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Siege of Firebase Gloria [VHS] | ![Siege of Firebase Gloria [VHS]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/214110VVT9L._SL160_.jpg) | Director: Brian Trenchard-Smith
Actors: Wings Hauser, R. Lee Ermey, Robert Arevalo, Mark Neely, Gary Hershberger
Studio: Fries Home Video
Category: Video
Buy New: $79.95
as of 3/13/2010 18:03 CST details
New (2) Used (7) from $34.95
Seller: captain-ziggy
Rating:  66 reviews
Sales Rank: 106
Format: NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), Vietnamese (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: VHS Tape
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 97 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 4.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 630126939X
UPC: 021219792036
EAN: 9786301269391
ASIN: 630126939X
Theatrical Release Date: January 27, 1989
Release Date: March 28, 1990
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Sometimes a B movie can rise above its big-budget brethren. The Siege of Firebase Gloria is a lean, straightforward film about a troupe of Marines defending an isolated outpost in Vietnam. While on reconnaissance, Sergeant-Major Hafner (R. Lee Ermey) gets a glimmering of the impending Tet offensive when he comes across a massacred village. When the patrol arrives at Firebase Gloria, Hafner takes command from the addled commanding officer and desperately tries to prepare the disorganized base for the coming assault. There's nothing remarkable about the story--this is a war movie--but it's not only told with efficient skill, it's strikingly clear-eyed about the brutalities committed by both sides of the war. The Viet Cong are depicted with as much sympathy as the Americans; in fact, through smart juxtapositions, the perspective of the native soldiers becomes increasingly clear and compelling, even though their dialogue is never translated. With clearly drawn yet realistic characters, a decent script, and unfancy but effective camerawork, Firebase Gloria paints a more vivid and unsettling portrait of the Vietnam experience than far more high-minded movies like Full Metal Jacket. Ermey gives a grounded, genuine performance, and straight-to-video star Wings Hauser is both scary and sad as a ruthless, alienated corporal. --Bret Fetzer
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 66
 Outstanding, realistic War movie December 11, 2009
I. M. Smart
This movie is available on DVD with English sub-titles for the Vietnamese. It appears legitimate. I will not say where since it would be a disservice to amazon.com. If I find it is not legitimate I WILL turn in the distributor. I'm not big on illegal copies. Search the Internet to find it. I am a Vietnam vet and found it very realistic. I put it up there with To Hell and Back as a great war movie.
Underviewed Vietnam classic October 22, 2009
John Legry (Portland, OR USA)
Rises above big-budget pictures, such as, Full Metal Jacket, Apocalypse Now, or Platoon, with a more vivid and unsettling portrait of the Vietnam experience. Marines defend an isolated outpost during the Tet offensive. There's nothing remarkable about the story, but it looks directly at war, sparing neither side. Ermey gives a solid realistic performance. Wings Hauser is scary and tragic as a brutal, alienated combat veteran. Ranks with Hamburger Hill as a soldier's view of the debacle. Not for the romantic, or starry-eyed.
Best Movie of Vietnam Era August 30, 2009
Chet Brewer (Severna park, MD)
I first saw this movie on HBO 20 years ago or so, still the best movie of the Vietnam War. While the acting is a little weak, the characters are believable and the storyline is tight. Lee Ermey gives a typical tough marine SGM performance, Wings Hauser is strong, Mark Neely and Gary Hsershberger give stong supporting performances. Hope this comes out in DVD sometime
Worth the wait.... June 13, 2009
BB (Texas)
Still waiting for a digitally remastered directors cut on DVD or blueray. Will be worth the wait....
You're in Bangkok with a fist full of dollars........... February 9, 2009
Greenfacesoldier (Maryland, USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This movie is a classic!
In an era where political correctness runs rampant, this movie holds grity truth. I've heard the movie is being withheld because of the struggle between the NCO corps and the CO corps. During Vietnam, there was a struggle for supremacy between the two elites. The emerging victor was the NCO corps. At that time, it was the NCO corp that had more influence in the direction of ground leadership and competency. It has also lead to murders, as NCOs would remove incompetent COs from command (illustrated in Seige without murder), thus saving more lives. In the movie Platoon, you see SSG Barnes striking Lt. Wolfe for calling in an airstrike using incompetent assessed coordinates while scolding him for his incompetence. A movie of this era has no credibility without portraying this struggle. Seige clearly does.
After the Vietnam war, it was the COs that gained power over the NCOs (obviously in rank and also influence). Movies that were made after this period are reflected in "Rules of Engagement" where it was the Officer Corps who were portrayed as undestructable fighting machines, virtually ignoring the bravery of the NCO corps. This movie has many subtle references to the shift in power and "image" between the two juggernauts. The belief is that influential and powerful members of the Officer corps are currently suppressing this movie to hide the embarrassment the Officer Corps experience during Vietnam. As the war concluded, those Lt's. gained rank and did not forget that dog fight for power. As they made their way up the ladder and eventually obtained more influence, they censored certain titles by not allowing its release (or so the story goes).
Why mention this conspiracy theory? Well because I am frustrated with not being able to obtain this movie on DVD and this is the only plausable explaination on why it hasn't arrived (in my mind). Is this movie being withheld, never to see the light of day? This movie is too good not to be released. This movie, again, is uncensored and politically incorrect, reflecting the times, which makes it a perfect candidate for extinction. This is a major reason why it should be released.
To review this movie is to review the factual story of the only base that did not lay ruin to the extreme onslaught of the deadliest Tet holiday of the Vietnam War. Here are some highlights that are not censored by politically correct brainwashing we see so much today.
1. The non existant colaboration between the Army and the Marine Corps. Soldiers and Marines fought and died together, both showing bravery and comradery during our most desprite time.
2. How women were seen in a combat senario and how naive women were portrayed in that given situation. To be politically correct about this dynamic would only lay grounds for another Jessica Lynch scenario.
3. The struggle between the NCOs and COs (as illustrated above).
4. Patriotism at its finest backed with brutality and machismo.
5. "Animals" like Di'nard who shows humanity and decency with PeeWee. This is important to the story because Di'nard's inhumane treatment of POWs and women were in direct contrast to his true character (a loving warfighter).
6. Americans were lied to about the progress of the war and this movie clearly demonstrates our vulnerability even though we were (at one point) led to beleive we had a handle of the situation.
If you haven't see this movie, I recommend you borrow it from a friend. Hopefully there will be a day when this movie is released on DVD/Bluray. Tired of this being passed up year by year. Oh,... R Lee Ermie is very recognizable as a modern day cut throat Sergeant Major. You must see his performance if you appreciated him in Full Metal Jacket. I highly recommend this film.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 66
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