Only 1 in 21 People Can Identify All of These Vietnam War Movies from an Image. Can You?
By: Jacqueline Samaroo
4 min
Image: American Zoetrope/Samson Productions/Samson Productions
About This Quiz
Are you ready for boot camp, soldier? When you’re done here you should be able to beat any quiz in your sleep!
The Vietnam War (ironically known in Vietnam as the “American Warâ€) is one of the most noteworthy wars in the 20th century. It is also notable for being one of the longest wars that the United States has ever participated in – with the war lasting for almost 20 years and the United States participating for over 8 of those years.
The Vietnam War was so impactful and unforgettable that it is no surprise that it had a significant influence on the media in the United States for years to come. From television to film and books to music, references and allusions to this costly conflict were everywhere. While some people celebrated the bravery and sacrifice of the men and women who served in the war, others used the media as a means of criticizing the United States’ involvement in the conflict.
Are you a brave soldier or a war movie buff? Do you think that you have what it takes to name each and every one of these 50 Vietnam War movies? If so, then c’mon, let’s get started, private!
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Which Vietnam War movie is this?
The Walking Dead (1995)
The Walking Dead is a Vietnam War film that was written and directed by Preston A. Whitmore II. Released in 1995, it stars Allen Payne, Joe Morton and Eddie Griffin, and it tells the story of Marines who are assigned to a POW rescue mission.
Full Metal Jacket is a Vietnam War film that was produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick and is based on the 1979 novel “The Short-Timersâ€. The film was widely praised and received an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Rolling Thunder is a Vietnam War film about soldiers who have returned home after being POWs for seven years. It is directed by John Flynn and stars William Devane, Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Haynes and James Best.
Born On The Fourth Of July is a biographical Vietnam War film that is directed by Oliver Stone and has Tom Cruise in the lead role. The movie is based on the best-selling autobiography (with the same name) that was written by veteran Ron Kovic.
Rescue Dawn is a Vietnam War drama film that was directed and written by Werner Herzog and stars Christian Bale in the lead role. The film is based on the documentary “Little Dieter Needs to Fly†which was also written and directed by Werner Herzog.
The Expendables is a low-budget Vietnam War action film that was directed by Cirio H. Santiago and tells a story of a team of rebels coming together under the leadership of a skilled commando. The film is actually hard to find using modern sources, with VHS being the only reliable means of watching it.
The Siege Of Firebase Gloria is an Australian war film that is centered around the Vietnam War and was filmed in the Philippines. It is directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith and stars both Wings Hauser and R. Lee Ermey.
Braddock: Missing In Action III is a Vietnam War action film that serves as a sequel to Missing In Action (“Missing In Action 2: The Beginning†is technically a prequel. The film is co-written by Chick Norris, who also plays the lead character. The film is also directed by Aaron Norris, the younger brother of Chuck Norris.
Gardens Of Stone is a 1987 drama film that is centered around a veteran of both the Korean War and Vietnam War who wants to train soldiers for Vietnam but is instead assigned to train soldiers for “The Old Guard." The film is directed by Francis Ford Coppola and stars James Caan.
Flight Of The Intruder is a Vietnam War film that was released in 1991. It is directed by John Milius and also co-written by him as well. Despite the skilled cast of stars – Danny Glover, Willem Dafoe, and Brad Johnson – the film received negative reviews and failed at the box office.
Hamburger Hill is a Vietnam War film that depicts a fictionalized retelling of the assault of the U.S. Army's forces on Ap Bia Mountain against the forces of the North Vietnamese Army. The film stars Dylan McDermott, Steven Weber, Courtney B. Vance, Don Cheadle and Michael Boatman.
Coming Home is a drama film that is centered around a young woman, her Marine husband, and the paralyzed Vietnam War veteran she meets while her husband is overseas. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards and won three of them.
Tunnel Rats (known also as 1968 Tunnel Rats) is a Vietnam War film that is written and directed by Uwe Boll. The film was praised and had positive reviews; however, but it was a box office failure.
Centered around the Vietnam War, Platoon is actually an anti-war film that is written and directed by Oliver Stone. Platoon is the first Hollywood film to be written and directed by a veteran of the Vietnam War. It stars Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe and Charlie Sheen.
Missing In Action 2: The Beginning is a Vietnam War action film that serves as a prequel to the original Missing In Action. The film stars Chuck Norris and was directed by Lance Hool.
We Were Soldiers is a Vietnam War film that serves as a dramatic retelling of the Battle of Ia Drang. The film stars Mel Gibson and is based on the book We Were Soldiers Once… And Young (1992) by Lieutenant General (Ret.) Hal Moore and reporter Joseph L. Galloway.
Operation Dumbo Drop is a Vietnam War comedy film that is directed by Simon Wincer and stars both Danny Glover and Ray Liotta. The film explores various concepts related to war, politics and animal welfare.
84C MoPic (also known as 84 Charlie MoPic) is an independent Vietnam War drama film that is directed by Patrick Sheane Duncan. The film is presented to the audience as a mock-up documentary of a Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol mission during the Vietnam War.
Jacob’s Ladder is a psychological horror film that stars Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Peña and Danny Aiello. Directed by Adrian Lyne, the film centers around a Vietnam veteran whose experiences during the war (and before it) cause strange flashbacks and hallucinations that haunt him.
Set during the Vietnam War, this film deals with concepts of trauma based around serving in the Vietnam War. The film is directed by Alan Parker and stars Matthew Modine and Nicolas Cage.
The Hanoi Hilton is a Vietnam War film that focuses on the Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi and the experiences of the prisoners of war there during the 1960s and 1970s. The film stars Michael Moriarty, Ken Wright and Paul Le Mat.
Platoon Leader is a Vietnam War film that is directed by Aaron Norris and based off the memoir of the same name that is written by James R.McDonough. The film is about an infantry lieutenant who arrives in Vietnam to lead his first platoon and has to prove himself to his men.
Forrest Gump is a drama film that stars Tom Hanks as the titular character. It won the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Visual Effects and Best Film Editing.
Dead Presidents is a crime thriller film that focuses on a Vietnam veteran and his experiences during the war and afterward – including his struggle to support his family. The film stars Larenz Tate, Keith David, Chris Tucker and Freddy Rodriguez.
In terms of release date, Missing In Action is the first movie in the series, but it serves as a direct narrative sequel to Missing in Action 2: The Beginning. The film stars Chuck Norris and is directed by Joseph Zito.
Bat*21 is a Vietnam War film that is a dramatization of the rescue of a U.S. signals intelligence expert who was shot down behind enemy lines in Vietnam. The film stars Gene Hackman and Danny Glover.
Off Limits is an action thriller film that is based around the Vietnam War. It stars Willem Dafoe and Gregory Hines and is directed by Christopher Crowe. It was released internationally as Saigon: Off Limits.
American Gangster is set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the effects that it had in the United States. The biographical crime film stars Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe and is directed by Ridley Scott.
Set during the Vietnam War, the film is centered around a captain who sent on a dangerous mission into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade colonel who has set himself up as a god among a local tribe. The film stars Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando and Robert Duvall.
21 And A Wake-Up is a Vietnam War film that is partially based on real-life events. The film is centered on the lives of three nurses, one of whom undertakes a dangerous journey up the Mekong River to Cambodia to save a very young Vietnamese-American girl before her life is destroyed during the American bombing of Cambodia.
The Anderson Platoon is a documentary about the experiences of Pierre Schoendoerffer in the Vietnam War. The film was written, produced, and directed by Pierre Schoendoerffer.
Based on the memoir of the same name, Faith Of My Fathers is a film that tells the story of John McCain’s experience as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Shawn Hatosy plays John McCain and the film received positive reviews upon its release.
Casualties of war is a Vietnam War film that is directed by Brian De Palma and stars Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn. It tells the story of a soldier who finds himself as an outsider of his own squad when they unnecessarily kidnap a female villager.
The Vietnam War is a modern documentary that is centered around the war of the same name and the effects that it had on the Vietnamese population and the Americans who both fought in the war and those who remained at home. The documentary is directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick and took over 10 years to make.
Air America is a Vietnam War film that is directed by Roger Spottiswoode and stars Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. It tells the story of a young pilot who finds himself recruited unwittingly into a covert and corrupt CIA airlift organization.
Good Morning, Vietnam is a comedy drama film that is loosely based on real events during the Vietnam War. It tells the story of an eccentric DJ named Adrian Cronauer who is assigned to the U.S. Armed Services radio station in Vietnam.
The Odd Angry Shot is an action comedy that is centered around the Vietnam War. It is notable for telling the story of Australian soldiers and their experiences during the Vietnam War.
Hell On The Battleground is a Vietnam War action film that stars William Smith and Fritz Matthews and is directed by David A. Prior. It tells the story of two sergeants who accompany a young lieutenant and a group of untested teenage soldiers on a practice trip in the jungle.
The Iron Triangle is a Vietnam War drama film that stars Beau Bridges, Haing S. Ngor and Liem Whatley. The film is based on the diary of an unknown Viet Cong soldier who protected a captured American soldier.
The Deer Hunter is a drama film that is set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and how it affects the lives of people in a small Pennsylvania town. It stars Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken and is directed by Michael Cimino.
Go Tell The Spartans is an action and drama film that is set during the Vietnam War. It is directed by Ted Post and stars Burt Lancaster, Craig Wasson and Jonathan Goldsmith.
Dogfight is a romantic drama that tells the story of teenagers and the experiences they have before being sent off to Vietnam, during the war itself, and after they have come home. It stars River Phoenix and Lili Taylor and is also directed by Nancy Savoca.
Tigerland tells the story of soldiers in a training camp in Louisiana, who are being prepared to be shipped off to Vietnam. The film is directed by Joel Schumacher and stars Colin Farrell and Matthew Davis.
Uncommon Valor tells the story of a retired Marine who assembles a private rescue team to find Americans (including his son) held in POW camps in Laos. The film stars Gene Hackman, Patrick Swayze and Robert Stack.
Set in 1967, this film tells the story of five young men who undergo boot camp training before they are shipped out to Vietnam; as well as the hardships they face in the war. This drama film stars Stan Shaw, Andrew Stevens and James Canning.
The War At Home is a documentary film that is centered around the anti-war movement that existed during the Vietnam War. The film was praised with positive reviews and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
Don’t Cry, It’s Only Thunder tells the story of a young Army medic who is stationed in Saigon and has his heart won over by the children at a nearby orphanage where he does volunteer work. The film stars Dennis Christopher, Susan Saint James and Roger Aaron Brown.
A Bright Shining Lie is a Vietnam War drama film that is based around the real-life story of John Paul Vann. It stars Bill Paxton, Amy Madigan, Vivian Wu and Donal Logue.
The Green Berets is a Vietnam War drama film that stars John Wayne, David Janssen and Jim Hutton. It is directed by Ray Kellogg and John Wayne, and tells the story of a team of Green Berets and the dangerous missions they undertake.
Heaven & Earth is a biographical action drama film that is based on the Vietnam War and tells a story of a Vietnam woman and the ways in which the conflict affects her life. It is directed by Oliver Stone and stars Hiep Thi Le and Tommy Lee Jones.