Based on the true story of the student protests at Kent State University in Ohio. This film focuses on the four students who were killed when the National Guard attempted to quell the riots ... Read allBased on the true story of the student protests at Kent State University in Ohio. This film focuses on the four students who were killed when the National Guard attempted to quell the riots that began on May 4, 1970, after President Nixon announced that American troops would begi... Read allBased on the true story of the student protests at Kent State University in Ohio. This film focuses on the four students who were killed when the National Guard attempted to quell the riots that began on May 4, 1970, after President Nixon announced that American troops would begin bombing the heretofore neutral country of Cambodia.
- Won 1 Primetime Emmy
- 1 win & 1 nomination total
- Sandy Scheuer
- (as Talia Baslsam)
- Student
- (as Rikke Borge)
- Sharon
- (as Anne Gillespie)
- Robbie
- (as Peter Minor)
- Chip
- (as David Vande Brake)
Featured reviews
I filled out a review form for more detail, but in short, this movie is pure fantasy from the movie set to the storyline. The only people who should view this movie are history scholars that want an example of self-serving media manipulation of historical facts. This movie, because of theatrical license, pays no respect to Kent State University, the City of Kent, or the students that were killed and wounded.
No student at Kent State deserved the ultimate results, but promoting a phony docu-drama makes a mockery of the whole tragic situation. I was there. The video is a joke.
I remember this movie; another comment on the IMDb pointed out how this should be required viewing for students, and I actually DID see this film in high school, several years ago. It stuck with me, though for some reason it never occurred to me to look it up on the IMDb-- I found it quite by accident.
The movie did a great job of establishing the characters and the time, though kind of tipped its hand as to the fates of these main characters. One scene sticks out in my memory as a professor gives a short speech about Gus Flaubert, to an empty classroom-- I mean, it's not supposed to be empty, the students are supposed to be implied, but it's a TV movie so I guess they couldn't afford extras that day.
Anyway. Things can get pretty crazy in a heated political climate; with all the hate and anger being spewed by Fox News commentators toward Liberal America, this film is still a sobering reminder of the mistrust certain cultures in America have for others, and when that's met with violence, there are terrible consequences. This film isn't the most technically well-made (it was a TV-movie after all), but is still required viewing until someone has the vision, and the courage, to make the film we so desperately need.
Any student of American history who is not aware of this dark point in history would do well to watch carefully and understand how this situation got out of hand....
While the acting is not necessarily Oscar material, the movie's appeal is for it's historical value......
Did you know
- TriviaThe administration at the real Kent State University would not allow the movie to be filmed on their campus. Gadsden State Junior College in Alabama was chosen because of its remarkable similarity (at the time) to Kent State University.
- Alternate versionsOriginally released at 180 minutes long, some video versions run as short as 120.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 33rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1981)
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Tod auf dem Campus
- Filming locations
- Alabama Technical College, East Broad Street, Gadsden, Alabama, USA(Off Campus Bookstore Exterior)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro