mental_nomad
Oct 25 2009, 05:42 AM
Ok. This a good movie. First look at Nam I recall. I'm sure there were others. But the reason this one sticks in my mind so well is the circumstances to which i first viewed it.
I know no one will read this and even if you did you'd not care but I'm going tell a story. A true story.
My father was a 23 year career soldier who served in 3 wars. In 78 a long, horrible story culminating in him suffering massive brain damage ended him up in the Veteran's hospital here in Nashville.
Naturally we were at the hospital 24/7 for weeks. While there, in the hospital theater, they showed The Boys From Company C. Now, for whatever reason it appeared the bulk of the patients able to attend the movies were Nam vets. Many with various mental issues pretty damn fresh in thier minds. The theater was about 3/4 full and I sat in that smoky theater in what was a very traumatic event for a lot of these guys. For me, it was so surreal, frightening and enlightening. Sitting in the dark, as almost as a collective, they seemed to go through every possible emotion. PTSD to the Nth degree en mass.
I know it is nothing to compare to them, but from that night forward, I cannot watch this film without my own kinda PTSD. It was that intense of an experience.
tommy
