Legendary director Quentin Tarantino often speaks his mind when it comes to movies, and he declared an underrated ’80s gem the best film about the Vietnam War. Tarantino got a H๏τ start in the indie film scene when he wrote and directed Reservoir Dogs, and he soon became one of the most celebrated filmmakers of the ’90s.
His films are known for their pithy dialogue, raunchy humor, and graphic violence, all of which have gotten him into various controversies over the years. Nevertheless, movies like Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill are celebrated classics, and he has managed to keep himself scarce by setting a limit on the number of films he plans to direct in his career.
Besides his status as one of Hollywood’s greatest modern directors, Tarantino has also become something of a sommelier for movies. The filmmaker often extols the virtues of his favorite films, and Tarantino’s eclectic taste has clearly inspired his own projects. From the lowest-budgeted schlock to high-art cinema, Tarantino has likely discussed the film at some point.
The Tarantino treatment can help resurrect underrated movies, and save them from obscurity. Even movies that were not appreciated enough when they were released have benefited from Tarantino’s praise, and he is guaranteed to bring up a hidden gem or two in every interview. He called one movie the best Vietnam War film, and he isn’t far off the mark.
Quentin Tarantino Named Casualties Of War As The Best Movie About Vietnam
The 1989 Hidden Gem Stars Michael J. Fox & Sean Penn
There have been dozens of films about the Vietnam War, but Quentin Tarantino specifically called Casualties of War “the greatest film about the Vietnam War.” The underrated gem concerns a troupe of soldiers during the war who perpetrate a brutal ᴀssault on a Vietnamese woman. Michael J. Fox stars as the one soldier in the company who refuses to participate.
Tarantino explained that it’s director Brian De Palma’s “epic, operatic style” that elevates the film, and it lends gravitas to what was one small chapter in a much larger story. He also praised Michael J. Fox’s performance as Erikson, highlighting the juxtaposition of his heroism with his cowardice. Likewise, Sean Penn earned a note for his chilling turn as Meserve.
Casualties of War grossed $18.6 million (via Box Office Mojo).
Why Casualties Of War Is Often Overlooked In Favor Of Other Vietnam War Movies
It Might Have Been Too Dark For Its Own Good
By 1989, the war was already fading into the pages of history, and many films had already dissected the emotional depths of the conflict. Casualties of War failed to garner a lot of attention because it followed movies like Apocalypse Now and Platoon. However, it was released the same year as Born of the Fourth of July, which fared better.
Casualties of War was probably never going to succeed because of how unrelentingly dark it is
Despite its all-star cast and A-list director, Casualties of War was probably never going to succeed because of how unrelentingly dark it is. The plot is drawn from one of the worst real-life stories from the war, and the interpersonal conflict reflects larger societal issues that viewers probably didn’t want to grapple with in 1989.
Quentin Tarantino loves the movie for all the reasons that audiences rejected it. Casualties of War got great reviews, but such an uncompromisingly dour film was not going to be a blockbuster. Vietnam was becoming just a bad memory by the turn of the 1990s, and De Palma’s film threatened to dredge up the darker parts of the past.
Source: CBR
