Down Periscope (1996)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

David S. Ward

Writers (WGA):

Hugh Wilson (story)
Hugh Wilson (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 March 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

A rusty sub. A rebel commander. A renegade crew. When destiny called, they should have hung up.

Plot:

Lt. Cmdr. Tom Dodge is assigned as Captain to the USS Stingray, an old diesel driven submarine that has seen better days...

Plot Keywords:

Submarine | War Game | Navy | Naval | Admiral

Cast

Kelsey Grammer	...	Lt. Cmdr. Thomas 'Tom' Dodge
Lauren Holly	...	Lt. Emily Lake, Diving Officer
Rob Schneider	...	Executive Officer Martin T. 'Marty' Pascoe
Harry Dean Stanton	...	CPO Howard, Chief Engineer
Bruce Dern	...	RAdm. Yancy Graham
William H. Macy	...	Cmdr. Carl Knox (Orlando)
Ken Hudson Campbell	...	Seaman Buckman
Toby Huss	...	Seaman Nitro 'Mike'
Duane Martin	...	Planesman 1st Class Jefferson 'R.J.' Jackson
Jonathan Penner	...	Seaman Stanley 'Spots' Sylvesterson
Bradford Tatum	...	Engineman 1st Class Brad Stepanak (Winslow)
Harland Williams	...	Seaman 2nd Class E.T. 'Sonar' Lovacelli
Rip Torn	...	Vice Adm. Dean Winslow
James Martin Jr.	...	Orlando Radioman
Jordan Marder	...	Orlando Ensign
Matt Landers	...	Orlando XO
Joseph Latimore	...	Orlando Sonarman
Patton Oswalt	...	Stingray Radioman
Joe Soto	...	Helmsman
John Shepherd	...	Young Sailor
Pierrino Mascarino	...	Trawler Captain
Dennis Fimple	...	Fisherman
Ancel Cook	...	Fisherman
James Harper	...	Supportive Admiral
Rudy Hornish	...	Admiral #2
Tommy Terrell	...	Admiral #3
Elliot Easton	...	Secretary
Michael Connors	...	Orlando Young Sailor (as Michael William Connors)
Paul Tranghese	...	Sailor #2
Mitch Danton	...	Conn Tower Officer
Jackson Sleet	...	Torpedo Man
Annie Talbot	...	Singing Waitress
Eugene Daniel	...	Singing Sailor
Bob Dini	...	Singing Sailor
Andrew Christian English	...	Singing Sailor (as Andrew English)
Steve Giralo	...	Singing Sailor
Robert Grochau	...	Singing Sailor
Jamie James	...	Singing Sailor
Joseph Keawkalaya	...	Singing Sailor
Todd Odom	...	Singing Sailor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Felipe Rose	...	Villiage People Indian (uncredited)
Gabrielle Wagner	...	Sailor's Wife (uncredited)
Tirralan Watkins	...	Sailor's girlfriend (uncredited)

Directed by
David S. Ward

Writing credits (WGA)
Hugh Wilson		(story)
Hugh Wilson		(screenplay) and
Andrew Kurtzman		(screenplay) &
Eliot Wald		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jack Cummins	....	executive producer
Robert Lawrence	....	producer
Stanley Wilson	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Randy Edelman

Cinematography by
Victor Hammer

Film Editing by
William M. Anderson		(as William Anderson)
Armen Minasian

Casting by
Ferne Cassel

Production Design by
Michael Corenblith

Art Direction by
Dan Webster

Set Decoration by
Mickey S. Michaels

Costume Design by
Luke Reichle

Makeup Department
Fred C. Blau Jr.	....	tattoo makeup artist (as Fred Blau)
Jessica Clay	....	assistant hair stylist: Oakland
Jessica Clay	....	hair stylist: second unit
Jim Kail	....	key makeup artist (as James R. Kail)
Michael Key	....	makeup artist
Cheri Ruff	....	key hair stylist
Ken Wensevic	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jack Cummins	....	unit production manager
Marcy G. Kaplan	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerry Ballew	....	first assistant director (as Jerry L. Ballew)
Marcei A. Brown	....	second assistant director: second unit (as Marcei A. Brubaker)
Christina Fong	....	second second assistant director
Scott Metcalfe	....	second assistant director
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	second unit director (as Glenn H. Randall Jr.)
Tracy Rosenthal-Newsom	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Denis Benardello	....	paint foreman
Earl Benton	....	stand-by painter
Robert Camron	....	set dresser
David T. Cannon	....	construction coordinator (as Dave Cannon)
Charles Daboub Jr.	....	assistant art director
Al Denney	....	set dresser
Daren Dochterman	....	illustrator (as Daren R. Dochterman)
Edward G. Fitzgerald	....	lead man (as Ed Fitzgerald)
Frank R. Fontes	....	property maker
Stephen J. Gardner	....	property assistant: Oakland
Chuck Herrmann	....	property assistant
Jim Husbands	....	set dresser
Frank Kauffman	....	set dresser
Chris Kubin	....	gangboss (as Christopher F. Kubin)
Pat John Latona	....	set dresser
Matthew Martin	....	propmaker foreman
George F. Mauricio	....	set dresser: Oakland
Gene Molnar	....	set dresser
Angela O'Neill	....	art department coordinator
Alejandro Poli	....	labor foreman
James 'Andy' Price	....	plaster foreman
Robert L. Rentch III	....	set dresser
Tom Reta	....	set designer
Tom Richardson	....	stand-by painter: Oakland
Gary E. Roloff	....	set dresser: Oakland
Rafael Romo	....	toolman
Phillip Ruvalcaba	....	labor foreman
Tom Shaw Jr.	....	assistant property master
Mitchell Simmons	....	lead paint foreman
Eugene M. Texeira	....	set dresser: Oakland
James K. Thompson	....	set dresser
James F. Truesdale	....	set designer
Esteban G. Valles	....	labor gangboss
Don Watson	....	set dresser: Oakland
David A. Weinman	....	general foreman (as David Weinman)
Randall D. Wilkins	....	set designer (as Randall Wilkins)
Jim Zemansky	....	property master
Victoria Carlson	....	painter (uncredited)
Kris Nagle	....	welder foreman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Elton Ahi	....	technical assistant
Paul Apted	....	first assistant sound editor
David A. Arnold	....	dialogue editor (as David Arnold)
Anna Behlmer	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jim Brookshire	....	dialogue editor
Ted Caplan	....	foley editor
Sean Garnhart	....	sound effects editor
Gary Gegan	....	sound re-recording mixer
Chris Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Scott A. Jennings	....	sound effects editor
David Jobe	....	foley mixer
Robin Johnston	....	sound recordist
William B. Kaplan	....	sound mixer
R.J. Kizer	....	adr supervisor
Dave Kulczycki	....	dialogue editor
John A. Larsen	....	supervising sound editor
Andy Nelson	....	sound re-recording mixer
LaNessa Phearson	....	cable person
George Reinhardt	....	cable person: Oakland
Earl Sampson	....	boom operator
Donald Sylvester	....	supervising foley editor
Paul Urmson	....	sound design creator (uncredited)
Gayle Wesley	....	technical supervisor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Francis J. Ayre Jr.	....	special effects
Gary D. Bierend	....	special effects (as Gary Bierend)
Martin Bresin	....	special effects coordinator
Mike Brown	....	special effects
Dale Ettema	....	assistant effects coordinator
Werner Hahnlein	....	special effects
Don Hastings	....	special effects technician
Mike Menzel	....	special effects
Michael Roundy	....	special effects technician (as Mike Roundy)
Eric Rylander	....	special effects
Michael Schorr	....	special effects coordinator: second unit
Mike Van Arkel	....	special effects
Tom von Badinski	....	special effects
Dana Yuricich	....	special effects
Mark Yuricich	....	special effects
Richard Zarro	....	special effects electronics foreman
Jaime Galindo	....	special effects laborer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Gary Abrahamian	....	3D digital artist
Judith Bell	....	2D digital artist
Bruce Berman	....	CG effects development
Les Bernstien	....	director of photography: miniature shoot
Dale Brady	....	model maker
Cheryl Budgett	....	digital compositing supervisor
Pierre Cane	....	miniature shoot gaffer
Mike Connors	....	miniature shoot grip
Mario Davis	....	miniature shoot key grip
John 'D.J.' Des Jardin	....	CG effects development
Ivan DeWolf	....	3D digital artist
Linda Di Franco	....	digital assistant editor
Colin Edwards	....	miniature shoot key grip
Kevin Edwards	....	grip
Gregory Elwood	....	2D digital artist
Anders Ericson	....	3D digital artist
Meg Freeman	....	2D digital artist
Scott Giegler	....	3D digital artist
Robert Grasmere	....	miniature shoot supervisor
Laura Grijalva	....	lead miniature painter
Rhonda C. Gunner	....	visual effects
David Gutman	....	2D digital artist
Richard E. Hollander	....	vifx visual effects supervisor
Sean Hyun-In Lee	....	2D digital artist (as Sean Lee)
Anthony 'Max' Ivins	....	digital compositing supervisor
Christopher Ivins	....	2D digital artist: VIFX
Josh R. Jaggars	....	assistant to producer: VIFX
Manson Jones	....	CG effects development
Dan Kaufman	....	3D digital artist
Gene Kozicki	....	model shop producer
Harry Lam	....	2D digital artist
Morris May	....	3D digital artist
Gregory L. McMurry	....	visual effects
Paul M. McNamara	....	lead miniature mechanics
Rob Menapace	....	miniature shoot motion control programmer
Stuart Mintz	....	3D digital artist
Zeke Morales	....	editorial: VIFX
Mike Norville	....	3D digital artist
Jeffrey J. Osmer	....	digital assistant editor
Scott D. Peterson	....	visual effects producer (as Scott Peterson)
Ethan Phillips	....	visual effects CLT: VIFX
Michael Possert	....	miniature crew chief
James E. Price	....	digital effects supervisor (as Jamie Price)
Jeff Pyle	....	model maker
Edwin Rivera	....	2D digital artist
Ha Ngan Roda	....	3D digital artist
Francine Rokaw	....	3D digital artist
Christopher Romano	....	3D digital artist
Christopher Romano	....	technical director
Louis Scaduto	....	3D digital artist
Paula Schneider	....	model maker
Scott Schneider	....	model shop supervisor
Rob Schultz	....	2D digital artist
Tom Shaughnessy	....	miniature shoot stage supervisor
Kurt E. Soderling	....	visual effects camera operator (as Kurt Soderling)
Paul Taglianetti	....	miniature shoot production coordinator
John C. Wash	....	visual effects
Jon Kranhouse	....	miniature unit director of photography (uncredited)
Dean Lyon	....	compositor (uncredited)
Bob Wiatr	....	digital effects compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Daniel W. Barringer	....	stunts (as Dan Barringer)
Eddie Braun	....	stunts
Gary Guercio	....	stunts (as Gary I. Guercio)
Larry Holt	....	stunts
Paul M. Lane	....	stunts
Wendy Lanterman	....	stunts
Julius LeFlore	....	stunts
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	stunt coordinator
Jake Souza	....	stunts
Jack Verbois	....	stunts
Chuck Waters	....	stunts
C. Ransom Walrod	....	stunt navy captain (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Eric Amundsen	....	camera loader: Oakland
Kevin M. Beach	....	electrician
Ben Beaird	....	key grip
Robert Beverlin	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera (as Robert A. Beverlin)
Mitchell B. Boyce	....	video assist operator: Oakland
Gary S. Christie	....	best boy grip: Fox
Jeffrey R. Clark	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Doug Cook	....	best boy grip
Dick Dova	....	best boy grip: second unit (as Richard Dova Spah)
Michael A. FauntLeRoy	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Dennis Flanderka	....	grip
Carlos M. Gallardo	....	dolly grip
Michael Genne	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Michael A. Genne)
Alex Haapaniemi	....	camera loader
Ken Hausmann	....	grip: Oakland
Anthony Huljev	....	best boy
Jay M. Huntoon	....	video assist operator
David Jarrell	....	best boy electric
Kevan Jenson	....	video playback operator
Andrew McDowall	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Russell McElhatton	....	camera operator: "a" camera
William McFarland	....	grip: Oakland
Steven R. Morales	....	rigging gaffer
Melissa Moseley	....	still photographer
Richard Northcutt	....	video assist operator
John O'Donnell	....	grip: Oakland
Bill Pelkey	....	electrician: Oakland
Jon Philion	....	electrician (as Jon 'Joey' Philion)
Bill Pollock	....	grip
Dennis Pope	....	key grip: second unit
Patrick Riley	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, Oakland
Paul Sanchez	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera, Oakland
Michael Santy	....	camera operator: "b" camera, Oakland
Michael J. Selph	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Alex Skvorzov	....	gaffer
John M. Stephens	....	director of photography: second unit
Monte Swann	....	video playback operator
Frank D. Tobin	....	best boy electric: 20th Century Fox (as Frank Tobin)
Eric Willis	....	electrician
Gregory Beard	....	best boy grip (uncredited)
Ron Kunecke	....	night light operator (uncredited)
David Norris	....	camera technician: Wescam camera, San Francisco (uncredited)
Kurt E. Soderling	....	aerial camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Eyde Belasco	....	casting assistant
Jennifer Bender	....	extras casting
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Nancy Hayes	....	extras casting coordinator: Oakland

Costume and Wardrobe Department
James P. Cullen	....	costumer (as Jim 'Maddog' Cullen)
Mad Dog Cullen	....	costumer
Linda Henrikson	....	costume supervisor
Barbara Kassel	....	set costumer: Oakland
Birgitte Mann	....	costumer
Jonny Pray	....	costumer
Nancy Servin	....	seamstress: Oakland (as Nancy Hart Servin)

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Tony Ciccone	....	first assistant editor
Tom Demauri	....	lightworks assistant
Padraic McKinley	....	editorial production assistant
Tara McKinley	....	assistant editor
Joe Mosca	....	assistant editor
William Pine	....	color timer (as Bill Pine)
Suzanne Sherrill	....	post-production coordinator
Kevin D. Ross	....	additional lightworks assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor
Robert Fernandez	....	score mixer (as Bob Fernandez)
Ralph Ferraro	....	orchestrator
Jon Kull	....	orchestrator
Ling Ling Li	....	assistant music editor
Mark McKenzie	....	orchestrator
Robert Randles	....	music editor
John Rosenberg	....	music contractor
Patrick Russ	....	orchestrator
Mark McKenzie	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Billy G. Arter	....	transportation coordinator (as Billy Arter)
Stanley R. Webber	....	transportation captain
Gina August	....	driver (uncredited)
Dennis Lally	....	driver (uncredited)
John R. Lopez	....	driver (uncredited)
James Nordberg	....	driver captain (uncredited)
Mike H. Wilson	....	transportation production assistant (uncredited)

Other crew
Sherri Arter	....	production assistant
Chris Bernt	....	marine crew
John Bill	....	marine crew
Matt Bilski	....	assistant: Mr. Cummins
Curt Blau	....	marine crew
Susan J. Bonno-Buckner	....	accounting assistant (as Susan Bonno)
Russell Booth	....	ship's manager: USS Pampanito
Tony Carter	....	surveyor
Evan Cecil	....	production assistant: Oakland
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot
James Mitchell Clyde	....	marine crew
Brian C. Davis	....	screen graphics: Video Image
James Ellsworth	....	production assistant: Oakland
George C. Fleharty	....	president: NMMA
Cliff Fleming	....	helicopter pilot
Tara Foran	....	accounting assistant
Gavin Gharrity	....	production assistant: Oakland
Jennifer A. Giancola	....	production assistant: Oakland
Cathy Goggins	....	production assistant: Oakland
Joanne S. Grant	....	accounting assistant: Oakland
Thomas M. Harrigan	....	production assistant
Adina Harrison	....	set production assistant
Robb Hastigan	....	assistant accountant/payroll
Brian O. Haynes	....	location manager
Eric Fox Hays	....	set production assistant
Anne Helmstadter	....	assistant: Mr. Lawrence
Holly Henrich	....	office production assistant
Chuck 'Chaz' Hosack	....	marine crew
Ari Jacobs	....	set production assistant
Kathy McDonald Jones	....	production coordinator: second unit
Tom Judt	....	craft service: Oakland (as Tommy Judt)
John Kreidman	....	production assistant: Oakland (as John Kriedman)
Michael Lardas	....	production assistant: Oakland
David Linck	....	unit publicist
Jim Lipman	....	marine crew
Kathy Lohan	....	executive director: NMMA
A.J. Marcantonio	....	office production assistant
Kathleen 'Kash' McKewen	....	assistant location manager
Gwen A. Miller	....	craft service
Lainie Miller	....	script supervisor
Robin Mulcahy Fisichella	....	assistant production coordinator
John K. Nunneley	....	technical advisor
Chris Papajohn	....	marine crew
Jim Parks	....	marine crew
Bailey Pryor	....	location manager: navy unit
Mike Revell	....	production accountant
Diane L. Sabatini	....	production coordinator
Paul Taglianetti	....	video graphics coordinator
Gary Trentham	....	office production assistant
G. Scott Tye	....	water safety coordinator: Oakland
C. Ransom Walrod	....	marine coordinator
Steven E. Wegner	....	assistant production accountant
Danny Weselis	....	marine crew
Angela M. Whiting	....	production secretary
Douglas D. Ziegler	....	marine crew
Jane E. Graves	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Bryan Nelson	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Mitchell Nyberg	....	set coordinator (uncredited)
Bailey Pryor	....	location manager (uncredited)
Brenda K. Wachel	....	script supervisor: second unit (uncredited)
Crystal Weaver	....	staff production coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment España S.A. (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
• Hispano Foxfilms S.A.E. (Spain)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Special Effects

• Digital Magic Company
• Sessums Engineering
• Video Image

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Cinema Research  opticals
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  music preparation
• Mario's Catering  catering
• Nina Saxon Film Design  titles
• Pacific Title  titles
• Studio Sea  marine coordination
• Studio Sea  marine management
• Todd-AO Studios  recording facilities

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some crude language.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #34116) | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Canada:PG | Denmark:12 | Finland:S | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Alameda Naval Air Station, Alameda, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Harry Dean Stanton -- playing the veteran Chief Engineer, Howard -- actually served in the navy during WWII.

Goofs:

Continuity: There is an additional officer shown in the "walk the plank" scene.

Quotes:

Adm. Dean Winslow: What do you think, Mr. Dodge?
Lt. Comd. Dodge: I think I'm gonna get my ass kicked, sir.
Adm. Dean Winslow: Aw, don't think like that! Damn it to hell! Don't go by the book. Think like a pirate. I want a man with a tattoo on his dick. Have I got the right man?
Lt. Comd. Dodge: By a strange coincidence, you do, sir.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Will Ferrell/Queens of the Stone Age (#30.19)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Anchors Aweigh

Great Movie

I've enjoyed this movie ever since I first saw it in the theatre. Some movies have a cast of characters and a script that come together in perfect synergy, and this is one of them. The characters illustrate some truths about getting the best out of people, working together harmoniously, building a team and achieving goals, without ever preaching morality. The situations are crafted well and are consistent with the movie's opening premise. The tension builds nicely and the humor is clean and consistent throughout. The movie manages to pull me right in to root for the characters, and to laugh pretty well all the way through. This is a feel good movie as good as they come.

What amazes me is that a movie which appears so simple can be so long term entertaining. The music is a perfect copy of music in the typical serious post war navy movies, which helps to create the humor and point out that greatness is in the eye of the beholder. The scenes in the credits are a great music video of "In the Navy", which deserve their own full screen special feature. The scenes and cuts are crafted well, and the casting and acting is right on.

This movie is a classic as great as any ever made, without any pretensions. In fact, the lack of pretension is what makes it so much fun to watch. I love these guys and gal.

The other day I thought of the film, and wondered whether it was available on DVD. Good fortune has come to us, and the DVD came out in May 2004. I headed to the store, and snapped up a copy. Then my wife and I enjoyed another hilarious night in front of the big screen. I've rated this movie as a 10 because it comes together on all levels, far better than many high budget films and Oscar winners. This is entertainment.

Listen up Fox home video: you have a great movie in your vaults, and it's a shame to find a cheap shot DVD with badly degraded off tint colors only 8 years since release. So why not restore the colors and present the film as it was meant to be seen? I'd gladly pay a few bucks more to get the picture right. I'm grateful to have my own copy. Now give us the eye candy that the film deserves, and how about recreating the credit sequence as a full screen music video special feature.