Ed Rotondaro
06-20-2008, 07:17 PM
Hi:
A new Japanese film entitled "Orion in Midsummer" covering the end of the war in the Pacific is being filmed and of all places in my old home town of Albany NY. Why you ask? Well because the only surviving Destroyer Escort in the US is there.
Several years back, the USS Slater, a Cannon class DE, was acquired from Greece by the Destroyer Escorts Sailor Association. After a 10 year restoration she was brought up to Albany and docked on the Hudson River where she has been maintained by local volunteers.
The Japanese director Mr. Shohei Kotaki chose the Slater over the USS Kidd which is land docked and a DD to boot and over several DEs in the Philippines because the Slater has not been modified out of recognition and looks pretty as she did in 1945. The director appreciates the fact that he won't need CGI to duplicate the weaponry on the ship. The only change will be that the K-guns will not be fired with real propellant due to insurance purposes; compressed air will duplicate the effect.
The story is apparently based on information the director received while working with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Forces on another project. The captain in the film is based on a historical officer Capt. Hashinato who refused to depoy suicide Kaiten torpedoes. The avowed purpose is to honor the veterans on both sides according to the director. He has the backing of the local Destroyer History Foundation in Saratoga Springs and here's hoping the story will be fair and balanced.
Here is a link to the USS Slater website: http://www.ussslater.org/
Here is a link to the article in Metroland magazine, a local entertainment weekly:
http://www.metroland.net/arts_feature.html
End of Ed's proud home town rant.:D
A new Japanese film entitled "Orion in Midsummer" covering the end of the war in the Pacific is being filmed and of all places in my old home town of Albany NY. Why you ask? Well because the only surviving Destroyer Escort in the US is there.
Several years back, the USS Slater, a Cannon class DE, was acquired from Greece by the Destroyer Escorts Sailor Association. After a 10 year restoration she was brought up to Albany and docked on the Hudson River where she has been maintained by local volunteers.
The Japanese director Mr. Shohei Kotaki chose the Slater over the USS Kidd which is land docked and a DD to boot and over several DEs in the Philippines because the Slater has not been modified out of recognition and looks pretty as she did in 1945. The director appreciates the fact that he won't need CGI to duplicate the weaponry on the ship. The only change will be that the K-guns will not be fired with real propellant due to insurance purposes; compressed air will duplicate the effect.
The story is apparently based on information the director received while working with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Forces on another project. The captain in the film is based on a historical officer Capt. Hashinato who refused to depoy suicide Kaiten torpedoes. The avowed purpose is to honor the veterans on both sides according to the director. He has the backing of the local Destroyer History Foundation in Saratoga Springs and here's hoping the story will be fair and balanced.
Here is a link to the USS Slater website: http://www.ussslater.org/
Here is a link to the article in Metroland magazine, a local entertainment weekly:
http://www.metroland.net/arts_feature.html
End of Ed's proud home town rant.:D