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08-14-2004, 04:55 PM
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#1 of 71 
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best movie concerning vietnam
I have been really getting into studying the Vietnam Conflict as of late, and wondered about some great films and documentories concerning the war. Any suggestions? They may be good for different reasons, some realistic, some educational, some moving, etc...
Movies are like books, except you can\'t set your\' drink on them, well.. unless its a DVD...oh nevermind
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08-14-2004, 05:04 PM
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#2 of 71
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Michael Reuben
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The obvious choices are Platoon, Apocalypse Now (either version), Born on the Fourth of July and Heaven and Earth.
The not-so-obvious are Casualties of War, The Quiet American (which is set before major American involvement), and the Oscar-winning documentary Hearts and Minds (available on Criterion DVD).
Some will suggest Full Metal Jacket, which is a fine film but, like many Kubrick films, is set in an alternate universe. To me it's not really a Vietnam film, but I may be in the minority.
Less direct treatments would be The Deer Hunter and Coming Home, which are less about the war than about its impact on life in the U.S.
M.
"Most people never have to face the fact that, at the right time and the right place, they're capable of anything." -- Chinatown
"What kind of movies would there be if everyone in them had to do what we thought they should do?" -- Roger Ebert
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08-14-2004, 05:42 PM
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#3 of 71
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Family members that were in Vietnam have really liked Platoon and Apocalypse Now. Though Full Metal Jacket is a good movie Michael's right with the "alternate universe" approach.
FWIW, my dad was brought to tears by We Were Soldiers and says it's the one (so I can't really give an unbiased recommendation on that one).
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08-14-2004, 05:44 PM
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#4 of 71
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Don't forget Jacob's Ladder
IMDB
Hervé
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08-14-2004, 06:29 PM
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#5 of 71
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I'd include 'Air America' on the list, along with 'The Green Berets' and 'Operation Dumbo Drop. Don't forget 'Rambo' as well.
You can write off some of these as silly, but 'The Green Berets' was accurate when the war started, and 'Operation Dumbo Drop' was based on a true story.
Glenn
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08-14-2004, 06:34 PM
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#6 of 71
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Thomas
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Quote:
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FWIW, my dad was brought to tears by We Were Soldiers and says it's the one (so I can't really give an unbiased recommendation on that one).
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I was too, as well. I participated in a forum created for the movie, and I was able to communicate with some of the veterans of the battle that is portrayed in WWS. It is the first Vietnam movie that gives a positive portrayal of the soldiers on both sides, as far as I know. Some complain that the movie lays on the syrup a bit thick, but the people who actually went through it back then claim it was like that. It's not flawless, though. However, I saw it opening weekend and bought the DVD the first day of release.
I would recommend Apocalypse Now Redux as well (I haven't seen the original, and I don't feel a need to), but I wouldn't recommend a blind buy if you're into that sort of thing.
The man I loved - the man who vanished - he never came back at all. But maybe he's still out there, somewhere. Maybe some day, when Gotham no longer needs Batman, I'll see him again.
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08-14-2004, 06:40 PM
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#7 of 71
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| 'The Green Berets' was accurate when the war started |
Huh? Since when does the sun set in the east?  IMO, you should avoid this inaccurate film unless you want to see how hawks in the 60's imagined the Vietnam war to be.
"Movies should be like amusement parks. People should go to them to have fun." - Billy Wilder
"Subtitles good. Hollywood bad." - Tarzan, Sight & Sound 2012 voter.
"My films are not slices of life, they are pieces of cake." - Alfred Hitchcock
"My great humility is just one of the many reasons that I am vastly superior to everyone else." - Ramrod Clerk
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08-14-2004, 06:45 PM
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#8 of 71
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Michael Reuben
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Quote:
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Don't forget Jacob's Ladder
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A very fine film that uses thematic elements from the war, but it's really about something entirely different.
I'm going to repeat Hearts and Minds, because it's an important documentary, whose relevance continues to this day IMO.
M.
"Most people never have to face the fact that, at the right time and the right place, they're capable of anything." -- Chinatown
"What kind of movies would there be if everyone in them had to do what we thought they should do?" -- Roger Ebert
HTF Beginner's Primer and FAQ
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08-14-2004, 07:02 PM
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#9 of 71
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Neil Joseph
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My personal vote goes to Platoon
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08-14-2004, 07:19 PM
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#10 of 71
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Apocalypse Now and Platoon.
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08-14-2004, 07:29 PM
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#11 of 71
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I'd say Platoon, but Tom Cruise's performance in "Born on the 4th of July" might be his best overall.
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