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Tropic Thunder Q&A

Ben Still and Justin Theroux were, big surprise, inspired by Apocalypse Now and Platoon to write a comedy about making an out-of-control Vietnam movie:

STILLER Those iconic war movies like “Apocalypse Now” or “Deer Hunter,” “Platoon,” even “Born on the Fourth of July” and “Hamburger Hill,” were very affecting at different times in my life. In ’87, around the time they were casting “Platoon,” I went in to meet Oliver Stone, and a lot of my friends were making war movies and going off to these fake boot camps. It seemed slightly ironic that these actors were talking about this incredible experience that in no way comes close to a real war.

--Film - Spoof Within a Movie Within a Movie Within ... - Question - NYTimes.com

About J. Ott

John Ott is a writer, filmmaker and futurist. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.