Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever

Evengyny Thanks for the memories!

Baseshment I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

MartinHafer When this film began, I wondered if it was originally intended for theatrical release. While I know it was a made for television picture for "The ABC Movie of the Week", the opening titles sure looked like a non-television film...and most of these made for TV films are only about 75 minutes while this one clocks in at 90. Who knows...? The script for "Tribes" won a Prime Time Emmy Award and was written by Tracy Keenan Wynn, Keenan Wynn's son. He also wrote scripts for some high profile projects like "The Longest Yard" and "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman". The film follows a group of young Marine draftees through boot camp with their tough Drill Instructor, Sgt. Drake (Darren McGavin). Of all the guys in the platoon, the one that seems to rub Drake wrong the most often is Pvt. Adrian (Jan-Michael Vincent), as Adrian is a hippie---with long hair and sandals. However, in many ways Adrian is a great recruit...but he doesn't quite fit in all the time (particularly when it comes to the rifle range). He uses meditation to excel at physical training and soon is teaching it to the rest of the recruits...much to the annoyance and confusion of Drake! This movie focuses on this relationship between Adrian and Drake...and you wonder throughout which one will win this battle of wills. Oddly, however, towards the end of the picture, Drake takes on a rather paternal attitude towards Adrian...and another Drill Instructor doesn't like this.Not surprisingly, McGavin is exceptional...and the script one that keeps your interest throughout. It's also a wonderful time capsule for the period...a look back into America circa 1970. The negative, and it didn't bother me, is the ending...which I am pretty sure left many viewers disappointed at its vagueness. Still, well worth seeing.By the way, I wonder where this film is supposed to take place. After all, you see Adrian walking along the beach...and you assume it's perhaps in San Diego (and this IS where it was filmed). But in a scene with the Chaplain, he and Drake talk about going to the Snake River to do some fishing on their day off (Sunday)...and the Snake River is rather far from the coast--mostly running in Wyoming and Idaho but also into Southwest Washington. This would be about a 19 hour drive!

kbreenbo I was a mere 8 years old when I saw this made-for-TV movie and began my life-long crush on Jan-Michael Vincent. It is almost incomprehensible now to imagine a riveting made-for-TV movie with the entire family gathered around to watch. Not only was this the case for this movie, but "movies of the week" were part of regular programming for each of the three networks.Anyone and everyone who sees this movie remembers the water bucket scene and of course getting sheered. Too young to understand the politics of war, I did comprehend the message.The only negative comment I have about this movie is that it isn't available on DVD.

lockwood-10 I served over 8 years in the active Army and also the Guard and am a veteran of Desert Storm. I watched 'Tribes' recently and regard the movie with unusual interest. The movie does not make a blanket statement as being anti-war, but more focuses on the military machine (this being the Marine Corps) trying to indoctrinate a young man who opposes war. Was this movie believable? Yes, I rubbed elbows with men who became pacifists and later refused service when called back to duty. The conflict between Mr McGavin and Mr. Vincent is seen as being very realistic going through basic training with the assumption that being 'we can break and mold you in our image'. That was the reality for all of us in the military and I found the ending to this movie quite different than what I expected it to be. I highly recommend this for all ages.

red_valsen "Tribes" tells the story of a 1960s American hippy flower child who fails to adjust to the grimness of military life after being drafted into the U.S. Marine Corps. A very young Jan Michael-Vincent stars as Adrian, the flower child. Darren McGavin plays the role of Gunnery Sergeant Drake, the hard-as-nails veteran platoon drill instructor.Adrian proves himself to be a superior recruit, dealing with the stresses of military training by resorting to his inner self. He eventually teaches the rest of his platoon (clandestinely, of course, to avoid the ever-watchful and disapproving eye of the DI) meditative techniques such as yoga. In one hilarious scene, Sgt. Drake walks into the barracks to find Adrian meditating while leaning against the wall, standing on his head -- naked. In an instant, Adrian is locked at attention, explaining to the drill instructor that he was naked because, "I like the freedom, sir!" Drake's head nearly explodes as he nears to within an inch of the boot's face and screams, "THERE WILL BE NO FREEDOM IN MY PLATOON!"Even though the finest boot in the group, Adrian eventually desserts before completing boot camp. Drake, frustrated at his platoon's finest member, nevertheless doesn't give up and tracks Adrian down. Adrian tells Drake he'll never use a weapon against another human being; Drake replies that he's had to do just that for the mere privilege of being able to sit and talk to Adrian. Can Drake convince Adrian to return?But that's not the end of the story."Tribes" (in spite of its anachronisms, readily identifiable by those who've been there) is one of the most faithful efforts of depicting the U.S. Marine Corps -- especially boot camp -- in a movie. It is invariably compared to Kubrick's much more profane, and ultimately more realistic, "Full Metal Jacket". But its message (and audience) is completely different. One should keep in mind that at the time the film was produced, every U.S. draftee was virtually guaranteed to be sent to the still raging war in Vietnam. "Tribes" is an astonishing achievement for a made-for-TV movie.