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Movie

Little Dieter Needs to Fly

  • Documentary
Confirmed1997-12-017.57.6Trakt

Three decades after German-American pilot Dieter Dengler was shot down over Laos, he returns to the places where he was held prisoner during the early years of the Vietnam War. Accompanied by director Werner Herzog, Dengler describes in unusually candid detail his captivity, the friendships he made, and his daring escape. Not willing to stop there, Herzog even persuades his subject to re-enact certain tortures, with the help of some willing local villagers.

Little Dieter Needs to Fly is a 1997 documentary directed by Werner Herzog that follows German-American pilot Dieter Dengler as he returns to Laos decades after being shot down and imprisoned during the Vietnam War. The film combines Dengler's firsthand account of his captivity, escape, and the relationships he formed with an unconventional approach that includes on-location re-enactments. Herzog's intimate portrait reveals an extraordinary survival story through candid interviews and the filmmaker's distinctive directorial vision.

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Trailer

Werner Herzog film collection: Little Dieter Needs To Fly - Trailer

YouTube · 2014-07-07
FAQ

Little Dieter Needs to Fly — frequently asked

When was Little Dieter Needs to Fly released?

The documentary was released on December 1, 1997.

What is the film about?

It documents pilot Dieter Dengler's return to Laos thirty years after being shot down and held prisoner during the Vietnam War, where he recounts his captivity, friendships, and escape to director Werner Herzog.

Who directed this documentary?

Werner Herzog directed Little Dieter Needs to Fly.

Does the film include re-enactments?

Yes, Herzog persuades Dengler to re-enact certain aspects of his imprisonment with the participation of local villagers in Laos.

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