The Story of the Tet Offensive (Film)

The Story of the Tet Offensive is a 1948 Australian produced animated film and the first film released by the now bankrupt company: Cartoon O' Clock. In 2011, Cartoon O' Clock and the film were purchased by the Animation station. The Film is about A solider named Thatchet being drafted into the 'Vietnam War' and specifically the Tet Offensive. Him and his crew are up against the Vietnamese Communists (later to be known as the Viet Cong) and their tyrannical leader, Xeno.

The Film is set in the South Asian country of Vietnam. This location was chosen as the Film's plot and other points are based off 'Operation Masterdom' towards the end of World War II. The War (World War II) was the main reason behind the film's creation in the first place. It may be the first film of the company, but it also earned the least amount of money, only grossing $12 Million from the current films released.

Plot
The Story of the Tet Offensive begins similar to many around that time, with a title-card. A Jazz style song called "Hear that Story of the Tet Offensive" fades in while a Gunshot noise is used to queue title-cards and the opening credits of the film. Once the final gunshot is heard. The film cuts to black and opens on the Modern city of Saigon (by Modern, it means 1948) on the day of Tet. The Audience is taken inside an Elderly Home where an elderly man (whom we later learn is Thatchet) sits still on a Rocking Chair. His American family comes to see him and his grandchildren sit down in front of him and ask to hear a story. He begins with a poem "All one heard was gunfire, with billowing blacking smoke, There was a crazed madman and a heap of deceased folk" It then begins to fade into the actual events of the Film.

Production
The idea of the Film came to mind when several of Disney's workers were conscripted into World War II and the recent Attack on Pearl Harbour affected their work. Several Ex-Disney workers moved to Australia and started to create some animation tests to eventually create their own film (these are now lost). With the news of the Bombing of Darwin, the ex-Disney workers started to create storyboards for a war-related film that would be released at the end of the war. However, the storyboards were changed several times and the animation process with a small group of people was slow that the film's animation did not start until 1945. According to the last surviving worker: George Waer "We were tuning into the radio one day and heard about an attack on Vietnam. The idea hit us straight in the head, the film should be set int he last place people expect, Vietnam". The Storyboards were completed a month later and animation began. However, troubles arrived when the War ended. However, scrapping the few scenes of animation that had already been done would be a squander of money and so the project was ultimately continued until it was finished in early 1948. The problem now was getting the film released. RKO Radio Pictures agreed but only if the film was shipped over to the United States. They had shipped it over and on April 17th 1948, the film opened in theatres around the world. However, the film (unsurprisingly) was banned in Asian countries due to the negative depictions of Asians in the film (Xeno is Vietnamese while Thatchet, the hero is American). The Film also only received a PG rating despite the "horrid" actions of the film.

Recovering the Film
The Film, similar to many other films of the time period, aired in cinemas several more times until the events of the actual Vietnam War in the 1960s that the film had creepily predicted. The final time it was seen was in 1967 and was shown again, only living on in the memories the people who had been traumatised by the film. This ultimately lead to the film being classed as a 'lost' film. When Cartoon O' Clock, the company that created the film went bankrupt in 2011, the recently formed Animation Station purchased their rights and other materials, except the films. In mid-2012, the films were anonymously shipped from their now defunct studios in a cardboard box, Czech animator at the Animation Station, Pet'ka Ishilil said "The Box was simply carried in one day into the 'Czech' room and we had a peek. All it contained was four film reels with erased names. It seems that this was done on purpose, we played the films on a Film Camera, an old one I might add and they came out with grainy colourful images. We showed it to Marc, the head of the Animation Station and he asked what they were, we replied they were old films. His eyes widened when he realised that these were from Cartoon O'Clock, one of which is their first film and now an infamous film that had an infamous touch to the film reel that would become part of AS lore, the film reel was hot, some frames were covered in black materials and others were missing, someone had tried to burn it". Marc was very intent on releasing the films however, the FCC's guidelines prohibited in the film in it's dilapidated state from being released. Since most of the Animation Station's material is kid-friendly, they were not allowed to the release a film in which 99% of the whole cast is killed off. The FCC Forced the film to be changed including scenes of many deaths being removed. This often left extremely strange moments in the film including Xeno being crushed by a skyscraper and Thatchet celebrating with his friends. It then cuts to those said friends and Xeno dead. However, when the film was released on DVD, the edited movie and the original movie were added.

Soundtrack
The Story of the Tet Offensive had songs written by George Waer and Harry Carroll who wrote all the 5 songs in the film. The Songs were performed either by them or by the voice actors of the film. Most of the songs in the film either feature or are sung by a villain, specifically, Xeno.
 * "Hear That Story of the Tet Offensive" (Title Song). This song plays during the opening credits of the film accompanied by a Jazz band in the background and strange gunshots. The Song is credited to be sung by a Narrator, even though a Narrator, apart from Thatchet does not appear in the film.
 * "The Once Beautiful Country" (a.k.a "Vietnam, Oh, Vietnam) This song is sung by Thatchet and the rest of the US Soldier as they enter the country of Vietnam for the first time overseeing lots of rice hills thick forests and dazzling cities. However, once they enter the city limits of Saigon, Pollution starts to thicken and the helicopter goes down but is caught by trees on the fall down. The lyrics then change to the "once" beautiful country.
 * "Sing Me a Lullabye". This song goes to relatively the same tune as the song "Bella Notte" from Disney's Lady and the Tramp. During a rather strange Night during their ambush in Saigon, Ernest 'Rattler' becomes homesick and begins to worry about the days and nights ahead. Mannix assured him that they'll be alright and that they'll be home soon. He then begins to sing him a Lullabye and steps outside where he is joined by Thatchet. The Song is made even more sad when you realise that Rattler dies at the end of the film.
 * "Saigon in Cinders". The most famous of the songs of the film, Saigon in Cinders, is sung by Xeno towards the Film's climax and beginning of the Second Act. He imagines the city of Saigon in ruins and realises all he needs is a bit of fire-power. He lights a flame and throws into the city, started to ignite it. As the fires climb and billow, he begins to sing more maniacally.
 * "The Rainy Day Song". The Final song of the film (before the Title Song's reprise). After the Events of an excruciating night of screaming and gunfire in Saigon, Thatchet wakes up to pouring rain. A Narrator sings over Thatchet's sad expression and sings about how it's a "Rainy Day, It's a Rainy Day, In Saigon" and also features singing by Xeno who isn't too happy the rain is putting out his fire. After everyone (except Thatchet) dies at the end and it begins to rain as the Story of the Tet Offensive finishes, the song plays again, except a few lines are changed.

Sequel and TV Series
In 1968, a Halloween special was created for the now 20 Year old film and discusses the Character's feelings and emotions about certain parts of the film and the actual Vietnam War. This was also recovered in released again in October 2017 on TV as part of a 'Halloween Harrow' Segment.

In 2012, A TV Series was created that follows the exact same story of the 1948 Film except with more dialogue and character depth and scenes that flashed by in the original film were extended out. The Songs were also longer. Some of the Original Voice Actors reprised their roles including Joseph Aisha as Mannix. The series has 26 Episodes in total

In 2017, A Sequel of the TV Show was announced and released in May called "The Killing Fields". It features Thatchet and a whole new cast of characters (Since they all died) stopping Pol Pot's master Plan to return Cambodia to it's rural roots and kill thousands in the process. However, Many of the Original Characters return as Ghosts including Xeno as Burning Xeno.

Trivia

 * This Film was released on April 17th 1948 and re-released by the Animation Station (after edits by the FCC) on April 17th 2017, a full 69 Years after the original debuted in theatres.
 * April 17th 2018 will be the Film's 70th Anniversary. For this occasion, a DVD has been announced for release including extra deleted scenes and the original storyboards of the film.
 * The Film, after being edited was decreased by an entire hour in run-time
 * Xeno's Death in the film, Being Crushed and being simultaneously Burned Alive is known as the most gruesome death in the Animation Station.
 * This Film began a similar thing to Disney and hid the Cartoon O'Clock Logo (A Red Clock pointing to Midnight) into their films. In this film it can be seen as a blue spirit during the official death scene for Xeno.
 * The Original poster for the film pretty much spoils the ending as it features Burning Xeno and did not have a rating at the original release which is also why the film had to be cut down.
 * For the final release of the film in 1968, the Film was given (somehow) a G rating as the creators did not think that the film was too violent for an M rating, The Film was given a PG rating in it's release in 2017 after it was introduced in 1970.