Hearts and Minds [Criterion Collection] [2 Discs] [DVD/Blu-ray]

Peter Davis

Overview

The title of this documentary was inspired by the mantra recited by those in charge of the Vietnam War: "In order to win the war, we must win the hearts and minds of the people." The failure to achieve this, coupled with the disastrous no-win policies of the higher-ups, is the nucleus of this film, put together by director Peter Davis in the same manner as Marcel Ophuls' The Sorrow and the Pity. Like the Ophuls film, Davis juxtaposes news footage of the Vietnam war with interviews conducted with its observers and participants, interspersing vignettes of the fatuous comments made by the generals and politicians. The film was briefly withdrawn from distribution when Walter Rostow, one-time advisor to President Johnson, insisted that his reputation had been damaged and demanded that the two minutes featuring Rostow on-camera be deleted. More controversy arose when Hearts and Minds won the Best Documentary Oscar, whereupon the Academy issued a statement--read during the awards ceremony by Frank Sinatra--that it did not condone or advocate the volatile statements made by the producers during their acceptance speech.

Product Details

Release Date:	06/17/2014
UPC:	0715515118415
Original Release:	1974
Rating:	R
Source:	CRITERION
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:52:00

Special Features

High-definition digital restoration, supervised by director Peter Davis and cinematographer Richard Pearce, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray; Audio commentary featuring Davis; A collection of over two hours of Davis's unused footage, including excerpts from interviews with presidential adviser George Ball, broadcast journalist David Brinkley, French journalist and historian Philippe Devillers, and political activist Tony Russo; additional excerpts from General William Westmoreland's interview; additional audio excerpts from presidential adviser Walt Rostow's interview; and scenes from a funeral and a military hospital in South Vietnam; One Blu-ray and two DVDs, with all content available in both formats; PLUS: a booklet featuring essays by Davis, film critic Judith Crist, and historians Robert K. Brigham, George C. Herring, and Ngo Vinh Long

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Technical Credits

Peter Davis

Peter Davis	Producer,Screenwriter
Bert Schneider	Producer

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Hearts and Minds
1. "The One Great Power"
2. "The Communist Conspiracy"
3. "The Ultimate in Aviation"
4. "The Tree of Liberty"
5. "The Enemy"
6. "Number One"
7. War Profiteering
8. The Tet Offensive
9. "The Wrong Side"
10. "The Price That You Pay"
11. "Life is Cheap in the Orient"
12. "You Guys Were Over There Too, with Your Damn Cameras"
1. Color Bars

Menu

Disc #1 -- Hearts and Minds
Play the Movie
Chapters
Commentary
Commentary: On
Commentary: Off
Index
Three Questions
"Give War a Chance"
Hung Dinh Village
"The Greatest Patriot"
"The Best of America"
The Next Generation
"Bombed Out of the Countryside"
"A Generational Summons"
"What If We Do This Again?"
"Savage Human Cruelty"
The Christmas Bombing
"What Are We Getting Into?"
Color Bars
Disc #2 -- Hearts and Minds
Introduction
Index
Philippe Devillers
About
Play
Play
George Ball
About
Play
Play
George Russo
About
Play
Play
David Brinkley
About
Play
Play
General William Westmoreland
About
Play
Play
Walt Rostow
About
Play
Play
Quang Nam Funeral
About
Play
Play
Cong Hoa Hospital
About
Play
Play