I’m writing a piece for lit on the Vietnam War and the way Hollywood portrays the soldier’s experiences. The topic I have created for me to work around goes as "Hollywood's movies about the Vietnam War are an accurate portrayal of soldiers’ experiences." I will than Discuss this.
I’m now after some points for and against my topic.
Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers
2007-10-03 16:36:31 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Hollywood's portrayal of any event has to be beefed up and massaged to keep people awake.
Turn on PBS and watch "War". Compare that to any movie about WWII. Real footage of of VietNam is not much different. Every war movie shows guys talking on patrol. Ask a guy that went out on patrol he will tell you there is no talking.
The Kevin Costner movie "The Untouchables", like the TV Series, shows Elliott Ness involved in raids, armed and dangerous. In fact he was an administrator that only showed up for photo ops after raids and was an alcoholic. He was Chairman of Diebold Lock and Safe during the WWII time frame and famous for being a drunken fool that almost bankrupted the company.
All movies portray an event as entertainment.
2007-10-03 16:52:24 · answer #1 · answered by Stand-up philosopher. It's good to be the King 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I would say there are a ton of examples against this except for a few like "We Were Soldiers". You have to understand that almost all Vietnam movies centered around a specific story that was NOT common in Vietnam. For example, Apocalypse Now was about an officer that was on a super secret mission to assassinate a fellow officer that went mad. Obviously that is not typical. Also in Casualties Of War you had a bunch of guys kidnapping, raping, and brutally murdering a vietnamese girl. Yes that sort of thing happened, but was not typical. Also, in Platoon you had soldiers fragging other soldiers. Again, not typical. Full Metal Jacket was close, but there were silly little liberal jabs in there that I thought was probably not accurate. Like for example, the Capt. wanted the military news writers to flat out lie in their columns in order to create propaganda to keep troop moral high. I really doubt that it was that cynical.
That is the way I would run with it.
2007-10-03 16:51:25 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
My boyfriend at the time was a medic in the Vietnam War. I have not seen any "Hollywood" movies that have come close to his experience. Each soldier had his own personal experience...many they don't want to talk about. I still have the letters he wrote me during his time in Nam...incredible...better than any movie.
2007-10-03 16:41:16 · answer #3 · answered by Pook 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Pook, how was "we were soldiers", was that one off the mark too?
2007-10-03 19:49:53 · answer #4 · answered by Its not me Its u 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋