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Independence Day

Year:

1996

Duration:

145 min | USA:153 min (special edition)

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

IMDB rate:

6.9

Director:

Roland Emmerich

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 28 wins & 31 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1996-07-03

Filming Locations: Santa Clarita, California, USA

Earnings

Budget: $75,000,000

Opening Weekend: $50,228,264 (USA) (7 July 1996)

Gross: $306,169,255 (USA) (12 January 1997)

Cast

Actor

Character

Eric Michael Zee

Janette Andrade

Will Smith

Captain Steven Hiller

Bill Pullman

President Thomas J. Whitmore

Jeff Goldblum

David Levinson

Mary McDonnell

First Lady Marilyn Whitmore

Judd Hirsch

Julius Levinson

Robert Loggia

General William Grey

Randy Quaid

Russell Casse

Margaret Colin

Constance Spano

Vivica A. Fox

Jasmine Dubrow

James Rebhorn

Albert Nimziki

Harvey Fierstein

Marty Gilbert

Adam Baldwin

Major Mitchell

Brent Spiner

Dr. Brakish Okun

James Duval

Miguel

Lisa Jakub

Alicia

Giuseppe Andrews

Troy

Ross Bagley

Dylan

Bill Smitrovich

Captain Watson

Mae Whitman

Patricia Whitmore

Harry Connick Jr.

Captain Jimmy Wilder

Kiersten Warren

Tiffany

John Storey

Dr. Isaacs

Frank Novak

Teddy

Devon Gummersall

Philip

Leland Orser

Techy / Med Asst #1

Mirron E. Willis

Aide

Ross Lacy

Aide

David Pressman

Whitmore's Aide

Vivian Palermo

Techy / Med Asst

Raphael Sbarge

Commander /

Bobby Hosea

Commanding Officer

Dan Lauria

Commanding Officer

Steve Giannelli

Radar Tech

Eric Paskel

Radar Tech

Carlos Lacamara

Radar Operator (as Carlos LaCamara)

John Bennett Perry

Secret Service Agent

Troy Willis

Secret Service Agent

Tim Kelleher

Technician

Wayne Wilderson

Area 51 Technician

Jay Acovone

Area 51 Guard

James Wong

SETI Technician #1

Thom Barry

SETI Technician #2

Jana Marie Hupp

SETI Technician #3

Matt Pashkow

Second Officer

Robert Pine

Chief of Staff

Marisa Johnston

Co-Worker #2 (as Marisa Morell)

Michael Winther

Co-Worker #3

Dexter Warren

Co-Worker #4

Paul LeClair

Co-Worker #5

Michael Vacca

Lieutenant Peterson

David Channell

Secret Service Agent

John Capodice

Mario

Greg Collins

Military Aide

Derek Webster

Sky Crane Pilot

Mark Fite

Pilot

Eric Neal Newman

Pilot

Levan Uchaneyshvili

Russian Pilot

Kristof Konrad

Russian Pilot

Kevin Sifuentes

Tank Commander

Elston Ridgle

Soldier

Randy Oglesby

Mechanic

Jack Moore

Mechanic

Barry Del Sherman

Street Preacher

Lyman Ward

Secret Service Agent

Anthony Crivello

Lincoln

Richard Speight Jr.

Barbara Beck

Monica Soloway

Joe Fowler

Reporter

Andrew Warne

Reporter

Sharon Tay

Reporter

Peter J. Lucas

Russian Reporter (as Peter Jozef Lucas)

Yelena Danova

Russian Newscaster

Johnny Kim

Korean Newscaster (as Derek Kim)

Vanessa J. Wells

Newscaster

Jessika Cardinahl

German Video Newscaster

Gary W. Cruz

Video Newscaster

Ron Pitts

Video Newscaster

Wendy L. Walsh

Herself

Christine Devine

Video Newscaster

Mark Thompson

Video Newscaster

Ernie Anastos

Rex Black, New York Newscaster

Kevin Cooney

Atlantic Air CINC

Rance Howard

Chaplain

Nelson Mashita

Japanese Tech

Jeff Phillips

B-2 Pilot

Sayed Badreya

Arab Pilot

Adam Tomei

Sailor

John Bradley

Lucas

Kimberly Beck

Housewife

Thomas F. Duffy

Lieutenant

Andrew Keegan

Older Boy

Jon Shear

Thomson (as Jon Matthews)

Jim Piddock

Reginald

Frederic W. Barnes

Himself (as Fred Barnes)

Eleanor Clift

Herself

Jerry Dunphy

Himself

Jack Germond

Himself

Morton Kondracke

Himself

John McLaughlin

Himself

Barry Nolan

Himself

George Putnam

Himself

Pat Skipper

Redneck

Carlos Lara

Farmer Kid

Mike Monteleone

Butler

Lee Strauss

Elvis Fanatic

Lisa Star

Woman on Roof

Malcolm Danare

Intellectual on Roof

Arthur Brooks

Trucker on Roof

Michael Moertl

Thief (as Michael G. Moertl)

James J. Joyce

Master CPO

Joyce Cohen

Kim Peters

Julie Moran

Herself - 'Entertainment Tonight' Reporter

Robin Groth

Flagstaff News Anchor

Richard Pachorek

LAPD Helicopter Pilot

Gary A. Hecker

Alien Vocal Effects (voice) (as Gary Hecker)

Frank Welker

Special Vocal Effects (voice)

Jonathan Adler

Secret Service Agent

Kevin Ash

Cab Driver (uncredited)

Erick Avari

SETI Chief (uncredited)

Greg Bronson

Police Officer at White House (uncredited)

Roy Milton Davis

Homeless guy (uncredited)

Dean Devlin

Eagle 2 Pilot (voice) (uncredited)

Tim DeWayne

Pilot

Daren Dochterman

British News Translator (uncredited)

Volker Engel

Man in Office (uncredited)

Bob Friend

Himself - 'Sky News' Anchorman (uncredited)

Jeffrey Gold

German Fighter Pilot (uncredited)

Michael Haddad

Trailer Trash (uncredited)

Andre Harper

African (uncredited)

Lincoln D. Hiatt

Colin Barclay

Jonathan Khan

Pilot

Jalil Jay Lynch

Man staring at alien mothership (uncredited)

Darin Mangan

Staff Sergeant (uncredited)

Joe Martinez

Son of Air Force Pilot (uncredited)

Scott McKinley

Joint Chiefs of Staff (uncredited)

Karolyna Medina

Presidential Address Attendee (uncredited)

Ralph Moratz

High-Ranking Officer (uncredited)

Bryan Moss

Israeli Fighter Pilot (uncredited)

Roy Newton

Pilot

Gary Pike

Helicopter Passenger (uncredited)

Darla Rae

Protestor - Omni Hotel (uncredited)

Nectar Rose

Stripper (uncredited)

Bonnie Silco

Bride (uncredited)

Tadao Tomomatsu

Big Hat Guy on Tower (uncredited)

Michael A. Valenzano

Young Pilot (uncredited)

Tracey Walter

Techy / Med Asst #3 (uncredited)

James With

British Pilot (uncredited)

James Woodson

Pilot

Did you know?

Trivia

The White House interiors were originally built for The American President (1995), and were subsequently used for Mars Attacks! (1996).

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Shown on a computer monitor in the SETI office is a diagram of "Deep Space Satellite Devlin" (named after producer/co-writer Dean Devlin). The satellite is a miniature version of the Death Star with solar arrays attached.

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The smoky effects of the alien spacecraft as it moves into position above New York City (starts about 22 minutes 44 seconds into the movie) was created by a double exposure on the film. The effect comes from recording water in a tank turning murky after a clod of dirt was dropped into it.

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Goofs

When Russell is sitting in the fighter jet he pushes a button and you hear "missile launch." It is impossible to launch missiles while a fighter is on the ground due to the Weight On Wheels Interlock. It is possible to disable this function in some jets, but this is a highly unusual procedure, and the Marines/Navy would almost definitely not do this.

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On earth, when Hiller tries to fly the alien fighter the first time, he pushes the stick forward and the ship flies backward into the back stop. This teaches him that pulling back on the stick moves the ship forward and pushing it forward moves the ship back. When the fighter is docked on the alien mother ship, Hiller pulls the stick back to back away from the dock. As he should have learned by now, he needed to move the stick forward to move the fighter backwards.

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The Laser reflector seen next to Eagle's Descent stage on the Moon at the start of the movie is in the wrong place and facing the wrong direction. It was placed much further away from the craft, and pointed towards the Earth. The Earth itself is much higher in the sky from where Eagle sits, not near the horizon as the movie suggests.

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Quotes

David Levinson: A toast, to the end of the world.

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Captain Steven Hiller: [talking to the unconscious alien he's dragging] Y'know, this was supposed to be my weekend off, but noooo. You got me out here draggin' your heavy ass through the burnin' desert with your dreadlocks stickin' out the back of my parachute. You gotta come down here with an attitude, actin' all big and bad...

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President Thomas Whitmore: [addressing the nation] If you feel compelled to leave these cities, please do so, in an orderly fashion.

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Faq

How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?

For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for Independence Day can be found here.

A Note Regarding Spoilers

The following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. Spoiler tags have been used sparingly in order to make the page more readable.

What are the differences between the Theatrical Version and the Extended Version?

The Theatrical Version runs more than 2 hrs. Nevertheless there's also an Extended Version which contains more than 8 min. of new footage. Those scenes are only plot scenes for a deeper characterization or to make the story itself more logical. Some of the scenes are quite interesting, some just redundant, but fans can purchase the Extended Version without seconds thoughts. A detailed comparison between both versions with pictures can be found here.

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