Analyzing Evil: Sergeant Barnes From Platoon
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- čas přidán 15. 06. 2021
- Welcome everyone to the thirty-third episode of Analyzing Evil! Our feature villain for this video is Sergeant Barnes from Platoon. I hope you enjoy, and thanks for watching. If you have any feedback or questions feel free to let me know below!
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#SergeantBarnes #Platoon - Zábava
The scary part is that Barnes was probably a real person. Stone said he based the characters in Platoon on individuals or amalgamations of several individuals that he served with in Vietnam.
Dunno. He may have overly dramatize the character as he did with almost all of what he saw in nam. Vietnam vets were very dissatisfied with his "black and white" vision of the war.
@@kanabis134 oh he most definitely did lol gotta make that movie worth paying for
@@kanabis134 Any and every movie will “overdramatize” characters based on real people though.
War does horrible things to men.
@@kanabis134 “movies are life, with all the boring parts removed”.
This is not “reportage”, it’s entertainment.
Barnes is a great antagonist not just because of his cruel acts, but because he reminds us that, given the right circumstances, we can become monsters too.
Amen. Everybody is a monster too somebody.
@@williampresley4945 not everyone
The Lord of the Flies was also a good example.
Where upperclass British school boys become
savages. 🙁
Well Said I think you just got the whole theme of the movie
@@Ciara1594 The jungle made the boys into savages. Really a dangerous place
Can I just say that Tom Berenger's portrayal of Sgt. Barnes is one of the finest performances in film history
I can't believe he didn't win the Oscar for best supporting actor that year.
He didn’t because we identified too much with him.
An anti hero accomplishes the same objective with means that the hero could never accept. The anti hero believes the ends justifies the mean. The hero will never be expedient in their means to accomplish an end.
Think bat man vs bizaro Superman
Agreed.
Barnes WAS Platoon. Platoon n’est pas un film de guerre comme il en existe tellement.
C’est un drame où la folie est réellement terrifiante.
Aucun film sur la folie n’atteint la performance de Tom Berenger. J’ai regardé d’autres films avec Tom Berenger. Ils sont insignifiants en comparaison de Platoon. Un immense acteur dont Oliver Stone a saisi le potentiel.
One of the most interesting scenes, is when the small radio guy got hit, and Barnes held him down and tried to remove the shrapnel with his knife and then hand. He really did care for the men.
His love for his men is what led him down his path. A tragic character
A NCO is supposed to take care of his Soldiers
@@IronMikeDyson1979
Especially one of his seniority; you don't get 'three up, one down' that easily; in the USMC, he would be a Gunnery Sargent ala Hartman in 'Full Metal Jacket' ...
@@nigelft Haven't watched the movie in a long time, but pretty sure Barnes was an E-7. Elias was a 6. Never mind, he is clearly wearing Staff Sgt rank, but I think he must be the acting Platoon Sgt since he is giving orders to the squad leaders.
@@CrimsonKingOkieno, he was called SSgt Barnes by the Captain. And not positive, but an E7 leading a group on the front lines in the jungle was rare. Senior NCO’s usually stayed in the rear and performed more admin and managerial jobs.
Tom Beringer absolutely killed this role. Perfectly cast.
At the time Tom Berenger had almost exclusively played heroes and Willem Dafoe had mainly played villains - they were cast completely against type and it worked perfectly.
I'm pretty sure that Tom Hardy based his character in The Revenant on Berengers performance in this movie.
@@keithdeegan462 I think so too, but if I had to compare his mentality against any other movie character, it would be Magua from "The Last of The Mohicans". Someone who has been severely warped by their environment, who still believes that they are just in their actions.
@@mikecarroll8659 I always thought Dafoe would have made a brilliant Joker.
@@kingbaby8761 have you seen the video where he is made up as the joker talking about his teeth?
"Barnes been shot seven times. That mean anything to you? The only thing that can kill Barnes is Barnes". I love that scene.
In a sense, because of his actions, he did kill himself.
Or Chris Taylor with an AK-47.
👍💀
"Barnes ain't meant to die"
Same here
My father served in the 25th Infantry Division in 67-68, and we watched the movie together when I was a kid. I remember saying something like "That Barnes is a bad dude!"
To which my father replied "Yes, but in combat, that's the guy you want in your foxhole." In other words Barnes in one moment may be cruel and murderous in one context, but in another he was bold, brave, tough, and knew how to survive. The tricky part of war is to cultivate the latter while trying to suppress the former.
I wouldn't go so far as to say a man like that is bold or brave but more simply: effective
Your father was right.
What Battalion? I was in Charlie Company 3/22 Inf, the unit depicted in the movie from 91-95.
I wouldn't call his character 'evil' just seriously 'misguided'. Unless you served as in Infantryman its impossible to understand the Character. My PSG was a Vietnam Vet light Infantryman, 2nd Battalion 199th Inf Brigade from 68 to 69 and in an 'insane' war comes 'insane' people.
@@Dbusdriver71Wow! Well said. I can’t imagine what it was like. I’ve just heard stories from some vets.
Barnes is a typical example of the hero who didnt die as such, but who lived long enough to become the villain.
Well said.
Deep!
Nice copy n paste 😂
No he was never a hero...
This anti- hero talk is bs, he’s just been through too much.
What is scary about Barnes is that he is a creature made out of the war, war taught him to be cynical, brutal and callus, so he became those things, war scared him on his face and personality, in another time and in another place he would be a friendly roofer or your local emergency respondent, but war changed him and I think that is the whole point of his character.
War will change any man! No matter what. There is no going back to the nice cool young dude. That young cool dude died mentally. And once he leaves war, war will NEVER leave him!
Well said - totally agree. You could easily imagine him being a trusted friend and colleague in better circumstances.
@nikolai 1939 sadly yes. There is no going back from madness. Only treatment to deal with it.
@@black10872 Except I never saw him as crazy. He shows us what is needed to fight the enemy. Case in point. In the area and time they were fighting in. That was a free fire zone. That being said. He conducted himself fairly straight forward. He could have killed everyone, but he chose not to.
I love friendly roofers
The care he has for his men while also despising their weakness is actually pretty common in many types of leadership in the military, especially in the infantry world. I think making Barnes a Staff Sergeant was the perfect move to portray his behavior and mindset because of his experience and leadership. I have seen his type of behavior in many of the squad leaders and platoon sergeants I have served under. It's not always considered cruel to expect 100% from your men if you show that you are worth following. Here, Barnes is shown to have the confidence and loyalty of much of the platoon. The thing that people have to understand, is that yes, you have to look out for each other's well being, but you also have to make sure that everyone is ready for warfare. Any moment of laziness, weakness or lack of focus at the wrong time can have dire consequences.
Most accurate comment yet 🙌🏻
Agreed, and what happened to him, is a form of ptsd in my opinion I have a feeling this is not his first time in combat, I'm going to go out on a limb and say he was in Korea before this, as he is in his mid thirties in the movie, and it is around 1963 so... I'm going to say he probably saw alot of men killed in Korea under bad leadership and that has what made him what he is now, as the warfare style is changing, the enemy is not in uniform, and he can't trust anyone.
I don't think is evil just the term known as shell shocked and he needs rest
Very accurate assessment.
Amen to that brother.
It's hard to say but Barnes isn't really "evil" until he starts smoking his own men. Everything before that is the mundane horror that comes in war.
I felt like bunny was more evil and sick than Barnes. Barnes was war hardened and made the way he was. Bunny was just a weirdo who would of probably ended up a serial killer no matter what.
would have
@@topkek670 is he the long haired kid? I havent seen this movie in a long time.
@@mrnobody6447 yeah, the one with some sort of tail in his helmet band.
@@mrnobody6447 yeah he's the one who kills the cripple in the village
It’s kind of like lord of the flies where Jack is the loud and “evil” antagonist while Roger is the quiet psychopath whose leash was held by society and Jack. You could argue Roger and jack are truly evil but they end up crying with the rest of of them when help arrives at the end
The scars on Barnes face are a reflection of the condition of his soul.
Great post!! That is platinum level commentary my friend!
That, and the man he’s based off of supposedly did have a scarred up yet handsome face according to Oliver Stone
And bullet holes. He was shot 13 times.
"You guys smoke this shit to escape reality? I am Reality" - Barnes
The liquor took over . Liquor is reality. Lol!
@@countryboy2368 randy......i am the liquor
@@user-ql7mw7rt3v nice song reference
@@mroreoeater1353 song? He's quoting trailer park boys
@@eriktruchinskas3747 mmm interesting, it's a song title as well
Barnes's face and the way he says "those mother fuckers" when they see Manny crucified always gives me chills when I watch Platoon
One of my favorite scenes....lines.....of the entire movie. "Dem MUDDERfuckers" speaks VOLUMES!
That 1,000 yard stare in that scene...
@@Brecconable Yeah, Barnes' stare is probably his most menacing and indelible quality. Berenger must've really went to his dark place to bring that expression out...
It's badass ngl
@@SomerandomShmuck Yeah, it's cool and fun when you don't understand what's going on up there.
Once I ran into Francesco Quinn at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood. We shook hands and I reflexively just said to him “the only one who can kill Barnes… is Barnes!” He actually laughed a whole lot and was really friendly about it. Sad that he passed away within a year after that.
Sad that. I really liked his character, Rhah, in the movie ...
@@filupe01 you better say that rhah right, rrrhhhhaaaahhhh!!!!
I would have told him he was awesome in Cannes Man
I once met Harvey Keitel on the island of Mallorca and asked him what was in the suit case in Pulp Fiction. He laughed and said "Everything you imagine it to be."
The shot of Barnes's glowing red eyes is one of the creepiest things I've ever seen in a movie.
Id be hard pressed to say he was evil.."results orientated":)
Tom Berenger should have won an Academy Award. He was so intense and he truly looked like he had seen too much death and it made him crack. Truly awesome performance.
Berengers father was a veteran of the Pacific so maybe he modelled himself on his father, though he never said as much
@@rileyreid5393 Who WON the Academy Award over Dafoe and Berenger??
@@thedwightguy michael caine in a woody allen movie. he was the weakest in the category imo and either tom or dennis hopper should’ve won
Berenger did get the Golden Globe which was some compensation. However, both Berenger and Defoe were nominated for the supporting actor Oscar, but lost to Michael Caine in Hanna and Her Sisters, the Woody Allen film. I admire Caine, he is a superb actor,but there is no way he should have been preferred to the the other two nominees. Then again, who would you choose between Berenger and Defoe for the Oscar, two magnificent performances by both men. Maybe that’s why the Academy went for Caine. We’ll never know.
A guy like him would never have fitted back into civilian life, he probably had no intention of surviving the war & wanted to die in combat before it was over.
Or enter back alley Russian roulette tourneys.
Or he would’ve been a lifer. Never get out and keep on fighting and killing until the day he dies. If he lived he probably would’ve served until desert storm. And if he did get out he probably would’ve been a cop who would work outside the law in the shadows.
@@John-uy4jx Captain Willard in apocalypse now said when he was in the jungle he wanted to be back home, when he was back home, he wanted to be back in the jungle, his marriage broke down because he was no longer the same man. When he was supposed to be on r&r in Saigon he was just going crazy in his hotel room, drunk & just wanted them to give him another mission so that he could go back into the green hell. You have to wonder how his story would have gone after the events of that film. Both these soldiers sort of passed a point of no return during their time in Vietnam.
His will to survive shouldn't be underestimated. I wouldn't be surprised if he came back from war to become a police officer or went on to be a mercenary. I believe guys like him are the the soldiers you want next to you in combat, but are terrified of having as a neighbours.
@@arikcarmi ... or spouses & parents.
A police officer - yikes, and yeah, it explains a lot in reality.
I see him going merc though, especially after Nam - the late '70s through the '80s were a big period for the privatization of warfare, _Soldier of Fortune_ and such-like (and _The A-Team_ ) were pop culture making it seem cool and totally normal to murder for money as long as it's in one of the countries where that's _supposed_ to happen, and this reflected a real-life shift in how things were done.
I foresee a similar shift as the USA military "pulls out" of Afghanistan - where half the armed forces aren't under any flag but their corporate logo, on contract, already.
I bet someone like Barnes was not as uncommon as one would think, even today
if you consider everything he had gone through for years in that war I believe many men would end up like Barnes.
I experienced that struggle with my soul during the first time I went to Iraq. One near miss event and I felt the goodness leave
dormant just needs the right stimulation
From what I have read, discord between soldiers and their Sargent was rife in Vietnam. There were hundreds of fragging attempts made on COs. This movie is poignant in its reality as guys like Elias always get killed in the crossfire.
You are correct, I addressed him as father.
The way he covers his teammates mouth when his legs get blown off and just says "take the pain" is so savage. Berenger is a top shelf actor.
Well, he had shrapnel no leg injuries, but agreed. Barnes certainly didn’t want their position given away any further with the yelling. If anyone was to tell him to take it, it was Barnes.
@@Psyfi85 The guy's yelling was also demoralizing to the other troops, who didn't need any more reminders of the crap they were in.
Tom Berenger not receiving an Academy award for this performance is criminal.
Agree ! he is such a great character actor . If you contrast this character Barnes , and Thomas Becket he played in Sniper . The two personalities couldn't be more different . Yet he played both perfectly . Not easy to do
I still feeling annoyed that the fat kid who played 'Chunk' in The Goonies didn't receive at least a nomination for best supporting actor.
Everyone says that about every movie in every year with whatever actor. There are only a few awards comparative to the amount of movies every year. Besides no one wants to give an award to a bad guy, even one that’s just a character.
Its funny you put Tom with Willem Dafoe and you get a good movie. Put Tom with Billy Zane..... ooh you get something much different hahaha
Least the golden globes got it right
Barnes is easily one of the scariest characters from these types of films. Tom Berenger definitely killed this performance. Barnes is a man who will do anything to accomplish his objectives.
@@andrewbecker9062 him trying to kill 2 of his men kinda goes against that
Barnes wasn't evil. He was reality.
@@warpartyattheoutpost4987 I was going to say Barnes represents the world. Uncaring and unforgiving. Yet, still strives for the will to survive.
Sean Penns character in "casualties of war" was pretty fucking scary. Up there with Barnes.
That is a good thing
Tom Berenger's performance in this movie was one of the best I've seen. Looking into his eyes in this movie was actually frightening.
I think you have missed the point with Barnes. He is not unaware of himself, he's not even blind to the misery of others. Rather, he lives in a living, breathing hell that he knows they cannot escape. Barnes is what the people create when they send men to fight wars they don't care about, don't intend to win, and do anything to get out of. Trapped in this hell, he turns to the only thing he has in that hell--tactical skill. It is not that he does not like his people, it is that he knows that he represents a system that does not even see them as human. After 30 years in the Army, I saw this on full display many times over the years. Men who should have been promoted, but were kept in the shit because "we need them there" until they were broken, bitter, and useless to everyone. Barnes is not the evil character in this movie. The officers are. From the LT to the Senators and President. His insight is that the war is meaningless, but they are going to be sacrificed anyway.
There is a Barnes in every soldier, waiting only for those who profit from war to be molded and tempered into a tool. Great soldiers know this, and the professional soldier who has decided to dedicate their life to service is the most prone. To be a good NCO, you must love soldiering and soldiers. But to be a good leader in combat, you must risk their lives. Piss poor leaders keep such men and women in the shit too long and turn them into Barnes. He is the indictment, not the evil character. The point of the entire movie is not that war is bad or that professional soldiers are evil, but that those who decide to make war, fund war, and justify war never bear the costs of war. Costs like turning good men in to SSG Barnes.
If you miss this point, you miss the whole story of the movie.
This seems to be a pretty fair and accurate assessment.
Great points! I don’t even know how one stayed sane in that war.
Wonderful read. I always seen Barnes as a damn good soldier and born leader who actually cares about each death. Barnes for me is a product, an asset simply used as if the man is actually a toy soldier. Completely stole the show with a great director.
Damn good answer. Although I think Barnes was regarded as one of the 'lifers'. He probably continually signed on for tours. He would not survive back in the world.
"There is a Barnes in every soldier" is a great way to put it. Barnes represented the shadow-self. He was incredibly capable and effective but unable to turn it off. Winning at any cost forced him to be the shadow incarnate. The more dire the scenario, the more Barnes sunk into this primal state, which we see towards the end when he is on a killing frenzy right before the bombing.
On the other hand, Elias also had this shadow-self within him. We saw this too when he was running through the jungle alone, killing VC. The difference between Barnes and Elias is that Elias retained his humanity and could control his shadow self.
Taylor, like all the other soldiers recognized this in Barnes which is why Taylor admired Barnes at first. However, he later realized the importance of retaining humanity from Elias. We saw Taylor go into a frenzy much like Elias and Barnes towards the end as well.
Barnes is the type of man who has already accepted death, and realizes that he's living on borrowed time. Therefore that makes him one of the most dangerous type of Warrior.
Finally Someone who knows what the hell they’re talking about. Shit also fact he was Focused on His Mission. Most Dangerous Fact is All you said man and fact that. What makes a Man so dangerous is how far he’s willing to go , Barnes was all in, he has accepted death and focused on winning!!! What’s fuckin wrong with that
@@wesleyarnold6018 thank you. Serving 8 years in the United States Army Infantry you see things with different types of eyes.
@@wesleyarnold6018 I agree. Would definitely want him on my team. Thats if I want to win !!!!
Nah. People like that are the most dangerous during wartime. I’d rather have a level headed person with a clear mind.
@@b1randon12 what branch of the United States armed forces did you serve in and what was your MOS?
“The feeling is completely understandable. But the actions are inexcusable.” Perfectly put.
In civil life its a crime to steal another persons freedom, battery, comitting murder, theft and harrassment.
In war these change name to intelligence gathering, defeated enemys and collection of their belongings, neutralising threaths. Just these new "names" to mentaly help the soldier bare his actions.
Which makes Barnes' evil all the more disturbing and compelling to the audience.
The disturbing part there are many soldiers like this in every country that has been in a war and they went from brave yet scared men who had no choice to straight up no longer recognizable when they return home
@@markuslundberg7457 what do you know of warfare?
@@Robert53area Did he said something wrong? Soldiers are trained to behave as soldiers, not like civilians.
To the standard issue kit comment at 1:40, that’s all true except for his weapon. Barnes is carrying a CAR-15 as opposed to the standard issue M16. This implies one of two closely related things from that era, Barnes was either a LRRP or a Special Forces soldier prior to his assignment as the platoon sergeant. This implies many things, most namely that he had seen some of the most intense combat of the war in those positions (adding to his background as a wounded man), and that he more than likely had been removed from those units. He is a very capable soldier, and those units were always hungry for able bodies during the conflict. It can be reasonably assumed that he had been removed from those units for misconduct rather than poor performance, possibly because of his willingness to commit war crimes.
That is quite interesting actually I didn't know that. I always thought it had something to do with rank as Elias and Lt Wolfe have the same weapon.
Maybe it's a reference to the Tiger Force unit.
What the f are y’all talking about? 🤣 LMFAO
NO 101st combat patch
NO group patch
Above The Rest?… Recon?
Weapons are assigned to the unit not the soldier, even if he was prior SF he wouldn't be able to keep any of their weapons
@@briandixon8180unless you were assigned to an M60 lots of guys carried whatever they wanted once in country.
"When the machine breaks down we break down and I can't have that"
Epic ASF!
He's right, without orders, without a chain of command. it's just pure chaos people will just start shooting each other at will and from what I heard that actually happened in the Vietnam war frequently.
@@Kristobliss that's such a great point!
_“Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster... for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you.”_
― Friedrich W. Nietzsche
Rick James dwells in the abyss. - Charlie Murphy
You're on borrowed words bud.
Just like syphilis
In war the aggressor always calls the tune regarding how that war is fought. If the defenders don't meet that challenge they're sure to lose. The Germans...and Japanese...were the aggressors in WWII. The North Koreans...and the Chinese...were the aggressors in Korea and the North Vietnamese...and the Chinese and Russians...were the aggressors in Vietnam. Hitler and Tojo were, directly or indirectly, responsible for every war crime committed during WWII. Ditto Kim Il Sung (and friends) in Korea and Ho Chi Minh (and friends) in Vietnam.
@@jackfitzpatrick8173 "the aggressor always calls the tune"? No, LBJ CHOSE to fight. = Gulf of Tonkin Incident. You don't fight in wars that are CAUSED by your leaders. Echoes in Ukraine, isn't it?
I like how he tells Chris to "do it" as he's pointing the AK at him after the final battle. Depending on how you interpret the scene you can see it as Barnes taunting Chris, or you can see it as a plea to put him out of his misery.
Nah,Barnes said "Get me a medic!" And "Go on,boy!" First. He wanted to live. When he saw the look on Taylor's eyes he was challenging him because he didn't think Taylor had the guts. Love the way Taylor used an ARVN rifle to kill Barnes too. "Yeah...VC got Barnes. Toss that lumpa sht over there with Gardner."
@@shermswarthau5366 You mean NVA rifle?
The ARVN fought with us, we trained and equipped them with US weapons.
I see it as when he realizes Chris is going to kill him, he is like "just do it I could care less"
He was taunting Chris but at the same time he knew that if Chris killed him then Barnes would have succeeded in bringing Chris down to his level of evil. It was a win-win situation for Barnes.
See it like this..Barnes knew there was no such thing as rules in warfare. It's not really about Barnes taunting him or seeing if Taylor had scrotum so to speak. But more finally teaching Taylor that unwritten rule in warfare..which is there are no rules & nothing is guaranteed accept death. So that's why Barnes told him to ''do it'' (as in kill me) Basically Barnes was 2pac long before 2pac...basically ''i ain't mad at ya'
This was a brilliant cast, but Tom Beringer is a brilliant actor, and he nailed this role beyond human comprehension. He was also brilliant in Sniper. He was THE PERFECT Gunnery Sergeant in the USMC. Tom is one of the most brilliant actors, ever. Hands down!
He was a Master Gunnery Sergeant in 'Sniper', but, hey, potato, tomato ...
@@nigelft That’s right.
The scary thing is he looks like a well put together, handsome man who still has a youthful look about him. Yet he's massively scarred. He may have been a promising young man at one point, but then he got cracked, both physically and emotionally.
"What do you know about death?"
One of the most compelling movie villains of all time.
What hit hardest was when at the end he challenged them to kill him, and was angrily disappointed that not one of them took him up on it. "I piss on all of you!"
@@dwc1964 I think a part of him hated himself for what he'd become. That side came out when he was drunk and no one but Taylor (and Elias) had the stones to challenge him.
sounds like something a person would say that actually doesn't understand what death is.. or rather.. by the nature of that is claiming that they somehow have some "special secrets insight/knowledge of death" which is grounds for actually being delusional..
the opposite of that is "what do you know about life?!"
personally though
a villian saying the latter would be far better and id say might be grounds to their intelligence rather then self delusions..
Ahem I believe it was; "Watch y'all know bout deth..?" lolol, amazing baddie.
@@InanisNihil
“Do you understand life??”
- Tommy Weisau
Tom Bereneger really should of gotten an Oscar for his performance. He genuinely was damn good at this role he stuck out more than anyone.
He was nominated as was Willem Dafoe
Nobody else in this world could have pulled off what Tom Berringer did with the part of Sgt. Barnes….. whether you admitted or not we ALL thought what a badass this man was.
I was gutted as a young boy when i saw him kill Elias. I cried like a child, because I couldnt understand why guys on the same team would betray eachother like that, when the enemy was right there, trying to kill them.
@@lieshtmeiser5542 sociopathy knows no loyalty. Unlike psychopaths, sociopaths are not born, they are made. Regardless of his upbringing (which granted, we know nothing about) it seems war has scrambled him into an effective soldier, but to us on the outside - just a sociopath. I bet there were many like this. It's not dissimilar IMO to mobsters. But that would be another movie! 😂
I agree. Much like I think D'Onofrio absolutely deserved an Oscar for Full Metal Jacket.
When you stare long into the abyss, the abyss also stares into you.
The book, which is based on the original screenplay, goes into the backstory of a lot of the major characters. It's been about 35 years since I last read it, but Barnes is described as being married to a Japanese nurse who he met in Tokyo while being treated for one of his combat wounds. It's funny because no one really thinks of Barnes as being a husband. Elias was a convicted heroine dealer who was ratted on by his girlfriend. The sentencing judge gave him a choice, serve time in prison, or serve time in Vietnam. He chose the war of course.
I wonder what the relationship between these two would be like if Barnes ever came back home.
The "pamplet" in Barnes' helmet is a packet of waterproof matches. Those and the Lucky Strike cigarettes were both were included in rations at the time.
Man, those cigarette companies probably made more than the ammo manufacturers. Since they made lifelong smokers out of so many young men who kept up the habit long after the war ended
They look like malboro cigarette
C Rations or as they were formally known as Meals, Combat Individual..
They are Marlboro reds In a soft pack. me and my buddies used to call them, Vietnam specials
Ngl they are good ciggerettes
"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you." -Friedrich Nietzsche
summed it up pretty much
Deep
Sometimes the monster is so great you must become so terrible that the monster fears you. But in this you forever change yourself and who you once were, this is what it means to go to war.
I would find it difficult to catch a wolf if being a sheep.
@@masonn.7985 you must become a dog with a killer instinct to catch a wolf
"Reality? I don't need this shit - I am reality" Is also pretty chilling.
Side note this movie overall does an incredible job of showing how infantry platoons work, right down to the fact that everyone, including the lieutenant, knows that the platoon sergeant (Barnes) is undoubtedly in charge, not the lieutenant.
This right here
So true. I was an 11B in the 90s, was in and out of the army before 9/11 so I never left CONUS. But even in "peacetime", the platoon sergeant was the leadership/ authority figure of the platoon. The platoon leader, the 2nd lieutenant, was basically just there to relay orders from the company commander to the platoon sergeant, who is the one who made things get done.
Barnes reminds me of a man I knew 40 years ago, we simply called him "The German". Tough, reliable, mean, irritable, a man with a true warrior spirit. He was followed by all in combat and avoided at all other times. When the first bullet pierced the air, we all looked to him for leadership. But we feared him so greatly, his drinking and fits if anger were legendary. A truly menacing murderous fellow. we were in our early 20's, he was at least 50, maybe older, it was hard to tell. I never saw him eat solid food or drink anything but the local booze, called Tic Tac. I lost all my fear of death because of him. To this day, I fear nothing. RIP
Fuckin' A. Great story.
@Brodie Smith El Salvador
You must feel great having supported death squads and massacres, if this story is true
@@tristandavies9597 support? We *were* those?
@@markbeames7852 ...You fabricate a scenario from someone's post?
Barnes wasn’t evil. He was just broken and didn’t give a fuck anymore. He was completely immersed in his hellish world and could never leave.
Barnes was a leader. He was trying to win the war. That's what makes him the antagonist. Everyone else was trying to get through it to go home. Battling with their emotion just as much as the enemy, forming kinships that led them to escapism as well as poor impulse control.
Barnes was just a hard ass that would turn a blind eye to the men getting out their frustrations with enough experience to recognize if those things prevented them from performing. His character is more simple than the credit you're giving him. He serves as a stern father figure, indicative of the WW2-Early Vietnam serviceman mentality. Just do your job and shut up about your feelings. An Oscar worthy performance from Berenger without needing any significant emotional depth, in my opinion.
My aunt told me about my dad before he went in to the Army during WW2 that he was the nicest sweetest guy you could ever meet , but when he came back he just wasn't the same
From what I gathered, nobody came back exactly the same as they left. Another generation changed by war
Your mom probably loved that new tough man.
Can attest. Joined at 17, came home at 23. The person that left home, he never came back, he’s gone for good. I had to accept that and move forward with what’s left.
No ones the same, but some are better.
Platoon (1986) Chris Taylor: " I think now, looking back, we did not fight the enemy; we fought ourselves. And the enemy was in us. The war is over for me now, but it will always be there, the rest of my days as I'm sure Elias will be, fighting with Barnes for what Rhah called possession of my soul. There are times since, I've felt like the child born of those two fathers. But, be that as it may, those of us who did make it have an obligation to build again, to teach to others what we know, and to try with what's left of our lives to find a goodness and a meaning to this life".
@@WestSideGorilla1980 Cross of Iron (1977)
In the End Credits in the North American BETA/VHS & DVD versions of the movie "Cross of Iron"(1977), there is the following quote: "Don't rejoice in his defeat, you men. For though the world stood up and stopped the bastard, The bitch that bore him is in heat again." Bertolt Brecht
@@WestSideGorilla1980 you mean James Coburn?
His portrait of sgt Barnes was one of the most epic performances ever,as good as Deniro or Alpacino
Better then those mentioned.
Hats off to Tom Berenger, his performance was fantastic, the film had a massive impact on me as a kid in 86 and still resonates today, in my mind Tom plays the character too well, i have always believed that Tom is Barnes in some twisted way, i think deep down he has inner demons that came to light whilst playing him in this realistic violent role, just because some one can kill does not make them evil, i always felt that scene with the little girl in the village and the gun to her head was to scare the father shitless, so as to get information, i really don't think he would have shot her, for as violent Barnes was he still had basic morals.
Barns has a simple philosophy assets or liabilities. If a person or action is an asset no problem if the person or action is a liability he eliminates it.
He'd make a good Blade Runner
Only a Sith deals in absolutes
So a psychopath, good to know what sort of ppl you enjoy the company of
The look he gives Taylor after losing the two men to a booby trap in the bunker is truly chilling. He's feeling vulnerable and with that one murderous look is warning Taylor to not even admit that yes, Barnes does still have emotions. Taylor admired him at first but came to realize he didn't want to become that.
A man who is not afraid of death is terrifying.
I can't help but feel a little sympathy for barnes and what the war did to him. He was an asshole but on some level he cared for his men and didn't shirk responsibility over them. His death may have been as much a mercy kill as it was justice, given that I feel the context of the war did so much of the damage to him
yes
I feel same
I've always thought Barnes was asking to be taken out of his misery
This is an interesting juxtaposition: Tom Berenger would go on to play a mercenary with a heart of gold in "The Substitute," essentially the exact opposite of what He plays here.
Sniper
Then a dirty detective or whatever in Training Day
Notice the pupils turn red, as Barnes raises the shovel.....
No shit Sherlock
It’s the reflection of the plane swooping down, but meant to mimic evil in his eyes. He was in a blood lust and most likely didn’t realize or even care it was Taylor who he was about to swing on.
@@nihaalsandim9986 Was this a quote from the movie or are you just slamming me
Sith eyes.
Barnes is a good example of someone who stared into the abyss for too long..it eventually stares back at you
The scene when the soldier Gardiner dies and the camera pans to the faces of the other soldiers is a masterpiece as they all contemplate death.
"Elias, fighting with Barnes for what Rhah called 'possession of my soul.' I've so often felt like a child, born of those two fathers." ---Protagonist's closing narration
we all died in RVN, some of us are still standing tho...
Both Tom and Defoe and the guy playing O’Neil deserved oscsrs for their AMAZING performances. This was one of the best movies of the 1980s.
O'Neil was played by John McGinley. Andy out are spot on right about these excellent actors.
@@SwiftTrooper5 Sergeant O’Neals character with such a brown nosing idiot. I knew plenty like him when I was in the military. And the role was played brilliantly.
@SwiftTrooper5 I always liked to think that O'Neil changed his name and became a dr after this. Would be kinda fun if Platoon and Scrubs were in the same universe
@@HysjMysj I actually watch Scrubs under that premise. It makes it SO much more fun.
Also; Bad Santa is a Gilmore Girls prequel, and Willie Soke (Billy Bob Thornton) is Rory Gilmore's father.
Seeing this video makes me see Barns in a different light. Now I actually feel for the man that he lost and the man he became.
One of my favorite aspects of this movie is the drugs of choice for the two different factions of the platoon. On one hand. Elias's cohorts choose pot, a drug know for enhancing a calm and mellow view of whateve they're facing. They're at ease with dealing with the harsh realities of war because their drug induces a sense of chill and "we just gotta get through this bullshit man" attitude. On the other hand, Barnes' compatriots choose alcohol, a drug that not only enhances but encites their senses of violence and anger.
Most subtle thing I noticed later in the movie is after the LT calls in the air strike too close and kills some of his platoon. Later in the movie in their AA before the final fight the LT hears planes and looks haunted, then looks over and Barnes is smiling at him.
Yes, this is something people aren't paying attention to. The lieutenant did anything and everything Barnes told him to do, so it was Barnes who gave the lieutenant the positions to strike. Barnes pretended to "care about his men", but it was the opposite. Barnes was a true sadist who did everything possible to get as many humans killed and maimed as he could. Casualties in war, and in peace, would be cut in half if people wouldn't follow and admire homicidal maniacs like Barnes. Even here, we're seeing the ignorant masses believe Barnes actually tried to get his men out alive, lol.
I always imagine Barnes was probably once like Zeke Anderson from Tour of duty during his first tour; probably a popular Sergeant who acted as a mentor to his people - which is how he still manages to hold on to some friends - guys who may have remembered the 'old Barnes', but whose compassion and humanity were slowly stripped away with each subsequent tour and every death of a comrade he probably deeply felt. So there's still an element of him in there - you see a little of this when the guy dies during that first night, and then later when the two guys get killed by the booby trap - which to me says a part of him still cares deeply about his men but he's so desperate to strip that part of himself away because he's tired of the pain of loss. Barnes so detests that part of himself he lashes out at anyone who also shows an ounce of compassion, knowing that deep down he still does and equally wants to purge himself of that weakness - hence the drinking and numbing himself despite his claims of the contrary.
tour of duty lol I remember that show
In the end though, theres nothing like tearing up between old friends. With what we have to endure mate, jesus...the lack of sleep, the relentlessness of it, the stupidity of wives...sometimes the tears have to come out.
"A lesson in the limits of the human soul". Jesus, that's a great line
THE PRINCE OF PEACE
Platoon is a masterpiece. Barnes is a brilliant character. Great video!
Personally I’d have never thought of barns being in an “analyzing evil”. Nice curve ball.
Ya, I planted that one after seeing Berenger in the ANALYZING ALONZO from TRAINING DAY.
@@jakleist He's been a good bad guy in a lot of movies, not many of them as good as this one & that one (I think we can skip _Sliver_ )
Thats what I thought about the ginger bread from shrek
Give him the heater Ricky!
At least it shows that Vile has style
My favorite line is at the end where Taylor says he is like the child of two fathers. Elias taught him to never let the world destroy him and maintain his humanity. Barnes taught him that the world is a dark, deadly place and sometimes you have to be just as hard or harder than it to survive. You can see this when Taylor is living day to day maintaining his emotions, but once the bullets start flying he becomes driven, almost fearless and consumed with defeating the enemy. Maybe thats why Taylor saw kill him. Taylor knew he was going home. Maybe by Taylor killing Barnes was him killing off that part of him that he could not take into a world without war.
Like he says, “Elias will always be there, fighting Barnes for possession of my soul”
This was by far Bernegers greatest role and he has had many but this one was written for him. "Death? Whatta y'all know bout death?"
I think "Platoon" is possibly in my top five favorite films of all time. I can pretty much always watch it again.
Watched Scarface this weekend, would like to see you do one on Tony Montana.
Say hello to my little friend!
Yeah that's a good idea, Tony is definitely a bad person but he's unique in the sense that he isn't necesarrily a narcissistic monster, more so he has some genuine problems that turns him into one
@@diesemautokerl2181 Or maybe do Michael Corleone
@@poisonthrumyveins Michael Corleone are two different types of evil, they are evil for the same reasons but hold different personalities as to why they do what they do
@@diesemautokerl2181 Tony is a bad guy whose morals interfered with the plans of even badder guys. And he met his demise.
2:18 This is a great point. The major thing about Barnes is that -- from what viewer can tell -- he has been irreparably damaged from the horrors of war as an adult. This is very different to the typical villain, who are either evil by nature (Anton Chiguhr, Patrick Bateman etc) or circumstances from their childhood (Leatherface, Tony Soprano).
I meet many people who care about nobody's well-being but themselves. The fact that someone like him existed in this time period isn't far fetched. I'm sure there were plenty of Sgt Barnes, not only in the American army but also every nations armies.
That's not a "brochure" tucked-into Barnes' helmet bad. It's an Olive Drab Matchbook that came in the C-Rations they were issued.
This guy definitely belongs on this list you should do an analysis of koba the ape villain from the prequel planet of the apes movies.
I agree, Koba as well as Woody Harleson's character would be interesting episodes (Even though an argument can be made that Harelson's character wasn't entirley evil)
@@JohnRoberts-ek3pp yes him too that is what a lot of people have said about his character in war for the planet of the apes.
Dr. Zaius too.
That's a good suggestion
@@masterzombie161 Good pick
Keep in mind that Barnes was probably in his mid 30s, meaning that he must've served in Korea as just a young kid.
No he wouldn't
@@ryankolbe365 yes he would
I don’t think he would be a grunt after 10-15 years of service in both wars
@@bogusbounty5172 If he had no College education he'd probably be a Staff Sergeant which he was in the movie
@RFJ You’re right it’s possible
I saw the village scene on cable as a kid. The bunny part freaked me out. "Did you see his head come apart man" or something similar.
Amazing how Barnes fought to live another day,yet acted like he wasn't gonna see it
The conflicting characters of Barnes and Alias are what made this movie so spectacular. Both are tough as nails, experienced, effective war fighters, yet they clash because one has moral ethics and the other does not. This was brilliant.
Sgt. Barnes is one of my all time favorite movie characters. Just his "What you know about death scene."
Tom berenger doesn't get enough credit. He was some incredible roles
Barnes and Elias are 2 sides of the same coin. The duality of man and the constant war to create ultimate balance. Light can not exist without darkness.
What are you, private Joker?
@@need-to-know- is that you John Wayne?
@@dontsaythetruthytwillkillu5784 Who said that. Who the fuck said that! Who’s the…😄😄 I can’t even type it!💀💀
Darkness is not the opposite of light, it's the absence of it. Evil is the absence of good. Without evil there is only goodness. Evil makes the goodness just that much more precious.
Mi padre Combatió en Vietnam con la infantería de marina en 1968 ..estuve 13 meses y solo se q nunca ha sido el mismo . ...es un exelente padre pero tiene todavía una mirada y unos sentidos muy desarrollado..a sus 75 años todavía se ejercita y corre y como todo marine es bien orgulloso de su legado. 👍🇵🇷
Your Father's sacrifice is appreciated by many Americans. May he have many peaceful and fulfilling years left.
Bendiciones desde Toa Alta, tu papá fue de las generaciones de hierro.
Barnes is a distant cousin of Col. Kurtz, someone who was broken by war.
I was going to comment on this, too!. But a big contrast in how those two characters expressed it.
Rage and Madness.
Or the son of Bucky Barnes aka the winter soldier
at some degree yes, but even kurtz show mercy and recognition towards that VC with a gunshot in his belly , he even gave him a drink from his own canteen , because abobe all the VC showed great bravery and kurtz could see that , barnes is just GONE , bloodthirsty and bitter beyond repair
“My god! The genius of that. The strength to do that. If I had 10 divisions of men like that, our troubles here would be over VERY quickly.” -Colonel Kurtz.
"The only one who can kill Barnes is BARNES!"
Yall talking bout killing?
Tell that to Taylor
"I am reality."
beat me to it
@@jamesquinney6686 When Taylor killed Barnes he was on his way to becoming a lot like Barnes.
Platoon is still my favourite Vietnam war film, mostly because of Tom Berenger's and Willem Defoe's performances.
Barnes was truly a terrifying character, if not a tragic one in the end.
What's an excellent and poignant breakdown of this character. I love that you got all the nuances. I served with people in the Vietnam War and this is so accurate of a lot of people that went over, this is why this is one of my favorite films
Tom Berenger absolutely killed it in this role , one of my favorite characters. I have a shirt with Barnes on it that says " I AM Reality " on it. You gotta do Gary Oldmans, Norman Stansfield on here at some point.
Some people can't do it, but you have to learn how to turn it on and off like a lightswitch.
In the dark, you need to be merciless, solely objective driven. But you have to remember to turn on the light when you can, let in the light of humanity and compassion.
You leave the light off too long, you walk off the edge.
In times of peace, never forget the possibility of war and in times of war, never forget compassion. - master splinter
This is my comfort channel
Yeah mine too.
This is true for me to for some reason
Exactly the same. I paint and do my homework listening to this on the background
BARNES : WHEN THE MACHINE BREAKS DOWN WE BREAK DOWN, AND I CANT LET THAT HAPPEN..
I SH1T YOU NOT.
More like ‘I Sh1t on all of you!’
“You guys smoke this shit to escape reality?hell I am reality”
As someone who's never watched the movie, I was taken by surprise when I saw a young Dafoe, a young McGinley and possibly a Depp or two!
Figure I should give this one a watch, as the cast is rather appealing!
3:12 I took that part more as Barnes was shaken up because he was having a flashback of a booby trap that got him (hence his facial scars, and why he ran his hand over them)
Good catch.
Barnes and Elias. Stone got it.
Great observation
When the machine breaks down, WE break down, and im not about to let that happen. Great way to describe the WAR MACHINE and how barns was running that machine. Excellent writers and type casting tom berringer for the roll was number 1. Tom did a magnificent job embodying barns character and belief systems. Great job Tom, 1 of my absolute favorite war films. Take care
I love sgt barnes. Damned good character
I’ve always been convinced that the village scene was the deciding factor of everyone’s fate in that moment,their actions here determined who lived or died or suffered something else or achieved the best goal here going home
The ad placement was funny.
"Who was Barnes?"
"He wa-'WENDYS STRAWBERRY CHICKEN SALAD'."
lmao
Ha!-Too funny. Ive caught a few odd vid+commercial timing events too......
"Your Body Says One Thing, But Your Stomach Says Another-(Insert: Looong Wet !BRAAAAP noises & adults comically waddling their pinched butt-cheek'd way to the nearest bathroom/diaper changing station)- Well, Your In Luck If You Suffer From Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Syndr-.."....
~Ugggggh. Pretty popular one here on EwwwwToobz for some reason?....
I feel as if Ive been commercially & unfairly targeted by the Fart-Knocker-Brigade @ times.....
I can relate......My very own YT n' commercially personal go-too cut scene pete n' re-peat guy is:
"Hi, Im Larry Potterfield"
Maybe its just that I view a few too many n' fair amount of gun vids? -Possibly buy too much firearm stuff from MidWay?
~Seriously, I feel as if Im being stalked sometimes. Dood gets around thats for certain.....
-He seems like WAAAAY too much of a neighborly "Nice Guy" to be up to such repetitive dastardly tricks?
But then again, its just those "Ned flanders" types that always seem to get caught laboriously adding to the pile of dead bodies in the dark of night, -bodies happened to be buried in the guy next doors own yard....
-Why bury em in your own yard right?....;)
It showed him dying then showed an ad for teeth for me.
Barnes is based on a sergeant that oliver stone encountered in vietnam. He had facial scars because he was shot in the face by vietcong but survived. It's crazy that barnes was actually a real person.
Helpful tip. The little green note you mentioned in his helmet, is a book of matches from his issued C-rations.
Tom berenger deserved the Oscar. With All respect to the winner.