It was the first R-rated movie my dad ever took me to, so it holds a special place for me.
Good movie, but not a very happy one.
Good movie, but not a very happy one.
Watching Platoon on TCM
- Thread starter NDallasRuss
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Great movie. My dad - who didn’t serve - but was of age to get drafted loves this movie.
It’s the first movie where a death scene ever bothered me. When the platoon finds some VC intelligence and tries to take them igniting an explosion. The guy walks out in shock only to die. Got damn.
It’s the first movie where a death scene ever bothered me. When the platoon finds some VC intelligence and tries to take them igniting an explosion. The guy walks out in shock only to die. Got damn.
Death? What do you all know about death?
Great movie. Best scene AINEC:
Great movie. Best scene AINEC:
At a hotel watching The Expendables, about 20 minutes in and it’s barely watchable.
Despite the cast appealing to me, I've never seen the Expendable movies.
I agree, the cast isn’t bad, but the whole premise of a group of mostly 50+ yo badasses just isn’t appealing to me. I guess if you cover that up with enough gunfire and explosions, it appeals to a certain audience. Needless to say, I found something else to watch.
Good flick:
"Everybody gotta die sometime Red."
"Everybody gotta die sometime Red."
Sgt. Elias was as close to a real life Rambo as you will see in a movie. Probably the only guy who did not fear and cower to Barnes. That is until Taylor realized Barnes was responsible for Elias being left behind.
King was one of my favorite movie characters of all-time.
“Well, this here ain’t Taylor. Taylor been shot. This man here is Chris. He been resurrected.”
“Well, this here ain’t Taylor. Taylor been shot. This man here is Chris. He been resurrected.”
Great movie. The wiping out of the village was hard to watch.
Beringer was robbed of the oscar. You sorta loved Barnes at the beginning then realized how evil he really was.
Beringer was robbed of the oscar. You sorta loved Barnes at the beginning then realized how evil he really was.
First time? Then the worm has definitely turned for you, man.
TCM is playing war movies all weekend long. I watched most of Thank Your Lucky Stars this afternoon, which was made in 1943 to keep the home fires burning. It was an excellent compilation cast of some of the biggest stars of the era putting on a show to raise funds. The movie features the only on screen songs performed by Errol Flynn, Ida Lupino, Bette Davis, and Olivia d'Havilland.
Sadly I missed They Were Expendable this morning.
As far as Platoon, shocking and brilliant.
Sadly I missed They Were Expendable this morning.
As far as Platoon, shocking and brilliant.
Berringer was outstanding. As others said, at first you are like that’s a tough SOB… I like him. Later you hate that SOB and want him dead.
My dad hated it. He's never seen the whole thing because he was so pissed that there was no Platoon Sergeant or 1st Sergeant getting Barnes and Elias to knock it off that he just quit watching it halfway through. As he put it, "The only realistic character in the whole damn movie was the chickens*** LT".
His favorite Vietnam War movie is Hamburger Hill. He left Vietnam (for the last time) about 2 weeks before the actual battle and his old battery was one of the ones providing fire support for 3/187 and 1/506. So he knew of bunch of the guys there.
His favorite Vietnam War movie is Hamburger Hill. He left Vietnam (for the last time) about 2 weeks before the actual battle and his old battery was one of the ones providing fire support for 3/187 and 1/506. So he knew of bunch of the guys there.
My dad served two tours in Vietnam, a draftee 11Bravo infantry. Spent the last 6 years of his life in a Veteran's Hospital with 100% service connected disability. In my younger years, I used to enjoy watching war movies, especially Vietnam movies with him, most of which were my idea. Looking back I don't know if that was a good idea or not but he never complained.
I remember vividly watching Platoon with him a long time ago, and him telling me that was the most realistic Vietnam war movie he had ever watched. Years later as his health declined, I matured, and got interested in learning about his service even though he wasn't mentally or physically able to verbally converse. Found out the infantry division in Platoon was my dad's, except he was Alpha Company and I think Platoon's was based on Charlie. Fascinated me learning that, but also left regret in not learning more as I know he would have told me details. Never one that openly wanted to talk about it, but few times I did ask questions he didn't hesitate to answer.
Did your Dad see "Full Metal Jacket?"
I heard a Vietnam vet say it's the most realistic Vietnam War movie.
I know it’s not real but do understand that a lot of those guys do exist. They were special forces and you don’t want to mess with them. Met a lot of them in the VA Beach area, friend of a friend type interaction and they are people that you wouldn’t want to mess with or piss off in the wrong setting.
Regarding Platoon, great movie but until you’ve been at war in live or die scenarios, you can’t reason or understand why those guys do the things they do. They are trained to kill and that’s what they are good at. Barnes was an ahole no doubt, he deserved to die after taking out Elias and that’s where he wanted to die, on the battlefield with his soldiers. Some guys are just geared that way.
Yep!
Defoe also being nominated split that vote.
Should have nominated Beringer in lead.
It's certainly the most realistic depiction of boot camp from that era.
