Vietnam

Absolutely awesome seen a second time around - brought me to tears which takes a lot of doing - I wonder if we'll be looking at the same sort of movie about Iraq/Afganistan in 20 years time & wondering why the hell we were there. Fascinating to see Nicole Kidman in her first major film role. I do feel that the American soldiers were stereotyped as rapist, drug using murderous bastards - that was the only scene that didn't ring true. Listening to the 70's music was great. I was still at high school in England when the Vietnam War was happening - Seeing it from an Australian perspective is different. I now have a 21 year old Vietnamese girl as my daughter in law - her parents were both refugees after the war so it all seems a lot more personal.

This was a great mini series. The actors played extremely well, you get to know all of them and to like them. I was sad when it ended. I do not think I ever will forget this mini series, it really made an impression on me. Such a shame that it cannot be bought on DVD or video anywhere.

Nicole does indeed play a brilliant part in this production. As she waits for her conscientious objector boyfriend to be released from prison, her expressions are priceless. The look of concern, relief then her happiness are very touching. Her strong red curly hair reinforcing the inner strength of her character. The music was also well matched with the haunting 'Woodstock' from Joni Mitchell finishing off what is a milestone in Australian Television and probably the first serious look at this wonderful actress and a bearing on what was to come. I remember telling anyone who would listen to keep an eye out for this outstanding young actress after seeing her performance.

I find it a true tragedy that because this is an Australian production that it didn't get a good promotion overseas, that so many unfortunate people will never get to see it.

The direction is absolutely fantastic. With musical and TV clips throughout the show to tell you what time era you were in. You are kept right up to date with the exact year and the atmosphere of that time. Much Australian political, society history surrounding the Vietnam war is told in a way that is pure poetry.

Nicole Kidman SHINES in this show. In fact, although she has been in much bigger INTERNATIONAL successes, this one is possibly her best performance.

The tragedies of the war. The conflicts between the soldiers and those at home. It's all here. I don't know if it will ever come out on DVD. But if it does --- DON'T MISS IT. I give this show a rare 10/10

It's 2.30am and I've just finished watching this again. I was an Australian "grunt" with the 3rd Battalion in Vietnam 1971 and although most of the war was boredom, this is without doubt the most realistic portrayal of the Australian side of the war that you will see. Admittedly, it's the entire 10 year war condensed into one persons life, but if you try to imagine yourself in the shoes of a young 20 year old, you may get a glimpse of what it was like. The politics, clothes, civvy life, emotions, conscription, protests and the war were very accurate. This isn't your usual gung-ho macho shoot'em up Hollywood Rambo movie. It's about as close as you'll get to what it was like during the war. The most amusing part is the fact that Nicole Kidman wasn't even born when we were fighting the war! Yes - it is slow in parts, but this movie isn't about macho heroes. It's about simple 20 year olds like me who never wanted to hurt anyone, but were sent to a place where there were virtually no rules. We were dropped by chopper into a jungle and we could kill anyone who wasn't one of us - no questions asked. If you want to see the real thing, then this is the one to watch - NOT Rambo!!