: 5
SwapaDVD Credits: 5
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 0
Edition: Box set,Collector's Edition
MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Languages: English

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Movie Reviews

Incomplete / Inaccurate production
Chuck Stickney | Lansing, Mi | 12/31/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)

"I enjoyed the first 4 disks of the 5 dvd box set beginning at the point in time of the rise of the Japanese Navy and early military expansion into China and the worlds reaction. From there into the Pearl Harbor attack, the declaration of war by Roosevelt and the slow recovery of the US Navy. These grim days are highlighted well but finally the tide turns beginning at Midway and slowly but surely the US wears down the Japanese with superior technology turning out better planes and pilots, a new generation of warships and well conceived military strategy organized by gutsy Army and Navy leaders like McArthur, Nimitz, Halsey and others. Where my disappointment interupted the sets accurate progression to the final stages of the Pacific theatre conflict is when I put in disk #5 which totally misrepresents what the table of contents indicates is to be shown. There was no battle of Leyte Gulf, the battle of the Philippine Sea, the major snafu of "Bull" Halsey or any of the topics listed in the sets episode content leading to the end of the war. So, this turned out to be and incomplete and total ommission of what this 2009 Madacy Entertainment production claimed to be; "The complete and unique story of the last great naval campaign in history". I don't know how a professional video manufacturing company could make such a blunder. Maybe they don't really know or understand the history they claim to be showcasing?"
What Might Have Been
CrankyOldWoman | Seattle | 01/31/2010
(3 out of 5 stars)

"Thought I would be satisfied with commenting on another reviewer's reflections, but as I continued to watch this
documentary, I became so incensed and irritated, decided to toss out my own thoughts.
My main complaint is the constant reusing of scenes - over and over for various battles and situations. They reuse the same tired night battle scenes for at least four different naval battles and the vintage scenes so very often do not match the narration. I just watched the end of one chapter and they are talking about the great losses the Japanese suffered when trying to take back Guadalcanal. The last scene is one of Americans pushing a plane off the back of a carrier. It obviously is a very solemn occasion, that they were not just dumping a damaged plane. There are about 2 or 300 men standing about, hands folded in front of them, staring into the sea as the plane disappears under the waves. Not one word about what is happening, just a generalized comment about the losses both sides suffered to get an island back. It appears there might have been a dead airman in the plane and it was a funeral, but the narration
totally ignores this and the chapter ends, leaving one to wonder what just happened.

Another scene is an allied ship sinking with men on deck, waiting to be rescued. The only problem is, they appear to be Japanese, not Americans.
There are a few re-enactments here and there, appear to have been done long ago and are tossed in to emphasize a point. I am not knowledgeable enough about the war to comment on the accuracy, but everything I do know leads me
to question their comments about "Bull" Halsey.

Madacy uses so many repetitive photos that it becomes tiresome. In one chapter alone, they show the same scene of
the back of a Japanese pilot's head at least three times in about a 15" span, and the narration does not refer to the pilot at all and one wonders why they bothered! This documentary is full of fillers of this sort and wastes the viewer's time.

The good news is there are some scenes I have not viewed anywhere before and some information that makes it interesting enough to sit through.
I simply will never purchase another Madacy production. I have gotten other Madacy documentaries not that well done, but this one outdoes itself to make it larger than it needs to be. This could have been
easily made much better just by taking out all the unnecessary repetitive camera work, as well as the repetitive
narration. Some of the information is presented as an aside but leaves you asking questions that should be answered. In many places it raises more questions than it answers.
I would love to hear from viewers who can recommend really good, accurate documentaries on the war. I have the
usual ones, i.e. "Victory at Sea", "The World at War", etc.
Thanks for listening....
"