Under Siege (1992)

Director:

Andrew Davis

Writer (WGA):

J.F. Lawton (written by)

Release Date:

9 October 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Tagline:

It's not a job...It's an Adventure!

Plot:

A former SEAL, now cook, is the only person who can stop a gang of terrorists when they seize control of a US Navy battleship.

Plot Keywords:

Cook | Terrorist | Battleship | Playmate | Party

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Steven Seagal	...	Casey Ryback
Tommy Lee Jones	...	William Stranix
Gary Busey	...	Cmdr. Krill
Erika Eleniak	...	Jordan Tate
Colm Meaney	...	Doumer
Patrick O'Neal	...	Capt. Adams
Andy Romano	...	Adm. Bates
Nick Mancuso	...	Tom Breaker
Damian Chapa	...	Tackman
Troy Evans	...	Granger
David McKnight	...	Flicker
Lee Hinton	...	Cue Ball
Glenn Morshower	...	Ens. Taylor
Leo Alexander	...	Lt. Smart
John Rottger	...	Cmdr. Green
Brad Rea	...	Marine Guard
Michael Welden	...	Lt. Ballard
Bernie Casey	...	Cmdr. Harris
Rickey Pierre	...	Kitchen Helper
Raymond Cruz	...	Ramirez
Duane Davis	...	Johnson
Eddie Bo Smith Jr.	...	Shadow
Richard Andrew Jones	...	Pitt (as Richard Jones)
Tom Reynolds	...	Wave
Tom Muzila	...	Cates
Kirk Burroughs	...	Commando
George Cheung	...	Commando (as George Kee Cheung)
Jim Chimento	...	Commando
Craig Dunn	...	Commando
Daniel Dupont	...	Commando
Frank Ferrara	...	Commando
Adam James	...	Commando
Michael Gaylord James	...	Commando
Miguel Nino	...	Commando
David Webster	...	Commando
Gene Barge	...	Bail Jumper
Tony Brown	...	Bail Jumper (as Anthony G. Brown)
Hiram Bullock	...	Bail Jumper
Chris 'Hambone' Cameron	...	Bail Jumper (as Christopher Alan Cameron)
Richard Davis	...	Bail Jumper
Tad Robinson	...	Bail Jumper
Wendall Wayne Stewart	...	Bail Jumper
Tom Wood	...	Pvt. Nash
Jerome Wiggins	...	Sammy Lee
Joseph F. Kosala	...	Engine Room Watch Officer
Ousaun Elam	...	Marine
Peewee Piemonte	...	Marine (as Richard Piemonte)
Daniel H. Friedman	...	Spoon
Gregory G. Stump	...	Bridge Officer
David U. Hodges	...	Bridge Watchman
Bruce Bozzi	...	F-18 Pilot
Craig Pinkard	...	Submariner (as Craig A. Pinkard)
Sandy Ward	...	Gunner's Mate Calaway
Conrad E. Palmisano	...	Strike Team Leader
Luis J. Silva	...	Luigi
Michael Des Barres	...	Domiani
Nate Robinson	...	Ship's Doctor
Gary Gardner	...	Marine - San Francisco
Dru Anne Carlson	...	Capt. Spellman (as Drucilla A. Carlson)
Ralph Wesley Carey	...	Naval Aide
Joseph R. John	...	Chief of Staff
Dennis Lipscomb	...	David Trenton, National Security Advisor
Dale Dye	...	Capt. Garza (as Dale A. Dye)
Robert Nichols	...	Col. Sarnac
E. Daniel Corte Jr.	...	CIA Aide
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Don Marsh	...	Narrator, opening sequence (voice)
Jamie Avera	...	Naval Aircraft Handler (uncredited)
Barbara Bush	...	Herself - Aboard USS Missouri (archive footage) (uncredited)
George Bush	...	Himself - Aboard USS Missouri (archive footage) (uncredited)
Dick Cheney	...	Himself - Aboard USS Missouri (archive footage) (uncredited)
Bennett Wayne Dean Sr.	...	Air Force Colonel (uncredited)
Craig Deroche	...	USN Pentagon Security Officer (uncredited)
Edmund Druilhet	...	Comando (uncredited)
Tom Druilhet	...	Cajun Sailor (uncredited)
Kamel Krifa	...	Terrorist (uncredited)
John Laughlin	...	Zix (uncredited)
Robert D. Parham	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Michael Sansom	...	Mike (uncredited)
Kevin Wayne	...	Submarine Terrorist (uncredited)

Directed by
Andrew Davis

Writing credits (WGA)
J.F. Lawton		(written by)

Produced by
Jack B. Bernstein	....	co-producer
Gary W. Goldstein	....	executive producer (as Gary Goldstein)
J.F. Lawton	....	executive producer
Peter Macgregor-Scott	....	co-producer
Arnon Milchan	....	producer
Steven Reuther	....	producer
Steven Seagal	....	producer
Joel Chernoff	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Gary Chang

Cinematography by
Frank Tidy

Film Editing by
Don Brochu
Robert A. Ferretti
Dov Hoenig
Dennis Virkler

Casting by
Pamela Basker

Production Design by
Bill Kenney

Art Direction by
William Hiney

Set Decoration by
Rick Gentz

Costume Design by
Richard Bruno

Production Management
P.M. Scott	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joel Chernoff	....	second unit director
David Kelley	....	second assistant director
Thomas J. Mack	....	first assistant director
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	second unit director

Art Department
John Alvin	....	poster artist
Laurianne Buler	....	painter
Laurianne Butler-Smith	....	painter (as Laurianne Butler)
Clete Cetrone	....	construction foreman
Keith Darwin	....	on-set scenic
Stephen I. Erdberg	....	propmaker
K. Drew Fuller	....	carpenter
Robert L. Girard	....	construction foreman
Joseph Lallement	....	carpenter
Denny Logan	....	art department
Alan Manzer	....	set designer
Sam Moore	....	property master
Ron Reedy	....	assistant property master
John Rozman	....	set dresser
Sally Thornton	....	set designer
Daniel Turk	....	foreman
Ken White	....	construction foreman (as Kenny White)
Lindanne Lewis	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Leslie Ball	....	sound effects coordinator
Robert Bradshaw	....	sound editor (as Bob Bradshaw)
Richard Burton	....	sound editor
Clayton Collins	....	sound editor
Rickley W. Dumm	....	assistant sound editor
Bruce Fortune	....	sound editor
Steven Gerrior	....	first assistant sound editor
Hector C. Gika	....	sound editor (as Hector Gika)
Jeffrey J. Haboush	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rick Hart	....	sound re-recording mixer
Glenn Hoskinson	....	sound editor
Scott D. Jackson	....	supervising foley editor
William Jacobs	....	sound effects editor
Dawn Michelle King	....	assistant sound editor
Frank Kniest	....	sound editor
John Kwiatkowski	....	sound editor (as John Kwaitkowski)
Mary Jo Lang	....	foley mixer
Lance Laurienzo	....	second assistant sound editor
John Leveque	....	supervising sound editor
Kimberly Ellen Lowe	....	dialogue editor (as Kimberly Lowe Voigt)
Kimberly Ellen Lowe	....	sound editor (as Kimberly Lowe Voigt)
Anthony Milch	....	sound editor (as Anthony R. Milch)
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Don Mitchell)
Frank A. Montaño	....	sound re-recording mixer ) (as Frank A. Montano (L. J.)
Rocky Moriana Jr.	....	sound editor
Jay Nierenberg	....	sound editor
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	supervising foley editor (as Victoria Sampson)
Kim Secrist	....	sound editor
Janelle Showalter	....	assistant adr editor
Scott D. Smith	....	production sound mixer
Bruce Stambler	....	supervising sound editor
Becky Sullivan	....	supervising adr editor
Shawn Sykora	....	sound editor
Donald L. Warner Jr.	....	sound editor (as Don Warner)
Mark Weber	....	sound mixer: second unit
Richard E. Yawn	....	sound editor
Cory Coken	....	additional adr artist (uncredited)
Andy Snavley	....	sound technician (uncredited)
John Soukup	....	sound transfer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Christopher Briles	....	assistant camera
Christopher Briles	....	special effects assistant
Thomas L. Fisher	....	special effects coordinator
Terry W. King	....	special effects assistant
Andrew Miller	....	special effects foreman
Matsune Suzuki	....	art department: Introvision
Jay King	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Nick Davis	....	visual effects producer
Chris Dawson	....	composite camera operator/visual effects editorial: Introvision
John P. Mesa	....	visual effects cameraman
William Mesa	....	visual effects supervisor
Liz Radley	....	video & computer graphics supervisor
Charles Wood	....	visual effects art director (uncredited)

Stunts
Michael Adams	....	stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunts
Shawn Anthony	....	stunt performer
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunts
Richard L. Blackwell	....	stunts
Tim Card	....	stunts
Binh Dang	....	stunts
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunt coordinator (as Jeff Dashnaw)
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunts
Steve M. Davison	....	stunts
James Deeth	....	stunts
Greg Wayne Elam	....	stunts
Lance Gilbert	....	stunts
Carlos Gonzales	....	stunts
Dick Hancock	....	stunts
Clifford Happy	....	stunt double: Mr. Jones
Tom Harper	....	stunts
Kane Hodder	....	stunts
Norman Howell	....	stunts
Terry Jackson	....	stunts
Jeff Jensen	....	stunts
K. Lee Johnson	....	utility stunts
Kevin LaRosa	....	stunts
Anderson Martin	....	stunts
Gary Morgan	....	stunts
Dean Mumford	....	stunts
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt coordinator
Peewee Piemonte	....	stunts
John Rottger	....	stunts
Mark Stefanich	....	stunts
Nils Allen Stewart	....	stunts
Brian J. Williams	....	stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunt double: Knife Thrower (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Anderson	....	dolly grip
Audie Aragon	....	best boy grip
Allen Barnwell	....	electrician
David S. Campbell	....	first assistant camera
Dick Deats	....	key grip: additional photography
Ziad Doueiri	....	first assistant camera: additional photography
Curtis Failor	....	electrician: second unit
Curtis Failor	....	rigging electrician
Chris Fisher	....	assistant camera
Matt Gulbin	....	grip
Douglas S. Holgate	....	camera assistant
Gary Holt	....	director of photography: second unit
Joe Humphreys	....	electrician
Frank Keever	....	rigging key grip
Bob E. Krattiger	....	gaffer
James E. Krattiger	....	lighting technician
Jim Luske	....	cinematographer: Hawaii
Tim Metivier	....	second assistant camera
Douglas Olivares	....	assistant camera: Hawaii
Greg Patterson	....	best boy rigging grip
Brad Rea	....	dolly grip: "a" camera
Randall Robinson	....	director of photography: additional photography
Bill Soares	....	assistant camera: additional photography, Hawaii
Stephen St. John	....	Steadicam operator
Stephen St. John	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Zoran Veselic	....	first assistant camera

Casting Department
Shirley Fulton Crumley	....	location casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Victoria Bruno	....	costumer
Wingate Jones	....	costume supervisor
Laurie Riley	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Richard Byard	....	assistant editor
Phil Downey	....	color timer
Rolf Fleischmann	....	first assistant editor
William Marrinson	....	assistant editor
Bob Putynkowski	....	color timer
Brian Ralph	....	negative cutter
John Reul	....	assistant editor
Frank Sacco	....	consulting editor
Stefanie Wiseman	....	assistant editor
Ed Stabile	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Sally Boldt	....	music editor
Sharon Boyle	....	music consultant
Christine Cholvin	....	assistant music editor
Todd Hayen	....	composer: additional music
Todd Hayen	....	conductor
Todd Hayen	....	orchestrator
Carlton Kaller	....	music editor
Brian Reeves	....	music recording & mixing
Ed Stabile	....	assistant music editor
Armin Steiner	....	music recorder: orchestral
Dan Wallin	....	music recorder: orchestral

Transportation Department
Linda Cipperley	....	transportation
Hugh Kelly	....	driver
Timothy Stephens	....	driver

Other crew
Michael Battaglia	....	unit publicist
Howard Fannon	....	assistant propmaster: weapons
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
James Griffin	....	assistant marine coordinator
Moby Griffin	....	marine coordinator
Kurt Hall	....	laboratory technician: Continental Film Laboratories
Laurie Hansen	....	assistant: Mr. Davis
Joe Humphreys	....	set electricity
Sarah Knight	....	production office coordinator: Los Angeles
Bertram McCann	....	marine coordinator
Jim McCarthy	....	post-production accountant
Brett Luciana Murray	....	crafts services
Saty Raghavachary	....	graphics programmer
John Rottger	....	technical advisor
Robert Schick	....	key set production assistant
Ricki L. Stein	....	production accountant
James Stotler	....	assistant marine coordinator
Sarah Nean Bruce	....	production consultant (uncredited)
Jeff Coopwood	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Bill Daly	....	post-production accountant (uncredited)
Laura Tiz	....	accounting clerk (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros (presents)
• Regency Enterprises (in association with)
• Canal+ (as Le Studio Canal+)
• Alcor Films

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1992) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1993) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1993) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1992) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1992) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1993) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1992) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1993) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1995) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (1993) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (1998) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (1998) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-edited)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1996) (1998) (2001) (2003) (Finland) (TV)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2004) (Finland) (DVD) (uncut)
• Sandrews (1999) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1993) (Finland) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Finland) (DVD) (cut)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Sweden) (DVD) (HD DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (HD DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Introvision International

Other Companies

• Chicago Audio Works  production sound services
• Continental Film Laboratories  color timing
• Inter Video  24 frame conversion
• Pacific Studios Inc.  chromatrans background
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• SoundStorm  sound editing
• Technicolor  prints
• Technocrane Ltd.  remote crane

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, and for language and brief nudity

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA | France

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 (1999) (cut) | Germany:18 | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:15 (original rating) (cut) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) (uncut) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | USA:R (certificate #32058) | UK:15 (cut) | Canada:13+ (Québec) (re-rating) (2003) | Canada:16+ (Québec) (original rating) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Finland:K-18 (1992) (uncut) | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 (1993) (heavily cut) | UK:15 (uncut) (cinema release) | UK:18 (uncut) | Norway:15 (cut) (cinema rating) | New Zealand:M | Canada:14A | Portugal:M/12 | Peru:14 | Finland:K-15 (2001) (uncut)

Filming Locations:

Fairhope, Alabama, USA

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

In U.S. Navy terms, Ryback's Rate title was Chief Petty Officer and his Rating (specialty) was Mess Management Specialist; therefore Ryback was a Chief Mess Management Specialist, or MSC. Since Ryback was allowed to wear his SEAL (Special Warfare) insignia on his Service Dress Blue uniform at the end of the film, this meant Ryback was reinstated as a Navy SEAL. This would make him MSC(SEAL) Casey Ryback.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Although the Missouri is supposedly at sea, in deep water, the water around the ship is muddy in several shots (revealing the scene was shot on or around the U.S.S. Alabama).

Quotes:

Casey Ryback:Keep the faith, Strannix.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Blast (2004)

Soundtrack:

THE POWER

This Seagal Flick Took The Cake

This was a fast-moving Rambo-style action flick (good guys never get hit despite 10,000 rounds of ammunition fired at them) that was very popular. It spawned a very weak sequel, par for the course. Several reviewers here wrote that it is Steven Seagal's "best movie," and I wouldn't argue with that..

"Under Siege" probably was more popular than the normal Segal action flick because of several aspects: 1 - the interesting story featuring the "lowly cook" (as Seagal described himself in this film) beating a bunch of terrorists taking over a U.S. Navy vessel; 2 - the over-the-top villains portrayed by fun-to-watch actors Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey, and 3 - the fabulous looks and body of Erika Eleniak, who pops out of a cake topless in a sight that every guy who saw this film remembers.

Jones was just about hitting his acting career peak as he demonstrated the following year with his Oscar-winning performance in "The Fugitive." Busey was the opposite, nearing the end of his run after a starring role as singer "Buddy Holly" made him famous.

This film might be Segal's most successful, or at least in the top three. His star has faded since the new century. Eleniak never made it far past the cake. She played "Elly May" in "The Beverly Hillbillies" the following year and nothing but 'B' films after that.

The first part of this movie is far better than the second. It gets out-of-control by the end, as most of these action films do with the violence overdone and with little credibility. But watching the three leads, and ogling Eleniak, always make this film fun to watch for a little while, at least.