My son and I just saw ‘Platoon’ recently — it was Charlie Sheen Day at the State Theatre in downtown Traverse City — and while I remember seeing it shortly after its release in 1986, it’s always different when you see a film again later in life. It wasn’t as scary as I remember, maybe because war, in one form or another, is part of our everyday life, thanks to cable news headlines 24/7.
And because this recent viewing was smack in the middle of Charlie Sheen’s meltdown, the movie took on a comic air, which I’m sure is not what director Oliver Stone had in mind. Still, it’s a cult classic worth seeing, and here’s your chance because it’s coming out in a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack on May 24.
Sheen plays Chris, an infantryman during the Viet Nam war whose loyalty is tested by two superior officers: Sergeant Elias (Willem Dafoe), a former hippie humanist who cares about his men, and Sergeant Barnes (Tom Berenger), a moody, macho soldier who’s gone over to the dark side. The movie won Oscars for best picture and director.
Here’s a few clips to get you jazzed. It’s rated R, so not for kids, and there’s content in these clips that might be disturbing for youngsters.
Platoon – Bonus Clip: “Relating to the Film”
Platoon – Film Clip: “This Is Hell”
Platoon – Film Clip: “Under Fire”
Platoon – Film Clip: “Helicopter Aid”
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