The myth of the United States was that they are invincible, and this was also reflected in the war movies and westerns during and after World War II. When the US entered the Vietnam War the experience of the soldiers proved to be different from the representations of war they had witnessed in movies. The traditional combat films were unable to adapt the new signifiers of the Vietnam war and the genre was abandoned for a while. Rejecting the notion of invincibility, directors after the Vietnam War depicted the horror and madness of the conflict and, indeed, rebuilt a new myth.
One of the directors who decided to craft a new combat film was Oliver Stone. While he received critical praise for «Platoon» (1986) and his depiction of the Vietnam War was confirmed by many veterans, he was publicly denounced as a traitor and attacked for the representation of the war in «Born on the Fourth of July» (1989). Although his most hostile critics chose to attack the alternation of facts, Stone was – and still is – criticized or applauded for debunking old myths and creating new ones. For an investigation of Oliver Stone's technique of creating new myths, this essay analyzes his films «Born on the Fourth of July» and «Heaven & Earth» (1993).
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- The Vietnam War
- Hollywood Goes to War
- Veterans as Stock Characters
- Oliver Stone, Veteran Filmmaker
- «Born on the Fourth of July»
- Childhood in Massapequa/Injury in Vietnam
- Welcome Home/Exile in Mexico
- From Victim to Activist
- «Heaven & Earth»
- Childhood in Ky La/Saigon
- Da Nang/Meeting Steve
- Welcome Home/Culture Shock
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The main objective of this work is to analyze Oliver Stone’s films «Born on the Fourth of July» and «Heaven & Earth» to investigate his technique of creating new myths about the Vietnam War and its impact on the American psyche. The analysis will focus on the films’ depiction of the war, the experience of veterans, and the clash between American and Vietnamese cultures.
- The Vietnam War as a turning point in American history
- The evolution of the Vietnam War genre in Hollywood
- The portrayal of Vietnam veterans in film and their struggles to reintegrate into society
- The clash between American and Vietnamese cultures
- The role of mythology and religion in shaping the American experience
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
This preview provides a summary of the main themes, arguments, or narrative elements of each chapter. The focus is on providing an overview of the text without revealing any major conclusions or spoilers.
- The Vietnam War: This chapter introduces the Vietnam War as a crucial turning point in American history, highlighting the conflict’s origins, escalation, and eventual American withdrawal. It examines the war’s impact on American society and the myth of American invincibility.
- Hollywood Goes to War: This chapter explores the portrayal of the Vietnam War in Hollywood films, contrasting the romanticized depictions of earlier war films with the more critical and realistic approaches of later films. It examines the evolution of the Vietnam War genre and the changing reception of the war by American audiences.
- Veterans as Stock Characters: This chapter examines the common tropes used to portray Vietnam veterans in film, highlighting the stereotypical representations of veterans as dangerous, psychotic, and uncontrollable. It explores the impact of these portrayals on public perception of veterans and the challenges they faced upon returning home.
- Oliver Stone, Veteran Filmmaker: This chapter provides a biography of Oliver Stone, highlighting his personal experience in the Vietnam War and his subsequent career as a filmmaker. It examines Stone’s motivation for making films about the war and his approach to depicting its complex realities.
- «Born on the Fourth of July»: This chapter provides a detailed summary of Oliver Stone’s film «Born on the Fourth of July», focusing on the character of Ron Kovic and his journey from idealistic young man to disillusioned anti-war activist. It examines the film’s use of symbolism and imagery to explore themes of heroism, sacrifice, and national identity.
- «Heaven & Earth»: This chapter provides a detailed summary of Oliver Stone’s film «Heaven & Earth», focusing on the character of Le Ly Hayslip and her experiences as a Vietnamese woman caught in the crossfire of the Vietnam War. It examines the film’s use of symbolism and imagery to explore themes of love, loss, and cultural conflict.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This work focuses on the impact of the Vietnam War on American society and culture, specifically examining the portrayal of the war and veterans in Hollywood films. Key topics include the myth of American invincibility, the challenges faced by Vietnam veterans, and the changing representations of war in American cinema. Oliver Stone’s films «Born on the Fourth of July» and «Heaven & Earth» are analyzed as examples of how the war and its aftermath continue to shape American cultural understanding.
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- Thomas Hunziker (Autor:in), 2001, Recreating American Mythology. Vietnam Veterans in Oliver Stone's "Born on the Fourth of July" and "Heaven & Earth", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/703350
