Based on the book by James Bradley and Ron Powers.

There were no cheering crowds to see Mike, Harlon, Ira, Doc, Rene and Franklin off as they departed Camp Tarawa. To maintain military secrecy they journeyed in the dead of night. Their destination was island X. That was all they knew. Through a hail of machine-gun and mortar fire that left the beaches strewn with comrads, the American Marines battled to the island's highest peak. And there they raised a flag. Here is the true story behind perhaps the most famous moment in American military history--the raising of the U.S. flag on the Pacific island of Iwo Jima, February 23, 1945--and the immortal photograph that lifted the heart and spirit of a nation at war. James Bradley is the son of John "Doc" Bradley, one of the six flag raisers. In the course of writing "Flags of Our Fathers," James Bradley conducted more than 300 interviews with World War II veterans and their families." --Cover Video for American Cinema Class.

Director of photography, Tom Stern ; editor, Joel Cox ; original music, Clint Eastwood ; costume designer, Deborah Hopper ; production designer, Henry Bumstead ; special effects supervisor, Steve Riley ; visual effects supervisor, Michael Owens.

Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach, John Benjamin Hickey, John Slattery, Barry Pepper, Jamie Bell, Paul Walker, Robert Patrick, Neal McDonough, Melanie Lynskey, Tom McCarthy, Chris Bauer.

MPAA rating: R; for scenes of graphic war violence & carnage and for language.

DVD, region 1, widescreen presentation; Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo., surround.

English (Dolby 5.1, Dolby 2.0) or French (Dolby 5.1) dialogue, English or Spanish subtitles; closed-captioned.

Satellite Awards, 2006: Best Art direction & Production Design ; Best Cinematography ; Best Director (Clint Eastwood)