84C MoPic (1989)

84C MoPic: Directed by Patrick Sheane Duncan. With Jonathan Emerson, Nicholas Cascone, Jason Tomlins, Christopher Burgard. The title refers to the U.S. Army’s former “MOS” (job code) for a combat cameraman. The story follows a unit of American G.I.s in Vietnam, all with different backgrounds and motives for being there, through the lens of his camera.

“Comparing this with my other favorite war movie, MASH, Iu0026#39;d call them both u0026quot;naturalistic.u0026quot; They show humor and horror side by side, long stretches of tedium and short bursts of terror, without relying on an artificial plot or stereotyped characters. But 84 Charlie MoPic is much more realistic.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI was not in combat or in Vietnam, but I was in the Army at that time. Several of my Army friends had jobs making films exactly as shown in 84 Charlie MoPic. This is as accurate a picture of an American combat soldieru0026#39;s experience in Vietnam as any I can imagine. The first time I saw it, I was totally taken in, thought it was an actual documentary until the very end.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIncidentally, 84C or 84 Charlie is (or was) the code for the u0026quot;military occupational specialtyu0026quot; of Motion Picture Specialist.”