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on June 27, 2017
The movie is excellent. Unfortunately, as with many fake-widescreen movies, the top and bottom of this movie has been dramatically chopped off to simulate widescreen. You are better off with the Universal DVD version if you want to see it as it was originally shown.
on September 21, 2012
This is by far not a pro-war movie, but rather a very objective view on how the Korean really was. There is no preaching here, no simple propaganda phrases, or exciting and fanatical soldiers.
This is in fact the precursor to anti-war movies that followed in the late sixties and throughout the seventies. But instead of criticizing one specific point, or a set of problems, it just shows the usual day of soldiers and officers sent into a desperate and untenable situation at the front.
The acting is practically perfect. No big drama here. If ever, the drama comes out of the story itself. No theatrics, no gimmick or tricks. Just an honest view on what men in such a situation had to endure and how they eventually managed to deal with it.
It is one of the most brutal and frank depictions shown by a movie of its kind in those days (in late fifties).
Gregory Peck, who is an excellent actor, with a very emblematic deep and theatrical voice, keeps his characterization honest and natural, as an officer forced to send his men out to risk their lives and eventually die, day after day, while peace talks are already taking place at a few miles from "Pork Chop Hill", where the action of this movie is set.
It is a movie well worth watching, or re-watching (in case you already saw it years ago), since every time you watch it, there is something new you may have missed in the previous viewing.
It is a hard movie. No frills, no colors, no spectacular heroics as they were usual in other movies of the time, but in return you get true movie making in a sort of a documentary-style depiction of the horrors of war.
I can absolutely recommend it to anyone who wants to round up his collection of War Movies about the Korean War, since this is certainly one of the most honest ones ever made.
The DVD has no big specials (sorry to say - it would have been nice if they had included at least a documentary about the Korean War, or about this particular action there), but at least the movie seems to have been restored in sight and sound.
For those who prefer to download the video from Amazon.com, I can assure you that what you get on the DVD, you also get by downloading it. Same quality in sight and sound.
Mind you, this is a full screen movie, 4x3 format, not filmed in 1.85:1 as generally assumed, and therefore the framing is correct. It is also in monaural sound, so do not expect it to be expanded. But dialogues are very clear and crisp, and the sound quality throughout is acceptable.
Good and happy viewing...
This is in fact the precursor to anti-war movies that followed in the late sixties and throughout the seventies. But instead of criticizing one specific point, or a set of problems, it just shows the usual day of soldiers and officers sent into a desperate and untenable situation at the front.
The acting is practically perfect. No big drama here. If ever, the drama comes out of the story itself. No theatrics, no gimmick or tricks. Just an honest view on what men in such a situation had to endure and how they eventually managed to deal with it.
It is one of the most brutal and frank depictions shown by a movie of its kind in those days (in late fifties).
Gregory Peck, who is an excellent actor, with a very emblematic deep and theatrical voice, keeps his characterization honest and natural, as an officer forced to send his men out to risk their lives and eventually die, day after day, while peace talks are already taking place at a few miles from "Pork Chop Hill", where the action of this movie is set.
It is a movie well worth watching, or re-watching (in case you already saw it years ago), since every time you watch it, there is something new you may have missed in the previous viewing.
It is a hard movie. No frills, no colors, no spectacular heroics as they were usual in other movies of the time, but in return you get true movie making in a sort of a documentary-style depiction of the horrors of war.
I can absolutely recommend it to anyone who wants to round up his collection of War Movies about the Korean War, since this is certainly one of the most honest ones ever made.
The DVD has no big specials (sorry to say - it would have been nice if they had included at least a documentary about the Korean War, or about this particular action there), but at least the movie seems to have been restored in sight and sound.
For those who prefer to download the video from Amazon.com, I can assure you that what you get on the DVD, you also get by downloading it. Same quality in sight and sound.
Mind you, this is a full screen movie, 4x3 format, not filmed in 1.85:1 as generally assumed, and therefore the framing is correct. It is also in monaural sound, so do not expect it to be expanded. But dialogues are very clear and crisp, and the sound quality throughout is acceptable.
Good and happy viewing...
on March 3, 2016
I remember watching this with my dad when it was released. I am so glad it has been released in BluRay as it has not lost it's power. Not only is it a great war movie, it also shows how out troops are often caught in the middle of political decisions and suffer while those at the top dicker. I am very happy to add it to my collection, especially since there are so few really good flicks about that "police action" that today's generation knows so little about. I also recommend "Retreat Hell," "The Bridges at Toko-Ri" and "MASH."
on July 11, 2014
This was on balance an Excellent War Movie about one of our most recent forgotten wars. It had gritty realism (for its time) in terms of the scenes of battle, the "Talk/Fight" period of the Korean War, the weariness of the Soldiers on Pork Chop and the capriciousness of war in terms of who survived and who did not. The only inaccuracy was the implication that the American Forces fighting under the UN banner held Pork Chop at the end of the battle. In point of fact the Americans quietly withdrew just before the Armistice took effect. To this day it sits on the North Korean side of the DMZ. It is a good movie to disabuse any fool who thinks War is "glorious". Any combat veteran of any war (and I am not one) will tell you that's a crock!
on May 9, 2007
If you are looking for a movie that demonstrates the mettle of American soldiers and leaders trapped in a desparate struggle against the odds, then this movie delivers.
While Saving Private Ryan has become something of a standard for reviewers of the war genre, Pork Chop Hill was one of its hard hitting predecessors. It did not need to show the blood and gore to get the point across... the brutality is apparent.
Gregory Peck also puts in what I think to be one of his best performances as the tough and dedicated lieutenant given a mission that wartime leaders hope they never get. "Fight what could be the last battle of a war", and all the while fighting your own chain of command to get the resources necessary to win. You get a taste of the politics behind the final days of the war... though for those who have served in Korea since the "Armistice", we all know the war never really ended.
To boot, you get numerous appearances by "soon to be" big names in hollywood. If you see someone that looks familiar despite the grime and grit on their faces, chances are, you are correct. Keep your eyes open.
Finally, the battle scenes are incredible and raise your blood pressure. You will experience "emotional" highs and lows as the battle for Pork Chop Hill wages on to the "end". Hills changes hands quite often during the final months of the Korean War, as our valient veterans could attest, but their courage was well preserved in this often overlooked movie.
Do not pass on this one.
While Saving Private Ryan has become something of a standard for reviewers of the war genre, Pork Chop Hill was one of its hard hitting predecessors. It did not need to show the blood and gore to get the point across... the brutality is apparent.
Gregory Peck also puts in what I think to be one of his best performances as the tough and dedicated lieutenant given a mission that wartime leaders hope they never get. "Fight what could be the last battle of a war", and all the while fighting your own chain of command to get the resources necessary to win. You get a taste of the politics behind the final days of the war... though for those who have served in Korea since the "Armistice", we all know the war never really ended.
To boot, you get numerous appearances by "soon to be" big names in hollywood. If you see someone that looks familiar despite the grime and grit on their faces, chances are, you are correct. Keep your eyes open.
Finally, the battle scenes are incredible and raise your blood pressure. You will experience "emotional" highs and lows as the battle for Pork Chop Hill wages on to the "end". Hills changes hands quite often during the final months of the Korean War, as our valient veterans could attest, but their courage was well preserved in this often overlooked movie.
Do not pass on this one.
on July 11, 2014
A war movie with Gregory Peck and a host of others portraying the taking and keeping of "Pork Chop Hill" based on a real life battle during the Korean war. Everything of a war movie is in here to make you feel the horror faced by relentless soldiers on both sides, and see the futility in war. The ensemble cast give stellar performances and you're in the trenches with them. For those into historical war movie collectors, this is a must have. And every time you watch it, you'll always be asking about "what if?" Too, think all folks should watch this movie before they allow their representatives to send their wives, husbands, sons, daughters, and more into war. Two thumbs up! God bless and make it your best day! :-)
At 2130 hours, 17 April 1953, with 14 men left standing in King Company are releived on Pork Chop Hill...
on May 7, 2016
The movie version of the Battle for Pork Chop Hill is based on the book by S.L.A. Marshall published in 1956. The film stars Gregory Peck and was released through United Artists. The story is true and well acted portrayal of the battle.
on September 25, 2015
Best movie ever made about the Korean War from the viewpoint of an infantry company. The best naval aviation Korean war movie being Bridges at Toko-ri. Gregory Peck seems a little too old to be a Lt. but his representation of an efficient infantry company commander is second to none. I would serve under someone like the officer he portrayed without hesitation. Battle scenes are well-staged and the Chinese bugles are exactly the way my Army ROTC instructors, who served in the Korean War, described when I was a cadet so long ago.
on January 11, 2014
Not sure if he won an Oscar for this but he should have. The movie itself was very good, but it suffers from some of the "hokiness" of war movies of the 1950s in that it over-emphasized some of the details of combat. Most prominent was the enemy standing up and revealing their position for long periods of time to throw multiple grenades at once.
Regardless, the movie was mostly true to military tactics and the types of interaction between soldiers and officers. Terrific cast in this film, Gregory Peck of course, Robert Blake, Rip Torn and Woody Strode to name a few. These guys showed their true acting skills.
I watched it via Amazon Instant Video (my first time using it) and the quality is great. Watched it in Chrome on Win 8.1.
Regardless, the movie was mostly true to military tactics and the types of interaction between soldiers and officers. Terrific cast in this film, Gregory Peck of course, Robert Blake, Rip Torn and Woody Strode to name a few. These guys showed their true acting skills.
I watched it via Amazon Instant Video (my first time using it) and the quality is great. Watched it in Chrome on Win 8.1.
