Platoon (1986)

My Review

The Best Picture of 1986 is…..”Platoon.” This Vietnam War story offers a rare glimpse into the day-by-day, minute-by-minute experiences of war from the viewpoint of soldiers on the ground in Southeast Asia. Director-screenwriter Oliver Stone (“The Hand” 1981) drew upon his own experiences as a Vietnam veteran while writing the screenplay. He not only won Best Picture, but also the Oscar for Best Director. (Best Film Editing and Best Sound brought the total Academy Awards to four for this film.)

He brought out some outstanding performances from the cast, including Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, William Dafoe, Keith David, Forest Whitaker, Francesco Quinn (son of Anthony Quinn), Kevin Dillon, Mark Moses, Dale Dye, Corey Glover, Chris Pedersen, Richard Edson, Tony Todd, and Johnny Depp in his first prominent film role that launched him to stardom. Berenger and Dafoe were both nominated for Oscars for Best Supporting Actor.

The watchable “Platoon” was the third highest grossing film of 1986 for Hemdale Film Corporation and Orion Pictures. It was filmed in various regions of the Philippines.