Hi, I am an A2 film studies student needing opinions on the Vietnam war. Underneath is the question i am analysing and answering:
How did the Vietnam War change the narratives and conventions in US War movies?
Any of your knowledgeable opinions and points would be kindly taken on board
Many thanks Cini
Really you need help with this?
I think the big difference between pre and post Vietnam War was the focus of the film. Before Vietnam war movies tended to be more epic, they were more about being visually stunning. But after the Vietnam War the focus moved away from the "war" part of war movies and more towards the soldiers and the psychology of said soldiers.
Coming Home was more about the soldiers and PTSD and the different ways it manifested intself.
The Great Santini was more about the aging soldier, coming to grips with your mortality.
The Deer Hunter was about the effect the war had on a collective of friends.
Apocalypse Now was really about the soldier in country, though really it's more a Heart of Darkness adaptation.
First Blood the ordeal of the lost soldier and discarded ma
Then about 10 years after the War ended you started to see more darker War movies
Full Metal Jacket and
Platoon were really the definitive Vietnam War movies
And finally you had a number of dark science fiction movies that came out that while not being strictly about Vietnam they did cover the cynicism of the era and lack of trust in the authority. (
West World, Planet of the Apes, Soylent Green, The Omega Man, Paralax View, Three Days in the Condor)