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Little Dieter Needs to Fly ()

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German-American Dieter Dengler discusses his service as a U.S. naval pilot in the Vietnam War. Dengler also revisits the sites of his capture and eventual escape from the hands of the Viet Cong, recreating many events for the camera.
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Writer:
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Awards:
  • Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 5 wins & 2 nominations.
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12 photos

Complete, Cast awaiting verification

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Self
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Self - Narrator (voice)
Eugene Deatrick ...
Self

Directed by

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Werner Herzog

Written by

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Werner Herzog ... (written by)

Produced by

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André Singer ... executive producer (as Andre Singer)
Lucki Stipetic ... producer

Cinematography by

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Peter Zeitlinger

Editing by

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Joe Bini
Glen Scantlebury
Rainer Standke

Editorial Department

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Michael Angelo ... on-line editor (uncredited)
Ethan Derner ... post production: American Zoetrope (uncredited)

Production Management

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Herbert Golder ... post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Herbert Golder ... assistant director

Art Department

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Juan Santiago ... illustrator

Sound Department

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Ekkehart Baumung ... sound
Dave Nelson ... re-recording mixer (as David Nelson)
Josh Rosen ... sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department

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Les Blank ... additional photographer
Helen Kim ... still photographer
Erik Söllner ... assistant camera

Script and Continuity Department

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Anja Schmidt-Zäringer ... continuity / script girl

Additional Crew

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Wolfgang Ebert ... network executive
Herbert Golder ... archival researcher
Rudolph Herzog ... production assistant
Yelena Makarczyk ... closed-captioning
Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

In 1966, Dieter Dengler was shot down over Laos, captured, and, down to 85 pounds, escaped. Barefoot, surviving monsoons, leeches, and machete-wielding villagers, he was rescued. Now, near 60, living on Mt. Tamalpais, Dengler tells his story: a German lad surviving Allied bombings in World War II, postwar poverty, apprenticed to a smith, beaten regularly. At 18, he emigrates and peels potatoes in the U.S. Air Force. He leaves for California and college, then enlistment in the Navy to learn to fly. A quiet man of sorrows tells his story: war, capture, harrowing conditions, escape, and miraculous rescue. Where did he find the strength; how does he now live with his memories? Written by

Plot Keywords
Taglines An incredible tale of courage and survival against impossible odds. See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Flucht aus Laos (Germany)
  • Petit Dieter doit voler (France)
  • O Pequeno Dieter Precisa Voar (Brazil)
  • Малыш Дитер должен летать (Russia)
  • Mały Dieter chciałby latać (Poland)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 80 min
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Did You Know?

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Trivia The exotic-sounding music heard during the "native" sequences is Tuvan overtone music, sometimes called "throat music." It enables the singer to sound as if he had two or more voices. See more »
Goofs The Movie Poster shows what's actually a German Luftwaffe aircraft painted with US markings. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997). See more »
Soundtracks Buciumeana See more »
Quotes Narrator: Dieter took an early retirement from the armed forces and became a civilian test pilot. He survived four more crashes and flies to this day. Death did not want him.
See more »
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