Bat*21 (1988)

Director:

Peter Markle

Writers (WGA):

William C. Anderson (book)
William C. Anderson (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 October 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

Trapped behind enemy lines. A whole army after him... And only one man can save him.

Plot:

Lt. Col. Iceal "Ham" Hambleton is a weapons countermeasures expert and when his aircraft is shot over...

Plot Keywords:

Missile | Escape | Vietcong | Rescue | Reconnaissance

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Gene Hackman	...	Lt. Col. Iceal Hambleton
Danny Glover	...	Capt. Bartholomew 'Bird-Dog' Clark
Jerry Reed	...	Col. George Walker
David Marshall Grant	...	Ross Carver
Clayton Rohner	...	Sgt. Harley Rumbaugh
Erich Anderson	...	Maj. Jake Scott
Joe Dorsey	...	Col. Douglass
Michael Ng	...	Vietnamese Man (as Rev. Michael Ng)
Theodore Chan Woei-Shyong	...	Boy on Bridge
Don Ruffin	...	Helicopter Crew
Scott Howell	...	Helicopter Crew
Michael Raden	...	Helicopter Crew
Timothy Fitzgerald	...	EB-66 Officer
Stuart B. Hagen	...	EB-66 Officer
Jeffrey Baxter	...	Helicopter Gunner (as Jeff Baxter)
Alan King	...	Helicopter Gunner
Bonny Yong	...	NVC / VC Officer
Willie Lai	...	NVA / VC Officer
Martin Yong	...	NVA / VC Officer
Jim Aman	...	NVA / VC Officer
Freddie Chin	...	NVA / VC Officer
Dennis Chong	...	NVA / VC Officer
Liow Hui Chun	...	NVA / VC Officer
Fung Yun Khiong	...	NVA / VC Officer
Henry Lee	...	NVA / VC Officer
Michael Lee	...	NVA / VC Officer
Jeffrey Liew	...	NVA / VC Officer
Fredolin Leong	...	NVA / VC Officer
Benedict Lojingkau	...	NVA / VC Officer
Walter Lojingkau	...	NVA / VC Officer
Johnny Michael	...	NVA / VC Officer
Clarence Mojikon	...	NVA / VC Officer
Wilod Nuin	...	NVA / VC Officer
Harold Sinpang	...	NVA / VC Officer
Paul Yong	...	NVA / VC Officer
Conidon Wong	...	NVA / VC Officer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Craig Huston	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	...	Army pilot (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Markle

Writing credits (WGA)
William C. Anderson		(book)
William C. Anderson		(screenplay) and
George Gordon		(screenplay)

Produced by
Michael Balson	....	producer
Mark Damon	....	co-producer
David Fisher	....	producer
Evzen Kolar	....	line producer
Gary A. Neill	....	producer
Jerry Reed	....	executive producer
David Saunders	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Christopher Young

Cinematography by
Mark Irwin

Film Editing by
Stephen E. Rivkin

Casting by
Nancy Banks

Production Design by
Vincent M. Cresciman		(as Vincent Cresciman)

Art Direction by
Arthur Riddle
Terry Welden

Costume Design by
Audrey M. Bansmer

Makeup Department
Kashka Banjoko	....	hair stylist
Louis Lazzara	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Robert E. Waters	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Everett Creach	....	second unit director
Stuart B. Hagen	....	second assistant director
Craig Huston	....	first assistant director
Navin Naidu	....	assistant director: Malaysia
Chris Pechin	....	second unit director
Yahya Sayadi	....	assistant director: Malaysia

Art Department
Mark Joyce	....	model maker
Dick Kyker	....	property master
Chris Pechin	....	storyboard artist
Thomas Thom	....	construction coordinator
Maryann Willie	....	scenic artist

Sound Department
Joseph D. Citarella	....	foley mixer
Florentino Corpuz	....	boom operator
Grover B. Helsley	....	sound re-recording mixer
William Hooper	....	sound editor
Itzhak Magal	....	sound mixer
Dessie Markovsky	....	sound designer
Dessie Markovsky	....	supervising sound editor
Troy Porter	....	foley mixer
Emile Razpopov	....	sound designer
Emile Razpopov	....	supervising sound editor
Richard D. Rogers	....	adr mixer
Richard D. Rogers	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Wilkinson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Richard E. Johnson	....	special effects supervisor
Joe Viskocil	....	pyrotechnician
Gene Warren Jr.	....	special effects supervisor
Alan White	....	special effects crew (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Bruce A. Block	....	matte cameraman
Michael Joyce	....	model shop supervisor
Ken Marschall	....	matte artist
Bret Mixon	....	rotoscoping

Stunts
Mickey Alzola	....	stunts
Everett Creach	....	stunt coordinator
Scott Howell	....	stunts
Gary Littlejohn	....	stunts
Tony Ogunsanya	....	stunts
Michael Raden	....	stunts
Don Ruffin	....	stunts
V. Thiagarajah	....	stunt helicopter pilot (as Capt. V. Thiagarajah)
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	stunt helicopter pilot

Camera and Electrical Department
Kenneth Adams	....	key grip
Scotty Allan	....	gaffer
Tommy Chang	....	still photographer
Jun Dalawis	....	second assistant camera (as Jun Dalawas)
Eric J. Goldstein	....	first assistant camera
Richard Haas	....	second assistant camera
Philip Holahan	....	director of photography: second unit
Mark Irwin	....	aerial and spotter plane photographer
Roland Neveu	....	special still photographer
George Papanickolas	....	best boy grip
Lee Yen Phin	....	second assistant camera
Ian D. Scott	....	best boy electric
V. Thiagarajah	....	pilot: camera helicopter (as Capt. V. Thiagarajah)
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	pilot: camera helicopter

Casting Department
Ruth Peebles	....	casting assistant
Burton Sharp	....	voice casting

Editorial Department
Hope Moskowitz	....	first assistant editor
Bill Swenson	....	second assistant editor
Dode Weyant	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Jeff Vaughn	....	score mixer
Jim Weidman	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Henry King	....	transportation captain

Other crew
David L. Aaron	....	title designer
Maxine Bergen	....	script supervisor
Lyle Byrum	....	aerial coordinator
Lyle Byrum	....	pilot: spotter plane
Bundy Chanock	....	set medic
Gary Douris	....	parachutist
Marita Grabiak	....	script supervisor
Iceal Hambleton	....	technical advisor (as Lt. Colonel Iceal Hambleton)
Cindy Hochman	....	production coordinator
Solomon J. LeFlore	....	production financing
Muhandes H.J. Mohamed	....	parachutist
Tony Ogunsanya	....	stand-in
Deborah Shaw-Kolar	....	unit publicist (as Deborah Shaw)
Alan Webber	....	stand-in

Production Companies

• Bat 21 Limited L.P.
• Eagle
• TriStar Pictures
• Vision PDG

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Media Home Entertainment (1989) (USA) (video)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Starlight

Special Effects

• Fantasy II Film Effects

Other Companies

• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Ensorcell Inc.  location assistance
• Ryder Sound Services  sound services

Also Known As:

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

New Zealand:R13 | Australia:M | UK:15 | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Norway:15 (video premiere) | Sweden:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

Company:

Bat 21 Limited L.P.

Trivia:

This movie's closing epilogue states: "Lt. Colonel Iceal Hambleton is now retired and resides in Arizona, near a golf course."

Goofs:

Continuity: When Capt. Clark falls after been shot in the shoulder, the M-16 he is carrying doesn't have a sling and is a stunt rubber replica as the stock flexes when caught between the two men, the M-16 is then picked up by Col. Hambleton and has a sling fixed to it.

Quotes:

Col. George Walker:You know anything about golf, Clark?
Capt. Bartholomew Clark:No, sir. Golf wasn't big in my neighborhood.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Siskel & Ebert: Once Around/Men of Respect/Flight of the Intruder/White Fang/Not Without My Daughter" (1991)

Taut Vietnam thriller from different perspective

Lt. Colonel Iceal Hambleton (Gene Hackman) is a respected, middle-aged strategist who has only seen the war from the air - and high in the air, too. During one reconnaissance mission, however, he's shot down behind enemy lines for the first time. Scared and out of his element, Hambleton must rely on Captain Clark (Danny Glover), a pilot, to help him keep his composure until a rescue can happen.

Most of the scenes are of just the two leads, almost making this a two-character action play. Both men provide stellar performances, with Hackman putting a decidedly different spin on his tough-guy, in-control persona. Glover is equally aces as the tireless pilot. And just in case you think there's going to be more talk than action in this movie, don't fret. The Vietcong are around somewhere, and they know Hambleton's in the vicinity. Not only does Clark have to get Hambleton out of there before good ol' Charlie finds him, he has to get him out of there before U.S. forces carpet-bomb the entire area! Needless to say, there are bombs bursting galore. Jerry Reed, who plays Clark's commander, also turns in a fine performance - a bit above par for Reed - and served as executive producer and composed some of the songs on the soundtrack.