The Pacific Trailer

Spielberg and Hanks Return to World War II

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trailers | Comments (27)

Don’t like Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks? Then there’s something wrong with you. For their every career misstep, they’ve redeemed themselves ten times. They don’t pollute the world with cultural toxicity, and — by all accounts — they’re good people. It’s fun to crap on success, but these two men deserver every goddamn bit of it (the success, that is).

More than that, they’ve also not only created the signature film of World War II (Saving Private Ryan) — which had is flaws, but the first half hour was one of the most powerful things I’ve ever seen on the big screen — and not only the best World War II mini-series, but perhaps the best mini-series of all time in “Band of Brothers.”

Well, they’re back with another World War II mini-series, this time tracking the other front: The American soldiers fighting against Japan in the Pacific. My first instinct was, “Ah, jeez. Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg tackling World War II again? But you know what: They not only do it well, but I honestly think they do it out of respect and admiration and not the money. It helps that the end result — a 10-part mini-series — will probably be amazing.

Here’s the promo trailer— the mini-series debuts on HBO in 2010.

The Pacific (HBO) - Trailer
by hawkbcn

Follow @pajiba

← DVD Releases 06/23/09 | Fincher to Direct Facebook Movie →

Comments

This was announced years ago, and those of us who think BoB is the bee's knees have been impatiently waiting for this the whole time. I can't friggin wait!

Posted by: Snath at June 23, 2009 7:35 PM

I want ONE. HUN'RED. JAP SCALPS!

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at June 23, 2009 7:41 PM

Actually, I've been waiting for this ever since I first watched Band of Brothers. They did the European Theater, and beautifully; now they do the Pacific. It's only fair. I'm really looking forward to seeing this.

I just hope the source material is as good as what they used for BoB.

Posted by: Jerce at June 23, 2009 7:45 PM

HBO made YouTube pull the trailer, the cocks.

But this has win written all over it.

SPR is one of those movies I am grateful I saw, but I will never, ever see it again. Too much.

Posted by: Big Daddy at June 23, 2009 7:55 PM

Whoops. It's gone; HBO has claimed copyright violation.

Good work HBO! That'll show those pirates for stealing your intellectual property. They'll think twice next time they try to ADVERTISE YOUR SHOW FOR FREE.

Posted by: Simon A at June 23, 2009 7:56 PM

I have passed on Band of Brothers because of Private Ryan's assorted war-is-hell atrocities. Does someone want to make the case for BoB?

My grandfather fought across North Africa and into Italy before getting wounded in the 13 month stalemate outside Monte Cassino. He more or less refused to talk about his experience until just before he went into hospice and passing away a few months later. Private Ryan illustrated why.

Posted by: idiosynchronic at June 23, 2009 8:59 PM

A friend of mine worked as a driver on the set for this (large parts of it were filmed here in Melbourne). Apparently all the producers were super nice and super committed. I'll definitely check it out.

Posted by: Daniel Hall at June 23, 2009 9:23 PM

--== Cougarster.com ==-- It's where Cougar (women who are mature, rich and experienced) and men who like them can meet.....

Posted by: SELINA at June 23, 2009 10:03 PM

i want to meet a cougar

Posted by: gilp at June 23, 2009 10:12 PM

It's called "goin' safari'".

"Come on boys, we're goin' safari. I wanna bag me one o' them Jennifer Aniston types."

Posted by: Daniel Hall at June 23, 2009 10:33 PM

The WWII thing is so damn overplayed right now. Don't think I'm saying this just because Pearl Harbor is on TV right now.

Oh, wait, the Pacific half of WWII? Starving soldiers, death marches and all? Oh, damn, bring it on. We pretty much never see anything from that side of the war (which pisses off my elderly father who grew up in Japanese-occupied Philippines at the time), and anyone, let alone Hanks and Spielberg, is better than Michael Fucking Bay.

Posted by: j.ann at June 23, 2009 10:37 PM

Is Jennifer Aniston a cougar? Man, that's depressing. I remember when she was still the hot young thing with the haircut all the girls were dying for. I also remember when I thought all the people who started sentences with "I remember when..." were ancient douchenozzles. Except I don't think I knew the word "douchenozzles" back then, and I can't remember what pejorative term I used way back when to mock old people (or people in general), and that's kinda worrying, and sad. This concludes your daily stream of consciousness.

Posted by: Shay at June 23, 2009 11:17 PM

I don't know. Is there a Cougar Cut-Off? My definition is fairly broad (it's basically Older Than Me = Cougar).

Is there an official age bracket that I should know about?

Posted by: Daniel Hall at June 23, 2009 11:46 PM

That you so much, I recently convinced my brother (much older and wiser) that Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan were not only amazing stories but brilliant film making. He still has yet to see them, this should be what it takes to push his old curmudgeony over the edge and finally check it out. Oh and this mini series should be the cat's pajamas.

Posted by: Nunzio Badalamenti at June 24, 2009 12:00 AM

My younger brother and I watched Saving Private Ryan for the first time a few days ago, late at night. My face wasn't showing it, but I was just torn up inside. Those first scenes were just "Wow." The little 12-year-old was ecstatic, but unaffected. I thought it was funny 'cause it's normally the reverse (he's a big chicken). He watches way too much Military Channel, that one.

Posted by: Katie (KP) at June 24, 2009 1:07 AM

I never saw Saving Private Ryan because it came out when I was in high school and I knew I couldn't take the violence. (I was a totally fraidy cat teen and I also knew it'd make me cry.) So, even though recently I've thought about renting it, I've just never got around to it. I have seen Band of Brothers, though, and was totally worth an entire Saturday. "Why We Fight" is one of the best things in the history of television.

Posted by: Austin asking for trouble at June 24, 2009 2:45 AM

"Is Jennifer Aniston a cougar?"

No. she's pathetic.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at June 24, 2009 7:01 AM

I thought a cougar was anyone old enough to be your mother.

I only watched the second half of SPR when darling hubby watched it. I cowered in the bathroom with the fan on until the initial carnage was over. I didn't come out until I heard a certain voice and thought, "Hey! That sounds like Nathan Fillion. And damn, HE'S Private Ryan?"

Posted by: BWeaves at June 24, 2009 9:26 AM

Band of Brother is some of the most brilliant, well-acted, sob-inducing filmaking imaginable. I will be ALL OVER THIS.

Posted by: Julie at June 24, 2009 9:43 AM

I challenge anyone who's watched SPR to get through a second viewing of the first 3 minutes without crying.

The pacific theater has been woefully underrepresented (Pearl Harbor and Wind Talkers did not happen). I just hope I learn from past mistakes and don't sit down to watch all 10 parts back-to-back like I did with BoB.

Posted by: ahamos at June 24, 2009 9:53 AM

I thought a cougar was anyone old enough to be your mother.

Posted by: BWeaves at June 24, 2009 9:26 AM

Shit, I hope not. My "cougar" would be drawing Social Security and I don't even want to think about that. God I'm old.

Damn.

Posted by: ed newman at June 24, 2009 11:43 AM

This one is based on "With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa" by E.B. Sledge.
Its a good read

Posted by: Grov505th at June 24, 2009 2:57 PM

Does anyone know what unit they are following?

BoB was the 101st Airborne Easy Company. That's why the story was done so well because not only were they real people but you following them throughout their engagement. I don't feel like doing the research to find out what Pacific will follow but I likely will before anyone posts a response.

Posted by: DeistBrawler at June 24, 2009 6:55 PM

If you're interested in the Pacific side of the war, you should check out the fantastic Australian miniseries "Changi"

http://www.abc.net.au/changi/

Posted by: M at June 24, 2009 7:53 PM

That looks awesome.

I now need to rewatch "Band of Brothers"

Posted by: Brian at June 24, 2009 10:22 PM

it's also based on "helmet for my pillow", a memoir by Robert leckie (who is one of the characters in the miniseries).

His name may be familiar to anyone who took American history in high school and read his "none died in vain", "geroege Washington's war", "from sea to shining sea", and "delivered from evil".

Posted by: siddhartha at June 24, 2009 11:01 PM

I actually really like WWII movies, but I thought SPR fell flat after those first incredible few minutes. I thought the characters were flat and relied largely on stereotyping. I know this is an unpopular opinion, but the movie as a whole never moved me as much as I felt it should've. I also think Hanks is a one-note hack, so that clouds my view. Again, an unpopular sentiment, I know.

The Pacific theatre is underrepresented, but the one part of that war that I seldom see represented ever is the Eastern Front. I know the U.S. wasn't central, but that was a horrific, horrific part of that war with far more civilian and serviceperson casualties.

I'd like to see more about WWI, too, but that's because I'm a huge history nerd.

Posted by: samantha t at June 25, 2009 3:05 PM

Pajiba

Pajiba: Reviews, Commentary, Angst

Spielberg and Hanks Return to World War II

Comments