or


[10/24/16 - 10:26 AM]
"Underfire: The Untold Story of PFC. Tony Vaccaro," Recounting the Life of a WWII Combat Infantryman and War Photographer, Debuts Nov. 14 on HBO
The film chronicles the life and vision of this remarkable man, exploring how photography defines the way the public perceives armed conflict, and revealing the sheer difficulty of survival while taking photos in a war zone.

[via press release from HBO]

"UNDERFIRE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF PFC. TONY VACCARO," RECOUNTING THE LIFE OF A WWII COMBAT INFANTRYMAN AND WAR PHOTOGRAPHER, DEBUTS NOV. 14 ON HBO

Documentary To Have A Sneak Preview On Veterans Day, Nov. 11

In World War II, Tony Vaccaro played two risky roles, serving as a combat infantryman on the front lines, as well as a photographer who shot 8,000 photographs. Though he began as a young GI eager to record the war, he vowed never to take another war photo on the day the conflict ended, horrified by what he had seen.

Directed by Max Lewkowicz (the New York Emmy(R)-winning "Morgenthau"), UNDERFIRE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF PFC. TONY VACCARO chronicles the life and vision of this remarkable man, exploring how photography defines the way the public perceives armed conflict, and revealing the sheer difficulty of survival while taking photos in a war zone. The poignant documentary debuts MONDAY, NOV. 14 (8:00-9:15 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

Other HBO playdates: Nov. 17 (4:15 p.m., 11:15 p.m.), 19 (1:20 p.m.), 22 (10:45 a.m.), 27 (3:05 p.m.) and 30 (noon), and Dec. 13 (4:45 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Nov. 20 (11:40 a.m.), 22 (8:00 p.m.) and 30 (1:10 a.m.)

UNDERFIRE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF PFC. TONY VACCARO will have a sneak preview on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals on Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11, and will subsequently be available on those digital platforms.

Through interviews with Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers and Vaccaro himself, this intimate film examines issues raised by witnessing and recording conflict, following him as he retraces his journey across Europe as a soldier, sharing the stories behind some of his most powerful pictures along the way.

In 1943, a newly drafted Tony Vaccaro hoped to join the U.S. Army Signal Corps in Europe as a photographer, but was told he was too young. Undeterred, he found that his $47 personal camera, which was much more compact than the bulky, standard-grade military one, allowed him "the ability to run with the camera, to move it [and] to react quickly."

As an infantryman, Vaccaro was also uniquely positioned to gain the trust of his fellow soldiers, and was able to capture up-close-and-personal photographs that brought the war into focus in a way no one else could. Vaccaro spent the next 272 days in the 83rd Infantry Division as an unofficial combat photographer.

Revisiting Omaha Beach, Vaccaro recalls tearing a hole in his raincoat for his camera after being told photography was not allowed. The resulting serene photo of the beach ("My First View of La Belle France") belies a horrific scene he later discovered.

"There is a war smell that is ugly," he says. "And I smelled that the minute I arrived in Normandy." After his first taste of combat in Sainteny, Vaccaro found an abandoned camera store in the city's ruins and mixed chemicals to develop "ten rolls in four army helmets," hanging them on tree branches overnight.

Having taken portraits of all the men in his battalion, Vaccaro also captured by chance a fellow soldier's final breath ("The Last Step of Jack Rose"), a "live battle moment of death" that curator Anne Wilkes Tucker calls "incredibly rare." Until WWII, most combat photography was staged because of unwieldy equipment.

In Ottre, Belgium, Vaccaro narrowly escaped death when he was ordered to remain at headquarters and stand guard on the night his entire platoon was killed. Walking the battlefield the next morning, he photographed a snow-covered body at peace ("White Death"), which he only later recognized as a dear friend. The photo later helped connect the fallen soldier with his son.

On the 70th anniversary of D-Day, with Secretary of State John Kerry in attendance, Vaccaro delivered a speech at Saint-Briac-sur-Mer, Normandy, recalling "Kiss of Liberation," a photo he took of a soldier kissing a young girl on the cheek. Afterwards, he received hugs and kisses from two women who were dancing in the background of that photo.

Though he traveled through Europe working with Stars and Stripes newspaper following the war, Vaccaro struggled to cope with the horrors he had witnessed. He went on to become a world-renowned fashion and magazine photographer (capturing everyone from Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren to Pablo Picasso and John F. Kennedy) and start a family, but never took another image of armed conflict.

In addition to Tony Vaccaro, interviewees include Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalists Lynsey Addario and Tyler Hicks; New York Times senior photographer James Estrin; bestselling author and historian Alex Kershaw; Anne Wilkes Tucker, a curator of the photography exhibition WAR/PHOTOGRAPHY; and John G. Morris, photo editor of LIFE magazine during World War II.

UNDERFIRE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF PFC. TONY VACCARO was written, produced and directed by Max Lewkowicz; written and produced by Valerie Thomas; executive producers, Tim Van Patten, Gianna Cerbone-Teoli and Ann Oster; co-executive producer, James Estrin. For HBO: senior producer, Jacqueline Glover; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.





  [october 2016]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[07/18/25 - 09:09 AM]
"Bobby's Triple Threat" Is Back With Brand-New Addition to Bobby Flay's Hand-Picked Trio of Culinary Titans
The 10-episode season premieres Tuesday, September 2 at 8pm ET/PT on Food Network and streaming the next day on HBO Max.

[07/18/25 - 08:06 AM]
Jaw-Dropping Custom Builds and Outrageous Family Antics Collide in "Truck Dynasty" Premiering Tuesday, August 12 at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel
Florida's Apocalypse Manufacturing owner Joe Ghattas is a self-made boss in the custom truck industry, known for his bold designs and loyal following that includes hardcore enthusiasts, world-famous rappers, sports superstars, and elite supermodels.

[07/18/25 - 08:01 AM]
Hallmark Channel Adds Hit Series "Gilmore Girls" to Its Lineup Beginning August 25
Just in time for the fall, the Gilmore family and the beloved residents of Stars Hollow will add twice the warmth and joy to Hallmark Channel's widely adored slate of heartfelt programming.

[07/18/25 - 07:36 AM]
Peacock Exclusively Streams Wes Anderson's "The Phoenician Scheme" Beginning July 25
From Oscar-nominated writer and director Wes Anderson, the film stars Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton and Michael Cera.

[07/18/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford - Official Teaser Trailer - Netflix
Two of boxing's most dominant forces, Saul "Canelo" Álvarez and Terence Crawford will face off in a once in a lifetime fight for the unified Super Middleweight championship on Saturday, September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

[07/17/25 - 10:01 PM]
Video: "Final Draft" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Twenty-five athletes, most retired, compete to win 30M yen to launch their second career. Can they overcome tough physical and psychological challenges?

[07/17/25 - 07:04 PM]
Video: Preview - Summer Nights 2025 - Coming in August
Tune in for all-new movie premieres this August on Hallmark Channel Saturday nights at 8/7c!

[07/17/25 - 04:15 PM]
"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" to End After 2025-26 Broadcast Season
Colbert announced the news during tonight's taping at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

[07/17/25 - 02:17 PM]
Thrilling True Crime Docu-Series, "True Crime Story: Smugshot," Returns to SundanceTV Thursday, August 14
Created and executive produced by award-winning documentary filmmakers Amy Bandlien Storkel and Bryan Storkel, the six-episode series spotlights entitled individuals involved in elaborate criminal behavior.

[07/17/25 - 01:31 PM]
Netflix: What We Watched the First Half of 2025
This report, which captures ~99% of all viewing in the first half of 2025, shows that people watched a lot of Netflix - over 95B hours - spanning a wide range of genres and languages.

[07/17/25 - 01:16 PM]
Freida Pinto to Star in Netflix's "Unaccustomed Earth"
Inspired by the internationally beloved Jhumpa Lahiri short story collection of the same name, "Unaccustomed Earth" is an epic, soapy, and culturally vibrant drama about a tight-knit Indian American community navigating love, desire, and belonging.

[07/17/25 - 01:06 PM]
Samuel L. Jackson to Headline His First TV Series As Paramount+ Greenlights "NOLA King," The First Spinoff of the Hit Series "Tulsa King"
Jackson's character, Russell Lee Washington Jr., will be introduced in the upcoming, highly anticipated third season of "Tulsa King," slated to premiere in September.

[07/17/25 - 12:53 PM]
New Series "The Mother Flip" Premieres Saturday, August 16 at 12pm ET/PT on A&E's HomeMadeNation
Best friends and savvy flippers Kristy Etheredge and Rebecca Franchione, along with contractor Roy Salinas, transform the worst homes in Texas' Hill Country into big profits.

[07/17/25 - 12:11 PM]
AMC Networks' August Highlights Include "Nautilus," "Irish Blood," "Kidnapped," "The Furry Detectives" and More!
The month also features new seasons of Sundance TV's "True Crime Story: Smugshot," and We TV's fan-favorite series "Life After Lockup."

[07/17/25 - 11:35 AM]
ESPN "Sunday Night Baseball Presented by Capital One" Schedule Update: Division Leaders Collide as Detroit Tigers Visit Philadelphia Phillies on August 3
This marks the third "Sunday Night Baseball" appearance of the 2025 regular season for the Tigers and the fourth appearance for the Phillies.