Our current cultural landscape is one that has opened us up to further examination of the past in hopes of finding some nuggets of wisdom to help us on our journey moving forward. The forgotten political documentary Nationtime recently resurfaced to reveal an important chapter in the Black political movement that resonates just as much today as it did at that time. The same respect is being paid to the anti-war movement with the restoration of the controversial Francine Parker documentary F.T.A. from 1972. This film chronicled the traveling anti-war show led by Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland, fresh off their collaboration in Klute, which performed near military bases in the US and around the Pacific Rim in 1971 during the height of the Vietnam war. Described by Fonda as “political vaudeville”, the show aimed to counterbalance the pro-military Bob Hope shows that were becoming increasingly out of sync with the mood of the soldiers in the conflict. The film was suppressed as much as possible and quickly ushered out of theaters during the time of its release, but audiences can now see a high quality version of this painfully relevant piece of history.
The new release begins with a brief introduction from a modern-day Jane Fonda in which she attempts to provide some context to the film. The first thing to make clear is that F.T.A. is in no way meant to be an anti-soldier film. On the contrary, Fonda, Sutherland and the rest of the performers were trying to help give voice to the growing number of soldiers who were becoming disillusioned with the war in Vietnam. The media landscape was not in a place where they would air thoughts of discontent within the military itself, and it was only infrequently that Americans were exposed to the atrocities that were being perpetrated in Vietnam at all. While many of the Hollywood stars of the era were radicalized to the left, Fonda and Sutherland were two of the biggest stars to go the furthest with their support for the anti-war efforts. Even with the risk of career suicide, the two wanted to be able to shine a light on these issues while contributing some entertainment to the troops who were trapped in this mess.
If this sounds like a dreary affair, that could not be further from the truth. While politically charged and surely triggering to certain types of people, the film is replete with engrossing music and hilarious comedy sketches that take aim at the war efforts along with racism and sexism within the various parts of the American military. The show is not one for subtlety; the show title F.T.A. stands for “F**k The Army”, although family-friendly alternatives like “Free The Army” and “Fun Travel Adventures” are used to humorous effect. Despite their Hollywood clout, Fonda and Sutherland blend in seamlessly with their cohorts including Len Chandler, Pamela Donegan, Peter Boyle, Holly Near, Rita Martinson, Paul Mooney and other assorted actors and musicians. Sketches include a football-esque play-by-play of a military bombing, a send-up of President Nixon and the First Lady and more. The ladies of the group perform a blistering song taking on sexism that is a highlight of the film. There are poems read that will leave you in a stunned silence. This is a show that made the most of its time on stage.
By branching out beyond the single-issue stance of being against the war into issues of racism and sexism, the film is allowed to feel just as vital through a modern context. The film is aided by the footage captured away from the stage of the men and women attending these shows. Those who agree to appear on camera give added credence to the idea that there was rampant opposition to the war efforts and these shows were well-received by the over 64,000 American servicemen and women who attended. You see that many of these people are already haunted by what they have been forced to do, and the simple delivery of “they never did anything to me” by one broken soldier lands very impactfully. There is at least one point where a member of the pro-war contingent gets into the show, but the numbers are on the side of those sick of their situation. The film ends with a haunting recitation of a passage from Dalton Trumbo’s 1938 novel Johnny Got His Gun from Donald Sutherland. You can feel the weight of the world in his voice, but his emotion goes to solidifying the message of the film. F.T.A. should be lifted up as the essential piece of social activism that it is.
Video Quality
The Blu-Ray of F.T.A. is presented in its original aspect ratio and is sourced from a new 4K master of the best surviving elements, which was a 35mm Master Positive that was the result of a 16mm-to-35mm blow-up. When you learn about the history and condition of the source material, it is amazing to see the material looking so striking There does not appear to be any issues with compression artifacts or any other such digital anomalies. This is a stunning transfer that eliminates the majority of the print damage outside of the occasional white specks, tiny cuts and other small blemishes. The transfer maintains excellent natural film grain support throughout with nothing looking artificial. The track does show off some fine detail in the clothing of the subjects and in some of the background elements in venues. Colors are fairly vibrant and they remain stable throughout. This presentation does an excellent job of bringing this piece of political history back to life.
Audio Quality
The new Blu-Ray is presented with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that suits the material quite well within the confines of the source material. The sketches and interviews are the main focus of this feature, and the dialogue mostly holds up quite well considering the volatile nature of capturing live recordings, especially during this era. Some of the lyrics of the musical numbers are a bit muddled due to some of the limitations of the equipment used at the time. The dialogue is occasionally overpowered by the roars of the service men and women in the crowd or other noisy elements. The track remains as faithful to the intention of the creative team as the material will allow. English subtitles are provided for those who desire them. The film sounds as good as could be expected on Blu-Ray.
Special Features
The Blu-Ray of F.T.A. includes a booklet featuring the essay “F.T.A. (Fun, Travel and Adventure aka F*** The Army” by film scholar Mark Shiel in which he discusses the history of the film in cinema and the world at large. There is also the essay “How Resistance In The Ranks Helped To End The Vietnam War” by author David Cortright, PHD which provides a great amount of context and insight into the legacy of protest during the time of the Vietnam war. Finally there is “Notes On The Restoration” by Indie Collect President Sandra Schulberg which gives some background information on the undertaking that was the restoration process. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Archival Interview with Jane Fonda: A 20-minute interview with Fonda in which she discusses the origins of their anti-war show, her excitement of bringing together her two passions, the publicity they received, the evolving nature of the show and more. It is great to get further insight from one of the key participants in the show.
- Sir! No Sir! (2005 Documentary): This 83-minute documentary from director David Zeiger is provided here and serves as the perfect companion piece to the main feature. There are even clips of F.T.A. included in this feature.
- Re-Release Trailer: A two-minute trailer is provided for the film which gives you a good sense of what is in store.
- Sir! No Sir! Trailer: A two-minute trailer is provided for this anti-war documentary.
Final Thoughts
F.T.A. is a hot-button issue documentary that bravely gives voice to the anti-war sentiment within the military ranks in a way that is both entertaining and insightful. The way in which this feature balances the humor of the songs and sketches with the powerful truths of the servicemen and women is simply impactful. Kino Lorber has helped bring this film back to a modern audience with an excellent Blu-Ray which features a wonderful A/V presentation and illuminating special features. Recommended
F.T.A. is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Lorber has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
