DAVID BIANCULLI

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ERIC GOULD

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NOEL HOLSTON

 
 
 
 
 
IWO JIMA: FROM COMBAT TO COMRADES
November 10, 2015  | By David Bianculli

PBS, 8:00 p.m. ET

 
What a difference 70 years can make. In this new documentary, produced and directed by Carol L. Fleisher and hosted by Ryan Phillippe, the battle of Iwo Jima is recounted – from both sides, as in Ken Burns’ War documentary miniseries, which makes it a more complete and thoughtful kind of history lesson altogether. The footage in this program, including its reunion of veteran soldiers from both sides of the conflict, is provided by both U.S. and Japanese documentary crews – who are working together as an indicator of how much allegiances, as well as times, can change. The tastefulness and emotional heft of this program, tied to Veterans Day, is welcome, but not unexpected – given that this is the final TV production from executive producer Arnold Shapiro, a long-time TV veteran himself, whose career credits include that groundbreaking 1970s documentary about an inspirational prison program, Scared Straight! Check local listings.
 
 
 
 
 
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