Rescue Dawn

Star Review

Since his beginnings as one of the key filmmakers of the New German Cinema of the 1970s, Werner Herzog has always stated that the key to understanding his fiction films is through an understanding of his documentaries. Throughout his career, the Munich-born director has continued to work simultaneously and dexterously in both idioms.

Little Dieter Needs to Fly is Herzog’s 1997 documentary on the extraordinary life of German-American Navy pilot Dieter Dengler, who was taken prisoner by the Pathet Lao after his plane was shot down in Laos during the Vietnam war. Rescue Dawn recreates his harrowing ordeal and his dramatic escape as, three decades on, Dengler revisits Laos.

Featuring a stunning, gruelling performance by Christian Bale as Dengler, this is Herzog’s translation of Dieter’s story into straight narrative and displays a plethora of familiar Herzogian themes (monomania, the jungle, hubris) as well as the influence of films such as Papillon (1973) or The Deer Hunter (1978). Astonishingly tense yet laced with irony, the film is storytelling of the most assuredly robust and muscular kind.

Pasquale Iannone on 4th March 2008

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Film Description

Based on the true story of Lt. Dieter Dengler, Rescue Dawn stars Christian Bale as a US pilot who endured prison, torture and a harrowing escape after being shot down over Vietnam. Herzog previously explored Dieter's story in the documentary Little Dieter Needs to Fly, and this fictionalised retelling of his struggle for survival is anchored by Bale's characteristically intense performance.

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DVD Extras

• Audio commentary by director Werner Herzog and interviewer Norman Hill
• Featurettes: Unfinished Business - Telling Dieter’s Story, Strength of Character, What Would Dieter Do?, Sound of War
• 7 deleted scenes with optional commentary by director Werner Herzog and interviewer Norman Hill
• Stills gallery
• Theatrical trailer.

Film Details

Cast

Christian Bale, Steve Zahn

Technical Details

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