Read the book then see the movie

Rating: 7/10 (16 February 2006)

I grew up watching MASH- the TV series and grew more and more to appreciate the humor over the years. I saw the movie after having watched the series for so long and thought "Well, this is nothing like the TV series". Then I read the book that MASH- THE MOVIE was based on. According to the introduction by the author the characters were not based on actual people, but rather an amalgamation of the people and experiences during the Korean War. For those who hadn't experienced anything like that (myself included) it would be next to impossible to fathom what people, especially very young people, experienced in such a crazy and terrifying place.
Now that I went back and watched the movie with the book still fresh in my mind, I was able to enjoy it more without constantly referring back to the TV series that, other than being set in Korea and called MASH, was a different show in most respects. The derogatory terms for the Korean and Chinese fighters, as well as the nickname "Spearchucker" were indicative of a much-less PC time but were an accurate reflection (right or wrong) of attitudes during the era. Too bad Spearchucker's character didn't last beyond about half way through the first season- or Ugly John for that matter.
Is it a classic? Without a doubt. Is it a great movie? Some would say yes, others, no. The bottom line is that MASH- The Movie is about people trying to stay sane in an insane world, and you have no laugh track to let you know when it's OK to laugh.