Screen shot of film title superimposed over an aerial view of the Delta-01 Launch Control Facility

As the summer season comes to an end, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site in South Dakota invites the public to celebrate the completion of the new park orientation film, Beneath The Plains: The Minuteman Missile On Alert. This is the first official film produced for the park, and complements the exhibits installed two years ago.

“This new film vividly illustrates how the fear of a Soviet nuclear attack motivated the United States to create the Minuteman missile at the height of the Cold War,” said Superintendent Eric Leonard. “The film includes interviews with historians and the men and women who operated the system in South Dakota and the other missile fields.”

The film features subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing, as well as an audio description soundtrack for visitors who are blind or have low vision. Assistive listening devices are also available at the visitor center.

During the holiday weekend, the park will show the film every 40 minutes beginning at 8:15 a.m., with the last showing of the day at 2:55 p.m. Popcorn will be available in the lobby each day. There is no cost to watch the 30-minute film or view the exhibits at the visitor center.  

Filming part of the movie in Delta-01/Boston Productions

The park will host premiere screenings of the film in Rapid City and Pierre, South Dakota, and Bismarck, North Dakota, and Cheyenne, Wyoming, later this fall. 

Beneath The Plains was produced by Boston Productions Inc., under contract to the National Park Service. 

Funding for the film was provided by National Park Service entrance fees through a competitive process with other national park sites across the country. Other park projects funded by entrance fees include the visitor center exhibits installed in 2016 and the site improvements being constructed at Delta-01 and Delta-09 this summer. 

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site's headquarters and visitor center is located in Philip, South Dakota, off of exit 131, Interstate 90. The park consists of three sites along a 15-mile stretch of Interstate 90 in western South Dakota. Authorized by Congress in 1999, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site preserves components of the Minuteman II intercontinental ballistic missile system, interpreting the deterrent value of the land-based portion of America's nuclear defense during the Cold War era and commemorating the people and events associated with this recent period of American history. The park is open daily 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.