Brothers In Arms (Closing Night)

Running time: 80 mins

Cinequest culminates with celebration, laughs, and incredible guests for the World Premiere of this radically entertaining documentary. Rarely a breakout hit not only captures the Academy Award for best picture but also catapults many of its actors into new realms of stardom. Think The Godfather. Think the seminal Vietnam movie Platoon. The experiences of the actors making these masterpieces range from elation to outrage and, if told, would make movies as intriguing as the ones netting the Oscars. In the case of Oliver Stone’s Platoon that has occurred in the spectacular documentary, Brothers in Arms. War is Hell…and, sometimes, so is the grueling boot camp of creating a great movie. Although the average moviegoer probably never realized, Platoon was a low budget, independently produced film—not a studio extravaganza. It was cast almost exclusively with young, unknown actors, many of whom went on to become household names: Johnny Depp, Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger, Kevin Dillon, Tony Todd, Keith David, and John C. McGinley, to name a few. It was also the first Hollywood film to be written and directed by a veteran of the Vietnam War and would go on to garner seven Oscar nominations and would win for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Editing, and Best Sound Mixing. Compelling and highly entertaining accounts from the entire cast give a glimpse into Stone’s ‘unique’ directing style, and the brutal conditions that forged their eternal brotherhood. Brothers in Arms writer/director Paul Sanchez (who was also a member of the Platoon cast), and actor John C. McGinley will join the Cinequest audience, along with special guests, for a rousing evening and celebration of the commitment to artistic vision and the power that comes from becoming part of a creative family. Closing Night party follows at Hyatt Place Gallery.