Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

.."WE WERE SOLDIERS".. = Best Movie Review I've seen..
The Grossmont College Summit Newspaper ^ | March 7, 2002 | DAN ALTILIO

Posted on 03/15/2002 5:33:44 PM PST by ALOHA RONNIE

NEVER FORGET

...I sat in the row just behind DAN ALTILIO and his wife at a Special San Diego Pre-Screening of RANDALL WALLACE-MEL GIBSON's new ..'BRAVEHEART'.. in 'Nam Motion Picture Masterpiece titled :

.."WE WERE SOLDIERS"..

...which is about the Heroism of my 7th Cavalry's Hero Soldiers taking care of each other to a Victory on the Battlefield in the -Valley of Death- known as the IA DRANG of November 1965...

...and of their Hero Loved Ones equally taking care of each other at Home while waiting for those young soldiers to come home to them ...or NOT. A splendid example for all of us to now follow in a new -Time of War- in a new Century with an Enemy that is now Within...?

...Dan's splendid Movie Review, the Best Review of .."WE WERE SOLDIERS".. I've ever seen, follows along with his most insightful of notes to me.

___________________________________________________

Ronnie,

I see a tremondous opportunity for healing due to this film. If my review convinces even one person to go see it I will be thankful. I'm happy to say you may freely distribute it as long as it says at the top:

Reprinted from the Grossmont College Summit, March 7, 2002

-WE WERE SOLDIERS-

Stars: Mel Gibson, Madeline Stowe, Greg Kinnear, Sam Elliott

Most films about the U.S. role in Vietnam suffer from the political and societal conflict that overshadowed the realities of the war. The cynicism of Hollywood screenwriters has never found a better target for its jaundiced world-view than the mythical "liquored-up pot-head psycho baby-killers that became synonymous with Vietnam. This film will change that for many people, and it is all for the good.

.."WE WERE SOLDIERS".. is the first major release since the war that has Vietnam Vets driving hours to attend preview screenings. At the screening that produced this review my wife and I observed many vets and even Vietnamese families in the audience. By the end of the movie there were several scenes of people hugging each other in the theater. So compelling is this motion picture, and so accurately does it portray what happened. It is based on the true story of the first battle between major elements of U.S. troops and the uniformed North Vietnamese Army (NVA), in the Ia Drang (pronounced "Eye-Drang") Valley.

Those whose knowledge of Vietnam is from movies like "Born on the Fourth of July" or "Full Metal Jacket" will require some background information to appreciate what the filmmakers have accomplished. Ia Drang is located in the central highlands in what was then South Vietnam. It is near the site where in 1954 an elite unit of French troops was massacred. Some of the same Vietnamese, known then as the Viet Minh, participated in both the 1954 and 1965 actions. A French regimental Bugle taken by the Viet Minh in 1954 was in turn recovered by platoon leader and war hero RICK RESCORLA after the 1965 battle. The Bugle incidents are recounted in the movie. RESCORLA's own life story is said to be the subject of an upcoming feature film. He died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

On November 14, 1965, approximately 400 U.S. Army soldiers of the airborne 1st Battalion/7th Cavalry (formerly General Custer's unit) under the leadership of Lt. Col. Hal Moore (MEL GIBSON) were airlifted by helicopter to LZ Z-Ray (Landing Zone). It was the first test of new tactics and weapons, the helicopter assault and the M-16 rifle. Moore was determined to avoid the calamities that befell both the French and Custer, and had trained his men arduously in that effort. Gibson's portrayal effectively shows the colonel's committment to his men. "I will be the first to set foot on the battlefield, and the last to leave...I will leave no man behind."

They faced a well-entrenched force of unknown strength that turned out to number over 2,000 NVA regulars. The Americans were attacked ferociously by an enemy based in a nearby hidden underground tunnel complex. After less than three days the "1st of the 7th" had suffered hundreds of casualties, including 79 killed, but the North Vietnamese left over 1,800 dead at LZ X-Ray, an area about the size of a football field. It was the initial skirmish in a battle that raged for over a month and claimed many more hundred killed and wounded. The carnage was almost indescribable. Ia Drang became known as the Valley of Death. .."WE WERE SOLDIERS".. shows us why and how.

The film is based on the best-selling .."WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE ...and YOUNG".. by Lt. Gen Hal Moore (Ret.), and war coorespondent Joe Galloway (BARRY PEPPER). The story is one of Love, Honor, Courage and Sacrifice. Love is not normally something one associates with such a gruesome thing as battle, but it is palpable in this story. Love of the men for each other and of the wives for their husbands is portrayed here as never before. The scenes of Col. Moore's wife Julie (MADELINE STOWE) personally delivering the news of deaths to other soldiers' wives were heart-rending.

Some critics have chided this part of the film as sappy and melodramitic. Apparently they are ignorant of the fact that it actually happened the way it is portrayed in the film. We know this because in the row behind us in the theater in Mission Valley sat the man who typed out all of Col. Moore's letters to the wives and families of the fallen. During the fight he was five miles away at a rear artillery position. We have since spoken and corresponded with him and he personally confirmed the accuracy to us. Moore's reverence for soldiers' sacrifices was such that he even returned a diary belonging to one of the dead NVA men to his family in Vietnam, another touching scene in the film.

RANDALL WALLACE, who wrote the screenplays for .."BRAVEHEART".. and .."PEARL HARBOR".., wrote and directed this production. He gives us new insight into the North Vietnamese, treating them with honor and respect. He shows us the thought process of Lt. Col. Nguyen Huu An as he tries to understand what he is facing in the new American combat tactics. WALLACE later uses the character Col. An to put the long-term result of the massacre into prespective.

During this action, one of the most brutal in U.S. Army history, journalist-photographer Joe Galloway flew into LZ X-Ray on a re-supply chopper. During the battle he had to take up arms and fight or he himself would have been killed. Under intense fire, he personally rescued a wounded soldier, becoming the only civilian in the Vietnam conflict to be awarded the Bronze Star for valor.

When WALLACE aproached Moore and Galloway about making the film, they had turned down several other offers. WALLACE convinced them that he was determined to maintain the highest standard of faithfulness to the book and the men. The authors and other participants report that he has done so magnificiently. It is an incredible tale, which is literally gut-wrenching and yet leaves the viewer feeling proud that such men exist, and that they are on our side.

.."WE WERE SOLDIERS"..is probably the bloodiest movie that we have ever seen, and the recreation of the battle scenes, which were done with live explosions and minimal computer graphics, is horrifying. The sound of bullets and shrapnel flying close by was so realistic it had veterans flinching in their seats.

Ever since the ground breaking .."SAVING PRIVATE RYAN".. instituted a new standard in this genre, the ante has been upped by several subsequent films. The difference is that here (as in .."BLACKHAWK DOWN"..) the fact that War exists is accepted as a tragic fact. It is not glorified, as in movies from an earlier time. It is not preached against, as in most films about Vietnam.

This leaves the filmmaker and the viewer free to deal with the reality on a visceral rather than intellectual level. When the viewer gives into the emotions evoked by such a story, he or she can begin to feel empathy with the plight of the participants. All of a sudden the Vietnam veteran becomes a true hero as never before, in the same way actors like JOHN WAYNE personified the heroes of World War II.

One hopes that his may be the legacy of .."WE WERE SOLDERS"..

- Dan Altilio

PLEASE NOTE: You cannot believe the tremondous responses this one .."WE WERE SOLDIERS".. Movie Review is receiving from the actual participants of the Battle of IA DRANG-1965. They have been deeply touched like no other Movie ...or its Review ..all for the Good.

...GOD does indeed work His Miracles in very Loving Ways...?

NEVER FORGET


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: weweresoldiers
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-71 next last
NEVER FORGET

...Bring HANKIES ...Take a DATE ...and see...

.."WE WERE SOLDIERS"..

...this weekend in its 3rd Week of Release.

...A True Story about the Way it Was back then ...for us all to follow now in a new -Time of War- in a new Century with an Enemy that is now Within.

The War has indeed Come Home.

Signed:

ALOHA RONNIE Guyer / Vet-Battle of IA DRANG-1965 / IA DRANG S-1 Personnel Clerk / Landing Zone Falcon /

See the..'Ronnie Guyer Photo Collection'..

...thru ..'Ia Drang Misc'.. at the bottom right ..-Home Page-.. of our ..WE WERE SOLDIERS/7th Cavalry.. website:

.. www.LzXray.com ..

...And a Hearty GARRY OWEN, Sir (7th Cavalry Salute) 2-U-ALL

NEVER FORGET

1 posted on 03/15/2002 5:33:44 PM PST by ALOHA RONNIE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

Comment #2 Removed by Moderator

To: Snow Bunny;68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub;VOA;Fred Mertz;Joe 6-Pack;Joe Montana;RonDog...
...Here's a .."WE WERE SOLDIERS"..

...GARRY OWEN 7th Cavalry Salute 2-U...

..-&-..

...have a Great Weekend at the Movies with the ones you...

...LOVE MOST.

ALOHA

3 posted on 03/15/2002 5:43:27 PM PST by ALOHA RONNIE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ALOHA RONNIE
Who is DAN ALTILIO? For a minute I thought you meant Danny Aiello. Who the heck is Dan Altilio? Some college paper reviewer?

I saw the film and thought it wasn't bad, but about 45 minutes too long.

4 posted on 03/15/2002 5:45:11 PM PST by Cagey
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ALOHA RONNIE
Thank you Ronnie and for the review too.
5 posted on 03/15/2002 5:45:31 PM PST by Snow Bunny
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Glasser
...Have you seen .."WE WERE SOLDIERS".. Yet...?
6 posted on 03/15/2002 5:46:09 PM PST by ALOHA RONNIE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ALOHA RONNIE
Please post this in the general interest forum. This thread is locked.
7 posted on 03/15/2002 5:49:07 PM PST by Admin Moderator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ALOHA RONNIE
Ping
8 posted on 03/15/2002 6:18:13 PM PST by Admin Moderator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Admin Moderator
...Thank you very much and GARRY OWEN, Sir...
9 posted on 03/15/2002 6:21:53 PM PST by ALOHA RONNIE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Glasser
You, sir, are the master of irrelevance.
10 posted on 03/15/2002 6:25:56 PM PST by Palladin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Glasser
Trolling? you just got a bite. NO.I believe that has been debunked.
11 posted on 03/15/2002 6:30:26 PM PST by tet68
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ALOHA RONNIE
Didn't get over till "66" Bump.
12 posted on 03/15/2002 6:32:08 PM PST by tet68
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Glasser
That would be an amazing display of clairvoyance, because he was 12 years old when his family moved to Australia in 1968.

Mel Gibson also has a 'horseshoe kidney' (two kidneys fused into one), I suspect which would keep him out of the military even if he were to be drafted.

Mel Gibson's Biography on Internet Movie Data Base

13 posted on 03/15/2002 6:32:12 PM PST by The KG9 Kid
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ALL
...RadioFR FreeRepublic.com OnLine Radio has scheduled a one hour...

.."WE WERE SOLDIERS"..

...Call-In Show at 7:00pm Pacific Time next Thursday, March 21st with...

..ALOHA RONNIE / Vet-Battle of IA DRANG-1965 as your Host.

...What a great opportunity for us to Connect some more Dots together about Real American Heroes at Home and Abroad in -Time of War-...?

ALOHA

14 posted on 03/15/2002 6:33:13 PM PST by ALOHA RONNIE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ALOHA RONNIE;racebannon
Ronnie, I'll be looking foward to your FR radio show...
15 posted on 03/15/2002 6:35:11 PM PST by Dutchy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Glasser
AR, If they did they were taking a real chance. Australia(and South Korea) was one of our allies on the ground during the Vietnam War. If they were trying to get him out of the draft this wasn't a smart move. Semper Fi
16 posted on 03/15/2002 6:37:26 PM PST by SICSEMPERTYRANNUS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ALOHA RONNIE
This guy has to be the best actor in the history of acting because of his choices of material and presentation. I'm still haunted by Braveheart.
17 posted on 03/15/2002 6:37:40 PM PST by go star go
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ALOHA RONNIE,All
ALOHA RONNIE Guyer-Vet/Battle of IA DRANG-1965
asks that we sign this Petition for Tower 2 Lifesaver ..RICK RESCORLA


RICK RESCORLA's Picture graces the Cover of ALOHA RONNIE's Commanding Officer
Lt. Col. HAL G. MOORE's Bestselling Book about the Battle of IA DRANG-1965
where RICK's heroism is highlighted on -35- different pages..!


Click Here to sign the petition.

Petition to the President of the United States to bestow America's Medal of Freedom Award on New York City's Tower 2 Lifesaver Hero ..RICK RESCORLA..
ON SEPT 11TH IN SPITE OF BEING TOLD HIS BUILDING WAS NOT IN DANGER, HE IMPLEMENTED THE EVACUATION PLAN HE HAD DEVELOPED FOR HIS FIRM, MORGAN STANLEY. AS A DIRECT RESULT OF HIS EFFORTS THAT DAY AND HIS QUICK ACTION, OVER 2,600 EMPLOYEES WERE SAVED. MR. RESCORLA WAS LAST SEEN GOING UP TO RESCUE PEOPLE WHO WERE UNABLE TO GET DOWN.
HIS ACTIONS REFLECT THE VERY BEST ABOUT AMERICA,
ITS CITIZENS AND ITS DREAMS.

18 posted on 03/15/2002 6:37:47 PM PST by 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All
Tribute To Vietnam Era Veterans....Welcome Home by Snow Bunny
19 posted on 03/15/2002 6:38:55 PM PST by 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The KG9 Kid
...ALOHA 2-The K69 Kid/Glasser...

...MEL GIBSON stated in a recent Parade Magazine Column that his father decided to move to Australia only after he had suffered an Industrial Injury and wanted to get a Fresh Start in an Australia which had a robust Economy.

...Irregardless of MEL GIBSON's Politics or mine, Politics does not play a part in .."WE WERE SOLDIERS"..

...only Honor, Duty, Country.

20 posted on 03/15/2002 6:45:29 PM PST by ALOHA RONNIE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-71 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson