Vietnam movies

[EMDDIESEL]

What was your favorite Vietnam movie? and if any of you members are Vietnam vets, which one was the most realistic. I dont mean any of the "Missing in action" series or "Rambo" etc. The reason i am asking is because a friend of mine is doing a college project on the Vietnam war and wants a movie to show for the class that at least gives a somewhat accurate depiction.

 

[KatDiesel]

I was born when the war was over. But my favorite movie of the ones listed is Full Metal Jacket. Is it accurate? I have no idea, I wasn't there.

 

[klenger]

I avoid them all ... too depressing.

 

[Speedo]

I spent two tours in country and when I first saw

Platoon I went with a childhood friend who had

spent most of his tour in the bush. We didn't

make it to the end of the movie. It didn't bother

me too much but he couldn't handle it.

 

[The patriot]

I liked The Green Berets with John Wayne.

I was too young. I have some friends that were there. Some were spec ops types (recon marines and army special forces) they have some really wild storys.



I voted for green berets (other??)because I liked it. No other reason. I shed a tear in the end when the little boy was looking for Peterson.

Theyre all good flicks. Tough choice. Unless you were there, I dont know how the "accuracy" part of the question will work. More like "opinion. "

Eric

 

[Scollins]

First off, I cannot vouch for the realism of any of these movies, as I was born after the U. S. 's involvement in the war was basically over.



I voted for Apocalypse Now, but there are some other great choices there. Platoon and Full Metal Jacket are both excellent movies. There is also Casualties of War and Born on the 4th of July



And don't forget The Deer Hunter. If any of these movies are even half realistic, I really feel for those that fought over there and came home to retell the nightmares. The only thing that really, truely disgusts me about the Vietnam war is the treatment that most, if not all vets, received when they got home.....

 

[EMDDIESEL]

I too agree that they were treated like S**t when they came home. Even though it was before my time, just hearing about is terrible.

There were a few movies i did not mention in the list such as Born on the fourth of july, Casualties of war, Good morning Vietnam, etc. since although they were indirectly about the Vietnam war, they had too much of a plot that was not focusing on the war. In casualties of war, its more a showcase of Sean Penn and Michael J. Fox then a movie about the war. Good morning Vietnam was mainly about Robin Williams Character, not really the war itself. Same with Born on the Fourth Of July.



What i personally like about Full Metal Jacket and Platoon is in both movies, the directors delibaratley chose actors who were not (At the time) big holloywood celebritys which would take away from the movies story if all you were fixated on was the actor.

Full Metal Jacket is the best example of this. Matthew Modine (Joker) was virtually unheard of at the time and the rest of the Characters, i have never seen before, (or after, where the hell did they go?). When i saw that movie, the only thing i paid attention to was the story, there was no distraction like you get when you are paying attention to a celebrity. Its hard to try and believe that Tom Berrenger was really "There" in the movie.



That was the thing i DID'NT like about Platoon. Granted, Tom Berringer, Willem Dafoe and Forrest Whitaker were not big time stars by any means, but there is no doubt you had seen them before. Charlie Sheen was new to the movies enough that it did not hurt the story too badly, but unlike Full Metal Jacket, i cant help but be taken "out of the setting" when you see these familiar faces. Its like Full Metal Jacket was a "Documentary" and Platoon was a "Re Ennactment". This is my personal opinion, like i said, have no idea how accurate either movie was although i have been told by some Vets that FMJ was very similar to the conditions encountered there. I myself, as is my friend doing this story are very interested in anyone elses views on this subject.

 

[Max Wedge]

The study of the Vietnam War has been a hobby of mine for last 10 years. I have spoken to many veterans. I have 3 personal friends, 1 was a “Loach” Door Gunner ’68-’69 1 / 9th Air Cav Tay Nihn—(He even gave me his Stetson Hat with the Crossed Swords). And the second friend spent 3 tours with the 5th Special Forces as a medic-all over. Third sergeant in the 23rd Americal –Chu Lia. The movies always come up in the conversations we have, and both agree that many of the things the movies portray bogus, but overall they can be accurate—exceptions being Apocalypse Now. Each one had experienced many of the things seen in the other movies, but none could dome up with an experience shown in Apocalypse. Expect the time Johnny told me he was stoned setting in the middle of the LZ at night playing chicken with his buddies against motors from the NVA.



Overall, I would appreciate more Vietnam War movies to chronicle our history and to promote the veterans of that era. Ours boys fought bravely and deserved MUCH better than they received. I salute ALL War Veterans, but especially our Vietnam Vets. Sorry So Long!!



Max

 

[Champane Flight]

Yeap.

I have to say Platoon is most realistic for a grunt. However Hollywood always tends to foul a good story up with drama and showboat I TRIED TO BY-PASS THE CUSSING FILTER. I spent two tours also with the 1st Inf Div(Big red one) and the 101st Airborne(puking buzzards). I would have to say I didn't get treated that badly when I got back. Oh,I got spit on once and had to kick the **** out of a hippie in SF,but that was kinda fun... ... Got a few free drinks back home and the usual I TRIED TO BY-PASS THE CUSSING FILTER about Agent Orange. But all in all not to bad. I am not going to whine about it. My goverment treated me worse than the people did. We won't get into that.



I have to say that all Vets get treated like crap at one time or another. Its like the old saying "A soldier is only thought of when there is a war to fight". It holds true folks. I only wish that it would stop,no glory comes from war,only death and saddness. And I can only hope that my grandchildren don't have to fight in one.

 

[roadranger]

Being a Vet of that war, I'd have to vote for Platoon as being the closest to real life. Although in my experience most of the pot smoking was done 'in the rear with the gear', NOT in the bush.



Full Metal Jacket depicted life in Boot Camp the first half (which by the way, it was IMPOSSIBLE to get live rounds off the rifle range into the barracks), and the second half was the Hue City action, which 99% of the war was NOT like.



Hamburger Hill was good in showing the futility, waste of life, and resignation of the troops, to the 'body count' mentality of the commanders.



USMC former L/CPL

 

[JR2]

I did not vote because all of them seem bogus in some ways. I have been told by a couple of guys that 84 Charle Mopic is a very real movie. I have not seen it yet so I can not say, but this one is out of the mainstream so it might be good.

 

[tntway]

EMD-- some of my buddies who spent some serious time in country are jarheads. they say that FMJ first half was as about as

realistic as they could show of parris island(live rounds in the barracks excepted). Lee Ermey gave flashbacks. as for the action, they say platoon is good but can't hold to "Seige of Firebase Gloria" starring gee whiz, Lee Ermey.

 

[HEMI®Dart]

My vote for all time best Vietnam movie is The Deer Hunter



Great Movie!!!!!!!!!!!!



http://w3.gwis.com/~dml/tdh/tdh.mov



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[swamp rat]

Originally posted by tntway

EMD-- Lee Ermey gave flashbacks. as for the action, they say platoon is good but can't hold to "Seige of Firebase Gloria" starring gee whiz, Lee Ermey.

That could be why R. Lee Ermey has been cast as the stereotypical DI in several movies,(Boys in Company C, FMJ, and Apocolypse Now as a chopper pilot). He has even appeared in one of the later SciFi flicks with Space Marine Recon squads in "Space: Above and Beyond" the pilot ep. His voice has been used in several animated and semi-animated movies the likes of "Toy Soldiers, Toy Story, and Buzz Lightyear". I guess that is as it should be since he was in the Corps. for 11 years and pulled one and a half tours in Vietnam. http://us.imdb.com/Bio?Ermey,+R.+Lee

 

[fest3er]

I recall seeing a flick titled "The Boys in Company C". It attempted to be realistic, almost too much so. Released in 1978.



Fest3er

 

[Bigsaint]

I also voted for FMJ, only for the recruit training as I didn't see combat in 1982-86. With a few exceptions, the depiction of a Marine recruit at P. I. was fairly accurate. The exception was that we didn't get hit by the D. I. 's quite as often, more like pushed, ALOT. But, from what I have heard by Marines that did process through recruit training in the Vietnam era and back, it was nothing but normal to get your a$$ kicked by a D. I. on a regular basis, if you fouled up.



I have an Uncle that processed through P. I. during the Korea 'conflict'. He has a scar on his leg 6" long where a D. I. gave him a butt stroke from a real rifle, M-1 Garand, when he shot poorly during his 'phase 2' training.



I've spoken with a few kids in town that have recently gone through the Island, nothing like it was before. The Corps. is much more kinder and gentler than in the past. Zero physical contact bewteen a recruit and the D. I. 's, very little to no profanity. I remember my recruiter telling me, back in the summer of 1981 (I was in the D. E. P. ) "they can only call you two things, Private and Recruit", heck, that was about the only two things that they didn't call me . From what I understand, the P. T. is still rigorous and they have added a few more things since I was there, such as the Crucible. But I understand that is now either changed or over, as it was too easy to get through.



Kinda sad, to me, when you think of what they are trying to prepare you for, WAR. Seems all of the services are now more politically correct.



Scott W.