Hollywood has long held a fascination with the Vietnam War. From films that were released while the war raged, like John Wayne's The Green Berets, to the popular 1980s hits, like Oliver Stone's Platoon, America's role in the war has been documented-accurately or not-on the big screen for decades.
Growing up in the 1980s, Brian Raftery encountered these combat films left and right, bringing Vietnam to life right before his eyes. Fast-forward to today, and Brian's ready to take a deeper look into these films and how they still resonate today, both culturally and politically.
Photo credit Tom Martin
In his new podcast from The Ringer, Do We Get To Win This Time? How Hollywood Made the Vietnam War, Brian chronicles and dissects some of the most seminal movies that reflect the war. Throughout the eight-episode season, Brian talks with filmmakers, experts, and veterans who discuss what these movies tell us about the most divisive conflict in our country's history and America's perception of it.
For the Record caught up with Brian to learn more.
What made you want to cover the Vietnam War-and how Hollywood approached it-specifically? I didn't grow up under the shadow of Vietnam-I was born after the war-but I did grow up under the shadow of Vietnam movies. When I was a kid, it seemed like every other weekend saw the release of an intense R-rated film about the war, like Platoon and Full Metal Jacket. And even as a preteen, I'd heard of some of the major Vietnam movies of the seventies, like Apocalypse Now and The Deer Hunter. Vietnam was, strangely, a major part of popular culture back then.
I watched as many of these films as I could-and I devoured the countless Vietnam-related TV shows, books, and even comic books that arrived in the eighties and early nineties. And I wasn't alone: These were huge movies, especially for Gen-Xers. We were being inundated with stories about a war we hadn't witnessed-and that we barely understood.
For the podcast, I wanted to learn as much as I could about the making of these films, because, frankly, we don't get many like 'em anymore: These are epic, highly ambitious combat films, all of them made before the CGI era, and the stories behind these productions are amazing. But I was also interested in how Hollywood's depiction of Vietnam changed over the years, and how it reflected how America felt about a very controversial and disturbing war. This was a war that deeply divided the country, and sometimes one of the best ways to understand a moment in time is to look at the movies it inspired.
Why do you think Hollywood's fascination with the Vietnam War was different from other major historical events? Vietnam wasn't like World War II. That conflict, as horrific as it was, had a definite ending-and a victorious one, at least for America. As a result, some of the movies Hollywood made about World War II in the forties and fifties were celebratory and deeply jingoistic. Not that I mind-I love a good rah-rah moment as much as anyone-but these were movies made at a time of peak national pride, and they could be a bit bloodless, literally and figuratively.
By contrast, Hollywood had no idea what to do with Vietnam at first. This was a divisive war-and the big studios don't do divisive. So they spent years avoiding it, until the late seventies, when it became clear that some veterans were struggling to deal with the aftermath of the war, resulting in movies like Coming Home and The Deer Hunter. By the eighties, there was even greater recognition of what America's vets had gone through. That helps explain how a movie like Platoon can become such a phenomenon. Don't get me wrong-it's a great film, no matter when you see it! But Platoon happened to come at the exact moment that millions of Americans-young and old-were trying to understand what had happened in Vietnam.
As a result, Platoon kicked off a wave of Vietnam films, one that would peak in the late eighties. I can't even count how many Vietnam films were made during that time. But after the Vietnam wave ended in the nineties, moviegoers would soon lose their interest in war altogether: The conflicts of the last few decades-most notably Iraq and Afghanistan-haven't produced anywhere near as many films as Vietnam did. It was the last war Hollywood re-created in a major way.
How do you think these films shaped the view Americans had of the war? I can only speak for myself-and a lot of the people I knew!-but I think movies like Coming Home and Born on the Fourth of July had a huge impact on how young people in the eighties and the nineties perceived Vietnam vets. How could you not have empathy for what they'd gone through, during and after the war, after seeing the struggle depicted in those films?
And I think ground-level movies like Platoon and Hamburger Hill really opened young Americans' eyes to the horrors of combat. Those movies didn't make fighting look glamorous in any way. They were gory and terrifying and heartbreaking; they were horror movies, in their own way. I think they made moviegoers understand what happened to those who'd gone to Vietnam.
What movie did you find particularly compelling and knew it had to be covered for the podcast? We have entire episodes dedicated to both Platoon and Apocalypse Now, which are probably the two best-known Vietnam films ever made. There's no way you can ignore Platoon-it brought the war to vivid life for millions of moviegoers, and it kicked off an entire movement of Vietnam films. And Apocalypse Now might be the most over-the-top movie production in history: An Oscar-winning superstar director goes into the jungle with millions of dollars and some of the biggest stars of the world . . . and winds up in a swirl of chaos, egos, and explosions. How can yo
More from Spotify
13/09/2024
Spotify is committed to bringing the best listening experience to all our users, and that includes parents and families. That's why we've introduced a p...
13/09/2024
As fans patiently await their favorite artists' new album releases, the anti...
12/09/2024
We know that when fans fall in love with an artist, they can't get enough. So when you want to connect with your favorites on a deeper level, Spotify is you...
09/09/2024
Across generations and borders, M sica Mexicana continues to reach new fans. On ...
04/09/2024
From sunup to sundown, Spotify's daylist serves up an ever-changing playlist...
30/08/2024
In 2017, Imani Ellis revealed CultureCon to the world, a first-of-its-kind confe...
29/08/2024
Bells are ringing-school bells, that is-as kids across the U.S. start the new school year. In addition to fresh fits and the right supplies, kids might also nee...
28/08/2024
Every summer, as people across the Northern Hemisphere seek out the perfect song...
27/08/2024
C mo ser el futuro cuando la IA interact e con los humanos? Esta y otras comple...
27/08/2024
What does the future look like when it comes to AI personalities interacting wit...
22/08/2024
Laughter, energy, camaraderie-these are just a few of the elements that come to life when a podcast is recorded in front of an audience, rather than in a sound-...
21/08/2024
Just like its fashion and food trends, Japan's music scene is constantly evolving, all while captivating a growing global audience. From J-Pop (Japanese pop...
21/08/2024
On August 25 and 26, an estimated 2 million attendees will flock to London for N...
19/08/2024
The world of anime is rapidly expanding, finding fans all over. On Spotify, global streams of anime music have surged by 395% since 2021, and there are 6.7 mill...
15/08/2024
Recent years have seen the emergence of groundbreaking talent from cultural hot ...
15/08/2024
En los ltimos a os hemos sido testigos del surgimiento de talentos innovadores ...
13/08/2024
No es ning n secreto que la vibrante escena musical mexicana ha trascendido fron...
13/08/2024
It's no secret that Mexico's vibrant music scene has transcended borders...
13/08/2024
Con sus diversos sonidos, la m sica de Colombia ha logrado conectar con una amplia gama de audiencias de todo el mundo, y el pop colombiano no es una excepci n....
13/08/2024
With its diverse sounds, music from Colombia has connected with a range of audiences from all around the world-and Colombian pop is no exception. This genre has...
09/08/2024
Humans are complex creatures, capable of experiencing joy, sorrow, and everythin...
09/08/2024
El aclamado colombiano J Balvin ha conquistado al mundo con su m sica durante m s de una d cada. Fans desde Latinoam rica hasta Europa est n cautivados por la e...
09/08/2024
Colombian hitmaker J Balvin has captivated the world with his music for more than a decade. Fans from Latin America to Europe can't get enough of The Boy F...
07/08/2024
Women have been integral to hip-hop from the beginning, contributing to its grow...
07/08/2024
Last week, Spotify and FC Barcelona brought the worlds of music and football together once again to kick off the club's preseason tour in the U.S. To celebr...
07/08/2024
It's official: Spotify is declaring 2024 the Year of the Cowgirl. In culture, we are seeing celebs, influencers, and others don western boots and flat, wide...
05/08/2024
As one of the fastest-growing genres worldwide, M sica Mexicana has emerged as a...
01/08/2024
It's been eight years since BLACKPINK captivated the K-Pop scene and transcended to global superstardom. Since then, they've racked up billions of strea...
01/08/2024
Youth spaces are crucial for the well-being of children and young people, as they instill a deep sense of belonging and ignite creativity. But in the U.K., thes...
01/08/2024
July 18 marked the start of South Asian Heritage Month, which celebrates the ric...
31/07/2024
We're halfway through the year and at a perfect moment to consider which humorous, intriguing, and entertaining audiotales have captivated readers thus far ...
30/07/2024
As the most-listened-to Brazilian artist ever on Spotify, and the first to reach...
30/07/2024
Como a artista brasileira mais ouvida de todos os tempos no Spotify e a primeira...
26/07/2024
Last month, Spotify's annual Songs of Summer predictions made their return, ...
26/07/2024
Summer is peak season for some of our favorite sports and events. Whether you're rooting for the home team at the ballpark or cheering for your country as i...
25/07/2024
At Spotify, we aim to bring great audiobooks to as many listeners as possible, i...
24/07/2024
Building anticipation ahead of a new album release is one of the most important ways for artists to ensure its success. But in today's music landscape, gain...
23/07/2024
Today, we announced our second quarter 2024 earnings. Led by healthy subscriber gains, improved monetization, and record profitability, Spotify reported
Month...
23/07/2024
Idag publicerar Spotify sina finansiella resultat f r andra kvartalet 2024. Med stark kning av antalet premiumanv ndare, f rb ttrad int ktsgenerering och rekor...
19/07/2024
By Marcelina Slota - Head of Platform Integrity, Spotify
Updated September 13, 2024
To continue our work providing positive experiences for young people, we&#...
18/07/2024
Summer is officially in full swing, and that means it's time to chill out. Whether you're heading out on vacation or hoping to make the most of Summer F...
17/07/2024
When we launched our AI DJ in English last year, it gave listeners a new way to connect with and discover music on Spotify. DJ is a personalized AI guide that k...
17/07/2024
Cuando lanzamos AI DJ en ingl s el a o pasado, ofrecimos a los usuarios una nueva forma de conectar y descubrir m sica en Spotify. DJ es una gu a de IA personal...
11/07/2024
Around the world, the shift toward streaming has completely transformed the musi...
09/07/2024
For podcast creators who want to grow their audiences, building a stronger relationship with their listeners and fans goes a long way. And in order to amplify t...
03/07/2024
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Just ask Emma Roberts, star of t...
28/06/2024
As one of the most powerful forms of human expression today, video is becoming...
27/06/2024
Since 2020, RADAR has served as Spotify's program to spotlight rising talent...
27/06/2024
Summer 2024 is officially underway, and with it comes our possibilities for personalizing the soundtrack that'll have you grooving through August. For examp...
Hollywood has long held a fascination with the Vietnam War. From films that were released while the war raged, like John Wayne's The Green Berets, to the popular 1980s hits, like Oliver Stone's Platoon, America's role in the war has been documented-accurately or not-on the big screen for decades.
