Platoon (1986)

Based on his own experiences as a US infantryman during the Vietnam War, director Oliver Stone filmed with Platoon one of the great anti-war movies.

In 1967, young and naïve Chris Taylor quits college and volunteers for combat in Vietnam. After arriving in South Vietnam, he is assigned to a platoon of the 25th Infantry Division near the Cambodian border. The platoon is officially led by the inexperienced Lieutenant Wolf, but in reality is divided into two camps, one headed by Staff Sergeant Robert "Bob" Barnes, an ill-tempered, cynical and violent soldier, the other by the more pleasant, cooperative and morally sensitive Sergeant Elias.

With no combat experience Taylor isn’t accepted by his fellow platoon members at first and being in the middle of the battle his idealism soon fades. Only after getting wounded, Taylor becomes part of the platoon. At the same time the two veteran sergeants Barnes and Elias clash over a massacre in the nearby villages initiated by Barnes.

Taylor, near a psychological meltdown, soon realizes that he is not only fighting the enemy, but as well the men within his platoon.

Platoon was highly praised and received numerous awards including the Oscar for Best Picture (Arnold Kopelson), Best Director (Oliver Stone), Best Film Editing (Claire Simpson) and Best Sound (John K. Wilkinson, Richard Rogers, Charles "Bud" Grenzbach, Simon Kaye), Bafta Awards for Best Editing and Best Direction, Golden Globe Award for Outstanding Directing, Best Director, Best Motion Picture and Best Supporting Actor, to name just a few.