They say whatever you're looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that's the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there's a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.
Thomas Fowler, The Quiet American
Grahame Green
Having lived in Vietnam 12 years and worked in tourism here for 8 years, I often get asked questions about the history and culture of the country. The primary reason for the creation of the Visit Phong Nha website was to answer these questions through the publication of articles and information. This article in particular gives an overview of what I have found to be some very informative and intriguing books and movies about the Far Eastern people of Vietnam and their land. The best way to get under the skin of a country is to study it by looking at it through the eyes of the locals. This article also discusses books and movies about Vietnam that are based on real experiences and historical events. If you are interested in learning more about the history and culture of Vietnam and what makes Vietnam unique, please continue reading to see my personal recommendations for the best movies and books about Vietnam.
Vietnamese Movies
Many Vietnamese movies rely on different substories coming together to weave a complete picture and these stories don’t always end in a happily-ever-after. They often leave you questioning, unlike the well-rounded Hollywood plots we have become so used too. Vietnamese movies don’t exist to make you feel good and aren’t to be enjoyed as a frivolous pastime. They always contain a strong message and are very artistic.
The White Silk Dress (2006)
Vietnamese with subtitles
A romance about two servants from Ha Dong who flee to Hoi An to seek a better life together and escape from the suffering they endure at the hands of their feudal masters. Set on Cam Nam Island near Hoi An (where Randy’s Bookstore is now located) during the French occupation of Vietnam. This movie is a great insight into the unfairness of colonialism and the feudal system that was enforced by the overlords.
Cyclo (1995)
Vietnamese with subtitles
A very dark insight into poverty and the hardships of survival on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City during the 1980’s. Mafia gangs, corruption in the police force, exploitation and vice. This movie exposes what it was really like post-war.
The Scent of Green Papaya (1993)
Vietnamese with subtitles
A love story about a maid who sets out to steal the heart of her employer and strives to become the lady she always wanted to be.
The Rebel (2007)
Vietnamese with subtitles
A contemporary style movie that encompasses martial arts and a love story whilst informing the audience about the past. This is a period drama with plenty of action which retains the typical melancholy that makes Vietnamese movies unique.
Foreign Movies
The Quiet American (2002)
Starring Michael Cain
Based on the novel by Graham Greene and mostly filmed in Hoi An due to the town’s architecture. The first film adaptation was made in 1958 and starred Michael Redgrave, but the one I’m recommending here is the adaptation released in 2002. The movie is set during the French Indochina War in Vietnam in 1952 and is a murder mystery that revolves around a love triangle.
Oliver Stone’s Vietnam Trilogy
Oliver Stone was opposed to the war, yet he volunteered to serve two tours. This was because he thought it was unfair that the less privileged were called to serve through the draft. This lead him to quit university and join the Marines, much to his parents dismay.
1. Platoon (1986)
Starring Charlie Sheen
This movie was based on the producer’s experiences during his two tours of Vietnam serving with the US Marines. In the film, Oliver Stone’s platoon is split into two groups and the plot focuses on the lead character trying to choose between the two. These two groups represent the differing attitudes of career soldiers early on in the war during Stone’s first tour and the feeling of lost hope amongst the drafted troops in his platoon in the course of Stone’s second tour, during the latter part of the American occupation of the southern half of what is now Vietnam.
2. Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
Starring Tom Cruise
A powerful film about homecoming and the loss of war.
3. Heaven & Earth (1993)
Starring Tommy Lee Jones
Based on an autobiography by Le Ly Hayslip which tells the story about her life growing up during the American War. An amazing story that is confrontational and powerful.
Good Morning Vietnam (1987)
Starring Robin Williams
Good Morning Vietnam is inspired by a true story and set in Saigon during the American War. A radio DJ from the American Army based in Crete is sent to Vietnam to become a “shock jock”, embarrassing the more conservative side of Army Intelligence and making waves with his unorthodox approach. There is an underlying political anti-war theme to the movie but it could also be seen as nostalgic.
Indochine (1992)
Starring Catherine Deneuve and Vincent Perez
An epic masterpiece of a drama about French Indochine. South East Asia’s version of “Out of Africa”, this movie reveals how the French colonial system operated and why it was never going to work.
The Sapphires (2012)
An Australian film based on a true story about an Indigenous Australian band from rural Australia who performed soul music to American troops in Vietnam during the American War.
Vietnamese Publications
The Sorrow of War by Bao Ninh
A real heart breaker. An incredible story about 510 men from Ha Noi who go together to fight in the American War, ending with only 10 survivors. The book follows the group as they go overland from Ha Noi heading southwards and finishing at Noi Bai airport during the fall of Saigon. Looking deep into the mind of a soldier and reflecting on life at home and on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, it is a seriously amazing example of Vietnamese literature, having won many foreign literature awards. When the English translation of this novel was made, the poetic nature of the writing was carried across beautifully, making this book an unforgettable read.
Heritage Magazine (Vietnam Airlines Inflight Magazine)
Vietnam Airlines always publish a monthly fable in their inflight magazine. These short stories are similar in nature to the children’s fables told in Europe (prior to Youtube and the smartphone). The stories are always entertaining and always come with a message for young minds. Simple stories about a simpler time.
Foreign Publications
Saigon by Anthony Grey
An epic modern history lesson on Vietnam compiled into a novel. From the 1920’s through to 1975, the book follows a series of characters and their descendants and is very historically informative and correct. An enthralling read.
Hanoi Adieu by Mandaley Perkins
I’d have to say, this is my favourite book about Vietnam that I have read so far. This book is an biography written about the Australian authors’ colonial French step-father. A great insight into life in Indochina in the decades leading up to 1954 – the end of the colonial era. This book gives a remarkable account of both the significant events of the period as well as the mundane life of the colonials. From the opium dens and Japanese jails of Ha Noi to the semi-autonomous states of the northern Montinard Chieftains in the mountain villages near Lao Cai – it’s a great history lesson.
The Quiet American by Graham Greene
This is a classic. Written in the 1950’s, Graham Greene’s novel has been adapted into not one, but two Hollywood films. It’s a love story of drama and intrigue, set at a time when the French colonials were on the way out and the Americans were on their way in and it explains a lot.
When Heaven and Earth Changed Places by Le Ly Hayslip
An epic book about the American War from the perspective of a young girl from a small village near Da Nang. It’s a true story which has been adapted into a Hollywood film by none other than Oliver Stone himself. The movie adaptation is called “Heaven and Earth” and is listed above. The book is powerful and moving but at the same time uplifting. Since Vietnam opened up in the 1990’s, the American-Vietnamese writer Le Ly Hayslip has been involved with many NGO’s to bring aid and medical help to central Vietnam. Hayslip was the founder of the organisation East Meets West, who have done a great deal for central Vietnam’s development in health and sanitation.
Catfish and Mandala by Andrew X Pham
An insightful travel journal that reveals Vietnam as a country that goes through constant change yet somehow always remains the same. Written by Andrew X Pham, a Viet Kieu (Overseas Vietnamese) author who returns to Vietnam as the country begins to open up after many years of imposed sanctions. He travels from America to Vietnam via Japan and once he arrives in Vietnam, he explores by bicycle and has one hell of an adventure.
Where to Get Books and Movies in Vietnam
In terms of watching movies, there is of course many streaming sites online that are easily accessible. Otherwise, there are many ladies walking about the Bu Vien district in Ho Chi Minh City and the Old Quarter in Hanoi selling photocopied books and DVD’s, and many of these books and movies are about Vietnam.
In Hoi An, Randy’s Bookstore on Cam Nam Island on the opposite side of the river from Hoi An market is definitely Vietnam’s best secondhand bookstore. Also in Hoi An, there is a DVD shop called Legends DVD and it could very possibly be the best DVD shop in the world. They have everything it seems, and if they don’t have what you want, they will have it by 11am the next day. In Phong Nha, there are books for sale and exchange at Capture Vietnam(*link*), alongside delicious wood-fired pizzas and carrot cake!
Teri
Posted at 07:54h, 13 FebruaryThank you for these great selections, I’ve read/seen some but not all and will follow up when I get back home. You guys have been a wealth of helpful and insightful info.