Vietnam at 24 Frames a Second: A Critical and Thematic Analysis of Over 350 Films about the Vietnam War [Library Binding]

Jeremy M. Devine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1994 | ISBN-10: 0899508480 | ISBN-13: 978-0899508481 | Edition: 1St Edition

Beginning in 1948 with Paramount's Saigon and Universal's Rogue's Regiment, Hollywood has produced over 400 features and made-for-television films about Vietnam and the ensuing conflict. With the exception of The Green Berets (1968), few were designed to rally Americans to the cause as earlier war movies had done. Many were not even combat films, instead dealing with such domestic issues as protests, veteran reintegration, MIAs and POWs. Arranged chronologically, this is a critical analysis of Vietnam War films from 1948 through 1993. Recurring themes are stressed along with the ways that movie America reflected the national reality, with essays blending plot synopses and critical commentary. The movies run the gamut of genres: dramas, action, adventure, horror, comedies and even one musical.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The significant Vietnam War film genre deserves better treatment than this. Overburdened with excessive plot synopses and undermined by a succession of rather pedestrian critical observations, the narrative dutifully marches through the oeuvre from French Indochina to 1993's Heaven and Earth. The best sections describe events behind the scenes, such as Francis Ford Coppola's struggle to produce Apocalypse Now, and biographical background on the screenwriters-whether they actually served in Vietnam, for instance. Appended are three handy filmographies, one of which arranges the films chronologically. The publisher has made important contributions to Vietnam War scholarship, including the excellent A-to-Z dictionary, Vietnam War Films: Over Six Hundred Feature, Made-for-TV, Pilot & Short Movies 1939-72 (McFarland & Co., 1994). However, the present monograph is not among their best efforts. The definitive study is still From Hanoi to Hollywood: The Vietnam War in American film (LJ 2/15/91).
Richard W. Grefrath, Univ. of Nevada Lib., Reno
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"[includes] three handy filmographies" -- Library Journal

"a thorough listing" -- Choice

Product Details

• Library Binding: 416 pages
• Publisher: McFarland & Company; 1St Edition edition (November 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0899508480
• ISBN-13: 978-0899508481
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,290,396 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very informative, Devine demostrates superior knowledge., August 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Vietnam at 24 Frames a Second: A Critical and Thematic Analysis of Over 400 Films About the Vietnam War (Texas Film Studies Series) (Paperback)

Upon reading this book for a class assignment, I was not very interested in the topic. However, after reading this informative masterpiece my interest in the vietnam era grew. I found this book to be very well written, and it fully shows the diversity in films made about the war.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars if you want the complete history this has it all outstanding, August 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Vietnam at 24 Frames a Second: A Critical and Thematic Analysis of Over 350 Films about the Vietnam War (Library Binding)

A complete guide to an era of turmoil. Nobody realized the amount written on this subject. This book brings it all together and discusses the individual movies.

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding presentation of the conflict!, January 30, 2010

By 

J. Naveh (Wantagh, NY) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vietnam at 24 Frames a Second: A Critical and Thematic Analysis of Over 400 Films About the Vietnam War (Texas Film Studies Series) (Paperback)

Devine's book is superb. The best book that I have come across on the topic of Vietnam (concerning film and history). In fact my Sr. Thesis was on the similar topic of Hollywood's Vietnam War films, and Devine's book was one of my main sources of information, context, and critique. He really covers EVERYTHING. Obviously I had to limit what i was covering in my thesis, but there is no shortage of information in Devine's book.

While writing a film critique for an independent study course on Problem Films of the 1970s i looked into Devine's book again, and found that a 1968 film (Targets by Peter Bogdonovich) fits the profile of a deranged Vietnam Veteran flick. I never stop learning from this guy!! As a film studies/history student, this book is considered by me to be one of the very best. I strongly reccomend it!