Imagining Afghanistan

As a former Afghanistan resident (Peace Corps, Jalalabad, 1971-73) and film buff, I was generally delighted by Dan Baggott’s article “From Afghanistan With Love” (Dec. 30) but disappointed by its failure to mention “The Beast,” directed by Kevin Reynolds, one of the best of the bunch.

This was a mid-’80s drama set during the Afghan-Soviet war, and depicting a sadistic Red Army tank commander and his efforts to extricate himself and his men from an impossible position behind enemy lines. The film was shot in Israel, the bleaker parts of which credibly stood in for the Pushtun countryside.

Anyone exploring the subgenre of “Afghans in the movies” should view it.

ANDREW SUSSMAN

Rancho Santa Margarita