"Best Vietnam Movie" Topic

I second Tropic Thunder!

I would add "When Hell Was In Session", the Jeremiah Denton Story. Great flick about the POWs.

Forrest Gump is the best. A true war hero. After all, he won a MOH for getting "shot in the but-tocks" while rescuing Lt. Dan.

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I thought about "Forrest Gump" for quite a while but the Vietnam sequence was so short compared to the whole movie. It was a very long movie. It's not about the best scene but the best movie. But by all means add it in.

It's sort of like adding in "More American Graffiti" just for the one Vietnam scene. But you are right the "Forrest Gump" scene was really good.

Looks like I did miss a couple of obvious ones.

"Gardens of Stone" – I really did like this movie. Very moving. James Earl Jones and James Caen.

"The Quiet American" – Michael Cain, another good one.

Need to see "Hearts of Darkness" and "Tigerland."

How did I miss Aliens?

There's a US army movie called "Cadence" (sometimes referred to as Stockade) about a military prison which is set at the time of the Vietnam War and is a good watch. Nothing amazing, but decent entertainment.

There is a film called the Lost Command about FFL Paras after Dien Bien Phu, with Anthony Quinn, which not bad and another entry from the French Involvement.

Air America? Or do we consider this Laos – If so *THERE ARE NO US FORCES IN LAOS*.

Jacobs Ladder terrified me, I mean I watched it after aliens and I thought she was…Well….lets just call it hentai and leave it at that.

I'm glad you mentioned Air America. I spent a big chunk of the 90s working for an offshore helicopter organization. Many of the pilots and mechanics I worked with had done work for the modern descendant of Air America for the US and other governments doing some pretty wild things. It was obvious that someone on that film had spent some time with contract pilots because they got the character, the irreverence and independance of the type exactly spot on. A lot of the pilots I knew liked the movie. It's a sentimental favorite for me, and I get a sense of nostalgia watching it.

My own favorites are Platoon, Hamburger Hill, and We Were Soldiers. Although that last one got pretty Hollywood with the story, especially near the end, there aren't too many Vietnam movies that focus on the earlier pre-Tet period of the war. Most seem to opt for the later periods, which is quite alright. Another favorite is Siege of Firebase Gloria, but that's mainly due to Lee Ermey's great dialogue. It's kind of a silly movie, otherwise.

My dad, who was wounded as a helicopter pilot in 1969, loves Apocalypse Now strictly for the Ride of the Valkyries scene. I'm not sure if he's seen the whole thing all the way through, though. Incidentally, I know we are not talking about books, but dad once gave me a copy of Robert Mason's "Chickenhawk". He said it was the most accurate description of the life of a Cav pilot that he's ever read. Hopefully one day, they'll make a movie out of that.

Top Gun

Boys from Company C
Apocalypse now
Odd angry shot
Bat 21

Like others I like the Vietnam scenes in Forrest Gump, platoon, the odd angry shot and full metal jacket ( just for the Mickey Mouse club song). I would also like to add a book to the list. That would be James Webb's Fields of Fire.

Flight of the Intruder
Platoon
we were sodiers

I agree with the above about Forrest Gump. I was in the infantry after Vietnam Nam, but the combat sequence in the movie was as I envisioned it.

The best Vietnam movie is not on your list:

The Odd Angry Shot

Yes it is! "The Odd Angry Shot" is eleventh from the top.

got to agree with the books thrown in , chicken hawk- I have lost count of the number of times I've read it! Fields of Fire too and The 13th Valley is another goodie……but that's a whole new thread….!

FMJ (very stereotyped but it got me into Vietnam gaming), Bat21 (this desperately needs remaking as the true story is so much more involved than the film) Rescue dawn, and we were soldiers (agree about the charge spoiling it).
There's many there i've not seen – mopic84, iron Triangle, Firebase Gloria. Also liked apocalypse now, but as commented its not really about Vietnam.
I'd say if you include Forrest Gump and Jacobs Ladder (both great) you need to include Dead Presidents – now that's a great film!
I've never seen a Vietnam film I didn't enjoy except maybe Rambo II
Tim

84C MoPic, Hamburger Hill and the Odd Angry Shot for me.

84 Charlie Mopic definitely my favourite, followed closely by Hamburger Hill and the Boys In Company C.

Also really liked A Bright Shining Lie with an amazing Bill Paxton.

i think my pics are already here. I would love to see James Webb's Fields of Fire (USMC) made into a movie and/or Winston Groomes Better Times Than These (Air Cav) made into movies. Incidentally Groome would alter write Forrest Gump Gump and there is a character in Better Times who appears to be the basis for Forrest

Carry on Camping.

A classic dressed up as light hearted, made in 1969
during the Vietnam war. Life goes on for the average eveyday
middle aged , Sid Boggle and Bernie Lugg they go on a holiday
of discovery in a search of crumpet and a few sherbets .
They find next door to their typical holiday camp are
the disaffected young . The Hippie horde have no time
for values of the conservative establishment .
The band the "Flowerbuds" had 2 members arrested in riots
outside the London American Embassy in 1968 in Anti USA
aggression in Vietnam . One dated Vanesse Redgrave .
The film is said to have influenced the Wilson government
and kept Britain out.
Dig deep under the silliness and fluff , but a very British
film so the hidden message can get lost to people outside
the UK. John Wayne hated the movie and tried to have it
censored in the US. Lennon loved it.
" The Age of Aquarius" is upon us.

Really?
Tim

Forgot about "Operation Dumbo Drop."

Full Metal Jacket.

Not only is it an anti-war film, but it is an anti-war-film film.

I agree about the Australian The Odd Angry Shot.

We were Soldiers and Odd Angry Shot. Most of the rest do not protray the troops as the marjority were. Malcontents and druggies were not as wide spread as had been reported.

1. The 317th Platoon ("Leave me a grenade.")
2. Go Tell the Spartans ("I saluted.")
3. 84 Charlie MoPic ("I'm so short, I could parachute off a dime!" Go, Nick Cascone!)
4 – Tie. Hamburger Hill("People, you do not have a problem. Your only real problem is me. And him.")
We Were Soldiers ("If any of you sons of bitches calls me grandpa, I'll kill you.")
Honorable Mention: "Tropic Thunder", just as a (mostly hilarious) reminder of how low people can sink to exploit the acts of genuine heroes.

Go Tell the Spartans may have been mentioned. It's good.

The Hanoi Hilton – a movie that everyone needs to see (true story)

Platoon Leader – a simple story line, but a stirring movie (true story)

Hamburger Hill – true quote shown just before final credits come up really make this move for me; the officer who said it showed great foresight
(movie based on actual battle)
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Apocalypse Now – great movie making but more of a Vietnam fantasy story

I really love Siege of Firebase Gloria. This has to be ome of my top 10 movies of all time