The War (1994)

Director:

Jon Avnet

Writer (WGA):

Kathy McWorter (written by)

Release Date:

4 November 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | War

Tagline:

What's worth fighting for?

Plot:

Vietnam War vet Costner must deal with a war of a different sort between his son and their friends, and a rival group of children...

Plot Keywords:

Vietnam | Group | Friendship | Brother Sister Relationship | Water Tower

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Elijah Wood	...	Stu Simmons
Kevin Costner	...	Stephen Simmons
Mare Winningham	...	Lois Simmons
Lexi Randall	...	Lidia Joanne Simmons
LaToya Chisholm	...	Elvadine
Christopher Fennell	...	Billy Lipnicki
Donald Sellers	...	Arliss Lipnicki
Leon Sills	...	Leo Lipnicki
Will West	...	Lester Lucket
Brennan Gallagher	...	Marsh
Adam Henderson	...	Chet
Charlette Julius	...	Amber
Jennifer Tyler	...	Ula Lipnicki
Lucas Black	...	Ebb
Justin Lucas	...	Willard
Raynor Scheine	...	Mr. Lipnicki
Christine Baranski	...	Miss Strapford
Bruce A. Young	...	Moe Henry
Mary Nell Santacroce	...	Mrs. Higgins
Nick Searcy	...	John Ray Wilkens
Gary Basaraba	...	Dodge
Judson Vaughn	...	Soldier
Jay Brooks	...	Old Man
Afemo Omilami	...	Quarry Man
Tim Ware	...	Fat Man at Auction
J. Don Ferguson	...	Mine Foreman
Ron Clinton Smith	...	Ambulance Attendant
Tom Even	...	Doctor
Dorothy Davis	...	Nurse
Bill Coates	...	Catfish Man
Wilson L. Middlebrooks	...	Field Foreman

Directed by
Jon Avnet

Writing credits (WGA)
Kathy McWorter		(written by)

Produced by
Jon Avnet	....	producer
Todd R. Baker	....	executive producer (as Todd Baker)
Eric Eisner	....	executive producer
Martin Huberty	....	co-producer
Jordan Kerner	....	producer
Lisa Lindstrom	....	co-producer
Deborah Love	....	associate producer
Kathy McWorter	....	co-executive producer

Original Music by
Thomas Newman

Cinematography by
Geoffrey Simpson

Film Editing by
Debra Neil-Fisher		(as Debra Neil)

Casting by
David Rubin
Debra Zane

Production Design by
Kristi Zea

Art Direction by
Jeremy Conway

Set Decoration by
Karen O'Hara

Costume Design by
Molly Maginnis

Makeup Department
Fern Buchner	....	makeup designer
Patrice Coleman	....	additional makeup artist
Elle Elliott	....	hair stylist: Mr. Costner
Isabel Harkins	....	additional makeup artist
Bill Johnson	....	additional makeup artist
Bridgit Oliver	....	additional makeup artist
Susan 'Star' Orr	....	second hair stylist (as Susan Orr)
Francisco X. Pérez	....	makeup artist: Mr. Costner (as Frank Perez)
John Quaglia	....	key hair stylist (as John D. Quaglia)
Rosemary Zurlo	....	key makeup artist (as Rosemarie Zurlo)

Production Management
Alma Kuttruff	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter E. Hirsch	....	assistant director
Deborah Love	....	first assistant director
Vincent Palmo Jr.	....	assistant director
Annette Sutera	....	assistant director

Art Department
John Balling	....	stand-by painter
Tony Beall	....	painter
Dwight Benjamin-Creel	....	property master
Sharon Braunstein	....	set dresser (as Sharon Joan Braunstein)
Matthew Butler	....	greensman
Francine Byrne	....	art department coordinator
Charles E. Cape Jr.	....	art department assistant
Howard J. Clark	....	set dresser
Tommy Cochran	....	painter
Joe Connolly	....	assistant props
Andrew Seward Duncan	....	assistant props
Regina Edwards	....	art department assistant
Maryann Garvin	....	assistant set decorator
Ryan Hartnett	....	greensman
Anne Holifield	....	painter
Lee Ivey	....	painter
Jennifer Johnston	....	set dresser
Deb Knowles	....	art department assistant
James Lawler	....	painter
Rebecca Leonard	....	painter
Lindanne Lewis	....	painter
Eddie Lee Mayner	....	set dresser
Mikie McAmis	....	art department assistant
Jeffrey D. McDonald	....	assistant art director
Thomas Minton	....	assistant art director
Swift Moseley	....	head greensman
Edward E. O'Connell	....	set painter (as Ed O'Connell)
Dwayne Pilato	....	painter
Thomas Michael Ryan	....	general foreman (as Michael Ryan)
Julie Sanford	....	set designer (as Julie S. Sanford)
Jeffrey Schlatter	....	construction coordinator (as Jeff Schlatter)
Larry C. Shepard	....	stand-by painter
Stephanie Shimshick	....	art department assistant
Scott Strader	....	set dresser
David Sutton	....	painter
Robert Testerman	....	head painter (as Bob Testerman)
Kenneth Turek	....	leadman (as Ken Turek)
Tommy Lee Watson Jr.	....	set dresser
Karen Young	....	on-set dresser (as Karen L. Young)

Sound Department
David E. Campbell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mary H. Ellis	....	sound mixer
David Gertz	....	foley mixer
Devon Heffley Curry	....	adr supervisor
James Moriana	....	foley artist
R.J. Palmer	....	sound effects editor
John T. Reitz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gregg Rudloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Christopher C. Schiavo	....	assistant sound editor
George Watters II	....	supervising sound editor
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist

Special Effects by
Terry Erickson	....	special effects technician
Thomas M. Ficke	....	pyrotechnics operator
Paul J. Lombardi	....	special effects coordinator (as Paul Lombardi)

Stunts
Steve Borders	....	stunts
Victor Chan	....	stunts
Scott Dale	....	stunts
Brenda DeYoung	....	stunts (as Brenda DeYoung Grant)
Danny Downey	....	stunts
Stone Ericson	....	stunts
John Fagan	....	stunts
Roel Failma	....	stunts
William L. Gillespie	....	stunts
Al Goto	....	stunts
Rusty Hanson	....	stunts
Donald John Hewitt	....	stunts
Don Hewitt	....	stunts
Jery Hewitt	....	stunt coordinator
Brian Imada	....	stunts
Jennifer Lamb	....	stunts
David Paul Lord	....	stunts
David Brian Martin	....	stunts
Kristopher Medina	....	stunts
Tony Montgomery	....	stunts
Ben Oliver	....	stunts
Lee Poppie	....	stunts
Bobby Porter	....	stunts
Deep Roy	....	stunts
Carlton Lee Russell	....	stunts
Jerrell Skinner	....	stunts
Lonnie R. Smith	....	stunts (as Lonnie Smith)
Michael Tinsley	....	stunts
Gary Toy	....	stunts
Jeff Ward	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Arnold	....	electrician
Denise Bailie	....	assistant camera: "b" camera
Lee Blasingame	....	lead assistant camera: "a" camera
Dan Cornwall	....	electrician
Stephen Crowley	....	best boy
Ken Ferris	....	camera operator
Brian Gunter	....	gaffer
Tully McCulloch	....	rigging best boy electric
Greg Morse	....	24 frame video
Riko Schatke	....	second grip
C. Ashley Sudge	....	dolly grip

Casting Department
Pat Cartwright Barwick	....	extras casting assistant (as Pat Barwick)
Mia Choi	....	casting assistant
Shay Griffin	....	casting consultant: Atlanta
J. Cindy Hill	....	extras casting assistant (as Cindy Hill)
Jennifer Lewis	....	extras casting assistant
John McCurry	....	extras casting assistant
Bob R. Patterson	....	extras casting assistant
Michael Shortt	....	casting assistant
Cynthia Stillwell	....	extras casting coordinator (as Cynthia F. Stillwell)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Donna D. Casey	....	assistant costume designer
Suzanne Cranfill	....	wardrobe supervisor
Deborah Myles Davis	....	set costumer
Jill Halbreich	....	set costumer
Zandra Harding	....	cutter/fitter
Fred Lloyd	....	wardrobe supervisor
Susan MacLaren	....	set costumer
Peggy Stamper	....	set costumer
Amanda Zenil	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Karen Broderick	....	first assistant editor
Neil Kirk	....	assistant editor
Johnie Tidwell Jr.	....	post-production assistant
Yvonne Valdez	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Bill Bernstein	....	music editor
Julian Bratolyubov	....	music preparation
Jim Makiej	....	assistant music editor
Leslie Morris	....	music contractor
Thomas Pasatieri	....	orchestrator
Dennis S. Sands	....	music mixer (as Dennis Sands)
Dennis S. Sands	....	music recordist (as Dennis Sands)
Andrew Silver	....	preview music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Cindy Parker	....	transportation coordinator
J.L. Parker	....	transportation captain
Ken Peterson	....	transportation advisor
Roland Heart	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Bhagavan Antle	....	animal trainer
Bhagavan Antle	....	animal wrangler (as Doc Antel)
Robin Brown	....	voice coach
Jonathan Bymel	....	production assistant
Steve Cainas	....	production assistant (as Steve N. Cainas)
Tracey Crosby	....	location assistant
Paula M. Endara	....	assistant: Mr. Avnet (as Paula Endara)
Michael Feder	....	production assistant (as Michael David Feder)
R. Edward Garrett	....	stand-in
Norman Gary	....	animal wrangler: hornets (as Dr. Norman Gary)
Holly Gent Palmo	....	production coordinator
Karen Ruth Getchell	....	assistant production coordinator
Ronald Goldstein	....	dental consultant (as Dr. Ronald Goldstein)
Jamal Graves	....	choreographer (as Jamale Graves)
Gail Hunter	....	script supervisor
Cindia Huppeler	....	dialect coach
Nancy G. James	....	craft service (as Nancy James)
Bill Johnson	....	creator: simulated animals (as Bill 'Splat' Johnson)
Robert Bob Kay	....	location assistant (as Robert Kay)
Ann L. Kirk	....	set tutor
Heidi McGowen	....	key set production assistant (as Heidi Gretchen McGowen)
Moira McLaughlin	....	assistant: Mr. Costner
Kathy Menzies	....	assistant: Mr. Kerner (as Kathy L. Menzies)
Maida N. Morgan	....	location manager
Michael Papac	....	armorer (as Mike Papac)
Senia Phillips	....	animal wrangler
Sean Ridley	....	location assistant
Richard Santmyer	....	helicopter pilot (as Richard L. Santmyer)
Margaret L. Schlaifer	....	studio teacher (as Marge Schlaifer)
Paige M. Sibley	....	assistant location manager (as Paige Sibley)
Jerrell Skinner	....	production assistant (as Jerrell S. Skinner)
Eric S. Smith	....	assistant to producer (as Eric Smith)
Charles A. Tamburro	....	helicopter pilot (as Chuck Tamburro)
Mark Thomason	....	photo double: Stephen
Eden Ashley Umber	....	unit publicist (as Eden Ashley Umble)
Dixie D. Walker	....	production accountant
Vanna Bonta	....	additional voices (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Island World

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1999) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (DVD)
• United International Pictures (UIP)

Other Companies

• MCA Records  soundtrack

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | DTS-Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Philippines:PG-13 | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Beaufort, South Carolina, USA

Company:

Island World

Goofs:

Continuity: When the family is eating their burnt breakfast, the close-up of the father's plate shows everything except the eggs totally burnt and black. In the next shot, not only his is toast only slightly burnt, but the position of the food on his plate has changed too.

Quotes:

Arliss Lipnicki: Where'd you get all them ice creams from, anyhow?
Billy Lipnicki: A big airplane just dropped 'em outta tha sky!
Ebb Lipnicki: If you don't honest up, Billy, we're gonna scrub you down with lipstick so everyone thinks you got diaper rash, how 'bout it?
Billy Lipnicki: Nuh-uh!
Leo Lipnicki: Yes-huh! And after that, we're gonna shave your head bald as a witch's tit!
Billy Lipnicki: I ain't gonna look like no witch's tit!
Leo Lipnicki: Yes you will if you don't hurry up and tell us.
Billy Lipnicki: Well you can cut off every hair on my head, but I ain't tellin' you ding-diddly-ding-diddly-ding-dang-dong!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Game-On: (#3.2)" (1998)

Soundtrack:

Spirit In The Sky

BEAUTIFUL & SADLY UNDERRATED

"The War" is one of the few "kid" movies that takes itself seriously enough to be loved and appreciated by young and old audiences alike. I would have supported this film to the very end. After all, any vehicle that convincingly gives peace and love a chance deserves a little attention. (Peace and love are such rare qualities nowadays.)

The cast is excellent. Kevin Costner is a little stiff at the beginning but I think that's a good thing. Giving the younger (and equally talented) stars a chance to shine is a smart move on his part. He does get to cut loose in a few fleeting scenes. Also outstanding (when is he not?) is Elijah Wood (a.k.a. the next Tom Hanks) as Costner's angry, multi-layered, deeply troubled son. His frustrations are so well expressed that often times you feel like you could just step in and help him solve his problems.

What is worth fighting for? Nothing. Because as long as you have love, you have everything. Wisdom for both the kiddies and the grown-ups. Just be warned that the film does contain some strong violence and language.