Product Description

It was one of the bloodiest campaigns of the Vietnam War, and for a company of American soldiers, the taking of Hill 937 was the closest they'd come to Hell on Earth. This raw, factual war drama focuses on 14 grunts who were forced to be brave in the face of futility during the brutal 10-day battle. Dylan McDermott, Steven Weber, Michael Dolan, Courtney B. Vance, Don Cheadle star. 110 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital 5.1; Subtitles: English, Spanish; audio commentary; featurettes; more.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12535 in DVD
• Brand: LIONS GATE HOME ENT.
• Released on: 2008-05-20
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Original recording remastered, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 110 minutes

Amazon.com
Because it was released less than a year after Oliver Stone's Platoon and within months of Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, this exceptionally well-made film about one of the bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War was largely overshadowed and overlooked. It's a pity, because in some respects this is the best of the Vietnam films of the late 1980s, at least in terms of the everyday authenticity it depicts. Stripped clean of dramatically extraneous narrative, the movie opts instead for a straightforward approach to its day-by-day account of one of the war's costliest victories--a deadly siege on Hill 937 in the Ashau Valley, where soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division engaged the enemy over the course of eleven brutal assaults between May 10th and 20th, 1969. The film specifically follows the 3rd Squad, 1st Platoon, a mixture of "new guys" and battle-weary "short-timers" who fought against terrifying odds and suffered a 70% casualty rate. From first scene to last, Hamburger Hill traces the rise and fall of their battle experience, from the horror of firefights to the camaraderie of men who've faced death and survived. Racial tensions flare and subside, trusts are established, and courage emerges from unexpected places. Through it all, writer Jim Carabatsos and director John Irvin maintain a purity of focus that pays tribute to the soldier's life without promoting false patriotism or gung-ho theatrics. In addition, the film features a cast full of talented and well-known actors in the early stages of their careers, including Dylan McDermott (from the TV series "The Practice") and Don Cheadle, before gaining fame in Devil in a Blue Dress and Boogie Nights. Color accuracy, image clarity, and the explosive soundtrack have been remarkably preserved in a flawless DVD transfer, lending even greater immediacy to this underrated film. --Jeff Shannon