The cinematic drama of infantry training—particularly in the age of Vietnam and the draft—has been an easy target for both Hollywood and the news media. Many shots in Basic Training seem so familiar to Americans by now—iconic scenes of army initiation and discipline, the graphic composition and repetition of military configurations—that even minor disturbances in the flow are noticed by audience and commanding officer alike. Amid darkly comic and unexpectedly awkward moments, the well-oiled military apparatus processes the few trainees who do not fit in, while breaking down and converting the rest into compliant soldiers. Subtly echoing the disconcerting final scene of High School, Basic Training is itself a succinct, masterful course in institutional indoctrination. – BG