Sands of Iwo Jima - BLU-RAY

John Wayne earned a 1949 Best Actor Academy Award nomination for one of his most iconic roles, as the battle-hardened leader of a squad of recruits, in Allan Dwan's SANDS OF IWO JIMA. Haunted by his personal demons, Marine Sgt. John Stryker is both hated and feared by his men, who see him as a cold-hearted sadist. But when their boots hit the beaches, they begin to understand the reason for Stryker's rigid form of discipline, as he leads them into one of the most treacherous battles in the Pacific. Emotionally gripping, punctuated with intense battle scenes, all bound together by Wayne's larger-than-life performance, Sands of Iwo Jima is the quintessential WWII film.

Two-disc set includes Flags Of Our Fathers (2006)Directed by Clint Eastwood (and filmed back to back with InchLetters from Iwo JimaInch), this remarkable WWII drama chronicles the fates of the six men whose raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima was immortalized in an iconic photograph. After returning to the U.S., the three surviving men become unwitting symbols of the Allied cause-resulting in feelings of grief and exploitation. Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach, Barry Pepper star; based on the book by James Bradley and Ron Powers. 132 min. C/Rtg R Letters From Iwo Jima (2006)Clint Eastwood's powerful companion piece to InchFlags of Our FathersInch tells the story of the battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of a group of Japanese soldiers. Among the men sent to defend the island from the imminent American attack are a baker who longs to see his newborn daughter, an equestrian champion, an idealistic military policeman, and a controversial commanding general. Ken Watanabe, Kazunari Ninomiya, Tsuyoshi Ihara star. 140 min. In English and Japanese with English subtitles. C/Rtg R Widescreen; Soundtrack English. Region Free

Mastered in 4K from 35mm film elements preserved by the Cinémathèque Française and Paul Killiam. Additional material provided by Eye Filmmuseum. The film has been color tinted according to instructions in the 1922 continuity script. Special thanks to the Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, David Pierce, and Ken Winokur.