| | | A story of innocence lost and courage found.
Features: DVD, Special Edition, Dolby, Dolby Digital (5.1)
Tom Cruise delivers a riveting and unforgettable portrayal of Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic in Oliver Stone's Academy Award-winning masterpiece. Based on a true story, the acclaimed film follows the young Kovic from a zealous teen who eagerly volunteers for the Vietnam War, to an embittered veteran paralyzed from the mid-chest down. Deeply in love with this country, Kovic returned to an environment vastly different from the one he left, and struggled before emerging as a brave new voice for the disenchanted.
"The best movie of the year if not the decade." David Sheehan, ABC-TV
"Nothing Tom Cruise has ever done will prepare you for what he does in Born On The Fourth Of July." Roger Ebert
Editor's Note
Set in the years between 1956 and 1976; Produced and released in 1989.One of the best films made about the devastating impact of the Vietnam War on the body politic, BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY is superbly executed by director Oliver Stone, who evokes what may be Tom Cruise's best performance as Vietnam vet Ron Kovic. Before the war starts, Kovic is a normal American kid, going to school, hanging out with his friends, and bagging groceries for pocket money. But as the Vietnam conflict begins to impact the lives of everyone around him, the patriotic teenager decides to enlist. Although his father (Raymond J. Berry) is not happy with his decision, his mother (Caroline Kava) could hardly be more enthusiastic. Once in combat, Kovic becomes disillusioned with his commanding officer (John Getz) who dismisses the fact that Kovic accidentally shot one of their own men in combat. Shortly thereafter, Kovic is paralyzed from the chest down by a bullet in the spine. He must begin a lengthy and excruciatingly painful rehabilitation, which includes a period in the shockingly negligent Bronx Veteran's Hospital. He finally returns to his hometown, now a confused, embittered, and alienated man. His family is also unsettled, unsure about how to deal with this very changed person. After a dissipated spree with other disabled vets like Charlie (Willem Dafoe), Kovic begins talking to antiwar activists like Donna (Kyra Sedgwick) and starts to reevaluate his thinking. In sum, BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY is a deeply moving true account of the effects of war on its survivors.
| Features | Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, DTS; French Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo | | Backstory: Born On The Fourth Of July | | Cast/Crew Bios | | Feature Commentary With Director Oliver Stone | | Film Highlights | | Interactive Menus | | Production Notes | | Scene Selection | | Subtitles: English, French, Spanish |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Universal |
| Release Date: 10/24/2006 |
| Running Time: 145 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1989 | | Catalog ID: 26135 | | UPC: 00025192613524 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English [CC], English, French Dubbed | | Available Subtitles: French, Spanish | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1 |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Oscar (1990) |  | Oliver Stone, Winner, Best Director | | David Brenner, Joe Hutshing, Winner, Best Film Editing | | | Tom Cruise, Nominee, Best Actor | | | Robert Richardson, Nominee, Best Cinematography | | | John Williams, Nominee, Best Original Score | | | A. Kitman Ho, Oliver Stone, Nominee, Best Picture | | | Tod A. Maitland, Michael Minkler, Wylie Stateman, Gregory H. Watkins, Nominee, Best Sound | | | Ron Kovik, Oliver Stone, Nominee, Best Writing (Screenplay Based On Material From Another Medium) | |
Golden Globe (1990) | | Oliver Stone, Winner, Best Director - Motion Picture | | Born On The Fourth Of July, Winner, Best Motion Picture - Drama | | Tom Cruise, Winner, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama | | Ron Kovic, Oliver Stone, Winner, Best Screenplay - Motion Picture | | | John Williams, Nominee, Best Original Score - Motion Picture |
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| | Professional Reviews | Rolling Stone
"...Tom Cruise gives an astounding, deeply felt performance..." 01/11/1990 p.29New York Times
"...A film of enormous visceral power....[Cruise's performance] defines everything that is best about the movie..." 12/20/1989 p.C15 New York Times
Included in the New York Times "10 Best Films of 1989" List 12/24/1989 p.II, 22 USA Today
"...Cruise sets himself apart from the rest by proving with stunning ferocity that the most popular guy at the movies can also be a fine actor..." 01/05/1990 p.1D Entertainment Weekly
Rating: B 07/08/1994 pp.58-9 Total Film
"...You'd be hard pressed to remain untouched by the trials of paralysed Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic....Gripping during the pre-war and combat sequences..." 10/01/1999 p.102 Uncut
"This '89 epic features cameos from Kovic himself and anti-war legend Abbie Hoffman." 08/01/2005 p.135 Washington Post
Oliver Stone's Born on the Fourth of July unfurls itself with an ambitious flourish, like a s - Hal Hinson
Chicago Sun-Times
Writer-director [Oliver] Stone, who based his earlier film Platoon on his own war experiences - Roger Ebert
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