KAMIKAZE MOVIE - ARTICLE FROM PACIFIC FLYER

[FLYBOYJ]

Filming was underway last month at Big Sky Ranch in Simi Valley, Calif. for a Japanese production called "The Winds of God" about WW II kamikaze pilots.

Since there apparently aren't any Zeros in Japan, aerial coordinator Mike Patlin collared planes from the Commemorative Air Force at Camarillo (Zero and F6F) and The Planes of Fame air museum with pilots Steve Barber, Mark Matye and Steve Hinton for the aerial scenes.

The story is about two failing modern-day comedians of Asian ancestry called the Samurai Brothers who awake to find themselves as Japanese aviators in a Kamikaze squadron after a collision between their Harley and a truck. After they realize where they are, and when, they try to convince their fellow pilots and officers that the suicides are unnecessary and useless but are unsuccessful.

Moreover, their attempts are considered traitorous but since they appear in the bodies of two highly-respected squadron pilots, they are given some slack with their comments attributed to war fatigue. Only one of the pilots believes their outlandish story of being from the future, especially after the bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as they predicted, but he is soon sent off on a suicide flight.

One by one, their fellow pilots go off to be annihilated until their turn comes and one of them awakes in a New York hospital with his unconscious friend in an adjoining bed. His friend never awakes but the character, now known as Mike Kissinger, survives.

There's a twist at the end but since this movie is being made for Japanese audiences it's unlikely to be shown in the U.S. or in English.

The story is from an original script by Masayuki Imai.

Editor's Note: I spent two years in Japan, from the end of 1960 through 1962 and, oddly enough, the most popular movies were American war films about our battles with the Japanese empire. A Japanese friend told me that her people judged them to be "morality plays."

Even more curious, as I traveled around the far reaches of Japan, I actually met people who didn't realize they had lost the war. They thought I was a prisoner who had been released.

[evangilder]

I heard about the story down at the museum. Sounds kind of far fetched, but hey, they paid to have our planes up. When they did some of the flying right there at CMA, there were a bunch of Japanese nationals eating it up. They had never seen one fly. When Steve Barber brought it in for a landing, all the Japanese were bowing and shouting "Banzai, Steve!". Steve, being the natural ham he is, encouraged it and it went on for quite some time.

As an aside, the Japanese constitution prevents any Zeroes from flying over Japanese airspace ever again, even today.

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by evangilder

As an aside, the Japanese constitution prevents any Zeroes from flying over Japanese airspace ever again, even today.

That's Great!