Kokoda movie trailer

[Ketou]

Here's a trailer for Kokoda.

http://www.kokodathemovie.com/video/Kokoda_large.mov

Be interesting to see how the Japanese are portrayed.

[Charles]

Two Thumbs Up

This movie has the makings of a classic. Judging from the trailer, it has everything I could ever want in a war movie:

1. Cowardly ozzie soldiers running in fear.
2. Ozzies getting ripped to shreds by machine guns.
3. A laughable revisionist theme that attempts to relabel a defeat as a victory.

The only thing missing is the off-screen action by the Americans, taking the heat off these cowardly ozzies by invading New Guinea.

[Ketou]

Two Thumbs Up

This movie has the makings of a classic. Judging from the trailer, it has everything I could ever want in a war movie:

1. Cowardly ozzie soldiers running in fear.
2. Ozzies getting ripped to shreds by machine guns.
3. A laughable revisionist theme that attempts to relabel a defeat as a victory.

The only thing missing is the off-screen action by the Americans, taking the heat off these cowardly ozzies by invading New Guinea.

Kokoda is in New Guinea......
Not sure how one goes about invading a place that's being defended by ones allies...

[Greji]

Kokoda is in New Guinea......
Not sure how one goes about invading a place that's being defended by ones allies...

You ask Charles to plan the attack!

[Charles]

Kokoda is in New Guinea......
Not sure how one goes about invading a place that's being defended by ones allies...

Not sure how one labels a disastrous retreat in the face of overwhelming Japanese forces as a "defense."

But then, we're talking about ozzies here, who have an annual celebration on the anniversary of their worst military defeat.

[kurohinge1]

Here's a trailer for Kokoda.

http://www.kokodathemovie.com/video/Kokoda_large.mov

Be interesting to see how the Japanese are portrayed.

I think the real litmus test of these movies is what the veterans think.

I haven't seen this movie yet but was amused to see a veteran interviewed who had and he said something like "They were using the "F" word a lot - we didn't really use that word back then ...". Different generations.

"Saving Private Ryan" seemed to get good reviews from vets as being more true to the carnage and, importantly, the sound of the D-day invasion, not to mention the realistic-looking tanks and half-tracks. A long way from the John Wayne-type movies (not his fault), with almost no background sound and ex-allied surplus vehicles (with completely the wrong shape) being painted with enemy markings.

Another good one in this genre is the German film "Stalingrad" from about 1993.

Just my 2 cents.

See also: Australia Tried to Broker Japan Peace Deal

[Ketou]

Not sure how one labels a disastrous retreat in the face of overwhelming Japanese forces as a "defense."

But then, we're talking about ozzies here, who have an annual celebration on the anniversary of their worst military defeat.

Yes I'm sure you would have trouble understanding the concepts of mateship and courage in the face of overwhelming odds. This is the theme that is celebrated by Australians. Although even Americans have a place for it too. Remember the Alamo?

I'm not sure how you would define disastrous, but the fighting retreat of a single militia Battalion(initially only B company) armed with Enfield 303s vs 2000 troops of 144th Regiment South Seas Detachment and 5th Sasebo Naval Landing Force armed with heavy machine guns and mortars is far far from a military disater.
The real disaster lies with the eternal idiots Blamey and MacArthur. These are the fools who sent untrained and poorly equiped militia against Japanese elite units. And the same fools who would repeatedly refuse requests for supplies and reinforcements whilst refusing to believe the Japanese would bother to assualt Kokoda.


ps. I know Charles is just trolling but it's fun to point out the holes in his 'projected' intellect.

[cstaylor]

The real disaster lies with the eternal idiots Blamey and MacArthur. These are the fools who sent untrained and poorly equiped militia against Japanese elite units. And the same fools who would repeatedly refuse requests for supplies and reinforcements whilst refusing to believe the Japanese would bother to assualt Kokoda.

Not sure how you could blame MacArthur, since he had no military forces available to provide reinforcements. Blame the limeys, since they refused to let the diggers return to defend their homes.

[emperor]

was amused to see a veteran who had said "They were using the "F" word a lot - we didn't really use that word back then ...".

My relatives only remember its use from the 60s onwards.

The "...these pathetic volunteer soldiers..." quote is funny just cause of the smiley downs-syndrome like expressions of the young-fellas that they run along with it.

I definitely give it a watch... in divx or xvid format

[Ketou]

Not sure how you could blame MacArthur, since he had no military forces available to provide reinforcements. Blame the limeys, since they refused to let the diggers return to defend their homes.

Hehe bloody poms.

MacArthur bears a burden of blame because he was Commander-in-Chief of the South-West Pacific Area at the time. He was also located in Australia and had 11 Australian divisions and 2 American divisions at his command.



http://www.battleforaustralia.org.au/kokoda11.html

http://ajrp.awm.gov.au/ajrp/remember.nsf/pages/NT0000231E

Although I think some of the criticisms of MacArthur may be a bit harsh.

[Greji]

Not sure how you could blame MacArthur, since he had no military forces available to provide reinforcements. Blame the limeys, since they refused to let the diggers return to defend their homes.

Here is a bit on the battle in a nutshell, somewhat long but an interesting read to anyone, except probably Charles:


THE KOKODA TRACK

Between 21 July and 14 September 1942, 2,000 Australian troops defended the Kokoda Track leading to Port Moresby against 10,000 elite, battle-toughened Japanese troops. The Australians were ill-equipped, poorly supplied, and facing an enemy determined to brush them aside and capture Port Moresby. These circumstances forced the Australians to stage a fighting withdrawal lasting four weeks across the ridges and valleys of the Kokoda Track to Imita Ridge on the mountains overlooking Port Moresby. During those four weeks of bloody fighting on the Kokoda Track the Australians suffered very heavy casualties.

This cross-section map of the Owen Stanley Range may assist viewers to gain an appreciation of the rugged terrain over which the Kokoda Campaign was fought in 1942.



The appalling conditions on the Kokoda Track

To add to the problems of the Australian troops, conditions on the Kokoda Track were appalling. The narrow dirt track climbed steep heavily timbered mountains, and then descended into deep valleys choked with dense rain forest. The steep gradients and the thick vegetation made movement difficult, exhausting, and at times dangerous. Razor-sharp kunai grass tore at their clothing and slashed their skin. The average annual rainfall over most of the Kokoda Track is about 5 metres (16 feet), and daily rainfalls of 25 centimetres (10 inches) are not uncommon. When these rains fell, dirt tracks quickly dissolved into calf-deep mud which exhausted the soldiers after they had struggled several hundred metres through it. Sluggish streams in mountain ravines quickly became almost impassable torrents when the rains began to fall.

Supply was a nightmare for the soldiers on the Kokoda Track, because every item of food, ammunition and equipment had to be man-handled along the track or dropped by air. Heat, oppressive humidity, mosquitos and leeches added to the discomfort of the rain-drenched Australian soldiers who were often without adeqate food and even a cup of tea.

As the Australians were digging in to make a last stand at Imita Ridge, the Japanese drive towards Port Moresby ran out of steam. In their fierce determination to overcome the Australians, the Japanese had sustained nearly 3,000 battle casualties on the Kokoda Track. Their supply lines were in chaos, their troops were starving and exhausted, and the Japanese Army General Staff acknowledged defeat on the Kokoda Track. On the evening of 25 September 1942, when the Japanese could see the lights of Port Moresby, the Japanese general was ordered to withdraw his battered army to the beachheads at Gona-Buna. Port Moresby had been saved.

[Hanakuso]

Ill go see the film, I hope it dosnt turn out to be a nationalism fest.. I dont get that impression from the trailer though. My grandfather who passed away about two weeks ago was sent to Kokoda. I never really realised just how tough it was for them..

Its strange... Two generations later and his grandson is going out with a Japanese girl.

[jingai]

Ill go see the film, I hope it dosnt turn out to be a nationalism fest.. I dont get that impression from the trailer though. My grandfather who passed away about two weeks ago was sent to Kokoda. I never really realised just how tough it was for them..

Its strange... Two generations later and his grandson is going out with a Japanese girl.

Hell, that generation was going out with Japanese girls (albeit, not likely the same solidiers who were in active combat against the Japanese army). My grandmother told me not to come home with a "war bride" in 2000.

[GomiGirl]

I have been to the Kokoda train just outside of Port Mosesby. Didn't stay long or wander around much as it is a fairly dangerous place these days for little white chicks. The week before I went there was a couple who were murdered but not before the girl had been gang raped by 13 "Rascals". This was a few years ago now but I don't think that it has improved all that much since.

[kurohinge1]

. . . just outside of Port Mosesby . . .

Is that on the Red Sea?

]http://www.biblevideo.org/assets/images/P-MOSES_CALLS_TUNNEL_OPENS.JPG[/IMG]

[GomiGirl]

Picky picky...

[Greji]

but not before the girl had been gang raped by 13 "Rascals".

Is Rascal the name of the Kanagawa raccoon in question? Probably the reason the J's have become exterminating them.

[Big Booger]

I saw this film and thought it was pretty good. I thought it was interesting how they added to the realism of war (the guy shitting himself was a bit comical but it had to have happened).

Overall I liked the movie but there was something about it that didn't mesh up totally for me... I couldn't quite place it though. Overall though I liked the film and would recommend it. I place it somewhere in the are of Saving Ryan's Privates and Brotherhood.

[Charles]

Yahoo serious about Kokoda movie

YOUNG Einstein director and actor Yahoo Serious is planning another cinematic release but it won't be his absurd take on history - it will be a serious flick about the Kokoda Track.

Serious and Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea Chris Moraitis lunched last Friday in Port Moresby to discuss pertinent issues pertaining to Kokoda Track protection and film production.



Serious, who also produced, wrote and starred in film comedies Reckless Kelly and Mr Accident, has walked the Kokoda Track several times and is now a Kokoda Track Foundation (KTF) board member.

Serious was unavailable for comment but according to the KTF website the movie is already in production.

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