Movie heads up...The Deer Hunter

[Hir]

The Dearhunter is a deplorable bit of Hollywood, 'glamourising' Vietnam American sentiments to turn a lovely profit. Why do you think the Stella cast never talk about this film. It's a shameless sham

 

I remember the first time I saw this and, like Boojum said, I watched it just as a movie that I had heard good things about, and it has a stella cast and a frisson attached to it already, only a few years after it's cinematic release, maybe 1982-1986. I turned off the TV, slumped done with a mental, 'wow, what a movie'

 

Years go by and I thought no more about it other than being aware of the movie, when it arose. Then I had the opportunity to see it again and this time, late 1990s somewhere, I watched it and had very strong unease about what the film is saying - The scene, the infamous scene, had been floating around Hollywood production offices for years. It was a fantastic show stopper 35 minute scene but no context. They engineered it into a Los Vegas hotel room. There was money for that, but the attempt failed. Many other scenarios were considered, attempted, then, finally, they manufactured a Vietnamese scenario. This film, that was supposed to start the healing of the national psych was just a piece of entertainment, tat. All the plaudits, for the film, it's a magnificent films but on the list of complaints, there is zero evidence, for all of the evil both sides exacted on each other, there is no evidence at all that the V C ever conducted Russian roulette as a torture as an interrogation device.. People have researched this film just on this point, no single piece of evidence ever found. It has turned out to become proper gander showing the very worst of the cruelty of the VC, not true at all, in this instance.

 

I'm not saying that at the time the cast were aware of the 'manufacturing of truth' aspect to this film, but it is why they don't mention it if they can avoid it subsequentially.

 

When I got to the internet, about 2001 I wanted to see if there was any negative reviews of the film. Not much, two I found from a quick search, one was from somebody I'd never heard of and then John Pilger. He voiced his objections, wearing light chiffon with a blue cigar motif, in a much better and knowledgable way than I have achieved. When you have such an outfield opinion on certain things though it's nice to have your criticism at least somewhat agreed with.

 

John Cazale talks about it, he can be heard, turning in his grave whining, “Travesty, travesty”

 

 

 

[Hir]

Hurt Locker good or wicked.  Another film 'universally' regarded,  Nice to see my bile about this film also condemned by JP,  as he lets me call him!  I don't think the court order restricting me from being within 100 meters has come into force yet.  Technicality,  as we have left the EU should it be in Yards rather than Meters.

[i11]

^^^

Sure we're talking about American movies here....wouldn't be like them to patriotically embellish the truth now would it? That hurt locker was a pile of shite, along with that sniper one about shooting Taliban.

I love all the Vietnam war movies for what they are tbh. Love Deer Hunter for, amongst other things, the almost unbelievably repetitive score. Love Platoon coz it's just a great film full stop. Apocalypse Now is one of my favorites. I didn't get it when I was younger but, once I cut my teeth on LSD it all made sense. Mix war and LSD and Apocalypse Now is what you'd get.

There's also a film, Vietnamese I think, that tells the story from the VC point of view. I can't remember the name off hand but it's possibly the best of them all.

You can't really watch a Hollywood movie without expecting a certain % of the movie to be stupid flag fucking bullshit. Watch documentaries if you want reality.

[Hir]

There have been some truly worthy Vietnam  films.  Full Metal Jacket,  Apocalypse Now.  They are going to introduce a new Oscar next year, best real heart attack in a motion picture.  Martin Sheen is getting an honorary Oscar and a life times supply of quarter pounders and 40 fags a day from Marlboro.

Edited January 26, 2022 by Hir

[Barnes]

Any thoughts on Squid Games and if it fits into this genre? Unsure as it's not based on an actual event but an invented scenario.

[woody2shoes]

On 29/01/2022 at 0:04 PM, Barnes said:

Any thoughts on Squid Games and if it fits into this genre? Unsure as it's not based on an actual event but an invented scenario.

 

My thoughts on that are that it's a TV series not a film, it's South Korean and not Vietnamese and that it's got fuck all to do with The Deer Hunter (I haven't watched it but I have it on my list)

[Barnes]

@woody2shoes And using central plot devices which showcase mans inhumanity towards another in order for them to survive is completely discounted because it's actors are from a different part of Asia, and it was a series and not a film?  And you haven't even seen it? ok

Edited February 14, 2022 by Barnes

[Degsy]

@Hir , aren't all Hollywood films made to make money ?

 

It's a long time since I've seen the Deerhunter but I never thought that the russian roulette scene was based on any kind of fact

[Gimps]

Hamburger hill is a really good Vietnam war film, Phillip Glass soundtrack too...released about the same time as Platoon, which overshadowed it.

The thin red line by Terence Malick is an amazing film set in the Pacific theatre during World war 2, ensemble cast and utterly heartbreaking.

[Hir]

6 hours ago, Degsy said:

@Hir , aren't all Hollywood films made to make money ?

 

It's a long time since I've seen the Deerhunter but I never thought that the russian roulette scene was based on any kind of fact

 

It existed prior to the film, it has nothing to do with Vietnam.  It was cynically inserted to get a shock affect. 

 

2 out of three films loose money and the studios know this,  The one in three picture that makes a profit pays for the other two.  They don't lose all their money , say a film cost 30 million to make well if they return 27 million  the third film only has to make 3 million extra to pay for this.  My point is yes most films are made to provide a profit with the studios realising that most wont.