Sign up
Trailer

Little Dieter Needs to Fly

1997Movie1 h 17 min

Documentary
87
ExcellentGoodWatch score
IMDb8.0Rotten Tomatoes93%94%

A moving, intriguing documentary movie about history and a real life story, with standout characters.

Good for friends night · teens · comfort watch

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for laughs.

Movies with

Story

In 1966, Dieter Dengler was shot down over Laos, captured, and, down to 85 pounds, escaped.

Three decades after German-American pilot Dieter Dengler was shot down over Laos, he returns to the places where he was held prisoner during the early years of the Vietnam War. Accompanied by director Werner Herzog, Dengler describes in unusually candid detail his captivity, the friendships he made, and his daring escape. Not willing to stop there, Herzog even persuades his subject to re-enact certain tortures, with the help of some willing local villagers.

Feels like

  • Vietnam War
  • Prisoner of War
  • Survival Story
  • Biographical Documentary
  • Emotional Trauma
  • Resilience
  • Werner Herzog
  • Personal Account

Cast

1 of 1

Crew

Directed by
Werner Herzog
Written by
Werner Herzog
Produced by
Lucki Stipetić
Music by
Ekkehart Baumung, Josh Rosen

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

December 1, 1997 · 1 h 17 min · Violence, Disturbing Imagery

Released
December 1, 1997
Runtime
1 h 17 min
Content
Violence, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Documentary
Original language
English
Made in
Germany
Available in
6 countries
Keywords
based on true story

Q&A

3 questions, like "Where can I stream Little Dieter Needs to Fly?"

Questions about Little Dieter Needs to Fly

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Little Dieter Needs to Fly?

PrimePhiloThe RokuKanopyFandorShout! Factory TVPlexCohen Media

In the United States, Little Dieter Needs to Fly streams on Prime, Philo, Fandor, Cohen Media, and Shout! Factory, and it is free with ads on The Roku, Kanopy, Shout! Factory TV, Plex, and Tubi TV. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube. It also streams in 1 other country.

Is Little Dieter Needs to Fly worth watching?

87
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 87 (IMDb 8 and Rotten Tomatoes 93%).

Is Little Dieter Needs to Fly plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (8 of 10) more than on its plot.