Ghosts of the Abyss (2003)

Director:

James Cameron

Release Date:

18 April 2003 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary | Short | Family

Tagline:

The legend no one can forget has become the greatest 3D adventure ever filmed.

Plot:

James Cameron and Bill Paxton, director and actor of the 1997 film Titanic, travel to the final undersea resting place of the fated ship of dreams.

Plot Keywords:

IMAX | Titanic | Expedition | Shipwreck | U Boat

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Bill Paxton	...	Himself
John Broadwater	...	Himself (as Dr. John Broadwater)
Lori Johnston	...	Herself (as Dr. Lori Johnston)
Charles Pellegrino	...	Himself (as Dr. Charles Pellegrino)
Don Lynch	...	Himself / Thomas Andrews
Ken Marschall	...	Himself / J. Bruce Ismay
James Cameron	...	Himself
Mike Cameron	...	Himself
Jeffrey N. Ledda	...	Himself
Corey Jaskolski	...	Himself
Jason Paul	...	Himself
Eric Schmitz	...	Himself
Genya Chernaiev	...	Himself
Victor Nischeta	...	Himself
Anatoly M. Sagalevitch	...	Himself (as Dr. Anatoly Sagalevitch)
Lewis Abernathy	...	Himself
John Bruno	...	Himself
Vince Pace	...	Himself
Miguel Wilkins	...	Quartermaster Hitchens
Federico Zambrano	...	John Jacob Astor
Dale Ridge	...	Elizabeth Lines
Judy Prestininzi	...	Molly Brown
Adriana Valdez	...	Helen Churchill Candee
Justin Shaw	...	John 'Jack' Phillips
Thomas Kilroy	...	Poker player
Charlie Arneson	...	1st Officer Murdoch
Piper Gunnarson	...	Madeleine Astor
John Donovan	...	Captain Smith
Janace Tashjian	...	Edith Russell
Jesse Baker	...	2nd Officer Lightoller
Justin Baker	...	Harold Bride
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stacey Hayes	...	(voice)
Barron Christian	...	Himself / Narrator (uncredited)
Aaron C. Fitzgerald	...	Lookout Frederick Fleet (uncredited)
Tava Smiley	...	Herself (uncredited)

Directed by
James Cameron

Produced by
John Bruno	....	producer
James Cameron	....	producer
Chuck Comisky	....	producer
Haley Jackson	....	segment producer: Earthship.tv
Ed W. Marsh	....	creative producer
Giedra Rackauskas	....	executive producer
Chris Steenolsen	....	consulting producer
Janace Tashjian	....	producer
Andrew Wight	....	line producer
Andrew Wight	....	producer

Original Music by
Joel McNeely
Lisa Torban

Cinematography by
Vince Pace		(director of photography)
D.J. Roller

Film Editing by
Ed W. Marsh
Sven Pape
John Refoua
David C. Cook		(uncredited)

Casting by
Tina Kerr

Production Design by
Martin Laing

Art Direction by
Leonard Barrit
Javier Nava

Makeup Department
Sophie Brice	....	makeup artist
José Luis Cordova	....	hair stylist
Raul Covarrubias	....	makeup artist
Julio Espinoza	....	hair stylist
Rose Gaeta	....	hair stylist
Kathe Swanson	....	key hair stylist
Kathe Swanson	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Charlie Arneson	....	production supervisor
Christopher A. Debiec	....	production manager: Earthship.TV
Stephen A. Marinaccio II	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jose Jimenez	....	assistant director
Kristie Sills	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Leonard Barrit	....	set designer
Todd Cherniawsky	....	set designer
Aimee Dominguez	....	art department assistant
Stephen J. Pavelski	....	digital previsualization
Kia R. Zokaie	....	graphic designer
Kia R. Zokaie	....	scenic artist

Sound Department
Dennis Baxter	....	sound recordist
Beau Borders	....	supervising sound editor
Christopher Boyes	....	sound designer
Christopher Boyes	....	sound re-recording mixer
Travis Crenshaw	....	foley recordist
Daniel A. Greenwald	....	boom operator
Marilyn McCoppen	....	adr editor
Marilyn McCoppen	....	dialogue editor
Frank 'Pepe' Merel	....	foley editor
Shannon Mills	....	dialogue editor
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
Jonathan Null	....	dialogue editor
Gene Radzik	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Jurgen Scharpf	....	sound mix technician
Gary Summers	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dennie Thorpe	....	foley artist
Jana Vance	....	foley artist
Hugh Waddell	....	adr supervisor
Hugh Waddell	....	sound supervisor

Special Effects by
Sergio Lino	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
William L. Arance	....	digital matte painting
Leonard Barrit	....	digital artist
Leonard Barrit	....	digital effects supervisor
Leonard Barrit	....	modeler
John Bavaresco	....	visual effects
Brian N. Bentley	....	stereo compositor
Derek Bird	....	digital compositor
Michael Buck	....	stereoscopic assistant editor: StereoD
Graham D. Clark	....	head of stereography: Stereo D (as Graham Clark)
Chuck Comisky	....	visual effects supervisor
Brian Conlon	....	digital compositor
David Cowles	....	stereoscopic on-line editor: StereoD
Adrian Paul DeGroot	....	lead animator
Adrian Paul DeGroot	....	lead modeller
Shelly Dutcher	....	visual effects
Greg Emerson	....	senior stereoscopic on-line editor: StereoD
Michael Enriquez	....	visual effects
Jonathan Goldsmith	....	production supervisor: StereoD
Owen Hammer	....	digital compositor
Brian Hanable	....	digital effects compositor
Paul Hill	....	visual effects compositor
Adam Howard	....	visual effects supervisor: Technicolor/Complete Post
Lucas Hull	....	stereo compositor: Stereo D
Dale Hunter	....	digital imaging engineer
Adalberto Al Lopez	....	visual effects supervisor: Creative Logik Universe
Yael Majors	....	stereoscopic compositor
David Fred Masselink	....	film I/O coordinator
Robert McInnis	....	visual effects supervisor: Modern VideoFilm
Eroc Moralls	....	digital compositor
Jared Otake	....	stereoscopic compositor
Stephen J. Pavelski	....	lead animator
Stephen J. Pavelski	....	lead modeller
Derek N. Prusak	....	stereoscopic editorial supervisor: StereoD
David Satin	....	ultimatte operator
Adrian Scherger	....	stereoscopic assistant editor: StereoD
Ray Shantz	....	senior engineer
Mark Spatny	....	visual effects producer: Modern VideoFilm
Mark Victor Trappett	....	render technical assistant
Chris Treichel	....	stereo production coordinator: Stereo D
Michael Vaglienty	....	Flame artist
Toby Wilkins	....	visual effects: main title sequence, NWE
Kim Yong-Kyun	....	digital compositor
Kia R. Zokaie	....	graphic designer
Tom Daws	....	Inferno artist: CIS Hollywood (uncredited)
Donald Fly	....	general manager: CIS Hollywood (uncredited)
John Hirota	....	visual effects compositor assistant (uncredited)
Simon Holden	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)
Kenneth Jones	....	visual effects supervisor: CIS Hollywood (uncredited)
Maryjane Layani	....	production accountant: CIS Hollywood (uncredited)
Suzanne Mitus-Uribe	....	Inferno artist: CIS Hollywood (uncredited)
Gregory Oehler	....	compositing supervisor: CIS Hollywood (uncredited)
Jason Wardle	....	lead CG artist: CIS Hollywood (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Patrick Campbell	....	assistant camera
Alan Gitlin	....	assistant camera: focus and convergence puller
D.J. Roller	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Blanca Arreola	....	assistant costume designer
Mem Macafee	....	costumes

Editorial Department
Jenny Brandt	....	post-production coordinator
Charlie Fuguet	....	post-production consultant
Claudia Huerta	....	assistant editor
Scott Klein	....	final colorist
Saul Santell	....	post-production assistant
Justin Shaw	....	assistant editor
James Sheridan	....	negative cutter
Jeff Smithwick	....	film timer
Heidi Tebo	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Lindsay Fellows	....	executive in charge of music
Randy Gerston	....	music supervisor
Brian Leff	....	music coordinator
Frank Macchia	....	orchestrator
Larry Mah	....	digital score recordist
Bryan Pezzone	....	musician: piano
John Rodd	....	orchestral scoring recordist
David Slonaker	....	orchestrator
James Thatcher	....	musician: french horn

Other crew
Johnathan Aldrin	....	office assistant
Peter Barnett	....	co-executive producer: live streaming broadcast, Earthship.tv (as Peter J. Barnett)
Hillary Bibicoff	....	legal counsel
Geoff Burdick	....	representative: Lightstorm Production
Wendy Chesebrough Lowe	....	assistant: James Cameron (as Wendy Chesebrough)
Delia Circelli	....	production coordinator
Todd Cogan	....	production assistant
Iram Collantes	....	production coordinator
Jill DeWinter	....	assistant: Gig Rackauskas
Damien Fitzpatrick	....	facility supervisor
Joe Hagg	....	representative: Lightstorm Production
Kendrick Hudson	....	production assistant
Jason Hunt	....	coordinator: live streaming broadcast, Earthship.tv
Sharre Jacoby	....	title producer: New Wave Entertainment
Efrain Lomeli	....	production assistant
Emilie Maison	....	press attache france
Michael Maltzman	....	ROV technician
Michael Maltzman	....	fiber optics technician
Juan Jose Meza-Leon	....	on-set production assistant
Tom Prince	....	executive in charge of production
Al Rives	....	representative: Lightstorm Production
Parks Stephenson	....	advisor
Mike Trainotti	....	representative: Lightstorm Production
Dan Williams	....	24p conversion technician
Kia R. Zokaie	....	quality assurance testing
Hunter Mackenzie Austin	....	looping voices (uncredited)
Mark Dinicola	....	film recordist (uncredited)
Farnaz	....	development intern (uncredited)
Jeremy Lang	....	director of information technology: Earthship.TV (uncredited)
Christopher Tin	....	synthesizer programmer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Earthship Productions
• Walden Media
• Walt Disney Pictures

Distributors

• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2003-2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Pictures Distribution (2003) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Golden Village (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Telepool (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Video
• Buena Vista Pictures
• Manga Films (2006) (Spain) (DVD)
• Nordisk Film (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• UGC-Fox Distribution (UFD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Pictures
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Special Effects

• CIS Hollywood (visual effects)
• Creative Logik Universe (visual effects)
• Complete Post (visual effects)
• Section L (visual effects)
• Post Group, The (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Greenberg Glusker  legal counsel
• Hollywood Records  soundtrack
• PACE  Fusion camera system
• Panavision  camera equipment provided by
• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services
• Studio @ NWE  title design

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements (longer video version)

Runtime:

USA:59 min | Germany:43 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS | Sonics-DDP (IMAX version)

Certification:

Finland:S | Iceland:L | Canada:F (Ontario) | Australia:PG | Germany:o.Al. | Singapore:PG | UK:PG | USA:G (theatrical version) | USA:PG (longer video version)

Filming Locations:

Fox Baja Studios, Rosarito, Baja California Norte, Mexico

Company:

Earthship Productions

Trivia:

The two robotic submarines in the film are named Jake and Elwood, a reference to The Blues Brothers (1980).

Goofs:

Factual errors: The 4th funnel of the Titanic is shown falling backwards when the ship breaks in two in the sinking simulation. It would do no such thing. It would fall forward like the other funnels. This is also seen in the "Final Plunge" montage with the photographs of the Titanic's passengers who perished in the disaster superimposed in front of the footage of the ship sinking from the movie Titanic (1997).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Capturing Avatar (2010) (V)

Soundtrack:

Underwater Waltz

The mystery of history is a noble teacher

Experiencing the ship firsthand and her mysteries, histories, details respected and moralities still teaching, it's a love, an awe inspiring and sad tale of Bibilical proportions.

The mystery and history of the Titanic is fascinating and evocative; nearly Biblical. The largest liner, the ignorance to think it could never sink and the arrogance of not putting on enough lifeboats due to aesthetics, I'm just glad in this day and age we have life rafts which take up so much less space we will never run into a shortage of life rafts problem ever again.

Paxton is great as always, and a documentary setting brings out the explorer within, and is respectfully and well made. Learning about the stairway floating out allowing for easier access to the interior of the ship for example I did not know about.

Good movie.

QUESTION: Anyone know why they were not supposed to go into C deck? They seemed to have a very good, albeit unspoken reason for this.

I see nothing wrong with Cameron's love for the Titanic story, it's a near mythical experience and I find it truly a learning experience and a marvel.

Soon the sea will claim the ship utterly, and the Titanic is a teacher of morality, of a past, and the failings of modern man, and the mystery of history in heart of exploration and awe.

The Titanic will always have something to teach us, and that is important.

The museum pieces are important because it allows for the memory to be respected and a teacher to future generations.

That we can put a name to artifacts assures their memory lives on.

There was no disrespect, in fact quite the opposite.