The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina • 51

(The Charlotte (Dbserver Friday January 30 1987 WHAT TO DO a WHERE TO GO HOW TO DO IT WHEN TO DO IT ML ast Vietnam Comes Home Young Men At War: An Honest Drama WWWWMIWWMyW L) JJt JUX jujij -CfeC YY YYY YYb -y Yw Yjh Y- fw'-4 4 YVo rr-Y' Y'' iYY? YY-1Y Yr tV' jL'r 5 "1 'y'O YYf I fid I YY i -4 A rjY Yf IY- 4Y By JoANN RHETTS Movi Critic If "Platoon" were a World War II movie the bickering baby-faced American soldiers would pull together before The End into a lean olive drab fighting machine annihilate their enemies take the hill storm the fort and by God win If "Platoon" were one of the first wave of American movies AD Aiir about the Vietnam War "Apo-nCVICVV calpyse Now" and "The Deer Hunter" the screen would be awash with toweringly mythological symbols the fevered imaginings of filmmakers who got no closer to Southeast Asia than the closest television set Had "Platoon" landed in the second "Rambo'V'Missing in Action" wave the Vietnamese body count would be astronomical and the muscle-bound American heroes un-scratched (That after all was the way "Rambo" star Sylvester Stallone finished his Vietnam-era stint as a gym instructor in a private girls' school in Switzerland) "Platoon" is none of the above "Platoon" is a grinding relentless achingly accurate grunt's-eye view of combat in Vietnam Extravagantly well acted and passionately directed it is not a pretty picture But it may well prove a healing one for Americans who were there or who are beginning to understand and accept the particular heroics of the 27 million Vietnam veterans (about one-third of whom saw active combat) The first of the Vietnam movies to be written and directed by a vet "Platoon" is also the first of this year's many Vietnam-era film and television projects Upcoming releases Include Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" Lionel Chetwynd's "Hanoi Hilton" Francis Ford Coppola's "Gardens of Stone" Sally Field's "Home Before Morning" Barry Levinson's "Good Morning Vietnam" and at least three network mini-series See PLATOON Page 4D VY 4 'ht i I Y-Y Y'-f-y -p 1 Sy' 1 V- YY-aSvH Y' Yt 1 3 1 -St 4 Trip a a lLKH TZwi irYSi Y' v1 iYY Mt i Yyv YV i- Photos By RICKY FRANCISCO "-v iiftiri'iiiTiiiitfi lit ft -1 iVu "Platoon" grunts (from left) Willem Dafoe Charlie Sheen and Tom Berenger break from Vietnam action rwi-tteiiiti MiWidiitiirwlritliWi lotte High School Tickets for the Afro-American Cultural Center benefit are $15 Details: 374-1565 9 am to 5 pm weekdays BEST BETS Spirited Kickof Spirit Square kicks off its 1987 season at 8:15 pm today with the first show of the McGlohon Jazz Series Tickets are $8 Details: 376-8883 9 am-5 pm today t4 JlKathy Haight HP i Viva Vienna! The Charlottetowne Players will present "Die Fledermaus" tonightThis is Johann Strauss II following his father's footsteps and throwing the spotlight on the giddiness of 19th century Vienna Curtain time at Central Piedmont Community College's Pease Auditorium is 8:15 pm today and Saturday 3 pm Sunday Tickets are $750 ($550 for students and persons over 65) Details reservations: 554-1667 7 am to 9 am daily Cale Returns Welsh rocker John Cale a former member of New York's legendary Velvet Underground makes his second trip to the Milestone Club 3400 Tucka-seegee Rd at 10 pm Saturday Tickets are $7 in advance $8 at the door Details: 393-9035 anytime fivv'1'-' NIGHTLIFE Genesis Molds New Image Even if you're tired of seeing Phil Collins everywhere you look the chubby cheeks the wry grin and that tiny twist of hair hugging a forehead as broad as the Mojave Desert you've got to admit a few things about the band that made him famous The British trio Genesis has done a remarkable job of harnessing three ego-building solo careers for a hit-making machine where everyone shares the glory On the group's latest multi-platinum album "Invisible Touch" drummer Collins guitarist Mike Rutherford and 1 if Jazz Galore NC Arts Council Touring Artists singer Eve Comellous and pianist Chip Crawford will join Queen City artists The Michael Porter Trio the Charlotte Contemporary Ensemble and comedian Lionel Norman for a show Saturday at 8 pm at Blake Auditorium West Char Lights Out There's one more weekend to see the Christmas lights at Heritage USA starting today and Saturday from 5 pm to 1 am at the complex on US Business 21 in Fort Mill SC Details: 542-6000 Ext 2100 in Charlotte 7 am to 1 pm daily The members of Genesis (from left) Mike Rutherford Phil Collins and Tony Banks keyboards player Tony Banks launched a 10-month world hours Shows were added at have written a batch of catchy tour where sellouts are as pre- the center on Feb 22 and Feb pop tunes that are radio and dictable as the music 23 with a few seats remaining MTV favorites And though Saturday's 7 pm concert at for the Feb 23 show only they're not breaking any new Dean Smith Center at UNC ground musically the trio has sold out in a little over three See GENESIS Page 9D.