Most WWII films focus on the European or Russian fronts, or even the battles within in Japan, but not all that many focus so intensely on the days leading up to the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese managed to conduct a devastating air raid against the harbor, destroying several battleships, numerous planes, and most importantly, killing many Americans in the process. Tora! Tora! Tora!, the code word used by the Japanese to tell their commanders that the surprise attack was a success, is all about that horrific day.
The Blu-ray contains both the theatrical and the Japanese Extended Cut of the movie, although they are practically the same, with roughly five minutes difference between them. Total run time is about two and a half hours no matter which route you go. The first half builds up the ever-growing uneasiness between Japan and the US, who at this point was taking no active role in WWII. Meanwhile, Japan was forging alliances with the Axis powers, and believed that the USA was a threat, and one that needed to be dealt with through stealth and surprise.
The Americans had all of the tools and knowledge in front of them, but red tape and the unwillingness of the right people to step up ultimately led to the surprise attack that really shouldn’t have been a surprise at all. It is well known that the directors went through pain-staking measures to make Tora! as historically accurate as possible. Not being particularly well-versed on this historical event, I can’t critique the accuracy, but the sincerity in the execution of this film by everyone involved is tangible. Extra features contained on the disc delve much deeper into the discussion of the history of the event, and of the movie.
The strict historical accuracy makes Tora! a bit rigid, however, and it just about could be seen as a documentary. Tora! jumps between the Japanese and American response to the same situation very well, giving viewers both perspectives on many of the situations that arose during these intense days. And rather than focus on any one or two characters, the movie really does treat all of the many actors equally, giving the film a sole, clear purpose of recreating that fateful day. It may not lend itself to much replay value, but many of the events and scenes will stick with you long after the very brief credits have rolled.
Fox did a really amazing job with this HD transfer. Every scene looks completely fresh and clean, crisp, and the colors really pop. Everything from the white and gold of the admirals’ uniforms to the detailed furniture in the backgrounds is beautifully rendered here. I kept expecting some lapses in image quality, maybe five or six minutes here, another ten minutes there, but that never came. Much care was taken in bringing this film into HD and it’s immediately noticeable and appreciated.
As for extra features, there are several, although most were previous released on DVD:
-Digibook – The booklet that is attached to the packaging of the film contains twenty-two pages of tidbits and bios about the film and some of its actors.
-Audio Commentary with Director Richard Fleischer, interviewed by Japanese film expert Stuart Galbraith.
-Trailer (SD)
-Art Galleries of vintage production stills.
-Day of Infamy (SD, ~20m) – For as much as the film itself can act as a documentary, this feature is indeed a brief documentary on the Pearl Harbor attack.
-Fox News On Pearl Harbor (SD, ~40m) – Several original news briefings that aired on and around the time of the attack.
-AMC Backstory (SD, 22m) – An interesting making of show about the movie.
-History Vs Hollywood (SD, ~90m) – An excellent making of documentary narrated by Burt Reynolds that compares the movie to actual historical events.
To the summary…