MIDWAY vs TORA! TORA! TORA! (or anything else)

[mkaroly]

Since there's a score thread in the General Chit Chat thing, I thought I'd mention "patriotic" films on this forum: which did you like better- MIDWAY or TTT? I thought the Japanese stuff from TTT was good, and the American stuff seemed to B-movie-ish. MIDWAY was so chock full of stars (including a very young Tom Selleck) that it was goofy in its own way. But I think TTT was more interesting to watch for the aerial stunts and how they handled that- though there's something to be said for the way the makers of MIDWAY inserted actual footage with studio stuff.

Any other "patriotic" films anyone likes?

[Neo Rasa]

Funny thing is Midway actually has some footage from Tora Tora Tora in it as well.

[AndyDursin]

Since there's a score thread in the General Chit Chat thing, I thought I'd mention "patriotic" films on this forum: which did you like better- MIDWAY or TTT? I thought the Japanese stuff from TTT was good, and the American stuff seemed to B-movie-ish. MIDWAY was so chock full of stars (including a very young Tom Selleck) that it was goofy in its own way. But I think TTT was more interesting to watch for the aerial stunts and how they handled that- though there's something to be said for the way the makers of MIDWAY inserted actual footage with studio stuff.

MIDWAY is very entertaining (check out the 4-hour TV version when it airs; it has Williams' "Men of the Yorktown March" over the end credits in place of his "Midway Theme"), but TORA TORA TORA is the better movie. It has its own problems (namely, being a bit sterile at times), but it's a good, if not overly clinical, account of the attack. MIDWAY has that "plastic" Universal '70s look, but it's still fun.

[Eric Paddon]

From a filmmaking standpoint, "Tora" is superior because it had the Japanese speak Japanese with subtitles and also had no dopey fictional subplots. "Midway" I think is undermined by the embarrassment of Paul Frees dubbing Toshiro Mifune, and also the whole annoying subplot regarding Edward Albert and his Japanese girlfriend (Frankly this seemed like a needless PC intrusion). But when "Midway" sticks to the actual history it is the equal of "Tora" in that regard since all the facets of the battle that do get covered are dead accurate. My one regret though was they left out the story of how the Yorktown was ultimately torpedoed and sank after a valiant effort to try and save the carrier.

Williams score is terrific I think, as is Goldsmith's for Tora, though I tend to give Midway more of a listen.