The former star of the popular kids show bill nye the science guy is now the ceo of the planetary society, an organization founded by bills mentor carl sagan, where hes launching a solar propelled spacecraft into the cosmos and advocating for the importance of science, research, and discovery. Critics of this film argue that this film doesnt utilise hard political analysis. However, hearts and minds went on to win the 1974 academy award for best documentary feature. When peter davis set out to make the documentary hearts and minds in. The film however did seem very theatrical at first. The film is being revived and re released thirtyfive years after it was made. What do they reveal about the architecture of cinematic argument. Using a wealth of sourcesfrom interviews to newsreels to documentary footage of the conflict at home and abroaddavis constructs a powerfully affecting portrait of the disastrous effects of war. Parents need to know that hearts and minds is an intense 1974 academyaward winning documentary about the vietnam war. Hearts and minds is a 1974 documentary film directed by peter davis it is a history of americas involvement in the vietnam war.
The urgency of hearts and minds, its anger and its articulation, its. Hearts and minds film hearts and minds is a 1974 american documentary film about the vietnam war directed by peter davis. Released in 1974, when it could be considered part of a heated cultural conversation, hearts and minds is an activist documentary, making an emotional, impassioned plea against the war as emphatically and comprehensively as possible. Oh and kev, i meant to say that your analysis of the imperialists is perfect. Hearts and minds is a powerful indictment against the vietnam war. Scenes from actual news footage is shown villages burned, dead bodies, and bloody injured soldiers as well as testimonials from american soldiers, some of whom are now paralyzed. This documentary presents both sides of the argument on americas involvement in vietnam. Peter davis on his pivotal vietnam documentary, hearts and. Hearts and minds 1974 hd best vietnam war documentary. I happen to agree entirely with the assessment of the war shown in the film, but even with. It is a provocative film that is likely to generate strong feelings and reactions. Annual hearts and minds film festival a sociallyfocused film festival showcasing topical, cutting edge documentary and narrative work from student and adult media makers around the world.
Hearts and minds, a film study of power power is virtually the first word heard in peter daviss epic documentary, hearts and minds, and power, real and mythical, is what the film contemplates in as many tones and moods as you might expect in superior fiction. Hearts and minds came about after i had made a film for cbs news, for whom i worked, called the selling of the pentagon, which was an investigative expose of defense department propaganda. For the 1974 american documentary about the vietnam war, see hearts and minds film. Receiving the best documentary award for their incendiary vietnam war film hearts and minds, schneider read out a telegram expressing greetings from. The urgency of hearts and minds, its anger and its articulation, its insistence that effects of war be visible, and its cogent analysis of connections among politics, media, and the military, all. Another film that should be required viewing from this era is the powerful documentary sir. In this documentary, filmmaker david malone asks whether we are right to take this view. The film had its world premiere at the 1974 cannes film festivalless than a year after the casechurch amendment ended direct u. Francis wells who is going to allow him to watch him perform open heart surgery. There are lessons aplenty about vietnam in hearts and mindsits a shame we. Hearts and minds a must to avoid vietnam veterans of america. Hes always wanted to see the beating human heart, that thing within us that keeps us alive. A startling and courageous film, peter daviss landmark 1974 documentary hearts and minds unflinchingly confronted the united states involvement in vietnam at. Hearts and minds is a 1974 american documentary film about the vietnam war directed by peter davis.
Hearts and minds is a powerful film that deals with the vietnam conflict and is also one of the very few films of this genre that looks at it from the viewpoint of its victims, the vietnamese people. A startling and courageous film, peter daviss landmark 1974 documentary hearts and minds unflinchingly confronted the united states involvement in vietnam at the height of the controversy that surrounded it. Oct 27, 2014 on the 40th anniversary of hearts and minds, vogue. Essay on analysis of the documentary hearts and minds 1145 words null page hearts and minds begins with footage on a village that is northwest of saigon in vietnam named hung dinh.
When the film first appeared here in 1974, its sympathetic and complicated treatment of average vietnamese created a. Rent hearts and minds 1974 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. Hearts and minds is a documentary about the vietnam. Power is virtually the first word heard in peter daviss epic documentary, hearts and minds, and power, real and mythical, is what the film contemplates in as many tones and moods as.
Newsweek had a fawning interview in its april 6 issue with peter davis, the director and coproducer of the 1975 documentary, hearts and minds, on the occasion of its recent dvd reissue. Hearts and minds is a 1974 american documentary film about the vietnam war directed by. The horrible prescience of 1974 war documentary hearts. On the commentary track for peter davis hearts and minds. Jun 24, 2014 hearts and minds challenged that predilection by forcing viewers to consider what the war had done to the vietnamese. Analysis of hearts and minds and harlan county, usa. This website includes a war timeline and pictures and analysis of the conflict in. In this documentary, filmmaker david malone asks whether we. The late film critic judith crist, in her essay written for criterions 2002. The movie was chosen as best feature documentary at the 47th academy awards presented in 1975.
The disjointed structure of the film leads the director to slowly reveal. Hearts and minds is designed to be profoundly upsetting and shocking. Usually you dont see a lot of formalism in a film but with hearts and minds i. When the issue of hearts and minds arises in the film, it is not only concerned about the emotions towards the war at home, but also. One film is intensely focused and the other more of. Johnson said that ultimate victory in the vietnam war depended upon the u.
Hearts and minds is the fahrenheit 911 of the vietnam. The documentary midnight in paris, about high school kids in flint, michigan, going to prom, earned raves on the festival circuit. Hearts and minds was the first film to show the viewpoint of the enemy during a time of war. The film is definitely set up differently than a hollywood film. Without any type of introduction the film starts off in this setting and leaves its viewer unexpectant of what is to come. Using a wealth of sourcesfrom interviews to newsreels to footage of the conflict and the upheaval it occasioned on the home frontdavis constructs a powerfully affecting picture. Nov 20, 2006 1st documentary movie on the origin of ccp virus, tracking down the origin of the wuhan coronavirus duration. This revealing documentary about the vietnam war was made and released at a time when it was clear that the war would end in humiliating defeat for the us. Hearts and minds is a powerful documentary that was made by peter davis in 1974 to examine the vietnam war in its last days. This was a controversial film when it was released, and it is still a controversial film.
Courtesy, criterion this article is more than 5 years old. Before viewing the film hearts and minds, please be warned. Power is virtually the first word heard in peter daviss epic documentary, hearts and minds, and power, real and mythical, is what the film contemplates in as many tones and moods as you might. Hearts and minds postviewing guide trinity university. Its not balanced within itself, but given the daytoday barrage of standard media coverage of the vietnam war during the time the documentary was made, i believe the making of this film represented an attempt to balance the average americans knowledge of what was really going on and how misrepresented the war was by our government and. Hearts and minds vietnam or winning hearts and minds refers to the strategy and programs used by the governments of vietnam and the united states during the vietnam war to win the popular support of the vietnamese people and to help defeat the viet cong. A courageous and startling film, peter davis landmark documentary hearts and minds unflinchingly confronts the united states involvement in vietnam. Hearts and minds, a film study of power the new york times. An examination of the conflicting attitudes of the opponents of the vietnam war.
It didnt follow the traditional documentary structure. Using actual footage and interviews, hearts and minds makes the viewer question why america was involved in the war at all. Herring and ngo vinh long in the excellent and updated liner notes that accompany its reissue. Why were still talking about, and watching, hearts and. Davis makes no attempt to justify the american involvement in vietnam, which, its obvious, he believes to. Hearts and minds is an academy award winning documentary about the vietnam war directed by peter davis. These films are featured at hearts and minds community screening room events and the annual hearts and minds film festival. The editing, though often manipulative, seamlessly weaves actual footage with interviews, giving the film a firm narrative and. Mar 24, 1975 power is virtually the first word heard in peter daviss epic documentary, hearts and minds, and power, real and mythical, is what the film contemplates in as many tones and moods as you might. Hes there at the invitation of consultant surgeon mr. And we see ourselves as ruled by our heads and not our hearts. Hearts and minds is not just about how the united states government messed up in vietnam but about human suffering on all sides. Peter davis landmark documentary hearts and minds was completed at a very particular moment in the history of the vietnam war. Included are interviews with several wellknown personalities including gen.
The movie suggests that american aggression is deeply rooted in a. The award winning documentary, hearts and minds, portrays the attitudes of the opposing sides in the vietnam war. Peter davis landmark documentary on the vietnam warwhich took a broad view in its. And then it was shelved for a year because its original distributor, columbia, feared legal problems. It is a potent film with many images that stick in the mind.
Peter davis landmark documentary on the vietnam warwhich took a. As uncomfortable as it may have been for many americans, it now seems clear that hearts and minds was the first step in coming to terms with a conflict that threatened to destroy the social fabric of the country. When a film carries a title as heavy as hearts and minds, it is crucial not to overlook its importance in labeling the film and its significance to what happens within it. Jun 23, 2014 whatever its propagandistic goals, however, hearts and minds remains an expansive, intuitive work of art, abandoning traditional narrative structure for a more freeflowing association of interviews and images. The films title is based on a quote from president lyndon b. Nov 02, 2011 advocateobjectify hearts and minds hearts and minds 1974 shows the devastation of the vietnam war and discusses the antiwar sentiment that started to appear in the usa during the 1960s. David malone is a science documentary filmmaker and he came to papworth hospital in cambridgeshire. The documentary hearts and minds 1974 directed by peter davis is a. This film recounts the history and attitudes of the opposing sides of the vietnam war using archival news footage as well as its own film and interviews. Daniel ellsberg has a wonderful movie profile, and the face and manner of the. Hearts and minds, a sentimental and intellectual film as its title suggests. The film is a searing indictment of the united states and its presence in vietnam, depicting the ghastly toll of pain and suffering inflicted on the vietnamese people by the american armed forces.
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