Talked to a Vietnam vet about this movie
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Platoon
ExplodIngNinja — 11 years ago(March 30, 2015 07:56 AM)
Not only did he call it "pathetic" but he said the ending was the dumbest thing he had ever seen, he said the movie that most captured the Vietnam war was We Were Soldiers with Mel Gibson. Thoughts?
-Carter Thomas Krebs, From WIsconsin -
prodigiousone — 11 years ago(March 30, 2015 05:23 PM)
Not my experience.
At the time of the film's release, it was widely heralded by many, many Vietnam veterans' groups as the finest, most accurate film about Vietnam ever made. The writer/ director Oliver Stone is, himself, a twice decorated Vietnam veteran. In 1986, when the film was released, it did not receive any negative reaction, really. It was a box office smash, a critical favorite, and won all the top awards. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, a number of veterans groups bestowed honors on the film, and it was one of the most honored films of its era.
As to the film itself, while a work of fiction, it has many elements that are inspired by actual events. The early scenes, in particular, are almost exactly Stone's own personal experience there. Plus the overall look, speech, feel of the place is conveyed perfectly. The infamous village massacre sequence is loosely based on My Lai, the Cambodian invasion is referenced, and the final bombing campaign is also based a real battle. The dueling sergeants, with the young grunt in the middle, looking up at both of them, is a fictional metaphor on the duality of war, and the internal struggle to fight and win and survive a war, while at the same time keeping one's morality and humanity in tact. It is a beautiful powerful, realistic AND artistic triumph. The battle scenes were also widely acclaimed for their authenticity.
By turn, I TOO spoke with several vets many years ago, and the reactions were, "I couldn't handle seeing it, because it took me back there more than any other movie. It is as close as a movie can get.", "Well, not all of those things happened to one outfit, but all of those things HAPPENED."
I've only JUST begun to hear negative backlash against the film in recent years, years and years after it was long considered a classic, and mostly from younger guys or guys who fall on the far extreme right end of today's very hostile political spectrum. In short, Reagan era Republicans loved the film, neo-cons of today do not. It isn't jingoistic enough for them. And after 9/11, that's all they want to hear, is total flag- waving.
On a final note, a Vietnam vet I've known for many years called "We Were Soldiers" nonsense.
So, it's all in the eye of the beholder at the time, I suppose. -
MaximRecoil — 9 years ago(July 19, 2016 06:48 AM)
From what I heard when this movie came out (I was 11), Vietnam veterans hated it. Based on that, I never even dared to mention this movie to any Vietnam veteran, until about 5 years later when I was 16. He hated
Platoon
and when I asked him if there were any good movies about the Vietnam war, he recommended
Hamburger Hill (1987)
.
The reason that so many veterans hated this movie is obvious; most of the major characters were at best a loser and/or a coward and/or a "druggie", and at worst a pillager and/or a murderer and/or a rapist. Who would want to be portrayed like that?
I don't dance, tell jokes or wear my pants too tight, but I do know about a thousand songs. -
wolfpack519 — 9 years ago(December 01, 2016 03:59 PM)
Plus some of Marine Captain Dale Dye's, the Technical Advisor, experiences too. He and Oliver Stone put the actors through a mini boot camp. Dye even said there were no stuffed packs, all the rucks had the correct amount of weight in them. They were also expected to behave as a platoon when the cameras weren't on.
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prodigiousone — 10 years ago(April 14, 2015 04:27 PM)
Probably.
And I bit,too. I feel kind of dumb, now. I wrote a long, well-thought out post for someone who will never read it, and was trying to get a rise out of someone.
A good clue is when a post ends in, "Thoughts?", or "Discuss". -
ExplodIngNinja — 10 years ago(April 16, 2015 08:09 AM)
I apologize, I didn't check this in a while. I was not trolling at all. I am serious when he called this movie pathetic. He also called The Deer Hunter pathetic. I'm sorry if you felt I was trying to be coy with you, as was not my intention
-Carter Thomas Krebs, From WIsconsin -
brtndr — 10 years ago(April 18, 2015 09:21 PM)
Not only did he call it "pathetic" but he said the ending was the dumbest thing he had ever seen, he said the movie that most captured the Vietnam war was We Were Soldiers with Mel Gibson. Thoughts?
Okay, and why should I, or anyone else care at all what the Vietnam vet that you allegedly spoke with said about the movie 'Platoon'? Or, any movie for that matter. I missed that part.
However, why I love the movie 'Platoon', is because, I was a teenager back in '86 when my parents took me to see 'Platoon', and like everyone else in that theater that evening, we were completely moved, troubled and mesmerized at the same time.
And, at the end of 'Platoon', just before the credits are seen the words, "This movie is dedicated to the men and woman who fought and died in the Vietnam War" are splashed across the big screen. My father stands up and yells at the movie screen "Hey, what about the people who fought and lived fighting the Vietnam War!?!".(and I'm awkwardly looking around in the theater, in a moment of intense public embarrassment)
The reason my father reacted like that, is that my father is a very patriotic, America first type 'conservative', who was drafted in '68, and served as a US Army helicopter pilot for a year of duty in Vietnam. As a result of my father being drafted, I was born on a Alabama Army base during my fathers pilot training. My father and I not only enjoyed the movie 'Platoon', but we really admire and appreciate Oliver Stone for making the film, and consider it an incredible cinematic achievement, for its time. Thoughts? -
ExplodIngNinja — 10 years ago(April 19, 2015 06:42 PM)
You don't have to get hostile. I was just wondering what you guys thought of this. I for one was shocked at what this man said to me, after hearing the realism of this movie.
-Carter Thomas Krebs, From WIsconsin -
brtndr — 10 years ago(April 22, 2015 10:36 PM)
You don't have to get hostile.
I'm getting hostile? That's certainly news to me. I don't think I'm being hostile at all.
I was just wondering what you guys thought of this.
We'll, now you know what my thoughts are on Platoon. Hope that helps.
I for one was shocked at what this man said to me, after hearing the realism of this movie.
Why? Everybody has an opinion. While this veteran, that you allegedly spoke with, has an opinion about the movie 'Platoon', that is definitely different than the vast majority of people who have watched the same movie. Hey, in the end, it's his own opinion that he is entitled too, no matter how absolutely batsh*t insane that opinion is. -
Wuchakk — 10 years ago(January 10, 2016 03:55 PM)
I'm getting hostile? That's certainly news to me. I don't think I'm being hostile at all.
It must be because you're an arrogant fool that's blind to his own needless antagonism. For evidence, here's how you responded to the OP's inquiry:
Okay, and why should I, or anyone else care at all what the Vietnam vet that you allegedly spoke with said about the movie 'Platoon'? Or, any movie for that matter. I missed that part.
The OP was simply asking others if "Platoon" is realistic after talking to a Vet who said it wasn't. It's a legitimate question for someone who wasn't there and you get all huffy and offensive for no reason except that you're on a faceless medium and can get away with it.
As another poster pointed out, someone could reply to you in the same rude manner: "Why should I, or anyone else care at all what your Veteran father said about the movie? Or any movie for that matter? I missed that part."
Does this tick you off a little bit. GOOD. You need to taste your own medicine you pompous axx.
My 150 (or so) favorite movies:
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070122364/ -
crashdummy35 — 10 years ago(November 05, 2015 12:35 PM)
You start you response with this:
"Okay, and why should I, or anyone else care at all what the Vietnam vet that you allegedly spoke with said about the movie 'Platoon'?"
Then go on to tell what your "vet" father thought of the movie.
Why should anyone care what he thought? -
mam13143 — 9 years ago(May 10, 2016 11:05 AM)
As a Vietnam vet who was drafted and was obviously not killed I agree with your father. We came home to derision at worst and ignored at best. Today everyone is a hero who serves wherever. Back then it was the total opposite. The guys who served in a very unpopular war deserve great credit in my opinion. If I had known how the people would treat us when we got back, and that idiot Jimmy Carter would give all the draft dodgers in Canada amnesty, I would have gone north. Your dad did right!
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rfa77 — 9 years ago(July 08, 2016 12:08 PM)
Amazing how we are brainwashed to political correctness that we "see" things that aren't there. The end of the movie does not say, "This movie is dedicated to the men and woman who fought and died in the Vietnam War". It says, "Dedicated to the men who fought and died in the Vietnam War". There were no women combat troops in Vietnam. Of the 2,594,000 who served in Vietnam, only 7,484 were women, of which 6,250, or 83.5%, were nurses. The majority of the rest were admin types. Only 8 women died, of which 5 were accidents (aircraft crashes), 2 were illnesses, and one died in a rocket attack on the base.
So, the movie is correctly dedicated to the men who fought and died. -
nickm2 — 10 years ago(May 18, 2015 01:32 PM)
Not all of the Vets I know 'like' the 'drugs/atrocities/fragging' cliches but they ALL agreed the 'environment' was dead on: The bugs, the ants, the heat, the humidity, the jungle, the vines, the thorns
Why can't you wretched prey creatures understand that the Universe doesn't owe you anything!?