|
The Final Countdown (9-Jul-1980)
Director: Don Taylor Writers: David Ambrose; Gerry Davis; Thomas Hunter; Peter Powell Music by: John Scott Producer: Peter Vincent Douglas Keywords: Sci-Fi, Action/Adventure, Time Travel, WWII
CAST | Kirk Douglas | ... Capt. Matthew Yelland | | Martin Sheen | ... Warren Lasky | | Katharine Ross | ... Laurel Scott | | James Farentino | ... Cmdr. Richard Owens / Mr. Tideman | | Ron O'Neal | ... Cmdr. Dan Thurman | | Charles Durning | ... Sen. Samuel Chapman | | | Co-Starring | | Victor Mohica | ... Black Cloud | | James C. Lawrence | ... Lt. Perry | | Soon-Tek Oh | ... Simura | | Joe Lowry | ... Cmdr. Damon | | Alvin Ing | ... Kajima | | Mark Thomas | ... Cpl. Kullman | | | Harold Bergman | ... Bellman | | Dan Fitzgerald | ... Navy Doctor | | Lloyd Kaufman | ... Lt. Cmdr. Kaufman | | Peter Douglas | ... Quartermaster | | Ted Richert | ... Tideman's Assistant | | George Warren | ... Tideman's Bodyguard | | Gary Morgan | ... Helicopter Crewman | | Phil Philbin | ... Admiral | | Robert Goodman | ... Enlisted Man | | Richard Liberty | ... Lt. Cmdr. Moss | | Neil Ronco | ... Harvey | | William Couch | ... Durrell | | Jack McDermott | ... Wynn | | Masayuki Yamazuki | ... Togawa | | George H. Strohsahl, Jr. | ... Air Boss | | Ronald R. Stoops | ... Navigator | | Kenneth J. Jaskolski | ... Assistant Air Boss | | Sergei M. Kowalchik | ... Crewman | | Jake Dennis | ... Helicopter Pilot | | Jim Toone | ... Helicopter Co-Pilot | | Edward J. Deats | ... Chief | | Robert L. Huffman | ... Radio Officer | | James R. Augustus | ... Jr. Officer of the Deck | | Sam P. Baldwin | ... Lee Helmsman | | Ronnie J. Ellis | ... Captain's Aide | | Timothy W. Gersbacher | ... Enlisted Man | | Wayne L. Flesher | ... Enlisted Man | | William S. Frost | ... Enlisted Man | | David H. Signor | ... Enlisted Man | | | USS Nimitz Crew Actors | | Tommy Abel | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Andrew Akerson | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Edward Andrews | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Nick L. Anelli | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Frank R. Arko | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Emory W. Brown | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Michael K. Balint | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | James Bulick | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Andris Dambekaln | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | John T. Davis | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Michael A. Davis | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | James A. Dennis, Jr. | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Frank DiRamio | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Jerry D. Elliott | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Richard Farrell | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | James W. Houston | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Richard M. Johnson | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Ronald Kissel | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Michael J. Kubat | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Raymond P. Langley | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Eric Lofquist | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Kermit L. McCorble | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Robert K. Miller | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | William H. Miller | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Gerry Mountcastle | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | William McCluskey | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Alan Mullen | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Charles F. Myers | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Jeffery L. Myers | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Randy M. Olin | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | David F. Person | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Raymond M. Reynaud | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Daniel C. Rockwell | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Francis Ross | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Trevor R. Sandison | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Gregory T. Swarney | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Andrey Swystun | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Christopher V. Totis | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Mark Trenor | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Brian Tyndall | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Peter D. Vogt | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | David Wanamaker | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Stephen G. Weaver | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Jan P. Werson | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Steven G. Williams | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Aaron B. Wilson | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | Michael Wilson | ... USS Nimitz Crew | | David E. Young | ... USS Nimitz Crew |
REVIEWS Review by Walter Frith (posted on 7-Jun-2007) Time travel movies probably need more proof reading than any
other type of scripts. To try and prevent contradictions, errors in the
paradox and overall phoniness is a challenge. Some of the best are, of
course, the 'Terminator' films and the 'Back to the Future' trilogy.
Large commercial films that everyone talks about but the smaller films
are sometimes ignored and or not distributed enough to be seen by a
large segment of the population. 'The Final Countdown', when it was
released in 1980, was mainly relegated as the second feature at
drive-ins (where I saw it), and it was quickly shuffled to home video
as one of the first pre-recorded tapes in the stores when the home
video market took off in the early 1980's. It also appeared on pay
television and through these alternative mediums, it became a cult
favourite. It wasn't exactly a masterpiece of film making but what it
did do was take a lighter approach to the classic time travel genre. It
looked like a television movie in parts with some of its production
values and its director Don Taylor got his start in television in the
late 1950's doing television shows like 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents',
'The Rifleman' and 'Dennis the Menace'. 'The Final Countdown' stars
Kirk Douglas as Captain Matthew Yelland, a naval officer in charge of
the first nuclear powered aircraft carrier the USS Nimitz. Others in
the mix are Commander Richard Owens (James Farantino), a feisty history
buff who is very protective of his privacy, and Warren Lasky (Martin
Sheen), a civilian observer of the ship's proceedings. These three
characters, along with the other crew of the ship and the carrier
itself are transported back to early December 1941, just a short time
before the Pearl Harbor attack which drew the United States into World
War II. This scene is really quite remarkable. They are transported
through a large tunnel that looks like a black hole surrounded by
flashing streams of light which stops the ship's radar equipment, rings
loudly, almost deafening the crew and throws them through a shock wave
of rippling effects. They encounter Senator Chapman (Charles Durning)
and his personal assistant Laurel Scott (Katharine Ross) in the middle
of the Pacific after their pleasure boat is shot up by Japanese pilots
and they are rescued by the Nimitz. They are brought back to the ship
and have strange feelings about where they are, unaware that they are
on a high tech vessel of the future. Each of the major characters
directly involved with making a choice in the film have a chance to
change their fate and the fate of millions of people along the way and
there is much discussion as to whether or not history should be
tampered with. At one point, Captain Yelland makes the point that it is
his job to defend the United States at ANYTIME and that he intends to
do his duty. But does he keep his word? Does he consider how history
might turn out if he changes things? Perhaps for the better. Perhaps
not. Personally, I've often wondered what would happen if history
changed. Does everything indeed happen for a reason? All of the people
murdered or who have died unnatural deaths in our lifetimes. Is there a
reason for this? Maybe one of these people might have found a cure for
cancer. But on the other hand, would one of these people have been
responsible for starting a nuclear war? Martin Sheen's character talks
in a hypothetical fashion in the film about meeting his own grandfather
in the past, getting into and argument with him and killing him. He
states: "Now if this happens, how will I ever be born?" Einstein might
have enjoyed living into the modern age of film to see how his theory
of relativity has been put forward by the movies. At a relatively short
running time of 103 minutes, 'The Final Countdown' knows its
limitations and doesn't try to be a fancy epic of scientific
proportions. The acting is solid, the writing entertaining, the
direction a little short sighted but still admirable. It has exciting
moments of tension, is low on action and uses its dialogue in a most
intelligent manner. I enjoyed this film a lot and it's a shame that it
hasn't been more widely available to the public. There is talk of it
coming on DVD at some point in the future so keep your fingers crossed.
It may just be a matter of..........time! : - ) [Visit Film Follow-Up by
Walter Frith]
Do you know something we don't?
Submit a correction or make a comment about this profile
Copyright ©2019 Soylent Communications
|
