The Boys in Company C (Special Edition)

Good action I’m glad the story was told as this company saw a lot of action as told by the casualty list. I hope the politics that got soldiers killed was more Hollywood than actual life but I’m sure it was the way it happened

I love this movie and have wanted it for a long time and if you like R LEE ERMY you will like this it was one of his first movies

An excellent well directed and scripted film about 5 boys drafted, or enlisted, in the Marines in 1966. Following their, at times harrowing, basic training, these ,innocent, boys are finally changed into killing machines. Based on the exploits of the Company of the same name, the film accurately and authentically displays the groups exploits, and disallusionment of USA policies and tactics; culminating in most of the group's deaths.This film made with Hong Kong backing is, I believe, The most authentic depiction of America's interference in another country's domestic decision making. America's paranoia over the fear of communist worldwide spread was presaged by President Wilson in 1919. No serious USA political discussion has found traction in a country that has, almost unquestionably amongst the masses, blindly swallowed the faulty dogma. Hence it has been the American nation that has earned the world's opprobrium as it continuously attacks and invades other countries sovereignty; the very actions Wilson accused the USSR of doing.As such, this film is an honest, if not tragic, reminder of what not to do in furtherance of economic advantage. As all Empires have found; in the end there very policies come back to destroy their power.In my opinion, the best USA film on the Vietnam War, or Vietnam's wars for freedom is 'Hamburger Hill'.

Before The Deer Hunter, Apocalypes Now, Platoon and Full Metal Jacket, there was The Boys In Company C. Pretty much done on a B scale with a cast of unknowns, this is one of the first films to tackle the war we'd like to forget. It's not very artistic, it's not an epic of any kind, but it is very interesting and entertaining.The film focuses on five young men starting from Marine bootcamp to the jungles of Vietnam. We have Tyrone Washington (Stan Shaw), a streetwise kid from Chicago and defacto leader of the group, Alvin Foster (James Canning), an enlistee who wants to be a journalist, Vinnie Fazio (Michael Lembeck), a horny womanizer, Billy Ray Pike (Andrew Stevens), a gung-ho jock and Dave Bisbee (Craig Wasson), a pacifist hippie. All putting together some good characterizations. We see them going through the rigorous training of bootcamp headed up by their DI Sgt. Loyce (R. Lee Ermy in his film debut) then it's off to Vietnam for our boys.Basically what this film does is play very much like the film M*A*S*H. It's very straight-forward with rapid-fire dialog mixing black comedy with drama and even has a climatic sports event (soccer this time). We have bumbling incompetence from officers while death is all over the place and none of them seems to care except our boys on the front lines. Just as long as the body counts stack up to where they want them to be.Is the film a classic? Almost, it was done on a miniscule budget but still made a good profit. I saw this when it first came out in 1978 and found it very interesting. I was wondering when Hollywood was going to get around to touching on this subject. The acting performances are quite good and I think the real standout here is James Whitmore Jr. as the battle-wise Lt. Archer, who's job is to keep the boys alive and keep them from killing their incompetent C.O. Capt. Collins (Scott Hylands).As for the video quality on this Blu-ray, it's so-so. This film could certainly use a good clean up. Colors are washed out with quite a lot of grain. The audio is basic mono, but Dolby Stereo was not very common at this time. The only special feature is an audio commentary by actor Andrew Stevens which is pretty informative. He gives us tidbits of info like the entire production being done in the Philippines right around the time Francis Ford Coppola was getting started with his chaotic production of Apocalypes Now that continued to last another year after this film had wrapped up!All in all, if your video collection includes the previous said classics, throw this one in as well. Certainly not an artistic triumph, but very memorable.

R. Lee Ermey and Stan Shaw are great in this brilliant war film predating platoon, hamburger hill, and full metal jacket. Focusing on abuse and lack of moral leadership in the Vietnam war, the green recruits learn to work as one and watch each other's backs. Once in 'nam, next they learn they are not there to defend freedom, it is to transport an officer's birthday presents through enemy territory, become skilled soccer players, get lost while trying for high kill ratio medals, and witness atrocities such as the arrest, interrogation, and death of an innocent villager. Somehow, the film succeeds in being funny as hell especially the bootcamp scenes. The film is gloriously un-PC as man's darker side is on display for those who want to get closer to the truth on how life really can be. The transformation of Stan Shaw's character is wonderful to watch as he goes from street drug dealing thug to someone who learns to care not only for himself, but becoming the protector of the whole platoon. An actual former drill instructor, R. Lee Ermey tears up the screen and shows exactly what bootcamp was like back then. Non-anamorphic widscreen dvd picture is very good, mono sound also good.

This movie arrived fast and not broken. If you like war movies like me. Then you need this one.

Loved everything about this movie. It will have you laughing and crying. Great film you have to watch it.