Pearl Harbor Has Been Revisited Often

“Pearl Harbor” is just one of many films, TV programs and documentaries chronicling the surprise attack by Japanese planes on U.S. forces on the island of Oahu on Dec. 7, 1941. With the new movie rekindling interest in the subject, several of these films have just come out in new editions on DVD. Here’s a look at some of the previous Pearl Harbor--related projects.

“December 7, 1941”: Winner of the 1943 Oscar for best documentary short subject, “December 7” was directed by John Ford and cinematographer Gregg Toland. It contains real footage from the attack and the aftermath, but the majority of the sequences were shot on the 20th Century Fox lot using miniatures. The recently released DVD (VCI) features several vintage newsreels of the attack, a short documentary by Frank Capra, “Know Your Enemy: Japan,” and the rarely seen uncut version of “December 7.” The originally 84-minute version was cut by the government producers of the film because they feared the depiction of the losses incurred in the attack would hurt morale. This “censored” version, which dates very badly, features a a lengthy introductory scene that takes place Dec. 6, 1941, starring Walter Huston as Uncle Sam and Henry Davenport as Conscience of America. Conscience keeps warning Uncle Sam that the Japanese living in Hawaii are spies and to beware. Of course, Uncle Sam doesn’t and the attack soon follows. Dana Andrews appears at the conclusion as the ghost of a serviceman who was killed in the attack.

“From Here to Eternity”: Fred Zinnemann directed this multi-Oscar-winning 1953 adaptation of James Jones’ landmark novel about the lives and loves of a group of servicemen stationed in Honolulu just prior to the Dec. 7 attack. Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Montgomery Clift and Academy Award-winners Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed star in this mature, moving drama. The attack on Pearl Harbor makes a dramatic, gripping and tragic conclusion to the film.

In 1979, NBC presented a well-received six-hour miniseries version of “From Here to Eternity,” with William Devane, Natalie Wood, Steve Railsback, Joe Pantoliano and Kim Basinger. The following year, NBC transformed it into a short-lived weekly series set in 1942.

“Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse: Time Element”: Rod Serling penned this eerie 1958 sci-fi thriller that is the precursor to his groundbreaking series, “The Twilight Zone.” Set in Honolulu, this time-bending tale stars William Bendix and Martin Balsam.

“I Bombed Pearl Harbor”: A 1962 Japanese production about the secret attack stars Toshiro Mifune; Shuei Matsubayashi directed. Also known in the U.S. as “Attack Squadron,” “Storm Over the Pacific” and “Kamikaze.”

“In Harm’s Way”: Otto Preminger directed this turgid, overlong 1965 World War II epic set at the outset of the global conflict. The attack on Pearl Harbor arrives early in the film. Although the attack scenes are quite impressive, the majority of the action concentrates on the attack by a Japanese sub on an American cruiser heading back to Pearl. John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Tom Tryon, Patricia Neal, Franchot Tone and Dana Andrews are among the stars. Hugh O’Brian plays one of the battleship’s commanders who wakes up on the beach during the attack having spent the night there with a rather shady lady.

Paramount Home Video has just released the DVD of “In Harm’s Way,” featuring a lovely wide-screen transfer of the film, a trailer and a short “making of” documentary.

“Tora! Tora! Tora!”: This big-budget 1970 extravaganza tells the story of Pearl Harbor from both the American and Japanese points of view. Richard Fleischer directed the American parts and Toshio Masuda and Kinji Fukasaku the Japanese sections (Akira Kurosawa was the original Japanese director but he left the project). The first half of the movie deals with the political maneuverings and mistakes made by both camps. The attack takes up more than 30 minutes of screen time and is quite suspenseful and impressive. “Tora!” ended up winning the Oscar for its then-cutting edge special effects. Martin Balsam and Jason Robards are among the American stars.

Fox has just released a special DVD edition “Tora!” that includes a wide-screen transfer of the film, theatrical trailers, a new, compelling documentary, “Day of Infamy,” and commentary from Fleischer and Japanese film historian Stewart Galbraith.

“Pearl”: A 1978 ABC miniseries that is melodramatic to the max. The ensemble pieces follow the lives of a cross-section of people living in Honolulu just before the Pearl Harbor attack. Robert Wagner, Lesley Ann Warren, Dennis Weaver, Max Gail, Mary Crosby, Brian Dennehy, Angie Dickinson and Adam Arkin star. Joseph Campanella is the narrator. Directed by Hy Averback and Alexander Singer; written by Stirling Silliphant.

“The Winds of War”: Herman Wouk wrote this literate adaptation of his long novel that spanned the early years of World War II--from Hitler invading Poland in 1939 to the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. One of the most popular miniseries ever made, audiences in 1983 were glued to their sets watching the 18-hour “Winds” over seven nights. Dan Cutis directed the award-winning epic that starred Robert Mitchum, Ali MacGraw, Jan-Michael Vincent, John Houseman, Polly Bergen, David Dukes, Ralph Bellamy and Victoria Tennant.