Day 48 Hearts and Minds [1974 Documentary]
Director Peter
Davis
Cinematography Richard
Pearce
Subject The title ironically quotes
LBJ’s aim for victory by winning the ‘hearts and minds’ of the Vietnamese
people. This documentary uses news reel, interviews and war footage to take a
strict anti-war stance.
Production BBS Productions
IMDb 8.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes 100%
I thought I should make a move back to
documentary as I’ve been heavy on films on this blog and it’s nice to have a
change once in a while. As fun as watching a film a day is, it gets pretty
tiring after a while as if I want to watch a TV series, for example, it’s a bit
too much time in front of the screen for one day. On with the blog though.. I
liked this. Mainly because I hate US pro-war sentiment, and this is completely
the other side of the argument. It explores the reasons behind America being in
Vietnam, as well as the feelings and opinions of soldiers, civilians and
politicians from both sides. The best interviews are those with veterans who
are anti the war. You realise that many US soldiers were fighting largely
against what they believed in and simply had to follow orders or be accused of
communism or desertion. Many of them knew that there was no real, physical
enemy, thanks to the guerrilla tactics of the Vietnamese. It meant the lines
were often blurred between villagers and Viet Cong, and many atrocities were
committed. Yet no-one pays for those atrocities because it’s the Goddamn U.S.
of A., the global policeman, team ‘murica. It’s an eye-opening documentary if
you don’t know much about this period of history. Filmed while US were still at
war in Vietnam, it’s a daring attempt to undermine US military views, and that’s
where it fails a little bit. It’s so anti-war that those with potential
rational reasons for the war don’t get interviewed, or their words are skewed.
Either way I liked it because I hate those in power getting away with whatever
the fuck they want. This goes a little way to expose the US and to raise
awareness for the problems with US involvement in Vietnam.
Subject Matter 4 / 4
Shock Factor 3.5 / 4
Production 3 / 4
Music 2 / 4
HWF rating 3 / 4