Crimson Tide (1995)

Director:

Tony Scott

Writers (WGA):

Michael Schiffer (story) and
Richard P. Henrick (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 May 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Danger runs deep

Plot:

On a US nuclear missile sub, a young first officer stages a mutiny to prevent his trigger happy captain from launching his missiles before confirming his orders to do so.

Plot Keywords:

Nuclear | Submarine | Alabama | Order | Mutiny

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Denzel Washington	...	Lt. Commander Ron Hunter
Gene Hackman	...	Capt. Frank Ramsey
Matt Craven	...	Lt. Roy Zimmer, USS Alabama Communications Officer
George Dzundza	...	Chief of the Boat
Viggo Mortensen	...	Lt. Peter 'Weps' Ince
James Gandolfini	...	Lt. Bobby Dougherty
Rocky Carroll	...	Lt. Darik Westergard
Jaime Gomez	...	Officer of the Deck Mahoney (as Jaime P. Gomez)
Michael Milhoan	...	Chief of the Watch Hunsicker
Scott Burkholder	...	T.S.O. Billy Linkletter
Danny Nucci	...	Petty Officer First Class Danny Rivetti
Lillo Brancato	...	Petty Officer Third Class Russell Vossler (as Lillo Brancato Jr.)
Eric Bruskotter	...	Bennefield
Rick Schroder	...	Lt. Paul Hellerman
Steve Zahn	...	William Barnes
Marcello Thedford	...	Lawson
R.J. Knoll	...	Marty Sotille
Billy Devlin	...	Navigator
Matthew Barry	...	Planesman (as Matt Barry)
Christopher Birt	...	Helmsman
Jim Boyce	...	Diving Officer
Jacob Vargas	...	Sonarman #2
Kai Lennox	...	Sonarman #3
Michael D. Weatherred	...	Radioman #1 (as Michael Weatherred)
Tommy Bush	...	Admiral Williams
Earl Billings	...	Rick Marichek
Mark Christopher Lawrence	...	Rono, Head Cook
Michael Chieffo	...	Chief Kline
Ashley Smock	...	Guard #1
James Lesure	...	Guard #2
Trevor St. John	...	Launcher
Dennis Garber	...	Fire Control Technician
Vanessa Bell Calloway	...	Julia Hunter
Brenden Jefferson	...	Luke
Ashley Calloway	...	Robin
Daniel von Bargen	...	Vladimir Radchenko
Richard Valeriani	...	CNN Reporter on French Carrier Foch
Warren Olney	...	Anchorman
Rad Daly	...	Lt. Cmdr. Nelson
Sean O'Bryan	...	Phone Talker
Victor Togunde	...	Sailor with Oba
Troy A. Cephers	...	Sailor #1
Armand Watson	...	Seaman Davis
Brent Goldberg	...	Phone Talker #2 (as Brent Michael Goldberg)
Scott Grimes	...	Petty Officer Hilaire
Ryan Phillippe	...	Seaman Grattam
Dale Andre Lee Everett	...	Firing Key Runner
Angela C. Tortu	...	Ramsey Aide
Ronald Ramessar	...	Mr. Westergard
Robin Faraday	...	Mrs. Westergard
Bob Stone	...	Bob the Magician
Henry Mortensen	...	Henry Ince
Chris Ellis	...	Additional Magician
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Captain Skip Beard	...	Board of Inquiry Member (uncredited)
John Daniels	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Gerald Emerick	...	(uncredited)
Mo Gallini	...	Seaman Kuhne (uncredited)
Steve Gonzales	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Jason Robards	...	Rear Admiral Anderson, Board of Inquiry President (uncredited)
Rayder Woods	...	Ensign (uncredited)

Directed by
Tony Scott

Writing credits (WGA)
Michael Schiffer		(story) and
Richard P. Henrick		(story)
Michael Schiffer		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jerry Bruckheimer	....	producer
Lucas Foster	....	executive producer
Mike Moder	....	executive producer
Don Simpson	....	producer
James W. Skotchdopole	....	associate producer
Bill Unger	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Hans Zimmer

Cinematography by
Dariusz Wolski

Film Editing by
Chris Lebenzon

Casting by
Victoria Thomas

Production Design by
Michael White

Art Direction by
James J. Murakami
Dianne Wager
Donald B. Woodruff

Set Decoration by
Mickey S. Michaels

Costume Design by
George L. Little

Makeup Department
Michael Mills	....	prosthetics designer
Ron Scott	....	hair stylist (as Ronald Scott)
Edna Sheen	....	additional makeup artist (as Edna M. Sheen)
Kenneth Walker	....	additional hair stylist
Ellen Wong	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Michael Fottrell	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James W. Skotchdopole	....	first assistant director
Angela C. Tortu	....	second second assistant director
John Wildermuth Jr.	....	second assistant director (as John Wildermuth)

Art Department
Robert Camron	....	swing
Rick Chavez	....	assistant property master
Dennis DeWaay	....	construction coordinator (as Dennis DeWay)
Steven E. Fegley	....	construction foreman
Edward G. Fitzgerald	....	lead man
Randy Gunter	....	assistant property master
Sean Hargreaves	....	illustrator
John Hinkle	....	stand-by painter
Pat John Latona	....	swing (as Pat Latona)
Richard Lawrence	....	set designer
Daniel Maltese	....	assistant art director
Gene Molnar	....	swing
Nick Navarro	....	set designer
Michael Papac	....	property master
Randall D. Wilkins	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Matt Araki	....	sound recordist
Bob Baron	....	adr mixer
Kevin Bartnof	....	foley artist
John Brilhante	....	sound recordist
Fred Burke	....	foley editor
Kevin Clark	....	sound effects editor
Midge Costin	....	sound editor
Juno J. Ellis	....	supervising adr editor
John P. Fasal	....	special sound effects (as John Fasal)
Marva Fucci	....	assistant sound editor
Eric Gotthelf	....	foley mixer
Matthew Harrison	....	foley editor
Denise Horta	....	adr editor
Frank Howard	....	sound editor
Paul Hulme	....	choir recordist
Suhail Kafity	....	sound editor
William B. Kaplan	....	sound mixer
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Likowski	....	foley editor
Victoria Martin	....	supervising foley editor
F. Hudson Miller	....	sound editor
Peggy Names	....	cable person
Paul O'Bryan	....	assistant sound editor
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Maggie Ostroff	....	assistant sound editor
R.J. Palmer	....	sound editor
Charleen Richards	....	adr mixer
Catherine Rowe	....	foley artist
Greg P. Russell	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Earl Sampson	....	boom operator
Christopher C. Schiavo	....	assistant sound editor (as Christopher Schiavo)
Kim Secrist	....	sound editor
Dan Sharp	....	sound recordist
Greg Thompson	....	assistant sound editor
Gregory H. Watkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
George Watters II	....	supervising sound editor
Gary Wright	....	sound editor
Cody Dorkin	....	adr (uncredited)
Nicholas James	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Michael McCormack	....	utility sound (uncredited)
Bruno Roussel	....	assistant sound engineer (uncredited)
Gregg Silk	....	assistant sound engineer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Al Di Sarro	....	special effects coordinator (as Alfred A. DiSarro Jr.)
Gustavo R. Ferreyra	....	special effects technician
John E. Gray	....	special effects (as John Gray)
Brian Q. Kelley	....	effects editorial: additional miniatures
Darrell Pritchett	....	special effects
Joe D. Ramsey	....	special effects foreman
Mike Sasgen	....	special effects technician
Tad Krzanowski	....	model effects: WKR Prods & ILM (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Scott Beattie	....	effects photography supervisor
Thomas R. Bryant	....	visual effects editor
Rob Burton	....	digital production supervisor
Scott Campbell	....	effects photography
Anjelica Casillas	....	digital producer
Ray Cavalluzzi	....	model maker
Dan Deleeuw	....	digital effects supervisor (as Dan DeLeeuw)
Mitch Dobrowner	....	digital department manager
Rob Dressel	....	senior CG animator
Warren Farina	....	model shop coordinator
Kevin Fitzgerald	....	effects photography
David Goldberg	....	model shop supervisor
Michael S. Harbour	....	digital artist
John H. Hess	....	model shop foreman (as John Hess)
Dennis Hoffman	....	visual effects senior producer
Christopher Holt	....	scanning and recording technician
Fred Iguchi	....	engineering supervisor
Rick Johnson	....	effects photographer
Blaine Kennison	....	compositing supervisor
Cecil Kramer	....	visual effects producer
Adam Lovell	....	model maker
James D. McGeachy	....	lead model maker (as Jim McGeachy)
Tony Moffett	....	model maker
Craig Moore	....	effects photography
Marlo Pabon	....	compositing art director
George Prior	....	effects photography
Keith Shartle	....	executive producer: DQI
Scott Sohan	....	assistant visual effects editor
Robert Stedd	....	underwater miniature producer
Matsune Suzuki	....	model maker: DQI
Ken Swenson	....	lead model maker (as Ken Swensen)
Mark Weatherbe	....	model maker
Hoyt Yeatman	....	visual effects supervisor
John Decker	....	miniatures crew (uncredited)
Corey Hels	....	digital effects artist: modeling and animation (uncredited)
Rory Hinnen	....	data manager (uncredited)
Darin Hollings	....	computer animator (uncredited)
Kent Johnson	....	model maker (uncredited)
Rick Lopez	....	scanning and recording technician (uncredited)
James Madigan	....	scanning and recording technician (uncredited)
John Murrah	....	compositor (uncredited)
Tim Sassoon	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Alex Tavoularis	....	visual consultant (uncredited)
Michael J. Travers	....	digital artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Pete Antico	....	stunts
Bob Arnold	....	stunts (as Robert Arnold)
Tom Bruggeman	....	stunts (as Tom Bruggemann)
Darren A. Caperna	....	stunts
Clayton Holt	....	stunts
Conn Horgan	....	stunts
Johnny Martin	....	stunts (as Johnny M. Martin)
Don McGovern	....	stunts
Carl Mergenthaler	....	stunts
Jimmy Nickerson	....	stunts (as Jim Nickerson)
Alan Oliney	....	stunts
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts
Steve Picerni	....	stunt coordinator
Gary Price	....	stunts
Big Daddy Wayne	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Adler	....	electrician
John Agalsoff Jr.	....	video playback operator
David Bartholomew	....	gaffer
John S. Beyers	....	electrician
George M. Chappell	....	electrician
George M. Chappell	....	rigging gaffer
Linda R. Chen	....	still photographer
Alan Colbert	....	electrician
John Cucura	....	electrician
Al DeMayo	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Jim Dickson	....	underwater director of photography
Janet L. Earl	....	video supervisor
John J. Ellingwood	....	second assistant camera (as John Ellingwood)
Richard Foreman Jr.	....	still photographer
Thomas Gibson	....	best boy grip
Shai Greenberg	....	camera loader
Hilary Klym	....	grip
Dennis J. Laine	....	first assistant camera
Thomas R. Lee	....	grip
Brian Liberman	....	grip
Mark Meyers	....	grip (as Mark J. Meyers)
Duane Mieliwocki	....	assistant camera (as Duane Mialiwocki)
Claudio Miranda	....	chief lighting technician
J. Michael Popovich	....	key grip
George Prior	....	effects photography
Christopher Reynolds	....	grip
Brian Rosso	....	grip
Thomas J. Ruffner	....	grip
Martin Schaer	....	camera operator
Gregory J. Schmidt	....	first assistant camera
Michael St. Hilaire	....	camera operator
Larry Sweet	....	dolly grip
Carl A. Vidnic	....	electrician
Jeff Vine	....	second assistant camera (as Jeffrey Vine)
Manny Vouniozos	....	key grip
Rob Abbey	....	video operator (uncredited)
Wayne Baker	....	lead underwater camera operator (uncredited)
Tom Boyd	....	underwater camera operator (uncredited)
Edward A. Gutentag	....	underwater assistant camera (uncredited)
Dan Kneece	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Ted Lewis	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Daniel Mindel	....	additional photographer (uncredited)
Heather Page	....	assistant camera: "c" camera (uncredited)
Jan Richter-Friis	....	lighting camera director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Kurt E. Soderling	....	aerial camera operator (uncredited)
Kurt E. Soderling	....	aerial director of photography (uncredited)

Casting Department
David Anthony	....	extras casting
Matthew Barry	....	casting associate (as Matthew B. Barry)
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Jeanne McCarthy	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
James 'Mike' Balker	....	costumer: men
Michael Chavez	....	costumer: men
Ellis Cohen	....	costume supervisor
Anthony J. Lipin	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
Andrea Bottigliero	....	assistant editor
David Dresher	....	associate editor
Tzarina V. Edillon	....	apprentice editor
Rick Howe	....	first assistant editor
Deborah Johnson	....	post-production assistant
Christopher Marino	....	post-production assistant
Bob Putynkowski	....	color timer
Guy Sappington	....	apprentice editor
Paul Silver	....	assistant editor
Mary Beth Smith	....	negative cutter
Abraham Park	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
Bob Badami	....	music editor
Emma Burnham	....	assistant to composer
Tonia Davall	....	choir contractor
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor (as Sandy De Crescent)
Bruce Fowler	....	orchestrator
Nick Glennie-Smith	....	conductor
Nick Glennie-Smith	....	orchestrator
Harry Gregson-Williams	....	conductor: choir
Will Kaplan	....	music editor
Ladd McIntosh	....	orchestrator
Alan Meyerson	....	consultant: musical score
Yvonne S. Moriarty	....	orchestrator (as Suzette Moriarty)
Jay Rifkin	....	score mixer
Maggie Rodford	....	choir supervisor
Marc Streitenfeld	....	assistant to composer
Michael Fey	....	music executive (uncredited)
Christopher Ward	....	additional music arranger: orchestral music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Michael Antunez	....	transportation coordinator
Eddie A. Canett	....	transportation captain
Chris Haynes	....	driver
Dennis V. Mckeehan	....	transportation captain (as Dennis V. McKeehan)
Dennis Sean Fahey	....	driver: Mr. Scott (uncredited)
Michael Forte	....	driver: Gene Hackman (uncredited)

Other crew
Jennifer Amerine	....	assistant: Mr. Unger
Linda C. Azevedo	....	second assistant accountant
Captain Skip Beard	....	technical advisor
Vanessa Bendetti	....	production assistant (as Vanessa Kirby)
Paul A. Calabria	....	animal handler
Patti Cerrari	....	crew: Video Image
Matthew B. Chamberlin	....	production assistant
Robert Dawson	....	title designer
Bruce Dickson	....	operator (as Robert Bruce Dickson)
Tony Diep	....	crew: Video Image
Amy L. Disarro	....	production assistant (as Amy L. DiSarro)
Dominic Fidelibus	....	supervising copyist
Brenda Finster	....	production assistant
Andrew Form	....	assistant: Jerry Bruckheimer
Crys Forsyth-Smith	....	production coordinator
Wendi Friedman	....	assistant: Jerry Bruckheimer
Jan Garner	....	production accountant
Duffy Gaver	....	key seal
Jennifer Good	....	assistant production coordinator (as Jennifer A. Good)
Rhonda C. Gunner	....	crew: Video Image (as Rhonda C. Gunnar)
Gabriela Gutentag	....	unit publicist
Hendrik Hartono	....	crew: Video Image
Jerry Heiss	....	assistant: Mr. Scott
Richard E. Hollander	....	video image
Linden Johnson	....	first assistant accountant
Mark Benton Johnson	....	assistant location manager (as Mark B. Johnson)
Dan Kaufman	....	crew: Video Image
Tony Kerum	....	caterer
Tracy L. Kettler	....	production coordinator
Harry Lam	....	crew: Video Image
Jeff Laplante	....	second assistant accountant (as Jeff LaPlante)
Ernest H. Lauterio	....	craft service
Sean Lee	....	crew: Video Image
Melonie Lewis	....	assistant: Jerry Bruckheimer
Ed Maloney	....	board operator
Todd Marrero	....	assistant: Don Simpson
Eric L. Marshall	....	production assistant
Pere Martinez	....	crew: Video Image
Charles A. May	....	crew: Video Image
Karin McElhatton	....	animal handler (as Karen McElhatton)
Gregory L. McMurry	....	crew: Video Image
Daniel Moder	....	production assistant
Mike Norville	....	crew: Video Image
Craig Pointes	....	location manager
Larry Potoker	....	crew: Video Image
Edwin Rivera	....	crew: Video Image
Demian Rosenblatt	....	crew: Video Image
Shea Rowan	....	production assistant
Nicole Sampogna	....	crew: Video Image
Andrea Schlupp	....	assistant: Don Simpson
Michael Snodgrass	....	production coordinator
Monte Swann	....	crew: Video Image
P.R. Tooke	....	script supervisor
Peter Toumasis	....	assistant: Mr. Scott
Lucas Van Alen	....	production assistant
John C. Wash	....	crew: Video Image
John C. Wash	....	screen graphics supervisor
Sean Welch	....	production assistant
Captain Malcolm S. Wright	....	technical advisor
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	helicopter pilot
Sue Chipperton	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Cam Eason	....	production assistant: Hawaii (uncredited)
Sophia Lansky	....	additional voices (uncredited)
Mark Van Horne	....	laboratory contact (uncredited)
Emmanuel Vouniozos	....	underwater technician: underwater unit (uncredited)
Chris Winn	....	craft service (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hollywood Pictures
• Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (1995) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1998) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Buena Vista International (1995) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1995) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (1995) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Gaumont Buena Vista International (GBVI) (1995) (France) (theatrical)
• Laurenfilm (1995) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (1996) (Germany) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (1998) (Germany) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Buena Vista Home Video (1996) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Encore Entertainment (1997) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Gativideo (1996) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Hollywood Pictures Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Hollywood Pictures Home Video (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (199?) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• SBS6 (2003) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Touchstone Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Veronica (2004) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Yorin (2002) (Netherlands) (TV)

Special Effects

• Dream Quest Images (visual effects)
• Makeup Effects Laboratories
• Video Image (24 frame video playback and graphic displays)

Other Companies

• Air Lyndhurst Studios  choir recording (as Air Lyndhurst, London)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes (as Chapman Leonard)
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)  news footage courtesy of
• Discovery Channel  news footage courtesy of
• FotoKem Laboratory  color (as Foto-Kem)
• Hollywood Records  soundtrack
• J.L. Fisher  dollies rental
• March Air Force Base  news footage courtesy of (as March Air Force Base Film Archives)
• Media Ventures  score recording
• Military Combat Stock Footage Library  news footage courtesy of (as Military Combat Stock Footage)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC)  news footage courtesy of
• Panavision  lenses and panaflex camera
• Sony, Cary Grant Theatre  sound re-recording (as Sony-Cary Grant Theatre)
• Technicolor  prints
• Todd-AO Scoring Stage  score recording
• Video Ordnance  news footage courtesy of
• Walt Disney Pictures and Television  for purposes of copyright law in the United Kingdom this picture was created by

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language.

Runtime:

116 min | USA:123 min (extended version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #33747) | Iceland:12 | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 (w) | Ireland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Chapman University - One University Drive, Orange, California, USA

Company:

Hollywood Pictures

Trivia:

According to a Don Simpson interview, Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise were also considered for the role that went to Denzel Washington.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Several characters, especially Captain Ramsey, refer to the submarine as a "ship." Traditionally, a submarine is referred to as a "boat," with the term "ship" being reserved for vessels that travel on the surface of the water.

Quotes:

Rear Admiral Anderson, Board of Inquiry President: Off the record, you both created one hell of a mess.
[to Hunter]
Rear Admiral Anderson, Board of Inquiry President: A mutiny aboard a United States nuclear submarine.
[to Ramsey]
Rear Admiral Anderson, Board of Inquiry President: Violation of nuclear launch protocols.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Eagle Eye (2008)

Soundtrack:

GONE AGAIN

Jon Monsarrat review: intelligent and thrilling

Although billed as a film about a deep issue (how much control submarine commanders should have over their nuclear weapons), Crimson Tide is really a straight action flick in my opinion. However, it is intelligent and definitely a cut above the action/thriller stereotype.

Superbly acted by the best -- never fail actors Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman -- they keep the tension at an eerily high peak throughout the film.

Who should see this film:

-- action movie buffs

-- borderline action lovers who won't build false expectations that there's a lot of deep issues and drama going on here

-- Arty types who are refined enough to appreciate the acting, sets, and dialogue even if they don't normally like action films

Suspense plays a large role in the film, so once you've seen it you know what's coming and may not wish to see it again someday. Only this limits it to getting a 7 out of 10 in my book.