August 11, 2009, - 10:47 am
Happy 25th, “Red Dawn”: Important Movie Survives While Star Fights Cancer (Being Remade w/Chinese Threat)
This is one of those things that makes you feel old. But it’s especially auspicious, since we’re now in a statist trend in America, under a big brother President.
Yesterday, August 10th, was the official 25th anniversary of an important movie, “Red Dawn,” which depicts a Soviet Communist invasion of America and a band of American teens–the “Wolverines”–who heroically fight them off. It was released on August 10, 1984 amidst the Reagan Revolution. And in many ways it was symbolic of why it was so important for the Reagan Era to succeed over Communism.
“Red Dawn” Trailer . . .
Although it was panned by many critics (a/k/a liberals) at the time, “Red Dawn” is a great movie that stands the test of time . . . if you realize that the Communist threat of yesterday in the movie could easily be the Islamic threat of today, taking over our country unless we stop them. Only a few years after “Red Dawn” came out, the Soviet Union fell. But several of the Communist leaders on our own Western Hemisphere, in Latin America, who were around then–like Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega–are back or have been replaced by far worse, such as Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and Bolivia’s Evo Morales.
As I wrote in a previous column:
At the time it came out, we were in the midst of fighting the Soviets and other forces of Communist hegemony in the Cold War. That’s why despite universal critical panning, the movie was a box office success, with Americans paying to see it in droves. It was an important film that embodied the fight Ronald Reagan was preventing in our future by fighting–and beating–it during his Presidency. If only President Bush had done the same in the last 6.5 years, instead of kowtowing to it. Unlike Ronald Reagan, his actions insure that “Black Dawn” will not just be a movie.
I’ve always said that “Red Dawn” and “Arlington Road” are both great movies that should be remade into timely movies with Muslims replacing Communists and homegrown militias. They are the current threat. But Hollywood refuses to believe it. Given that mentality, it’s in fact miraculous that “Red Dawn” was ever made. Don’t look for “Green Dawn” or “Black Dawn”–about the Muslim invasion–to ever get greenlit.
And as we celebrate this great, important movie, let’s not forget its star, Patrick Swayze, is fighting a heroic battle against pancreatic cancer. He has lived far longer than most who are struck with this horrible disease. And, even though I’ve been critical of some of his political statements in the past (here and here), I don’t forget his contribution to America in starring in “Red Dawn.” And we should keep him in our prayers.
You might not know this but “Red Dawn” is, in fact, being remade. It begins filming, next month, in Michigan, for a 2010 release. Unfortunately, it’s not being remade as it should be–with Islam as the threat to America’s survival. Instead, the storyline has a Chinese invasion (along with some Russian soldiers, too). And it stars such “great actors” as Connor Cruise, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman’s adopted son.
Cruise will play Daryl, the son of the mayor in Spokane, which is being overrun by Chinese and Russian soldiers.
Don’t watch for it to have the impact or to be quite the cult classic as the original “Red Dawn.” I’m sure it won’t be nearly as good. Read more about the remake here.
Wolverines!
Tags: 25th Anniversary, Arlington Road, Bolivia, China, Chinese, communism, Communists, Connor Cruise, Daniel Ortega, Evo Morales, Hugo Chavez, Islam, Latin America, Michigan, Movie Reviews, Muslims, Nicaragua, Nicole Kidman, pancreatic cancer, Patrick Swayze, Reagan Revolution, Red Dawn, Russia, Russians, SPOKANE, Tom Cruise, Venezeula, Wolverines
I had just graduated from college in 1984, and was in Officer Basic in the Army when this came out. I have always loved this movie and still do. It shows America at its best when times are tough, and how we really do fight back against terror.
Agnes B. Bullock on August 11, 2009 at 11:23 am