Has anybody ever seen Red Dawn?

[Writer]

Back in the 1980s, somebody made this movie, Red Dawn, about a Soviet invasion of America. It was obviously a propaganda film and a bit lower-budget than most, but  my friends and I at college always thought it was rather fun to watch. (We were mostly good conservative types and we liked it a lot, although we did acknowledge that it was rather cheesy.) One of the weirder aspects of it was that a lot of its actors are just about as far to the left in the political spectrum as you can get these days. Patrick Swayze, Martin Sheen; need I say more?

Another thing that's kind of strange about this film: a bunch of young guys and girls get thrown together in the wilderness in a "Head for the hills!" scenario, and yet nothing whatsoever is made of the potential for a romantic angle. What a pity! I think a lot of the reason people watch films like this is because they like fantasizing about what they'd do if they were in an extremely isolated situation with several good-looking members of the opposite sex. Not that we need a gratuitous sex scene or anything, but you can't tell me a mixed-sex bunch of teenagers hiding out in the wilderness aren't going to get interested in each other.

Somebody ought to remake this film. Since the Soviet Union is gone, maybe the tale could be about a bunch of Islamo-fascists or U.N. thugs taking the U.S. over instead, with at least a hint of romance. ("I'm giving these girls into your safe-keeping because I know if you want something, you'll at least have the decency to ask for it--unlike those U.N. baby-rapists! I'm warning you, though, if either of them comes back pregnant with your baby, we'll have an old-fashioned shotgun wedding right there in the church!")

[Ash]

Of course I've seen it....I own it on DVD.

I love this film and usually watch it every 3-4 months.

I always feel sorry for the black school teacher in the beginning of the movie when the Soviets gun him down for no reason.
Everytime I see that scene I think to myself, "Man that's f**kin' wrong!"

As for romance in it...NO WAY!
Romance and lovey-dovey crap would've ruined it.

It's good just like it is and does NOT need re-making.



Post Edited (06-13-04 05:51)

[mr. henry]

who hasn't seen it? ;)

makes me want to drink deer blood and p**s in my radiator just hearing about it.

l8r---

[Deej]

OH yeah, pure Reagan-era, commie pinko vs. gun nut schmaltz....I loved it. WOLVERIIIINES!!!

[Yaddo42]

There'd be no point to re-making it, "Red Dawn" was such a product of the 80s and the Cold War.  The cast played it straight, and there was little room for self-aware irony, you couldn't play it the same way now. And trying to add those touches would seem shallow and out of step with the the way we look at things since the terrorist attacks of 2001.

Plus the bad PR of the inevitable claims of racism if the baddies were Islamic fundies in the film. And the UN? The logistical and language problems for a multi-national, multi-language force using military gear of varying quality and incompatability to be used as an invasion force would be too huge to take seriously outside the paranoid "black helicopter and New World Order fearing"militia movement. Even in a movie, you'd have so many different styles of uniforms and vehicles to keep track of it wouln't really be worth the effort. Just look at the problems real UN peacekeeping forces have in much smaller real world peacekeeping and relief missions.

Romantic subplot? Does the director John Milius even know how to write a love scene or romantic dialogue? Maybe since the characters were teens without adults or authority around for most of the film it was decided they couldn't "go wild" since they were trying to do their part save the USA. I remember one of the girls seemed to have a crush on Powers Booth's pilot character, but that seemed just thrown in so she'd get to scream and wail during the battle when he was killed. It was an over the top moment in an over the top movie. I loved it as a kid, it seems dated to me now.

[Conrad]

Why yes I have.  Endearingly daft film: given that the Soviet Union barely managed to hold it's own in Afghanistan, I think invading the USA might ave been  a *teeny* bit beyond their ability.  Romance?  Romance! John Milius likes guns, tanks, explosions, shooting and more guns, and he'd look rather askance at anyone trying to add romance to his film.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Yes, and I felt it was a waste of my time and money.

On a more positive note, it looks like he is working on a new Conan film called "King Conan: Crown of Iron," which should be out next year.

As to whether he can write a romantic scene, he may not like to write them, but, that does not mean he cannot write them. Checking the films on which he is credited as screenwriter and which I have seen, there are romances of sorts in "Jeremiah Johnson," The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean," "The Wind, and the Lion," and "Farwell to the King."

One more thing, my favforite credit for him is as spiritual advisor for the film "Lone Wolf McQuade."

[raj]

I liked Red Dawn, it was a lot of fun when it came out and a nice antidote to the "US is bad" feeling I usually get from Hollywood flicks.

That's cool about a new Conan, and as for romantic scenes, why can't Milius just farm those out?  I'd rather share credit on a good storyline than have sole credit on a crappy one.

[George]

I don't think it was as much or more propaganda than Top Gun or the Rambo movies.

[The Burgomaster]

I saw it during its original theatrical run and I was tremendously disappointed.  But I went out and bought the DVD anyway.  I guess it's okay if you watch it as a far-fetched "shoot-em-up."