I just finished watching Apocalypse Now for the first time and rewatching Full Metal Jacket. It has me wondering what film you think is the best Vietnam War film

 

Good Morning Vietnam and Operation Dumbo Drop. Guess also Forrest Gump.

 

Platoon - Oliver Stone who wrote it and directed it, was a Infantry Grunt in Vietnam with the 25TH ID, Tropic Lightning



This is why you see so many actors with this logo as their "Combat Patch" on their right shoulder - Left Shoulder Current Unit Patch, Right Shoulder - Combat Patch ( can be 1 or like me authorized to wear 5 )

While FMJ is a great movie, it focuses on a non- direct combat Marine ( Photographer) and his journeys as he encounters an Infantry unit.

Platoon focuses on a Grunt in the shit from Day 1 - ie Real world. No unit deployments, only individual deployments and rotations.

 

I sadly have not seen all the classic 'Nam movies.

Forrest Gump would be my favourite of the ones I saw, since it's probably my favourite movie.

 

Forrest Gump

 

Full Metal Jacket. But Platoon is a Close call.

 

I guess I'm gonna add Forrest Gump to the poll

 

Rambo: First Blood Part 2

 

Tigerland is a damn good movie - Shows Vietnam era Infantry training at Ft. Polk in LA via Tigerland - Full immersion field training. Tigerland still exists as JRTC.

 

Full Metal Jacket, No Contest.

R. Lee Ermey kills it in that movie!

 

I find myself torn between the two classics, Full Metal Jacket and Platoon. That said I have vivid memories of Casualties of War, firstly because it had Michael J. Fox in a war movie and swearing (which to me is just odd) and then the rest of the plot kicks in and.......well it's unpleasant to say the least.

 

Full Metal Jacket.....all the way. It showed one of the best (sappose to be) Paris Island basic training for the USMC. Even though i was there in the early 90s, it was still just has intense and difficult. It didnt hold to many punches over all.

 

Forrest Gump, Good Morning Vietnam, and Tropic Thunder

 

Toss up between FMJ and Platoon for movies and Tour of Duty for TV series,not the dvd release but the original broadcast as they cut out all the music in the shows and replace with generic synthesized music in the DVD's

 

I'm going to take We Were Soldiers. It's not 100% accurate to the events of that battle, but it's a pretty good depiction of the Vietnam War. My grandfather was a combat photographer, so it was interesting to see so much of the story center around a war correspondent. According to him, the movie captures that job very well.

Second place goes to Apocalypse Now. Technically though, it takes place inCambodia, but I'll let it slide since that was officially part of the Vietnam War effort.

Full Metal Jacket is a great disturbing movie, but I usually don't classify it as a war movie. I consider it a psychological thriller with moments of dark comedy with soldiers as the main characters. It's the only Vietnam movie to disturb my grandfather, and after he told me all his war stories, I understand why.

 

Out of the movies listed, I went with Full Metal Jacket. If you like war movies, Dead Presidents had some memorable war moments as well.

 

I'd have to say Platoon left the biggest impression on me. That scene with the VC chasing down William Dafoe's character was so epic. Also enjoyed Uncommon Valor and Casualties of War.