HBO's The Pacific with spoilers

Hillbilly61

DeusExa wrote: »

Might check out The Pacific if time allows...how much worse is it compared to Band of Brothers?

Check it out for yourself and comment to everyone afterwards. HBO will be airing the three episodes shown so far, back to back, between 8-11 P.M. EST on 3/31.

I will be traveling that evening. :mad:

hearingimpared

bsoko2 wrote: »

History of two of the characters in Pacific:

Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller (June 26, 1898 – October 11, 1971) was an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Puller is the most decorated U.S. Marine in history, and the only Marine to receive five Navy Crosses, the United States Navy's and Marines' second highest decoration after the Medal of Honor. During his career, he fought guerrillas in Haiti and Nicaragua, and participated in some of the bloodiest battles of World War II and the Korean War. Puller retired from the Marine Corps in 1955, spending the rest of his life in Virginia.

Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone (November 4, 1916 – February 19, 1945) was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II. He was the only enlisted Marine in World War II to receive the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross.
He served three years in the United States Army with duty in the Philippines before joining the Marine Corps. In 1940 he joined the Marine Corps and after attending training was sent to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the Solomon Islands and eventually to Guadalcanal where he held off 3,000 Japanese troops after his 15-member unit was reduced to two men. He was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Iwo Jima, after which he was posthumously honored with the Navy Cross. He has received many honors including being the namesake for streets, military locations and a United States Navy destroyer.

Bill

This was the battle I referred to in a reenactment of Guadalcanal in a two hour special on the History International Channel. This was one of the reasons I felt the episodes were rushed.

hearingimpared

Hillbilly61 wrote: »

Check it out for yourself and comment to everyone afterwards. HBO will be airing the three episodes shown so far, back to back, between 8-11 P.M. EST on 3/31.

I will be traveling that evening. :mad:

If you have HBO On-Demand, you can watch all three episodes now.

fatchowmein

Jstas wrote: »

I'm hoping that it does more justice to the story of the people in the unit and gets away from this fluff like the covering of the relationship with the Greek girl. I got the hint after the first dinner with the Greek family. We didn't need another 20 minutes of sex scene after sex scene.

They are focusing alot on a single character, "Lucky" and his "sanity". The next episode seems to show him cracking up and losing it. I dunno, I'm not looking forward to that episode. We'll see.

I'll say one thing for Band of Brothers, you can play each disc, one after another, and it plays like a movie. The Pacific, I'm not getting that feeling and nothing is leaving me hanging and waiting for more.

+1
I'm bored with it already.

hearingimpared

fatchowmein wrote: »

+1
I'm bored with it already.

I'm thinking (hoping) this is just a big build up to some great stuff later on.

danger boy

watched part 3 last night.. and I have to say so far it was the weakest episode. the love story took up to much of the length of the episode. yeah we get it.. he likes the Greek girl.. we don't need to see them having nookie for an extended period of time or multiple times. sheesh..

ibewbrother

I agree about episode 3. I have it on dvr and ended up fast forwarding through most of the second half of it. My favorite moment was in episode 1 where Tom Hanks is narrating and the map is on the screen, then the first artillery shot. It's my favorite because it is the first thing I watched with my new SVS NSD. That moment was great.

On another note.. my Grandfather was a Marine and was captured in the Battle of Wake Island and was a P.O.W. for the rest of the war. I would like to think that this is a pretty good representation of what he and the other Marines went through.

...Brother

hearingimpared

Another disappointing episode. WTF??? What was the point? They didn't show enough detail or story line to show the actual mental affects of jungle warfare.

Next week's episode may bring this series up to snuff, I hope.

Pycroft

I actually liked last nights episode. I remember as a kid, watching a weekly show about fighter pilots fighting against the Japanese in WWII. Everything was so fake. I keep thinking about the look in the guys eyes as he strangled the dying Japanese soldier, and the guy who went mental and tried to kill himself, in the jail cell. I thought it was particularly well done as the main guy left, saying, "I hope you go quick...maybe a **** sniper...so you don't have to experience what I've gone through". I really think this episode helped me feel what war was really like, similar to how BoB did in many of the middle episodes especially.

James

Fongolio

Pycroft wrote: »

I actually liked last nights episode. I remember as a kid, watching a weekly show about fighter pilots fighting against the Japanese in WWII. Everything was so fake. I keep thinking about the look in the guys eyes as he strangled the dying Japanese soldier, and the guy who went mental and tried to kill himself, in the jail cell. I thought it was particularly well done as the main guy left, saying, "I hope you go quick...maybe a **** sniper...so you don't have to experience what I've gone through". I really think this episode helped me feel what war was really like, similar to how BoB did in many of the middle episodes especially.

James

I absolutely agree. This series does not focus on the battles, but instead focuses on the battles within the soldiers minds. I do agree with Joe that they could show better the epic strain and stress the soldiers endured that led to some of them coming totally unhinged. Otherwise, I'm not disappointed at all. Understanding the different focus this series is taking, I'm enjoying it tremendously.

hearingimpared

Pycroft wrote: »

I actually liked last nights episode. I remember as a kid, watching a weekly show about fighter pilots fighting against the Japanese in WWII. Everything was so fake. I keep thinking about the look in the guys eyes as he strangled the dying Japanese soldier, and the guy who went mental and tried to kill himself, in the jail cell. I thought it was particularly well done as the main guy left, saying, "I hope you go quick...maybe a **** sniper...so you don't have to experience what I've gone through". I really think this episode helped me feel what war was really like, similar to how BoB did in many of the middle episodes especially.

James

James, I thought they could have been more detailed with more examples of our guys loosing it during the jungle warfare.

Last night I watched a show on History International about the original plans to invade Japan before the "bomb." Practically every vet interviewed talked about some sort of insanity that overtook them and they specifically went into detail how the **** wouldn't surrender especially on Okinawa and any that they captured had to be killed because they would continue to try to kill our soldiers even as exhusted POWs. They were so such fanatics after being being captured and placed in a holding area that they would jump up off the ground when a US soldier got near and try to rip his throat out with their teeth.

danger boy

what about the guy that took his clothes off and hung them on the clothesline in the rain then popped himself? that to me spoke loud and clear as what the mental torture these you guys when through.

also when Lecki was walking up the muddy hill and kept sliding and falling because of the constant rain and thick mud. he lost it for a while too there.

I wan't disappointed in the episode, but i'm now realizing this series isn't as detailed about the combat battles they went through in the pacific, as BoB did. I guess maybe they didn't want to make the same series again. I can understand that.

next episode (5) looks like it could be the best and pretty intense. I hope that's the turning point on the series and it gets better.

Pycroft

HearingImpaired -

The Pacific hasn't even gotten close to the grueling battles of WWII. The next 3-4 episodes will be intense I'm sure, and probably more focused on the battles. I'm very curious how they handle the A-Bomb, and what they focus on in relation to it. I've enjoyed the series very much so far.

James

kuntasensei

Incidentally, last night's episode... best freakin' thing I've heard with my DPL-IIz height channels. The rain sounded so realistic and enveloping that I thought it had started raining outside! I was kinda' disappointed that my car was completely dry this morning (and still yellow with pollen).

I'm enjoying the series a lot, though it is a lot different than BoB... but last night's episode made for an outstanding demo piece.

hearingimpared

Pycroft wrote: »

HearingImpaired -

The Pacific hasn't even gotten close to the grueling battles of WWII. The next 3-4 episodes will be intense I'm sure, and probably more focused on the battles. I'm very curious how they handle the A-Bomb, and what they focus on in relation to it. I've enjoyed the series very much so far.

James

James, don't get me wrong, I like the series thus far. I'm just a little disappointed because 1) BoB spoiled me and 2) I watch a lot of documentaries about WWI & WWII and I guess was expecting more.

I need to lower my expectations and just enjoy the show.

Joe

danger boy

I have to say though, so far when they encounter the enemy, the gun fight scenes are kept pretty short. In Bob the scene would usually last much longer.

polkatese

That's right Joe. Lower your expectations. That's what I do, and actually make it much more enjoyable. In fact, my son (14 YO) is getting into it, more from the historical point of view. He went to HBO.com and watched the background and short history about the Pacific theater.

I sincerely hope that there is no such massive world-war in the future of mankind.

hearingimpared

polkatese wrote: »

That's right Joe. Lower your expectations. That's what I do, and actually make it much more enjoyable. In fact, my son (14 YO) is getting into it, more from the historical point of view. He went to HBO.com and watched the background and short history about the Pacific theater.

I sincerely hope that there is no such massive world-war in the future of mankind.

God forbid!!!

venomclan

On Easter Sunday, my grandparents came to my parent’s house and watched the first few episodes of The Pacific that my father had on DVR. My grandfather was in Guadalcanal during WW2. He was in the Coast Guard so he did not go through the hell the Marines did. He enjoyed the series and wants to see the rest of them we will tape for him.

It is interesting to see this as a show, with someone who was actually there during that time. My grandfather is 87 and went on to the Philippines and a few other places in the war. He was sent to the brig a few times. While on base in NY, a pain in the **** county cop would trespass onto military property and give the GI's a hard time. One time my grandfather was on patrol and saw his squad car parked in the woods and empty, as the cop was trying to sneak up on GI's skinny dipping with their girlfriends in the ocean on military land. My grandfather put 30 rounds in the cop car.

The cop ran up out of the woods and my grandfather aimed his machine gun at him and yelled halt, as was procedure and the cop backed down. The cop later complained to the base about his car, but they would not pay as he was trespassing. They did however charge my grandfather $1 for each bullet.

Returning from R&R a day late once, he was thrown in the brig and his CO had it out for him and was going to make an example of him. Little did he know that my great aunt was secretary for the Admiral. My grandfather was released the next day…

moodyman

I've been really disappointed with "The Pacific" so far. I actually fast-forwarded through some scenes in episode 3. BOB had me completey hooked by the 3rd install. I also thought the portrayal of Major Winters, by Damien Leweis, in BOB was phenominal and don't feel any of the actors in TP are of the same caliber. The battle scenes in TP haven't been inpressive either IMO.
I'll keep watching though..its just that BOB will be a tough act to follow...

Pycroft

GREAT stories Venomclan! Thanks for sharing! I love hearing stuff like that!

James

hearingimpared

venomclan wrote: »

On Easter Sunday, my grandparents came to my parent’s house and watched the first few episodes of The Pacific that my father had on DVR. My grandfather was in Guadalcanal during WW2. He was in the Coast Guard so he did not go through the hell the Marines did. He enjoyed the series and wants to see the rest of them we will tape for him.

It is interesting to see this as a show, with someone who was actually there during that time. My grandfather is 87 and went on to the Philippines and a few other places in the war. He was sent to the brig a few times. While on base in NY, a pain in the **** county cop would trespass onto military property and give the GI's a hard time. One time my grandfather was on patrol and saw his squad car parked in the woods and empty, as the cop was trying to sneak up on GI's skinny dipping with their girlfriends in the ocean on military land. My grandfather put 30 rounds in the cop car.

The cop ran up out of the woods and my grandfather aimed his machine gun at him and yelled halt, as was procedure and the cop backed down. The cop later complained to the base about his car, but they would not pay as he was trespassing. They did however charge my grandfather $1 for each bullet.

Returning from R&R a day late once, he was thrown in the brig and his CO had it out for him and was going to make an example of him. Little did he know that my great aunt was secretary for the Admiral. My grandfather was released the next day…

Great stories Venom.

I love talking to oldtimers and getting their perspective on things especially the ones who lived through the Great Depression and the war. There's so much wisdom to be had. I used to talk to my wife's grandmother for hours about anything and everything. She passed away a few years ago at the young age of 97. I truly miss our talks.

Hillbilly61

I know episode three is old news (and I missed episode 4, so cannot comment on that), a couple of comments about episode three, as related by my father:

* Once out of civilization, you did not come back. Those marines being shipped back to Australia seems a bit far fetched. Dad said they were based in Auckland, New Zealand for about a month when going into the islands. Nobody came out of the islands once in.

You would just shift back to a safer area when being rotated off of the front. If sufficiently wounded or sick (malaria was rampant) and considered to be out of the war for good, you were put on a hospital ship and transported back to San Diego or New Orleans (via the Panama Canal).

* During episode three the jilted soldier pulls a gun on an officer and is "taken care of" by being transferred out of his unit. B.S. That would have landed him in jail, with a court marshal and possible prison time soon to follow.

moodyman

Jeez..episode 4 was just 'meh' too. It seems the battle scenes are always the same....7 minute banzai attack and nothing else. The bedwetting plot got 3x times the screen time...(no joke).

The previews for episode 5 look promising..but aren't we almost halfway through the series now???

Hillbilly61

A story my dad told me about being in the Pacific Theater in WWII:

On his troop ship, there were these two guys who did not want to be in the war at all. They did the objection part, failed the test and were essentially thrown into the ship's brig for a sufficient period that the ship was so far out to sea they could not swim back to San Diego.

Then they were released and things were good. Very shortly after docking at Auckland, NZ these guys jumped ship and were not seen again. Deserters....

Later on they were found. Fighting against the Japanese on the front on some island. It appears that the two fellows jumped the ship, eventually joined up as lost soldiers to other units and where found once they were in the system again.

As put by Dad, the army chose not to view them as deserters anymore.

This is story as told by my father many years later.

Lee

fatchowmein

Vast improvement with episodes 5 and 6. Looking forward to 7.

hearingimpared

fatchowmein wrote: »

Vast improvement with episodes 5 and 6. Looking forward to 7.

Agreed, however, again, I feel it was rushed.

I think they would have done better to have each episode at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours however I understand the increase in time would be cost prohibitive.:(

One other thing, I feel that thus far in all the episodes HBO did themselves a disservice by not showing the mopping up efforts after the marines took each island as that's when it got really bad for the marines and the army with the Japanese dug into complicated tunneling systems and caves and most fighting to the death or commiting suicide trying to take the our soldiers with them. It looks like this coming week's episode is going show the mopping up efforts.

fatchowmein

hearingimpared wrote: »

Agreed, however, again, I feel it was rushed.

I think they would have done better to have each episode at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours however I understand the increase in time would be cost prohibitive.:(

Agreed. They're also running out of time unless The Pacific goes to 20 episodes.

cnoat

It is starting to get pretty good now.Pt.6

hearingimpared

fatchowmein wrote: »

Agreed. They're also running out of time unless The Pacific goes to 20 episodes.

Yes sir they are running out especially when you consider all the islands they hopped to end up at Okinawa. It is apparent they are just following the 1st marine division which may not have been involved in some of the more familiar islands.