Movies Thoughts on the film Casualties of War.

[Takes Two To Tango]

One of the most disturbing movies I've ever seen.

And I just watched it again today and still disturbs me just as much or even more so now.

The actress who played the rape victim is Thuy Thu Le.

What an outstanding performance by her, she hasn't acted on film before or since this role.

She should have been nominated for an Oscar.

Also undeniably a stacked cast with tremendous performances everyone.

I believe Michael J. Fox best performance of his career.







Just wanted to add this video of her getting interviewed about this film.

 

[Fedorgasm]

Is that the one where Marty McFly keeps raping women?

Or maybe it was Spiccoli?

 

[AFanNotAFighter]

I liked it. It might be the only time Michael J Fox had a serious and at the same time believable role.

 

[shunyata]

I remember this.

Great film, never made it out of the shadow of Platoon over the long run.

 

[mozfonky]

I remember this.

Great film, never made it out of the shadow of Platoon over the long run.

that's what i was thinking, i never heard it spoken of that highly. I just assumed it was one of the sundry vietnam post-rambo films trying to hit that market, never saw it. There were many bad knockoffs of the vietnam/pow/mia era. Some Kind of Hero ironically (richard Pryor) was actually pretty good and a little bit ahead of the whole MIA/POW thing but it's totally forgotten today.

 

[shunyata]

that's what i was thinking, i never heard it spoken of that highly. I just assumed it was one of the sundry vietnam post-rambo films trying to hit that market, never saw it. There were many bad knockoffs of the vietnam/pow/mia era. Some Kind of Hero ironically (richard Pryor) was actually pretty good and a little bit ahead of the whole MIA/POW thing but it's totally forgotten today.

Yeah it was three years after Platoon, but in the long run it seemed like that was the film more people saw and remembered.

Kind of like The Thin Red Line being overshadowed by Saving Private Ryan.

 

[ricc505]

I remember it being a well made and acted movie. "Did you see that fucking head come apart?" I think was the stand out line/scene

 

[mozfonky]

Yeah it was three years after Platoon, but in the long run it seemed like that was the film more people saw and remembered.

Kind of like The Thin Red Line being overshadowed by Saving Private Ryan.

Well, it wasn't really Platoon that kicked off the vietnam thing, it was mainly Rambo 2 and Reagan's rah-rah patriotism. Platoon was actually a reaction to Rambo 2 and it's dumbed down version of vietnam, it was probably the best of the entire lot but it was one of many, many, most of which looked too stupid to even watch. Born On The Fourth of July was a good one and another good rebuttal to the mindlessness of the Rambo franchise. I still recall coming out of the theater after Rambo 3 and some vietnam vets handed us flyers and told us not to fall for the bullshit, that we were being propagandized, i remember thinking they were nuts at the time, I was too young to know anything about anything and now I'd admire them for taking time to try and tell us not to be fools for the country.

 

[mozfonky]

I remember it being a well made and acted movie. "Did you see that fucking head come apart?" I think was the stand out line/scene

Platoon (Dillon)? If I recall correctly, the audience laughed at the absurdity of that scene unintentionally but that was all Stone's realistic version of men sleep deprived and in war. He makes a point of saying, "these are not bad men" when describing how unstable they were and mentions how they were sleep deprived, exhausted and underfed.

 

[syct23]

Is that the one where Marty McFly keeps raping women?

Or maybe it was Spiccoli?

Too shaky of a history, can’t recall.

 

[europe1]

When they say: "You couldn't make this film today" they're usually not talking about movies like Casualties of War, but that description really fits a flick like this.

 

[Doughie99]

Platoon (Bacon)? If I recall correctly, the audience laughed at the absurdity of that scene unintentionally but that was all Stone's realistic version of men sleep deprived and in war. He makes a point of saying, "these are not bad men" when describing how unstable they were and mentions how they were sleep deprived, exhausted and underfed.

Stone himself (the director of Platoon) was a Vietnam veteran. Doesn't get much more real than that as regards oersobal experience of how it actually was in the 'Nam.

Of the Vietnam War movies I've watched, platoon is my personal favorite movie.

 

[mozfonky]

Stone himself (the director of Platoon) was a Vietnam veteran. Doesn't get much more real than that as regards oersobal experience of how it actually was in the 'Nam.

Of the Vietnam War movies I've watched, platoon is my personal favorite movie.

yes, it's a good one. Platoon was largely based on his experience there. I'd like to think he was sincere in those films of his (Platoon,Born On The Fourth Of July, Heaven and Earth). Stallone, for what it's worth, was rumored to elude the vietnam draft by teaching girls volleyball in sweden or somewhere. He claimed he was rejected for having flat feet but who knows? He was just a filmaker trying to make money and feed his ego, I'm a big fan of his but that was the info that was put out there at the time and stirring up shit like the MIA stuff was not the right the thing to do.

 

[Fedorgasm]

I just watched the clips and it reminded me of why I didn't rate this movie highly when I first saw it years ago.

The villain(s) are kind of cartoonish and unrealistic.

"I insist you rape this woman or I might kill you!"

Bullshit. Any soldiers that were raping local villagers wouldn't be pressuring others into doing it. All Marty had to say was that Jesus wouldn't approve, and they would've left him alone. You're talking about the late 60's. Tons of dudes were raised religious, probably the last majority. And even rapists would respect that enough to not force believers to also commit rape.

And yes, I know the movie is loosely based on a true story. I'm not saying the rapes didn't occur, I just have serious doubts about how far they pushed Marty to participate.

 

[mozfonky]

I just watched the clips and it reminded me of why I didn't rate this movie highly when I first saw it years ago.

The villain(s) are kind of cartoonish and unrealistic.

"I insist you rape this woman or I might kill you!"

Bullshit. Any soldiers that were raping local villagers wouldn't be pressuring others into doing it. All Marty had to say was that Jesus wouldn't approve, and they would've left him alone. You're talking about the late 60's. Tons of dudes were raised religious, probably the last majority. And even rapists would respect that enough to not force believers to also commit rape.

And yes, I know the movie is loosely based on a true story. I'm not saying the rapes didn't occur, I just have serious doubts about how far they pushed Marty to participate.

sounds dumb anyways, not the sort of film Alex maybe should have chosen, his film career didn't really endure after a promising start.

 

[ricc505]

Platoon (Bacon)? If I recall correctly, the audience laughed at the absurdity of that scene unintentionally but that was all Stone's realistic version of men sleep deprived and in war. He makes a point of saying, "these are not bad men" when describing how unstable they were and mentions how they were sleep deprived, exhausted and underfed.

You are correct sir. I'll have to put casualties of war on my rewatch list. I have those memories crossed

 

[Roids]

Bad ass move with a bad ass cast. Seems to be almost forgotten these days.

 

[SKYNET]

maybe it was the timing but, I remember as a kid (who loved Platoon) it was basically Sean Penn doing a cross between Bunny (Kevin Dillon) Sgt Barnes (Tom Berenger) with Bruno Kirby voice. And Michael J Fox was milquetoast version of the already dry, bland Taylor (Charlie Sheen)


I think Sean Penn is several leagues ahead as an actor but it came off as contrived. Kevin Dillon nailed it, one of the most chilling sociopathic, menacing characters of all time.

 

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

Freaking Dewey Cox looked 50 even when playing a teenager

 

[Kingz]

7

It was good. I thought Michael J Fox performance was a little too melodramatic, especially once they get back to base.

But it is indeed disturbing and a true story. Also, I know the perps more or less didn’t serve any real time for it(despite the end credit captions).Which means it’s not a movie I’ve wanted to re-watch more than the 2-3 times I’ve seen it.