So I just watched Full Metal Jacket and I have one queston...

username n/a · #1 04-19-2008, 07:38 PM

...is war really like that?

jonathan_matos5 · #2 04-19-2008, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by username n/a

...is war really like that?

never been to war but from the stories ive heard from my grandpa that movie is nothing like real war.

Jonny B · #3 04-19-2008, 08:05 PM

It's a movie. If they didn't dramatize the **** out of it, you wouldn't want to watch it.

So, to answer your question, no. War is not like it is portrayed in the movies.

theshadow2001 · #4 04-19-2008, 08:10 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5uVUmXaFCM

This guy did a documentary on british soldiers in Afghanistan. Thats probably closest description of war as you'll get in the media

peterbright · #5 04-19-2008, 08:32 PM

War is really hell...believe it. On a positive note...had a fine time at the VA clinic yesterday. They were very efficient with X-rays & blood work.

varunkapahi · #6 04-20-2008, 12:32 AM

no it aint brother

heroincredible · #7 04-20-2008, 01:09 AM

Absolutely not. One of my anth profs tagged along with a Canadian unit in Afghanistan for 6 months doing a study on soldiers and stuff. She filmed a video when they were out on patrol, it was absolutely intense and nothing like war is depicted in movies.

Munjibunga · #8 04-20-2008, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonny B

It's a movie. If they didn't dramatize the **** out of it, you wouldn't want to watch it.

So, to answer your question, no. War is not like it is portrayed in the movies.

That's right, it's worse. People are really getting blown up in war. I never went to war, but I did go through Marine Corps boot camp in the late '60s, and FMJ is pretty much the closest cinematic representation of that I've ever seen. I spent my three years in the crotch at MCRD San Diego teaching electronics.

mike phillips · #9 04-20-2008, 07:59 AM

i work with a decorated marine who was in nam. he said fmj was the closest movie to the way it really was. he tells a story of his unit gettin granaded with rocks....thrown by monkeys. pops isnt the kind of fella to add to stories. to all the marines who keep us free SEMPER FI.

JNowiski · #10 04-20-2008, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike phillips

i work with a decorated marine who was in nam. he said fmj was the closest movie to the way it really was. he tells a story of his unit gettin granaded with rocks....thrown by monkeys. pops isnt the kind of fella to add to stories. to all the marines who keep us free SEMPER FI.

just remember, its only marines that keep us free...

fenderhutz · #11 04-20-2008, 08:26 AM

My dad was in Army boot camp in the late 60's and then shipped to Vietnam for a tour (not by choice).

He said Full Metal Jacket (minus the drama) was pretty darn close to what he experienced as far as what the movie covered. He never talks to me or my family ever about his experiences, but he did a very little after this movie and hasn't since.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JNowiski

just remember, its only marines that keep us free...

You know it's funny and I chuckled, it was like when I was in the Navy and we referred to the Coast Guard as "Puddle Pirates".

txbasschik · #12 04-20-2008, 12:02 PM

Hubby sez the hooker was authentic enough. LOL!

FMJ is one of my favorite movies.

Cherie

69nites · #13 04-20-2008, 12:06 PM

I was talking to a guy who was at Normandy and he told me the opening of Saving Private Ryan was actually very close to how it was.

I love talking to veterines. too often they don't get the respect they deserve.

ryco · #14 04-20-2008, 12:24 PM

I would say worse from talking to Viet Nam vets. I missed going by a couple of years although I still have my draft card; 1A. My folks lost a few friends in that war. And it was on the nightly news every night full blown for all to see. Pretty ghastly scenes.

My dad is a Korean war vet and he won't talk about his experiences at all. I learned he lost most of his unit (he was an army Sargent) to friendly fire through an artillery accident from his mom, my grandma. He is very anti war and has been a diligent peace activist as long as I've known him - that speaks volumes to me.

To those who choose to serve - please be careful!!

hbarcat · #15 04-20-2008, 03:24 PM

My father served in Vietnam but never talks about it. Until I went on an 8 hour road trip with him and he told story after story about days of non-stop drudgery and hard work with intermittent bits of terror thrown in. He said a sniper once just missed his head by a couple of inches.

My boss also served in Vietnam and he survived a helicopter crash when they were shot down in which some of his buddies were killed. He's told stories about shooting the enemy as well as bombing them and also being shot at and having to toss back live grenades. He said there was lots of prostitution taking place. He still suffers from PTSD and we can't play certain music at work (like C.C.R.) because he gets extremely nervous and starts to shake.

Jereth · #16 04-20-2008, 04:13 PM

''Any soldier worth his salt should be anti-war. Yet, there arew still some things worth fighting for...''

'Nam is a dodgy issue. Diffficult one to poke through. To be honest though I thought Platoon was a more realistic movie(I've never been to war thank god and hopefully never will) because Oliver Stone, the director, served in 'Nam and what happens in the movie is probably very similiar to what happened over there. (That 'attack' on the village was just distrubing)

Lalabadie · #17 04-20-2008, 04:32 PM

I heard from some that it was fairly representative. Most said that Apocalypse Now (redux) was way closer, though.

peterbright · #18 04-20-2008, 05:55 PM

Parts of all of them are accurate.

Rumzini · #19 04-20-2008, 07:49 PM

Having not served in the millitary, I will draw upon my experience as a cop. Knowing just how fast @#$% could hit the fan as a cop, now magnify it a thousand fold, more guns, bigger guns, rockets, grenades, mines, choppers, jets, bombs, radar, stealth tech....the list goes on. The most I had to deal with was a guy in a building (possibly) with a gun. The men and women that have served have breached, searched and detained people, WITH guns, with orders to shoot you.

On the flip side lets look at part one of FMJ...at Paris Island. From what I'm told is that the Corp is a kinder, more gentler, training environment. That the Sarg is not allowed to just tear you a new one and get so personal with a recruit as R. Lee Ermey's character did. Anyone have info on this?

mike_v_s · #20 04-20-2008, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rumzini

On the flip side lets look at part one of FMJ...at Paris Island. From what I'm told is that the Corp is a kinder, more gentler, training environment. That the Sarg is not allowed to just tear you a new one and get so personal with a recruit as R. Lee Ermey's character did. Anyone have info on this?

I worked with an ex-Marine in college. He'd have gone through boot camp in 92 or 93. According to him (for whatever that's worth), there was no kinder or gentler. Some things were softened on the surface for "looks", but you were owned when no one was looking.

Mike