MovieChat Forums > The Odd Angry Shot (1979) Discussion > Superb...

Superb...

posted 13 years ago by Adams5905
4 replies | jump to latest

I caught this for the first time last night, and was struck by the verisimilitude. Although we’ve seen the action scenes a million times before, what impressed me were the little touches: removal of magazines when in camp, the routine & boredom when not out on patrol, the easy air of professionalism between men & officers, and, above all, the use of ‘tic-tac’ (silent sign language). Some of those signals are still in use today! I do have some questions, however: most of the troopers were shown using M16s with the 203 attachment (still correct for SAS today), yet insisted on throwing grenades conventionally, by hand…And finally (this may have been covered in the film, but I missed the beginning), why was Harry so much older than his oppos? It’s certainly a fantastic effort…Considering it’s shoestring budget, and relative lack of SFX, it knocks films like Apocalypse Now, and Platoon into a cocked hat…

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...

[–] Corner_House_guest 13 years ago

Graham Kennedy was 44 when he played Harry in this movie, his character explains that he joined up after his marriage failed. He was a late starter in the military in which he has made his life. He does look older than 44 and is much older than the other guys.
He was a game show host and presenter in Oz, him being cast in the lead was possibly to increase the box office.
Like yourself Adams I caught this on BBC2 at midnight on Sunday, I had seen it before but forgotten how much they acheived with so little. Was it appropriate for Remembrance Sunday? Only veterans can answer that, but I suspect the film is realistic about army life.

[–] Adams5905 13 years ago

I caught the reference to his marriage breaking down, but thought that there might have been a more detailed explanation...Speaking from experience, I can tell you it is extremely accurate about 'down' time..Mind-numbingly boring (hence the shared pornography)!..I shall keep a weather eye out for the next repeat (should be about another 30 yrs!)...

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...

[–] alexisdetroit 13 years ago

...or similar launcher device was not of any use at close range. The 40mm grenade had to complete a set amount of revolutions in order to be armed so as to not detonate within casualty radius of the shooter. I seem to recall the M79 as needing something like ten yards in flight to become armed. I carried a M79 now and then as a Marine infantryman in Vietnam in '68.

5905, that is some word you invoked: verisimilitude. Can I get a sitrep on that word. (wink)

I asked before on this board as to whether Odd Angry Shot was the only Aussie made Vietnam war. Have there been any made for TV movies in Australia about Vietnam?

[–] Corner_House_guest 13 years ago

From the trivia page about this film

"During the 1980s decade after this movie was made, Australia produced two mini-series and one tele-film relating to the Vietnam War: Which Way Home (1991), "Vietnam" (1987) and Frankie's House (1992). The American TV movie Love Is Forever (1983), released theatrically in Australia as Comeback, dealt with an Australian photo-journalist character in Laos in 1977. "