The Big Red One (Reconstruction)

original title:
The Big Red One (Reconstruction)
other titles:
(The Big Red One - Die unbesiegbare Erste), Samuel Fuller and the Big Red One
country / year of production:
USA / 1978/ 2004 (Reconstruction-Version)
original length:
113 min./ 155 min. (Reconstruction-Version) , color
premiere:
18 July 1980, New York City/ 3 May 2005 (Reconstruction-Version)
genre:
adventure
based on:
director:
Samuel Fuller
film script:
Samuel Fuller
producer:
Gene Corman
cinematographer:
Adam Greenberg
editor:
Morton Tubor
composer:
Dana Kaproff
cast (role):
Lee Marvin (Sergeant Possum) , Mark Hamill (Pvt. Griff, 1st Squad) , Robert Carradine (Pvt. Zab, 1st Squad) , Bobby Di Cicco (Pvt. Vinci, 1st Squad) , Stéphane Audran (Walloon, Underground fighter at Asylum) , Lee Marvin , Mark Hamill , Robert Carradine , Bobby Di Cicco , Stéphane Audran
more:
Charles Macaulay (General/Captain) , Siegfried Rauch (Schroeder, German Sergeant) , Serge Marquand (Rensonnet) , Siegfried Rauch , Charles Macaulay , Serge Marquand
plot synopsis:
Story of a five American soldiers and their battle-hardened sergeant. As members of the First Infatry Division the fight their way from North Africa to Sicily, to the beaches of Normandy, Belgium, Germany, and finally Czechoslovakia, where they take part in the liberation of a concentrationcamp.
The film opens with a scene from the First World War. On the battlefield a German soldier comes running to the sergeant shouting that the war is over. Since the sergeant does not comprehend what the man is saying he stab him. the motive of this scene is repeated when by the end of the film the sergeant again stabs a German officer. When then learns that the war is already over, he tries to save the man`s life.
keywords:
tanks , concentration camps , infantry , invasion
war:
Second World War (1939-1945)
literature:
Lee Server. Sam Fuller. Film is a battleground. Jefferson: McFarland, 1994.
remarks:
Based on director Fuller`s personal experience, who fought in the Second World War in the First Infantry Division.

Since May 2005 the reconstructed version (155 min.) from 2004 is available as double DVD with
• Commentary by reconstruction producer Richard Schickel
• Over 40 minutes of added footage
• Alternate scenes
• Anatomy of a Scene: Watch the director at work and examine the before/after restoration comparisons
• New documentary "The Real Glory": Reconstructing The Big One
• Profile: The Men Who Make the Movies: Samuel Fuller
• War department film: The Fighting First
• 1980 promo reel, theatrical trailer, and TV and radio spots
• 2004 reconstruction trailer
• Stills gallery
availability:
VHS, DVD