Vietnam

I'm ashamed to admit that, until very recently, I knew nothing of the Vietnam war. We didn't do it at school and because the British weren't involved I've never given it much thought.

But 6 weeks ago I started watching 'Vietnam: Lost Films' on the Military Channel (narrated by Michael C Hall of 'Dexter' fame to give it some glitz) which I found absolutely fascinating. It was full of raw footage of the war itself with lots of eye-witness account. Brilliant, and if it's ever repeated I recommend watching it.

So now I'm reading books about Vietnam. Last night I finished 'The Cage', written by Tom Abraham who was one of the few British citizens fighting in Vietnam. He was captured by the Vietcong and kept in a cage submerged under water with only his head above the water. An amazing story.

Anyway the point of this thread is to ask has anyone else read any books about Vietnam they can recommend or perhaps films/documentaries I should see? I'm hungry for more.

I don't know about books or documentaries but I am always happy to recommend a film or two.

Stanley Kubrick's duplex film 'Full Metal Jacket' is a grim depiction of life as a trainee US Marine on Parris Island for the first half, which builds to an apocalyptic conclusion through caustic humour, clever pacing and the genius of casting a real drill instructor as Gunnery Sgt Hartman, who puts the recruis through their paces.

The second half of the film (shot in a gas works in the south of England, believe it or not), follows most of the new recruits on active service, particularly focussing upon a scenario where their company is under heavy sniper attack, with a startling outcome.

Other major films glamourise Vietnam in my opinion. Platoon, Apocalypse Now, Hamburger Hill. Full Metal Jacket is the one to watch.

Kubrick is mischievous and grim in equal measure. If you YouTube 'full metal jacket opening scene' I guarantee you will want to watch the whole film.

I can only muster a song at the minute.

It's about one that didn't make it and his mother getting 'the' letter from the army.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OChrbIR6oHs

Terrible war all round. Civilians took the brunt of it and the Americans, used to returning home as heroes, were alienated by their own people. Most of the Vietnam vets I met in the late 70s/early 80s were bonkers and had massive problems with drugs etc. From '78 to '80 I worked for a company out of El Paso and a lot of my colleagues had served in Vietnam - crazy mother f*****s the lot of them.
Apocalypse Now was interesting and Coppola and the cast were all going mental during the filming of it - they even made a documentary about making the film it had such a profound effect on the cast (Brando/Sheen et al)
General Giap is pretty well known in the world of business strategy for the way he defeated the vastly superior forces of the USA and the French before that in the first Vietnam War). In brief he used Mao Tse Tung's 3-phase theory of revolutionary war (passive resistance whilst mobilising political support, guerilla warfare to weaken the enemy whilst building military strength, counteroffensive) Basically, instead of taking on the Americans at their own game (head on) he only fought the battles he knew he could win and dragged the war out on the basis that Americans don't like long, inconclusive wars. The Paris peace talks, diplomatic efforts to isolate the US from it's allies and the rise of the Peace Corps all accelerated the crumbling of the American will to win - until they finally turned on their own military and quit. Classic strategy.
There are quite a few decent Hollywood/mainstream films that portray one or more aspects of the war from the American perspective and FMJ is one of the better ones. But I like Apocalypse Now (despite the alternative endings) as it was the first film to fully schlock it to us and nearly all those since have drawn heavily on it. Plus I have a soft spot for Coppola.
Which reminds me - next weekend when you're curling up on the sofa with Pepsi and a family pack of Cheesy Wotsits may I recommend "One From The Heart" which is a Coppola rom-com fantasy gone wrong. Superb soundtrack from Tom Waites and Crystal Gayle - an unlikely combination but they sound well together. A bit surreal, a bit girly but some great performances and a good storyline.

The Deerhunter with Robert De Niro and Michael Walken is a good film.

Born on the 4th of July by the master Oliver Stone.

Reebok Trotter wrote:The Deerhunter with Robert De Niro and Michael Walken is a good film.

I just don't get this film. I got bored by the wedding scene which occupies more film time than the Vietnam scenes and irritated by the Russian roulette sequence. And yet the previous film by the director, Michael Cimino, was Thunderbolt and Lightfoot which I love.

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot was a great film. The Deerhunter was a bit slow but I thought the Russian roulette scene was quite harrowing.

Reebok Trotter wrote:The Deerhunter with Robert De Niro and Michael Walken is a good film.

Personally I really like The Deer Hunter (and it's Christopher Walken BTW RT), but it's more of a humanistic film about the impacts of war upon the three friends rather than a 'war film'.

It also features the late, great John Cazale. He died very young, was only in 5 films (The Godfather I and II, The Deer Hunter, The Conversation, Dog Day Afternoon) and every one is seminal nominated for the Oscar for best picture.

Good Morning Vietnam - based on a true story I believe.

The film was naff but the music is brilliant and current for that time.

Also - and don't laugh - Forrest Gump.

I really enjoyed this film and the part in it about the Vietnam War and the anti war protests were a true reflection of life at this time.



The story behind the picture -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8678478.stm