I favor "Tribes" because it features an interesting culture clash between two Marine drill instructors and a hippie draftee. One drill instructor, Drake (Darren McGavin), starts to see the merits of the hippie, Adrian (Jan-Michael Vincent), but the senior drill instructor refuses to budge an inch.
Adrian opens up a whole new world for Drake, one that he never considered. What turns Drake's head is that Adrian isn't some stereotypical drugged-out hippie; he's the most intelligent and fit recruit in his platoon, but how can this be since he dropped out of school and is a hippie? Through a learning attitude and meditational practices Adrian has tapped into a power source that gives him the edge over the rest of the recruits. Drake SEES it and can't deny it, especially since Adrian's techniques start working with the other recruits as well.
This shakens Drake because he had pegged all hippies as drug-addled vagabonds. But the evidence is undeniable and he can't help but develop respect for the hippie. It also rattles him because he comes to realize that Adrian, despite being only 19 years-old or so, is superior to him in some ways. In other words, the mentor could learn a thing or two from the mentee, which isn't the way it's supposed to be in boot camp. The good thing is that Drake is humble enough -- teachable enough -- to receive from Adrian whereas the senior drill instructor (Earl Holliman) is too arrogant and ape-ish to do anything but spurn him.
The movie is smart in that it doesn't paint Adrian as omnipotent or wholly wise, nor is Drake the opposite. They both have valuable perspectives, intelligence & skills and can learn from each other, if they're open. For instance, Adrian is extraordinary when it comes to mental discipline and the power to overcome the physical and mental challenges of boot camp, but he fails miserable on the rifle range because his indoctrination cripples him from merely shooting a rifle, let alone shooting a human being.
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snepts (11123)
6 years ago
Thanks for reminding me about McGavin and Holliman. I think Tribes truly influenced my view of the character of these men. Always liked McGavin in the four or so things I've seen him in (really under used), and Holliman always seemed like a bad guy to me, even though he could be the smiling friendly guy as well. I saw a great episode of Gunsmoke with Earl as some schizo bad guy. He terrorizes Kitty and Sam in the closed Long Branch then suddenly apologizes for his behavior and acts like it's all good. Very weird.
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Wuchak (8750)
6 years ago
Holliman always seemed like a bad guy to me, even though he could be the smiling friendly guy as well.
Yeah, Holliman was a master at playing that type of character. For instance, in the Mexican Western "The Desperate Mission" (1969) he plays a member of Joaquin Murrieta's gang (Murrieta is played by Ricardo Montalban). You
know Holliman's character is a snake from the get-go, albeit a snake with grinning charm. They're easy to spot if you know what to look for. (I should add that "The Desperate Mission" is actually an American film, but it was shot in Mexico and concerned their real-life 'Mexican Robin Hood,' not to mention it was released theatrically in Mexico, but debuted on TV in the USA).
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snepts (11123)
6 years ago
That's what was great about EH is he had that great cocky smile. While not a matinee idol, he seemed like a handsome and charming guy who was smarter and meaner than you'd like him to be.
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