The Bismarck Convoy Smashed

Bismark Convoy Smashed!
Directed by Ken G. Hall (uncredited)
Produced by Ken G. Hall (uncredited)
Narrated by Peter Bathurst
Cinematography Damien Parer
Edited by Terry Banks
Production
company
Cinesound Productions
Department of Information
Release date
19 March 1943
Running time
9 minutes
Country Australia
Language English

Bismark Convoy Smashed! is a 1943 Australian documentary film about the Battle of the Bismark Sea on 2–3 March resutling in the destruction of 22 Japanese ships, their crews and 15,000 soldiers.

It was also known as Battle of the Bismark Sea.

It used footage shot by Damien Parer.[1][2]

Plot

The story of a convoy of Japanese ships through the Bismark Sea which were attacked by the American Air Force and RAAF.

Production

Parer later said he was too busy to be scared filming the action.[3][4]

Reception

The Recorder stated that "the thrill is contagious, and the watcher finds himself leaning well for ward in his seat to see the next episode of the great air victory—one of the biggest of the war. "Battle of the Bismarck Sea" is really something worthwhile in screen fare. If it were four times the length it would still be absorbing. All should see."[5] The Sydney Morning Herald wrote that:

The newsreel pictures... are among the most dramatic to be screened in Sydney. They offer a thrilling bird's-eye view of the bombing and machine-gunning of the Japanese convoy by Austra-lian and American pilots. Many of the attacks were made by pilots flying above the enemy at only mast-high levels. The grim determination be- hind this great aerial attack is seen in more than one vivid scene. Less commentary would improve these newsreels.[6]

References

  1. "The Latest.". Daily Advertiser. Wagga Wagga, NSW: National Library of Australia. 23 March 1943. p. 3. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  2. "Cameraman In Air Battle.". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 23 March 1943. p. 1. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  3. "Bismarck Sea Cameraman "Too Busy to be Scared".". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate. National Library of Australia. 23 March 1943. p. 2. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  4. "PHOTOGRAPHER TELLS OF BISMARCK SEA BATTLE.". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 23 March 1943. p. 10. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  5. "Bismarck Sea Battle Is Fine Spectacle.". The Recorder. Port Pirie, SA: National Library of Australia. 30 April 1943. p. 4. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  6. "NEW FILMS.". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 22 March 1943. p. 7. Retrieved 19 April 2015.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.