Born American

Born American
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRenny Harlin
Written byRenny Harlin
Markus Selin
Produced byMarkus Selin
Starring
CinematographyHenrik Paersch
Edited byPaul Martin Smith
Music byRichard G. Mitchell
Production
company
Cinema Group Ventures
Distributed byConcorde Cinema Group
Continental Video
Finnkino
Release date
  • August 30, 1986 (1986-08-30)
Running time
95 min.
CountryFinland
LanguageEnglish
Budget2.8 million
Box office$3,401,376 (US)[1]

Born American (Finnish: Jäätävä polte also known as Arctic Heat) is a 1986 Finnish film directed by Renny Harlin. It was originally supposed to star Chuck Norris but he backed out when filming was delayed by funding problems and his son, Mike Norris, landed the lead instead. A Finnish production, this was at that time the most expensive film ever to have been made in Finland. The Finnish Board of Film Classification initially banned the movie due to its excessive violence and anti-Soviet elements. Because of that, the movie had to be shortened 3.5 minutes before it was finally accepted for distribution October 29, 1986 with the Supreme Court decision. The premiere was December 19, 1986. The success of the film in the United States allowed Harlin to get his foot in the door in Hollywood, giving him his first American directorial work in the 1987 horror film Prison.

In his 2008 book Kohti sinipunaa, Juhani Suomi revealed that the request to ban the movie originated from Vladimir Sobolev, the Soviet Union's ambassador to Finland.[2]

  1. ^ "Born American - Box Office Data". The Numbers. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  2. ^ Neuvostoliitto oli Renny Harlinin Jäätävän Poltteen kiellon takana, Julkaistu, Iltasanomat, 13 February 2008 12:34