Movies "about" Vietnam?

[annabanana]

Jr. has assignment re: the changes in movies about Vietnam from the 60's to now..

What should he NOT miss?

Full Metal Jacket
Apocalyse Now
Born on the 4th of July
Rambo(for "comic relief" he says)
Good Morning Vietnam
Deer Hunter
M.A.S.H.
Platoon
Hamburger Hill
We Were Soldiers

[lpbk2713]

1. The Boys in Company 'C'.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Lerkfish]

2. Jacob's Ladder with Tim Robbins

a lot of people don't know it was all about vietnam.

[dysfunctional press]

3. chuck norris- Missing in Action.

if rambo can make the list...

[drmeow]

4. M.A.S.H. is Korea, not Vietnam n/t

[annabanana]

14. It was set in Korea.... but it was "about" Vietnam...

And everybody who went to see it KNEW that. . .

[drmeow]

21. It still doesn't fit the requirements

"all started with a book written by Dr. Richard Hornberger as he sat waiting for patients at his offices in Bremen, Maine. Using the pseudonym Richard Hooker it was a fictional account of his years at the 8055 Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in Korea."

Its NOT a movie about Vietnam. Its a movie about Korea.

[annabanana]

24. not talking about books here... talking about movies. . n/t

[drmeow]

28. The movie was based on the book

The book and the movie were set in Korea.

If the assignment is for a class and I was teaching the class, I would not consider M.A.S.H. to fit the assignment. The director may have been making a statement about Vietnam but the movie is ABOUT Korea.

[Winterblues]

32. Why would you think that?

There were no MASH units in Vietnam. MASH originated in Korea. :shrug:

[old mark]

71. The movie was certainly not about Korea - the sentiments expressed were

those of post 1967 college educated draftees in Vietnam, as perceived by the anti-war crowd here in the US and re-packaged and sold to them by the Hollywood left.
In other words, it was pretty inaccurate.

It was pretty funny, though.

mark

[Zywiec]

5. Isn't M.A.S.H. about the Korean War? n/t

[watrwefitinfor]

40. Simple. M.A.S.H. was inspired by Vietnam but

was set in Korea. It would have never been made but for the war in Vietnam and the anti-war feelings abroad in the country. Did anyone mention it was brilliant? It would broaden anyone's understanding of the Vietnam era for them to see M.A.S.H.

Wat

[pokercat999]

The Green Berets, MASH was about Korea,

there was a Danny Glover/Wilhem Devoe movie about fighter-bomber piolts can't remember the title. Also there were escape movies and Rambo was post VN.

[SidDithers]

17. The Defoe / Glover movie was Flight of the Intruder...nt

Sid

[annabanana]

18. MASH was made in 1972. . If you think it was "about" Korea. .you weren't there.. . n/t

[drmeow]

22. Funny, it premiered in 1970.

[annabanana]

25. You're right. . . even MOREso then. . .n/t

[Buzz Clik]

23. Glover was in Bat 21 with Gene Hackman.

[TahitiNut]

46. 'The Green Berets' was the absolute WORST movie ever made about Viet Nam.

We'd laugh and throw things (food, etc.) at the screen when it was played. It's almost criminal that anyone would take that piece of shit seriously.

:puke:

I find it fascinating that so many DUers regard themselves as 'experts' on this without any time in-country themselves.
Fucking asinine.
:banghead:

[trollybob]

64. What have you got against John Wayne and Aldo Ray

ramming their pro-Vietnam War propaganda down your throat, and such memorable lines as JANSSEN: "Are those what you call punji sticks?" SOLDIER'S REPLY: "Yeah, but we don't dip 'em in the same stuff charlie does." "WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS COMMUNIST DOMINATION OF THE WORLD!" It's a good thing we stuck it out and won that war. Oh, wait. I'm thinking of Iraq. No,wait. Now I'm confused.

[Hanse]

65. MASH is a better movie about Vietnam than The Green Berets.

Muppets Take Manhattan is a better movie about Vietnam than The Green Berets

[Atman]

6. Apocalypse Now Redux

It's a very different movie than the original theater version. More about the French and the history. Beware, though...more sex, too (a couple of the guys on the boat pick up the Playboy bunnies after the USO show and...well, you get the picture).

.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. Casualties of war. "Mash" was about Korea.

Here's a link to reviews.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097027/

[geckosfeet]

8. Deer Hunter belongs on top of that list. Then Born on the 4th.

Although Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket were great action genre films, I am not sure that they provide the same level of anti-war gut punches.

MASH was Korea, Rambo is a joke (comic relief note taken), Good Morning Vietnam was an interesting intrigue but nit quite and anti-war war movie.

Can't comment on the remainder as I have no clear recollection of having seen them.

[Atman]

19. I don't see that the op is asking specifically for "anti-war" movies

Just movies ABOUT Viet Nam, and how they've changed over the years.

.

[annabanana]

26. Thank you for reading the OP!. . . . n/t

[Bucky]

9. The Green Berets & The Quiet American (1958 version)

[Bucky]

20. these may be the only "pro war" movies about Vietnam -- even Rambo II was antiwar

but not as antiwar as Rambo I (First Blood) was.

[Captain Hilts]

42. I liked the recent version too. nt

[TahitiNut]

51. BULLfuckingSHIT. See post #49.

:eyes:

[Bucky]

66. I'm sorry, do you have some reason for being rude to me?

Whoever pissed in your Wheaties, it wasn't me. If you can't be civil in pretty academic & civilized conversation, at least keep your anger to yourself.

Geez...

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

10. Coming Home and Indochine

[msedano]

11. Saigon, with Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake

I got my earliest awareness about Vietnam from this flick. A few years later, I was sweating getting my ass drafted to go visit Alan Ladd's pals.

Oh, and a sappy sentimental yet effective Purple Hearts with Ken Wahl and Alan Ladd's daughter Cheryl Ladd.

And the Vietnam war scene in American Grafitti 2 are not to be missed.

[Bucky]

29. Alan Ladd's former daughter in law, actually

She was a former voice actor for Josie and the Pussycats, altho I forget which pussy she was

[mitchum]

43. She was Melody (I can't believe I know that)

[RoseMead]

12. In Country

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097570/

More about the aftermath of the Vietnam war, than the combat itself.

[Zywiec]

13. Rescue Dawn

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462504/

[annabanana]

27. (thanks!). . . . n/t

[SidDithers]

15. Couple about flyers...

BAT21
Flight of the Intruder

Sid

Edit: Don't think Good Morning Vietnam has been mentioned yet.

[Captain Hilts]

44. I really liked Flight of the Intruder. nt

[Bucky]

16. MASH was metaphorically about Vietnam

It was actually a "crazy buddies in wartime" novel, but Altman turned it into an anti-Vietnam message.

It's an interesting flip, given how Graham Greene's 1952 antiwar novel "The Quiet Man" was turned into an anti-communist propaganda movie in 1958.

One interesting transfer period between the pro-war "Green Berets" movie and all the late 70s anti-war movies was all the TV cop shows like Hawaii 5-0 and Mannix that consistently treated Vietnam veterans as psychopathic killers. By the time the anti war movies like "Deerhunter" came out, the soldiers were being treated as victims of the violence of war, not its perpetrators.

[annabanana]

30. Interesting note about Mannix & Hawaii 5-0. . .thanks. . n/t

[mitchum]

36. Every other episode of Hawaii 5-0 had a crazed vet accompanied by "Jimi Hendrix sounds"

[AngryAmish]

78. "The Quiet Man" was set in Ireland

It might have had an anti-boxing theme, but the long fight scene at the end tends to showcase the redemptive use of violence. Plus I don't think Graham Greene wrote the novel.

[Winterblues]

31. IMO the two most realistic ones are

We Were Soldiers and Hamburger Hill... Both of those depict very realistically the "Grunt" and the concept Air Mobile.

[tabasco]

35. Except that "We Were Soldiers" was blatant propaganda.

The Battle of Ia Drang was a two-day battle.

The first day went relatively well.

The second day, hundreds of US troops were ambushed and massacred.

Hal Moore's book describes both days of the battle and the insset of the book lists the KIA from both days.

The movie portrays the first day in a heroic, unrealistic manner and completely ignores the second day. The credits roll for the movie lists those killed on Day 1 but not the second day.

The ending, the million dollar minute with Mel Gibson vaulting through gunfire and explosions, is utter bullshit.

I'm an infantry combat vet and "We Were Soldiers" is nothing but hogwash propaganda.

General Hal Moore should be ashamed for having anything to do with it. It is disgraceful to ignore the US casualties from the second day of the battle.

[Winterblues]

50. I was referring more to the organization and dress of the troops

I was not at that particular battle so I can not say whether what you say is correct or not but I spent a good time "humpin' the boonies" and I was impressed by the accuracy and detail of the soldiers themselves. In We were soldiers they still had stateside uniforms and white name tags which was exactly how it was at that time. In Hamburger Hill the detail was right down to the C's inside the socks and the (always present) towel around the neck..

[JackRiddler]

68. So was Hamburger Hill.

[laststeamtrain]

33. Walter Hill's Southern Comfort.

It never mentions Viet Nam but it's hard to miss that that is what the film's about.

[mitchum]

34. Go Tell the Spartans

[Historic NY]

37. a few more links some are outstanding..VIETNAM: The Ten Year War

http://www.nndb.com/films/266/000084014/ Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam (Oct-1987)

http://www.nndb.com/lists/713/000083464/

[Agony]

38. John Pilger - "Do You Remember Vietnam?" and "The Quiet Mutiny" n/t

[Captain Hilts]

39. Casualties of War. Brilliant Sean Penn and Michael J. Fox.

I'm really surprised no one's mentioned it.

[Mike 03]

41. You missed a great one: COMING HOME, by Hal Ashby. It stars

Jane Fonda and John Voight.

But my fave is still FULL METAL JACKET and the first cut of Apocalypse Now.

It's not true that Coppola's many recuts add anything. Redux is a disaster. It is pretentious, overlong, undisciplined.

Deer Hunter is a fictional deceit that has an emotional truth to it, and I would rec that.

Platoon is over-rated, IMO.

But check out "Coming Home." It won a mess of awards in 1978.

[mitchum]

47. One of the great ironies is that "Coming Home" popularized the "spitting on soldiers" myth

It is a really good movie by an overlooked director.
And who knew that cunnilingus would make a woman's hair turn curly?

[Mike 03]

45. Rec'ing, because this is a thread I've dreamed of seeing since

the topic of Viet Nam first came up here shortly after the Iraq war broke out. There is such a wealth of knowledge here on this topic, thanks to those who lived through that period, fought there or have studied it in depth.

[Mike 03]

48. There's actually a book on this topic, if anyone is interested

It is most likely out of print, but it is called VIETNAM ON FILM: FROM THE GREEN BERETS TO APOCALPYSE NOW, by author Gilbert Adair, published by Proteus in 1981 (first edition).

[mitchum]

49. Taxi Driver is the masterpiece of the "crazed vet" sub genre

[Mike 03]

53. Great pick. VietNam is written all over that screenplay.. NT

[mitchum]

61. And it is so ambiguous as to whether Travis is actually a vet or not

yes, he has the jacket, flag in his room, cuts his hair into the mohawk, etc...
but was he already so disturbed that he was turned down for service?

It is a brilliant movie.

[hileeopnyn8d]

52. Not Vietnam but still relevant

Not Vietnam, but I think the Killing Fields is still relevant.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087553/

And the Quiet American the 2002 version.

[blogslut]

74. I agree

Not Vietnam but it is about the accidental US bombing of a Cambodian village, the aftermath, and eventual takeover of the country by the Khmer Rouge. Absolutely relative to the suggestion list.

A most excellent companion film to the The Killing Fields is the spoken-word documentary http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094089">Swimming to Cambodia - starring Spalding Gray. The piece is Gray's take on making the film and the implications of re-creating the tragic events of the time. An amazing bit of film. Very sad that he is gone now.

Here's small taste:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0iyLOIsyxs

[DS1]

54. Tropic Thunder

[anonymous171]

55. First Blood is actually pretty good

[hlthe2b]

56. for a switch in tone.... Forest Gump

;)

[globalvillage]

57. Going Upriver

edit

[watrwefitinfor]

58. Air America

Mel Gibson, Robert Downey Jr. Really sharp, biting dialogue in a vastly underated 1990 movie about flying drugs around SE Asia for the CIA.

Wat

[Mike 03]

59. No. Please don't say you are serious. NT

[Mike 03]

60. What about masterpieces that pretend to be about another war but that are really about

Viet Nam and the human condition that evolved from that war? Do they count?

[mitchum]

62. The original Night of The Living Dead

[Adsos Letter]

63. "Go Tell the Spartans" w/Burt Lancaster...

...great early anti-war flick.

[cliffordu]

67. Not really about vietnam, but "The Thin Red Line" is a magnificent portrait of

the idiocy of war.

[tuckessee]

80. I think the The Thin Red Line is the greatest war flick ever made.

I wish there was a director's cut. Apparently there's tons of unused footage.

I would recommend that people read the James Jones book that the movie is based on.

Jones was in the Tropic Lightning Division and served on Guadalcanal. The book is thinly veiled work of non-fiction based on his experiences.

You may have seen this site, The Thin Red Shrine.... http://www.eskimo.com/~toates/malick/trl/index.html

[pork medley]

69. In the Year of the Pig

Produced at the height of the Vietnam War, Emile de Antonio’s Oscar®-nominated 1968 documentary chronicles the war’s historical roots. With palpable outrage, De Antonio (Point of Order, Underground) assembles period interviews with journalists, politicians, and key military personnel and international newsreel and archival footage to create a scathing chronicle of America’ escalating involvement in this divisive conflict. The savage and horrific images speak for themselves in perhaps the most controversial film of de Antonio’s career, and the film he cites as his personal favorite.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064482/

[tekisui]

70. Hearts & Minds.

How old is he?

[WillyT]

81. Hearts & Minds... Exactly !!!

Make sure you check it out first. Very heavy duty.



Link: http://www.criterion.com/films/711

:hi:

[asteroid2003QQ47]

72. F.T.A., Casualties of War (true story), Hearts and Minds

These 3 belong at the top of the list.

[Monk06]

73. Bat 21 - Gene Hackman

[boomerbust]

75. We were Soldiers

By far the best Nam movie.

[boomerbust]

76. Have him watch

The documentary, " The War At Home " A doc about the University of Wisconsin during the 60's.

[TahitiNut]

77. Here's a college-level paper on this very subject. Plagiarize.

http://www.lsus.edu/la/journals/ideology/contents/bielakowski.htm

[AngryAmish]

79. Disorderlies

[ThomWV]

82. Of the ones you mentioned Platoon comes about the closest to how it was

Not the story so much, although there are certainly parts of it that ring true, but just the overall conditions were pretty well portrayed. The couple of firefight scenes are pretty realistic too, other than they don't capture the chaos - but then now does an orderly medium ever capture chaos?