With the release of his new film "Da 5 Bloods," director/co-writer Spike Lee has once again proven that his finger is firmly on the pulse of American history. The Netflix-released film tells the story of a group of Vietnam vets (played by Delroy Lindo, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis and Isiah Whitlock Jr.) who return to Vietnam to recover the remains of their fallen squad leader (Chadwick Boseman), and also find gold that was stashed and buried when they were soldiers. Lee imbues the story with pointed Vietnam flashbacks and countless historical references, demanding his audience pay attention to the prevalent theme: as history often repeats, the same battles remain to be fought.
Australian film reporter Katherine Tulich sat down with Lee to discuss events past and present that formulated his movie.