Sahara (1983)

User Rating:

3.9/10   

Director:

Andrew V. McLaglen

Writers:

Menahem Golan (story)
James R. Silke (writer)

Release Date:

2 March 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

She challenged the desert, its men, their passions and ignited a bold adventure.

Plot:

After her father dies, young Dale takes his place in a trans-African auto race, but ends up being abducted by a desert sheik.

Plot Keywords:

Sheik | Desert | One Word Title | Woman Pretending As Man | Auto Racing

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Brooke Shields	...	Dale
Lambert Wilson	...	Jaffar
Horst Buchholz	...	Von Glessing
John Rhys-Davies	...	Rasoul
Ronald Lacey	...	Beg
Cliff Potts	...	String
Perry Lang	...	Andy
Ya'ackov Ben-Sira	...	Mayor (as Yaacov Ben-Sira)
John Mills	...	Cambridge
Tuvia Tavi	...	Bertocelli
Steve Forrest	...	Gordon
Terrence Hardiman	...	Browne
Shahar Cohen	...	Abu
Zehava Twena	...	Yasmin
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gabi Amrani	...	Omar
Joseph Bee	...	Browne Crewman
Rolf Brin	...	Curt
Yehuda Elboim	...	Dramn
Dov Friedman	...	Lindstrom
Caro Henley	...	Mistress
Ezra Kafri	...	Lindstrom Crewman
Barry Langford	...	Conierge
Dina Ledani	...	Ismene
David Lodge	...	Ewing
Paul Maxwell	...	Chase
Dan Muggia	...	Bertocelli Crewman (as Dan Angelo Muggia)
Sam Omani	...	Douvain
Greg Powell	...	Abdullah
Dorit Seadia	...	Laliah
Joseph Shiloach	...	Halef
Shaul Taron	...	Mustapha
Rocky Taylor	...	Kamal
Ran Vered	...	De La Forge Crewman
Ilan Zahavi	...	De La Forge

Directed by
Andrew V. McLaglen

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Menahem Golan		story
James R. Silke		writer

Produced by
Yoram Globus	....	producer
Menahem Golan	....	producer
Teri Shields	....	executive producer
Rony Yacov	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
David Gurfinkel
Armando Nannuzzi

Film Editing by
Michael John Bateman
Michael J. Duthie

Casting by
Maude Spector

Production Design by
Luciano Spadoni

Art Direction by
John Hoesli

Set Decoration by
Enzo Eusepi

Costume Design by
Mario Carlini

Makeup Department
Eileen Fletcher	....	makeup artist
Betty Glasow	....	hair stylist
Matti Halchmi	....	makeup artist: second unit
Moni Mansano	....	makeup artist
Franco Schioppa	....	makeup artist: Brooke Shields
Lena Trabelsi	....	hair stylist
Aharon Vaturi	....	hair stylist: Brooke Shields

Production Management
Ronnie Bear	....	production manager
Karen Hoenig	....	post-production supervisor
Omri Maron	....	production manager
Stefano Spadoni	....	assistant unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Shaul Dishy	....	assistant director
Michael Flynn	....	second assistant director: London
Miguel Gil	....	first assistant director
Mike Katzin	....	assistant director
David Lipkind	....	assistant director: second unit
Josh McLaglen	....	assistant director
Riki Shelach Nissimoff	....	second unit director (as Riki Shelach)

Art Department
Zvika Chen	....	props buyer
Peter James	....	set dresser
Tony Jeiger	....	property master
Zion Kobi	....	construction manager
Fernando Valento	....	construction manager
David Varod	....	set dresser
Vivalda Vigorelli	....	assistant art director
Israel Vogelernteri	....	set dresser
Ladislav Wilheim	....	property master

Sound Department
Marty Church	....	adr mixer
Cyril Collick	....	sound mixer
Carlos Delarios	....	sound re-recording mixer
Stan Haines	....	boom operator: London
Kimberly Harris	....	adr editor
Michael J. Kohut	....	sound re-recording mixer
Itzhak Magal	....	sound mixer
Amitan Mendelson	....	boom operator: second unit
Yohai Moshe	....	boom operator (as Yochai Moshe)
Richard Oswald	....	dialogue editor (as Richard L. Oswald)
Aaron Rochin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Philip Rogers	....	sound recordist
Eli Yarkoni	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Jeff Clifford	....	special effects
John Stears	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Jim Danforth	....	matte photographer
Jim Danforth	....	matte supervisor
Mark Sullivan	....	matte artist

Stunts
Mario De Baros	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Juan Maján	....	stunt coordinator
Eddie Stacey	....	stunt coordinator
Dorothy Ford	....	stunts (uncredited)
Doyle McCurley	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Reuven Ajami	....	grip: second unit
Moshe Alon	....	electrician (as Moshi Alon)
Moshe Asher	....	assistant camera
Avi Avrahami	....	electrician
Itzik Ben-Aroya	....	key grip: second unit
George Binnersley	....	camera loader: London
Micky Binyamini	....	focus puller
Marco Cristiani	....	focus puller: second unit
Nino Cristiani	....	director of photography: second unit
David Farrell	....	still photographer
Zvika Gil	....	film loader: second unit
John Golding	....	camera operator: UK
Yoni Hamenachem	....	still photographer
Avi Koren	....	camera loader
Avraham Leibman	....	gaffer
Shmulik Levy	....	key grip (as Shmuel Levi)
Alex Libik	....	still photographer: second unit
Danny Mattas	....	focus puller: second unit
Armando Nannuzzi	....	director of photography: London
Danny Schneider	....	clapper loader
Rami Siman-Tov	....	focus puller
Yuda Tatarko	....	electrician
Peter Versey	....	focus puller: London

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Paul Cavaco	....	additional costumer
Shimon Elimelech	....	wardrobe
Alan Flusser	....	additional costumer
Mike Jeffries	....	wardrobe: London
Joanna Johnston	....	wardrobe: London
Kezia Keeble	....	additional costumer
Tami Mor	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Tammy Mor)
Rina Ramon	....	wardrobe
Michaela Sharon	....	wardrobe: second unit

Editorial Department
Rachel Balanga	....	assistant editor
Michael John Bateman	....	associate editor (as Michael Bateman)
Paula Erickson	....	post-production assistant
Charles Gale	....	assistant editor
Richard Kraft	....	post-production assistant
Ray Martin	....	color timer
Frieda Sasson	....	assistant editor
Jim Stewart	....	first assistant editor (as James A. Stewart)
Alan Strachan	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Sergio Marcotulli	....	music engineer

Transportation Department
Avner Peled	....	transportation manager

Other crew
Angela Allen	....	script supervisor
Sima Ben-David	....	production accountant
Danny Ben Menahem	....	location manager
Ronit Chayun	....	production secretary
Amnon Globus	....	production controller
Michael Hartman	....	location manager
Didi Hausdorf	....	horse trainer
Chaim Idan	....	location controller
Sophie Kahn	....	unit publicist
Ruthie Lustig	....	production secretary: second unit
Naomi Mayberg	....	production coordinator
Brian McMillan	....	animal trainer
Jeanette Nae	....	script supervisor
Carl Schmidt	....	armorer (as Carl Shmidt)
Phyllis Townshend	....	script supervisor (as Phyllis Townsend)

Production Companies

• Cabal Film
• Cannon Group
• London-Cannon Films

Distributors

• Cannon Film Distributors (1984) (USA)
• MGM/UA Distribution Company (1984) (USA)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• Syme Home Video
• VMP

Special Effects

• Makeup Effects Laboratories
• Westbury Design & Optical Ltd. (matte paintings)

Other Companies

• Forum Studio  music recorded at
• Studio Anzellotti  special sound effects

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Company:

Cabal Film

Trivia:

John Guillermin was to direct the project but was replaced by Andrew V. McLaglen

Very romantic film!

Okay, so it's no Academy Award winner. The writing is poor, some of the movie is just plain silly, but there is a lot to enjoy. I love the romance, the chemistry between the Brooke & Lambert Wilson, and the sheer seductive nature of their scenes. Lambert Wilson takes my breath away! He did in 1983 when I first saw the film (okay, I'll admit -- a few times). I just finally found a copy recently and watched it again for the first time in 23 years or so, and he STILL takes my breath away! Brooke is beautiful and he is terribly handsome -- his face, his eyes, his voice -- he looks at her as if he's going to drink her. It's incredible. Mesmerizing. In my book, this is one of the sexiest movies ever (and without actually having any sex in it).

I looked up Lambert Wilson on IMDb and realized I didn't recognize him 20 years later in Matrix Reloaded or the newer Sahara (but it had been a long time -- the french accent and lack of facial hair through me off). It looks like he's been working steadily in France all along. I'm thrilled to know he's been a success. I hope he'll do more American films. Oh, and the score was haunting -- memorable. It added a lot to the film. And one more thing: Brooke was practically a child when she did this film. I thought her acting was fine, especially considering her age and the poor script with which she had to work.