The Lords of Discipline

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Many who have vivid memories of this 1982 dramatic thriller about racism, hazing, and heroism at a hallowed Southern military academy will delight in its DVD release. The Lords of Discipline was based on Pat Conroy's semi-autobiographical novel about his days attending the famous Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. The film is set at the fictionalized Carolina Military Institute (and shot on locations in England) in 1964 where freshmen are customarily put through hazing rituals that may have been routine at the time, but seem positively brutal today. During Will McClean's (David Keith) senior year, a black cadet is being admitted for the first time. Will's military faculty mentor (an already grizzled Robert Prosky) charges him with making sure things don't get too out of hand with this new situation and the inevitable initiation rituals. The black cadet certainly has his horrifying tribulations, but there's also a geeky white plebe who may be in bigger trouble. During Will's awakening to the deeper, darker goings on, he discovers a secret society under the hand of the commandant (the great G.D. Spradlin) that carries out more than just hazing rituals when it deems necessary. The suspense, sense of time and place, and array of superb performances are all ample reasons to recommend The Lords of Discipline as a classic keeper or a casual view. David Keith gives a strong performance as the conflicted upper-class cadet. His strong jaw and gentle drawl was coming off a strong supporting role in An Officer and a Gentleman and he went on to several more interesting starring roles before petering out as a leading man. In fact, the cast is pretty great all around, including solid, young-buck turns by Michael Biehn (The Terminator, Aliens) and a familiar face credited as "Wild Bill" Paxton who went on to be not so wild in One False Move, Twister, Titanic, and many others. --Ted Fry

Description

The year is 1964 and Carolina Military Institute has admitted, for the first time, a young black man into its freshman class. Will McClean (Keith) is asked to protect him from The Ten - a secret society of cadets dedicated to eliminating from the school those it deems "unfit."

Customer Reviews:

David Keith.......2007-09-03

David Keith who portrays Will is a military cadet in the deep south in the 1960's he risks everything to protect the first Afro-American cadet.
Good movie with a great ending.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

Better than average and worth viewing.......2007-05-11

I guess you could say I was fortunate enough to see this movie before reading the book so I didn't have to make hard comparisons until later. Yes, the book is much more detailed and interesting at certain points but it would be impossible to adapt it all into the movie. Standing on its own, this film still delivers.

Will McClean is in his senior year at the Carolina Military Institute in 1964 in the Deep South. For the first time in the institute's history, they're going to admit a black cadet and this at a time when racial issues are still readily evident. Will is directed by his chain of command to protect this individual and track his progress. What is not known right away is information about a secret society within the institute known as `The 10'. This group recruits the best cadets from within the ranks but prey on the weak and unfortunate who they decide are not worthy of remaining in the institute. And they use whatever methods they deem necessary to force out the undesirables.

As the year progresses, disturbing events begin to happen and Will learns new information about `The 10' regarding just how powerful and influential they are. So much so that it may seriously jeopardize his relationship with his roommates and his career. Forced to question his beliefs in an honorable military system and compelled to make the right decisions no matter the cost, he risks everything in a dramatic and exciting showdown with `The 10'. This leads to a nice conclusion to the movie.

If you have or haven't read the book that this movie is based on, it's really not that bad in and of itself. There are a few weak points now and again but the cast is good, the story holds together, and the acting is pretty solid. Just don't go into watching this while comparing everything to the book because that'll be a let down. I know because I watched it again after reading the book. With that in mind, I recommend this movie to everyone.

A Matter of Reform.......2007-04-26

Well intended, broke a muscle while watching those scenes of torture.
With nerve I stared it in the eye. I was hopeful. In the end I felt obligated to support a certain freedom. And I do.

Lords of Discipline.......2007-01-12

The movie keeps one interested throughout. It is fast-paced and gets one to think about how we treat other human beings. The actors are believeable in their characters. I would highly recommend this movie.

Summer of '82.......2006-06-27

TLoD was shot (most of the "Carolina Military Academy" outdoor scenes at least), at a school called Wellington College in England. A number of pupils were taken on as extras and spent most of the time getting wrecked...Which is why, in some of the "hazing" scenes, people cracking up laughing can be clearly seen. Sorry about that Mr Roddam, we couldn't help ourselves.
It was great to see how a film gets made, and a true highlight was going to a Clash gig in Brixton that summer with those ridiculous "Jarhead" haircuts . Another was receiving drill instruction from a USMC drill instructor whose expression of sheer contempt, when he saw the zonked rabble he had to work with, was quite something to behold.
Not much of a review, just trivia I guess, but I'd say it's worth a watch - just ignore the idiots on the edges of shot..

LORDS OF DISCIPLINE (CHECKPOINT) (DVD) (WS)

Average customer rating:

LORDS OF DISCIPLINE (CHECKPOINT) (DVD) (WS)

Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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