The Pentagon Wars (1998) (TV)

Director:

Richard Benjamin

Writers (WGA):

James Burton (book)
Jamie Malanowski (teleplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

28 February 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | War

Tagline:

They aimed to build the ultimate fighting machine...they missed.

Plot:

Story of a cover up in the military.

Plot Keywords:

Army | Military | 1990s | 1980s | Failed Project

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Kelsey Grammer	...	General Partridge
Cary Elwes	...	Colonel James Burton
Viola Davis	...	Sgt. Fanning
John C. McGinley	...	Colonel J.D. Bock
Tom Wright	...	Major William Sayers
Clifton Powell	...	Sgt. Benjamn Dalton
Dewey Weber	...	Spec-4 Granger
Richard Schiff	...	Colonel Smith
J.C. MacKenzie	...	Jones
Richard Benjamin	...	Casper Weinberger
Olympia Dukakis	...	Madam Chairwoman
Christopher Grove	...	Congressman #1
Sam Anderson	...	Congressman #2
Darcas Macopson	...	USMC Guard at Subway (as Dwayne Macopson)
Dominic D. DeNiro	...	Guard at Military Base
Daniel Raymont	...	Unknown Officer
Randy Oglesby	...	Test Range General
Billie Worley	...	Test Range Lieutenant
Dann Florek	...	Maj. Gen. Bob Braden
Beau Billingslea	...	General #2
Richard Riehle	...	General #3
Roberto Alvarez	...	First Soldier in Bradley
Chris Ellis	...	General Keane
Charles Parks	...	General Cushing
Drew Snyder	...	Admiral Morehouse
Laura Skill	...	Soldier Delivering Message
Kevin Scannell	...	Collins
James DuMont	...	Young Officer
Freez Luv	...	Clean Up Soldier
Bruce French	...	General De Grasso
Ralph P. Martin	...	Factory Manager
Matt Champagne	...	Partridge's Aide
Tim DeKay	...	Jr. Officer Embassy Party
Adam Paul	...	Waiter at Fancy Restaurant
Brian Carroll	...	Range Officer in Tower
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tom Cutler	...	Pentagon Advisor (uncredited)
Stan Klimecko	...	News Vendor (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Benjamin

Writing credits (WGA)
James Burton		(book "The Pentagon Wars")
Jamie Malanowski		(teleplay) and
Martyn Burke		(teleplay)

Produced by
Martyn Burke	....	executive producer
Gary Daigler	....	co-producer
Danny DeVito	....	executive producer
Gail Lyon	....	co-executive producer
Howard Meltzer	....	producer
Michael Shamberg	....	executive producer
Stacey Sher	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Joseph Vitarelli

Cinematography by
Robert D. Yeoman		(director of photography) (as Robert Yeoman)

Film Editing by
Jacqueline Cambas

Casting by
Nancy Foy

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

Art Direction by
Michel Levesque

Set Decoration by
John M. Dwyer		(as John Dwyer)

Makeup Department
Tom Brumberger	....	makeup artist: Ms. Dukakis
Tammy Kusian	....	key hair stylist
Jo-Anne Smith-Ojeil	....	makeup artist (as Jo-Anne Smith)
Selina Jayne	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Gary Daigler	....	unit production manager
Rick Dallago	....	production supervisor
Juanita F. Diana	....	post-production supervisor (as Juanita Diana)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carla Bowen	....	second assistant director
Fred Mandel	....	second second assistant director
Gary Marcus	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Marty Atwell	....	propmaker (as Martin Atwell)
Guy Belegaud	....	propmaker
Rick Broderman	....	painter
Elijah Bryant	....	set dresser
Spencer Burt	....	assistant propmaster
Dino Doane	....	propmaker
William K. Dolan	....	leadman (as Bill Dolan)
Mark Felan	....	propmaker
Matt Harvey	....	labor gang boss
James Hughlett	....	set dresser (as Jimmy Hughlett)
Vance Jordon	....	propmaker
Joe Kelley	....	labor foreman
Sherman Labby	....	production illustrator
Lawrence D. Lira	....	draper
Lawrence D. Lira	....	upholsterer
Tom MacLear	....	on set dresser (as Tom Gebr)
Michael Mikita	....	paint foreman (as Mike Mikita)
Des O'Regan	....	propmaker
R.A. Tony Poland	....	assistant propmaster (as Tony Poland)
Mike Reiber	....	stand-by painter
Ian Scheibel	....	propmaster
Doug Sofio	....	propmaker
Jerry Wax	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Rick Ash	....	sound re-recording mixer
Peter Austin	....	supervising sound editor
Kat Craig	....	cable
Brett Grant-Grierson	....	boom operator
Bradley C. Katona	....	sound effects editor
Glenn Micallef	....	production sound mixer
Eric A. Norris	....	sound effects editor
Adam Sawelson	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Gary Kennedy	....	special effects foreman
David Simmons	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Bill Konersman	....	digital effects

Stunts
Rick Avery	....	stunt coordinator
Fred Lerner	....	stunts
Buck McDancer	....	stunts
John Moio	....	stunts
Chris O'Hara	....	stunts
Peewee Piemonte	....	stunts
Jeff Ramsey	....	stunts
David Rowden	....	stunts
Craig Shugart	....	stunts
Tim Sitarz	....	stunts
Andre Veluzat	....	stunts
Renaud Veluzat	....	stunts
Chris O'Hara	....	stunt double: Cary Elwes (uncredited)
Paul Veluzat	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Boccaccio	....	first assistant camera
Bruce Carothers	....	grip
Michael P. Catanzarite	....	best boy grip (as Michael P. Catauzarite)
Doug Chartier	....	dolly grip
Steve Cooke	....	best boy electrician
Jason M. Friedman	....	video playback operator (as Jason Friedman)
Paul A. Hardiman	....	electrician (as Paul Hardiman)
Casey Hotchkiss	....	camera operator (as Case Hotchkiss)
Jacques Jouffret	....	Steadicam operator
Eugene B. Kerry	....	key grip (as Eugene Kerry)
Brian Kinzey	....	electrician
Vojislav Mikulic	....	gaffer (as Voya Mikulic)
Val Sklar	....	second assistant camera
Eric Smith	....	electrician
Glenn Wade	....	grip
Larry Watson	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Susan Brown	....	casting associate
Chris Gray	....	extras casting
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Wendy Weidman	....	casting associate (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Joseph Giangregorio	....	costumer (as Michael Giangregorio)
Philip Maldonado	....	costumer
Cheri Reed	....	set costumer (as Cheri 'Scout' Reed)
Robert Stewart	....	assistant costume supervisor
Amy Stofsky	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
A.J. Diederich	....	post-production coordinator
Liza D. Espinas	....	assistant editor (as Liza Espinas)
Angela Jackson	....	assistant editor
Gloria Kaiser	....	color timer

Music Department
Jorge Del Barrio	....	conductor
Jorge Del Barrio	....	orchestrator
Bradford Ellis	....	score producer
Ken Gruberman	....	music preparation
Paula M. Hoppe	....	music production coordinator
Bill Hughes	....	music contractor
Allan K. Rosen	....	music editor
Joseph Vitarelli	....	score producer
Nicholas Viterelli	....	score producer
Patty von Arx	....	music editor
Dan Wallin	....	music engineer
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Gene Alford	....	driver
Michael 'Crash' Anderson	....	driver (as Mike Anderson)
Mark Brown	....	driver: production van
Steven Butcher	....	driver
Jose Castillo	....	driver
John Colarossi	....	driver
Hollywood Dave Flanigan	....	driver (as David Flanigan)
D.J. Gardiner	....	driver
Phil Hedley	....	driver
David Hernandez	....	driver
Joseph S. Innocenzi	....	driver (as Joe Innocenzi)
Krister C. Johnson	....	transportation captain (as Krister Johnson)
Sahue Kali	....	driver
Morgan McGuinness	....	driver
Glen McRaven	....	driver
Dennis Metz	....	driver
Don Mullin	....	driver
Don Poole	....	driver
Griff Ruggles	....	transportation coordinator
Johnny Videgain	....	driver (as John Videgain)
Craig Williams	....	driver

Other crew
Jennifer Appleberry	....	assistant: Richard Benjamin
Josephine L. Beaudin	....	second assistant accountant (as Josephine Beaudin)
James Burton	....	consultant (as Colonel James G. Burton USAF [Retired])
Marcus Canty	....	production accountant
Ismael Diaz Jr.	....	office production assistant
Matt DiFranco	....	assistant production coordinator
Ridert Domine	....	craft service
Lori Goldbach	....	assistant accountant (as Lorraine Goldbach)
Alan Grabelsky	....	vice president production
Peter Hollocker	....	production assistant
Alex Kivlen	....	assistant location manager
Michael Krainak	....	production assistant
Michael LaCorte	....	key set production assistant (as Michael La Corte)
Maura C. Lanahan	....	office production assistant
Haley McLane	....	script supervisor
Eric Mention	....	production assistant
Hoppy Munz Jr.	....	craft service (as Hoppy Munz)
Russell Murray	....	consultant
Xochitl L. Olivas	....	assistant: Kelsey Grammer (as Xochiel Olivas)
Brian Regalot	....	assistant: Cary Elwes
Tony Rudenko	....	computer graphic artist
Anthony J. Saenz	....	location manager (as Tony Saenz)
Tony Salome	....	location manager
Jeffrey D. Stevens	....	key medic (as Jeffrey Stevens)
Anna Zappia	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Home Box Office (HBO)

Distributors

• Home Box Office (HBO) (1998) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Sony Pictures Video (1998) (Japan) (VHS)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Sky Atlantic HD (2012) (Germany) (TV)
• Warner Home Video Española S.A. (2008) (Spain) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Archive Films  stock footage
• Axium Payroll Services  payroll services
• Budget Film Stock Footage  stock footage
• Chapman Equipment  camera cranes and dollies provided by (as Chapman)
• Christopher Gray Casting  extras casting
• EFilm  digital scanning and laser film recording
• Energy Film Library  stock footage
• Fish Films Footage World  stock footage
• Hollywood Rental Company  lighting and grip equipment supplied by (as Hollywood Rental Co., Inc.)
• Hot Shots/Cool Cuts  stock footage
• Howard Anderson Company, The  titles and opticals (as Howard Anderson Co.)
• Image Bank West  stock footage
• J.L. Fisher  dollies
• Magic Film and Video Works  negative cutter
• Matthews Group  lighting and grip equipment supplied by
• Producer's Library Service  stock footage (as Producers Library Services)
• Re/Search  stock footage (as Re:Search)
• Silva, Seitelman, Stewart, Keiffer / Zuma  special thanks
• Technicolor  color
• Todd-AO Studios  post-production sound and sound effects
• Trippel's Troops  military extras casting
• Trippel's Troops  special thanks
• Variety Cinema Catering  catering
• Veluzat Motion Picture Rentals  special thanks (as Veluzat Motion Picture Rental)
• Video Image  24 frame playback
• WPA Film Library  stock footage

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | USA:R | Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) | Netherlands:6 | Spain:T

Filming Locations:

Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Company:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Goofs:

Factual errors: Upon opening the anonymous package and seeing that the documents within were marked "Classified" and (according to Sgt. Fanning) "Top Secret," military protocol would have dictated that the documents be immediately moved to a secure area (not an open office).

Quotes:

Major General Partridge:That's one way of looking at it.

Soundtrack:

Stars and Stripes Forever

Comedy or horror?

I thoroughly enjoyed this film, especially Kelsey Grammar as the unflappable general - always ready with a quick answer and so sincere you want to believe him, despite the utter absurdity of what he is saying. I am not sure whether to treat this movie as comedy or horror - it would be quite amusing as fiction , but I find it rather terrifying to think that it is based on a true story. Is this really how our tax dollars are wasted? As a former member of the military I find it all too easy to believe.