European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 03, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tom cruise right in wheelchair stars in bom on the fourth of july a new film about the Vietnam War. The movie directed by Oliver Stone in photo below at rights based on the life of Vietnam Veteran Ron Kovic below left. Bams on the big screen the War s not Over for Oliver Stone by Bob Thomas associated presso liver Stone laughs ruefully when it is suggested he can t get the Vietnam War out of his soul i think it s something that exists forever it does t go away he says reflectively. I was Young 18 to 21 and that stays with you forever. It s a scar. I moved past the trauma of the War. Dealt with it. I be used in instead of letting it use me. I think it s a War that should t be forgotten. It s a War that should stay in our National spirit. Because we must learn from it. We must not forget  Stone is the Man who Shook the nation s conscience with platoon the 1986 Academy award winning film thai Drew on his own experiences As a Young Soldier in Vietnam in 1967-68. Now Stone has made another movie about the War. Born on the fourth of july which has attracted critical Praise and predictions of Oscar nominations. The film won Lour Golden Globe trophies recently for Best dramatic movie Best dramatic actor Lor Star Tom cruise Best director for Stone and Best screenplay for Stone and Ron Kovic. The Story based on Kovic s Book of the same name tells How Kovic was inspired by patriotism to enlist or War service How he mistakenly killed another Soldier and was himself paralysed by enemy lire How he hit the skids As a bitter Veteran then became an anti War activist. Platoon required 10 years of Selling to the studios before Stone could bring it to the screen born on the fourth of july look even longer ii was written in 1977-78." Slone recalled at his Sparlan offices in suburban Venice. Calif where he occupies part of an old Gas company building we came close to making it Wilh Al Tacmo starring Bui the Money was nol there it was not considered commercial the film died. Ten years later. Cruise look an interest in it. Platoon had been successful and Universal pictures when had originally killed the film came Back and financed it so these things run in circles there is a sense of Delmy about a dim there is a season Tor it. And sometimes we Don t understand when or  cruise a winning personality in teen age movies and second banana to Oscar winners Paul Newman the color of Money and Dustin Hoffman rain Man. Had nol been acknowledged As a dramatic actor Unhul born on the fourth of july what persuaded Stone to go with him his hunger his desire to do it he was aggressive he worked Lor nothing for about a year and a Hall to make this movie happen the filmmaker said he came from the same background As Ron Kovic working class. Catholic background he was motivated by the same desires to to the Best at what he does to be a Champion i once called Tom the kid off the wheaties Box Al the same time Tom came irom a background thai had some problems and shadows ii was a broken family i sensed he could use that emotional Manenal Lor the Back end of the piece the part where Ron returns irom the War and Linds that his family unit is  unlike cruise and Kovic. Slone was born into wealth son of a successful new York stockbroker he attended exclusive schools where to earned a reputation As a troublemaker his combo Lable world was shattered when his parents divorced and his father was found to be heavily in debt. Stone loft Yale University to teach English in a Vietnam school at a time when the american presence was increasing. Back at Yale to wrote a huge novel about his experiences but no one would publish in he despairingly enlisted Lor the War wounded decorated and disillusioned he returned to study film at new York University he tried to gel started in the Novie business and went into a tailspin of drugs and isolation the country s Centennial in 1976 helped him recover and he began Selling scripts to Hollywood including Midnight express which brought his first Oscar. His screenplays included Conan the barbarian. Scar lace and the hand which he also directed then came Salvador platoon and Wall Street at 43, Stone retains a fierce Energy and a sense of moral indignation that is reflected in All his films i think there s a trend that becomes clearer As you unfold a consciousness that comes to yourself As you go he reflected i Don t think All the lines Are straight yet As i get older it becomes clearer. There s some concept of sell that s always unfolding in each film i be Learned something More about myself. It s been like unfolding a mystery it s been exciting. I eel that i Don t know what i m going to do next each film lakes me to a new place on the map. And thai is exciting " Stone s next project will Lake him to Paris and various parts of the United states. He starts soon on a biography of the trouble plagued Leader of the Early Rock group the doors. Jim Morrison who was found dead in a Bathtub at the age of 27 in Paris in 1971. He was a heavy Drinker and drug user although the cause of death was listed As a heart attack. Vat Kilmer Willow will portray Morrison. The doors evoke a lot of controversy  said Slone there must be 200,300 people who knew Morrison Prelly Well. I talked to dozens of them and nobody agrees As to what he was like or what he did in a particular situation he s a very controversial and almost a mythic figure. His Lile has an interesting theme to it that i want to explore and by the Way explore More of the 1960s. He is an interesting parallel to Ron Kovic s life Jim was to the dark Side born and motivated in negative ways whereas Ron was very  saturday february 1990 the stars and stripes Page 13