Oliver stone wrote and produced the movie, Platoon.
There was only a few times were the Vietnamese people were shown on screen. The Viet Kong, were personified as humans with no identities. Their faces and bodies were always covered and were referred to by the Americans as Gooks. They were depicted as violent creatures who; were manipulative and sneaky. This was demonstrated by their ability to defeat so many Americans quietly and operatively. In the movie Platoon, The Viet Kong operated from secret bases in the jungle or marshes near the boarder of Cambodia. They played a significant role in the movie as they demonstrated the guerrilla tactics and warfare that was happening between the two camps. The other Vietnamese people that were illustrated in the movie were the village people. Like the Viet Kong, these people had no identities and were also referred to as Gooks. Like in Vietnam, Platoon showed the American soldiers destroying villages, food being stolen, relatives being murdered and beaten, etc. These people did play a significant role in the movie, Platoon, as they demonstrated how society functioned throughout the war. Although, they were only shown in one scene, Oliver Stone, depicted how cruel and cultivating the Americans were towards them. He also demonstrated how local villagers were helping the Viet Kong in their operations, with secret tunnels, weapons, etc.
4. Platoon, is an American opinion of what took place during the Vietnam War, hence, why the American soldiers were depicted as courageous warriors. There is a difference between how the American Soldiers and the Vietnamese soldiers were depicted and how realistic the representations of both camps were demonstrated. I felt the American's were portrayed as both good and evil. Which gave good substance for a war movie. During the Vietnam War, the American soldiers were heartless and courageous; they killed or died for their country and in doing so were commended.
