what is the best movie of this genre?

Vietnam War movies:

I think it depends on what you're looking at. If you're looking at JUST the war aspect, and not how it affected everyone else I think you have to go with Platoon. The rest are either a little bit higher level, or too specific. I don't know. I think Platoon probably more than the others captured the essence of the war, but I might be wrong.

The first act of Full Metal Jacket though is priceless.

Not better than most of these. But fun and it has R. Lee Ermey playing a DI before his turn in Full Metal Jacket.

I think Full Metal Jacket is a good film, but more of an anti-american/anti-military film than just about the war.

Apocalype Now is just insanity. Great film but insanity set in Vietnam.

Platoon is probably the best film that focuses on that particular war.

it looks like it's not out on DVD. I'll have to keep my eyes open. Thanks.

Go figure. :-)

AMC runs it every once in a while but please resist the temptation to watch it there as they just plain butcher it.

Here's a link:

http://dvd.search.ebay.com/Boys-in-Company-C_DVD_W0QQcatrefZC12QQfromZR40QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsacatZ617QQsatitleZQ22BoysQ20inQ20CompanyQ20CQ22

It fucks me up for days.

Fucks me up too, but I keep watching them. We must never forget, is what I always tell him.

I served from '69 to '71. Never served a day outside the good ole' USA. I managed to manipulate the system.

The day I checked back into my company from extended training I bumped into the guy who took my place on Vietnam orders because I knew how to tie up the system.

I don't remember his name and I don't know how he fared.

he served in Germany and apparently his mood changed after his service. He became very crabby and snapped a lot. I've wondered if it was survivor syndrome.

My story is different - daughter of a vet. Born after my Dad's tour, but still the war had a big impact on my life.

You feel guilty 'cause you got over.

Then you feel guilty for feeling guilty.

It makes no sense and you have no right to feel this way when you didn't really suffer and others paid such a price.

It's like a snake eating it's own tail.

Putting a name on it helps a little but not much.

At some point you just have to admit to yourself that you are incredibly fucked up and try to put it in perspective.

And avoid things that upset you.

Like realistic war movies.

My bad.

I'll remember the ending as long as I live.

too bad. Thanks for introducing it to me, though.

"Apocalypse Now."

Best, in terms of depicting what the war was like: "Platoon."

Any opinion on the redux version of Apocalypse. i have not seen it myself because it seems he may have destoyed the pacing. But I heard the print is excellent.

I don't recall thinking it hurt the film any. Nor do I recall thinking it especially helped.

Either version is a hell of a film.

The first time I tried to watch it, I couldn't.

The next time I tried, I had a couple beers, and then popped it in.

Afterwards, I went to sleep. A couple hours later I woke up screaming and crying about it, and apparently ran to the bathroom to throw up. (No it wasn't the alcohol, takes a lot more than a couple beers to do that to me ;)) I woke up the next day and didn't remember doing that. My SO told me all about it. No movie has ever affected me that way. I've watched it many times since (without hysterics involved, thankfully) and would recommend it to anyone.

simply because of the realism, and the accuracy of the portrayal. The worthless and repeated attempts to take a meaningless mud covered hill in the middle of a jungle exhibits perfectly what many of the grunts had to go through. The poem that the movie closes with is very powerful (IMO), and the man who wrote it was killed in action shortly after he wrote it. . .

If you are able,
save them a place
inside of you
and save one backward glance
when you are leaving
for the places they can
no longer go.

Be not ashamed to say
you loved them,
though you may
or may not have always.

Take what they have left
and what they have taught you
with their dying
and keep it with your own.

And in that time
when men decide and feel safe
to call the war insane,
take one moment to embrace
those gentle heroes
you left behind.



A close second would be the more recent "We Were Soldiers . . . " Yeah, it had Mel Gibson, but it was still a hell of a film, and did something few other Vietnam war movies have done, portrayed the North Vietnamese as human beings instead of just some vague entity that was more monster than human.

Platoon and Apocalypse Now would be tied for second; AN is great until Brando shows up...



"I'll bet you could suck a golf ball through a garden hose..."

that should perhaps be on the list: "Bat 21." Like "Apocalypse Now," it focuses on a particular aspect of the war but also considers the war as a whole, sort of between the lines. And it's very well acted, with Gene Hackman, Danny Glover and Jerry Reed.

It's also based on a true story.

Good poll!

would have said Full Metal Jacket had I liked the second part better, the first part the training on Parris Island with Gomer Pyle and Gunner Sgt Hartman is great but I prefer Platoon as a whole movie because the way Barber's Adagio For Strings is used plus the war within the war plot device is awesome to me.