Black Hawk Down (2001)

Director:

Ridley Scott

Writers (WGA):

Mark Bowden (book)
Ken Nolan (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 January 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | War

Tagline:

Rangers Lead the Way.

Plot:

123 elite U.S. soldiers drop into Somalia to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord and find themselves in a desperate battle with a large force of heavily-armed Somalis.

Plot Keywords:

Warlord | Somalia | Helicopter | Mogadishu | Army Rangers

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 29 nominations

Cast

Josh Hartnett	...	Eversmann
Ewan McGregor	...	Grimes
Tom Sizemore	...	McKnight
Eric Bana	...	Hoot
William Fichtner	...	Sanderson
Ewen Bremner	...	Nelson
Sam Shepard	...	Garrison
Gabriel Casseus	...	Kurth
Kim Coates	...	Wex
Hugh Dancy	...	Schmid
Ron Eldard	...	Durant
Ioan Gruffudd	...	Beales
Tom Guiry	...	Yurek (as Thomas Guiry)
Charlie Hofheimer	...	Smith
Danny Hoch	...	Pilla
Jason Isaacs	...	Steele
Zeljko Ivanek	...	Harrell
Glenn Morshower	...	Matthews
Jeremy Piven	...	Wolcott
Brendan Sexton III	...	Kowalewski
Johnny Strong	...	Shughart
Richard Tyson	...	Busch
Brian Van Holt	...	Struecker
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau	...	Gordon
Steven Ford	...	Cribbs
Ian Virgo	...	Waddell
Tom Hardy	...	Twombly (as Thomas Hardy)
Gregory Sporleder	...	Galentine
Carmine Giovinazzo	...	Goodale
Chris Beetem	...	Joyce
Tac Fitzgerald	...	Thomas
Matthew Marsden	...	Sizemore
Orlando Bloom	...	Blackburn
Kent Linville	...	Othic
Enrique Murciano	...	Ruiz
Michael Roof	...	Maddox
George Harris	...	Atto
Razaaq Adoti	...	Mo'alim
Treva Etienne	...	Firimbi
Abdibashir Mohamed Hersi	...	Somali Spy
Pavel Vokoun	...	Briley
Dan Woods	...	Fales
Ty Burrell	...	Wilkinson
Boyd Kestner	...	Goffena
Jason Hildebrandt	...	Jollata
Kofi Amankwah	...	Somali Kid
Joshua Quarcoo	...	Somali Kid
Johann Myers	...	Somali Father
Lee Geohagen	...	Somali Son with Gun
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Cudlitz	...	Bobby (uncredited)
Giannina Facio	...	Stephanie Shughart (uncredited)
Corey Johnson	...	U.S. Medic (uncredited)
Norman Campbell Rees	...	Ranger (uncredited)

Directed by
Ridley Scott

Writing credits (WGA)
Mark Bowden		(book)
Ken Nolan		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jerry Bruckheimer	....	producer
Harry Humphries	....	associate producer
Branko Lustig	....	executive producer
Terry Needham	....	associate producer
Chad Oman	....	executive producer
Pat Sandston	....	associate producer
Ridley Scott	....	producer
Mike Stenson	....	executive producer
Simon West	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Hans Zimmer

Cinematography by
Slawomir Idziak		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Pietro Scalia

Casting by
Bonnie Timmermann

Production Design by
Arthur Max

Art Direction by
Pier Luigi Basile
Gianni Giovagnoni
Ivo Husnjak		(as Ivica Husnjak)
Keith Pain
Cliff Robinson
Marco Trentini

Set Decoration by
Elli Griff

Costume Design by
David Murphy
Sammy Sheldon		(as Sammy Howarth-Sheldon)

Makeup Department
Malika Bouizergane	....	makeup artist: Morocco (as Malika Boukergane)
Ana Bulajic-Crcek	....	makeup artist (as Ana Bulajic Crcek)
Hayat Ouled Dahhou	....	hair stylist: Morocco (as Hayat Ouleddahhou)
Barbara De Leonardis	....	hair stylist (as Barbara DeLeonardis)
Giancarlo De Leonardis	....	key hair stylist (as Giancarlo DeLeonardis)
Gianbattista Graziano	....	makeup artist (as Gianni Graziano)
Antonio Maltempo	....	makeup artist
Rob Mayor	....	special makeup effects artist
Simon Rose	....	prosthetics makeup artist
Alessandra Sampaolo	....	makeup artist
Fabrizio Sforza	....	key makeup artist
Michele Vigliotta	....	hair stylist
Alan Hedgcock	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Alex Corven Caronia	....	unit manager: second unit
Ahmed Darif	....	production manager
Antoine Douaihy	....	unit manager (as Antoine L. Douaihy)
Pamela Hochschartner	....	unit production manager
Abdenabi Izlaguen	....	location unit manager
Teresa Kelly	....	post-production supervisor
Branko Lustig	....	unit production manager
T. David Pash	....	production manager
Rachid Quiat	....	unit manager
Angela Quiles	....	production supervisor
KristieAnne Reed	....	executive in charge of production: JBF
Jamal Souissi	....	production manager: Morocco
Lucio Trentini	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ali Cherkaoui	....	second assistant director: Morocco
William Dodds	....	third assistant director: second unit
Rachid Gaidi	....	first assistant director: Morocco
Basil Grillo	....	second second assistant director
Ahmed Hatimi	....	first assistant director: Morocco (as Hatimi Ahmed)
Emma Horton	....	second second assistant director
Zinedine Ibnou Jabal	....	second assistant director: Morocco (as Zine-Eddine Ibnou Jabal)
Terry Needham	....	first assistant director
Hannah Quinn	....	second second assistant director
Darin Rivetti	....	key second assistant director (as Darin John Rivetti)
Adam Somner	....	first assistant director: second unit
Alexander Witt	....	second unit director
Davide Sacchetti	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Said Arif Ahmed	....	construction buyer: Morocco
Mark Allett	....	set dresser
Annick Biltresse	....	art department coordinator
Lisa Chugg	....	assistant set decorator
Sylvain Despretz	....	storyboard artist
Roberta Federico	....	set designer
Roger Holden	....	greensman
Michael King	....	buyer
Aziz Mhand	....	props
Marissa Miller	....	buyer
Eric Mullet	....	leadman
Antonio Murer	....	set dresser: second unit
Steve Payne	....	assistant property master
Graeme Purdy	....	property master
Amin Rharda	....	buyer: Morocco (as Amine Rharda)
Monica Sallustio	....	set designer
Philip Sharpe	....	props
Toby Shears	....	supervising model maker
Jim Stanes	....	graphic artist
Dominic Weisz	....	model maker
Mickey Woolfson	....	property master on set
Fatiha Aitbadi	....	greensman (uncredited)
Damir Gabelica	....	assistant construction manager (uncredited)
Glauco Isidori	....	painter (uncredited)
Tamara Marini	....	set designer (uncredited)
Ladislav Markic	....	plasterer (uncredited)
Richard A. McCarthy	....	plaster department head (uncredited)
Nick Milner	....	dressing props (uncredited)
Dan Pemberton	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)
Stuart Rose	....	set decorating supervisor (uncredited)
Saverio Sammali	....	set designer (uncredited)
Bob Sherwood	....	supervising prop dresser (uncredited)
Fernando Valento	....	construction manager (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Ash	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer
Christopher Assells	....	sound effects editor
Karen M. Baker	....	supervising sound editor
Eddie Bydalek	....	sound recordist
John T. Cucci	....	foley artist (as John Cucci)
Zack Davis	....	adr editor
Dino Dimuro	....	sound effects editor (as Dino R. DiMuro)
Todd Egan	....	assistant sound editor
Andrea Eliseyan	....	sound recordist
Stephanie Flack	....	dialogue editor
Eric Flickinger	....	sound recordist
Tomislav Fogec	....	production sound mixer: second unit (as Tomo Fogec)
Kevin Globerman	....	assistant sound engineer
Laura Graham	....	adr editor
Andrew Griffiths	....	boom operator
Gregory Hainer	....	sound effects editor (as Gregory J. Hainer)
Per Hallberg	....	supervising sound editor
Dan Hegeman	....	sound effects editor
Michael Hertlein	....	foley editor
Chris Hogan	....	supervising dialogue editor (as Christopher Hogan)
Craig S. Jaeger	....	supervising foley editor
Chris Jargo	....	supervising adr editor
David Kudell	....	assistant sound editor
Mary Jo Lang	....	foley mixer
T.J. Lindgren	....	assistant sound engineer (as TJ Lindgren)
Anna MacKenzie	....	supervising adr editor
Mark L. Mangino	....	dialogue editor
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Alyson Dee Moore	....	foley artist (as Alyson Moore)
Philip D. Morrill	....	assistant sound editor
Chris Munro	....	production sound mixer
Tony Negrete	....	first assistant sound editor (as Tony R. Negrete)
Myron Nettinga	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Thomas J. O'Connell	....	adr mixer
Michelle Pazer	....	adr editor
Michael A. Reagan	....	sound effects editor
Gary Rizzo	....	additional sound re-recording mixer (as Gary A. Rizzo)
Perry Robertson	....	sound effects editor
John Roesch	....	foley artist
Solange S. Schwalbe	....	foley editor
Gregg Silk	....	assistant sound engineer
Peter Staubli	....	sound effects editor
Lauren Stephens	....	dialogue editor
Bruce Tanis	....	sound effects editor
Jon Title	....	sound design editor
Damir Valincic	....	boom operator: second unit
James A. Williams	....	adr editor
Jason Wormer	....	assistant sound engineer
Alek Bromke	....	adr assistant: Toronto (uncredited)
Andrew Caller	....	adr assistant (uncredited)
Mark Choi	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Mick Davies	....	boom operator: Los Angeles (uncredited)
Sean Landeros	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Linda Lew	....	foley recordist (uncredited)
Kimaree Long	....	adr editor (uncredited)
Kimaree Long	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)
Whit Norris	....	sound mixer: Los Angeles (uncredited)
Karym Ronda	....	second boom operator (uncredited)
Carolyn Tapp	....	foley recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Kevin Adcock	....	special effects crew
Dave Baynham	....	special effects supervising plasterer (as David Baynham)
Clive Beard	....	special effects lead senior technician
Abdelaali Berhich	....	special effects unit crew
Ian Biggs	....	special effects senior technician
David Brighton	....	special effects workshop supervisor
Jamal Chrourou	....	special effects unit crew
Ian Corbould	....	special effects lead senior technician (as Ian John Corbould)
Neil Corbould	....	prosthetics effects supervisor
Neil Corbould	....	special effects supervisor
Paul Corbould	....	assistant special effects supervisor (as Paul Grant Corbould)
Steve Crawley	....	special effects rigger (as Stephen Crawley)
Steve Crawley	....	special effects wireman (as Stephen Crawley)
Michael Dunleavy	....	prosthetics senior technician
Raymond Ferguson	....	workshop supervisor
Joseph Geday	....	special effects technician
Lahcen Harouane	....	special effects unit crew
Mark Howard II	....	special effects technician (as Mark Howard)
David Hunter	....	prosthetics workshop supervisor
Carol McAulay	....	special effects coordinator: Morocco
Roger Nichols	....	senior technician
Karl Openshaw	....	special effects technician: vfx elements
Simon Quinn	....	special effects technician
Matthew Roberts	....	special effects technician
Darren Robinson	....	prosthetics senior technician
Dave Roddham	....	special effects technician
Shaun Rutter	....	special effects senior technician
Tristan Schoonraad	....	prosthetics senior technician
Cliff Wallace	....	prosthetics workshop supervisor
Anne Marie Walters	....	special effects technician
Steven Warner	....	special effects lead technician
David Watkins	....	special effects lead technician
Barry Whitrod	....	special effects senior technician
Andy Williams	....	floor supervisor: second unit
Gareth Wingrove	....	special effects technician
Ian Wingrove	....	lead senior technician
Stuart Wishart	....	special effects technician
Alan Young	....	special effects senior technician
Alistair Anderson	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Matthew G. Armstrong	....	special effects trainee (uncredited)
Jabin Dickins	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Paul Dunn	....	special flying effects (uncredited)
Wilma Dunn	....	special effects (uncredited)
Jen Gasson	....	prosthetics coordinator (uncredited)
Danielle McAulay	....	special effects (uncredited)
Jason McCameron	....	special effects (uncredited)
Mark Meddings	....	special effects coordinator (uncredited)
Jalila Otky	....	special effects and prosthetics coordinator: Morocco (uncredited)
Dave Poole	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Lee Rider	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Simon Webber	....	special makeup effects crew (uncredited)
Conway Wickliffe	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Blondel Aidoo	....	executive producer: Asylum Visual Effects
Hani AlYousif	....	2D artist (as Hani Alyousif)
Paul Amer	....	3D artist
Marilyn Anderson	....	technical assistant manager
Laya Armian	....	visual effects coordinator: Mill Film
Murray Barber	....	2D artist
Giacomo Bargellesi	....	technical assistant: Mill Film
Steve Barnes	....	2D artist (as Steven Barnes)
Gavin Baxter	....	3D artist
Sara Bennett	....	2D artist
Hitesh Bharadia	....	3D artist: Mill Film
Rob Blue	....	Inferno artist
Christopher Bonnstetter	....	CG artist (as Pink)
Philip Borg	....	digital artist
David A.T. Bowman	....	2D artist (as Dave Bowman)
Phil Brennan	....	Inferno artist
Will Broadbent	....	CG artist: Mill Film
Bela Brozsek	....	CG artist (as Bela Brojek)
Tim Burke	....	visual effects supervisor
Lindsay Burnett	....	visual effects producer: ASYLUM
Kevin Campbell	....	software developer
Martin Chamney	....	3D artist
Isabel Cody	....	3D artist
Grant Connor	....	2D artist
Joseph Conti	....	24 frame video effects (as Joe Conti)
Paul Conti	....	24 frame video supervisor
Colin Coull	....	digital color timer: Mill Film
Stuart Cripps	....	2D artist
Brandon Criswell	....	2D artist: Asylum
Brian Cuscino	....	I/O
Enid Dalkoff	....	digital artist
Ivan DeWolf	....	CG artist (as Ivan Wolf)
Mitchell S. Drain	....	Inferno artist (as Mitch Drain)
Frederic Durand	....	3D artist
Dave Early	....	2D artist
Areito Echevarria	....	2D artist
Andy Feery	....	3D artist
Greg Fisher	....	3D artist
Lillan Gahlin	....	model artist (as Lilian Gahlin)
Elton Garcia	....	Inferno artist (as Elton John Garcia)
Adam Gascoyne	....	2D artist
Katherine Granger	....	2D artist
Kieron Helsdon	....	3D artist
Michael Hemschoot	....	CG artist
Tommy Hooper	....	head of technology
Mark Hopkins	....	2D artist
Adam Howarth	....	model supervisor: Mill Film
Michael Huber	....	technical director
Robin Huffer	....	3D artist
Laurent Hugueniot	....	CG supervisor: Mill Film
Michael Illingworth	....	2D artist
Harris Joey	....	technical assistant
David Jones	....	visual effects supervisor: Asylum (as David M. V. Jones)
Pete Jopling	....	2D artist
Kristopher Kasper	....	visual effects editor
Patrick Kavanaugh	....	2D artist: Asylum
John Kay	....	3D artist
Laurent Kermel	....	3D artist
Louise Lattimore	....	2D artist
Erik Lee	....	CG artist (as Eric Lee)
Bruno Lesieur	....	3D artist
Dan Levy	....	3D artist
Veronica Luthcke	....	2D artist
David Man	....	2D artist
Phil Man	....	Inferno artist
Peter Marin	....	2D artist (as Pete Marin)
Emma McGuinness	....	executive producer: Asylum
Nathan McGuinness	....	visual effects supervisor: Asylum
Steve Muangman	....	video
Steve Murgatroyd	....	2D artist
Marc Nanjo	....	2D artist: Asylum
Emma Norton	....	visual effects producer
Paul Oakley	....	digital artist: tracking
Jeff Olm	....	Inferno artist
Alex G. Ortoll	....	Inferno artist (as Alex Ortoll)
Simon Payne	....	digital artist: Mill Film
Craig Penn	....	3D artist
Joseph Pepper	....	3D artist
David Phillips	....	2D artist (as Dave Phillips)
Mark Pinheiro	....	2D artist
Ian Plumb	....	2D artist
Dagan Potter	....	digital artist
Mark P. Renton	....	Inferno artist (as Mark Renton)
John Roberts-Cox	....	3D artist (as John Robert Cox)
Richard Roberts	....	2D artist
Susi Roper	....	production supervisor: Mill Film
Alex Rothwell	....	3D artist
Craig Rowe	....	technical assistant
David Santiago	....	CG artist
Gunther Schatz	....	CG artist
John Schoonraad	....	assistant prosthetics supervisor
Mark Scott	....	24 frame video engineer (as Mark I. Scott)
Ira Shain	....	CG artist
Dan Sheerin	....	3D artist
Robin Shenfield	....	executive producer: Mill Film
Pete Smith	....	2D artist
Pete Smith	....	2D artist
Simon Stanley-Clamp	....	digital supervisor: Mill Film
Andy Stevens	....	visual effects camera assistant: Millfilm
Roland Stevenson	....	prosthetics head sculptor
Olcun Tan	....	3D artist
Marty Taylor	....	Inferno artist
Eric Texier	....	3D artist
Ben Turner	....	2D artist
Lars Vinther	....	visual effects editor: Mill Film
Niki Wakefield	....	2D artist
Val Wardlaw	....	3D artist
Rebecca Waters	....	3D artist
Jeff Werner	....	CG producer: Asylum
Gabriel White	....	3D artist
Yuichiro Yamashita	....	CG artist
John Attard	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)
Travis Baumann	....	Inferno artist (uncredited)
Susanne Becker	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Damien Cheetham	....	post production engineer: Mill Film (uncredited)
David Crawford	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Gregory Creaser	....	digital timing supervisor: Digiscope (uncredited)
Sabine Kertscher	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Candice Scott	....	Inferno artist: Asylum (uncredited)
Bret St. Clair	....	technical director (uncredited)

Stunts
Pavel Bezdek	....	stunts
Ales Bousi	....	stunts
John Collett	....	stunts
Eugene Collier	....	stunts
Gergely Csolle	....	stunts
Eric Etje	....	stunts
Jiri First	....	stunts (as Jiri Firt)
Michal Grün	....	stunts (as Michal Grun)
Rene Hajek	....	stunts
Jan Holicek	....	stunts
Peter Hric	....	stunts
Rob Inch	....	stunts
Charles Ingram	....	stunts
Roman Jankovic	....	stunts
Jindrich Klaus	....	stunts (as Klaus Jindrich)
Rastislav Kotula	....	stunts (as Ratislav Kotula)
Miroslav Lhotka	....	stunts
Gabriel Manja	....	stunts
Branislav Martinak	....	stunts
Anderson Martin	....	assistant stunt coordinator (as Andy Martin)
Lubomir Misak	....	stunts
Phil Neilson	....	stunt coordinator (as Phil Nielson)
Louis-Marie Nyee	....	stunts
Peter Olgyay	....	stunts
Tomas Peterac	....	stunts
Jan Petrina	....	stunts
Austin Priester	....	stunts
Jaroslav Psenicka	....	stunts
Stanislav Satko	....	stunts
Marek Toth	....	stunts
Martin 'Mato' Uhrovcik	....	stunts (as Martin Uhrovik)
Miroslav Valka	....	stunts
Keith Woulard	....	stunt coordinator: second unit
Radek Bruna	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lance Gilbert	....	stunt double: Josh Hartnett (uncredited)
Jiri Horky	....	stunts (uncredited)
Rob Inch	....	stunt double: Ewan Mcgregor (uncredited)
Chuck Jeffreys	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dimo Liptkovsky	....	stunt double: Blackburn (uncredited)
Jan Petrina	....	stunt double: Brian Van Holt, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
David Appleby	....	key grip
Sidney Ray Baldwin	....	still photographer (as Sidney Baldwin)
Stefan Baur	....	camera technician
Najib Ben Fares	....	best boy electrician: Morocco (as M. Najib Benfares)
Dean Brkic	....	key rigging electrician
Fionn Comerford	....	second assistant camera
Lester Dunton	....	video assist
Abdellatif El Ansary	....	camera loader: Morocco (as Abdellatif Ansary)
Khalil El M'Charki	....	camera assistant: Morocco (as Khalil El Mcherqui)
Lahcen Herraf	....	grip
Ronald Hersey	....	camera operator: second unit (as Ron Hersey)
Henryk Jedynak	....	first assistant camera
Samir Kadric	....	rigging electrician
Michael Kelem	....	aerial camera operator
Martin Kenzie	....	camera operator
Cyril Kuhnholtz	....	key grip: second unit (as Cyril Kuhmholtz)
Jacek Kurowski	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Hans Lehner	....	remote head technician
John Marzano	....	aerial director of photography
Daniele Massaccesi	....	Steadicam operator
Daniele Massaccesi	....	camera operator
Zoran Mikincic	....	Steadicam operator: second unit
Clyde Miller	....	technician: Wescam
Marek Modzelewski	....	chief lighting technician
Marek Modzelewski	....	gaffer
Michael Müller	....	dolly grip
Phil Murray	....	second grip
Imad Rechiche	....	camera loader: Morocco
Imad Rechiche	....	second assistant camera
Abdelghami Rifki	....	key grip: Morocco (as Rifki Abdelghani)
Marco Sacerdoti	....	first assistant camera
Basil Smith	....	second assistant camera
Zeljko Vrscak	....	rigging best boy
Charlie Woodburn	....	first assistant camera: aerial unit
Gregory Paul Collier	....	aerial assistant camera (uncredited)
Dylan Jones	....	camera trainee (uncredited)
Branko Knez	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Mateusz Kuzniak	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Gabriel Levy	....	camera trainee (uncredited)
Jamie Mills	....	electrician (uncredited)
Gil Pannetier	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Walter Ramirez	....	second assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
Nenad Sokac	....	camera grip (uncredited)
Iain Struthers	....	clapper loader: "a" camera (uncredited)
Martin Ward	....	video playback operator: second unit (uncredited)
John Watters	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera (uncredited)
Ben Wilson	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Marc Wolff	....	camera pilot (uncredited)

Casting Department
Salah Benchegra	....	casting assistant: Morocco
Jose Cabrera	....	casting assistant
Billy Dowd	....	extras casting (as William F. Dowd)
Billy Dowd	....	local casting (as William F. Dowd)
Meagan Lewis	....	casting assistant
Gora Mbaye	....	casting assistant: Morocco
Suzanne Smith	....	casting: UK (as Suzanne M. Smith)
Seth Yanklewitz	....	casting associate
Chris Bustard	....	extras casting: Los Angeles (uncredited)
Lucy Townsend	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Darryl M. Athons	....	costume coordinator (as Darryl Athons)
Abderrahim Benkhayi	....	wardrobe assistant
Philip Goldsworthy	....	wardrobe assistant
Dianne Murphy	....	costumer (as Diane Murphy)
Neil Murphy	....	costumer
Dana Schondelmeyer	....	wardrobe supervisor
Abdelkrim Akallach	....	wardrobe supervisor: crowd (uncredited)
Stephanie Paul	....	costume assistant (uncredited)
Nicholas Roche-Gordon	....	wardrobe assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Valerio Bonelli	....	assistant editor
Jim Conrads	....	post-production coordinator
Robert Drwila	....	assistant editor
Tami Goldman	....	post-production coordinator (as Tami R. Goldman)
Andrew Haigh	....	assistant editor
Karen Hurley	....	apprentice editor
Bob Kaiser	....	color timer (as Robert Kaiser)
Michael Reynolds	....	first assistant editor
Billy Rich	....	apprentice editor
Steven R. Sacks	....	assistant editor (as Steven Sacks)
Wesley Sewell	....	associate editor (as Wes Sewell)
Rex M. Teese	....	apprentice editor (as Rex Teese)
Chisako Yokoyama	....	first assistant editor
Jonathan Poirier	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Bob Badami	....	music supervisor
Michael Brook	....	musician: guitar
Monica Ciafardini	....	music clearances
Al Clay	....	score recordist
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor
James Dooley	....	musician: BHD (as Jim Dooley)
Clay Duncan	....	musician: BHD
Craig Eastman	....	musician: featured violin, electric violin, slide guitar and hurdy gurdy
Ilan Eshkeri	....	musician: BHD
Michael Fisher	....	musician: BHD (as Mike Fisher)
John Fitzgerald	....	musician: BHD
Bruce Fowler	....	orchestrator
Walt Fowler	....	musician: BHD
Brian Kilgore	....	musician: BHD
Malcolm Luker	....	score recordist (as Mal Luker)
Baaba Mall	....	featured vocalist (as Baaba Maal)
Sam Maloney	....	musician: BHD
Alan Meyerson	....	score mixer
Kathy Nelson	....	music supervisor
Heitor Pereira	....	musician: guitar
Satnam Ramgotra	....	musician: BHD
Del Spiva	....	assistant music editor
Marc Streitenfeld	....	music editor
Ali Tavallali	....	musician: BHD
Martin Tillman	....	musician: cello
Greg Townley	....	score recordist
Mel Wesson	....	ambient music designer
Kevin Blumenfeld	....	music intern (uncredited)
Michael Brook	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Peter Doell	....	music score recording engineer (uncredited)
Craig Eastman	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Tobias Enhus	....	composer: additional score (uncredited)
Elizabeth Finch	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)
Steve Juliani	....	music preparation (uncredited)
Jason Lloyd	....	scoring crew (uncredited)
Yvonne S. Moriarty	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)
Sunny Park	....	music production manager (uncredited)
Heitor Pereira	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Dylan Quirt	....	apprentice music editor (uncredited)
John Rodd	....	orchestral scoring recordist (uncredited)
Martin Tillman	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Lia Vollack	....	executive in charge of music: Columbia Pictures (uncredited)
Hans Zimmer	....	conductor (uncredited)
Hans Zimmer	....	musician: keyboards (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Said Andam	....	transportation office manager: Morocco
Driss Benchhiba	....	transportation coordinator
Mike Booys	....	assistant action vehicle coordinator: second unit
Ravi Dube	....	transportation captain
Waldron Lamora	....	action vehicle coordinator: second unit (as Waldron LaMora)
David Pash	....	transportation captain
Dave Robling	....	transportation captain (as David Robling)
Khalid Ameskane	....	transportation assistant (uncredited)
Jimmy Carruthers	....	facilities driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Mohamed Essaghir Aabach	....	crowd marshall: Morocco
Kirby Adams	....	payroll accountant
Damian Anderson	....	assistant production coordinator
Lee Van Arsdale	....	military consultant (as Colonel Lee Van Arsdale USA Retired)
Simon Atherton	....	master armorer
Orna Banarie	....	assistant: Mr. Bruckheimer
Rosie Bedford-Stradling	....	first aid: second unit
Tarik Ait Ben Ali	....	production assistant
Vanessa Bendetti	....	researcher
Robert L. Bennett Jr.	....	assistant: Mr. Zimmer (as Robert Bennett)
Kimberley Ann Berdy	....	production coordinator: Los Angeles
Milena Bono	....	shipping coordinator
Samir Bounit	....	controller of Morocco labor: Morocco
Mark Bowden	....	consultant
Kaz Boyle	....	assistant: Mr. Zimmer
Andrea Bruce	....	assistant: Mr. Bruckheimer
Michal Bukojemski	....	video tap
Sandra Butterworth	....	dialect coach
John K. Campbell	....	assistant: Mr. Bruckheimer
Houssna Choukri	....	assistant: Mr. Souissi, Morocco
Toby E. Cook	....	production assistant
Steve Cummings	....	armorer
Merrilee Dale	....	location accountant
Tommy Dunne	....	armorer
Karim Elamri	....	production translator: Morocco
Colonel El Jaouhari	....	military advisor: Morocco
Pierre Ellul	....	set production assistant
Carla Ferroni	....	travel coordinator
Francisco Paco Garcia	....	helicopter pilot
Jose Garretta	....	helicopter pilot
Captain Nabil Ghiadi	....	military advisor: Morocco
Donna Glasser-Hancock	....	production accountant (as Donna Glasser)
Jerry Grayson	....	helicopter pilot
Nicky Gregory	....	first aid
Alan Hausmann	....	armorer
Bart Hendrickson	....	samples coordinator
Jonathan Hook	....	base camp manager
Harry Humphries	....	technical advisor
Sally Jones	....	script supervisor
Dragan Josipovic	....	military liaison: Morocco (as Dragan Josipovic Joss)
Dennis Kenyon	....	helicopter pilot
Nick Komornicki	....	armorer
Fatima Laaouina	....	production translator: Morocco
Diana E. Latham	....	aerial military coordinator (as Diana Latham)
Ernst W. Laurel	....	assistant accountant (as Ernest Laurel)
David B. Leener	....	product placement
Milly Leigh	....	assistant: Mr. Scott
Rafael Lima	....	assistant production coordinator
Jennifer P. Luther	....	first assistant accountant
Nicole Luther	....	second assistant accountant
Marielle Magne	....	production assistant
Domenico Mancino	....	blacksmith (as Memmo)
Domenico Mancino	....	blacksmith
Colonel Thomas Matthews	....	military consultant (as Colonel Thomas Matthews, USA Retired)
Major Thomas McCollum	....	technical advisor: DOD USASOC (as Major Tom McCollum, USA)
Zoe Morgan	....	assistant script supervisor
Trevor Morris	....	assistant: Hans Zimmer
Grégoire Mouveau	....	location facilities manager (as Gregoire Mouveau)
Melissa Muik	....	assistant: Mr. Zimmer
Moanike'ala Nakamoto	....	assistant: Mr. Zimmer
Khalid Nekmouche	....	location manager: Morocco
John Nixon	....	armorer
Stephen North	....	aerial safety coordinator (as Stephen J. North)
Dr. Celine Dechanet Painchaux	....	set medic: Morocco
Tracy Pakulniewicz	....	operations: JBF
David Paris	....	aerial coordinator
Milena Boni Parodi	....	shipping coordinator
Anil Patadé	....	construction accountant (as Anil Patade)
Wynn Petersen	....	production: Jerry Bruckheimer Films
Philip Pickford	....	aerial safety coordinator: second unit
Nada Pinter	....	script supervisor: second unit
Ryan Posly	....	assistant: Mr. Bruckheimer
Ian Quiles	....	production assistant
Sven Reinhard	....	assistant accountant
Robin Reitman	....	first assistant accountant
Branko Repalust	....	armorer
Petr Richter	....	webbing master
Trevor Rochester	....	armorer
Patrick Michael Roddam	....	production assistant
Freddy Rosenkranz	....	helicopter pilot
Steve Rosen	....	trainer
India Salvy-Guide	....	production assistant
Ibtisame Semmar	....	assistant accountant: Morocco
Burton Sharp	....	adr group coordinator (as Burt Sharp)
Neville Shulman	....	special advisor: Mr. Scott
Olaf Shumacher	....	helicopter pilot
Michael Singer	....	unit publicist
Mark Somner	....	base camp manager
Justin Sperandeo	....	assistant: Mr. Bruckheimer
Dana Suman	....	production assistant
Widad Taha	....	production secretary: Morocco
Keni Thomas	....	technical advisor
Omar Tisli	....	crowd marshall: Morocco
Aminta Townshend	....	assistant: Mr. Lustig
Mary Viola	....	assistant: Mr. Oman
Beth Vitallo	....	assistant: Mr. Scott
Ed Walton	....	assistant: Mr. Stenson
Kim Whittaker	....	production assistant
Marc Wolff	....	aerial coordinator
Michelle Wraight	....	prosthetics crew
Mark Wyndham	....	assistant: armorer
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	helicopter pilot (as Bobby Zajonc)
Mustapha Adidou	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Mir Bahmanyar	....	researcher: military (uncredited)
Dan Camins	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)
Joni Cuquet	....	field publicist (uncredited)
Chris Edgerly	....	additional voices (uncredited)
Mark Eshelman	....	scoring stage manager: Sony (uncredited)
Gabriela Gutentag	....	marketing consultant (uncredited)
Charles Heaphy	....	production financing (uncredited)
Baron Jay	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Baron Jay	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Jason Lloyd	....	scoring stage manager: Sony (uncredited)
Matt L. Lockhart	....	assistant: Alan Meyerson (uncredited)
Phillip Rapagna	....	voice looping (uncredited)
Norman Campbell Rees	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Davide Sacchetti	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Issa Zaroui	....	location manager (uncredited)

Thanks
Philip M. Strub	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Revolution Studios
• Jerry Bruckheimer Films
• Scott Free Productions (in association with)

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2001) (worldwide) (all media)
• Columbia Pictures (2001-2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2002) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Cascade Film (2002) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors (2002) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2002) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2002) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España (2002) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Italia (2002) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Constantin-Filmverleih (2002) (Austria) (theatrical)
• FS Film Oy (2002) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Falcon (2002) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Myndform (2002) (Iceland) (theatrical)
• SF Film (2002) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• SF Norge A/S (2002) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Senator Film (2002) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2002) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2002) (Poland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Yorin (2005) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Asylum VFX (visual effects)
• Mill Films (I) (visual effects)
• Special Effects UK
• Thousand Monkeys (visual effects)
• Visual Effects Company, The (as The Mill) (motion control)

Other Companies

• Hyperactive Broadcast  editing equipment (UK)
• 3rd Cinematografica  services: Morocco
• ARRI München  camera systems: grip and electric equipment
• Animotion  motion capture services
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies
• BHD Band  additional score cues performed by
• Buena Vista Negative Cutting  negative cutting
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Decca Records  soundtrack published by
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Flying Pictures  aerial filming services provided by
• Gearbox Sound and Vision  additional ProTools systems supplied by
• Joe Dunton & Company  video assist equipment
• Media Ventures  score recording facility
• Pivotal Post  Avid editing equipment provided by
• Rafael Catering  catering and craft service
• Scarlet Letters  end titles
• Societe Manzeh Diafa  catering and craft service: Morocco
• Sony Pictures Studios  orchestra score recording facility
• Sony Studios  score recording facility
• Soundelux  post-production sound services
• Todd-AO Studios (West)  re-recording stage services
• UMG Soundtracks  soundtrack published by

Also Known As:

La caída del halcón negro (Argentina) (Colombia) (Mexico) (Peru) [es]
Black Hawk Down (Austria) (Germany) [de]
La chute du faucon noir (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
A sólyom végveszélyben (Hungary) [hu]
Black Hawk derribado (Spain) [es]
Falcão Negro em Perigo (Brazil) [pt]
Helikopter w ogniu (Poland) [pl]
Isku Mogadishuun (Finland) [fi]
Kara sahin düstü (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Mavro geraki - I katarripsi (Greece) [el]
Pad crnog jastreba (Serbia) [sr]

MPAA:

Rated R for intense, realistic, graphic war violence, and for language.

Runtime:

144 min | Germany:142 min | USA:152 min (extended version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Somali

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS (8 channels)

Certification:

Malaysia:18SG | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Portugal:M/16 | India:A | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA (re-rating on appeal) | Australia:R (original rating) | Brazil:14 | Canada:18A | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #38095) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Kénitra Airbase, Morocco

Company:

Revolution Studios

Trivia:

On the last day of their week long Army Ranger orientation at Fort Benning, the actors who portrayed the Rangers received a letter which had been anonymously slipped under their door. The letter thanked them for all their hard work, and asked them to "tell our story true", signed with the names of the Rangers who died in the Mogadishu firefight.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: While evacuating prisoners, McKnight's voice is very obviously overdubbed, as Sizemore's mouth appears to be saying something completely different from what is heard.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dan Busch: There. Technicals, nine o'clock.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Auf Wiedersehen, Pet: Au Revoir: Part 1 (#5.1)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Right Turn

One of the best war movies of all time

When talking about war movies, there are many great ones that immediately spring to mind. Since the 70's, three of them have formed a bit of a holy trinity: Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now, Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, and Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. These three movies have set the bar for all other war movies that have come along since then. When it was announced that Gladiator director, Ridley Scott, would be adapting Mark Bowden's book, Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War, filmgoers knew that they would be in for a treat.

For whatever reason, I don't remember hearing much about the civil war in Somalia or about the Battle of Mogadishu on which Black Hawk Down is based. The plan seemed simple enough: the Army is sent into Somalia by the government to try to put an end to the Civil War. On October 3, 1993, a group of them were sent on a quick mission to capture the Somali warlord that had been running the country with an iron fist. It didn't take long for the operation to go completely FUBAR as two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down. Things went from bad to worse, as the Rangers found themselves surrounded by thousands of armed Somalis, whose only goal was to shoot any American soldier that invaded their space. After "stirring up the hornet's nest", the mission becomes a desperate attempt to maintain the Rangers motto, "Leave No Man Behind".

Needless to say, Ridley Scott has made the ultimate war movie with Black Hawk Down. Unlike some war films that temper the battle with slower character-building sequences, you have to wait only thirty minutes for the Rangers' mission to go into effect. And the action doesn't stop for the next two hours, as the rest of the movie is filled with flying bullets, explosions and bloodshed. The fighting is so chaotic that it is hard to follow the action and tell what is happening, at times, and it becomes almost too easy to become desensitized to the violence. By the third time someone yells "RPG's!" though, the entire audience knows to duck and cover their ears.

While the American soldiers go in with a solid plan, it doesn't take long for panic to set in, and pretty soon, you're not sure which side is more disorganized. It's amazing to watch what seems like thousands of extras playing the Somali militia swarming over the soldiers, and the action and camerawork is reminiscent of a video game as the soldiers try to escape their precarious situation through the streets of Mogadishu. As the movie progresses, the tension continues to build as the grim and unrelenting hopelessness of the situation sets in both for the soldiers and the viewer.

It's pretty amazing how much has been made of the 19 downed American soldiers when over 1000 Somali men, women, and children were killed during the raid. While the movie is clearly weighed towards the American perspective, I can't imagine how it must have felt to be the guy who gets to play "Dead Somali with a Gun #354".

Although characterization has always been used extensively in war movies to get the viewer to care about the characters, Black Hawk Down works better because, for the most part, the soldiers are personified as little more than grunts in the field doing the bidding of their superiors. At least the soldiers had their names taped to their helmets, so that this didn't have the problem of some war movies, where it's sometimes hard to tell who is who. Some of the best performances of the film come from Tom Sizemore as the gung-ho Lt. McKnight and Josh Hartnett, who plays the sergeant who leads the mission and feels personal guilt every time a man is lost. Sam Shepard also is excellent as Major General William Garrison, who sits back in the safe zone watching his doomed men be overpowered by the enemy. Eric Bana's part is small, but he has some of the best lines in the film, really driving home the point of why soldiers do what they do. Ewan McGregor's role is even more minor and insignificant, but his Trainspotting compatriot, Ewen Bremner offers the movie's little bit of comic relief.

As expected in a Ridley Scott film, the visuals and camerawork are stunning with the movie having a gray almost monochromatic look that makes the orange flames and red blood really stand out. As is typical in Scott's recent movies, there is lots of flying dust, rubble and debris mixed with slow motion shots of falling bullet casings and splattered blood. He also uses animals and non-military personnel well in some of the shots to show that this firefight is happening in the middle of a populated market district.

A big deal has been made out of the blood and gore in Black Hawk Down, but what is any true war movie without it? Though most of the graphic violence on display is not far beyond Saving Private Ryan, there is at least one visceral sequence that will make most people squeamish, unless they watch those operation shows on The Learning Channel for entertainment. Black Hawk Down is quite an achievement in creating a realistic representation of an event in recent history. Most of this movie leaves the viewer aghast and incredulous of what they're watching, and it's hard to believe that something like this could possibly happen. Technically, this movie is an amazing feat that gives the viewer one of the most realistic impressions of what it would feel like to be in the middle of a war, which makes the atrocities of the event seem all the more real.

In a genre that has brought out some of the best in directors and actors, Black Hawk Down is easily the best war movie ever made, and it has replaced A Beautiful Mind as my candidate for Best Picture and Director.

Rating: 10 out of 10