By Dawn's Early Light (TV) | | Cast : | Powers Boothe, Rebecca De Mornay | | Director : | Jack Sholder | | Studio : | Warner Home Video | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned | | Released Date : | May 19, 1990 | | DVD Released Date : | June 01, 2004 | | Language : | English (Dubbed) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 24, 2005 | | Summary | Pre-Dawn entertainment | Content
 | Though I'm sure our brave men and women serving in the armed forces, especially during the Cold War 80's, will be able to pick this movie apart, I must say that I enjoyed watching this movie back when it was first released by HBO. I just got finished watching it again and I still enjoyed it. It takes a serious look at our stupidity (from a Human-race standpoint) surounding Nuclear War. It also looks at the mistakes we all make when the pressure is on. Rebecca DeMornay's character says this best when she confirms to Powers Boothe's character, "Did we do anything right today?"
The acting if grand. You seldom saw such great performances out of cable movies back in the 80's (save for other early HBO flicks like "Long Gone" and the like). Most impressive was the performances of James Earl Jones, Rip Torn and Martin Landou.
The script was written well, though there is some essence of "cheese" here and there, most coming from the cockpit conversations between Boothe and DeMornay. The President speaking with Soviet Premere over some guys radio at an Olney, MD FEMA hosiptal was also kind of lame. On last thing about the script: if the writer wanted to give the acting President, the Secretayr of the Interior character, some credibility at all, he could have mentioned that the reason he wanted to attack and destroy the Soviet Union in his "two-one-Zebra Grand Tour" attack, he could have simply stated that he wanted to make sure this would not happen again, or that he was preventing World War IV.
All-in-all, a well rounded movie and enjoyable to watch several times, if viewings are spaced out. If your DVD collection is small, I'd wait a bit before getting this unless you really enjoy the genre. But if your like me and love movies, by all means get it.
One piece of trivia (for sci-fi buffs): In the movie, the pilot of Air Force One (Steve Rankin) played by guest character "Ray Butts" on FOX's sci-fi series "Space: Above and Beyond." The lead character from that series, James Morrison, also had the roll of an Air Force One pilot on the popular series "The West Wing." ...yea, I know. I'm a geek. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 15, 2005 | | Summary | Pure Entertainment | Content
| By Dawn's Early Light is one of those movies that could only be made by HBO. There are no big name TV personalities thrown in for their star value or any ridiculous plot twists that might appeal to the simple minded viewer. This is one of those movies that came from a time when there was a very real threat for the survival of the world and this movie tells the story of one of those scenarios.
With the dissolution of the Soviet Union control over their nuclear arsenal was, as it is now, suspect. There was a time when hard line stalwarts from an earlier time (on both sides) believed that a nuclear war was survivable and could be won (remember the duck and cover drills we did where if you hid under your school desk you would survive a nuclear blast or the promise that even after a nuclear blast the US Postal Service would still be able to deliver the mail?).
When renegades from the old Soviet Union fire nuclear salvos at the US (including Washington DC), and with most of the communications and elected leadership of this country decimated, a battle ensues between soldiers who have been trained to follow orders without question and those that might question tha validity of those orders when considering the current situation. We also have a similar battle of wills amongst the top echelon of what's left of the elected leadership of this country and the remaining military leadership advising them.
The cast is superb, the storyline extrememly believable and well thought out and the production values first rate. This is one of those movies that belongs on people's shelves to be watched from time to time for pure entertainment value. The viewer will walk away from this movie not in awe of the special effects we see all too often these days, nor will he think he has just seen the latest from Masterpiece Theatre. He won't won't walk away suddenly endowed with all of the secrets to life but he will walk away knowing he's been entertained and got his money's worth out of this movie. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 02, 2005 | | Summary | It's the end of the world as we know it. | Content
| I've always been a sucker for "end of the world" themes in literature and cinema. Having enjoyed such efforts as "Threads," "Testament," and "The Day After," I decided to give this film a shot. And it was pretty good, but if you're looking for great special effects involving nuclear devastation, you'd better look elsewhere. With the exception of one REALLY haunting image of the sky lighting up with a thermonuclear fireball just outside windows of the White House, this film takes a more subtle approach, focusing on the fear and confusion amongst top brass when a rogue attack triggers a nuclear exchange. This film is more in the tradition of "Fail Safe." Not bad, but not that great either.
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| Rating | | | Date | June 09, 2005 | | Summary | Avoid this Film | Content
| Completely ridiculous story.
Among all the other implausible stories within this story, is the fact
that the presidents helicopter has gone down somewhere in MD., and
no one knows where the VP is, nor can they find most of the people
in the line of accession. So they make the first senior guy they find
the President. Which, as stupid as that is, pales when compared to
part of the story that has a male and female B-1 pilots who fly in
the same plane, and are lovers. And best (or worst) of all they can't
agree about whether they should follow their orders and complete
their mission. And of course the story works out so the feel good
concept is the one that prevails.
The worst films HBO has done. This was a while ago and they have
gotten a lot better. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 20, 2005 | | Summary | Worst Bomber Movie Ever | Content
| This movie is ridiculous! I am an aircrew member on the B-1B bomber and this film is so far from reality I can't even begin to tear it apart. For one, most of the scenes are on airplanes and the dialouge is very quiet and touching. There is no way you can talk like that on an airplane in flight. Especially after a guy ejects!!! And the love story between the pilots? Just ridiculous! All the face stroking and peaceful banter, ridiculous! We have to yell at the top of our lungs to talk in the jet off headset. So STUPID!!!! DO NOT waste your time with this movie. |
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