Special Bulletin
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Special Bulletin

Special Bulletin

Special Bulletin

1983
Drama
TV Movie
1h 43m
A TV reporter and cameraman are taken hostage on a tugboat while covering a workers strike. The demands of the hostage-takers are to collect all the nuclear detonators in the Charleston, SC area so they may be detonated at sea. They threaten to detonate a nuclear device of their own if their demand isn't met. (imdb)

Directed by:

Edward Zwick
Edward-Zwick
25 total credits
Edward M. Zwick is an American filmmaker and film producer noted for his sprawling war films. His movies include Glory (1989), Legends of the Fall (1994), The Siege (1998), The Last Samurai (2003), Blood Diamond (2006), and Defiance (2008). Along with Marshall Herskovitz, Zwick runs a film production company called The Bedford Falls Company. This company has produced such notable films such as Traffic and Shakespeare in Love... - www.wikipedia.org

Writer:

Marshall Herskovitz
Marshall-Herskovitz
9 total credits
Marshall Herskovitz has 9 credits at Criticker, including: The Last Samurai, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, American Assassin, Dangerous Beauty and Jack the Bear

Starring:

Michael Madsen
Michael-Madsen
221 total credits
Madsen began his film career as a small role in the film WarGames. He made various other appearances in films before being casted as Mr. Blonde in Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. The film brought Madsen attention among critics and fans. Subsequently, Madsen was cast in a variety of major studio films, including Free Willy, Donnie Brasco, Kill Bill, and Sin City. He is well known for his generosity and kindness. In 2002, he was presented an award for his work with the Shriners Hospital For Children
,
David Rasche
David-Rasche
50 total credits
David Rasche has 50 credits at Criticker, including: Burn After Reading, In the Loop, Cobra, The Sentinel and Swallow
,
David Clennon
David-Clennon
31 total credits
David Clennon has 31 credits at Criticker, including: The Thing, Gone Girl, Being There, Missing and Light Sleeper
,
Lane Smith
Lane-Smith
40 total credits
Lane Smith has 40 credits at Criticker, including: Network, My Cousin Vinny, The Mighty Ducks, The Legend of Bagger Vance and Son in Law
,
Roxanne Hart
Roxanne-Hart
25 total credits
Roxanne Hart has 25 credits at Criticker, including: Highlander, The Verdict, License to Wed, Once Around and Oh, God! You Devil
,
Kathryn Walker
Kathryn-Walker
10 total credits
Kathryn Walker has 10 credits at Criticker, including: Slap Shot, D.A.R.Y.L., Neighbors, Special Bulletin and Rich Kids
,
Ed Flanders
Ed-Flanders
18 total credits
Ed Flanders has 18 credits at Criticker, including: The Exorcist III, Salem's Lot, The Ninth Configuration, True Confessions and MacArthur
,
Rosalind Cash
Rosalind-Cash
23 total credits
Rosalind Cash has 23 credits at Criticker, including: The Omega Man, Tales from the Hood, The New Centurions, From a Whisper to a Scream and Hickey & Boggs
,
Kenneth Tigar
Kenneth-Tigar
14 total credits
Kenneth Tigar has 14 credits at Criticker, including: Phantasm II, Creator, Special Bulletin, Snapdragon and Rage

Genre:

Drama

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Special Bulletin

1983
Drama
TV Movie
1h 43m
Avg Percentile 62.45% from 30 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

Compact view
Compact view
Avg Percentile 62.45% from 30 total ratings
Rated 06 Sep 2014
76
56th
While I can't condone what these men and women did, I can sympathize to a certain degree with their message. I too would like a Porsche and $340,000.
Rated 30 Jan 2014
80
86th
The first sixty minutes plays like a journalism class role playing instructional video ("Okay, class, now write a page long essay why the smug news anchor is correct."), but it sticks the landing. The Presidential hubris, journalists belief in their own invincibility, and those final panicky seconds make the film feel unnervingly relevant even today.
Rated 03 Oct 2011
76
54th
A nice sense of escalation and an eye for detail, but it misses the mark in many crucial moments - mostly it's just too stagey to be disturbing. All the same, It's a charming example of a movie whose ambition outstrips its talent.
Rated 28 Sep 2011
70
55th
The beginning and end are pretty engaging, just a shame the middle segment has too little variation to keep things interesting. It's a neat concept that has enough small details to at least feel semi-realistic, despite what must have been a small 'made-for-tv' budget.
Rated 15 May 2018
68
34th
Mix of THE WAR GAME and THE CHINA SYNDROME works best in the opening sequences creating a genuine sense of verisimilitude in its depiction of sketchy news coverage of the hostage situation, and the somewhat harrowing climax which nevertheless feels tamped down by budgetary limitations, and sanitised by 80s TV sensibilities. Mid-section is bloated and repetitive, but is kept on track by Walker and Flanders' effective performances. Ultimately a well intentioned paper tiger.

Cast & Info

Directed by:

Edward Zwick
Edward-Zwick
25 total credits
Edward M. Zwick is an American filmmaker and film producer noted for his sprawling war films. His movies include Glory (1989), Legends of the Fall (1994), The Siege (1998), The Last Samurai (2003), Blood Diamond (2006), and Defiance (2008). Along with Marshall Herskovitz, Zwick runs a film production company called The Bedford Falls Company. This company has produced such notable films such as Traffic and Shakespeare in Love... - www.wikipedia.org

Writer:

Marshall Herskovitz
Marshall-Herskovitz
9 total credits
Marshall Herskovitz has 9 credits at Criticker, including: The Last Samurai, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, American Assassin, Dangerous Beauty and Jack the Bear

Starring:

Michael Madsen
Michael-Madsen
221 total credits
Madsen began his film career as a small role in the film WarGames. He made various other appearances in films before being casted as Mr. Blonde in Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. The film brought Madsen attention among critics and fans. Subsequently, Madsen was cast in a variety of major studio films, including Free Willy, Donnie Brasco, Kill Bill, and Sin City. He is well known for his generosity and kindness. In 2002, he was presented an award for his work with the Shriners Hospital For Children
,
David Rasche
David-Rasche
50 total credits
David Rasche has 50 credits at Criticker, including: Burn After Reading, In the Loop, Cobra, The Sentinel and Swallow
,
David Clennon
David-Clennon
31 total credits
David Clennon has 31 credits at Criticker, including: The Thing, Gone Girl, Being There, Missing and Light Sleeper
,
Lane Smith
Lane-Smith
40 total credits
Lane Smith has 40 credits at Criticker, including: Network, My Cousin Vinny, The Mighty Ducks, The Legend of Bagger Vance and Son in Law
,
Roxanne Hart
Roxanne-Hart
25 total credits
Roxanne Hart has 25 credits at Criticker, including: Highlander, The Verdict, License to Wed, Once Around and Oh, God! You Devil
,
Kathryn Walker
Kathryn-Walker
10 total credits
Kathryn Walker has 10 credits at Criticker, including: Slap Shot, D.A.R.Y.L., Neighbors, Special Bulletin and Rich Kids
,
Ed Flanders
Ed-Flanders
18 total credits
Ed Flanders has 18 credits at Criticker, including: The Exorcist III, Salem's Lot, The Ninth Configuration, True Confessions and MacArthur
,
Rosalind Cash
Rosalind-Cash
23 total credits
Rosalind Cash has 23 credits at Criticker, including: The Omega Man, Tales from the Hood, The New Centurions, From a Whisper to a Scream and Hickey & Boggs
,
Kenneth Tigar
Kenneth-Tigar
14 total credits
Kenneth Tigar has 14 credits at Criticker, including: Phantasm II, Creator, Special Bulletin, Snapdragon and Rage

Genre:

Drama

Country:

USA

Language:

English
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