My Online Journal

This article appeared on Ohmynews on 2007-09-07

Hollywood director and Oscar winner Oliver Stone returned to Vietnam Wednesday in preparation for "Pinkville," a new film on the 1968 My Lai massacre.

Stone arrived in Danang on Wednesday after a 20-hour flight and went straight to Quang Ngai to visit My Lai, where the massacre happened 40 years ago. Stone is the director of such Vietnam War films as "Platoon," "Born on the Fourth of July" and "Heaven and Earth."

This time it will be "Pinkville," the nickname that American soldiers used to refer My Lai, a hamlet in the central province of Quang Ngai in which U.S. soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians -- at least 367, including women, children and the elderly in 1968.

When the news broke out in late 1969, it sparked a strong condemnation of the war and led to quite a few anti-war demonstrations in the U.S.

In late 2006, the Paramount said Stone planned to make a film about the American attack on Afghanistan and the hunt of Osama Bin Laden. However, he changed his mind and decided to film "Pinkville" after a talk with Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner from United Artists.

According to Stone, he decided to make a film about My Lai after news of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal broke out and in light of the fact American audiences are now ready to acknowledge the truth that American soldiers might act violently, including killing innocent civilians.

Now he is negotiating the budget for the new project with United Artists, which plans to spend up to US$40 million on the film. The two sides are to reach final agreement this week and the film might be shot next year.

Mikko Alanne will write the script of the film and Bruce Willis and Channing Tatum, who are known for their roles in "Die Hard" and "Step Up," respectively, will star.

Bruce Willis will reportedly play William R. Peers, a general who witnessed American soldiers killing My Lai civilians. While Channing Tatum will star as Hugh Thompson, the pilot who rescued some of the survivors.

It is unclear if "Pinkville" will be shot at My Lai or not.