By Alexi Tsitlakidis
PTSD has been depicted in numerous ways in popular culture in the years after the Vietnam War, many have been critically acclaimed for its depiction. The three below are some of the most well-known films to feature PTSD and the Vietnam War.
PTSD has been depicted in numerous ways in popular culture in the years after the Vietnam War, many have been critically acclaimed for its depiction. The three below are some of the most well-known films to feature PTSD and the Vietnam War.
APOCALYPSE NOW (1979)
"The Horror.... The Horror...."
Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam-era masterpiece based off Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" centers on MACV-SOG operative Captain Martin Willard (Martin Sheen) and his mission to terminate the mad Colonel Walter E. Kurtz (Marlon Brando) "with extreme prejudice" within the chaos of Vietnam. This film is considered to be one of the best War movies ever made, as the events unfolding is merely a descent into madness like a bad acid trip the more Capt. Willard (who was already changed from the Vietnam War) descends into the jungle to find the mad Colonel. The film is depicted as BOTH a pro-war (most notably in the Ride of the Valkyries and the Playboy Playmate Show sequences) and an anti-war film (Pretty much the rest of the film, justified alone by Marlon Brando's screen time), accompanied by great performances and beautiful cinematography. |
CRITICAL RECEPTION:
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FIRST BLOOD (1982)
"Rambo, John J."
Sylvester Stallone's most iconic role, whose name became synonymous with action movies, began as a psychological thriller directed by Ted Kotcheff based on the eponymous novel by David Morell about Medal of Honor recipient and ex-Green Beret John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) who is on the run from the abusive Sheriff Will Teasle (Brian Dennehy) and the Police. "First Blood" is a worthy watch because it shows that Rambo began as a tortured soul shaken by the events of Vietnam since movie and its source material contains one of the earliest depictions of PTSD as he clearly displays the signs of PTSD, to the point where Rambo emotionally breaks down at the end of the film to his former commanding officer Colonel Samuel Trautman (Richard Crenna) because of the events of the war, giving Stallone his most powerful performance (in my opinion). |
CRITICAL RECEPTION:
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BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY (1990)
"We are here to tell the truth..."
A film directed by an Oliver Stone, based on the True Story of Ron Kovic, "Born on the Fourth of July" chronicles the tales of Ron Kovic (Tom Cruise) and his struggle for the anti-war movement after his personal experiences and paralysis in the Vietnam War and the aftermath from the way he is treated. Naturally, being directed by a Vietnam Vet, the film had to be depicted as realistic as possible regarding Kovic's personal experiences, especially regarding the personal experiences when he returns home. Numerous scenes are depicted with great accuracy of the poor treatment of the Vets upon returning home ranging from the anti-war movement protests to the moments of psychological breakdown such as the one Kovic suffered in parts of the movie. Overall, it is a great movie with a worthy performance by Tom Cruise. |
CRITICAL RECEPTION:
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