Rescue Dawn (2006)

A U.S. fighter pilot's epic struggle of survival after being shot down on a mission over Laos during the Vietnam War.

Director:

Werner Herzog

Writer:

Werner Herzog

Stars:

Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies

1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christian Bale	...	Dieter Dengler
Zach Grenier	...	Squad Leader
Marshall Bell	...	Admiral
Toby Huss	...	Spook
Pat Healy	...	Norman
GQ	...	Farkas (as Gregory J. Qaiyum)
James Aaron Oliver	...	Jet Pilot (as James Oliver)
Brad Carr	...	U.S. Navy Pilot
Saichia Wongwiroj	...	Pathet Lao Guard
François Chau	...	Province Governor (as Francois Chau)
Teerawat Mulvilai	...	Little Hitler (as Teerawat 'Ka-Ge' Mulvilai)
Yuttana Muenwaja	...	Crazy Horse
Kriangsak Ming-olo	...	Jumbo
Somkuan 'Kuan' Siroon	...	Nook the Rook
Chorn Solyda	...	Walkie Talkie

Storyline

In 1965, while bombing Laos in a classified mission, the propeller plane of the German-American US Navy pilot Dieter Dengler is hit and crashes in the jungle. Dieter is arrested by the peasants, tortured by the Vietcong and sent to a prisoner camp, where he meets five other mentally deranged prisoners and guards. He becomes close to Duane and organizes an escape plan; however, the unstable Gene opposes to Dieter's plan. When they discover that there is no more food due to the constant American bombings in the area and their guards intend to kill them, Dieter sets his plan in motion. However, an unexpected betrayal splits the group and Dieter and Duane find that the jungle is their actual prison.

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Plot Keywords:

guard | prisoner | bombing | laos | jungle | 

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Taglines:

Based on the extraordinary true story of one man's fight for freedom

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Biography | Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense war violence and torture

Details

Official Sites:

Gibraltar Films MGM [United States]

Country:

USA Luxembourg

Language:

English Lao Vietnamese

Release Date:

27 July 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rescate al amanecer

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$110,326, 8 July 2007, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$5,490,423, 28 July 2012

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$7,177,143, 28 July 2012

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Top Gun Productions, Thema Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Steve Zahn lost 40 pounds for his role.

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Goofs

During Dieter's shoot-down scene, when the camera cuts to the flight instruments inside his plane, the altimeter is shown winding down rapidly from 57,000 feet yet he's just above the ground. Also note, the 10,000-foot indicator fails to move at all AND the rate of climb indicator shows a slight climb.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Title Card: In 1965, few people believed that the still limited conflict in Viet Nam would turn into full scale war. / One of the first signs of what lay ahead was America's bombing of secret targets inside Laos.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Real Life Survival Movies (2012)

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Soundtracks

Monsoon
Performed by Ernst Reijseger (as Ernst Reijseger) (Solo)
Composed by Ernst Reijseger (as Ernst Reijseger) (BUMA)
Published by Winter & Winter (GEMA)
Ernst Reijseger appears courtesy of Winter & Winter, Munich, Germany

User Reviews

Excellent film

I saw this tonight at a preview in Somerville, Mass - a really excellent film. Just such good storytelling, with great suspense, and the usual Herzog weird touches that I am guessing must have come from him (and not the true story). The acting is also superb - both Christian Bale and Steve Zahn are fantastic. Bale really captured this guy's incredibly indomitable spirit, but also his almost child-like wonder and naivete at the world - which ironically enough helps him survive. I found the whole story really moving. The very ending of the film really disappointed me, but it didn't ruin the evening by any means. Wonderful music too. Interesting also to see the documentary about the REAL Dieter, LITTLE DIETER NEEDS TO FLY (http://imdb.com/title/ tt0145046/), also made by Herzog. I saw it at a film festival 10 years ago - and Herzog and Dieter were there! Of course, much of Dieter's 'real-life' obsessive-compulsive behavior - such as opening and closing a door multiple times after passing through - turns out to have been 'suggested' by Herzog! Cheeky filmmakers...