For Richard Portnow, who played Dan “The Man” Levitan in “Good Morning, Vietnam”, watching the film is a bit like going back in time. “It’s interesting watching a film that was made 25 years ago, you look like a kid,” he said. “We were filming in Bangkok for three months. I watch certain scenes and remember when that happened, and there’s other stuff that I don’t remember–in one scene, there’s a little dance that I do, and I don’t remember doing that.”
Portnow, like Juney Smith, knew that “Good Morning, Vietnam” would be a great film, but the longevity came as a surprise. “I thought it was going to be a hit,” he said. “I didn’t expect it to be a hit for so long. It’s kind of a surprise. It still stands up.”
One of the best things about the film, said Portnow, was Robin Williams’ performance. “It’s a great film, and I think Robin had a lot to do with it,” said Portnow. “It’s one of his best performances, and his acting was really in the pocket. And a lot of us had worked with Robin on previous films, so there was a feeling of camaraderie. It’s such an ensemble piece.”
Portnow expressed interest in doing a sequel, however, the area of Thailand that was used for the film 25 years ago has changed completely. “I went back to Bangkok 24 years after the fact, I was shooting a film there,” he said. “I had a fantasy that it would be similar to how it was before, but it was nothing like the way it was.” It’s good then, that the version of Bangkok Portnow remembers has been captured on screen.
The 25th Anniversary Edition of “Good Morning Vietnam” will be released on Blu-ray, High Definition Download and Standard Definition Digital Download Jan. 17, 2012. The film will be priced at $20.00 (for either the Blu-ray and HD Digital Download) and $14.99 (SD Digital Download). Bonus features include a production diary (which includes five features), raw monologues, the original theatrical trailer and the original theatrical teaser trailer.
