Rescue Dawn

Rescue Dawn (2006)

Timing: 2:0 (120 min)

6.945/10
1210

6.993/10
32519

7.2/10
116000

All about film

Video 2

Photo 20

Actors and characters

Release date

2006-09-09

Country

Luxembourg, United States

Production

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Mandate International, Franchise Pictures, Blue Rider Pictures, Thema Production, Top Gun Productions, Gibraltar Films

Genre

Adventure, Drama, War

Budget

$28 000 000

Revenue

$7 177 143

Website

Director

Werner Herzog

Actors

Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Toby Huss, François Chau, Marshall Bell, Jeremy Davies, Pat Healy, James Aaron Oliver, Lukkana Phungtangphan, Saichia Wongwirot
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

Robyn Klein, Jeff Geoffray, Walter Josten, Elton Brand, Steve Marlton, Adam W. Rosen, Harry Knapp, Matthew A Portnoff, Elie Samaha, Jimmy de Brabant

Operator

Peter Zeitlinger

Composer

Klaus Badelt

Artist

Audition

Eyde Belasco

Editing

Joe Bini
All team (45)

• The film is based on the story of Lieutenant Dieter Dengler, shot down on February 1, 1966, and his successful escape from a prisoner-of-war camp in Laos (the escape and rescue took about three weeks).
• The filming of the plane crash almost ended in tragedy. Due to a mistake by the pyrotechnicians, stuntman Chris Carnell, who was substituting for Bale in this scene, severely burned his face.
• Before filming, the actors lost weight for several months. Steve Zahn lost 18 kg (39.7 lbs) for the role, Jeremy Davies – 15 kg (33 lbs), and Christian Bale – 25 kg (55 lbs). The director also lost 13 kg (28.7 lbs) in solidarity. Since weight is gained faster than it is lost, the scenes were filmed in reverse chronological order.
• Filming took place in Thailand and lasted 44 days.
• The film features computer models of Douglas A-1 Skyraider attack aircraft, as very few of this type remain airworthy.
• During the filming of the scene where Dieter eats larvae, Christian Bale actually ate live larvae.
• There were seven prisoners in the camp, but Werner Herzog reduced their number to six. The film shows that the entire escape plan was devised by Dengler; in reality, the plan had already been developed by other prisoners by the time he arrived at the camp.