The director of 'Red Dawn' revealed that the film's success taught him about the liberal bias in Hollywood.

The 40th anniversary of the Cold War thriller "Red Dawn," directed by a Hollywood conservative, highlights the film's patriotism, love for the American military, and warning against gun control. However, it also reveals the filmmaker's lesson about the liberal mindset in Hollywood.

Amanda Milius, the daughter of the film's director, spoke to Planet Chronicle Digital about the film's 40th anniversary, its legacy, and what the movie revealed to her dad. The film, "Red Dawn," was released in 1984 and depicted the Soviet Union invading America and fighting a conventional land battle within the USA. It starred some of the most popular actors of the day and has since been recognized as a cultural touchstone of the Cold War era.

Amanda Milius stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that Hollywood likely did not appreciate the film's highly patriotic tone.

Milius, a filmmaker and former Trump administration official, shared what her father learned from making the movie.

"The lesson I learned from my brother and me was that Hollywood only cares about money, just like they said they would," she said. "But that movie turned out to be a huge success, and they were like, 'You'll never get your hands on a camera again until you calm down.'"

"Red Dawn" is the reason he never finished his career as prolifically as he should have, according to many people. However, it was not a movie that Hollywood was interested in releasing at that time.

John Milius, who co-wrote "Apocalypse Now" and directed "Conan the Barbarian," suffered a stroke in 2010. Amanda, his daughter, told Planet Chronicle Digital that he "can't speak as well as he used to." However, she added that he is "doing well … He is doing his thing. He is stable, happy."

The movie "Red Dawn" was released on August 10, 1984, and features Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Charlie Sheen, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, and Powers Boothe. It follows a group of high school students who resist the Russian invasion.

The younger Milius explained why the film resonated for more than a generation by referencing a line from the movie where Swayze's character sums up why the young people are fighting so desperately to defend America against steep odds. He simply stated, "Because we live here."

"She said, 'This scene means, "We have to do this. We have to take care of the country... This is our responsibility,"' and it's like the American idea of going and knowing in my bones that if someone were to invade my land, I would go and protect it in whatever way I could with my high school friends in a truck.'"

John Milius, a former board member of the National Rifle Association (NRA), is the director of "Red Dawn," which includes a scene where the Soviets use gun registration lists to confiscate weapons. The younger Milius stated that the film allowed his father to do what he wanted without interference, as there are many things he gets away with in the movie that are not possible today.

Her dad's warning to "watch out for government overreach" was her interpretation of the gun confiscation moment in the movie, which she believes most people love. She added, "I think it was, you know, pretty on point."

The film quickly formed a connection with many conservatives. Al Haig, who served as Secretary of State under Ronald Reagan, praised the movie in an interview with the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner on August 15, 1984. He stated, "The film beautifully portrays the pressures of patriotism, the intensity of love, and, most importantly, the senselessness of war."

Hollywood did not respond well to the criticism of the movie by Roger Ebert, who wrote in his review at the time: "I believe this film is corrupt from start to finish. One of the issues I had with it is that it makes a clear political statement ... The movie promotes a right-wing ideology that it does not deserve."

Amanda Milius pondered, "Could Hollywood ever accept a movie that is too left-wing? I can't think of any film that would be too liberal for Hollywood." She also noted, "Hollywood viewed the film as too patriotic, which is why it was rejected."

The 2012 remake of "Red Dawn" changed the villains from the Chinese to North Koreans after filming. When asked about her father's reaction, she stated that she was "under direct orders" not to watch it and added that none of them had paid to view any part of it.

She added they don't even acknowledge the remake in her house.