'Stand Down Mother, I'm running the Squad!'

Been way too long since my last post. Was working an insane job. Anyhow.

Vietnam Era Films. I'm not even sure why I care because I have virtually no tie to the time. And yet I love 'Full Metal Jacket' and 'Deer Hunter' like it's nobody's business, you know? And not just because they're clever films but because of what they say about the guys living in the shit. I saw 'Apocalypse Now' after reading 'Heart of Darkness'. I'll be honest, I love books and I love reading. I can imagine the story any way I want but there's obviously something special about a film. It's put up there and though it's interpreted for you, it's presented in a real and beyond imaginable way.

And I love 'Platoon'. One of my favorite songs is in that film and I think it's very appropriate (Adagio for Strings). And these two films each have their own message. But for me, it's really Jacket and Hunter that get me. I mean, Jacket is merciless when confronting the duality of the men and their situation. I mean, they get the crap kicked out of them emotionally and physically and then when they go to Nam, it's like a vacation until the shit really starts hitting the fan. Joker sees Lawrence blow away their drill instructor and is still on with the Wayne accent all through the shit. I mean, the ending message seems like a reality check and then they break into Mickey Mouse. Truly a masterpiece by Kubrick.

And Deer Hunter. Well, I saw that film and was truly mesmerized. And I have the special edition. I'll tell you, if you've not seen the raw footage of DeNiro and the Russian Roulette scene, well, you don't know shit. DeNiro is the man but I'm honestly disappointed with some of the stuff he's chosen to do in the past 10 years because he was so flawless before. Anyway, on a tangent. Deer Hunter truly dives into the lives of those three men. What they thought they knew about the war and each other. How some people can overcome the dark paths of their lives and some men are swallowed whole by the depths. A great moment for Walken as well. I love that the man can handle comedy, but he was a force in this film.

I think anyone who can appreciate a good war film should study these two films. I'm not critic or anything but these films, for me are really something special.