The first film of war is Platoon
Monumental moment in film
The film Platoon absolutely deserves its Oscar award for Best Picture in 1986.
But you either already know that or was born into the generation that was ignorant the film was a hit.
Like me.
I only watched it because Johnny Depp featured in it. But then, what do I know about the iconic scene when Elias raises his hands to the skies?
Clearly, this is one film even a non war movie fan would love. The stage is set in Vietnam, where Charlie Sheen plays a young officer sent to where else(?) to fight the Viet Cong. Only, as he so aptly puts it, the soldiers aren’t only fighting a war, they’re fighting amongst themselves, and they’re fighting with themselves – with their own fears and realities.
The film begins strongly, from an autobiographical viewpoint as it was written by Oliver Stone based on his true experiences. Not surprisingly, the film changed the landscape of war films and how the war in Vietnam was viewed. But more on that later.
An autobiographical viewpoint written by Oliver Stone
The little plot consists of Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) finding two leaders to look up to and discovering himself and friends amongst his platoon members. But that’s just the gist of it. To feel the horrors of war, is to watch first hand how Stone sets his story amidst a backdrop of conflict and angst – yet throws in enough human drama to keep it real.
Not once will you find yourself flinching from the screen. No doubt, for someone who can’t stand gore like me, I’m not a fan of realistic war films. But worry not, for this is not your average ‘scare them and horrify them with blood war movie’. Nay! It’s a tale of human relations and how war can stick its grasp into your soul and pull out the real you!
What helped made the film the phenomenon it became must of course be also due to the superb casting of Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, William Dafoe, John C. McGinley, Richard Edson, Kevin Dillon, Reggie Johnson, Keith David, Forest Whitaker, Francesco Quinn and Johnny Depp. Together, the chemistry was real. But what was stronger was that they each brought the emotion of being in a war zone to the screen, as attested to by war veterans who saw the film.
Sgt. Barnes and his facial scar
And why not? Considering director Oliver Stone sent them for boot camp in the Philippines where the film was shot. Yet, it was only a harrowing but short two weeks of boot camp. Clearly then, they’re a certain pedigree of actors you don’t come across every day`.
Then, there is the superb art direction (Rodell Cruz and Sherman Williams) and cinematography (Robert Richardson). No doubt, when someone makes a film about bloody limbs without nauseating his audiences then you have what we call ‘class’. Incidentally, the film also won for ‘sound’ and editing’ (Claire Simpson). Well, think of the number of times you can listen to a machine gun firing off rounds of bullets before it starts to sound like nails scratching on a blackboard. And understand that this never happens in this film and you can see why the film was showered with the Oscar gong.
Fire in Nam
Then, there's George Delerue and his timeless score.
At the press of the stop button, it’s what the Washington Post say it is, “A triumph! A staggering study of war’.
That’s because the film isn’t all happy-happy tales of brotherhood neither is it a shock genre film. Instead, it focuses on the issues that take place during a war.
People tend to lose their sense of self when face with the brutality that a war offers. People get hurt and afraid when their life is at stake. They are emotional and their worst fears keep coming to the surface. But when so many lives are lost, one gets angry too. Very, very angry.
And it is this exploration of the things that really took place when no one is watching you deep in the forest that captures the attention and changes the way people viewed wars. Gone is the happy patriotism and dying for country and fellow countrymen. These guys got enlisted for a mandatory one year and are waiting to get the hell out of there.
We want out!
It is so befitting that Oliver Stone receive an award for Best Director for this film (Watch out for his cameo in Alpha Company). It takes real guts to tell his story. And to tell it so well.
Kalikapsychosis
And yes, when someone next to you takes it and you survive, you get shell shock. There's this film 'The deer Hunter' about the shell shock / post traumatic stress that soldiers suffer after a war.
I think your dad liked it also because the film was classy. No shock for no reason.
thanks for stopping by.
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