The Boys in Company C

Somewhat similar to Stanley Kubrick's 1987 Full Metal Jacket, this 1978 war drama focuses on five young Marine inductees—played by Andrew Stevens, Craig Wasson, Stan Shaw, James Canning, and Michael Lembeck—who undergo rigorous training in boot camp and then are sent straight to Vietnam in 1968. Horrified by the war's futility and continually put at risk by their inept commander, the boys in Company C pin their hopes for survival on an almost surreal gambit: playing exhibition soccer for the amusement of fellow soldiers far from the frontlines. Directed and co-written by Sidney J. Furie, The Boys in Company C is a solid film (boasting several striking sequences) that reflects the increasingly volatile sensibilities of the period in its portrayal of the Vietnam War as a foolish, reckless undertaking. Interestingly, R. Lee Ermey, the former Marine who won acclaim for his work in Full Metal Jacket, made his screen debut here, playing one of Company C's staff sergeants and drill instructors. DVD extras include an audio commentary by Stevens. Recommended. (E. Hulse)[DVD Review—July 3, 2012—Hen's Tooth, 126 min., R, $24.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD, 1978's The Boys in Company C features a great transfer and Mono 2.0 sound. Extras include audio commentary by costar Andrew Stevens, a lobby card gallery, and trailers. Bottom line: newly available in an anamorphic widescreen edition, this solid Vietnam drama is recommended.]