<Li> Olu Jacobs as Immigration officer </Li> <P> United Artists bought rights to the novel in 1974 . Don Siegel was going to direct but did not like the screenplay . Abbey Mann wrote a new screenplay . Then Michael Cimino was bought in to buy a screenplay . Norman Jewison became attached as producer - director and Gary Devore rewrote the script . Jewison decided to produce, not direct, and John Irwin became director . </P> <P> The opening Central American scene was filmed at the Miami Glider Port southwest of Miami, Florida . Later African country scenes were filmed in Belize City, Belize, and the surrounding area . The manually - turned swinging bridge shown during the attack is one of the largest of its kind in the world . The film features several weapons that were prominent in popular culture during the 1980s . The Uzi submachine guns used in the film (changed from the German Second World War vintage MP 40s of the novel) were a mix of real Uzis and set - dressed Ingram Mac - 10s . Shannon's grenade launcher, depicted in the promotional poster, dubbed the "XM - 18" in the film, is a Manville gun--a design later used by the MM - 1 grenade launcher . </P> <P> This was only the second international feature for director John Irvin, who previously worked as documentary maker during the Vietnam War . He went on to direct stars such as Arnold Schwarzenegger (Raw Deal), Don Cheadle (Hamburger Hill) and Michael Caine (Shiner). </P>

Where was the movie dogs of war filmed