Born American (1986)

User Rating:

4.6/10   

Director:

Renny Harlin

Writers:

Renny Harlin (writer)
Markus Selin (writer)

Release Date:

30 August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Freedom is just a word...until you lose it.

Plot:

Three American students vacationing in Finland, cross the border into Russia for fun of it. When they...

Plot Keywords:

Border | Finland | Soldier | Russia | American

Cast

Mike Norris	...	Savoy
Steve Durham	...	Mitch
David Coburn	...	K.C.
Thalmus Rasulala	...	The Admiral
Albert Salmi	...	United States emissary
Piita Vuosalmi	...	Nadja
Vesa Vierikko	...	Kapsky
Ismo Kallio	...	Zarkov
Laura Heimo	...	Irina
Antti Horko	...	Cossack
Pauli Virtanen	...	Sergei
Jone Takamäki	...	Interrogator (as Jouni Takamäki)
Inkeri Luoma-Aho	...	Female Guard
Markku Blomqvist	...	Irina's Father
Sari Havas	...	Girl at Party
Marjo Vuollo	...	Tamara
Juhani Tuominen	...	Car salesman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Renny Harlin	...	Man's voice from ship's loudspeakers (voice) (uncredited)
Mats Helge	...	Priest (uncredited)
Eero Henttonen	...	Prisoner (uncredited)
Rapa Ripa	...	KGB man (uncredited)
Robert Stack	...	The Admiral (voice) (uncredited)
Jorma Vaittinen	...	Prisoner (uncredited)

Directed by
Renny Harlin

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Renny Harlin		writer
Markus Selin		writer

Produced by
Markus Selin	....	executive producer
Markus Selin	....	producer
Venetia Stevenson	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Richard G. Mitchell

Cinematography by
Henrik Paersch

Film Editing by
Paul Martin Smith

Production Design by
Venetia Stevenson

Art Direction by
Torsti Nyholm

Costume Design by
Anja Pekkala

Makeup Department
Tuija Luukkainen	....	makeup artist
Sirpa Östring-Järvinen	....	makeup artist (as Sirpa Östring)
Suzanne Parker Sanders	....	makeup designer (as Suzanne Sanders)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Martin Hardesty	....	assistant director
Harry Päiväläinen	....	assistant director

Art Department
Lauri Orava	....	set builder
Terhi Tammila	....	props
Ari Törmä	....	construction manager
Kauno Ylivirta	....	set builder

Sound Department
Seppo Anttila	....	assistant sound
Brigitte Arnold	....	assistant sound editor
Dean Humphreys	....	dubbing mixer
Peter Lennard	....	sound effects consultant
Alex Mackie	....	assistant sound editor
Clive Osborne	....	assistant sound
Shirley Shaw	....	sound editor
Lionel Strutt	....	adr recording mixer
Brian Trenerry	....	footsteps editor (as Brian Trennery)
Ian Voigt	....	sound

Special Effects by
Mats Helge	....	special effects (as Mats Helge Ohlsson)
Karl von Kugelgen	....	pyrotechnician
Osmo Savolainen	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Timo Nousiainen	....	color grader

Stunts
Gary Baxley	....	stunts
Eddie Braun	....	stunt coordinator
Antti Horko	....	stunts
Juha Huhtamaa	....	stunts
Gary Pike	....	stunts
Víctor Quintero	....	stunts (as Victor Quintero)
Rapa Ripa	....	stunts
Theodore Braun	....	stunts (uncredited)
Renny Harlin	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Juha Huhtamaa	....	grip
Jussi Jalasti	....	assistant camera
Timo Jalasti	....	assistant camera
Esko Jantunen	....	gaffer (as Esko-Juhani Jantunen)
Petri Mäkinen	....	assistant gaffer
Pertti Mutanen	....	camera operator (as Mussu Mutanen)
Tarmo Nyholm	....	grip
Torsti Nyholm	....	gaffer
Kari Petäjäniemi	....	still photographer
Timo Salminen	....	camera operator
Jukki Tuura	....	key grip
Jari Wiik	....	grip

Casting Department
Marjatta Seulanto	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ritva Harley	....	assistant costumer
Ritva Orava	....	assistant costumer
Nick Perry	....	costumer
Tuire Pohjola	....	assistant costumer

Editorial Department
Alex Denholm	....	assistant editor
Trevor Holland	....	assistant editor
Chris Wyatt	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Richard G. Mitchell	....	musician

Other crew
John Bevan	....	story editor
Jari Koivu	....	transfer
Marko Leikola	....	transfer
Ed Margulies	....	publicist (as Ed Marqulies)
Debra Mendel	....	production coordinator
Nina Pajarinen	....	animal trainer
Asta Parikka	....	script supervisor
Pekka Pohjolainen	....	weapons
Leena Rautiainen	....	assistant accountant
Tiina Romakkaniemi	....	production secretary
Matti Sävikari	....	military equipment
Florian Schereck	....	production accountant
Henna Selin	....	assistant to producer
Ulla Virtanen	....	production coordinator
Pamela Walshe	....	script supervisor
Steve Weissman	....	story editor

Thanks
Eric Ahlstrand	....	thanks (as Erik Ahlstrand)
Jukka Mäkelä	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Cinema Group Ventures
• Larmark Productions Inc.
• Man & Gun Film Production
• Videogramm

Distributors

• Finnkino (1986) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Nova Releasing (1986) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Cinema Group
• Continental Video
• Finnkino (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Hunter Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS) (as "Nacionalidade Americana")
• Look Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS) (as "Férias para a Morte")
• Mainostelevisio (MTV) (1991) (Finland) (TV)
• Nova Home Video (Canada) (video)
• Transworld Video (1989) (Finland) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Bob Morones Casting  casting
• Carlyle Films  post-production
• IBM Finland  special thanks
• Oy Silja Line  special thanks
• Peter Covey Film Opticals  titles
• Private Eye  poster design
• Russian Roulette Ltd.  Russian dubbing
• Suomen Museoase  weapons

Also Known As:

Arctic Heat (International: English title) (working title)
Born american - jäätävä polte (Finland)
Jäätävä polte (Finland)
Wild Force (Finland) (working title)

Runtime:

97 min | Germany:85 min | USA:95 min

Country:

USA | Finland

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (original rating) (1986) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1989) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1986) | Finland:K-15 (2006) | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Iceland:16 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Enontekiö, Finland

Company:

Cinema Group Ventures

Trivia:

Director's cameo: Voice of the speaker in ship.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Luonteita: Renny Harlin (1990) (TV)

Decent debut, but I'd be lying if I'd claim it great

So what is the truth about 'Born American' (or Arctic Heat)? The full truth is, that it is a debut movie of an action director who has done couple of hits and a couple of misses. And despite of its childish and almost propaganda like portrayal of the soviets, it does have a couple of interesting scenes in it.

It's easy to say, and see, that BA is an product of its era. Cold war was on and Soviet Union was seen as a huge menace. It's not only action film painting this kind of images about the soviet union, but maybe it is one with the most over the top approach, as almost all the Russians are shown as dirty and almost barbaric lunatics.

The plot is quite simple: three Americans are exploring Finland and they decide to cross the border to Soviet Union. The silly sods venture deeper into the Russia and are soon caught, which leads into an action scene, where almost everything explodes or burns down. Later, when the yanks are taken into the prison/labor camp the movie turns towards so unrealistic direction, that you don't know to laugh or to cry.

'Born American' isn't Harlins best movie, but surprisingly enough it ain't his worst either. It lacks the fluent movement of more experienced director, but over all as a debut movie it has some merits working for it. In 80's standards the action works pretty well and out of all brainless action movies made during that era it fits in pretty well with the rest of them.