Customer Reviews

The Cu Chi Tunnels [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I had an incredible range of emotions the first time I saw this film. You get to know these brave individuals, men and women, who fought to survive against all odds. But when you realize their survival pended on the deaths of Americans, you are caught in a very uncomfortable situation...having to recognize the enemy not as pure evil, but instead as humans on the same level as you. Watch it twice...at least.

I'm in college, and wasn't born yet during the Vietnam War. My college professor showed this video in class, and I was blown away. I've seen interviews before of American vets, but this was the first time I saw something with the Vietnamese that fought against the Americans. I was against war before I saw this film, but my feelings are even more strong now. I bought the video for my dad who's interested in history, and he thought it was great too.

I have only two "complaints" about this film. First, the short, dramatized tunnel cave-in scenes were pretty cheesy, especially when it became obvious that despite fantastic camera angles and use of motion that there was no actual collapse. Second, I would have liked to seen footage of the tunnels themselves, even if only as they are today, and perhaps some schematics. I realize that this is not a documentary about the tunnels themselves, per se; but mostly about the lives, deaths, and sacrifices made by the Vietnamese people of Cu Chi district. In this, Mr. Grant's film is magnificent and well done. The interviews are both informative and thought-provoking as old warriors reminisce about the American War (as they call it). As one earlier reviewer said, it puts you in an uncomfortable position to see these people as fellow humans who lived, laughed, and loved, and not simply as "the enemy." It is likewise shocking to watch some of the interviewees and realize that some of them must have been in their early teens when they became "heroes of the Liberation Army." There is no propaganda that I could detect in this production; just a well done, human look at the people who fought and survived to tell about it. I recommend this work, and am glad that I bought it. Watch it, let it sink in, and then watch it again.

I'm the film maker of the film and I appreciate any and all comments as long as they have to do with the film. To simply state that you believe in the politics of the Vietnam war... a comment that has nothing to do with providing a critical appraisal of the film, I don't think that's helpful to anyone. There are plenty of forums to place political opinions.

I lived during this time and worked with Vietnamese. Listen, when the South fell many fled in boats risking their lives to live in freedom. A man at my work was buying "presents" to send to family so they could sell them. They would then use the money to try and escape Communist Vietnam. He said, "You Americans don't understand because you have always lived in freedom. You would risk everything to be free." I was ashamed of how we left them. Vietnam was lost by the media and the politicans. Wars need to be fought by the military. First we should not have supported the French in keeping the Vietnamese as a colony. That was political. We were afraid the French would become communist. You need to get out some balance in your education. Remember you are being fed revisionist history. I cannot believe when I read something in the history books that I actually lived through, like the Students for a Democratic Society, being called the beginning of the New Left. They were a radical group. If you read my history book in college now they were just your average peaceful political group. I lived in California all my life, peace protests, hippies (I was one) etc. The press lied, we were just pawns and so are the student now. They feed you what they want you to know but now you can find out more. Read other sources. Don't believe anything until you check it out. Both sides have agendas but one side lies more than the other.