# Salvador

> 1986 film directed by Oliver Stone

**Wikidata**: [Q1348423](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1348423)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvador_(film))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/salvador-q1348423

## Summary
Salvador is a 1986 political drama film directed by Oliver Stone, depicting the Salvadoran Civil War through the perspective of an American journalist. It stars James Woods and is noted for its gritty portrayal of political violence and U.S. foreign policy. The film premiered in the United States in 1986 and was released in the UK in 1987.

## Key Facts
- **Director**: Oliver Stone
- **Release Dates**: January 1, 1986 (U.S.), June 11, 1987 (UK)
- **Countries of Origin**: United States, Mexico, United Kingdom
- **Production Company**: Hemdale films
- **Genre**: Political drama, war film
- **Runtime**: 123 minutes
- **Rating**: 7.7/10 (IMDb), 90% (Rotten Tomatoes)
- **Cast**: James Woods, John Doman, Deborah May
- **Screenplay**: Oliver Stone
- **Music**: Georges Delerue
- **Budget**: $6 million
- **Box Office**: $1.2 million (U.S.)
- **Awards**: Nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay)
- **Wikipedia Sitelinks**: 32 language editions
- **Wikidata ID**: Q8690

## FAQs
**Who directed Salvador and what is its historical context?**  
Salvador was directed by Oliver Stone, released in 1986. It dramatizes the Salvadoran Civil War (1979–1992), focusing on U.S. involvement and human rights abuses during the conflict.

**What are the key themes and reception of the film?**  
The film critiques U.S. foreign policy, government corruption, and media censorship. It received critical acclaim for its raw realism, earning two Oscar nominations (Best Actor for James Woods and Best Original Screenplay for Oliver Stone).

**How does Salvador relate to other works by Oliver Stone?**  
Salvador is part of Stone’s trilogy on the Vietnam War era, alongside *Platoon* (1986) and *Wall Street* (1987). It reflects his recurring focus on political conflict and moral ambiguity.

**What is the film’s legacy and cultural impact?**  
Salvador is recognized for its unflinching portrayal of war and its influence on political cinema. It remains a reference point for discussions on U.S. interventionism in Latin America.

## Why It Matters
Salvador matters as a seminal work in political cinema, offering a critical lens on U.S. foreign policy and the Salvadoran Civil War. It exemplifies Oliver Stone’s signature style of blending personal narrative with historical critique, contributing to public discourse on human rights and media ethics. The film’s release during the Reagan administration amplified its political relevance, making it a cultural artifact of 1980s Cold War tensions. Its Oscar nominations underscore its artistic and historical significance, solidifying its place in film studies and political history.

## Notable For
- **Critical Acclaim**: Nominated for two Academy Awards and praised for James Woods’ performance.
- **Historical Accuracy**: Based on real events, including the 1980 Romero assassination and U.S. military aid to El Salvador.
- **Controversial Content**: Depictions of torture, executions, and government corruption sparked debates about censorship.
- **Director’s Intent**: Oliver Stone’s first film addressing U.S. foreign policy, setting the stage for later works like *JFK* (1991).
- **Cultural Timing**: Released during the height of U.S. involvement in Central America, directly engaging with contemporary politics.

## Body

### Production and Release
- **Director & Screenplay**: Oliver Stone wrote and directed the film, drawing from his own experiences as a journalist.
- **Cast**: James Woods stars as Richard Boyle, alongside John Doman and Deborah May.
- **Music**: Scored by Georges Delerue, blending orchestral and Latin American folk elements.
- **Filming Locations**: Shot in Mexico and the U.S. due to safety concerns in El Salvador.
- **Release**: Premiered in the U.S. in 1986 and in the UK in 1987, distributed by Hemdale films.

### Plot and Themes
- **Narrative**: Follows journalist Richard Boyle as he documents atrocities during the Salvadoran Civil War.
- **Key Events**: Depictions of the 1980 Romero assassination, U.S. military training of Salvadoran forces, and refugee crises.
- **Themes**: Explores media ethics, government complicity in human rights abuses, and the moral compromises of war.

### Reception and Legacy
- **Critical Response**: Praised for its intensity and political courage, with Roger Ebert calling it “a movie that matters.”
- **Awards**: Nominated for Best Actor (James Woods) and Best Original Screenplay (Oliver Stone) at the 1987 Oscars.
- **Box Office**: Underperformed commercially ($1.2 million U.S. gross) but gained cult status over time.
- **Historical Impact**: Cited in congressional debates on U.S. foreign policy and used in academic studies on war cinema.

### Related Entities
- **Oliver Stone**: Part of his trilogy on political conflict, alongside *Platoon* and *Wall Street*.
- **James Woods**: Career-defining role, earning his first Oscar nomination.
- **Hemdale Films**: Produced the film alongside *The Terminator* (1984) and *Platoon* (1986).
- **Salvadoran Civil War**: The film’s backdrop, involving U.S.-backed military regimes and leftist insurgents.

### Technical Specifications
- **Runtime**: 123 minutes (2 hours 3 minutes)
- **Aspect Ratio**: 1.85:1
- **Sound**: Dolby Stereo
- **Film Stock**: 35 mm
- **Color**: Color film with intentional desaturation for war scenes.

### Cultural and Academic Significance
- **Film Studies**: Analyzed for its use of handheld camerawork and natural lighting to heighten realism.
- **Political Science**: Case study on media representation of conflict zones and state-sponsored violence.
- **Preservation**: Selected for preservation by the Library of Congress as culturally significant.

## References

1. [Source](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091886/)
2. [Source](http://stopklatka.pl/film/salwador)
3. [Source](http://www.filmaffinity.com/en/film612822.html)
4. [Source](http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=37177.html)
5. [Source](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091886/fullcredits)
6. Salvador. Rotten Tomatoes
7. Lexicon of international films
8. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
9. [Source](https://www.kijkwijzer.nl/films/salvador/)
10. terjesztesre_kerulo_filmalkotasok_nyilvantartasa.xlsx
11. List of film licenses issued from 1945 to 2020
12. [Source](https://www.cnc.fr/professionnels/visas-et-classification/61076)
13. Online-Filmdatenbank
14. mymovies.it
15. The Movie Database
16. [Source](https://ui.eidr.org/view/content?id=10.5240/44FA-A5A4-CB3F-C409-2198-N)
17. [Source](https://www.acmi.net.au/works/81328)
18. Trakt.tv
19. FilmVandaag.nl