The Final Countdown (1980)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Don Taylor

Writers:

Thomas Hunter (story) &
Peter Powell (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 August 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Adventure | Sci-Fi | War

Tagline:

"...This is the USS Nimitz. Where The Hell Are We...?" - Trapped inside the boundaries of time and space... 102 aircraft... 6,000 men... all missing.

Plot:

A modern aircraft carrier is thrown back in time to 1941 near Hawaii, just hours before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour.

Plot Keywords:

Japanese | Pearl Harbor | Aircraft Carrier | Uss Nimitz | Harbor

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Kirk Douglas	...	Capt. Matthew Yelland
Martin Sheen	...	Warren Lasky
Katharine Ross	...	Laurel Scott
James Farentino	...	Wing Commander Richard T. Owens / Richard Tideman
Ron O'Neal	...	Cmdr. Dan Thurman
Charles Durning	...	Sen. Samuel Chapman
Victor Mohica	...	Black Cloud
James C. Lawrence	...	Lt. Perry
Soon-Tek Oh	...	Simura (as Soon-Teck Oh)
Joe Lowry	...	Cmdr. Damon
Alvin Ing	...	Lt. Kajima
Mark Thomas	...	Marine 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
Bill Couch	...	Durrell (as William Couch)
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	...	Junior 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
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 D. Ramio	...	USS Nimitz Crew (as Frank DiRamio)
Jerry D. Elliott	...	USS Nimitz Crew
Richard Farrell	...	USS Nimitz Crew
James W. Huston	...	USS Nimitz Crew / F-14 Pilot (as James W. Houston)
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

Directed by
Don Taylor

Writing credits
Thomas Hunter		(story) &
Peter Powell		(story) and
David Ambrose		(story)
David Ambrose		(screenplay) &
Gerry Davis		(screenplay) and
Thomas Hunter		(screenplay) &
Peter Powell		(screenplay)

Produced by
Peter Douglas	....	producer (as Peter Vincent Douglas)
Lloyd Kaufman	....	associate producer
Richard R. St. Johns	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Alan Howarth
John Scott

Cinematography by
Victor J. Kemper		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert K. Lambert

Production Design by
Fernando Carrere

Set Decoration by
Dennis Peebles

Costume Design by
Ray Summers

Makeup Department
Irving Buchman	....	makeup artist
Romaine Greene	....	hair stylist
Bob Mills	....	makeup supervisor
Bob Mills	....	special makeup designer

Production Management
John W. Hyde	....	executive in charge of production
Lloyd Kaufman	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
J. David Jones	....	second unit director (as David Jones)
Pat Kehoe	....	first assistant director
Robert K. Lambert	....	second unit director
Mark McGann	....	trainee assistant director
Ed Milkovich	....	second assistant director
Douglas E. Wise	....	second assistant director (as Doug Wise)

Art Department
Robert Boettcher	....	assistant property master (as Bob Boettcher)
Kent H. Johnson	....	property master (as Kent Johnson)
Nikita Knatz	....	production illustrator
Dale Koeppe	....	assistant art director
William Maldonado	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Richard L. Anderson	....	supervising sound editor
Bruce Bisenz	....	sound mixer
Robert Crosby	....	boom operator (as Robert Crosby Jr.)
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	sound effects editor (as Stephen Flick)
Warren Hamilton Jr.	....	sound effects editor
Alan Howarth	....	special sound effects (as Alan S. Howarth)
David J. Kimball	....	re-recording mixer
Robert J. Litt	....	re-recording mixer
Mark A. Mangini	....	sound effects editor (as Mark Mangini)
Norman B. Schwartz	....	dialogue supervisor
Howard S. Wollman	....	re-recording mixer
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Maurice Binder	....	storm sequence
Joe Day	....	special effects
Gary Elmendorf	....	special effects
Pat Elmendorf	....	special effects
Doug Hubbard	....	special effects
Peter Jaques	....	producer: special effects
Louis Schwartzberg	....	time lapse special effects

Visual Effects by
Jim Allsop	....	optical technician
Maurice Binder	....	special visual effects
Tom Pullinger	....	optical editor
Marv Ystrom	....	optical effects

Stunts
Bill Couch	....	stunt coordinator
Orwin C. Harvey	....	stunt double (as Orwin Harvey)
Colby Smith	....	stunt double
J. David Jones	....	aerial stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
David L. Butler	....	director of photography: second unit
Jim Coe	....	still photographer
Earl Gilbert	....	gaffer
Rhio Haessig	....	best boy
Robert Horne	....	assistant camera (as Bob Horne)
Stan Lazan	....	director of photography: second unit
Robert Marta	....	assistant camera (as Bob Marta)
Gaylin P. Schultz	....	key grip (as Gaylin Schultz)
Bernie Schwartz	....	best boy
Robert C. Thomas	....	camera operator (as Bob Thomas)

Casting Department
Dee Miller	....	location casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cynthia Bales	....	costumer
James W. Tyson	....	costumer (as James Tyson)

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Leslie Dennis	....	assistant editor
Mike Dobie	....	assistant editor (as Michael Dobie)
Robert K. Lambert	....	post-production executive
Virgil A. Tanner	....	color timer (as Virgil Tanner)
Tim Tobin	....	assistant editor (as Timothy Tobin)

Music Department
George Craig	....	music supervisor
Milton Lustig	....	music editor
John Richards	....	music mixer

Transportation Department
Frank 'Cat' Ballou	....	transportation coordinator (as Frank 'Cat' Ballou)

Other crew
Lynn A. Aber	....	script supervisor (as Lynn Aber)
Fred Baillie	....	production assistant
Mike Batzler	....	production assistant
Susan Becton	....	secretary to producer
Steven Bridges	....	production assistant
Benjamin Bruce	....	location coordinator
Judi Bunn	....	second unit coordinator
Jack Casey	....	unit publicist
Gerry Costello	....	technical unit: Grumman
Jake Dennis	....	helicopter pilot
Michael Durant	....	production assistant
Lyn J. Fink	....	assistant production coordinator (as Lyn Fink)
Gary Gero	....	animal trainer
Tony Gittleson	....	location coordinator (as Tony Gittelson)
William S. Graves	....	technical advisor: US Navy
Boots Hart	....	post-production accountant
B.J. Johnson	....	location coordinator
Douglas J. Kenny	....	location assistant (as Doug Kenny)
Rob Mays	....	production assistant
Jim McMahon	....	location auditor
Richard C. Milligan	....	technical advisor: Grumman (as Richard Milligan)
Bruce Montgomery	....	technical unit: Grumman
Kate Morris	....	production administrator
Pat Moseman	....	production secretary
Florence Nerlinger	....	production coordinator
Tony Tenreiro	....	technical unit: Grumman
Jim Toone	....	helicopter co-pilot
Clair Ward	....	production assistant
Mark Winter	....	location assistant

Production Companies

• Bryna Productions
• Polyc International BV

Distributors

• United Artists (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Jugendfilm-Verleih (1980) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Union Générale Cinématographique (UGC) (1980) (France) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1982) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Aquarius TV (1998) (Greece) (TV)
• Blue Underground (2004) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Blue Underground (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• Blue Underground (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Europa Film (1981) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Manga Films (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
• New Line Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Pacific Family Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• United Artists Corporation (????) (UK) (theatrical)
• Vestron Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Holoco (laser effects)

Other Companies

• Allison Productions  production services: hawaii
• Aspen Productions (I)  production services
• Commander Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet  with special thanks to
• Confederate Airforce  
• Department of the Navy  the producers wish to express their grateful appreciation to
• Else Blangsted Ltd.  music editor
• Grumman Aerospace Corporation  the producers are grateful for their cooperation (as The Grumman Aerospace Corp.)
• Music Centre, The  music recorded at
• National Screen  opticals (as National Screen UK)
• Officers and Crew of Carrier Air Wing B, The  with special thanks to
• Officers and Crew of the USS Nimitz, The  with special thanks to
• Optical House, The  opticals (as The Optical House LA)
• Samuel Goldwyn Studios  post-production facilities (as Goldwyn Studios)
• Tallmantz Aviation  B-25 camera plane
• Technicolor  prints
• U.S. Department of Defense  the producers wish to express their grateful appreciation to (as The Department of Defense)

Also Known As:

U.S.S. Nimitz: Lost in the Pacific (Europe: English title) (DVD box title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color (TVC)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Norway:12 (re-rating) (1982) (cut) | Norway:15 (DVD rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Naval Air Station, Key West, Florida Keys, Florida, USA

Company:

Bryna Productions

Trivia:

Filmed during the Nimitz' Sep 79-May 80 cruise. Squadrons aboard included VF-41 and VF-84 (F-14A Tomcats), VA-35 (A-6E Intruder), VA-82 and VA-86 (A-7E Corsair II), VFP-63 (RF-8G Crusader), VAQ-134 (EA-6B Prowler), VS-24 (S-3A Viking), VAW-112 (E-2B Hawkeye), and HS-9 (SH-3H Sea King). All squadrons get time on film.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: At the beginning of the movie, a jet, and then the helicopter carrying Mr. Lasky take off from "Pearl Harbor Naval Air Station." Pearl Harbor was strictly a ship base. The nearest Naval Air Station was Barber's Point, approximately 30 miles away.

Quotes:

[first lines]
F-14 Pilot: [voice over radio] Pearl Tower, Tomcat two-zero-zero. requesting clearance for departure runway zero-nine. Over.
Pearl Harbor Tower: [voice over radio] Two-zero-zero, Pearl Harbor Tower. You are cleared runway oh-niner. Winds zero-four-five at eight. SH-three approaching from the right. Have a nice day.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Tomcat Angels (1991)

All-timer great movie, fantastic flying, top acting, themes for men & women

This film is one of the great ones. Having served on an aircraft carrier for 2.5 years, I'm familiar with aircraft carrier excitement. But the movie was more than just wonderful shots of the U.S. Nimitz. The cast was top drawer, and their acting was as good as it gets. Standing above all the great performances was a Japanese actor portraying a shot-down, highly competent, captured Japanese Zero pilot. While racism understandably raises its ugly head during wartime, with epithets and insults hurled in both directions, in fact this Japanese actor portrayed a Japanese warrior at his finest--someone whom Japanese viewers would be proud of. Played equally well were American military personnel, including some Marines. One of the candid themes of the movie is the tragedy of such fine people going to war against each other, whatever their race.

The film is undeniably top drawer, far more mature than than "Top Gun," with even better flying scenes. So I've often wondered why it isn't widely known and not kept in stock in widescreen format. Perhaps the answer is today's wimpy trend towards "politically correct" dialog. In one scene, Kirk Douglas refers to the captured Japanese pilot as a "yellow bastard." In the video version, this was sanitized. However, sanitized or not, the original racial comment, by itself, may have doomed the film from greater video distribution.

I saw the film when it came out in wide-screen format and saw it several times before it left town. Thereafter, the only other versions available in video were "fit-to-TV-screen" size. That was tragic! Though still exciting in "box" format, the widescreen original was breathtaking. I cannot imagine why producers haven't released this in DVD in original wide-screen format. It makes a huge difference with this film! (Aircraft carriers are huge!)

One interesting comment to add about the F-14 flying scenes. I was awed by one particular F-14 maneuver, which I didn't think airplanes were capable of doing. A couple of years later, I talked with a Navy fighter pilot and brought this up. He was very familiar with that scene and personally knew the pilot who flew the F-14 in the movie. He told me that the F-14 almost crashed in that scene, stalling while trying to fly too slow, diving for the ocean to pick up speed, and barely recovering just above the wave tops. This near-accident was caught on film and added immensely to the exhibition of flying skill. An exception had been granted to the Navy's policy of not allowing "dissimilar aircraft" to fly together in movie scenes. The result of that granted exception was almost the loss of an F-14.

This is an incredibly good drama. I found that the various twists and turns, and particularly the call-it-off ending, all contributed to the drama and moral dilemmas. This is a fine, great movie. Like others who commented here, it seems tragic that this film is not available in widescreen DVD format. Everyone I've shown it to loves it, male and female. Feminism and romance are included, along with a collie dog for the kids.