Customer Reviews

Flight from Ashiya ( Ashiya kara no hiko ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Spain ]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Flashbacks and romantic interludes bog down the epic set pieces of Director Michael Anderson's 'FLIGHT FROM ASHIYA'. A co-production between Harold Hecht and Japan's Daiei Studios, its focused on the U.S. Air Force Rescue Team and three men who work together carrying out the missions. The three played by Yul Brynner, Richard Widmark, and George Chakiris are sent to save Japanese survivors bobbing on flimsy ship debris in the middle of a storm ravaged sea and we, the viewers, must partake of flashback sequences explaining our heroes quirky qualities. Chakiris must cope with his guilt at leaving survivors behind to face death, Widmark must overcome his hatred for the Japanese in causing the demise of his true love played by Shirley Knight, and Yul Brynner has to cope with his guilt of accidentally killing his love played by the hauntingly beautiful French actress Daniele Gaubert. Actress/model Suzy Parker is wasted in the role of Yul's new inamorata and is required to just stand around ,get kissed or get coffee. All this as they strive to rescue the survivors at sea. The production design is credited to Eugene Lourie, a film director in his own right and responsible for one of the best monster movies of the fifties 'THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS'-1953 and its relatives 'THE GIANT BEHEMOTH'-1958 and 'GORGO'- 1961 but you can see the beautiful miniatures are from the Daiei studios who gave Toho Productions a run for their money in their own giant monster forays. You will also spot actor Tetsu Nakamura who played the crazy mad scientist in 'THE MANSTER'-1962 as a cold blooded Japanese commander who refuses medication to Knight. You'll also hear the immortal voice of actor Paul Frees over the end credits. Unfortunately, the soap opera interludes written by Elliot Arnold and Waldo Salt slow down the film causing the viewer to head scratch at what type of film their watching. Anderson would go on to direct the excellent actioner 'OPERATION CROSSBOW' a few years later. But the one key element of the film that stands out is the ethereal beauty and haunting presence of Daniele Gaubert who would perform five years later in Director Radley Metzger's 'CAMILLE 2000' and steal that film as well. Her performance shatters the screen and makes you forget everything about 'FLIGHT FROM ASHIYA'. MGM Limited releases it in a 2.35 transfer which is a little on the soft side but crystal clear none the less and available at a nice price from Amazon as a made to order DVD-R.

This 1964 film about the Air Rescue Service has more drama (and melodrama) than aviation. Richard Widmark, Yul Brynner, and George Chakiris crew an Air Force rescue bird out of Japan, and as the plot unfolds -- a rescue of Japanese sailors after the loss of their ship -- each man is dealing with issues from World War II and an earlier ARS assignment in Germany.

The aircraft starring in the film are the HU-16 Albatross flying boat and the HH-19 Chickasaw helicopter, with a DC-3 as a supporting actor. Actual footage of the birds are mixed with special effects. Specialized equipment (JATO bottles, rafts), use of checklists, and crew coordination -- not thrilling in themselves -- convey the need for technical mastery in flying the dangerous air rescue missions.

I remember that in Air Force ROTC summer training in 1966 we spent some time in the water learning how to get into an inflated rescue raft -- it's not as easy as it looks! If you're "into" aviation films, add this one to your list, but it can be down some in your queue.

-30-

This is a movie I saw years ago and always remembered. I never thought I would own it. Excellent cast - Yul Brynner, Richard Widmark and the BEAUTIFUL George Chakiris. Many have been critical of this movie but it is a movie. Movies were made to escape from our everyday lives. From Yul Brynner crying, "Laila, Laila!" to Suzy Parker saying that love is la petite morte, loving him but he doesn't notice... We all want to be remembered. We all want to be loved.

One of my all-time favorite Air Force aviation movies. Technically accurate, especially in terms of the Air Rescue Service. It helps that I knew an aircrew member from the unit the movie was based on and who was serving with the unit while the movie was being filmed.

The new DVD from Amazon arrived promptly in good shape. I was statoned at Ashiya AB on the north coast of Kyushu, Japan, '57-'60. I was an Aircraft Maintenance Officer with the 483rd Flightline Maintenance Squadron. We had 37 C-119s and 3 C-47s at the time. There was also an air/sea rescue squadron at the base flying Grumman SA-16 Albatross, 2-engine amphibian flyingboats. I'd seen the movie not long after returning to the States. I remembered that it had scenes of SA-16s and C-47s in flight and on the ground.

I'd read a condensed version of the book and recently decided to try Amazon to see whether I could had a complete copy of the book and a tape or DVD version of the movie. Amazaon had both! The complete book discussed life at the base for the rescue squadron and mentioned many familiar places. While the movie was obviously not shot at Ashiya, the scenes showing the actual aircraft are qutie interesting. The story was also very entertaining with good performances by Yul Brinner and Richard Widmark.

I'm a little disappointed with this film as judging from the cast one expects more action instead of eachone's remembering the past in flasbacks. The acting is good and entertaining but in MY view, unenthralling. This is jus t my opinion, someone else might enjoy it!!!
Allen Two Feathers.

super dvd of a very rare film i have been looking for a long time for this title I love to watch films starring Yul Brynner excellent picture joe from MALTA

I think that the wait was well worth it.

Any movie including Yul Brynner should be considered a must.

But there are still some missing, just like "The Brothers Karamazov" and "Once More with Feeling" (the original one, filmed in the early sixties, also starring Kay Kendall).

This is no exception to the rule and although a bit on the silly side of Hollywoodiana, still it has its moments and is well worth watching.

It is an unpretentious adventure movie set somewhere in Africa and is more a vehicle to advertise for the Air Rescue Service than anything else.
This was a typical procedure that lasted almost thirty years. Making movies about Governmental Agencies, with the help of those directly involved.
This usually helped finance such movies and guaranteed full cooperation of such authorities.
Unfortunately, at the same time, movie crews had to submit to some of the requirements that these authorities demanded.

So, all in all, as said, this is not a bad movie, just a bit biased.

Yet, this said, who could pass on an occasion to watch Yul Brynner, Richard Widmark and George Chakiris in action?

The DVD is plainly just filled with the movie itself. No extras here, just in case you were looking for some.

The picture though is in Widescreen, pristine and clean (no restoring here, but exceptionally good quality). The sound is plain Dolby Digital Mono,
although on my system I have it on two stereo channels and not just out in the Center channel. Quality of this is also exceptionally clear and well-rounded.
By well-rounded, I mean full sound, not that kind of "tinny" Mono sound one is usually receiving out of purely Mono tracks in his speakers.

If you like adventure movies, then this one is for you. Enjoy it as such, not expecting too much out of it and you'll be pleasantly surprised.