Casualties of War

[Ned]

There are three great Vietnam war movies: Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket and Casualtiees of War. Of these, I would now have to say that Casual of War is the best. This is truly a great film with great performances. Sean Penn's performance as the have crazed sergeant is unforgetable.

I especially like the score by Ennio Morricone. The music is both beautiful and hauting.

The movie has been playing this month on the action channel. I think its last performance was tonight. But for any who have yet to see this movie, go rent it. It will tear your heart out.

Here is a review by Ebert http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_...08/368527.html

[geeslaka]

I am to attached to my heart to want it torn out.

[Eli]

Apolcalypse now is NOT great. It's boring.

[Ned]

Another review.

http://www.moviemartyr.com/1989/casualtiesofwar.htm

Also, here is a link to the 1989 Academy Awards. It a travesty that this film is not mentioned in any category. I read in another article that Hollywood simply does not like Brian dePalma, this film's director. What a shame.

[Ned]

Eli, I believe a French or some other film society voted Apocalypse Now as the best film of the 20th Century. It does have some of the all time most memorable sceens, such as the attack of the chopper blaring Wagner Ride of the Valkyries.

However well made that movie was, it simply does not have the emotional impact as does Casualties of War.

[Eli]

Eli, I believe a French or some other film society voted Apocalypse Now as the best film of the 20th Century. It does have some of the all time most memorable sceens, such as the attack of the chopper blaring Wagner Ride of the Valkyries.

Yes, it had good parts. But overall it was boring.

Maybe it's because I was watching the long "editor's version" or whatever it's called.

[Combat Ingrid]

I have only seen this movie once and it is very good. I don't want to see it again

[Eli]

What about We Were Soldiers? It also was pretty good.

[Ned]

Eli, good it was. But see Casualties of War and you will understand why Casualties of War so much better.

[PLATO]

I thought Platoon was pretty good also. Apocalypse Now was a great film as well. Haven't seen Causualties, but I will based on your recomendation Ned.

[Ned]

Yeah, Plato. Platoon was also an excellent film. It won best picture, after all. But it is really strange that that film won best picture and this film didn't even get one nomination, and yet the performances in Casualties are just as powerful, if not more.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Originally posted by Ned
Eli, I believe a French or some other film society voted Apocalypse Now as the best film of the 20th Century. It does have some of the all time most memorable sceens, such as the attack of the chopper blaring Wagner Ride of the Valkyries.

However well made that movie was, it simply does not have the emotional impact as does Casualties of War.

It may as well have been set on Mars. It had as much realism as Mars Attacks, but the difference is that with Tim Burton, we all know it's comedy. The technical inaccuracies of Apocalypse now were stunning for both their sheer number, and for the blatant cluelessness of the writers/director.

Plat0on was overwrought Oliver Stone moralizing.

I'll stick with Hamburger Hill, and FMJ. A Rumor of War was also pretty cool, as it stuck very closely with Phil Caputo's 1st person account.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Ned
Eli, I believe a French or some other film society voted Apocalypse Now as the best film of the 20th Century. It does have some of the all time most memorable sceens, such as the attack of the chopper blaring Wagner Ride of the Valkyries.

However well made that movie was, it simply does not have the emotional impact as does Casualties of War.

The greatness of Apocalpse Now is its depiction of different aspects of war. The Ride of the Valkries bit is the Hollywood version. There's the bit about war from the general's point of view where courage is the ability to eat tiger shrimp. There's the opening sequence, and the bit where Sheen is saying when he was in Nam he wanted to be home and when he was home, he wanted to be in Nam. And so on.

I can't think of any war movie that has captured all of the different aspects of war, or at least my understanding of something I have not experienced.

It reminds me a lot of being in a Legion Hall during Remembrance Day. I have heard so many completely different experiences of World War Two. A sailor who saw the Hood blow up while he was on the Prince of Wales. The soldier who broke down in tears remembering lost friends. The supply clerk who had the time of his life.

Apocalpse Now has all those many layers and that's why it is one of the greatest movies of all time.

[Dis]

I just can't see Michael J. Fox in the army (or was it marines). sorry

[Ned]

Originally posted by Dissident
I just can't see Michael J. Fox in the army (or was it marines). sorry

Army. Yes, he is by far the shortest soldier in sight. But this is a serious role and he was terrific.