New on DVD 5/8

Monday, May 7, 2007

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There are probably more (and if I find them I'll edit this post!) but here are a pair of "double feature" DVD's from Republic starring the Duke.

The Fighting Seabees/Wake of the Red Witch (1949)

THE FIGHTING SEABEES - All-American hero John Wayne takes a crew of construction workers and turns them into one of WWII's toughest fighting forces in this action-packed war classic. After having convinced the Army brass to let his civilians bear arms, Wedge Donovan ( Wayne) whips his new troops into combat shape. But when he leads his unit in an alll-out assult against the Japanese, Donovan is brought up on court-martial charges and must fight for his life on a new battlefield. THE FIGHTING SEABEES offers an entertaining combination of strong supporting performances by Daniel O'Keefe and ravishing, about-to-be-superstar Susan Hayward; brawlinlg, big budget action sequences; and an Oscar-nominated score- all of which led Leonard Maltin to give "3 stars" to this spirited saga turned box office bonanza.

WAKE OF THE RED WITCH - John Wayne battles enemies above and below the waves - including a giant killer octopus - in WAKE OF THE RED WITCH. This sprawling epic adventure pits the tough-minded Captain Ralls (John Wayne) against the treacherous Captain Sidneye (Luther Adler) in a bitter rivalry on a South Seas isle. At stake is a fortune in pearls hidden in an underwater cave. At risk is the hand of the beautiful Angelique (Gail Russell), daughter of Desiax, the tyrant ruler of the island who plans to marry her off to Sidneye. In an attempt to rescue Angelique, Ralls must seize the pearls and exchange them for her freedom. The danger continues as fate holds one final test of strength and bravery for the bold Captain and the woman he loves.

Sands of Iwo Jima/Flying Tigers (1950)

SANDS OF IWO JIMA - John Wayne catapulted from Hollywood leading man to All-American hero with his Oscar-nominated performance as Sgt. Sryker, a hard-nosed Marine sergeant who must mold a company of raw recruits into a combat-ready fighting machine. Feared by many and hated by all, Stryker's training is soon put to the test in a full-scale assault against the Japanese on Iwo Jima - an infamous battle that will live forever in one of cinema's most famous scenes, the flag-raising on Mt. Suribachi.

FLYING TIGERS - They were the terror of the sky, a small daring band of American mercenaries who soared into battle against the Japanese in defense of China's freedom. They were aces, adventurers and heroes, America's hottest fighter pilots - THE FLYING TIGERS! Possessing unmatched skill and bravery, Jim Gordon (John Wayne), the Tigers' commander, is the top gun of China's skies. But he faces a battle on the ground when his good friend Woody Jason is suspected of recklessly causing the death of a fellow pilot and is accused of stealing Jim's fiancee. Jim's fight to retain his respect for Woody while maintaining the solidarity of his pilots is an explosive battle of courage and heroism that lights up the sky with action!

I've seen Flying Tigers, and I don't know why I haven't put a review here yet!  Gads!  Asleep at the wheel!

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  1. Flying Tigers (1942)
  2. Review of Sands of Iwo Jima/Flying Tigers DVD
  3. Flying Leathernecks (1951)
  4. John Woo on “Red Cliff” and “The Flying Tigers”
  5. Wake Island (1942)
  6. The Sands of Iwo Jima (1949)
  7. Bombardier (1943)

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