Vietnam War Films: Over 600 Feature, Made-For-Tv, Pilot and Short Movies, 1939-1992, from the United States, Vietnam, France, Belgium, Australia, Ho

Malo, Jean-Jacques

ISBN 10: 0899507816 / ISBN 13: 9780899507811

Published by Brand: McFarland n Company, 1994

Seller Inventory # 92B53_71_0899507816

Synopsis:

This is the filmography. There are 137 Vietnamese films not before noted in the literature. The French coverage is of course comprehensive. As for the U.S., the so-called covert Vietnam films (Soldier Blue, Little Big Man, etc.) that treat the war in an indirect or allegorical way are covered in addition to the mainstream movies. Each entry includes title, alternate titles, year of release, country, studio, credits (director, producer, screenplay, editor, music, cast), availability on video, major themes, plot synopses, and critical commentary on the film and its relevance to Vietnam. The cooperation of the Office of the General Secretary of the Vietnamese Filmmakers' Association and the Vietnamese material from the years 1959 through 1989.

Reviews: Malo and Williams have produced a work of comprehensive scope and international outlook. According to the subtitle, they list Over 600 Feature, Made-for-TV, Pilot and Short Movies, 1939-1992, from the United States, Vietnam, France, Belgium, Australia, Hong Kong, South Africa, Great Britain and Other Countries. Their criteria for inclusion are far-ranging and not limited to films about the French and American involvement in Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos) and veterans of these wars; they also include images of the antiwar movements in France and the U.S. and of Southeast Asian refugees displaced by the conflict, as well as films dealing with the region after the French and American presence.

This extensive filmography is preceded by two essays, "Southeast Asia in the French Cinema" and "The War and Vietnamese Films." Entries are listed in alphabetical order by title. Each lists the year, country, studio, color or black-and-white note, running time, major credits, and synopsis. An asterisk after the running time indicates the availability of the film on VHS in the U.S. There are also indications for French and British video formats. Themes and keywords typifying the nature of the film (e.g., male friendship, Special Forces, antiwar demonstration) are listed, followed by "Comments," a mini-essay addressing the film's artistic concerns and relevance to Vietnam. Contributing reviewers, listed in the front matter, are from the U.S., Vietnam, and France and represent a variety of academic disciplines. More than 100 black-and-white stills add interest to the text.

The filmography is followed by several helpful appendixes, such as a chronology of films and a list of films by country of origin other than the U.S. There are also separate lists of directors, writers, and actors and their films. The ample index includes subjects, personal names, and film titles with references to entry, not page, numbers. A well-chosen bibliography is a useful addition.

While there have been several books on films about Vietnam in recent years--for example, Dittmar and Michaud's From Hanoi to Hollywood (Rutgers, 1990) and Walker's Vietnam Veteran Films (Scarecrow, 1991)--none is as extensive as Vietnam War Films. Its international approach, careful organization, and many special features make it a worthy selection for history, film, and popular-culture collections.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Vietnam War Films: Over 600 Feature, ...
Publisher: Brand: McFarland n Company
Publication Date: 1994
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: new