The Beast of War (1988)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Kevin Reynolds

Writer:

William Mastrosimone (play) (screenplay)

Release Date:

29 September 1988 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama | History | War

Tagline:

War brings out the beast in every man.

Plot:

During the war in Afghanistan a Soviet tank crew commanded by a tyrannical officer find themselves lost...

Plot Keywords:

Tank | Battle | Village | Commander | 1980s

Awards:

1 win

Cast

George Dzundza	...	Daskal
Jason Patric	...	Koverchenko
Steven Bauer	...	Taj
Stephen Baldwin	...	Golikov
Don Harvey	...	Kaminski
Kabir Bedi	...	Akbar
Erick Avari	...	Samad
Chaim Girafi	...	Moustafa (as Haim Gerafi)
Shoshi Marciano	...	Sherina (as Shosh Marciano)
Yitzhak Ne'eman	...	Iskandar (as Itzhak Babi Ne'Eman)
David Sherrill	...	Kovolov
Moshe Vapnik	...	Hasan
Claude Aviram	...	Sadioue
Victor Ken	...	Ali
Avi Keedar	...	Noor
Osnat Mor	...	Young Girl
Rami Heuberger	...	Helicopter Co-Pilot (as Ramy Heuberger)
Avi Gil-Or	...	Khahzaman
Roberto Pollak	...	Shahzaman
Beni Baruchin	...	Afzal

Directed by
Kevin Reynolds

Writing credits
William Mastrosimone		(play "Nanawatai") (screenplay)

Produced by
Christopher Dalton	....	associate producer
John Fiedler	....	producer
Gil Friesen	....	executive producer
Dale Pollock	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Mark Isham

Cinematography by
Douglas Milsome

Film Editing by
Peter Boyle

Casting by
Ilene Starger

Production Design by
Kuli Sander

Art Direction by
Richard D. James		(as Richard James)

Set Decoration by
Shimon Allon		(as Shimon Alon)
Doron Efrat

Costume Design by
Rochelle Zaltzman

Makeup Department
Peter Frampton	....	makeup artist
Zvia Grego	....	hair stylist
Zivit Yakir	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Rudy Cohen	....	production supervisor
Christopher Dalton	....	unit production manager
Omri Maron	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark Illsley	....	second unit director
Sarit Kedem	....	second second assistant director
Haim Rinski	....	second assistant director (as Haim Rinsky)
Bob Roe	....	first assistant director (as Robert Roe)

Art Department
Zvika Aloni	....	assistant property master
Ya'acov Ben Shuan	....	props
Zvika Chen	....	art department coordinator
Gila Cohen	....	set dresser
Shimon Cohen	....	props (as Shimeon Cohen)
Tal Gotshel	....	drafter
Gil Ifergan	....	props (as Gil Ifargan)
Beni Karni	....	set dresser
Amiram Lichter	....	set dresser
Oshmi Michael	....	painter
Yoram Shayer	....	property master
Eli Zion	....	props

Sound Department
Pat Brennan	....	assistant sound editor
Paula Connor	....	assistant sound editor
David Crozier	....	sound mixer
John Frankel	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joe Gallagher	....	assistant sound editor
Derek Holding	....	sound editor
Dean Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gerry Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Lis	....	boom operator
Ian Munro	....	boom operator
Alan Paley	....	sound editor
Peter Pennell	....	supervising sound editor
Stefna Smal	....	assistant sound editor
Paul Smith	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Gil Arad	....	special effects assistant
Peter Hutchinson	....	special effects supervisor
Stephen Hutchinson	....	special effects assistant
Pini Klavir	....	special effects assistant
Yoram Pollack	....	special effects assistant
Yossie Safrani	....	special effects assistant
Shmulik Sherf	....	special effects assistant
Andrew Smith	....	special effects assistant
Hagai Yochanan	....	special effects assistant

Stunts
Andy Bradford	....	stunts
Tracey Eddon	....	stunts
Nick Gillard	....	stunts
Paul Heasman	....	stunts
Frank Henson	....	stunts (as Frank Hansen)
Wayne Michaels	....	stunts
Paul Weston	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Ze'ev Aloni	....	lighting technician (as Zeev Aloni)
Gal Altschuler	....	grip (as Gal Alsholer)
Eitan Ben Arie	....	second assistant camera (as Eitan Ben Ayre)
Shlomo Avidan	....	still photographer
Itzik Ben-Aroya	....	key grip (as Itzik Ben Aroya)
Loui Bochaim	....	lighting technician
Dana Christiaansen	....	director of photography: second unit
Noam Eisenberg	....	grip (as Noam Isenberg)
Gili Getter	....	lighting technician (as Gil Getter)
Jean-Claude Jakubowitz	....	best boy (as Jean Claude Yakobovitz)
Avi Koren	....	first assistant camera
Moshe Levin	....	camera operator: second unit
Shmulik Levy	....	grip
Beni Malee	....	assistant camera
Beni Malee	....	camera operator: second unit
Alan Martin	....	gaffer
Douglas Milsome	....	camera operator
David Namir	....	assistant camera (as Dudi Namir)
David Namir	....	second camera operator: second unit (as Dudi Namir)
Amnon Nuriyani	....	grip (as Amnon Nuriani)
Eli Rachamin	....	grip
David Rosenbaum	....	lighting technician
Micha Sabach	....	grip
David Saranga	....	grip
Moche Schiff	....	assistant camera (as Moshe Shiff)
Moche Schiff	....	camera operator: second unit (as Moshe Shiff)
Ronen Shechner	....	assistant camera
Ra'anan Spiro	....	grip

Casting Department
Dalia Hovers	....	additional casting (as Dalya Hovers)
Zigler Zeev	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michal Bentzel	....	wardrobe
Etti Kenner	....	wardrobe (as Ety Kanner)
Tami Romano	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Rita Ackland-Snow	....	assistant editor
Chris Blunden	....	first assistant editor (as Christopher Blunden)
Yehiel Gurfinkel	....	apprentice editor
Elinor Hardy	....	apprentice editor (as Elinora Hardy)
Julia Harrington	....	assistant editor
Jake Hodges	....	assistant editor
Catherine Hodgson	....	assistant editor
Joe Illing	....	assistant editor
Steve Maguire	....	assistant editor

Music Department
David Anderle	....	music supervisor
Stephen Krause	....	scoring mixer (as Steve Krause)

Transportation Department
Shlomo Admoni	....	driver
Haim Aroas	....	driver
Itzhak Hezi	....	driver
Gadi Itzchak	....	driver
Meir Sigura	....	transportation manager (as Sigura Meir)
Gaby Weismann	....	production driver
Gershon Winstien	....	driver

Other crew
Yonathan Agin	....	location staff
Eitan Alon	....	location manager
Gil Alon	....	location staff
Leah Anu	....	unit nurse
Bruce Bahrenburg	....	unit publicist
Itzchak Bareli	....	assistant armorer (as Itzhak Bareli)
Shmuel Bejerano	....	accountant (as Shmulik Begerano)
Irit Binyaminy	....	script supervisor (as Irit Binyamini)
Avinoam Caspi	....	tank crew
Ronit Chayun	....	assistant production coordinator
Eli Chen	....	production assistant
Moshe Chingali	....	caterer
Riki Cohen	....	unit nurse
Dale Ditlove	....	assistant: Dale Pollock
Dale Dye	....	technical advisor (as Capt. Dale Dye)
Mark Ebenhoch	....	technical advisor: military
Radia Eilon	....	tank crew
Ariel Elcha	....	tank crew
David Faran	....	tank crew
Iftach Gabay	....	location staff
Ilana Ganem	....	location staff
David Gol	....	coach: Pushtu
Meir Goldenberg	....	tank crew
Victoria Heslin	....	assistant: John Fielder
Omri Hoyslich	....	location staff
Samantha C. Kirkeby	....	production assistant (as Samantha Kirkeby)
Avihu Lehanon	....	location staff (as Avihu Levanon)
Nava Levin	....	production controller
Shlomo Levi	....	tank crew
Orna Maimon	....	production secretary
Dawood Moosa	....	script translator
Moshe Moshe	....	tank crew
Danny Orkin	....	location staff
Avner Peled	....	military coordinator
Itzhak Polombo	....	tank crew
Baruch Rafiah	....	production assistant
Shneor Ratzkowsky	....	auditor (as Shneor Ratzkovsky)
Charlotte Rose	....	production coordinator
Dorit Schachar	....	accountant (as Dorit Shachar)
Youval Shachaf	....	tank crew
Meir Shavit	....	tank crew
Yaacov Shilian	....	tank crew
Robi Shimron	....	tank crew
Yoav Shneor	....	military coordinator
Yosef Shriber	....	tank crew
Nissim Shriki	....	location staff
Yitzhak Shriki	....	assistant location manager (as Shriki Itzchak)
Offer Studinsky	....	tank crew
Kathleen Switzer	....	assistant: Kevin Reynolds (as Kathleen A. Switzer)
Enrico Tapya	....	tank crew
Haim Vaknin	....	tank crew
Carmit Vardinon	....	production secretary
Alan Wiseman	....	armorer
David Ya'acov	....	tank crew
Moshe Zanani	....	location staff

Production Companies

• A&M Films
• Brightstar Films

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1988) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services

Also Known As:

The Beast (USA) (video box title)

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Pashtu

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

West Germany:18 | South Korea:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Israel

Company:

A&M Films

Trivia:

The words "Badal" and "Nanawatai" that are spoken by the rebels in the film mean "Revenge" and "Mercy".

Goofs:

Continuity: When they are tying Constantine to the rock, the wrap around wire frame of his glasses has come off his right ear. A few moments later it is back in place around his ear (his hands are tied the whole time)

Quotes:

[in Arabic]
Moustafa: A crow can speak a word. But a crow is not a man and neither is a Russian.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 (2001)

Soundtrack:

STREETCAR HEADED EAST

Why hadn't I heard of this film before?

I watched this film by complete chance on TV - I was zapping as it started, and watched, riveted, till the end. I can't work out why I've never heard of it before.

It's almost abstract in its dramatic force. 'Us' and 'Them' stripped down to the inside and outside of a tank in a hostile desert. Only Us and Them is more complicated than that, and a thick metal shell turns out to be as much a crazy prison as a secure image of identity, self, Us, in the Middle of Nowhere. ...So I think 'Us' inside the tank speaking (like most of the audience) American English is a brilliant piece of casting or direction. The echo of Vietnam is powerful of course, and the film is a very rare and amazingly prescient attempt to bring some mass-media insight into something that we see all the time on the news, but hardly ever in the movies: Afghanistan was maybe the beginning of the new East-West contest of Humanism vs Islam, replacing after 1989-91 (and this film was made in 1988!) the old contest of Capitalism vs Communism. The Russians are still fighting this war in Chechnia.

But the real war that the film's about, the war of Us and Them, will go on for ever, and really, the greatest strength of this 'semi-abstract' film is that its echos and prefigurations of specific conflicts are precisely echoes and prefigurations: particular illustrations or dimensions of the basic human drama of the film, which is abstracted from one particular war, rather than itself being just a schematic illustration of some particular historical fact. I guess that's 'Art'.

Great unknown film.