Hamburger Hill

Top 10 Fun Facts

1. The filmmakers used their real-life experiences to influence the look and feel of the story; director John Irvin had previously filmed a documentary in Vietnam during the war, while screenwriter James Carabatsos actually fought as a solider.
2. In fact, Carabatsos named several of the film's characters after men he'd fought alongside in Vietnam.
3. The real "Screamin' Eagles" of the 101^st Airborne Division were feared by the Viet Cong - but because of the eagles depicted on their distinctive shoulder patches, the enemy referred to the 101^st troops as the "Chicken Men."
4. The Philippines: Vietnam's stand-in. Both Hamburger Hill and the 1986 war flick Platoon shot on location in the Philippines.
5. Sure beats doing push-ups all day: the film employed several U.S. Marines stationed in the Philippines as extras.
6. Production on the film was nearly shut down permanently after an electrician was killed by electrocution on set. Filming eventually resumed after the cast and crew held a memorial service for their fallen friend.
7. Sure beats doing push-ups all day: Dylan McDermott lost 25 pounds while shooting the movie.
8. Near the end of the movie, director John Irvin recreated a famous photograph taken at the real Hamburger Hill, in which a heavily bandaged soldier reaches out blindly to his fellow troops.
9. Today's military-speak lesson: when Dylan McDermott's character tells an Army photographer to "Un-ass my AO," he's ordering the guy to get out of his Area of Operations. Feel free to use it in daily conversation.
10. The war poem in the closing credits was written by Major Michael Davis O'Donnell just over three months before he was declared missing in action in Cambodia in 1970.

Cast

Crew