Hearts and Minds

Peter Davis’ Vietnam War documentary Hearts and Minds is probably one of the most captivating documentaries I’ve ever seen. It’s also highly biased and a prime example of how documentaries are never devoid of subjectivity, regardless of intention. Despite Davis’ blatant anti-war stance, Hearts and Minds is powerful, insightful, and brilliantly edited – all factors that led a 1975 Academy Award. The film was controversial when released in theaters and I believe it still is. Aside from its depictions of violence it also features a barrage of violent sentiments and overt objectification of women. Such scenes seem necessary, demonstrating the effects of an imperialist occupation from a multi faceted perspective. Just exhibiting combat violence doesn’t give a full picture of what happened and Davis shows how the war damaged both the Vietnamese and the United States.