The Pacific - "Band of Brothers" follow-up.

[GORDON]

If you've never seen Band of Brothers, you are Wrong.

That being the case, I can't imagine "The Pacific" will be as good, but here's to hoping.

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[GORDON]

It started this week. Set your DVRs to catch a repeat of Sunday's first episode.

They had me right here:

"Those of you lucky enough to be going home for the holidays, take your families in your arms and hold them tight. Pray with them for peace on Earth. Then report here back to me. We are going to cross God's great ocean, meet our enemies, and kill them all."

- Chesty Puller

This one is about the Marines. A lot more coarse than the army guys in Band of Brothers.



Edited By GORDON on 1268704784

[Troy]

First one was Ok.

I heard it was the weakest of the new series though, and the episode has to introduce you to the characters anyway....

[GORDON]

I thought they did NOT do a great job introducing the characters.

BoB spent 2 or 3 episodes letting you get to know the cast before they even saw any combat and things got crazy. Doesn't feel like I know any of these guys yet, except for the sensitive machine gunner.

[thibodeaux]

To be fair, the 101st didn't even get into combat til halfway through 1944. The Marines got dumped on Guadalcanal in August, 1942.

[Troy]

I was reading that the 101 made for a good miniseries because Easy company saw action in every aspect of the European theater, from Normandy to Berlin, and it was very easy to do a time line to follow the company.

Because of the Island hopping of the Pacific, that would be impossible. Also, I think the easy company action went from 1944-1945? So only a year and a half? Easy to make things shorter and draw out the characters.

The pacific was like 4 years of hell, and there were so many islands that it's impossible to show the cast of characters together at once. End of the episode when they march by each other might be the only time they are even on the same island.

I thought they handled the Naval fight well... all those explosions, they were assuming they were winning, and then wake up to find the Navy gone, (I read that the Japanese fleet missed an opportunity and pulled back right after the victory, though.)

I have high hopes, and I'm sure it will be a Blue Ray Collection on my shelf in a year or so.


Edit: that machine gun that they are using is ridiculous, it's like having to assemble Ikea furniture every time they moved a position.



Edited By Troy on 1268745984

[GORDON]

Edit: that machine gun that they are using is ridiculous, it's like having to assemble Ikea furniture every time they moved a position.

I'm honestly not familiar with that gun. That hose on the front... probably for cooling, but possibly lubrication. But probably cooling.

Even the modern-day .50 cal machine gun needs 3 guys to hump it around. The barrel alone weighs approx 70 pounds, the tripod 50 (or I have that backwards? Been a long time), and the receiver somewhere in that neighborhood. Then you still have a few heavy-ass boxes of ammo that need to be carried around, and all of these Marines still have their personal weapons and ammo for those. Crew-served weapons are no joke.



edit - And oh, according to the Geneva Convention the weapon pictured above is not to be used on personnel, only "armor." We were taught, though, that if they have buttons on their uniforms, that counts as armor.



Ooh rah Marine Corps.



Edited By GORDON on 1268759174

[thibodeaux]

Cooling. Essentially a radiator.

M1917?

Water-cooled mgs were the norm in WWI, and since the Marines started WWII wearing old Doughboy-style tin hats and carrying Springfields, why not the same for the mgs?

The nice thing about water-cooled mgs is that you can fire them non-stop, as long as you got ammo. Pick up a copy of Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon sometime. It's got a great description of a water-cooled Vickers mg in action.

[GORDON]

The nice thing about water-cooled mgs is that you can fire them non-stop, as long as you got ammo. Pick up a copy of Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon sometime. It's got a great description of a water-cooled Vickers mg in action.

I did notice in the show that the machine gunner was NOT firing in 3-5 round bursts. I figured it must be for cooling since he didn't seem to be having issues with the barrel overheating.

Assuming the show would go into that much realism.... but so far the Marines feel right.

In BoB all the army guys were watching in horror as the city of Carentan (?) was firebombed and burned. As the Marines were watching the naval battle just off shore, you would think they were watching fireworks with all of the "oohs and ahs" and chuckling they were doing as a ship would blow up.

Yeah, Marines.

Also, did anyone notice how the bodies were desecrated by the Japanese? This show is not pulling punches. Rated-R right there, even before you factor in all the f-bombs.

[Troy]

I read on another site that the desecration is based on an actual account, and that in that real account, the American soldier's head had been cut off, along with his penis, and that the two had been combined, resting on his stomach.

After stuff like that, it's surprising that ANY prisoners at all were taken during Guadalcanal.



Edited By Troy on 1268764950

[GORDON]

I'm still loving this line, "Holy shit, it's Chesty Puller."

[Troy]

Going home to watch Pt 2.

Apparently it's all about "The most famous Marine in US History." I already know most of the story, but I think it will be almost unbelievable to see put to film.

[GORDON]

I will probably watch it tonight, as well.

Excited!

[Malcolm]

The nice thing about water-cooled mgs is that you can fire them non-stop, as long as you got ammo.

Well, and water. Seems to me to beat out swapping the barrels.

[thibodeaux]

The water recycles: it evaporates, then condenses into a bucket. That's what the hose is for.

[GORDON]

They really got a good feel for Marine mannerisms.

DO NOT READ PAST THIS POINT IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN EPISODE 2.






YOU WERE WARNED.




I was laughing hard...

One guy in the jungle with endless shits, the other guy puking up something that didn't agree with him, the guy with the shits fucking with the guy throwing up.... the guy throwing up trying to laugh and puke at the same time.

Fucking Marines.

[Malcolm]

The water recycles: it evaporates, then condenses into a bucket. That's what the hose is for.

The rate of condensation keeps up with the rate of evaporation?

[thibodeaux]

Beats me. I suppose there's probably leakage, too, but I mean it's like the radiator in your car, right?

[GORDON]

Not been impressed with the last 2 episodes.

Although the dummies with the "Tojo" and "Fuck Face" name tags made me laugh out loud.



Edited By GORDON on 1270697382

[Troy]

Yeah, this definitely isn't "Band of Brothers" good.

But they had a lot to live up to.

Still hoping it gets better. I think the dialogue and characters are worse in this one.