Adds immeasurably to the growing stockpile of testaments about this tragic war. The film was shown in theaters throughout europe and asia. Letters home from vietnam, the hbo movie now being released theatrically, is the first film about vietnam to come to us free of bias, free of. Letters home from vietnam was first telecast april 3, 1988, over the hbo cable service. They had no comforts and were forced to live in harsh conditions most of the time that they were there. There was an abundance of insects that bothered the soldiers and was mentioned in the documentary multiple times. Archive footage of the war and news coverage thereof augment the firstperson narrative by men and women who were in the war, some of whom did not survive it. I just sat here with my grandfather a vietnam veteran and watched all parts to this amazing film. This documentary takes a deeper look into the letters that were sent from battle from 1954 to 1975. Letters home from vietnam by bernard edelman, editor w. All the confusion, pain, despair, and even hope of the men and women who served in vietnam is captured in dear america. Dear america letters home from vietnam the washington post.
What makes it even more special is that on top of the unforgettable images, real letters of those who participated in the war are read, from soldiers. The means of turning this concept into a film came from cowriter richard dewhurst, who showed couturie a copy of the book dear america. Dear america letters home from vietnam part 1 8 youtube. Letters home from vietnam directed by bill courturie. Letters home from vietnam, originally published in 1985. A uniquely nonpolitical film about the war in iraq pays tribute to all of the men and women who have given their lives in military. Letters home from vietnam tv movie 1987 dear america. Dear america letters home from vietnam 4 author notes as a collection of letters from hundreds of authors, it would be confusing and impractical, if not almost impossible, to. Based on the book of the same name, this 1987 emmy award winning hbo documentary features actors and actresses reading actual letters home from men and women serving in the vietnam war.
Real footage of the soldiers home movies plus tv news coverage of the war are also included to help make an impactful narrative. Since your last letter, i almost feel as if you are my sister. The list of actors reading these letters is practically a whos who of hollywood, including. Letters home from vietnam is a 1987 american documentary film. In 1981, six years after the official end of the vietnam war, mayor edward koch of new york city appointed a task force of twentyseven leading citizens of the city to develop a framework for a fitting memorial to vietnam war veterans. Letters home from vietnam pg, 1 hr 24 min documentary, special interest, television. A north shore music theater presentation, in association with vietnam veterans of america. More than twentyfive years after the official end of the vietnam war, dear america allows us to witness the war firsthand through the eyes of the men and women who served in vietnam. Archive footage of the war and news coverage thereof, augment the firstperson narrative by men and women who were in the war, some of whom. Dear america, letters from vietnam 001 usseatondd510. Using the medium of letters sent home by american soldiers many of whom did not survive long thereafter, dear america takes only 84 minutes to relate america.
Letters from nam north shore music theater, beverly, mass 1,803 seats. Taking chance chronicles one of the silent, virtually unseen journeys that takes place every day across the country, bearing witness to the fallen and all those who, literally and figuratively, carry them home. Letters home from vietnam is a 1987 american documentary film inspired by the anthology of the same title, directed by bill couturie in 1987. Letters home from vietnam recalls the vietnam war in the words of the men and women who fought it, in letters written in haste, without selfconsciousness and. Fox, robin williams, and others reads the letters to us. Despite the suffering, many of these original letters from their loved ones still exist and hold a sentimental value to them. Based on the book of the same name, the program is devoted to poignant recitations of letters to and from american participants of the vietnam war. The film presents the history of the war in a way that is somewhat. Using real letters written by american soldiers which can be read in the book along with many more and archive footage, the film creates a highly personal.
Letters home from vietnam has a very high rotten tomatoes critics score of 100% and a high imdb audience rating of 8. Letters home from vietnam pg by desson howe washington post staff writer september 16, 1988 in dear america. Using real letters written by american soldiers which can be read in the book along with many more and archive footage, the film. This gripping documentary of the vietnam war begins with the kennedy administration and extends through the return of the first mias in the mid 1970s. Letters home from vietnam is a documentary wherein real letters from real soldiers in their own words regarding their wartime experiences to loved ones back home, are read by well known actors. There were many daily hardships faced by soldiers in vietnam. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing dear america.
The book is an anthology of letters assembled by the new york vietnam veterans memorial commission, to which the director offered the profits from the. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Using real letters written by american soldiers which can be read in the book along with many more and archive footage, the film creates a highly personal experience of the vietnam war. Mcgowan theater, washington, dc based on the book of the same name, this 1987 emmy award winning hbo documentary features actors and actresses reading actual letters home from men and women serving in the vietnam war. More than 200 letters home from vietnam era servicemen to family, friends, and others have been selected for publication in this volume about the most intimate thoughts of the soldiers who served in vietnam. Then he screened the entire archive of tv news footage. Featurelength documentary film featuring reallife letters written by american soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines during the vietnam war to their families and friends back home. Using real letters written by american soldiers and archive footage, the film creates a highly personal experience of the vietnam war.
Letters home from vietnam, the missives get you where you live. This film offers an emotional rollercoaster ride through the tragedies, camaraderie, homesickness, and devastations of the war as described in the missives of america s fighting men and women. They told us they watched over two million feet of film in the making of this. Fox, mark harmon, sean penn, randy quaid, martin sheen, robin williams, and more. Couturie began with an anthology of letters written home by u. Growing pains amid the calamity of vietnam are lifted from soldiers letters home and channeled into the film dear america, letters home from vietnam. Letters home from vietnam also was released theatrically, on 49 screens in the united states and canada in september 1988, a rarity for any film that has been made for cable.
William dafoe, robert deniro, matt dillon, michael j. Letters home from vietnam is a compilation of selected letters from correspondent soldiers who served in the vietnam war to their friends and family in the united states. Archive footage of the war and news coverage thereof, augment the firstperson narrative by men and women who were in the war, some of whom did. In this collection of more than 200 letters, they share their first impressions of the rigors of life in the bush, their longing for home and family, their emotions over the conduct of the war, and their ache at. Dear america questions dear america letters home from. Bernard edelman, a vietnam veteran who was an associate producer of the film and also edited the companion book for the new york vietnam veterans memorial commission, will. Letters home from vietnam dvd this classic hbo documentary features reenactments of actual letters written by soldiers during the vietnam war. Read by dozens of actors such as harvey keitel, matt dillon, and kathleen turner, these letters show a more human story of the war than we see in most media outlets and reveal real people in real situations trying to explain or understand. In each case, a famous celebrity voice martin sheen, michael j. It would be hard to imagine a more powerful documentary on the vietnam war than dear america. Then he screened the entire archive of tv news footage shot by nbctv from 1967 to 1969 2 million feet of film totaling 926 hours. Letters home from vietnam, the hbo movie now being released theatrically, is the first film about vietnam to come to us free of bias, free of rhetoric. One of the greatest hardships faced daily by the soldiers was.
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