Les boys de la compagnie C

Even though the low budget of this film shows through at times, it still manages to be a compelling and intense portrayal of the whole experience of being sent to Vietnam, right from boot camp up to fighting. It really feels like one is there is at times, and it is fascinating to watch the changes that characters undergo in the course of the film. The symbolic soccer themes and ideas do not always work, but they still retain some power. The camera-work and editing suits the project fine, and the film also has an excellent, haunting song, "Here I Am", to go with the material. It is quite similar in many ways to 'Full Metal Jacket', and even though the technical side and acting might be inferior here, this is still one hell of a fine movie depicting the experiences of being involved in war from a recruit's point of view.

This movie would be just a regular by the numbers movie about war, weather the Vietnam War or World War II. You have a bunch of stereotypical screw ups who get thrown into Marine boot camp during the Vietnam War. The film follows them thru boot camp to the hell of 'nam. These boys become men and it doesn't end happily for one of them. The scenes in boot camp are funny and also very realistic. This was the first film appearance of Lee Ermey as their drill instructor. His first words on screen are "I'm Sergeant Loyce I'm your drill instructor for the next two f@&%ing months maggots". He is really funny and theres a good scene where him and Stan Shaw have a blazing argument (although in real life you would be in the brig for talking to your DI like that). Thirty years ago drill instructors were allowed to be a lot rougher with privates then today and my favorite part is where this one DI grabs a daydreaming recruit by the....well watch it and see. Actually the DI Lee plays in this film is almost a nice guy compared to the one that he played in Full Metal Jacket. The scenes in Vietnam are handled as well, especially the ones showing the horrors of combat. They talk about the drug smuggling that went on and the film is unflinching in how it shows the machinations of the politicians who sent our men out into the field with one hand tied behind their backs. No one we suffered such a humiliating defeat. This film is gritty, vulgar and unsentimental but it is a true story we must not forget about a terrible war that ripped our country apart like the Cival War. Like I said though, Lee Ermey makes this film. I love him on Mail Call. I think my favorite part of the show is the one where he talked about the paratroopers at D-Day. Someone wrote him an e-mail and asked if it was true that they really said Geronimo when they jumped. Lee said that wasn't true at all and what they probably said was "OH S#$T!!!!!!!"

The picture opens In 1967 with the arrival of various draftees in the Marine Corps instruction center. There five young men undergo boot camp training before being shipped out to Vietnam. They quickly develope an agreeable friendship as well as a hellish nightmare and the young men attempt to find a possible way out of the war. Once they get there, the experience proves worse than they could have imagined. To keep their sanity in an insane war, they had to be crazy. You may want to forget the war. But you'll never forget... The Boys in Company C.

A decent Wartime movie with impressive scenes and comes close , at times , to be the powerful subject of the Vietnam war suggests . The picture shot in Luzon, Manila, Philippines contains spectacular combat scenes that are highly effective and the deaths of soldiers are gory without being overdone . Focuses on various issuses such as demoralization of the Marines being appalled by the corruption of their South Vietnamese ally , the stupidity of military brass and soldiers eventually endangered by the incompetence of their own company commander resulting they're disheartened by futile battles . The film is rated R for its violence , profanity , gore and blood . Here stands out Stan Shaw as the brave soldier who whips a group of green Marine recruits into shape for Vietnam. Stars some newcomer actors as vaiiant soldiers who will need to work together to survive in combat , and some of them to be continued notable cinematic careers , such as : Stan Shaw , Andrew Stevens , James Canning , Michael Lembeck , Craig Wasson , Scott Hylands , James Whitmore Jr. And other illustrous veterans as Noble Willingham , Vic Diaz , and R. Lee Ermey.

This frank and provoking motion picture was professionally directed by Sidney J. Furie , a veteran and prolific director , still today making films . British Furie has directed all kind of genres , though mostly action . In 1999, Sidney J. Furie's espionage thriller "The Ipcress File" (1965) was included at number 59 on the BFI's list of the 100 greatest British films of the 20th century. Stanley Kubrick was a big fan of this "The Boys in Company C" (1978) and cited Sidney J. Furie's war movie as the direct inspiration for "Full Metal Jacket" (1987) that's why Kubrick hired R Lee Ermey as Drill Instructor again in a similar role . In 2009, director Martin Scorsese placed Sidney J. Furie's "The Entity" (1982) on his list of the 11 Scariest Horror Films of All Time. He also directed "Superman IV: quest of peace" (1987) , originally had a budget of $36 million dollars , just before filming was to begin, Cannon Pictures, which was starting to suffer financial problems, slashed the budget and was a flop . ¨The Boys in Company C (1978)¨ resulted to be an acceptable Warlike movie that had success enough at the box office . Rating : 6.5/10 , notable . The picture will appeal to Warfare buffs .

The Boys in Company C (1978) was a movie that follows the recruits from Company C. Golden Harvest known for their Bruce Lee films and Jackie Chan productions made several films that were targeted for a world wide audience. One of them was this film. A very good film about the war in Viet-Nam that's is sadly over looked by other films such as Apocalypse Now, Platoon and Full Metal Jacket. Shot in the Phillipines and filled with many minor stars (with the exception of the great R. Lee Ermey) this one has an aura of realism (i.e the real Drill Instructors and boot camp scenes).

I liked this movie very much. Too bad it has never been restored to it's original wide screen aspect for maximum entertainment. If this were available on D.V.D. I would call this one a keeper.

Highly recommended.

I loved it, and guess having been a soldier, I got the humor of it. Everyone compares it to "Full Metal Jacket" but "Three Kings" reminded me more of it.

I have to have this one in my DVD collection. I was told that it was done and released as a very limited number.