Highly recommend: Underfire: The untold story of Pfc. Tony Vaccaro

**RAF74_Buzzsaw** · Jun-13-2017, 01:38

For anyone who appreciates both photography and history, I would highly recommend this documentary:

Underfire: The untold story of Pfc. Tony Vaccaro

This is a documentary about a WWII Infantryman with the US 83rd Infantry division... who carried a 35mm camera with him through Normandy all the way to the Elbe in Germany between June of 1944 and May of 1945.

Best to see it on HBO, but if you can't here is a lower resolution version:

Tony Vaccaro was an aspiring photographer prior to the war, and tried to enlist in the US Signal Corps as a Combat Photographer, but was turned down as being too young and inexperienced to photograph the realities of war. He was instead drafted into the infantry and served as a Pfc. But he decided to bring along his camera anyway, and got permission from his commanding officers to take any photos he wanted, as long as he wasn't being shot at or wasn't in a position to use his rifle... his use of his weapon had priority.

I am a former News Cameraman myself, have been in combat zones, been shot at, and seen plenty of carnage... but these photographs are some of the best I have ever seen. Both combat and non-combat.

And they are not gratuitous or in any way exploitative... the humanity of the photographer shines through... as well as the toll the war had on him personally as a combat infantryman who experienced all the horrors at close range. His compassion for both his fellow infantrymen, the enemy and the civilians he encountered. His perspective was universal, not just that of an American.

After the war he put away the photographs in a trunk, and went on to a very successful career as a professional photographer for magazines and fashion. Only now are they being revealed.

He talks about his experience, he is still very spry and aware at his advanced age... takes us back to Europe and to the scenes of the photographs.

Made for HBO... not sure if it is available in Europe.

Here is the website which includes a lot of the photographs... (scroll right the way down) ...all real... and completely unstaged:

http://tonyvaccarofilm.com/

**ATAG_((dB))** · Jun-13-2017, 02:36

Is it released yet?

**RAF74_Buzzsaw** · Jun-13-2017, 03:25

Originally Posted by ATAG_((dB))

Is it released yet?

It is on HBO Canada now.

**Vlerkies** · Jun-13-2017, 06:08

Looks very good.

Some haunting images.

**ATAG_Lewis** · Jun-13-2017, 08:03

Can't get it in the UK...I've been searching for an hour or so now...Nothing...Usually it will show on something but maybe its too recent...

Need to wait a few weeks then try again..

**ATAG_((dB))** · Jun-14-2017, 09:14

Can't access it over here, I'll try another way around that. Thanks for that I can't wait to see it

o7

**baronWastelan** · Jun-16-2017, 01:00

Originally Posted by RAF74_Buzzsaw

I am a former News Cameraman myself, have been in combat zones, been shot at, and seen plenty of carnage...

Thank you for your service.

I've seen your work! http://imgur.com/gallery/uDgPd

**ATAG_Lewis** · Jun-16-2017, 12:06

Closest I could get was a 17 minute piece on YouTube...

''Man has to organise himself better otherwise wars will go on forever. We have to stop war. war is the number one enemy of mankind, so that has to be done and I will not be happy until that's done. That to me is the primer problem of mankind. The problem is not going to the moon or here, here , the problem is to end war and we can only do it by realising that we are not born into thousands of countries and hundreds of religions, those are our enemies, we are one species, we are humans.'' - Tony Vaccaro

Very profound words...

**RAF74_Buzzsaw** · Jun-16-2017, 13:40

Originally Posted by ATAG_Lewis

Closest I could get was a 17 minute piece on YouTube...

''Man has to organise himself better otherwise wars will go on forever. We have to stop war. war is the number one enemy of mankind, so that has to be done and I will not be happy until that's done. That to me is the primer problem of mankind. The problem is not going to the moon or here, here , the problem is to end war and we can only do it by realising that we are not born into thousands of countries and hundreds of religions, those are our enemies, we are one species, we are humans.'' - Tony Vaccaro

Very profound words...

This is the same guy obviously... but not the same documentary... not an excerpt.

Hopefully it will show up... I think the quality and integrity of the documentary will ensure it will become available.

**69th_Zeb** · Jun-16-2017, 15:08

And they are not gratuitous or in any way exploitative... the humanity of the photographer shines through... as well as the toll the war had on him personally as a combat infantryman who experienced all the horrors at close range. His compassion for both his fellow infantrymen, the enemy and the civilians he encountered. His perspective was universal, not just that of an American.

Well said. If the messenger's plot is to entertain an audience which never embraces any degree of commiseration or self-reflection -for the civilian and soldier-, then we only serve to further catalyze the next catastrophe.

**RAF74_Buzzsaw** · Sep-02-2017, 23:26

I'm bumping this thread because I watched the documentary again... and it had the same impact... perhaps greater the second time.

This in my opinion, is the best film of the year... Period. Not just documentary, all film.

Far more impact than DUNKIRK, far more impact than any other film I've seen this year.

Highly recommend... if you can find it on Netflix, it originated on HBO... an HBO original documentary.

The unvarnished truth from a combat soldier, who happened also to be a highly skilled and original photographer.

No hype, no bullshit, just the reality, turned to art.

Underfire: The untold story of Pfc. Tony Vaccaro

**RAF74_Buzzsaw** · Sep-29-2018, 00:21

This is an old thread which I have bumped this because I think this is one of the best war documentaries I have ever seen... I added a link in my first post so people who don't have access to HBO can watch it. (lower resolution, but still highly worthwhile)

Highly recommended.

**LuseKofte** · Sep-29-2018, 15:25

Thanks, this Docu moved me to tears in some parts, one of a kind

**69th_Damon** · Sep-30-2018, 15:58

Found this to be powerful, and more than worth watching. Thanks for sharing with us. I think that we all benefit from being reminded what war is all about from time to time.

As someone who has always been interested in photography, and as an infantry vet (25th Infantry, Vietnam) I have a special interest. Several times it made me cry, but then I am prone to doing that.

Several years ago I made this video, set to my brother's original music. He was in Hue during the Tet Offensive of 68, and has dealt with PTSD since.