Posted on 10/19/2006 8:30:57 AM PDT by Valin
It is Clint Eastwood’s “Dirty Harry”-esque directing approach - not the star-studded cast - that “Flags of Our Fathers” actor Barry Pepper credits for the oh-so-real on-screen re-enactment of World War II’s bloody Battle of Iwo Jima.
“Eastwood didn’t rehearse anything,” Sgt. Michael Strank’s alter-ego told the Track. “So we didn’t know when these massive explosions were going to be sending a ton of sand in the air or where the weapons were going to be fired.”
Battered from a blast, the startled stars would voice their surprise to Eastwood after a take. But Pepper said the Oscar winner would “just smile and say, ‘Well your look was accordingly perfect.’ ”
“That was exactly what he had in mind to get these incredibly accurate emotions of these young, 18- or 19-year-old kids scared and out of their element,” said Pepper, who also appeared in “Saving Private Ryan.”
And if an actor sustained an injury during a scene, Pepper said you had to bite the bullet and get stitched up later.
“He doesn’t wait for anybody to have their actor weeny moment,” the war movie veteran laughed. “He just expects that you are a mature actor and you can get through the film. If you don’t, then you are just left in the dust because he can pretty much take you or leave you. He’ll shoot the movie without you!”
Pepper witnessed Eastwood’s tough love first-hand when a “squib-hit” blew up in his face, bloodying his lip.
“A medic came up to me after the shot and told me I had to go to the hospital,” he recalled. “But I went up to Eastwood and said, ‘I’m not leaving because I know you - and you’ll shoot the day without me! I won’t be in the movie!’ He laughed and said, ‘Good, because it’s a long way from your heart.’ ”
Then the 76-year-old icon reached over and plucked a 1-inch copper wire that had piercedPepper’s lip adding, “But, you might want to take this out first.”
Yikes! Was Eastwood channeling Gen. Patton???
“Flags of Our Fathers” tells the story of the six men who raised the second flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford and Adam Beach portray the three survivors who are shipped back home and whisked off on a propaganda tour to raise money for the war effort.
“Flags of Our Fathers” opens in theaters tomorrow.
Band of Brothers is probably as good as you're going to get.
You could be right, but I could not get through the first thirty minutes because that stupid "Friends" guy - David Schwimmer is in it and I can't stand that winny sissy. I loved Friends, but mostly because of the others who were on it.
I had a cousin that was killed during the airdrop. He was shot repeatedly while coming down in his parachute.
I DIDN'T SAY THAT EITHER!
If you look at the trailers you'll see they share footage. Also note the voice of a Saving Private Ryan character and actors from Band of Brothers.
http://wwws.warnerbros.co.jp/iwojima-movies/trailer/flags_small.html
Red Sun Black Sand.
"http://youtube.com/watch?v=uYv1iTrBDxU
Agree to all you say. They could at least do Bloody Ridge. Or they could do this story...
http://www.medalofhonor.com/JohnBasilone.htm
After all that note where he was killed - Iwo.
Sorry...automatic assumption. LOL!
I’m not leaving because I know you - and you’ll shoot the day without me! I won’t be in the movie! He laughed and said, ‘Good, because it’s a long way from your heart.
Did a double take on that one too. He means that being shot through the lip is less damaging than being shot through the heart.
If you read Ambrose's book, you'd realize that Schwimmer was perfectly cast as Sobel.
Nick Berg's head just sort of "fell off" too!
Hollywood can the left can stick that in their pipes and smoke it.
I'd like to see some more on World War I but from the perspective of the ground troops. Like Flyboys but how about with early model tanks?
That episode had the best line, "How do I feel about being rescued by Patton? I'd feel real peachy about it, except for one thing. We didn't need to be f'ing rescued by Patton, you got that!"
I would think Tarawa would of made a great movie, everyone knows about Iwo Jima.
Once in a while on the Military Channel they talk about some action that has happen in Iraq or Afganistan. Shame that Hollywood will ignore the heroics happening today over there.
I liked that line too...After Dick Winters saw the mini-series, he took Hanks and Spielberg to task over the excessive language. He was it was unnecessary and they didn't talk like that.
Looks like Barry Pepper has managed to expunge Battlefield Earth from his past. Good for him.
I'm sure "Wild Bill" Guarnere never swore over in Europe, LOL!
that film is already done...the Trailer is better.
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