The Hanoi Hilton (film)
Encyclopedia
The Hanoi Hilton is a 1987
Vietnam War
film which focuses on the experiences of American prisoners of war who were held in the infamous Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi
during the 1960s and 1970s and the story is told from their perspectives. It was directed by Lionel Chetwynd
, and stars Michael Moriarty
, Ken Wright
, and Paul Le Mat
.
The film portrays fictional characters, not specific American POWs. It earned less than $1 million in its initial theatrical release, but a Warner Bros. Home Entertainment VHS
release gained a cult following
, especially among veterans.
A DVD
release of the film had been anticipated for some time in 2008, with the package to include a new interview with former POW and 2008 presidential candidate
John McCain
. However, the film's release was suspended by Warner Bros. due to McCain being the Republican Party nominee. The week following the November 4 general election
, the DVD went forward into release.
1987 in film
-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
film which focuses on the experiences of American prisoners of war who were held in the infamous Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
during the 1960s and 1970s and the story is told from their perspectives. It was directed by Lionel Chetwynd
Lionel Chetwynd
Lionel Chetwynd is a London-born Canadian-American screenwriter, motion picture and television film director and producer.-Life and career:...
, and stars Michael Moriarty
Michael Moriarty
Michael Moriarty is an American-Canadian actor of stage and screen, and a jazz musician. He played Benjamin Stone for four seasons on the TV series Law & Order.-Early life:...
, Ken Wright
Ken Wright
Ken Wright started his football career in Rugby union at the Randwick club in 1974. He was selected to represent Australia in 1975 and went on to play nine international tests...
, and Paul Le Mat
Paul Le Mat
Paul Le Mat is an American actor who first came to prominence in the 1973 film American Graffiti, which won him the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actor.-Life:...
.
The film portrays fictional characters, not specific American POWs. It earned less than $1 million in its initial theatrical release, but a Warner Bros. Home Entertainment VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
release gained a cult following
Cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
, especially among veterans.
A DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
release of the film had been anticipated for some time in 2008, with the package to include a new interview with former POW and 2008 presidential candidate
John McCain presidential campaign, 2008
John McCain, the senior United States Senator from Arizona, launched his second candidacy for the presidency of the United States in an unsuccessful bid to win the 2008 presidential election. His candidacy, in the works for a number of years, was informally announced on February 28, 2007 during a...
John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
. However, the film's release was suspended by Warner Bros. due to McCain being the Republican Party nominee. The week following the November 4 general election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, the DVD went forward into release.
Cast
- Michael MoriartyMichael MoriartyMichael Moriarty is an American-Canadian actor of stage and screen, and a jazz musician. He played Benjamin Stone for four seasons on the TV series Law & Order.-Early life:...
as LCDR. Williamson - John Edwin Shaw as Mason
- Ken WrightKen WrightKen Wright started his football career in Rugby union at the Randwick club in 1974. He was selected to represent Australia in 1975 and went on to play nine international tests...
as Kennedy - Paul Le MatPaul Le MatPaul Le Mat is an American actor who first came to prominence in the 1973 film American Graffiti, which won him the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actor.-Life:...
as Earl Hubman - David SoulDavid SoulDavid Soul is an American-British actor and singer, best known for his role as Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson in the television programme Starsky and Hutch . He gained British citizenship in 2004.-Early life:...
as Maj. Oldham - Stephen DaviesStephen Davies (actor)Stephen Davies is a film and television actor. Stephen grew up in the working class neighborhood of Berkley, Michigan, in a small bungalow house. His family then moved to a more affluent area, on Adams Road in Troy, MI. He started his acting career at Berkley High School, in Berkley, Michigan,...
as Capt. Robert Miles - Lawrence PressmanLawrence PressmanDavid M. Pressman, Senior is an American actor, probably best known for roles on Doogie Howser, M.D., Ladies Man, a recurring role on Profiler, the titular character on Mulligan's Stew and as a fictional scientist in the 1971 film The Hellstrom Chronicle.His first role was on the soap opera The...
as Col. Cathcart - Doug SavantDoug SavantDouglas Peter "Doug" Savant is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Matt Fielding on Melrose Place and Tom Scavo on the ABC dramedy series Desperate Housewives.-Career:...
as Ashby - David Anthony Smith as Gregory
- Jeffrey JonesJeffrey JonesJeffrey Duncan Jones is an American actor. He has appeared in many films and television series, but may be best known for his roles as Emperor Joseph II in Miloš Forman’s Amadeus, Charles Deetz in Beetlejuice, and Dean of Students Edward R...
as Maj. Fischer - John VargasJohn VargasJohn Vargas is an American actor best known for his role in the films Primary Colors and Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan.-Early life:John Vargas was born in the Bronx, New York and moved to Puerto Rico when his father was killed in Vietnam. He was accepted into the Air Force Academy upon finishing...
as Oliviera - Rick FittsRick FittsRick Fitts is an American television and film actor.Fitts has had minor roles in almost a hundred different television shows since his acting debut in 1980, in shows such as Knight Rider, Simon & Simon, The A-Team, Hill Street Blues, Jake and the Fatman, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Seinfeld,...
as Capt. Turner - John Diehl as Murphy
- Jesse Dabson as Rasmussen
- Bruce FairbairnBruce FairbairnBruce Earl Fairbairn was a Canadian musician and international record producer from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was active as a producer from 1976 to 1999 and is considered one of the best of his era...
as Shavik - James AchesonJames AchesonJames Acheson is a British costum designer.Born in Leicester, Acheson has a twin brother, Patrick. In the early 1950s, Acheson was a pupil at St. Marys Convent School, in Priory Street, Colchester, along with his brother...
as Cummins - Aki AleongAki AleongAssing "Aki" Aleong is an American character actor and singer who has also been active in songwriting and musical production. He is probably best known for portraying Senator Hidoshi during the first season of the critically acclaimed series Babylon 5, as well as portraying Mr. Chiang, the aide to...
as Maj. Ngo Doc (Cat)