The myth of the United States was that they are invincible, and this was also reflected in the war movies and westerns during and after World War II. When the US entered the Vietnam War the experience of the soldiers proved to be different from the representations of war they had witnessed in movies. The traditional combat films were unable to adapt the new signifiers of the Vietnam war and the genre was abandoned for a while. Rejecting the notion of invincibility, directors after the Vietnam War depicted the horror and madness of the conflict and, indeed, rebuilt a new myth.
One of the directors who decided to craft a new combat film was Oliver Stone. While he received critical praise for «Platoon» (1986) and his depiction of the Vietnam War was confirmed by many veterans, he was publicly denounced as a traitor and attacked for the representation of the war in «Born on the Fourth of July» (1989). Although his most hostile critics chose to attack the alternation of facts, Stone was – and still is – criticized or applauded for debunking old myths and creating new ones. For an investigation of Oliver Stone's technique of creating new myths, this essay analyzes his films «Born on the Fourth of July» and «Heaven & Earth» (1993).
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Vietnam War
3. Hollywood Goes to War
4. Veterans as Stock Characters
5. Oliver Stone, Veteran Filmmaker
6. «Born on the Fourth of July»
a. Childhood in Massapequa/Injury in Vietnam
b. Welcome Home/Exile in Mexico
c. From Victim to Activist
7. «Heaven & Earth»
a. Childhood in Ky La/Saigon
b. Da Nang/Meeting Steve
c. Welcome Home/Culture Shock
8. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This work examines how filmmaker Oliver Stone reconstructs American mythology through his cinematic depictions of the Vietnam War and its veterans, specifically analyzing his films "Born on the Fourth of July" and "Heaven & Earth" as attempts to debunk old myths and establish new cultural narratives in a post-Vietnam America.
- The evolution of the "combat film" genre and the image of the Vietnam veteran in Hollywood.
- Oliver Stone’s personal experience as a veteran and its influence on his filmmaking technique.
- A comparative analysis of the protagonist's journey in "Born on the Fourth of July" versus "Heaven & Earth".
- The clash between traditional Western Christian values and Eastern philosophy in resolving post-war trauma.
- The political and social role of cinema in reconstructing American national identity after the Vietnam War.
Excerpt from the Book
a. Childhood in Massapequa/Injury in Vietnam
The film opens with war games in the woods. Kovic tells the viewer in voice-over narration that, «we turned the woods into a battlefield and dreamed that someday we would become men.» Being a soldier is valued as a rite of passage. The following scenes are a montage of all-American symbols of freedom and independence. A Fourth of July Parade in Massapequa 1956, attended by flag-waving spectators, accompanied by the noise of firecrackers, and the representation of beauty queens, Rock ’n’ Roll, and at the end veterans in wheelchairs with amputated legs. Ron’s girlfriend Donna gives him a New York Yankees cap as a birthday present. At night he meets her at a lake, where they watch the fireworks and she kisses him. When asked what it feels like, he responds, «I don’t know.» Instead of evaluating his feelings, he offers a display of his physical strength by doing push-ups. We see Ron hitting a home run at a baseball game, and then observe the Kovic family sitting in front of their television set, listening to president Kennedy’s inaugural address, talking about «defending freedom» and a «torch that has been passed to a new generation of Americans.» Ron’s mother tells about a dream she had about Ronnie speaking to a large crowd, saying wonderful things. Kennedy’s appeal, «…ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,» concludes the credits sequence. This montage sets up Ron as an all-American boy who is destined to fulfill his duty.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the impact of the Vietnam War on American consciousness and introduces Oliver Stone’s attempt to reconstruct American mythology through film.
2. The Vietnam War: Provides a historical overview of the three phases of the conflict in Vietnam, detailing the escalation of US involvement and the political consequences.
3. Hollywood Goes to War: Analyzes the depiction of the Vietnam War in Hollywood, contrasting propaganda-style films with later, more critical representations that emerged after the US defeat.
4. Veterans as Stock Characters: Examines the stereotypical representation of Vietnam veterans in cinema as troubled, psychotic, or violent outcasts.
5. Oliver Stone, Veteran Filmmaker: Profiles Oliver Stone, focusing on how his own experiences in Vietnam shaped his directorial style and his critical stance against the Hollywood establishment.
6. «Born on the Fourth of July»: Investigates the narrative of Ron Kovic as a symbol of the American nation, tracing his journey from an idealistic soldier to an anti-war activist.
7. «Heaven & Earth»: Explores Stone’s shift toward Buddhism to address the trauma of war, focusing on the character Le Ly and the integration of Eastern philosophy.
8. Conclusion: Summarizes how Stone’s filmography reflects a transition from attempting to repair a shattered Christian myth to incorporating Eastern thought to address post-war identity.
Keywords
Vietnam War, Oliver Stone, American Mythology, Ron Kovic, Le Ly Hayslip, Hollywood, Combat Film, Veteran, Trauma, Christianity, Buddhism, Myth-making, Post-Vietnam America, Identity, Symbolism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research explores how director Oliver Stone uses his films to critique and rebuild American national myths that were destabilized by the trauma of the Vietnam War.
What are the central thematic areas covered?
The work covers the history of the Vietnam War, the evolution of the Vietnam veteran image in cinema, the intersection of religion and war trauma, and the role of identity in post-war society.
What is the main research question or goal?
The goal is to analyze Stone's technique of "myth-making" and his transition from addressing the conflict through Christian archetypes to offering Eastern philosophical perspectives as a form of redemption.
Which scientific or analytical method is employed?
The author uses a film analysis approach combined with sociocultural references (such as Barthes and Jung) to interpret the symbols, editing techniques, and narrative structures within the films.
What does the main body of the work address?
It provides a historical context of the Vietnam War, a survey of the Vietnam-era combat film genre, an investigation into the person of Oliver Stone, and detailed scene-by-scene analysis of "Born on the Fourth of July" and "Heaven & Earth".
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Vietnam War, American Mythology, Oliver Stone, Combat Film, Veteran, Trauma, Christianity, Buddhism, and Identity.
How does the author interpret Ron Kovic's character in "Born on the Fourth of July"?
Kovic is viewed as a symbolic figure representing the entire US nation—an "all-American" hero whose physical and psychological collapse reflects the collapse of American invincibility.
How is the "Heaven & Earth" film distinguished from the previous film?
While "Born on the Fourth of July" attempts to deal with trauma within the Christian tradition, "Heaven & Earth" is interpreted as Stone's search for healing through Buddhist philosophy, focusing on the character of Le Ly.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Thomas Hunziker (Autor:in), 2001, Recreating American Mythology. Vietnam Veterans in Oliver Stone's "Born on the Fourth of July" and "Heaven & Earth", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/703350
