Vietnam War essentially ignored - Again!

[scsu1975]

(...and if it wasn't THAT, you could always count on some "One-Post Wonder" complaining that TCM never showed 'It's a Wonderful Life' come every Christmas season TOO, right?!) LOL

Hey, when is TCM finally gonna show some Marie Osmond films?

[Andree]

Hell no, we won't show.
Hey Hey TCM how many Vietnam films did you show in May?

I've always thought they were trying to present an All-American,
Yankee Doodle Dandy type of programming. The Vietnam War
doesn't really fit into that vibe.

I like to watch TBYOOL to see Dana making that ham & cheese(?)
sandwich in record time.

[HoldenIsHere]

(...and if it wasn't THAT, you could always count on some "One-Post Wonder" complaining that TCM never showed 'It's a Wonderful Life' come every Christmas season TOO, right?!) LOL

Hey, when is TCM finally gonna show some Marie Osmond films?

It would be great if she could host an evening of her movies.
And it would be a real treat is she gave her cheesecake recipe during on of the intros or outros.

[jimimac71]

(...and if it wasn't THAT, you could always count on some "One-Post Wonder" complaining that TCM never showed 'It's a Wonderful Life' come every Christmas season TOO, right?!) LOL

Hey, when is TCM finally gonna show some Marie Osmond films?

It would be great if she could host an evening of her movies.
And it would be a real treat is she gave her cheesecake recipe during on of the intros or outros.

It would be a very short evening. Cue up the Max promos.

[jamesjazzguitar]

TCM is mostly a studio-era movie channel. Most of the Vietnam war films were released after the end of the studio-era. Also, many are anti-war films, and it is my understanding most Americans view the Vietnam war as a misguided (at best), conflict by the US government. Thus, showing such films on Memorial Day might upset too many folks. E.g. what would be the reaction if TCM showed Platoon or Full Metal Jacket on Memorial Day Weekend?

PS: I'm glad I copied the above before re-posting since I have noticed that if I'm typing a new post and while I am doing so, someone else post a new post, when I hit submit, my post is NOT submitted. Thus, if I have a long post I copy it, so I can quickly re-submit it.

Has this occurred to anyone else?

As I noted, Platoon is actually being shown on the 24th. But this is a rarity for TCM.

I just saw tonight's (Friday) TCM's schedule, and that Platoon is being shown. Thus, the Vietnam war was featured.

[NoShear]

Yes, this is a pet peeve of mine, but TCM ignores the Vietnam war on Memorial Day (3-4 days) and other relevant holidays.
Never understood why as there are well over 100 movies about the war in Vietnam.
Platoon is on Friday, May 24, but that is the only Vietnam War movie on as far as I can tell. Actually this is unique for TCM to show any Vietnam War movie.

First, ElCid, thank you for your service.

Given that you personally experienced the "police action", I would think that watching Vietnam War movies would strike a bit too close to home for you to actively seek out their viewing.

[kingrat]

1978's Go Tell the Spartans (Burt Lancaster) is one of my favorites.
TCM is also showing a goodly number of fairly recent movies of all types these days, so going back to the 80's and before is compatible with their programming.

Go Tell the Spartans is very good, though not well-known.

[LostHorizons]

There are older Vietnam war movies, such as China Gate (1957), Flame over Vietnam (1957) and The Quiet American (1958). 1978's Go Tell the Spartans (Burt Lancaster) is one of my favorites.
TCM is also showing a goodly number of fairly recent movies of all types these days, so going back to the 80's and before is compatible with their programming.

I know subtitled movies aren’t your thing but there is a great movie about the early years from 1965 called the 317th platoon. It is about a French regiment stuck behind viet cong lines.

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0058863/

There is also an English language movie called King of Hearts from the same era. It’s about World War I but the story is a metaphor for the French-Vietnam conflict. The director himself plays a small role as Adolf Hitler in one scene.

[LostHorizons]

If they showed Vietnam movies there would be so many asking why they’re showing newer movies. There is no pleasing people.

True, however I have noticed TCM showing a lot of post-studio era films of late, and not that I think there's any problem with that.

And now for one more comment about that sort of thing...

Perhaps one of the better consequences of TCM shutting down their forum is that at least we regulars here at SSO don't have to witness what I used to call "One-Post Wonders" offering up on those old boards their disgust about TCM occasionally showing "newer" movies.

Yep, as I'm sure you remember LH, we'd used to run across that sort of thing over there all the time.

(...and if it wasn't THAT, you could always count on some "One-Post Wonder" complaining that TCM never showed 'It's a Wonderful Life' come every Christmas season TOO, right?!) LOL

Topbilled’s site completely sifted all the rabble out and away from us if you don’t mind my phrasing it that way. All the rabble went there instead of here.

[jamesjazzguitar]

If they showed Vietnam movies there would be so many asking why they’re showing newer movies. There is no pleasing people.

True, however I have noticed TCM showing a lot of post-studio era films of late, and not that I think there's any problem with that.

And now for one more comment about that sort of thing...

Perhaps one of the better consequences of TCM shutting down their forum is that at least we regulars here at SSO don't have to witness what I used to call "One-Post Wonders" offering up on those old boards their disgust about TCM occasionally showing "newer" movies.

Yep, as I'm sure you remember LH, we'd used to run across that sort of thing over there all the time.

(...and if it wasn't THAT, you could always count on some "One-Post Wonder" complaining that TCM never showed 'It's a Wonderful Life' come every Christmas season TOO, right?!) LOL

Topbilled’s site completely sifted all the rabble out and away from us if you don’t mind my phrasing it that way. All the rabble went there instead of here.

First I wonder how you would know, unless you visit both sites.

Anyhow, as for "rabble": I guess complaining about the TCM hosts (and that RO is gone) isn't consider "rabble" since that appears to be a main topic at SSO.

As for posts about TCM showing newer films: Most of the users that posted about that at the TCM site, have passed on (since they were mostly the old-guys like Fred etc...). Like a lot of users these guys wanted a station that showed the films they grew up with.

The Topbilled site has some users (like Darkblue), and their favorite era of films are the 70s; thus post-studio-era. Also, 70s films are now 50 years old, thus old enough to be considered "classic" to some.

[jimimac71]

I don’t for a second miss the old TCM forum.
Don’t have a clue about the TB site and don’t care.
Banned forever I suppose.
Things are allowed here that TCM Mod 1 wouldn’t allow.
Things go off-topic here and the eventually fizzle out.
That’s how I see it.
I was in a minority of people who enjoyed Tiffany as a host.
Still think the money to have the hosts and the studio could be better spent.
Lawrence said that years ago. It still holds true.
I must say, I'd rather watch sports than war movies.
Respect your opinion ElCid.
The Indy 500 is weather delayed but golf is on soon.
Most of the time I don't like sports. Okay, almost all the time.

[ElCid]

Yes, this is a pet peeve of mine, but TCM ignores the Vietnam war on Memorial Day (3-4 days) and other relevant holidays.
Never understood why as there are well over 100 movies about the war in Vietnam.
Platoon is on Friday, May 24, but that is the only Vietnam War movie on as far as I can tell. Actually this is unique for TCM to show any Vietnam War movie.

First, ElCid, thank you for your service.

Given that you personally experienced the "police action", I would think that watching Vietnam War movies would strike a bit too close to home for you to actively seek out their viewing.

Thank you.
While some who served do not watch war movies about "their" wars or service, TCM's showing of the movies is for the benefit and education of those who did not serve. Even though I was there I still enjoy a good war movie about Vietnam, as do many of my fellow Vietnam veterans.
In addition, TCM is "honoring" those who served by broadcasting war movies on Memorial Day week-end, so my belief is that they should (and can) show movies about all wars.

[ElCid]

There are older Vietnam war movies, such as China Gate (1957), Flame over Vietnam (1957) and The Quiet American (1958). 1978's Go Tell the Spartans (Burt Lancaster) is one of my favorites.
TCM is also showing a goodly number of fairly recent movies of all types these days, so going back to the 80's and before is compatible with their programming.

I know subtitled movies aren’t your thing but there is a great movie about the early years from 1965 called the 317th platoon. It is about a French regiment stuck behind viet cong lines.

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0058863/

There is also an English language movie called King of Hearts from the same era. It’s about World War I but the story is a metaphor for the French-Vietnam conflict. The director himself plays a small role as Adolf Hitler in one scene.

I'll try and find these, even with subtitles.
Earlier movies about the French Indochina War, AKA First Indochina War, are appropriate for TCM to show on Memorial Day or other days where they feature war movies because it shows the roots of the US Vietnam War. The US was also heavily involved in the French Indochina War and expanded it after France left.

[ElCid]

There are older Vietnam war movies, such as China Gate (1957), Flame over Vietnam (1957) and The Quiet American (1958). 1978's Go Tell the Spartans (Burt Lancaster) is one of my favorites.
TCM is also showing a goodly number of fairly recent movies of all types these days, so going back to the 80's and before is compatible with their programming.

Those 3 50s films are about the French Vietnam war and thus I don't see them as a good fit for US Memorial Day weekend. Go Tell the Spartans would be a great film for TCM to show during Memorial Day since it stars a high-profile studio-era actor in Burt Lancaster.

Probably could say that the first US death of the Vietnam War was Captain Peter Dewy, a US OSS operative killed in Vietnam in Sept. 1945. Ostensibly working with the French to combat the Japanese. He was accidentally killed by Viet Minh because they thought he was French.
As I said in another post, to me the French Indochina War is appropriate as it shows the roots of US involvement. Per US DOD decision, the US Vietnam War officially began Nov. 1, 1955 when US took over supporting the war against the communists.