Thursday, November 21, 2024, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Instructor: Andrew Owen, Ph.D., Lebanon Valley College
It is oxymoronic that one would deliberately embrace the savagery, chaos, and brutality of a controversial war to shatter the bonds of somnambulist comfort and embrace life. However, if the first casualty of war is innocence, then the first victory is experience. This is the perspective of Chris Taylor, the main protagonist of Oliver Stone’s semi-autobiographical reflection on the Vietnam War, Platoon (1986). Born into a social class where higher education and the values of capitalist ideology can ensure an unhindered pursuit of the American dream, Taylor elects to fight in Vietnam, seeking the essence of what it is to be human. It is a character reflective of Odysseus, experiencing pain and suffering to pursue a knowledge that would otherwise be denied.
This seminar explores Stone’s use of the Trojan War as a deliberate means to examine U.S. society during the turbulence of the 1960s; rife with ideological conflict instigated by global politics and the pursuit of civil rights. In the guise of Odysseus, Taylor is surrounded by characters reflective of civil war. Sergeant Barnes, recalling Achilles, embodies unrepentant animal savagery and the drive to destroy one’s enemies at all costs. Meanwhile, Elias, in the spirit of Hector, epitomizes humanity’s ideal to rise above our base instincts and engender a caring and noble nature irrespective of who we are told our enemies are.
Are you interested in “just” seeing this movie? Visit the public screening page here.
Cinema Classics Seminars offer an entertaining and engaging way to learn more about some of the true classics of world cinema. All students receive an introductory lecture before the film and a guided discussion after the film. In addition, those in attendance receive a ticket to see it on the big screen, as well as popcorn and a drink. Please note: the screening associated with this seminar will be open to the public, as well.
Please email BMFI Programs and Education Coordinator Jill Malcolm with any questions.
$25 for members, $35 for non-members
Schedule