Live from Baghdad (2002) (TV)

Director:

Mick Jackson

Writers (WGA):

Robert Wiener (book)
Robert Wiener (teleplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

7 December 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

The Gulf War, 1991. No story is worth dying for - but this was the story of a lifetime.

Plot:

A group of CNN reporters wrestle with journalistic ethics and the life-and-death perils of reporting during the Gulf War.

Plot Keywords:

Cnn | Gulf War | Baghdad | Iraq | Saddam Hussein

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 7 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Michael Keaton	...	Robert Wiener
Helena Bonham Carter	...	Ingrid Formanek
Joshua Leonard	...	Mark Biello
Lili Taylor	...	Judy Parker
David Suchet	...	Naji Al-Hadithi
Bruce McGill	...	Peter Arnett
Michael Murphy	...	Tom Johnson
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Ed Turner
Hamish Linklater	...	Richard Roth
Michael Cudlitz	...	Tom Murphy
Robert Wisdom	...	Bernard Shaw
Pamela Sinha	...	Fatima (as Pamela Sinna)
Clark Gregg	...	Eason Jordan
Matt Keeslar	...	Nic Robertson
Kurt Fuller	...	Inky
Mark Arnott	...	Bob Furnad
Inny Clemons	...	CNN Deskman
Chet Grissom	...	Will King
John Carroll Lynch	...	John Holliman
Val Lauren	...	CNN Technician
Kymberly Newberry	...	Secretary (as Kimberly S. Newberry)
Kurt Hargan	...	CNN Control Room Manager
Paul Tranghese	...	CNN Stage Manager
Emily Rose Debinie	...	CNN Office Girl
Tom Amandes	...	Joe Erlichman
Thomas Crawford	...	Nigel Babcock
David Kaye	...	Ben Dupont
James Waterston	...	Eric
Bill Moseley	...	Rex
Roy Werner	...	Bob
Jimmy Palumbo	...	News Producer
John Ciccolini	...	1st Journalist
Andrew Borba	...	2nd Journalist
Jack Armstrong	...	3rd Journalist
Will Radford	...	British Journalist #1
Kevin Brief	...	Singing Brit #2
Steven Houska	...	British Journalist #3
Daniel Deca	...	British Journalist #4
David Shatraw	...	Joe Wilson
Murphy Dunne	...	Bob Vinton
Lee Dawson	...	Raymond Page
Peter Jason	...	Stu
Michael James Kacey	...	American Hostage #1
Craig Anton	...	American Hostage #2
Jason Antoon	...	Mr. Mazin
Carole Davis	...	Mrs. Awatiff (as Carole Raphaelle Davis)
Shaun Toub	...	Sadoun Al-Jenabi
Brian George	...	Al Rasheed Manager
Mahryah Shain	...	Al Rasheed Waiter
Joel Swetow	...	Taxi Driver
Rafael Petrosian	...	Soldier
Alan De Satti	...	Iraqi Guard #1 (as Alan DeSatti)
Homic Dordodian	...	Iraqi Guard #2
Ofer Samra	...	Iraqi Bomb Shelter Guard
Jay Harik	...	Sadam's Translator
David Franco	...	Saddam's Security Man
Jerry Haleva	...	Saddam Hussein
Cos Dellin	...	Italian Cashier
Castulo Guerra	...	Kuwaiti Doctor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jack Armstrong	...	Reporter
Daniel Beer	...	Singing Brit #4
Ammar Daraiseh
Homie Doroodian	...	Iraqi Guard #2
Ofea Samaa	...	Iraqi Bomb Shelter Guard
Toufig Tulsiram	...	Voices (as toufiq touzene)
Nayirah al-Sabah	...	Herself - testifies about incubator babies (archive footage) (uncredited)
Tariq Aziz	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Kevin Bacon	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
James Baker III	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Tom Brokaw	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
George Bush	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Dick Cheney	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Tom Foley	...	Himself - in Saudi Arabia behind George Bush (archive footage) (uncredited)
Saddam Hussein	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Peter Jennings	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Ted Koppel	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Dan Rather	...	Himself - with Saddam Hussein (archive footage) (uncredited)
Bernard Shaw	...	Himself - interviews Saddam Hussein, reverse angle (archive footage) (uncredited)
Fred Ward	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Mick Jackson

Writing credits (WGA)
Robert Wiener		(book)
Robert Wiener		(teleplay) &
Richard Chapman		(teleplay) and
John Patrick Shanley		(teleplay) and
Timothy J. Sexton		(teleplay)

Produced by
Richard Chapman	....	co-producer
Sara Colleton	....	executive producer
Juanita F. Diana	....	associate producer (as Juanita Diana Feeney)
Thomas D. Herman	....	co-producer
Geyer Kosinski	....	executive producer
George W. Perkins	....	producer
Rosalie Swedlin	....	executive producer
Robert Wiener	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Steve Jablonsky

Cinematography by
Ivan Strasburg

Film Editing by
Joe Hutshing

Casting by
John Papsidera

Production Design by
Richard Hoover

Art Direction by
Ahmed Abounouom
Matthew C. Jacobs

Set Decoration by
Brian Kasch

Costume Design by
Louise Frogley

Makeup Department
Mustaque M. Ashrafi	....	makeup artist (as Mustaq Ashrafi)
Suzan Bagdadi	....	hair stylist
Amina Ben Cherki	....	hair stylist: Morocco
David Forrest	....	makeup department head (as David Craig Forrest)
Mary L. Mastro	....	hair stylist: Michael Keaton
Susan Mills	....	hair department head
Sian Richards	....	hair supervisor: Morocco
Majdouline Rimmel	....	makeup artist: Morocco (as Majdouune Remmal)
Robert Ryan	....	makeup artist: Michael Keaton
Latifa Souihi Maadani	....	makeup artist: Morocco (as Latifa Souihli)

Production Management
Karim Abouobayd	....	production manager: Morocco
Marco Giacalone	....	unit manager: Morocco
Charles Skouras III	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sally Sue Beisel	....	second second assistant director
Tarik Ait Ben Ali	....	second second assistant director: Morocco
Yann Mari Faget	....	key second assistant director: Morocco
Ahmed Hatimi	....	first assistant director: Morocco
Zinedine Ibnou Jabal	....	second assistant director: Morocco (as Zine-Eddine Ibnou Jabal)
Kristen Ploucha	....	second assistant director (as Kristen M. Ploucha)
Liz Radley	....	second unit director
Mary Ellen Woods	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Ahmed 'Jimmy' Abounduom	....	art director: Morocco
Shauna Aronson	....	art department production assistant
Jenny Baum	....	on-set dresser
Richard Bennett	....	conceptual art
Gene Bowen	....	foreman (as Gene C. Bowen)
Dianne Chadwick	....	graphic designer
Harry Conrad Chitwood	....	construction coordinator (as Conrad Chitwood)
Joe Couillard	....	stand-by painter (as 'Moe' Joe Couillard)
Jay Durrwachter	....	assistant art director
Ouassel El Kilali	....	props: Morocco
Lisa Fischer	....	set decorator: Morocco
Neil Gahn	....	foreman
Robert Hale	....	paint foreman
Aziz Hamichi	....	assistant to art director
Aziz Hamichi	....	props buyer: Morocco
John Hill	....	set dresser
Ronald O. Jaynes	....	locations foreman (as Ronny Jaynes)
Brian Johnson	....	assistant production designer (as Brian A. Johnson)
Terry Kempf	....	office foreman
Kim Kirschbaum	....	paint foreman
Mustapha Ait Lancen	....	stand-by props
Christopher A. Madrid	....	labor foreman
Tim Mallory	....	assistant property master
Patrick J. Martin	....	foreman (as Patrick Martin)
Aziz Mhand	....	props
Walt Mikolwski	....	construction foreman
Walt Mikolwski	....	propmaker foreman
Nick Milner	....	props: Morocco
Gene Molnar	....	leadman
Bryce Moore	....	assistant property master
Roy 'Bucky' Moore	....	property master
Ahmed Nacy	....	chief carpenter: Morocco
Andy Nicholson	....	supervising art director: Morocco
El Hassan Oubbane	....	props: Morocco
Steve Payne	....	props: Morocco
Aziz Rafiq	....	assistant production designer
Mark Rohde	....	set dresser
Steve Roll	....	propmaker
Brian Russo	....	assistant property master
Karen Steward	....	assistant art director
Gyula Toth	....	set dresser
Rosemary Tupta	....	buyer
Stuart Watnick	....	set dresser
Christine Youngstrom	....	art department coordinator

Sound Department
Rick Ash	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ken Beauchene	....	utility sound
Michael J. Broomberg	....	foley artist
Alfonso Calvo	....	sound dubbing mixer
Jean L. Clark	....	boom operator (as Jean Clark)
Lisle Engle	....	sound editor
Victor Ray Ennis	....	first assistant sound editor
Greg Hedgepath	....	sound editor
Daniel S. Irwin	....	sound editor (as Daniel Irwin)
Adam Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Larry Kemp	....	sound editor
Diane Marshall	....	foley artist
Jon Mete	....	sound editor
Glenn T. Morgan	....	supervising sound editor
Kelly Oxford	....	sound editor
Michelle Pazer	....	sound editor (as Michelle Pazar)
Scott Sanders	....	sound effects editor
Gregg Silk	....	assistant sound engineer (as Gregg W. Silk)
Unsun Song	....	sound recordist
Frederick H. Stahly	....	sound editor (as Frederick Stahly)
James M. Tanenbaum	....	production sound mixer (as Jim Tanenbaum)
Jon Title	....	sound effects editor
Drew Webster	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ben Wilkins	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Al Broussard	....	special effects coordinator (as Alfred P. Broussard)
Matt DiSarro	....	special effects technician
Scott Inoue	....	special effects foreman (as Scott Y. Inoue)
Mark Koivu	....	special effects pyrotechnician
Matt Kutcher	....	special effects supervisor
Thomas Rasada	....	special effects technician
Rosario Reyes-Kutcher	....	special effects coordinator
Larry Roberts	....	special effects technicians
Mustapha Steila	....	special effects coordinator: Morocco
Kenneth Van Order	....	special effects technician (as Ken Van Order)
Arnold J. Verbiesen	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Camille Cellucci	....	visual effects producer
Jonathan Keeton	....	visual effects supervisor
Anastacia Maggioncalda	....	visual effects producer (as Anastacia Feldman)
Tom Mahoney	....	digital artist
Steven Meyer	....	digital compositor
Mike Pemberton	....	video technical assistant
Katrina Salicrup	....	digital artist
Edward L. Williams	....	visual effects producer (as Eddie Williams)

Stunts
Michael Adams	....	stunts (as Mike Adams)
Faycal Attougui	....	stunts
Michael Cassidy	....	stunt coordinator (as Mike Cassidy)
Loren Dennis	....	stunts
Gérard Lesage	....	stunt driver
Philippe Losson	....	stunt driver
Kurt D. Lott	....	stunts (as Kurt Lott)
Bob Minor	....	stunts
Cedric Proust	....	stunt driver
Anthony G. Schmidt	....	stunts (as Anthony Schmidt)

Camera and Electrical Department
Chris Ahern	....	set lighting technician (as Christopher Ahern)
Lloyd Barcroft	....	grip
Ben Beaird	....	key grip
David Berryman	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (as David 'Clean' Berryman)
Colin J. Campbell	....	gaffer (as Colin Campbell)
Glenn Cannon	....	24 frame video engineer
Steven D. Castaneda	....	set lighting technician
Brian Cazan	....	grip
Andrew Cooper	....	still photographer: Morocco
Chris Cuevas	....	second assistant camera: additional camera
Bernie Druckman	....	24 frame video engineer
Mitch Dubin	....	camera operator
Kevin 'Rambo' Fitzgerald	....	best boy grip
Neil Fleischbein	....	best boy grip
Harold Groshon	....	best boy (as Hal Groshon)
Kris Guthrie	....	grip
Steve Irwin	....	24 frame video engineer
Ross Judd	....	Steadicam operator
Ross Judd	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Nick Liampetchakul	....	grip
Pat Liampetchakul	....	dolly grip
Giulio Magnolia	....	camera loader
John Mang	....	dolly grip
Simon Oliver	....	second assistant camera
Jorge Sánchez	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Paul Saylor	....	grip
Steven H. Smith	....	camera operator
Mark Strasburg	....	first assistant camera
John H. Taylor Jr.	....	set lighting technician
Merie Weismiller Wallace	....	still photographer (as Merie W. Wallace)
Shawn Whelan	....	key grip
R. Michael Yope	....	set lighting technician (as Michael Yope)

Casting Department
L.A. Maddos	....	adr voice casting
Wendy O'Brien	....	casting associate
Kathleen Tomasik	....	casting assistant
Vanessa Portillo	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Said Ghaine	....	costumer: Morocco
April Krueger	....	set costumer
Deborah Latham	....	set costumer (as Deborah Latham Binkley)
Ann Miller	....	set costumer (as Ann Marie Miller)
Christine Orth	....	costumer
Leila Oumami	....	costumer: Morocco (as Laila Oumami)
Richard Schoen	....	costume supervisor
Dana Schondelmeyer	....	costume supervisor: Morocco

Editorial Department
Randy L. Anderson	....	color timer
David Bilow	....	post-production assistant
Arthur Coburn	....	additional editor
Christina Kim	....	post-production coordinator
Richard Perkins	....	assistant editor
Jim Sevin	....	editor: video (as James Laurence Sevin)
Kathy Thomson	....	final color timer
Fulvio Valsangiacomo	....	assistant editor
Craig White	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
James Bladon	....	supervising music editor
P.J. Bloom	....	associate music supervisor
Evyen Klean	....	music supervisor
Malcolm Luker	....	scoring mixer
Hugh Marsh	....	musician: violin
Melissa Muik	....	score recordist
Jay B. Richardson	....	music editor
Bruno Roussel	....	music editor
Martin Tillman	....	soloist: cello
Geoff Zanelli	....	composer: additional music
Hans Zimmer	....	executive music producer

Transportation Department
Mohamed Rachid Ahattas	....	driver: Mick Jackson: Morocco
Mustapha Ismaili Alaoui	....	assistant transportation manager: Morocco
Jalal Aziz	....	assistant transportation manager: Morocco
Glenn Coopersmith	....	driver
Bo Ehrig	....	transportation coordinator
David Frederick	....	driver
Jeffrey R. Gold	....	driver
Barry E. Golob	....	driver
Michael Helgesen	....	driver
Randall D. Krasomil	....	driver
Joseph Napoli	....	driver
Steve Polon	....	transportation captain (as Steven W. Polon)
Hicham Regragui	....	transportation manager: Morocco
Abdelhadi Rejraji	....	driver: producers, Morocco
Alan Stepp	....	driver
Jenny Tallent	....	transportation assistant
Patrick Tousignant	....	driver
Bob Wachs	....	driver
Kevin Walters	....	action vehicles supervisor: Morocco

Other crew
Adil Abdelwahab	....	wrangler: Morocco
Toufiq Abouobayd	....	assistant location manager: Morocco
Paul Abraham	....	craft service
Hassan Amiri	....	representative: C.C.M.
Rod Bacote	....	assistant location manager
Abdelhafed Balafrej	....	location manager: Morocco (as Balafrej Abdelhafid)
Majid Balafrej	....	assistant accountant: Morocco
Jinane Ben Zaida	....	production secretary: Morocco
Géraldine Bergé	....	production assistant: Morocco
Linden Bierman-Lytle	....	accounting clerk
Craig Blumenthal	....	assistant: Rosalie Swedlin
Khalid Boulasai	....	assistant location manager: Morocco
Khalid Bouslamy	....	assistant location manager: Morocco
Michael Buster	....	dialect coach
Patricia Carr	....	production consultant: Marocco
Mohammed Chaoui	....	wrangler: Morocco
Vicky Choy	....	assistant: George W. Perkins (as Vicky '99' Choy)
El Mokhtar Chrouk	....	interpreter: Morocco
Gerrard Coffey	....	US assistant accountant: Morocco unit
Khalid El Fazziri	....	assistant coordinating interpreter: Morocco
Abdelilah El Hamsaoui	....	location manager: Morocco
Sana El Kilali	....	accountant: Morocco
David A. Foster	....	location manager
Driss Gaidi	....	location manager: Morocco
Katy Genovese	....	payroll accountant (as Katy Tatian Genovese)
James Gierman	....	location consultant
Karen Golden	....	script supervisor
Souheil Halaoui	....	assistant location manager: Morocco
Hind Hanif	....	production coordinator: Morocco
Khadua Hannoa	....	production assistant: Morocco
Thomas Krueger	....	production medic
Khalil Lougmani	....	location manager: Morocco
Chris Machado	....	first set production assistant
Eddie Merino	....	key assistant location manager
Abdessalam Ngadi	....	assistant location manager: Morocco
Dana Reaves Bolla	....	US accountant: Morocco unit
Mike Revell	....	production accountant
Deborah Ricketts	....	film and video researcher
Erin Sahlstrom	....	assistant production coordinator
Dina Saunders	....	first assistant accountant
Alan Schwartz	....	craft service assistant
Charlie Scimone	....	craft service
Mary Grace Shaughnessy	....	assistant: Michael Keaton
Sarah Spearing	....	assistant: Sara Colleton
Lori Taffet	....	assistant: Mick Jackson
Jenny Tallent	....	production assistant
Amanda Tasse	....	office production assistant
John Trujillo	....	layout board
Christa Vausbinder	....	production coordinator
Kathryn Watkins	....	office production assistant
Amy Wilkins	....	first set production assistant
Thierry Zemmour	....	set location manager: Morocco
Warner Loughlin	....	acting coach (uncredited)

Thanks
John Holliman	....	dedicatee
Ed Turner	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• HBO Films
• Industry Entertainment

Distributors

• Home Box Office (HBO) (2002) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• ZDF Enterprises (2003) (Germany) (TV)

Special Effects

• Radium (visual effects)
• Spectrum Effects

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Creative Extras Casting (CEC)  extras casting
• Dune Films  production services: Morocco
• Film Permits Unlimited  location permits
• Four Stars Express Catering  catering
• Hollywood Caterers  catering
• Media Ventures  music production services
• Owen & DeSalvo Company  post-production accountants

Also Known As:

En direct de Bagdad (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Ao Vivo de Bagdá (Brazil) [pt]
Fuego sobre Bagdad (Spain) [es]
Live aus Bagdad (Germany) [de]
Zontana apo ti Vagdati (Greece) [el]

Runtime:

110 min | USA:108 min | Argentina:107 min | Spain:104 min (DVD edition)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:LH | South Korea:12 | Spain:18 | Australia:M | Finland:K-11 | USA:Unrated | Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

HBO Films

Trivia:

The movie being shown in the theater when Iraq invades is Tremors (1990).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Iraqi troops are seen looting Kuwait, some carry Pioneer Electronics cardboard boxes with the new corporate logo as introduced in October 1998, not the previous logo which would have been in use in 1991.

Quotes:

Judy Parker: Goodbye, Richard. I think you're really smart.
Richard Roth: Goodbye, Judy. I think I'm really smart, too.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Tricks of the Trade: Making 'Matchstick Men' (2004) (V)

A Decent Film

This film is a well-written and acted live-action documentary of Robert Wiener's experiences working as a CNN correspondent in Baghdad during the Gulf War. Overall, it is pretty good. The speeches all resonate, and it is good to see some of the atrocities committed by Saddam's army brought to light again; revisionist Americans love to paint the Gulf War as a "quest for oil", just as they love to browbeat America for using the atomic bomb during WWII. Obviously there are many sides to any story, and for the most part "Live from Baghdad" does a good job of showing what was really happening in Iraq, along with serving the Americans an occasional slice of humble pie for their brashness and xenophobia.

Interestingly, the weakest part of the movie is the director. Mick Jackson has a lot of experience (I'm amazed to find out that he directed Steve Martin's "L.A. Story"), but his work here falls into two distinct categories: workmanlike and/or irritating. The workmanlike scenes aren't so bothersome. But occasionally he'll pull a trick out of his hat, and it's always hackneyed - particularly his fascination with long shots of people staring. This is one of those art house things that you just have to suffer through, along with the excessively talky relationship between Wiener and Ingrid. It is a distinctly American conceit, as seen in such dreck as "Pearl Harbor", to take something as colossal as a war and use it as a backdrop for a hamfisted love story. I also found it a little unsettling that the reporters were laughing and slapping each other on the back after the bombing, while outside their relatively safe hotel people were picking their loved ones out of the rubble.

It is definitely a gigantic commercial for CNN, but you know that going in. The guy worked for CNN. If you watch a documentary about Colonel Sanders, you have to expect some fried chicken.

Some people have dismissed the film as propaganda; I must point out that while it does paint our involvement in the Gulf War in a positive light, it makes no reference to the modern situation except to state that Saddam Hussein is still in power. If you were against the war, then of course there's no way you will like this film. But if you were against it without knowing anything about it except some friend of yours said "we're doing it for oil!", then you should do quite a bit of research ... and this film is as good a place as any to start.