The Abyss (1989)

A civilian diving team is enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and faces danger while encountering an alien aquatic species.

Director:

James Cameron

Writer:

James Cameron

Stars:

Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn

Won 1 Oscar. Another 8 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ed Harris	...	Bud Brigman
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio	...	Lindsey Brigman
Michael Biehn	...	Lt. Coffey
Leo Burmester	...	Catfish De Vries
Todd Graff	...	Alan 'Hippy' Carnes
John Bedford Lloyd	...	Jammer Willis
J.C. Quinn	...	'Sonny' Dawson
Kimberly Scott	...	Lisa 'One Night' Standing
Captain Kidd Brewer Jr.	...	Lew Finler (as Capt. Kidd Brewer Jr.)
George Robert Klek	...	Wilhite
Christopher Murphy	...	Schoenick
Adam Nelson	...	Ensign Monk
Dick Warlock	...	Dwight Perry (as Richard Warlock)
Jimmie Ray Weeks	...	Leland McBride
J. Kenneth Campbell	...	DeMarco

Storyline

Formerly married petroleum engineers who still have some issues to work out. They are drafted to assist a gung-ho Navy SEAL with a top-secret recovery operation: a nuclear sub has been ambushed and sunk, under mysterious circumstances, in some of the deepest waters on Earth.

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Plot Keywords:

submarine | trapped underwater | pantyhose | ocean | drowning | 

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Taglines:

There's everything you've ever known about adventure, and then there's The Abyss.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language and some scenes of action

Did You Know?

Trivia

James Cameron: [feet] when the soldiers arrive at the supply ship and jump out of the helicopters. See also Aliens (1986).

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Goofs

When color-coding wires, only one would have a stripe. Having two wires, both with stripes, defeats the purpose of striped wiring.

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Quotes

[first lines]
USS Montana Captain: Sixty knots? No way, Barnes. The Reds don't have anything that fast.

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Crazy Credits

There was a dedication for Captain Kidd Brewer Jr. added at the beginning of the end credits of the special edition.

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Alternate Versions

The UK television premiere (Channel 4) included the rat in breathing fluid sequence. When the film was reshown the sequence had been removed again.

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Master Ninja I (1992)

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Soundtracks

Willing
Written by Lowell George
Performed by Linda Ronstadt
Courtesy of CEMA Special Markets and Capitol Records, Inc.

User Reviews

James Cameron's forgotten gem

I saw "The Abyss" in the theater (Cinema City, Fresh Meadows, NY) and many times times since. I hadn't watched it in quite a while when I sat down to watch it last night. I won't wait that long to watch it again. "The Abyss" is a rock solid adventure. The action is edge-of-your-seat stuff. The emotional scenes are brutal to watch. The story moves well and the cast is very good. "The Abyss" is not as well known as most of writer/director James Cameron's other movies but it's one of his best.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 August 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Abyss

Filming Locations:

Harbor Star Stage, San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$70,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,319,797, 13 August 1989

Gross USA:

$54,461,047

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$90,000,098

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox, Pacific Western, Lightstorm Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

140 min 171 min (special edition)

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1