This brutal and hard hitting Vietnam war movie about the infamous massacre in March 1968 at the village of My Lai is released on retail DVD by Scanbox Entertainment on April 4th.
Freely adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Seymour Hersh, it is the true story of Charlie Company, a platoon of American soldiers led by Lieutenant Wm. Calley.
The platoon comes under enemy fire which results in two young soldiers being killed and a third having to be put out of his misery because he’s so badly injured.
The ambush has a profound psychological effect on Calley and his men and when they arrive in a remote fishing village they embark on an orgy of revenge and gratuitous killing.
The atrocity is seen from the air by the crew of a small reconnaissance helicopter, pilot Chief Warrant Officer Thompson, co-pilot Andreotta and door-gunner Colburn.
Deeply upset by what they see, the three young airmen land their helicopter and overpower their compatriots in an armed confrontation which stops the massacre and results in several villagers’ lives being saved.
Lieutenant Calley and his men massacred 503 innocent people and this is their story.
‘Massacre at My Lai Four’ has a run time of 101 minutes, a 15 (TBC) certificate and a recommended retail price of £ 12.99.
The DVD also has over 20 minutes of Bonus Material comprising:
- Interview with massacre survivor Truong Thi Le (9 mins)
- The making of the soundtrack with Enrico Sabena (10 mins)
- Stills montage (3 mins)
THE STORY OF MY LAI IN FILM & TV
In 2007 Oliver Stone was due to make a film about the massacre starring Bruce Willis and Woody Harrelson but the Writers Guild strike put paid to it. It was to be called PINKVILLE. Stone’s film PLATOON (1986) had already covered the incident but not directly by name.
In 1989 Yorkshire TV produced a famous award winning TV documentary for ITV called FOUR HOURS IN MY LAI.
