Director John Dahl switches genres from film noir (THE LAST SEDUCTION, RED ROCK WEST) to military actioner with THE GREAT RAID. Following the 1942 Bataan Death March, thousands of U.S. and Filipino soldiers were imprisoned by the Japanese in a POW camp in Cabantauan in the Philippines. Brutalized, starved, and tortured, the prisoners languished in the camp for nearly three years. But in January 1945, an American battalion, with the help of Filipino guerrillas, planned a daring mission--some called it suicide--to rescue the five hundred U.S. soldiers still alive there. The film is told in glorious detail. The story is based on two books, THE GREAT RAID: RESCUING THE DOOMED GHOSTS OF BATAAN AND CORREGIDOR by William B. Breuer and GHOST SOLDIERS: THE EPIC ACCOUNT OF WORLD WAR II'S GREATEST RESCUE MISSION by Hampton Sides. In addition, several men involved in the raid served as consultants on the project. The result is a thrilling, agonizing, and unforgettable war movie like they used to make in the 1940s and 1950s, a celebration of the human spirit. THE GREAT RAID stars Benjamin Bratt as Lt. Colonel Mucci, an offbeat military man who puts his faith in young Captain Prince (James Franco) to lead the dangerous mission. Among the men imprisoned in the camp are Joseph Fiennes as the ailing Major Gibson and Marton Csokas as Captain Redding, who is always trying to escape. Connie Nielsen adds romantic tension as a war widow smuggling much-needed medicine into the camp.

Theatrical Release: August 12, 2005

DVD Features:

Region 1
Keep Case
Widescreen - 2.40
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - Englishl
Subtitles - Spanish - Optional
Additional Release Material:
Alternate Scenes - Deleted Scenes (w/ Optional Commentary)
Audio Commentary - Including John Dahl - Director; Captain Dale Dye - Technical Advisor; Hampton Sides - Source Writer
Behind the Scenes - 1. "Captain Dale Dye's Boot Camp"
2. "The Price Of Freedom: Making THE GREAT RAID"
3. "Mixing THE GREAT RAID"
Featurettes - "The Veterans Remember"
Interactive Features:
Additional Interactive Features - 1. War In The Pacific Interactive Timeline
2. The Mix Board With Special Audio Options

Distributor Notes: The Great Raid (Widescreen)

In the epic tradition of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, THE GREAT RAID is an inspirational true story of the most triumphant rescue mission in U.S. military history! As World War II rages, the elite 6th Ranger Battalion is given a mission of heroic proportions: push 30 miles behind enemy lines and liberate over 500 American prisoners of war. Under the command of Lt. Col. Henry Mucci (Benjamin Bratt -- TRAFFIC), the men of the 6th will face the unthinkable by attempting the impossible! Also featuring James Franco (SPIDER-MAN 1 & 2), Connie Nielsen (GLADIATOR), and Joseph Fiennes (SHAKESPEAKE IN LOVE), this gripping big-screen hit captures a moment in time when men of honor became soldiers of destiny!

Source: Buena Vista Home Entertainment

Benjamin Bratt: American Actor
James Franco: American actor, Freaks & Geeks/TRISTAN & ISOLDE
Robert Mammone: Actor/"The Crossing"
Max Martini: 
Joseph Fiennes: 
Marton Csokas: 
Natalie Mendoza: Actress, SOUTH PACIFIC (2001), MOULIN ROUGE (2001)
Dale Dye: American Producer/Writer

John Dahl: Director/Screenwriter

Harvey Weinstein: Film producer
Bob Weinstein: Prod./Screenwriter/Director
Jonathan Gordon: Producer
Lawrence Bender: Producer
Marty Katz: Producer

Carlo Bernard: Screenwriter, GREAT RAID (2005)
Doug Miro: Screenwriter, GREAT RAID (2005)

Trevor Rabin: Composer, formerly of YES

Pietro Scalia: Editor
Scott Chestnut: