Tribe.net. Local Connections Adrian http://moviewhores.tribe.net/thread/ff1cbb64-7b9a-4a46-a508-7c24976ce90a#02584e7c-5037-47e7-b681-112df47de52e 2012-09-09T00:57:53Z 2012-09-09T00:57:53Z

‘A’, I loved to read your account of Vietnam and your analysis of the book catch 22. Life is such a strange thing don’t you think. I think all wars are a terrible waste, a waste of time, resources and of course a waste of life! But wars are not started by the masses, by the average guy, they are started by politicians and aristocrats. Yes catch 22 I read the book, but not seen the film. Anything that shows the futility of war and communicates this in a memorable way is a good thing.

Adrian 2012-09-09T00:57:53Z A http://moviewhores.tribe.net/thread/ff1cbb64-7b9a-4a46-a508-7c24976ce90a#7b3e475c-9de2-4985-b8d7-36b6ff5f39ae 2012-09-08T03:46:56Z 2012-09-08T03:46:56Z

Well, I finally watched this again after many years. Catch 22 is : http://www.zuguide.com/#Catch-22 This movie, imo, has held up very nicely, but then again - I see it from my - Vietnam war - generation (a lot has changed since then). What I can relate to / what seems relevant to me in this movie: - I enlisted to go to Vietnam, but ended up on Okinawa. Guys, as disgusting as it seems, used to line up outside of whorehouses to get layed (very much like in the movie). There were old toothless hags calling to you from dark alleys. I was propostioned by a little boy once - maybe 9 years old. He seemed a little surprized when I told him "dame" (bad) in my very poor Japanese. - Also, as with the movie, I witnessed a drunken sailor getting mugged by locals. - The deal about the guy who went AWOL to Sweden. Sweden was a favorite place for deserters to go during the Vietnam war. - Guys would get injured just to avoid service (these were the days of the draft, lots of people were there against their will). - On Okinawa we had to go on a manhunt for two guys who stole weapons and carjacked an old farmer and his wife - and their little Datsun pick up. I guess they were going to commandeer a fishing boat and take it to one of the many isolated Okinawan islands - but they were caught. - I myself tried to get sent home (somewhat similar to Yossarian). Vietnam was winding down (1971) and they were letting lots of guys out early. I went to my platoon Sargent and he gave me this catch-22 like run-around and so I ended up sticking out my full three year enlistment. But, I do believe I went a little crazy in that last year. - The attempted killing of their commander in Catch 22. In the Vietnam war the expression was "fragging". More officers and senior NCOs were murdered than will ever be known, by an angry / insane enlisted guy tossing a fragmentation grenade into a tent under cover of darkness. And of course the not so accidental (or friendly) "friendly fire". As with Yossarian's experience in WWII, there was so much about the Vietnam War/Conflict that was crazy to the point of surreal. I met lots of guys passing thru Okinawa, coming out of Vietnam, that were kind of crazy from their experience there - terrible stories; crying-like-a-baby crazy - to raging like a lunatic crazy. And the corruption, as with Catch 22, was also crazy; black market; drugs, etc. There was also racial stuff (riots and assaults) with the Vietnam war, but Catch 22 didn't get into anything like that. Sometimes I feel kind of guilty that I was never "in country" - never saw any combat, but I don't think I totally escaped the insanity. Catch 22 helps to bring into focus how war brings out the utter inhumanity of mankind. Alan Arkin was brilliant. The shock and disillusionment in his expressions was perfect. I think Catch 22 has held up very well after all these years. Wonderful cast, story, cinematography, ... a classic with important lessons to teach.

A 2012-09-08T03:46:56Z Will http://moviewhores.tribe.net/thread/ff1cbb64-7b9a-4a46-a508-7c24976ce90a#8455c82b-e808-43f8-8d0d-45a0fa15e6e2 2011-12-06T03:13:54Z 2011-12-06T03:13:54Z

I liked ALL its (re-)incarnations, the book, the film, the TV series. By the time of the last one, it became a psychic outlet for those of us against the next hideous American war, Vietnam....

Will 2011-12-06T03:13:54Z Bloke http://moviewhores.tribe.net/thread/ff1cbb64-7b9a-4a46-a508-7c24976ce90a#2f31ec38-2db9-4de7-a827-fc40d0f1ef8b 2011-11-28T04:32:05Z 2011-11-28T04:32:05Z

I read the book.. but have never seen the movie...

Bloke 2011-11-28T04:32:05Z A http://moviewhores.tribe.net/thread/ff1cbb64-7b9a-4a46-a508-7c24976ce90a#0adb1aad-e6b0-4bbd-b2e1-c0fc14cb1a92 2011-11-27T22:27:33Z 2011-11-27T22:27:33Z

The novel (which became a film) recently celebrated in its 50th year (published in 61'). Written by Joseph Heller who flew 60 combat missions in WWII (they say, write about what you know). I came across a Book TV panel discussion on C-Span which included director Mike Nichols. Leslie Stahl, I thought, did a poor job of leading the discussion which was pretty dry at times, but it definitely had some good moments. I think you can watch it here: http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/Catch2 The 1970 film - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065528/ I have not seen this in like 15 years. My guess, it may not hold up very well - in some ways, but I suspect it is still a beautiful work of art. The cast was really something - so many excellent performances. The right movie, at the right time (the Vietnam war) What was it about? Well, everyone has an opinion. From the panel discussion: - anti-war (the obvious) - cowardess - money makes the world go round (corporations pull the strings) - Heller's own anxious personality - always anxious about what "something" is going to happen to him The phrase "catch-22" went on to be part of our "lexicon of the ironic" (hope I'm using those words correctly). What is catch-22? “Let me get this straight . . . “ This trailer explains catch-22: http://www.zuguide.com/#Catch-22 You can’t let crazy people decide whether or not you are crazy.

A 2011-11-27T22:27:33Z