Director: Richard Fleischer, Kinji Fukasaku, Toshio Masuda
Runtime: 145 mins
Country: USA, Japan
Language: English
Rating: PG
Full Synopsis
In its dramatisation of the attack on Pearl Harbour, Tora! Tora! Tora! weaves together narrative accounts from both American and Japanese perspectives, neither glorifying nor condemning either side. Despite his reluctance to provoke the United States into entering the war, Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto planned a surprise air raid on the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The attack was scheduled for a half-hour after the ultimatum reached Washington, but its delayed delivery rendered the Japanese raid a war crime, since the two nations were, at that point, still technically at peace. Meanwhile, a series of blindspots and bureaucratic blunders by the Americans led to the utter destruction of the fleet.
The film’s remarkable accuracy to the events leading up to December 7, 1941 makes it a classic among history buffs, while the spectacular aerial battle scenes continue to draw action aficionados. As Kinji Fukasaku and Toshio Masuda’s first English-language film and first international co-production, this classic was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning Best Visual Effects.
This film is part of the programme 3 Films about the Pacific War. For the full programme lineup please click here.
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