The Vietnam War film Platoon and its director, Oliver Stone, are coming to the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, albeit almost a month apart.
In the Oscar-winning 1986 film, a young soldier arrives in Vietnam to face both a war in the jungle and a conflict within himself. Grappling with fear, anger and exhaustion, he must navigate the conflicting styles of his superior officers without becoming numb to the horrors of war and the value of human life.
Platoon won four Academy Awards, including best picture and best director.
Stone, described by the Mondavi Center as 鈥渙ne of our most provocative, interesting and knowledgeable filmmakers,鈥 won another best-director Oscar for Born on the Fourth of July (based on the life of Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic). He also won an Oscar for best screenplay adaptation, Midnight Express. He received Oscar nominations for JFK (director) and Nixon (co-writer).
The Mondavi Center鈥檚 presentation of Platoon is set for Monday, Jan. 9. Then, on Friday, Feb. 3, Stone is scheduled to give an address in the center鈥檚 Distinguished Speakers series. The Stone program is being presented in affiliation with the 嘿嘿视频 Humanities Institute.
Stone himself is a Vietnam War veteran, having served in the Army infantry in 1967-68. He was wounded twice and decorated with the Bronze Star for Valor.
He had been to Vietnam previously, after graduating from high school. He went to Saigon at age 18 to be a schoolteacher, arriving around the same time as the first U.S. ground infantry troops and Marines, in June 1965.
After six months as a teacher, he signed on with the merchant marine, and eventually started writing.
In 1967, he enlisted in the Army and went back to Vietnam 鈥 specially requesting combat duty.
Upon his return from the war, he completed his undergraduate studies at the New York University Film School in 1971.
AT A GLANCE
WHAT: Platoon, rated R (restricted; children under 17 require accompanying parent or adult guardian), 120 minutes
WHEN: 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9
BEFORE THE FILM: Presentation at 6:30 p.m. by Jaimey Fisher, director of the Film Studies Program, and an associate professor of German
WHERE: Vanderhoef Studio Theatre
鈥⑩赌⑩赌
WHAT: Filmmaker Oliver Stone, in the Distinguished Speakers series
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3
Q&A: Moderated by Jaimey Fisher, director of the Film Studies Program, and an associate professor of German
WHERE: Jackson Hall
TICKETS are available , or in person or by telephone at the Mondavi Center box office, (530) 754-2787 or (866) 754-2787. Note: The box office is closed for winter break, through Jan. 2. Regular hours: noon-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and one hour before ticketed events. The online box office is always open.
Media Resources
Dave Jones, Dateline, 530-752-6556, dljones@ucdavis.edu