Favorite Vietnam War Films?

[raj]

What's an 0321?

[Andrew]

All of the 03XX series are infantry, everything from rifleman to machinegunner.

0321 = Recon.

[CheezeFlixz]

All of the 03XX series are infantry, everything from rifleman to machinegunner.

0321 = Recon.

No. it's 3:21AM which was about the time of day I had enough booze in my system (while on Court Street) to say to my fellow drunks while in ITS (Infantry Training School for you non-USMC) "Hey, lets join Recon!" to which I should have added this Marine Infantry stuff isn't enough abuse, I want more.

No, I enjoyed it.

[raj]

Thanks guys.

[Jim H]

My personal favorite.  Not a perfect film (I think the ending is bad, in particular) but still generally great.

[Dennis]

D.I.? .... D.I.? ... must be an Army film, they only have D.I.'s in the Army, the Marines have "Drill Instructors" ... you know that. Jarhead.

Believe me, after 15 years, I am very familiar with Marine Corps terminology and they are referred to as drill instructors.  However, the name of the movie is "The D.I."  If I tell people to look for the movie "The Drill Instructor," I am likely to cause some frustration.

And, yes, referring to a Marine as "Jarhead" is suitably rude from someone outside the Corps.

At the risk of annoying two marines who are both probably in foul moods I just want to say that in the Army they have Drill Seargents as opposed to the Drill Instructors of the Marine Corps.



After posting this I noticed that the word seargent doesn't look right, it passed spell check but then so did sargent so now I've probably got the Army mad at me too, oh well that's life, oddly enough I don't have a favorite Vietnam War film.

[ulthar]

There was a Vietnam movie I used to have that was set in 1950's French era about some commandos that went in to rescue some medical personnel.  It was an interesting film, but a bit disturbing.

Even though I used to own it, I cannot recall the name.  Memorable scenes include a huge stump with spikes swinging down and spiking one of the commandos as he crossed a log over a gully - the others could only watch as he swung back and forth screaming until he died.  Also, one was a virgin and when he got wounded, the leader performed oral sex on him to fulfill his dying wish (the nurse being rescued refused).  It was, as I said, disturbing.

The ending was dark; this was not a happy film.  The only other story I have about it is that once when my Dad was visiting, he popped it into the VCR thinking it looked interesting.  I told him he probably did not want to watch it and promptly took it out (I now regret doing that, btw).  In all the years I had it, I only watched it once.  There was just something about it.

Anyone seen this one?

[BoyScoutKevin]

Probably not Ulthar's film, but there was another film set in Vietnam or French Indochina, as it was then called, "China Gate." What makes this one interesting is the cast: Gene Barry, Angie Dickinson, Nat 'King' Cole in one of his few film roles, and as the chief North Vietnamese villain, Lee Van Cleef.

[peter johnson]

Nobody actually TALKED about "The D.I."!!!
This is a Jack Webb film, no?  Jack Webb is one of the numerous successful unsumg geniuses of Hollywood.
Jack Webb could grab his own award for unsung acting -- Everyone always assumed he could only do the "Dragnet" bit -- People forget he produced and directed most of the episodes, never mind the acting.
Ever see "Sunset Boulevard"??
Webb does a grand Beatnik free-fellow that would put Jack Kerouac to shame --
which makes the movie even more perverse . . .
peter weirdo/denny kerouac

[peter johnson]

And Hey!:  Re. Military Records:
I'm a Genuine Army Clown, as opposed to the cliche folk-term.
I was recruited by the Department of Defense (DOD) to perform skits and entertainment (mostly farcical clownish comedy) in 1992/'93 for the US Forces in Belgium, Holland, and Germany.
I ended my triumphant tour in 2 weeks at Berchtesgaden, at Hitler's Hotel, the Hofbrauhause 
I was a GS-12, and can prove it!!  I outrank all of youse poseurs!!!
* * * *
So:
I really have no favorite Vietnam Film, but my favorite War film remains "Slaughterhouse Five", for various reasons, not the least being authenticity, which I confirmed via conversations with local veterans.
* * *
We's all gots our own thangs what we've been through, no?
peter squid/denny twit

[flackbait]

I LOVE THE SMELL OF NAPALM IN THE MORNING!!!!
I really do like Full Metal Jacket better though, even though Apocalypse Now kicks ass

[rebel_1812]

Full Metal Jacket had better one liners but didn't give a good glimpse of the Vietnam war.  Apocalypse Now immersed the audience in its dark vision of the jungle war.

[RCMerchant]

 I just saw WE WERE SOLDIERS with Mel Gibson a little while ago....good movie!!!

[Mr_Vindictive]

There was a Vietnam movie I used to have that was set in 1950's French era about some commandos that went in to rescue some medical personnel.  It was an interesting film, but a bit disturbing.

Even though I used to own it, I cannot recall the name.  Memorable scenes include a huge stump with spikes swinging down and spiking one of the commandos as he crossed a log over a gully - the others could only watch as he swung back and forth screaming until he died.  Also, one was a virgin and when he got wounded, the leader performed oral sex on him to fulfill his dying wish (the nurse being rescued refused).  It was, as I said, disturbing.

The ending was dark; this was not a happy film.  The only other story I have about it is that once when my Dad was visiting, he popped it into the VCR thinking it looked interesting.  I told him he probably did not want to watch it and promptly took it out (I now regret doing that, btw).  In all the years I had it, I only watched it once.  There was just something about it.

Anyone seen this one?

The movie sounds damn interesting.  I'd like to know the name myself.

[Allhallowsday]

Ever see "Sunset Boulevard"??
Webb does a grand Beatnik free-fellow that would put Jack Kerouac to shame --
which makes the movie even more perverse . . .

It is fun to see Jack Webb in SUNSET BOULEVARD and his presence adds to the film, perhaps not only in his sex appeal to Nancy Olson compared with William Holden . . .   

Apocalypse Now immersed the audience in its dark vision of the jungle war.

I think the same could be said of PLATOON.  DEER HUNTER has some intense scenes in the jungle, but not many minutes of true warfare; it also had some gorgeous music by Stanley Myers. 

I think I'll vote for FULL METAL JACKET as just the best offered; it's like two movies.  1) Who Matthew Modine is before Vincent D'Onofrio and 2) Who Matthew Modine is after . . .

Some films missing from the discussion:
COMING HOME
STREAMERS
THE BOYS IN COMPANY C
ROLLING THUNDER
GOOD MORNING VIETNAM
All have something to recommend them. 

Great thread!