The Siege of Firebase Gloria (1989)
Studio: MGM
Theatrical Release: January 27, 1989
DVD-R Release: March 13, 2012
Director: Brian Trenchard-Smith
R
Review by James Klein
Once Platoon was released in 1986, a whole slew of Vietnam films came out in the late 80's and into the early 90's. While some are now considered classics such as Platoon, Full Metal Jacket and Good Morning, Vietnam there were some that were done for very low budgets that didn't find much of an audience like Platoon Leader and the short lived TV show Tour of Duty. The Siege of Firebase Gloria falls in the later category but that isn't to say the film is bad. In fact, I really liked the film and had a ball watching it but it was obvious that this war film wasn't going for politics or drama, it was going for straight up action and entertainment. This shouldn't be a shock since it was directed by Ozploitation master Brian Trenchard-Smith (Escape 2000, Dead End Drive-In).
From the very opening, The Siege of Firebase Gloria starts off with a bang. Major Hafner (R. Lee Ermey) leads his recon patrol into a peaceful village where they had been months ago to find that the entire village has been slaughtered. With severed heads on posts and a pile of dead children, the Cong mean business (and so does Trenchard-Smith who doesn't shy away from the red stuff) and they don't like any villages to help out the Americans in any way. When Hafner's right hand man Di Nardo (the underrated Wings Hauser) finds one surviving child, he takes the little boy under his wing and treats him like his own child. Di Nardo is slowly losing it and due to the death of his own child, he must make amends for the child he lost.
When recon comes across Firebase Gloria, they find out that the base is run by a bunch of pot smoking hippie Marines which doesn't sit well with this platoon. Hafner quickly takes over the base and gets his Marines in shape for a battle with the Cong who are hot on their heels to attack. Pretty much the rest of the movie is just non stop bloody action with a higher body count than threeVietnamfilms put together. Think of this as an R rated G.I. Joe movie. It may be silly (Ermey's narration is laughable at times) and implausible but the movie is never boring and the action scenes/battles are incredibly directed, especially for being a low budget film.
It also helps that the cast is top notch. Who doesn't like Ermey? Sure, he kind of plays the same role in most films but isn't that what we love about him? He's more of a nice guy than his character in Full Metal Jacket but he still constantly screams and swears at everyone around him. Hauser, one of my all-time favorite actors, has never been known to do many quiet performances and here his character of Di Nardo is exactly the kind of role I like him to play. He may be on our side but he's an alcoholic loose cannon and like Ermey, loves to scream and swear every other line. It was also nice to see the late Albert Popwell show up as an older, tough as nails Marine who isn't afraid to show his patriotism. Popwell is best known for playing a different role in almost every single Dirty Harry film ("Hey, I gots to knows."). Gary Hershberger (Twin Peaks) is also great as a brash helicopter pilot who isn't afraid to go into battle.
MGM's DVD-R looks fantastic as always and it looks even better in the original 1:85 aspect ratio. Aside form a few scratches near the end of the film, the picture is crystal clear and the sound is just fine (although with so many explosions and gunfire that fill The Siege of Firebase Gloria, I would have loved for a 5.1 surround sound but beggars can't be choosers).
The Siege of Firebase Gloria is the type of film I would watch with my Dad. Plenty of action and if you can stomach some of the gruesome scenes like beheadings and machete fights, you'll be in for a fun ride. Women...stay away, you'll hate this one.
Theatrical Release: January 27, 1989
DVD-R Release: March 13, 2012
Director: Brian Trenchard-Smith
R
Review by James Klein
Once Platoon was released in 1986, a whole slew of Vietnam films came out in the late 80's and into the early 90's. While some are now considered classics such as Platoon, Full Metal Jacket and Good Morning, Vietnam there were some that were done for very low budgets that didn't find much of an audience like Platoon Leader and the short lived TV show Tour of Duty. The Siege of Firebase Gloria falls in the later category but that isn't to say the film is bad. In fact, I really liked the film and had a ball watching it but it was obvious that this war film wasn't going for politics or drama, it was going for straight up action and entertainment. This shouldn't be a shock since it was directed by Ozploitation master Brian Trenchard-Smith (Escape 2000, Dead End Drive-In).
From the very opening, The Siege of Firebase Gloria starts off with a bang. Major Hafner (R. Lee Ermey) leads his recon patrol into a peaceful village where they had been months ago to find that the entire village has been slaughtered. With severed heads on posts and a pile of dead children, the Cong mean business (and so does Trenchard-Smith who doesn't shy away from the red stuff) and they don't like any villages to help out the Americans in any way. When Hafner's right hand man Di Nardo (the underrated Wings Hauser) finds one surviving child, he takes the little boy under his wing and treats him like his own child. Di Nardo is slowly losing it and due to the death of his own child, he must make amends for the child he lost.
When recon comes across Firebase Gloria, they find out that the base is run by a bunch of pot smoking hippie Marines which doesn't sit well with this platoon. Hafner quickly takes over the base and gets his Marines in shape for a battle with the Cong who are hot on their heels to attack. Pretty much the rest of the movie is just non stop bloody action with a higher body count than threeVietnamfilms put together. Think of this as an R rated G.I. Joe movie. It may be silly (Ermey's narration is laughable at times) and implausible but the movie is never boring and the action scenes/battles are incredibly directed, especially for being a low budget film.
It also helps that the cast is top notch. Who doesn't like Ermey? Sure, he kind of plays the same role in most films but isn't that what we love about him? He's more of a nice guy than his character in Full Metal Jacket but he still constantly screams and swears at everyone around him. Hauser, one of my all-time favorite actors, has never been known to do many quiet performances and here his character of Di Nardo is exactly the kind of role I like him to play. He may be on our side but he's an alcoholic loose cannon and like Ermey, loves to scream and swear every other line. It was also nice to see the late Albert Popwell show up as an older, tough as nails Marine who isn't afraid to show his patriotism. Popwell is best known for playing a different role in almost every single Dirty Harry film ("Hey, I gots to knows."). Gary Hershberger (Twin Peaks) is also great as a brash helicopter pilot who isn't afraid to go into battle.
MGM's DVD-R looks fantastic as always and it looks even better in the original 1:85 aspect ratio. Aside form a few scratches near the end of the film, the picture is crystal clear and the sound is just fine (although with so many explosions and gunfire that fill The Siege of Firebase Gloria, I would have loved for a 5.1 surround sound but beggars can't be choosers).
The Siege of Firebase Gloria is the type of film I would watch with my Dad. Plenty of action and if you can stomach some of the gruesome scenes like beheadings and machete fights, you'll be in for a fun ride. Women...stay away, you'll hate this one.
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