Mickey Z

Cool Observer

Sunday, August 07, 2005

Cinema of the subversive and 41 years after Tonkin

Posted by Mickey Z on 08/07 at 06:55 AM

McNamara still claims that there was an actual attack on the US destroyer in the documentary paean to his career, ‘Fog of War’. It’s full of homilies like: “In order to do good, one may have to do evil”.

Posted by sk on from 08/07 at 08:54 AM

“It became necessary to destroy the town in order to save it.”

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/07 at 10:21 AM

Dalton Trumbo’s “Johnny Got His Gun” Made a big impression on me. I still get cold shivers thinking about that poor man trapped in his own body, tapping out SOS with his head while the Doctor closes the door on him.

Posted by Luna_C on from the land of salmon and syrup 08/07 at 11:36 AM

I enjoyed the interview, Mickey. Though, I’m mighty partial to Apocalypse Now - I thought it was an outstanding anti-war film. In fact, I think it’s one of the towering films of all time. I’ve not seen much Goddard (any?) - so he will be on my “list,” now.

I didn’t see “Johnny Got His Gun,” but that is because I read the book and I found it so horrifying that I just couldn’t force myself to see the film. An astonishing piece of work, as Luna says.

Recently, I saw a film called “A Very Long Engagement.” It’s about WWI, mostly, though there’s a love story tucked into it. I very highly recommend it. WWI was like all of the world’s dystopian visions comming to life, all at once… It stars Audrey Tautou, of Amelie fame. ( If you’ve not seen Amelie, it’s wonderful. Not an anti-war flick, just a splendid, wacky little piece of work. And, Ms. Tautou is just lovely...)

I’m a big fan of Platoon, too - great film. I always place it somewhere near “The Killing Fields,” in my ‘interior file cabinet.’ Another great anti-war film.

And, I don’t think you guyz talked about “Catch-22,” did you? A comedy with a savage message about the absolute madness of war, and about war, actually, as a vast business opportunity. It’s also on my truly great films list.

About the Gulf of Tonkin: Ever see any pictures of ships from the Vietnamese Navy? I’ve never seen any, ever. Maybe they had a row boat with a 6 horse-power motor hooked up on the back: tiny, noisy, and absurdly slow. It’s almost impossible to imagine the “Vietnamese Navy” attacking a US warship out on the high seas. Even the Soviets, with their relatively vast, modern navy never gave it a try…

Posted by joe on from with Tom Joad 08/07 at 02:25 PM

I think that Apocolypse Now is a great film, it is just that an argument can be compellingly made that it is orientalist in its lack of Vietnamese characterizations beyond cariciature, as well as its treatment of American soldiers as passive victims of policy, as opposed to nuanced and contradictory as in Platoon. It is a great spectacle, but what does it say?

And I wouldn’t include (much on) Catch 22 because I think the film is inferior to the book, but it is a great story.

For people who want to get into Goddard, start out with his early work - he is best viewed chronologically.

Posted by Jordy Cummings on from 08/07 at 04:27 PM

Thanks for the note, Jordy.
Yes, reading the book can “spoil” the film, even keep one from the theaters. I never read Catch 22, but the film contained a variety of lines and images which I’ve found unforgettable. Especially I’ve recalled the old Italian guy, telling Art Garfunkle about how he’d become a passionate supporter of whatever insane political party currently holding & pointing the guns. Garfunkle says, disparagingly: “Why, you’re a shameful opportunist!” The old guy replies: “I am 90 years old. How old are you?” Garfunkle says: “I’m 19, well I’ll be twenty...” The old guy scowls: “...if you live!” (And, he didn’t.)

About Apocalypse Now: I first saw it with my friend Walt, who’d been to Vietnam, and who had become a heroin addict while there. Walt was very, very tough, an outstanding boxer who could punch with both hands and, because he could take it as well as dish it out, loved to fight. He’d fight anyone, right now. He’d started to shoot heroin in Vietnam, he told me, because he was so frightened…

When we left the theatre, he lit a smoke and said: “That was nothing like the Nam. Nothing! But it made me feel a lot like I felt while I was there. It was like acid alot of the time. You never knew what the hell was going on.”
Sometime later, I read a movie review in which the reviewer said that some of the vets he’d talked to, said just what Walt had said. I’m sure that stuff influenced my view. To me, it’s sort of the film equivalent of Picasso’s “Guernica.”
(Another of my favorites)
Thanks again for the note. I’ll be looking for Goddard’s early stuff. - joe

Posted by joe on from all `round, in the dark 08/07 at 05:22 PM

I didn’t even know they made a movie out of “Johnny Got His Gun.”

Jordy, would consider Sayles’ “Men With Guns” an anti-war flick?

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/07 at 07:48 PM

Mickey, I just looked for John Sayles, on google, as there was a movie of his which interested me, sometime back, and I thought I’d identify it, and ask you guys if you’d seen it. I discovered, in the process, that he was born 11 days after I was, in Schenectady, New York. Intellectual and cultural Mecca that it is, I always thought it must have spawned more people than just Pat Riley and I, and so it has. Better twist away there, Astoria, Schenectady’s got you on the ropes.

BTW, the movie I was thinking of is Silver City.

Posted by joe on from I'll be everywhere 08/07 at 08:34 PM

Astoria’s got me and Tony Bennett...born more than 11 days apart.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/07 at 08:36 PM

Good Morning.
I like Dr. Strangelove and Grave of the Fireflies “September 21, 1945 that was the night I died.” It’s about 2 children Seita (the brother 14 years old) and Setsuko (the sister 4 years old) who are orphaned after their mother is killed by American firebombing- M-69 napalm canisters- of Kobe, Japan. It tells how the brother and sister struggle to survive on their own, everyone around them is looking out for themselves. Everything is being rationed and how do you survive during such a time as this do you have to become selfish or could you still (if you always have) look out for others? My favorite scene of the the film is when Seita’s ghost recalls the aunt’s decision to sell his mother’s kimonos in order to buy rice. Setsuko tries to stop her but Seita holds his sister back and the aunt goes off and sells the kimonos. the ghost covers his ears as he tries to forget this memory. The film is based on a book by Akiyuki Nosaka. interview with the author http://www2.hawaii.edu/~dfukushi/Hotaru-interview.html

Posted by tm on from catfish row 08/08 at 01:20 AM

Very interesting, TM. That’s another movie i have to add to my must-see list. Thanks.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/08 at 04:57 AM

I think Men with Guns would qualify, and there is a very good movie base on Johnny Got his Gun - if you’ve seen the classic music video for Metallica’s “One” you’ve seen part of it.

Posted by Jordy Cummings on from 08/08 at 08:53 AM

Thanks, Jordy. I had forgotten all about the “One” video.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/08 at 10:01 AM

Yeah, Two thumbs up for “Grave of the Fireflies” it really is a must see. Be sure to have lots of tissue available. I find the film so depressing and painful I have to block it from my conscious mind each time I see it. Sorta like my reaction to “Once were Warriors” Not an anti war flick more of an anti violence in the family flick. Another must see if you haven’t.

Posted by Luna_C on from the land of salmon and syrup 08/08 at 10:26 AM

Thanks for refreshing my memory re Tonkin Mickey!
And my favourite anti-war film is ‘Paths of Glory’ although the book this film is based on is much better than the film.

Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 08/08 at 06:39 PM

And Joe, I was as impressed with ‘A Very Long Engagement’ as you were! I cannot recommend it enough. Go see Mickey!

Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 08/08 at 06:41 PM

Thanks, Helga. I thought that post had gotten lost “in the posts,” as it were. I’ll check out Paths of Glory, when I can. I’d rather read the book but its a 2-hours-ish movie, versus a couple of days of reading, you know? There’s so much to do there’s not enough time just to “live.” Maybe “after the revolution” there will be time to just stop for a while…
- joe

Posted by joe on from Oregon 08/09 at 12:58 AM

Joe,
I can see your point: ‘2-hours-ish movie, versus a couple of days of reading’. One of the writers of the script for the Kubrick film, Jim Thompson, actually accused Kubrick of having turned a book which largely dealt with ordinary soldiers on the Western front into a star vehicle for Kirk Douglas. After having read the book I could not help agreeing with Thompson .. And the book is 263 pp. long btw - in the University of Georgia Press paperback.
Helga

Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 08/09 at 06:13 PM

And Mickey, Tony Bennett was born in Astoria as well??

Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 08/09 at 06:15 PM

Yep. I think Whitey Ford, too.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/09 at 06:30 PM

ever seen ‘The Beast’ directed by kevin reynolds staring jason patric and one of the baldwin clones?

it’s about a russian tank lost in afganistan, but pertains to the american situation due to the characters speaking english and afgan. well done but quite depressing. sigh.. what war flick isn’t?

the beast

Posted by kram on from dirtay sout 08/12 at 05:41 PM

Thanks, Kram...I hadn’t heard of that one. Would you say it had an anti-war element?

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/12 at 09:05 PM

mickey, dude. i love your style man. keep up the 1st class, 1st person journalism. kthx

the beast has anti-war elements in the sense that all combat movies provide a gateway for identifing with the protagonist. due to some really harsh, hard to watch scenes meshed with the overall theme of the movie, one finishes the film with a strong distaste for violence. after i watched the movie, i felt very inclined to vomit all over myself. thinking about what afganistan and all the other war stricken nations and people have endured and are currently facing makes me mentally nauseous with a side effect of existential defeat. especially after watching vivid recreations of events more or less tame that what has and is actually occuring.

Posted by kram on from dirtay sout 08/12 at 09:21 PM

Thanks again, Kram...and i loved your description. it’s too bad “real” movie critics didn’t speak in such blunt, human language.

Hope to “hear” your voice again here soon…

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/12 at 09:59 PM