Red Dawn (1984)

Red Dawn dvd

Truly ridiculous but somehow moving, this right-wing paranoid fantasy by John Milius (The Wind and the Lion) from 1984 concerns a Soviet takeover of the United States and a band of ragtag adolescents who metamorphose into freedom fighters. One can laugh at the notion of Nicaraguans, Cubans, and Russians having worked out a master plan to invade America, but Milius’s account of how such a grim day affects a small Western town really does get under one’s skin. The cast–most of whom were not yet stars (Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey had probably never heard of a script called Dirty Dancing at the time)–are quite persuasive as nice kids who come to recognize the tragedy of their lost innocence through fierce, uncompromising struggle. Powers Boothe is very good as a pilot who briefly comes to their aid, and Harry Dean Stanton is stirring as a solid working man and father who represents the virtues his sons are fighting for. The DVD release includes production notes, the original theatrical trailer, trivia, scene access, and an optional widescreen presentation. –Tom Keogh

Product Description

Red Dawn opens with one of the most shocking scenes ever filmed; on a peaceful morning, through the windows of a high school classroom, students see paratroopers land on the varsity football field: the invasion of the United States has begun! As their town is overrun by foreign nationals, eight teenagers escape to the mountains. Taking the name of their high school football team, the Wolverines, they wage unremitting guerrilla warfare in defense of their parents, their friends and their country. Powerful, chilling and absolutely gripping, this outstanding film features some of today’s most popular stars, including Patrick Swayze (Ghost), Charlie Sheen (Platoon), C. Thomas Howell (The Hitcher), Lea Thompson (“Caroline in the City”), Jennifer Grey (Dirty Dancing) and veteran actor Harry Dean Stanton (Alien). When it comes to thrilling entertainment, Red Dawn wins the war with a vengeance!

  • Audio: English: Stereo 2.0 / Spanish: Mono / French: Stereo
  • Language: Dubbed: French & Spanish / Subtitled: French & Spanish
  • Theatrical Aspect Ratio: Widescreen: 1.85:1

Disc 1:

  • Widescreen Feature Film
  • Carnage Counter: This feature on the DVD will keep a running tally of violent acts – deaths, bodily injuries, shots fired, etc. – at the top of the screen so that the viewer can keep count as the film plays.

Disc 2:

  • Special Features:
  • Red Daw Rising – a retrospective look at the making of the film.
  • Building the Red Menace – what it took to make “World War III”
  • Military Training – this piece explores the extensive training that the actors had to go through in order to become convincing guerilla fighters
  • WWIII Comes To Town – This piece goes back to Las Vegas, New Mexico and finds out from locals and extras what happened when ‘Red Dawn’ came and turned their hometown into the fictional town of Calumet, Colorado and the center of World War III.

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