By Dawn's Early Light (1990) (TV)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Jack Sholder

Writers (WGA):

William Prochnau (novel)
Bruce Gilbert (teleplay)

Release Date:

19 May 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller | Action

Tagline:

Four People. Three Minutes. Two Choices. One Chance For Survival.

Plot:

The crew of a nuclear bomber attack the Soviet Union while the President of the United States tries...

Plot Keywords:

Nuclear War | Based On Novel

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Powers Boothe	...	Maj. Cassidy
Rebecca De Mornay	...	Capt. Moreau
James Earl Jones	...	Looking Glass General - 'Alice'
Martin Landau	...	President
Darren McGavin	...	Condor - Secretary of Interior
Jeffrey DeMunn	...	E-4 Admiral - 'Harpoon'
Rip Torn	...	E-4 Col. Fargo
Peter MacNicol	...	Lt. Cmdr. Tom Sedgewicke
Glenn Withrow	...	Lt. Tyler
Ronald William Lawrence	...	Lt. Hooker
Kieran Mulroney	...	Lt. Radnor
Nicolas Coster	...	Gen. Renning - 'Icarus'
Ken Jenkins	...	Looking Glass Colonel - 'Sam'
Randal Patrick	...	Maj. O'Toole
Daniel Benzali	...	FEMA Director Bascombe
Robert O'Reilly	...	FEMA Radioman
Annabella Price	...	FEMA Bunker Nurse
Ann Gillespie	...	Looking Glass Captain
Dana Kimmell	...	Tyler's Wife
Glenn Morshower	...	F-18 Pilot
Jon Steuer	...	Timmy Tyler
Danielle von Zerneck	...	Radnor's Wife
Katherine Cortez	...	Moreau's Roommate
Jon Cedar	...	SAC Colonel
Paul Tompkins	...	SAC Aide #1
Tony Rayner	...	SAC Computer Operator
Richard Speight Jr.	...	SAC Guard (as Richard Speight)
T.R. Marino	...	SAC Aide #2
Steve Eastin	...	Smitty
Steve Rankin	...	Col. Flanders - E-4 Pilot
Mike Gomez	...	E-4 Co-Pilot
Scott Trost	...	E-4 Radioman
Pat Skipper	...	Secret Service Agent
Adrian Ricard	...	Mother in Woods
Douglas Tolbert	...	Little Boy in Woods
Bill Moynihan	...	Hooded Medic
Dagmar Stanec	...	Turkish Controller
Ray Nazzari	...	Turkish Coordinating Inspector
Richard Assad	...	Turkish Controller

Directed by
Jack Sholder

Writing credits (WGA)
William Prochnau		(novel "Trinity's Child")
Bruce Gilbert		(teleplay)

Produced by
Bruce Gilbert	....	executive producer
Thomas M. Hammel	....	producer
Susan Moore	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Trevor Jones

Cinematography by
Alexander Gruszynski

Film Editing by
Tony Lombardo

Casting by
Junie Lowry-Johnson		(as Junie Lowry)

Production Design by
Michael Novotny

Art Direction by
David Goldberg

Set Decoration by
Anthony R. Stabley

Costume Design by
Barbara Scott

Makeup Department
Karen Stephens	....	assistant makeup artist
Ron Wild	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Ephraim 'Red' Schaffer	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert D. Nellans	....	second assistant director
Robin R. Oliver	....	first assistant director (as Robin Oliver)

Art Department
Jacqueline Anteau	....	art department coordinator
Curtis Baruth	....	construction coordinator
Will Blount	....	property master
David J. Bomba	....	set designer
Bruton Jones	....	set designer
Roger L. King	....	construction gang boss
Rod Schumacher	....	assistant art director
Wayne Shepherd	....	lead man
Lisa Yarick	....	assistant property master
Jamie Upham	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Christopher Assells	....	sound editor
Bob Beemer	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bruce Bisenz	....	sound mixer
Jan Brodin	....	sound mixer
Karla Caldwell	....	supervising adr editor
Dave McMoyler	....	supervising sound editor
Andy Nelson	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Sanucci	....	boom operator
Edward F. Suski	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bo Svensson	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Howard Jensen	....	special effects coordinator
Mark Lilienthal	....	special effects technician
William H. Schirmer	....	special effects coordinator
Roland Tantin	....	special effects technician
Harold Weed	....	key model maker (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Craig Barron	....	visual effects supervisor: Matte World
Krystyna Demkowicz	....	executive in charge of production: Matte World
Peter Kuran	....	special optical effects
Michael Pangrazio	....	special visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Brian Davis	....	stunts
Buck McDancer	....	stunt coordinator
Pat Romano	....	stunts
Marshall Virtue	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Deirdre Arbucci	....	second assistant camera
Mark Burnett	....	video playback operator
John Chickanis	....	electrician
Henry Cline	....	first assistant camera
Mark Combs	....	key grip
Larry Edwards	....	grip
Michael Evans	....	electrician
Steven Frohardt	....	best boy grip
Tom Harjo	....	grip
Danny Jimenez	....	dolly grip
Shane D. Kelly	....	gaffer
William K. Koski	....	electrician
Jesse Mather	....	best boy electric
David Parker	....	grip
Martin Schaer	....	camera operator
David Stein	....	grip
Amy Vincent	....	second assistant camera

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Ron Surma	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sybil Gray	....	costumer
Debra L. Wright	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Peter Fandetti	....	first assistant film editor
Judd H. Maslansky	....	second assistant film editor
Barbara Riley	....	negative cutter
Ron Wengler	....	color timer

Music Department
Dan Carlin Sr.	....	supervising music editor
Paul Hulme	....	music mixer
Victoria Seale	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
Jim Chesney	....	transportation coordinator
Derek Raser	....	driver

Other crew
Steve Austin	....	video consultant
Jeffrey Downer	....	production coordinator
Kevin Landry	....	production accountant
Toni Maier	....	location manager
T.R. Marino	....	technical advisor
Lollie Ortiz	....	title designer
Judith Saunders	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Home Box Office (HBO)
• Paravision International S.A.

Distributors

• Home Box Office (HBO) (1990) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• KinoVista (2007) (Russia) (all media)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1990) (Belgium) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Matte World Digital

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:S | Iceland:12 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Australia:M | USA:PG-13

Company:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Trivia:

James Earl Jones' character spends his entire time in the movie aboard a plane. This was also the case in Jones' first film, Dr. Strangelove (1964). Both films were based around a nuclear confrontation between the U.S. and U.S.S.R.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The exterior of the Looking Glass airplane is narrow body but the interior is clearly wide body.

Quotes:

[Alice has just refused an order from the acting president]
Sam: They'll shoot you for this general.
Alice: Sam, old friend, I should find such an angel of mercy.

Movie Connections:

References Planet of the Apes (1968)

Soundtrack:

DON'T CALL HIM A COWBOY

Top Notch Nuclear Thriller

It's a shame that there are few movies that depict the procedures, tactics, and escalating stages of nuclear warfare in as much detail and accuracy as "By Dawn's Early Light." Adapted from the novel Trinity's Child, Jack Shoulder's "By Dawn's Early Light" hits all the right notes in portraying the professionalism, training, and courage of American nuclear forces. The film's numerous scenes, including the E-4 NEACP (National Emergency Airborne Command Post), RC-135 "Looking Glass" plane, and even the Strategic Air Command operations room are incredibly realistic and well-detailed. The numerous conflicting personalities depicted in the film also give it great texture, taking the film a step closer to reality. Cold War buffs and military fans are sure to get a kick out of this film, especially with its stunningly dramatic, hardcore finale. "By Dawn's Early Light" is proof that low budget constraints do not have to derail an entire film.