Red Dawn (1984)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

John Milius

Writers:

John Milius (writer)
Kevin Reynolds (screenplay)

Release Date:

10 August 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

A full scale military invasion by foreign troops begins. Total surprise. Almost total success . . . .

Plot:

It is the dawn of World War III. In mid-western America, a group of teenagers bands together to defend their town, and their country, from invading Soviet forces.

Plot Keywords:

Invasion | High School | Guerrilla Warfare | Helicopter | Warfare

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Patrick Swayze	...	Jed
C. Thomas Howell	...	Robert
Lea Thompson	...	Erica
Charlie Sheen	...	Matt
Darren Dalton	...	Daryl
Jennifer Grey	...	Toni
Brad Savage	...	Danny
Doug Toby	...	Aardvark
Ben Johnson	...	Mason
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Mr. Eckert
Ron O'Neal	...	Bella
William Smith	...	Strelnikov
Vladek Sheybal	...	Bratchenko
Powers Boothe	...	Andy
Frank McRae	...	Mr. Teasdale

Also Known As:

Alba rossa (Italy) [it]
Amanecer rojo (Spain) [es]
Amanhecer Violento (Portugal) [pt]
Czerwony swit (Poland) [pl]
Die rote Flut (West Germany) [de]
Invazia rosie (Romania) [ro]
Kizil safak (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
L'aube rouge (Canada: French title) [fr]
Punainen aamunkoitto (Finland) [fi]
Röd gryning (Sweden) [sv]
Red Dawn - punainen vaara (Finland) [fi]
Te jong om te sterven (Netherlands) [nl]

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian | Spanish

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Iceland:16 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:Atp | Netherlands:12 | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Finland:(Banned) (original rating) | Finland:K-16 (re-rating) | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Johnson Mesa, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Valkyrie Films

Trivia:

In the movie, a regional headquarters for the invasion forces is bombed by the Wolverine insurgents. On 8/3/06 the actual 107-year-old historical landmark used in the film, the "Center Block Building" in Las Vegas, NM, was destroyed as result of heavy thunderstorms.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In the scene where Strelnikov and his special forces soldiers are parading down the street, the belt of the soldier behind the drummer on the far right breaks off.

Quotes:

Robert: Wolverines!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Britney Spears (#25.19)" (2000)

The parallels are striking

John Milius has given us a striking template of a movie with Red Dawn. Resistance to foreign occupation follows certain patterns no matter where or under what circumstances and the movie pushes a remarkable number of emotional buttons along the way. I have watched it many times.

Consider: Collaboration with the occupiers. Young people as the most passionate among the resistance. Conflicted occupiers, some believing themselves righteous and others with doubts. Ambush as the main tactic of the resistance. Resistance fighters operating right under the noses of the occupiers. Occupiers baffled by what they see as an alien culture. Soldiers of the occupied country clandestinely helping the resistance.

Now think about Iraq and who the Wolvlerines are there.