Keith David literally saved Charlie Sheen's life during the making of this film. The stunt was during the helicopter sequence where it was flying over and Sheen lost his footing and was about to fall off and Keith with his quick instincts grabbed him quickly back into the helicopter. Sheen has credited, thanked Keith several times. Thats why we got to see the reunion between Sheen and David in Men at Work directed by Emilio Estevez which is another fun hilarious film.
I think that Keith David's "Men At Work" character is basically the same as the Platoon character...PTSD in the 1980s working with a couple of trash guys (one of which he likes more, maybe because he reminds him of a kid he knew in 'Nam)
One year after this Willem Dafoe came to my country with his theatre company, he walked on stage to a standing ovation every night, he was so surprised it was wonderful to see. He is really sweet and down to earth. If you want to see another one of his brilliant roles do watch Alan Parker's 1988 "Mississipi Burning", Gene Hackman, Frances McDormand, R. Lee Ermey, Brad Douriff in a brilliant telling of s true story. I really enjoyed your final comments.
I was 15 when this movie came out. My Dad was in the vietnam war and he'd never talked about it. This is the only movie he ever took me to see in the theater. The character work is so good in this movie. Thanks for the reaction and memories.
At the time Tom Berenger was as a hearthrob known for rom-coms, and Willem Dafoe was famous for playing villains. Oliver Stone has said that he cast them against type intentionally, to suggest that Barnes might have started good, and Elias might have done evil things that made him such a warrior, and war changed them both.
When it comes to war-movies: there is a "before Platoon", and then "after Platoon". If Hollywood don't put in an effort, it will always look silly after this movie. Just Amazing!
I worked with a guy who was a tunnel rat in Vietnam. Little guy, 5'3". They had a terrible mortality rate of something like 30%. They would go in with just their sidearm and a lantern. Sometimes, they would emerge miles away. He never talked about the war much, but you could tell it still affected him. And this was in the 2000's.
Unfortunately, many of those tunnel rats were soldiers enlisted under Project 100,000. It was a dangerous job to begin with but sending soldiers not mentally fit to be in the field of warfare led to a very high mortality rate for tunnel rats.
All young up and coming actors in this film as they go on to become stars in their own right is just awesome. Tropic Thunder paying homage to Platoon with the iconic Willem Dafoe's death scene says it holds up really well.
I can never hear the song “Adagio for Strings” (the them for Platoon) without thinking about the ending of Platoon. It’s so haunting and tragic, perfect for a Vietnam war film.
My dad was drafted into Vietnam as a senior in high school. Already from an abusive home the war broke whatever was left. My dad was involved with Agent Orange which gave life long illness until he died at 60. I was born in 84 and he never talked about it much. I know coming home they were spit on and called baby killers. He was scared of helicopters just the sound could set him off. I wish the war never happened maybe I would have gotten a better dad. Not sure if these comments are read but thank you for talking about this with respect.
Our government has historically fucked over our fathers uncles and loved ones...love my country, ashamed of my government....I'm sure you've seen JACOBS LADDER.. Tim Robins,...the experiments with psychotropic drugs on our guys?.. yeah...based off true story if I member correctly..🇺🇸
Thanks for sharing this. Appreciate your father’s and your family’s sacrifice. My uncle came back a changed man as well. Always fidgety, nervous. If you dropped a spoon in the kitchen he’d dive out of his chair. Was sad to see, with all they gave, how badly they were treated returning home.
Glad y’all watching and understanding the men that fought a good fight. My brother was a Marine in Vietnam,I was a Marine in Desert Storm,my nephew was a Marine in Iraq. Thank you for the respect.
Winner of 4 Oscars including Best Picture. This was one of most realistic war movies ever made. It's even loosely based on Oliver Stone's life in the US Army while he was fighting in Vietnam. When Stone showed this to Vietnam War Veterans, they said that this is exactly what they went through when they were younger. War is hell, yet they all fought to survive and they fought for our freedom.
The final battle is based of the Battle of New Years Day 1968, a battle Oliver Stone served in. For years afterward he thought he had dreamed it all up, until at a reunion of his unit he was told it actually occurred.
Andrew about Dafoe's character: "Man I hope nothing happens to him..." One of the most iconic scenes in film history: Dafoe's character dying horribly.
You have to watch Apocalypse Now. It's star is Michael Sheen, Charlie's father. And since y'all haven't seen these then I know you've not seen Casualties of War starring Sean Penn and Michael J Fox.
I remember seeing this with my friends from ROTC when it first came out, we were the only kids in the theater. I know some of the men in the theater were veterans. This movie kicked off a series of Vietnam movies, Full Metal Jacket and Hamburger Hill and one tv series, Tour of Duty.
Solid choice, you should also check out Born on the Fourth of July, another Oliver Stone Vietnam movie although it focuses much more on the experience of veterans coming home from Vietnam
The bts for this is really cool. That scene with them smoking weed, they actually got high before shooting, but had to do it very hush hush, because as Defoe says in the bts "Oliver probably wouldn't object to it, but he couldn't know about it either"
Another great Oliver Stone Vietnam war movie is 'Born on the Fourth of July' (1989) For some reason nobody reacts to it. It's a true story. Tom Cruise is the main character and does the best acting he's ever done hands down. Willem Dafoe is also in it.
My father served in Vietnam I took him to see it he ended leaving in the middle of it and he was in tears this was one of the most realistic movie he seen about Vietnam
This movie was nominated for eight academy awards, winning four, including picture, director, sound and editing. The other four nominations were supporting actor for Dafoe and Berenger, screenplay and cinematography. Best makeup Oscar went to The Fly. I always thought it was strange that this movie was adapted into a video game in 1987.
Fun Fact: The production of the movie (Platoon) nearly got canned as the setting of filming was in the Philippines. The country around that time in early-1986 was having a bloodless revolution known to as EDSA People Power Revolution. Willem Dafoe on the other hand? He was there apparently between the massive crowd of protests.
One of my all-time favorite moives. Loosely based on Oliver Stone's tour in Vietnam, via Charlie Sheen's character. I think some of the backliash about this movie and Oliver Stone was because it wasa trhe first realistic war movie, not some rah, rah John Wayne bullshit, with actors qho mirrired the age and cimposition of soldiers at the time, most of whom didn"t want to be there. This is the war that ended the draft. .
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is the touching story of a Vietnam vet who returns to Chicago after the war and gets a job parking cars at a swanky restaurant, despite the fact that he lost both his arms in that bunker scene. Truly inspiring. Surprised you guys didn't know about the Platoon cinematic universe. On a serious note, Barnes was a great many really shitty things, but what he wasn't doing was "ostracizing" Mark Moses' LT during the combat. The man had just dropped artillery on his own unit and killed many of his own men. Grabbing the radio handset from him and smacking him in the head with it is the least of what he deserved.
@@daveemerson6549 In a similar note, had it ever occurred to you that Ricky Linderman from "My Bodyguard" could in fact be the son of Animal Mother from Full Metal Jacket? Ya gotta admit, the family resemblance is uncanny, and Ricky Linderman wears an olive drab M65 field jacket. (Possibly his Dad's?) My Bodyguard came out in 1980, so Ricky Linderman would've been born around 1965. Is it possible that Animal Mother enlisted in the Marines to provide for his newborn son that same year, then got sent to Vietnam? Ricky Linderman also says that his Dad just watches TV. Maybe PTSD is why he doesn't have a job.
There's a great documentary called "Platoon: Brothers in Arms" made by the medic (Doc) and narrated by Sheen. The making of this movie is as epic as the film itself.
My dad lost his leg from Vietnam , dealt with it his entire life, still today. There’s a common strategy in the military & it’s learning to “embrace the suck” from day 1 and that prepares you for basic and deployments . You 2 kept saying it just looks like it sucks instantly and it does , great observation of what our soldiers go through in reality. Seeing a lot of the Ukraine body can footage and we had it good in Afghanistan compared to t he literal ww1 trench warfare environments seeing in ukraine .
It’s important to remember that the big man in charge made platoon as an anti-war film wanting to make America and those who fought out to be evil “the bad guy” so he highlighted and also went to a place that really portrayed our soldiers as monsters intentionally. My dad served and yes there were psychopaths I’m sure as in any war, and those who are so damaged by what they’ve seen they change in theater as well as the drugs being fueled into the units as strategy by the comunist party which was a VERY effective strategy and played a large part with how our veterans coped comming home to a nation where a lot of the population treated them so terribly when so many were drafted , many joined thinking they were doing the right thing but all got treated horribly and didn’t get the care needed by their country and government upon return. With thst though my dads said as a Bietnam war veteran amputee this film is amazing as a film but offensive and disrespectful as a politics message it was made to be , he said there was a lot of accidental friendly fire becasue of the disorientation in jungles where you can’t tell direction without your compas and in a fire fight there’s no time but the divide among a unit to the extent of murder was absurd and done to get those that are the film to not buy into the actual part of war that veterans miss, the brothers and comrodery that comes in a war with your unit and my dad said he r&pe scene and execution of the disabled North Vietnamese was offensive, disgusting and clearly wrote into the film as his personal view on why American soldiers are and did but something my dad never once saw or heard of , that’s a Nazi ww2 thing, a Russia on Nazi civilians near end of war, a Japanese on Chinese civilians ww2, that’s not something that western militaries do or did believe it or not.
It won Best Picture, Director, Editing, and Sound. Both Dafoe and Berenger were nominated for Supporting, but likely split anyone voting for PLATOON in that category. However, it did NOT get nominated for Best Makeup. Only 3 films did. But it wouldn't have won anyway, because of that other little film that came out in 1986... THE FLY from Cronenberg.
My step dad's friend fought in Vietnam. His wife said that he would wake up in the middle of the night screaming. He had some real nasty scar tissue on his thigh from a bullet wound.
This was an amalgamation of Oliver stones experiences in his service in Vietnam and different things he saw and experienced. He did speak once about the smoking dope and he said it kept the men hunan and many soldiers would smoke it in the field to deal with the situations.
The movie was filmed in chronological order and the cast did not get to leave until their character either died or left. So the relief on Charlie Sheens face at the end was him being happy about finally going home.
You guys need to watch Hamburger Hill. It is probably the best Vietnam war film of all time. It really does a great job of capturing the experiences of American GIs during the conflict, both in battle and the home front. Edit: Also, freaking War Machine is in it😁
@@isabelsilva62023 My main issue with that film is the depiction of the VC, which is pretty racist. Of course, given the context of when that film was made, (late 70s, with the war still fresh), there was still a desire to see the VC as a brutal and barbaric enemy. In actuality, there is no evidence for anything that happens in the Russian roulette scene. As a film, it certainly is a work of art. As a depiction of the GI experience in Vietnam, it doesn’t quite hold water.
All it takes is the opening chords of Adagio and I'm right back in the theater seeing this for the first time. I was 12 when this was released. This film HITS HARD. My dad was a Marine during Vietnam but never saw combat in the Reserves.
This and F.M.J. (Full Metal Jacket) are tied for my favorite Vietnam war movie. Oliver Stone Magnum Opus of anti war. This Legendary cast was a who's who and who was on the come-up. Charlie Sheen's Chris Taylor is the viewers proverbial pov person in this epic war drama. Like the devil & the angel dichotomy The Angel Sgt Elias (Willem Defoe) and the Devil in Sgt Barnes (Tom Berrenger) Both fighting the same war with different methods & resolve. One who's "soldiering" is Righteous and Honorable (Elias) One who's cutthroat and borderline psychotic (Barnes) 27:48 was the crew technical advisor Character actor and former Veteran Dale Dye. Which launched his acting career. I hope that you all do Born on the 4th of July, Hamburger Hill & Casualties of war. Although I don't think your ready for the lower ladder film.
I saw this movie alone when i was a teen back in 2009. And it broke me. I never revisited it, as the memory of watching the movie embedded deep into my soul. Platoon, Apocalypse Now, The Deer Hunter and Full Metal Jackets are to me the Mount Rushmore of Vietnam War movies.
This one right here. I've seen it countless times and it's definitely a gut punch. Especially that horrific scene in the village. Makes my stomach hurt every time.
This one closely followed by "Born on the 4th of July", (also with Dafoe) a movie that truly shows what an amazing actor Tom Cruise is. Then perhaps "Salvador" and "JFK".
I really like Full Metal Jacket. But this is my favorite of the Vietnam war flicks that came out in the late 70s and throughout the 1980s. This is the film I think of when I think of Keith David. King is definitely my favorite character. "There ain't no such thing as a coward out here. All you gotta do is make it outta here. The rest of your life is gravy. GRAVY." I understand why some would only watch this movie once. The violence (especially the village scene) is shocking and depressing. However, I find it rewarchable because the performances are so good. Not just Berenger, Dafoe, and Sheen, but the smaller roles are absolutely knocked out of the park by Keith David, McGinley, Dillon, Francesco Quinn (as Rhah), Forest Whitaker, and Reggie Johnson (as Junior).
This was, and still is, the single most intense movie that I've ever seen in the theater. The entirety of a packed theater walked out afterwards without even a murmur.
The music is “Adagio for Strings” by Samuel Barber. There is a vocal version of it called “Ave Maria.” I am having one of them played at my funeral, I just can’t decide which because they are both perfect pieces of music. This was based on Oliver’s experiences in Vietnam. He had all of the actors go through boot camp in conditions like these before they started principal photography. The scene where Willem Defoe is being shot to death in slow motion was interesting. You can see his body jerking as he gets hit with each bullet. He was actually all squibbed up but NONE of them went off. It took a lot of time to set up that shot and they didn’t work. They only did one take because when they watched the rushes, Willem’s performance was so perfect it could not be duplicated. His acting was so STRONG that Oliver said that’s the one! So the squibs didn’t go off, so what. It was so perfect he wanted that shot of Elias stretching his arms up to the helicopter praying for God to help him, he wanted that to be the one sheet A. I worked with Oliver in JFK and he was a great director. His demeanor is way nicer than you would think, especially after the types of films he has made.
The first time I watched this movie was on VHS in our living room and I woke my mother up from her room at 3am because she heard me loudly sobbing and crying "please" "help him" ( because of the Willam Defoe scene running to the helicopter) and thought something really bad was going on.
I’ve seen this so many times, and will again! It’s why I still have some respect for Charlie (not a ton). Other great Vietnam movies: The Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket.
I really wish I knew his name but the Col, I'm assuming with the white hair actually did serve in Vietnam so when they show that scene where the camera just sees the pain in his eyes after the battle, Stone himself claimed that it wasn't acting he was simply remembering and experiencing what he felt from that war.
You should watch the making of the movie. Oliver stone wanted to make this movie so authentic, he had all the actors in a month long bootcamp in the Filipino jungles, no phones etc. Almost like tropic thunder. He set up night ambushes, patrols ,etc and made them dig and sleep in there own encampment. To try and convey what loosing a brother was like, he had the actors bag and tag a fellow actor who "died" into a Helicopter, which caused the actors to break down and cry uncontrollably.
Samual Barber is the name of the composer who wrote that beautiful piece that played over most of the film. The piece is called Adagio for Strings. Samual Barber was a classical composer and this piece wasn’t written for this film. In fact, this piece is licensed constantly in all sorts of tv shows and movies because it’s so beautiful and sounds like a heart slowly breaking. It’s one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written and is basically the only piece that Barber wrote that is still performed regularly. Also this piece was originally the second movement of his string quartet. And is even more beautiful when heard that way in my opinion.
The sokdier, Francis, in the final scenes that tells Charlie Sheen they are two-timers and going home is Corey Glover the lead singer of the rock group Living Color.
You have to imagine Barnes when he was a newbie. How did he become so twisted or what brought the horror out of him if he was horrible before he came? War ruins lives. War ruins people. Most of those guys were kids. Average age of soldiers in Vietnam War was 19yo. Serve 3 tours and you have Barnes. Governments sending poor children to fight for geopolitics. They deserve better.
At the time Tom Berenger was as a hearthrob known for rom-coms, and Willem Dafoe was famous for playing villains. Oliver Stone has said that he cast them against type intentionally, to suggest that Barnes might have started good, and Elias might have done evil things that made him such a warrior, and war changed them both.
Oliver stone served in Vietnam and alot of his experiences were used in the film. Caption Dale Dye the military advisor was in the film as well. A very moving scene at the end is actually Dye have a PTSD moment and stone kept it in the movie.
Food for thought, Remember Rhah says that "only Barnes can kill Barnes". Chris has become the war machine that Barnes was. But he is going home so he becomes a serial killer in the states.
Fun fact: After Chris (Charlie Sheen) killed Barnes, when the other soldiers show up, Charlie Sheen is sitting down. When he sees the other guys coming, he drops a grenade he was holding. He had come to the realization that by killing Barnes, he had become a murderer. No better than Barnes. He had become what he hated and was on the verge of suicide. It wasn't scripted, but Charlie Sheen came up with the idea, and now that you know, you'll always see it and understand. In addition, Barnes has nothing at home. No wife, no job, no life. The war is all he has, He secretly hopes to die in the war rather than go home to nothing. So he never really ducks or takes cover.
Stone made this movie to be as realistic as possible using his or his buddies experiences. The actors were chosen because they were mostly then young (and as yet most not “big” stars), .. but his recollection was the Army drafted young men for the rigors of jungle combat (top age 26 vs mid-30s for WW2). However Barnes scar was added since Stone felt Berringer (who had played romantic leads up til then) was too good looking without the scar. It was also the first movie where actors went through realistic military training (for authenticity and to make then tired/irate before acting) before the film was shot courtesy of Dale Dye, another veteran who has a cameo in this like Stone.
My father was a decorated vietnam vet..never spoke of it...but he was extremely prideful of his service...to all the vets out there....WELCOME HOME! R.i.p Dad Joseph "Tiny" Mclenigan
I love that y’all mentioned the credits at the end. That was fun! There was no google so if you see an actor you liked? You checked the credits. You also wanted to see if you saw familiar names with good movies. I still don’t know what a ‘grip’ is, but I’m glad they were mentioned!
"The film is not nihilistic...I really really appreciate the last lines being about his purpose and that it is our responsibility to make the world a better place--such a beautiful sentiment from a film that is so negative. I think a lesser filmmaker would have made a nihilistic film." I had a lot to say about this now underappreciated war film, but this guy summed it up so perfectly at the end that I thought I would just quote him.
It was famously played on short notice during the BBC Proms concerts as a tribute to the fallen a few days after 9/11 and U.S conductor Leonard Slatkin was asked to conduct the BBC orchestra.. A very sad performance. Slatkin was so emotional that when it ended, instead of bowing to the orchestra and the audience, he just walked off stage. You can find the video of it, in not good quality, here on YT.
Oliver Stone's Untold History of the United States is a really great 12 episode series that I think is available on Prime. It's extremely well researched and thoroughly fact checked multiple times. It was fascinating to learn of people and events I'd never heard of but that nevertheless had huge impacts on our country and society. Highly recommend.
The theme song for Platoon is Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber. I recognize the original, but I'm mostly familiar with the Tiesto and Samuel Barber version. Even if you dislike EDM, give a listen to the Tiesto version. The song just invokes emotion.
If you've never seen Kevin Dillon this young, I would HIGHLY recommend a film called HEAVEN HELP US (1985) starring him, Andrew McCarthy, John Heard, Donald Sutherland and Mary Stewart Masterson. Wonderful little dramedy about Catholic HS kids in Brooklyn in the mid-'60s.
Oliver Stone's a Vietnam vet, and Platoon is based on his experience in Vietnam. Elias and Barnes are based on real Sgts who led Stone's unit. Charlie Sheen's character is based on Stone.
During that last scene when the camera focuses on Dale Dye, he was in the middle of having a real flashback. Stone recognized what was going on and kept the camera on him. Also while filming as characters were killed the actor was sent home just as quick so the group felt the loss of guys.
I had good older net friend, of whom we played a lot games. He did 2 tours in Vietnam as marine sniper. He didn't talk much about war but he talked more to me, as we were not connected just by games but also fact I did service in my own country's military, while his kids never served. He was great guy and he said this film was close to perfect recreation how far felt. It was masterpiece that he watched once and only once.
I'm sure someone has already mentioned it, but Born on the Fourth of July would be an appropriate follow-up. Also directed by Stone and based on a true story. Tom Curise in the lead; but returning actors from Platoon include Dafoe, Berenger, and several others you'll spot, plus actor/advisor Capt. Dale Dye. The film looks at the whole life of the main character, including before, during and after the war.
Newbies or greenies got a lot a tough love and some hazing / light torture because the more experienced soldier knew the young pup might not last a min in a day and they dont want to get emotionally attached.
Glad you are reacting to this amazing film. One thing you got wrong, during the ambush scene, there is a medic trying to cut a bullet out of a fallen soldier and there are visible puffs of smoke coming from the wound. You thought the medic was cauterizing the wound. That's not right. What was being depicted was the soldier was hit by a tracer round. Tracer rounds are visible rounds that help machine gunners direct their fire more accurately. They use phosphorus to "light up" but phosphorus burns quite hot. Thats the smoke you see.
I remember the media Big Deal when this movie came out. The "wall" against making Vietnam war movies had only recently been broken, so it got a lot of press. I saw this movie at the theater, pretty early into its run. It was my introduction to Willem DeFoe, who I then made a point of watching for movies he was in, thereafter. Tom Berenger, though.... He did such a good job of portraying a real bållsäck in this movie that my subconscious emotional reactions filed him away with this role. I had a real hard time watching him in anything else after this, even though I *knew* he wasn't this character. Kind of a backhanded compliment re his acting performance...?
This is my favorite war movie. most war movies are about a particular battle or objective but Platoon really shows what day to day life is like for a grunt in combat. wish more war movies were made like this.
Not making fun, but pointing out: "In another movie they wouldn't show the minutia." We Were Soldiers, or Saving Private Ryan, or A Bridge to Far, or Midway (original), or...
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You guys definitely definitely have to see Born on the Fourth of July.
Sniper, Tom berenger basically playing Carlos hathcock.
You guys should check out another good war movie "Casualties of war"
Keith David literally saved Charlie Sheen's life during the making of this film. The stunt was during the helicopter sequence where it was flying over and Sheen lost his footing and was about to fall off and Keith with his quick instincts grabbed him quickly back into the helicopter. Sheen has credited, thanked Keith several times. Thats why we got to see the reunion between Sheen and David in Men at Work directed by Emilio Estevez which is another fun hilarious film.
I think that Keith David's "Men At Work" character is basically the same as the Platoon character...PTSD in the 1980s working with a couple of trash guys (one of which he likes more, maybe because he reminds him of a kid he knew in 'Nam)
Respect for that. "There are 3 things u don't mess with and 1 of those is another man's fries!"
"Golf clap?"
One year after this Willem Dafoe came to my country with his theatre company, he walked on stage to a standing ovation every night, he was so surprised it was wonderful to see. He is really sweet and down to earth. If you want to see another one of his brilliant roles do watch Alan Parker's 1988 "Mississipi Burning", Gene Hackman, Frances McDormand, R. Lee Ermey, Brad Douriff in a brilliant telling of s true story. I really enjoyed your final comments.
How has he not won at least one Oscar is what baffles me.
Corey Glover is in the film. He would go on to become the lead vocalist of the band Living Colour.
I was 15 when this movie came out. My Dad was in the vietnam war and he'd never talked about it. This is the only movie he ever took me to see in the theater. The character work is so good in this movie. Thanks for the reaction and memories.
How Tom Berenger did not win Best Supporting Actor for his role in this film is beyond me.
Chef's kiss.
Yeah, that is a tour de force of a performance.
He and Willem Dafoe were both nominated in the same category and unfortunately that tends to split the vote.
At the time Tom Berenger was as a hearthrob known for rom-coms, and Willem Dafoe was famous for playing villains. Oliver Stone has said that he cast them against type intentionally, to suggest that Barnes might have started good, and Elias might have done evil things that made him such a warrior, and war changed them both.
He did win a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
That's because he killed The Green Goblin.
When it comes to war-movies: there is a "before Platoon", and then "after Platoon".
If Hollywood don't put in an effort, it will always look silly after this movie.
Just Amazing!
I worked with a guy who was a tunnel rat in Vietnam. Little guy, 5'3". They had a terrible mortality rate of something like 30%. They would go in with just their sidearm and a lantern. Sometimes, they would emerge miles away. He never talked about the war much, but you could tell it still affected him. And this was in the 2000's.
Unfortunately, many of those tunnel rats were soldiers enlisted under Project 100,000. It was a dangerous job to begin with but sending soldiers not mentally fit to be in the field of warfare led to a very high mortality rate for tunnel rats.
@@chaost4544not just that being a tunnel rat is so dangerous. The VC had horrifying booby traps everywhere.
All young up and coming actors in this film as they go on to become stars in their own right is just awesome. Tropic Thunder paying homage to Platoon with the iconic Willem Dafoe's death scene says it holds up really well.
I can never hear the song “Adagio for Strings” (the them for Platoon) without thinking about the ending of Platoon. It’s so haunting and tragic, perfect for a Vietnam war film.
Also the end of the Elephant Man were John goes to sleep.
My dad was drafted into Vietnam as a senior in high school. Already from an abusive home the war broke whatever was left. My dad was involved with Agent Orange which gave life long illness until he died at 60. I was born in 84 and he never talked about it much. I know coming home they were spit on and called baby killers. He was scared of helicopters just the sound could set him off. I wish the war never happened maybe I would have gotten a better dad. Not sure if these comments are read but thank you for talking about this with respect.
Our government has historically fucked over our fathers uncles and loved ones...love my country, ashamed of my government....I'm sure you've seen JACOBS LADDER.. Tim Robins,...the experiments with psychotropic drugs on our guys?.. yeah...based off true story if I member correctly..🇺🇸
Thanks for sharing this. Appreciate your father’s and your family’s sacrifice. My uncle came back a changed man as well. Always fidgety, nervous. If you dropped a spoon in the kitchen he’d dive out of his chair. Was sad to see, with all they gave, how badly they were treated returning home.
@@mok-cb6no pointless crap comment from an arsehole that likes his own comments ... not a good look.
@@mok-cb6no Stupid commenter... yeah... you .... mokdumb.
@@mok-cb6nook cuck
Glad y’all watching and understanding the men that fought a good fight. My brother was a Marine in Vietnam,I was a Marine in Desert Storm,my nephew was a Marine in Iraq. Thank you for the respect.
Semper Fi!
A landmark cinematic achievement and a scathing indictment of war. 👌
'The first casuality of war is innocence'
Winner of 4 Oscars including Best Picture.
This was one of most realistic war movies ever made.
It's even loosely based on Oliver Stone's life in the US Army while he was fighting in Vietnam.
When Stone showed this to Vietnam War Veterans, they said that this is exactly what they went through when they were younger. War is hell, yet they all fought to survive and they fought for our freedom.
that war had zero to do for us and our freedom lol
@@rezsurfer2808 spread of communism could be against our interests. It’s hard to stay on top for generations
The final battle is based of the Battle of New Years Day 1968, a battle Oliver Stone served in. For years afterward he thought he had dreamed it all up, until at a reunion of his unit he was told it actually occurred.
Andrew about Dafoe's character: "Man I hope nothing happens to him..."
One of the most iconic scenes in film history: Dafoe's character dying horribly.
And spoofed by ben Stiller in Tropic Thunder.
And recreated by Dafoe in Boondocks Saints
More of a tribute to it since he’s not dying in that scene… but same vibe.
33:33 Andrew: "I reeeeaally hope nothing bad happens to him"
*most iconic scene in the movie* hold my beer.
You have to watch Apocalypse Now. It's star is Michael Sheen, Charlie's father.
And since y'all haven't seen these then I know you've not seen Casualties of War starring Sean Penn and Michael J Fox.
*Martin
Martin Sheen........Michael Sheen is a Welsh actor. Probably best known by Americans for the underworld movies.
I remember seeing this with my friends from ROTC when it first came out, we were the only kids in the theater. I know some of the men in the theater were veterans. This movie kicked off a series of Vietnam movies, Full Metal Jacket and Hamburger Hill and one tv series, Tour of Duty.
Solid choice, you should also check out Born on the Fourth of July, another Oliver Stone Vietnam movie although it focuses much more on the experience of veterans coming home from Vietnam
Omg such an amazing film! "Love it or leave it". Tom Cruises best film IMO.
The bts for this is really cool. That scene with them smoking weed, they actually got high before shooting, but had to do it very hush hush, because as Defoe says in the bts "Oliver probably wouldn't object to it, but he couldn't know about it either"
Another great Oliver Stone Vietnam war movie is 'Born on the Fourth of July' (1989) For some reason nobody reacts to it. It's a true story. Tom Cruise is the main character and does the best acting he's ever done hands down. Willem Dafoe is also in it.
My father served in Vietnam I took him to see it he ended leaving in the middle of it and he was in tears this was one of the most realistic movie he seen about Vietnam
Of course he would have felt it real, it was made by Oliver Stone who was a Vietnam Veteran himself
My dad was in Vietnam, and this movie was one of his favorites about the war. Especially the end battle.
The Adagio for Strings was originally part of composer Samuel Barber's first string quartet, written in 1936.
Great piece!!!
I heard this live on the radio after the attacks on 9/11. It was heartbreaking.
This movie was nominated for eight academy awards, winning four, including picture, director, sound and editing. The other four nominations were supporting actor for Dafoe and Berenger, screenplay and cinematography.
Best makeup Oscar went to The Fly.
I always thought it was strange that this movie was adapted into a video game in 1987.
I got the video games on NES
If no one has mentioned it, the composition you hear several times in the movie is Samuel Barber's "Adagio For Stings."
Fun Fact: The production of the movie (Platoon) nearly got canned as the setting of filming was in the Philippines. The country around that time in early-1986 was having a bloodless revolution known to as EDSA People Power Revolution. Willem Dafoe on the other hand? He was there apparently between the massive crowd of protests.
One of my all-time favorite moives. Loosely based on Oliver Stone's tour in Vietnam, via Charlie Sheen's character. I think some of the backliash about this movie and Oliver Stone was because it wasa trhe first realistic war movie, not some rah, rah John Wayne bullshit, with actors qho mirrired the age and cimposition of soldiers at the time, most of whom didn"t want to be there. This is the war that ended the draft. .
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is the touching story of a Vietnam vet who returns to Chicago after the war and gets a job parking cars at a swanky restaurant, despite the fact that he lost both his arms in that bunker scene. Truly inspiring.
Surprised you guys didn't know about the Platoon cinematic universe.
On a serious note, Barnes was a great many really shitty things, but what he wasn't doing was "ostracizing" Mark Moses' LT during the combat. The man had just dropped artillery on his own unit and killed many of his own men. Grabbing the radio handset from him and smacking him in the head with it is the least of what he deserved.
He was the drummer for Sonic Youth, before all of that..
@@daveemerson6549 In a similar note, had it ever occurred to you that Ricky Linderman from "My Bodyguard" could in fact be the son of Animal Mother from Full Metal Jacket? Ya gotta admit, the family resemblance is uncanny, and Ricky Linderman wears an olive drab M65 field jacket. (Possibly his Dad's?) My Bodyguard came out in 1980, so Ricky Linderman would've been born around 1965. Is it possible that Animal Mother enlisted in the Marines to provide for his newborn son that same year, then got sent to Vietnam? Ricky Linderman also says that his Dad just watches TV. Maybe PTSD is why he doesn't have a job.
There's a great documentary called "Platoon: Brothers in Arms" made by the medic (Doc) and narrated by Sheen. The making of this movie is as epic as the film itself.
My dad lost his leg from Vietnam , dealt with it his entire life, still today. There’s a common strategy in the military & it’s learning to “embrace the suck” from day 1 and that prepares you for basic and deployments . You 2 kept saying it just looks like it sucks instantly and it does , great observation of what our soldiers go through in reality. Seeing a lot of the Ukraine body can footage and we had it good in Afghanistan compared to t he literal ww1 trench warfare environments seeing in ukraine .
It’s important to remember that the big man in charge made platoon as an anti-war film wanting to make America and those who fought out to be evil “the bad guy” so he highlighted and also went to a place that really portrayed our soldiers as monsters intentionally. My dad served and yes there were psychopaths I’m sure as in any war, and those who are so damaged by what they’ve seen they change in theater as well as the drugs being fueled into the units as strategy by the comunist party which was a VERY effective strategy and played a large part with how our veterans coped comming home to a nation where a lot of the population treated them so terribly when so many were drafted , many joined thinking they were doing the right thing but all got treated horribly and didn’t get the care needed by their country and government upon return. With thst though my dads said as a Bietnam war veteran amputee this film is amazing as a film but offensive and disrespectful as a politics message it was made to be , he said there was a lot of accidental friendly fire becasue of the disorientation in jungles where you can’t tell direction without your compas and in a fire fight there’s no time but the divide among a unit to the extent of murder was absurd and done to get those that are the film to not buy into the actual part of war that veterans miss, the brothers and comrodery that comes in a war with your unit and my dad said he r&pe scene and execution of the disabled North Vietnamese was offensive, disgusting and clearly wrote into the film as his personal view on why American soldiers are and did but something my dad never once saw or heard of , that’s a Nazi ww2 thing, a Russia on Nazi civilians near end of war, a Japanese on Chinese civilians ww2, that’s not something that western militaries do or did believe it or not.
It won Best Picture, Director, Editing, and Sound. Both Dafoe and Berenger were nominated for Supporting, but likely split anyone voting for PLATOON in that category. However, it did NOT get nominated for Best Makeup. Only 3 films did. But it wouldn't have won anyway, because of that other little film that came out in 1986... THE FLY from Cronenberg.
Watching of this movie has to be followed by watching "Tropic Thunder."
My step dad's friend fought in Vietnam. His wife said that he would wake up in the middle of the night screaming.
He had some real nasty scar tissue on his thigh from a bullet wound.
Also fun fact, this part of a trilogy. Platoon(1986) born on the fourth of july(1989), heaven and earth(1993).
This was an amalgamation of Oliver stones experiences in his service in Vietnam and different things he saw and experienced. He did speak once about the smoking dope and he said it kept the men hunan and many soldiers would smoke it in the field to deal with the situations.
Great reaction as usual! I saw this in the theater when it came out. My friends and I were the ages of the young soldiers and it was very sobering.
'Brothers in Arms' (2018) is a documentary about the actors chosen and making of the movie ."Platoon"😊👍🏾
The movie was filmed in chronological order and the cast did not get to leave until their character either died or left. So the relief on Charlie Sheens face at the end was him being happy about finally going home.
You guys need to watch Hamburger Hill. It is probably the best Vietnam war film of all time. It really does a great job of capturing the experiences of American GIs during the conflict, both in battle and the home front.
Edit: Also, freaking War Machine is in it😁
Man I was so confused for a second when you said war machine I thought you meant the UFC fighter not Don Cheadle
Great movie tho
@tinmanbrigade7304 And "The Deer Hunter".
@@isabelsilva62023 My main issue with that film is the depiction of the VC, which is pretty racist. Of course, given the context of when that film was made, (late 70s, with the war still fresh), there was still a desire to see the VC as a brutal and barbaric enemy. In actuality, there is no evidence for anything that happens in the Russian roulette scene.
As a film, it certainly is a work of art. As a depiction of the GI experience in Vietnam, it doesn’t quite hold water.
its hard to describe how unnerving this was in theaters with full surround sound
All it takes is the opening chords of Adagio and I'm right back in the theater seeing this for the first time. I was 12 when this was released. This film HITS HARD. My dad was a Marine during Vietnam but never saw combat in the Reserves.
This and F.M.J. (Full Metal Jacket) are tied for my favorite Vietnam war movie. Oliver Stone Magnum Opus of anti war.
This Legendary cast was a who's who and who was on the come-up. Charlie Sheen's Chris Taylor is the viewers proverbial pov person in this epic war drama. Like the devil & the angel dichotomy The Angel Sgt Elias (Willem Defoe) and the Devil in Sgt Barnes (Tom Berrenger) Both fighting the same war with different methods & resolve. One who's "soldiering" is Righteous and Honorable (Elias) One who's cutthroat and borderline psychotic (Barnes) 27:48 was the crew technical advisor Character actor and former Veteran Dale Dye. Which launched his acting career. I hope that you all do Born on the 4th of July, Hamburger Hill & Casualties of war. Although I don't think your ready for the lower ladder film.
I saw this movie alone when i was a teen back in 2009. And it broke me. I never revisited it, as the memory of watching the movie embedded deep into my soul. Platoon, Apocalypse Now, The Deer Hunter and Full Metal Jackets are to me the Mount Rushmore of Vietnam War movies.
What's your favorite Oliver Stone joint??
This one right here. I've seen it countless times and it's definitely a gut punch.
Especially that horrific scene in the village. Makes my stomach hurt every time.
JFK (1991)
Any given sunday
This one closely followed by "Born on the 4th of July", (also with Dafoe) a movie that truly shows what an amazing actor Tom Cruise is. Then perhaps "Salvador" and "JFK".
Jfk directors cut
I really like Full Metal Jacket. But this is my favorite of the Vietnam war flicks that came out in the late 70s and throughout the 1980s.
This is the film I think of when I think of Keith David. King is definitely my favorite character. "There ain't no such thing as a coward out here. All you gotta do is make it outta here. The rest of your life is gravy. GRAVY."
I understand why some would only watch this movie once. The violence (especially the village scene) is shocking and depressing. However, I find it rewarchable because the performances are so good. Not just Berenger, Dafoe, and Sheen, but the smaller roles are absolutely knocked out of the park by Keith David, McGinley, Dillon, Francesco Quinn (as Rhah), Forest Whitaker, and Reggie Johnson (as Junior).
This was, and still is, the single most intense movie that I've ever seen in the theater. The entirety of a packed theater walked out afterwards without even a murmur.
The music is “Adagio for Strings” by Samuel Barber. There is a vocal version of it called “Ave Maria.” I am having one of them played at my funeral, I just can’t decide which because they are both perfect pieces of music. This was based on Oliver’s experiences in Vietnam. He had all of the actors go through boot camp in conditions like these before they started principal photography.
The scene where Willem Defoe is being shot to death in slow motion was interesting. You can see his body jerking as he gets hit with each bullet. He was actually all squibbed up but NONE of them went off. It took a lot of time to set up that shot and they didn’t work. They only did one take because when they watched the rushes, Willem’s performance was so perfect it could not be duplicated. His acting was so STRONG that Oliver said that’s the one! So the squibs didn’t go off, so what. It was so perfect he wanted that shot of Elias stretching his arms up to the helicopter praying for God to help him, he wanted that to be the one sheet A. I worked with Oliver in JFK and he was a great director. His demeanor is way nicer than you would think, especially after the types of films he has made.
I was 12 when this came out and will always remember Elias raising his hands. My dad had to explain that whole situation. Great movie.👏🏾
Andrew, you do not know who you will be until you've witnessed all of these atrocities personally. It does things to your brain.
The first time I watched this movie was on VHS in our living room and I woke my mother up from her room at 3am because she heard me loudly sobbing and crying "please" "help him" ( because of the Willam Defoe scene running to the helicopter) and thought something really bad was going on.
Willem*
I’ve seen this so many times, and will again! It’s why I still have some respect for Charlie (not a ton). Other great Vietnam movies: The Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket.
Been requesting this one forever!
Also fun fact: The “Pot-Tent” scene was almost completely improvised by the cast without Oliver Stone’s knowledge.
One of my favourite movie of all time, when i was a kid i wore out the vhs until it stopped working lol
I really wish I knew his name but the Col, I'm assuming with the white hair actually did serve in Vietnam so when they show that scene where the camera just sees the pain in his eyes after the battle, Stone himself claimed that it wasn't acting he was simply remembering and experiencing what he felt from that war.
That's Dale Dye I believe.
@@stobe187Yes that's Is himself in the movie in Real life 😮
You should watch the making of the movie. Oliver stone wanted to make this movie so authentic, he had all the actors in a month long bootcamp in the Filipino jungles, no phones etc. Almost like tropic thunder. He set up night ambushes, patrols ,etc and made them dig and sleep in there own encampment. To try and convey what loosing a brother was like, he had the actors bag and tag a fellow actor who "died" into a Helicopter, which caused the actors to break down and cry uncontrollably.
One of your best reactions... great job guys!
Willem Dafoe was great in The Lighthouse, which is already a pretty dark movie to begin with, but people often overlook it.
Hamburger Hill was made about the time Platoon was. I recommend it too for it's gritty, realistic portrayal of this war.
Did not realize before how stacked the cast was for this film.
Platoon is a top tier Vietnam War film. Excellent cast with a standout performance by Tom Berenger.
Samual Barber is the name of the composer who wrote that beautiful piece that played over most of the film. The piece is called Adagio for Strings. Samual Barber was a classical composer and this piece wasn’t written for this film. In fact, this piece is licensed constantly in all sorts of tv shows and movies because it’s so beautiful and sounds like a heart slowly breaking. It’s one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written and is basically the only piece that Barber wrote that is still performed regularly.
Also this piece was originally the second movement of his string quartet. And is even more beautiful when heard that way in my opinion.
The sokdier, Francis, in the final scenes that tells Charlie Sheen they are two-timers and going home is Corey Glover the lead singer of the rock group Living Color.
You have to imagine Barnes when he was a newbie. How did he become so twisted or what brought the horror out of him if he was horrible before he came? War ruins lives. War ruins people. Most of those guys were kids. Average age of soldiers in Vietnam War was 19yo. Serve 3 tours and you have Barnes. Governments sending poor children to fight for geopolitics. They deserve better.
At the time Tom Berenger was as a hearthrob known for rom-coms, and Willem Dafoe was famous for playing villains. Oliver Stone has said that he cast them against type intentionally, to suggest that Barnes might have started good, and Elias might have done evil things that made him such a warrior, and war changed them both.
Oliver stone served in Vietnam and alot of his experiences were used in the film.
Caption Dale Dye the military advisor was in the film as well. A very moving scene at the end is actually Dye have a PTSD moment and stone kept it in the movie.
Platoon: Brothers in Arms.
A brilliant programme to check out, about the making of this movie, featuring a lot of the cast.
Food for thought, Remember Rhah says that "only Barnes can kill Barnes". Chris has become the war machine that Barnes was. But he is going home so he becomes a serial killer in the states.
Fun fact: After Chris (Charlie Sheen) killed Barnes, when the other soldiers show up, Charlie Sheen is sitting down. When he sees the other guys coming, he drops a grenade he was holding. He had come to the realization that by killing Barnes, he had become a murderer. No better than Barnes. He had become what he hated and was on the verge of suicide. It wasn't scripted, but Charlie Sheen came up with the idea, and now that you know, you'll always see it and understand. In addition, Barnes has nothing at home. No wife, no job, no life. The war is all he has, He secretly hopes to die in the war rather than go home to nothing. So he never really ducks or takes cover.
Rhah was one of the most underrated characters of 80's cinema.
Absolutely thoughtful reaction! Really great discussion
As much as everyone hates Barns, he was a fighter, he type of soldier won wars!
So glad you two enjoyed this film.... Masterpiece
Stone made this movie to be as realistic as possible using his or his buddies experiences. The actors were chosen because they were mostly then young (and as yet most not “big” stars), .. but his recollection was the Army drafted young men for the rigors of jungle combat (top age 26 vs mid-30s for WW2). However Barnes scar was added since Stone felt Berringer (who had played romantic leads up til then) was too good looking without the scar.
It was also the first movie where actors went through realistic military training (for authenticity and to make then tired/irate before acting) before the film was shot courtesy of Dale Dye, another veteran who has a cameo in this like Stone.
My father was a decorated vietnam vet..never spoke of it...but he was extremely prideful of his service...to all the vets out there....WELCOME HOME! R.i.p Dad Joseph "Tiny" Mclenigan
I love that y’all mentioned the credits at the end. That was fun! There was no google so if you see an actor you liked? You checked the credits. You also wanted to see if you saw familiar names with good movies. I still don’t know what a ‘grip’ is, but I’m glad they were mentioned!
"The film is not nihilistic...I really really appreciate the last lines being about his purpose and that it is our responsibility to make the world a better place--such a beautiful sentiment from a film that is so negative. I think a lesser filmmaker would have made a nihilistic film." I had a lot to say about this now underappreciated war film, but this guy summed it up so perfectly at the end that I thought I would just quote him.
The attack on the village in Platoon is based on the My Lai massacre.
Great movie!! But I can't help the entire time, thinking of Leslie Nielson walking out of Platoon laughing in Naked Gun. Haha😂
My dad was drafted to 'Nam. I still have bitter feelings to hippies from that era that called returning soldiers "baby killers".
one of my favorite movies of all time
Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings first used in film, to the best of my knowledge. What an amazing piece of music to put with such a powerful film.
David Lynch´s 1980 The Elephant Man is when it was first used.
It was famously played on short notice during the BBC Proms concerts as a tribute to the fallen a few days after 9/11 and U.S conductor Leonard Slatkin was asked to conduct the BBC orchestra.. A very sad performance. Slatkin was so emotional that when it ended, instead of bowing to the orchestra and the audience, he just walked off stage. You can find the video of it, in not good quality, here on YT.
Oliver Stone's Untold History of the United States is a really great 12 episode series that I think is available on Prime. It's extremely well researched and thoroughly fact checked multiple times. It was fascinating to learn of people and events I'd never heard of but that nevertheless had huge impacts on our country and society. Highly recommend.
The theme song for Platoon is Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber. I recognize the original, but I'm mostly familiar with the Tiesto and Samuel Barber version. Even if you dislike EDM, give a listen to the Tiesto version. The song just invokes emotion.
BTW, if no has mentioned it yet, the actor who plays Francis is the lead singer for "Living Color."
The music and score was done by the Vancouver Orchestra in Vancouver BC Canada home of the Canucks ❤
No conversation about baseball movies is complete without mentioning 'The Natural' (1984) with Robert Redford.
If you've never seen Kevin Dillon this young, I would HIGHLY recommend a film called HEAVEN HELP US (1985) starring him, Andrew McCarthy, John Heard, Donald Sutherland and Mary Stewart Masterson.
Wonderful little dramedy about Catholic HS kids in Brooklyn in the mid-'60s.
How crazy is it that both Martin Sheen and his son were in a epic war movie with similar themes and were the narrator?
Oliver Stone's a Vietnam vet, and Platoon is based on his experience in Vietnam. Elias and Barnes are based on real Sgts who led Stone's unit. Charlie Sheen's character is based on Stone.
I just needed a job. And I got brothers, travel, culture and experience.
During that last scene when the camera focuses on Dale Dye, he was in the middle of having a real flashback. Stone recognized what was going on and kept the camera on him. Also while filming as characters were killed the actor was sent home just as quick so the group felt the loss of guys.
I had good older net friend, of whom we played a lot games. He did 2 tours in Vietnam as marine sniper. He didn't talk much about war but he talked more to me, as we were not connected just by games but also fact I did service in my own country's military, while his kids never served. He was great guy and he said this film was close to perfect recreation how far felt. It was masterpiece that he watched once and only once.
I'm sure someone has already mentioned it, but Born on the Fourth of July would be an appropriate follow-up. Also directed by Stone and based on a true story. Tom Curise in the lead; but returning actors from Platoon include Dafoe, Berenger, and several others you'll spot, plus actor/advisor Capt. Dale Dye. The film looks at the whole life of the main character, including before, during and after the war.
Newbies or greenies got a lot a tough love and some hazing / light torture because the more experienced soldier knew the young pup might not last a min in a day and they dont want to get emotionally attached.
Glad you are reacting to this amazing film. One thing you got wrong, during the ambush scene, there is a medic trying to cut a bullet out of a fallen soldier and there are visible puffs of smoke coming from the wound. You thought the medic was cauterizing the wound. That's not right. What was being depicted was the soldier was hit by a tracer round. Tracer rounds are visible rounds that help machine gunners direct their fire more accurately. They use phosphorus to "light up" but phosphorus burns quite hot. Thats the smoke you see.
I remember the media Big Deal when this movie came out. The "wall" against making Vietnam war movies had only recently been broken, so it got a lot of press.
I saw this movie at the theater, pretty early into its run. It was my introduction to Willem DeFoe, who I then made a point of watching for movies he was in, thereafter.
Tom Berenger, though.... He did such a good job of portraying a real bållsäck in this movie that my subconscious emotional reactions filed him away with this role. I had a real hard time watching him in anything else after this, even though I *knew* he wasn't this character. Kind of a backhanded compliment re his acting performance...?
This is my favorite war movie. most war movies are about a particular battle or objective but Platoon really shows what day to day life is like for a grunt in combat. wish more war movies were made like this.
Not making fun, but pointing out: "In another movie they wouldn't show the minutia." We Were Soldiers, or Saving Private Ryan, or A Bridge to Far, or Midway (original), or...
You HAVE to see Apocalypse Now. Arguably the greatest American film ever made.
You should watch "Casualties of War" - it's a tragic Vietnam story as well.