Upcoming WW2 Sub Movie "USS Seaviper"

[Archie]

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/9071/080129n2555n313gp5.jpg

080129-N-2555N-313 MOBILE, Ala. (Jan. 29. 2008) Information Systems Technician 1st Class Joshua Shepard works inside a torpedo tube aboard the decommissioned World War II-era diesel submarine USS Drum (SS 228) to help prepare the submarine for the upcoming film "USS Seaviper." Mighty Moments Motion Pictures will begin filming in March 2008 and later plans to highlight Drum in a documentary. U.S. submarines – which made up only 2 percent of the U.S. fleet during the war – were responsible for 65 percent of all Japanese ships sunk. Drum sank 15 enemy ships. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alec J. Noe (Released)

Anybody here anything elses about this? Not much on the net - http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2007/jun/29/bbill-deyoungb-a-casting-call-for-a-locally/

All sounds a little dodgy to say the least.....

[Honkas]

most of all USS Seaviper sounds like a very hollywoodish and lame name for a submarine. Besides, to my knowledge at least, all US subs up until the Los Angeles class were named after fish or sea-mammals.

[tomoose]

I'll second that. The article says "locally produced" so we're not talking big budget here. I guess that's what they call an "independent" film. While I'm dubious, you never know, it may turn out to be a crackerjack little movie. Time will tell.

[Dogzero1]

We shouldn't complain whatever the budget. Its in our interest bubble, so it should be fine and dandy.:up:

[Dogsbd]

We shouldn't complain whatever the budget. Its in our interest bubble, so it should be fine and dandy.:up:

Exactly!

:up:

[Sailor Steve]

Umm...so was U-571.

I'm hoping for the best, expecting the worst, and keeping a grain of salt handy just in case.

That picture, though - polishing the brightwork. Brings back memories.

Bad ones.:rotfl:

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

No bloody way! Check the line that says you'll get paid when we get paid? Yeah, heard that before. When it's time to collect they'll say the film fell through no big bucks sorry next time, blah, blah, blah, yadda ,yadda, yadda. Me? I'd take the Producer and shove him in Tube No. 1. :rotfl:

[M. Sarsfield]

This sounds crap-tacular. Can't wait to see it... :roll:

[Nuc]

most of all USS Seaviper sounds like a very hollywoodish and lame name for a submarine. Besides, to my knowledge at least, all US subs up until the Los Angeles class were named after fish or sea-mammals.

Don't forget the "41 for Freedom" boomers named for american 'freedom fighters'

[donut]

http://www.villani-rockhill.com/SeaviperCUTthinLINE.jpg

"An American World War II submarine discovers a secret between Germany and Japan, and it must escape entrapment in order to deliver the information to Navy Headquarters before it's too late"
http://www.villani-rockhill.com/CastComposite%20copy.jpg

This film is in pre-production to be shot in Mobile, Alabama, aboard the WW2 submarine USS Drum and The Florida Treasure Coast.
Filming is scheduled for February 2008.
We have the crew established and will be shooting with the new super HD Red Camera www.red.com
USS SEAVIPER is now fully casted.
Parallel to the film USS SEAVIPER we are also producing a documentary on the USS DRUM a WW2 submarine that sank about 22 ships during WW2.The documentary will have interviews with Rear Admiral Rindskopf, who was the one of the Captains of the USS Drum. Along with Rear Admiral Rindskopf will be interviews with Commander Ramsing who also served on the USS Drum during WW2 and Rear Admiral Rindskopf's wife Sylvia who gives her feelings on how it was to be a mother and wife waiting for her husband to come home. The documentary will cover the battles fought by the Drum told by the veterans who served on the submarine in WW2.

http://www.villani-rockhill.com/USSDRUM-composite%20copy.jpg
http://www.villani-rockhill.com/seaviper-emailaddress%20copy.jpg
A U.S. submarine is trapped below by a Japanese destroyer,
and its crew holds a secret for the turning point of WW II.
http://www.seaviper.net (http://www.seaviper.net/)
http://www.villani-rockhill.com/UssSeaviperImage_copy.jpg
U.S.S. SEAVIPER, the most tenacious submarine of a Navy wolf pack, has a commander whose dream is to have his boat "the best damn sub in the Navy!" It is September, 1944. Fresh from liberty on the island of Hawaii, SEAVIPER’s new mission from the Navy’s Com Sub Pac is to rescue downed airplane pilots. A radio ‘voice call’, in code (Little LuLu), is received from a distressed pilot by lifeguard ships. The boat within his coordinates is the U.S.S. SEAVIPER. The downed pilot, an American Navy airman, is rescued along with two Prisoners of War (POW) from a nearby island. But the Japanese and Germans also are discovered to be on this island together, and the submarine’s landing party needs to separate.
Forced to return to the boat while the Captain stays behind, the Chief Petty Officer realizes he must deal with unexpected changes in command; the Executive Officer being relieved of duty because of a head injury suffered during a depth charge attack and his rival rising to power. A stuck torpedo and structural damage to the boat from a Japanese destroyer becomes life-threatening and the boat’s survival is questioned. Under direct order from the boat’s Captain, he tries to maintain the boat’s position, regardless of the new Officer in Command who defies the direct order from the Captain, for the scheduled rendezvous with the landing party, and to deliver the enemy’s secret to Com Sub Pac.
Yet through it all, the CPO never fails to stop asking, searching for his missing brother. A brother, a flyboy, whose picture he holds close to his heart. With each new face, he hopes that maybe one will remember, or will know where his brother has gone

[V.C. Sniper]

Let there be a movie about the godly Tang and O'Kane!!!

[FAdmiral]

I sure hope this movie has some action instead of the heavy plot dialog that
hollywood seems to want to include in most movies today. Good example is
"Pearl Harbor", a 3 hour spectacular that in my opinion was a very good 1 hour
movie !! That 1 hour was the last hour of the film. The first 2 hrs. was garbage.

JIM

[Woody34]

Besides Schindler's List name one american WWII movie that was actually a good movie? I'll watch Das Boot for the 100th time.

[SteamWake]

Besides Schindler's List name one american WWII movie that was actually a good movie? I'll watch Das Boot for the 100th time.

Das Boot was american made ? :hmm:

Anyhow

Parallel to the film USS SEAVIPER we are also producing a documentary on the USS DRUM a WW2 submarine that sank about 22 ships during WW2.The documentary will have interviews with Rear Admiral Rindskopf, who was the one of the Captains of the USS Drum. Along with Rear Admiral Rindskopf will be interviews with Commander Ramsing who also served on the USS Drum during WW2 and Rear Admiral Rindskopf's wife Sylvia who gives her feelings on how it was to be a mother and wife waiting for her husband to come home. The documentary will cover the battles fought by the Drum told by the veterans who served on the submarine in WW2.

Now that looks interesting.

[Ark]

Besides Schindler's List name one american WWII movie that was actually a good movie? I'll watch Das Boot for the 100th time.

"Run Silent Run Deep", "Midway", "Tora Tora Tora" (USA/Japan?), "Patton", "Battle of the Bulge", "Guns of Navarone", "Saving Private Ryan" (I liked it), and a few others I can't remember the names of were all, IMO, good movies.

:)

[SteamWake]

Besides Schindler's List name one american WWII movie that was actually a good movie? I'll watch Das Boot for the 100th time.

"Run Silent Run Deep", "Midway", "Tora Tora Tora" (USA/Japan?), "Patton", "Battle of the Bulge", "Guns of Navarone", "Saving Private Ryan" (I liked it), and a few others I can't remember the names of were all, IMO, good movies.

:)

Bridge over the river Kwai, Dirty dozen, Whats the one with clint eastwood, Dom Delouise, and others ?

[Schlippittz]

Besides Schindler's List name one american WWII movie that was actually a good movie? I'll watch Das Boot for the 100th time.

The Longest Day.

[LZ_Baker]

Whats the one with clint eastwood, Dom Delouise, and others ?
Where Eagles Dare?

Or Kelly's Heroes :)

[RED JOHNSON]

.


The possible gain that this new film might have on us in the Submarine Fleet is that every time those same Producers become aware of another refurbished and fully operational WWII Fleet Boat , there is a good chance that they, Maybe even Spielberg himself , might realize the Availability of that reconditioned Sub for thier own potential Epic Sub Movie. Let us hope that this will be the result of all this.

[Sailor Steve]

Besides Schindler's List name one american WWII movie that was actually a good movie? I'll watch Das Boot for the 100th time.

"Run Silent Run Deep", "Midway", "Tora Tora Tora" (USA/Japan?), "Patton", "Battle of the Bulge", "Guns of Navarone", "Saving Private Ryan" (I liked it), and a few others I can't remember the names of were all, IMO, good movies.

:)

Bridge over the river Kwai, Dirty dozen, Whats the one with clint eastwood, Dom Delouise, and others ?
Schlippittz mentioned The Longest Day. I would add Battleground, Twelve O'Clock High, The Great Raid (very recent, and already forgotten, but a very good movie), A Bridge Too Far, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, They Were Expendable, PT-109 (not a great movie, but certainly watchable), The Great Escape. And both the recent Clint Eastwood movies: Flags Of Our Fathers was good, and Letters From Iwo Jima I would classify as truly great. And though it's not a movie, let's not forget Band of Brothers.

But I will also watch Das Boot over and over. And I have the 5-hour version.

[Doolittle81]

Besides Schindler's List name one american WWII movie that was actually a good movie? I'll watch Das Boot for the 100th time.

I didn't get to this thread/yourPost soon enough to respond.... I agree with 95% of the great American WWII movies mentioned by the others. I could add a few more, but I think you've gotten the point.

Well....here's another few of my favorites: "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo", "The War Lover", and "Sands of Iwo Jima"

P.S. I also will watch Das Boot many more times, and if ranking the Best of the Best, I would place Das Boot Very near to the top of the list. (My Best of the Best List obviously not limited to only American-made movies).

[longam]

Looking at the actors I couldn’t help but notice this guy.
http://www.downbelow.net/sh4/dude.jpg
Related to Das Boot Captain?

Let’s put some cheesy chin fuzz and a hat on him
http://www.downbelow.net/sh4/dude2.jpg
DAD!
http://www.downbelow.net/sh4/dude3.jpg

[Ark]

Besides Schindler's List name one american WWII movie that was actually a good movie? I'll watch Das Boot for the 100th time.

"Run Silent Run Deep", "Midway", "Tora Tora Tora" (USA/Japan?), "Patton", "Battle of the Bulge", "Guns of Navarone", "Saving Private Ryan" (I liked it), and a few others I can't remember the names of were all, IMO, good movies.

:)

Bridge over the river Kwai, Dirty dozen, Whats the one with clint eastwood, Dom Delouise, and others ?

"Kelly's Heros"?

Or are you thinking of another one? I can't remember if Dom was in KH.

There are quite a few good U.S. WWII movies people have mentioned. I couldn't even think of them all.

IIRC, "Battle Hell" was another good one.

[AkbarGulag]

Looking at the actors I couldn’t help but notice this guy.
http://www.downbelow.net/sh4/dude.jpg
Related to Das Boot Captain?

Let’s put some cheesy chin fuzz and a hat on him
http://www.downbelow.net/sh4/dude2.jpg
DAD!
http://www.downbelow.net/sh4/dude3.jpg

:rotfl:

Saw the movie Flags of Our Father... I kinda thought it was crappy, I guess it was made for American domestic consumption. Letters from Iwo Jima was pretty damn good though. Another movie I never see talked about, but I thought was brilliant was a movie called 'When Trumpets Fade'. It's more drama than action, but damn this was a great film. It follows an American infantryman who is treated like a coward for being the only survivor of his platoon... but the truth is vastly different.

Not holding my breath on this new film, actors look kinda pretty boy to me. If it had a few guys in there with faces only a mother would love, it would be more convincing. Still, Peter Jacksons first movies blew up sheep with rocket launchers and used the V6 Ford Capri as a secret service car, i'll give anything a shot. Good luck to the crew making this film.

[Woody34]

Ok. So there are some good american WWII movies. I also forgot the great raid. And i also liked the 2 Iwo Jima movies Clint made. Fingers crossed this one will have the same high standard.
I know it's a German production but have you ever seen Stalingrad?

[Spazza]

Besides Schindler's List name one american WWII movie that was actually a good movie? I'll watch Das Boot for the 100th time.
"Run Silent Run Deep", "Midway", "Tora Tora Tora" (USA/Japan?), "Patton", "Battle of the Bulge", "Guns of Navarone", "Saving Private Ryan" (I liked it), and a few others I can't remember the names of were all, IMO, good movies.

:)

I agree with most of your selection, but Midway and the Bulge!!!:down:..............

[GOZO]

Just read the "Plot"........


Oh dear me.....:nope:

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

One I saw recently on DVD was When Trumpets Fade. I gagged at what a German bullet did to a US soldier's lower jaw.:o

To me Das Boot is the all-time fave war movie.

I like also- Battle of Britain, Cross of Iron, Letters From Iwo Jima, The Tuskagee Airmen, Saving Private Ryan, Battle of Midway, Bridge Over River Kwai, Empire of The Sun, Memphis Belle, just to name some.

What I don't like about American movies is the fact Hollywood tries to rewrite history. Don't they know the rest of us are educated? In fact some years ago a survey done on American students revealed that many of them thought WW2 started 1n 1941 at Pearl Harbor.:88)

[XLjedi]

Look on the bright side...

At least the Drum is getting a makeover!

[walrusbomb]

the plot sounds OK, until you get to the "lost brother" drama. what a crock!

and if you think there was a good minute in the film "Pearl Habor," let alone an entire hour, I have some land I want to sell you. almost nothing about that film was accurate.

[SteamWake]

Besides Schindler's List name one american WWII movie that was actually a good movie? I'll watch Das Boot for the 100th time.

"Run Silent Run Deep", "Midway", "Tora Tora Tora" (USA/Japan?), "Patton", "Battle of the Bulge", "Guns of Navarone", "Saving Private Ryan" (I liked it), and a few others I can't remember the names of were all, IMO, good movies.

:)

Bridge over the river Kwai, Dirty dozen, Whats the one with clint eastwood, Dom Delouise, and others ?

"Kelly's Heros"?

Or are you thinking of another one? I can't remember if Dom was in KH.

There are quite a few good U.S. WWII movies people have mentioned. I couldn't even think of them all.

IIRC, "Battle Hell" was another good one.

Yes Kellys heros while extremly far fetched was a good movie with rich charecters.

I still recall the german soldier in the tank "Gasolinas all over zee place" :|\\

[SteamWake]

the plot sounds OK, until you get to the "lost brother" drama. what a crock!

and if you think there was a good minute in the film "Pearl Habor," let alone an entire hour, I have some land I want to sell you. almost nothing about that film was accurate.

Tora Tora Tora on the other hand was pretty good.

[NefariousKoel]

Another movie I never see talked about, but I thought was brilliant was a movie called 'When Trumpets Fade'. It's more drama than action, but damn this was a great film. It follows an American infantryman who is treated like a coward for being the only survivor of his platoon... but the truth is vastly different.


Great flick!

I tracked it down at TigerDirect & bought it a couple years ago. Great movie set in the Hurtgen Forest & very gritty. Not much Hollywood BS in it at all. It was made back in the 90s, I believe. Oddly, a lot of the credits include a good number of eastern europeans. HBO movie. Highly recommended.:up:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0135706/

[howler93]

Besides Schindler's List name one american WWII movie that was actually a good movie? I'll watch Das Boot for the 100th time.


I'd recommend Letters From Iwo Jima, directed by Clint Eastwood. Far better than its counterpart, Flags of Our Fathers, Letters From Iwo Jima tells the story of the battle from the Japanese point of view. It's gripping to the end. One scene that will forever be etched in my mind: A Japanese soldier emerges from his cave after the days of being barraged and looks out to sea. As far as the eye can see, the ocean is completely FILLED with American ships. I can't imagine that terror...:o

Howler :arrgh!:

[Schlippittz]

Hey, I just got assigned to a new boat in game, and it's the USS Drum. :up:

[AkbarGulag]

One I saw recently on DVD was When Trumpets Fade. I gagged at what a German bullet did to a US soldier's lower jaw.:o


I tracked it down at TigerDirect & bought it a couple years ago


TigerDirect... okies.. I couldn't find it at ANY video stores here in NZ. Thanks for the heads up Nefarious.

[SurfnSea]

Kelly's Heroes did not have Dom Deluise in it; you might be thinking of Don Rickles (Crapgame). I like the movie especially Donald Sutherland's Oddball a 60's wasted hippie like character; that would be the perfect sub commander ("Always with the nega-tive waves..."). The movie had a ton of well known actors in it.

[Captain Vlad]

. I like the movie especially Donald Sutherland's Oddball a 60's wasted hippie like character; that would be the perfect sub commander ("Always with the nega-tive waves...").

Man...now I wanna see a sub movie like that...

*torpedoes whang harmlessly off the side of a 10,000 ton tanker*
"Who was thinking the bad thoughts? Who was sending out all the negative waves?!?"

[Nisgeis]

the plot sounds OK, until you get to the "lost brother" drama. what a crock!

and if you think there was a good minute in the film "Pearl Habor," let alone an entire hour, I have some land I want to sell you. almost nothing about that film was accurate.

Ben Affleck's charachter crashes his Spitfire during the day and then half way through the film you see what happened to him. He swims up and breaks the surface when it's night time. You've got to respect someone that can stay under water for that long and not drown.

[Honkas]

"The Bridge on the River Kwai" is actually a british/UK film - but still awesome!

[XLjedi]

AMC played Letters from Iwo Jima the other night without commercial interruption... it was excellent! :yep:

[jetthelooter]

AMC played Letters from Iwo Jima the other night without commercial interruption... it was excellent! :yep:

i started watching it, might have been a good movie if i didnt have to read it. i despise movies i have to read the subtitles to know whats going on.

as for this new sub movie sounds like another over dramaticized pile of poo like the latest pearl harbor remake. looks from the description of the plot every bad hollywood cliche there has ever been.

why not just tell the true story of WHAT HAPPENED!!! real life in WW2 during the battles was enough!!

[Schlippittz]

i started watching it, might have been a good movie if i didnt have to read it. i despise movies i have to read the subtitles to know whats going on.

I'm the opposite. I'd so much rather have subtitles than dubbing. If I tuned in to Stalingrad and they started speaking English, I'd just turn it right off.

[Ivan Putski]

"Between Heaven, and Hell" Robert Wagner, Buddy Ebsen, Terry Moore. "A Helmet for my pillow" was another good one. "Beach Red", :up:

[399nkov]

The Enemy Below, Torpedo Run, and Up Periscope are a few I remember seeing in the early 60's. They were good at that point in time.

[snakeyez]

I just wanted to say that regardless of the quality of the USS Seaviper movie, I hope we can all support this movie in some fashion. It will showcase the interior of the USS Drum and may perhaps bring more attention to the Drum as well as other museum subs. Tom Bowser, the guy that works with the Drum daily, has invested much time with the cast and crew of the movie just being a nice guy. The Drum is only going to get a donation *IF* this movie turns a profit!

And who knows, perhaps positive promotion and reactions to this film could produce more, higher quality WW2 submarine movies!

[snakeyez]

Just wanted to repost this little update about the USS Seaviper movie. This is from Tom Bowser who posted this info on another BBS:

"...filming to start around the end of march and will be done entirely on board the Drum, no studio submarine shoots and will be done at night so we don't have to close the boat to visitors. It is hoped to be in the theaters in the fall.

The same company is filming a documentry on the Drum for tv, don't know when it will be released..."

A documentary on the Drum sounds pretty cool!

[Torps]

The subs name is pure hollywood, the story idea isnt bad actually, what bugs me is (correct me if im wrong) the captain leaves his ship to go on a mission???um that would never happen.

[XLjedi]

The subs name is pure hollywood, the story idea isnt bad actually, what bugs me is (correct me if im wrong) the captain leaves his ship to go on a mission???um that would never happen.

Does strike me as odd... I don't recall Fluckey wandering up on shore to blow up trains.

The name is, ehhh a little TopGun-ish... but it's not entirely outside of reason. There was a Seasnake I believe. I had posted a list of all the names some time ago... maybe it was on the Ubi-forums. I remember having a hard time coming up with even one or two new gamefish names.

[sqk7744]

Umm...so was U-571.

I'm hoping for the best, expecting the worst, and keeping a grain of salt handy just in case.

That picture, though - polishing the brightwork. Brings back memories.

Bad ones.:rotfl:

Agreed :up:

[Sailor Steve]

AMC played Letters from Iwo Jima the other night without commercial interruption... it was excellent! :yep:

i started watching it, might have been a good movie if i didnt have to read it. i despise movies i have to read the subtitles to know whats going on.
Well, you turned off one of the best movies made in the last ten years. Your loss.

Me, I'm with Schlippittz; I'll watch it in the original language every time, just for the feel. Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Rashamon, and of course Das Boot. I have a copy of Elektra (1962), with Irene Papas, based on the ancient play by Eurypides. Irene Papas had a wonderful, sultry, deep voice even as a teen. The voice actress who dubbed her into English at the time sounded like a schoolgirl. Not even close.

[sqk7744]

Besides Schindler's List name one american WWII movie that was actually a good movie? I'll watch Das Boot for the 100th time.

...:shifty:

Tora! Tora! Tora!
They Were Expendable
Midway
Sands of Iwo Jima

just to name a few...

[AkbarGulag]

Me, I'm with Schlippittz; I'll watch it in the original language every time, just for the feel. Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Rashamon,

You may like "Musa, the Warrior" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0275083/

It is not a reality flick, but it is a damn good foreign film (Korean). Subtitled naturaly.

It seems to start a little slow, but you soon realise the depth of the story and characters.

As for dub over... :dead: Watching a guy/gal who's lips dont function correctly is worse than any reading required. And the accents you can get.... At least with the original language you get a lot of expression common to all human nature. This can be completely lost in dubs. Although I do not mind foreign films who's actors actually speak english and do their OWN dubs somethimes. There are some rare exceptions. That said, I could not imagine watching "Ong Bak" in english.

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

The Best War Movie of all time was....(drum roll)......U-571!

Yes! Who could deny the fact that it WAS the Americans who captured the Enigma Code! Who could deny the ladies Matthew McConaughey. Or even Jon Bon Jovi who looked like he could belt out Livin' On A Prayer at anytime in the movie!

You guys have no tastes whatsoever.:rotfl::rotfl:

[Sailor Steve]

And to think I actually had respect for you once upon a time.:p

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

Hee hee! Did I tell you at the movies the front row guys started cussing? The movie was that bad. It was hilarious!:yep:

Hey check out the photo line-up of the actors in the SeaViper film. One 'em is named Onions.:rotfl:

[snakeyez]

A trailer for USS Seaviper is now online:

http://www.seaviper.net/preview

[XLjedi]

OK, that's the worst trailer I have ever seen...

The whole movie could be a hoax given that as evidence of any actual movie footage. Good grief, I coulda done that myself after a 10 min vid-cam tour of the Drum.

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

Damn right Bro! Boring walkthrough of a shiny new sub. I think I'll place the director, producer and the pizza guy in tubes 1, 2 and 3. Fire!:yep: This movie is sinking faster than a lead zepplin.

[snakeyez]

Given that filming for the movie hasn't really started yet, I'd say it's a decent teaser trailer. :)

[Captain Vlad]

The subs name is pure hollywood.

USS Seadragon, USS Searaven, USS Seawolf, USS Sealion....

'Seaviper' doesn't sound like much of a stretch, though I doubt the boat in the movie is a Sargo.

[CCIP]

Given that filming for the movie hasn't really started yet, I'd say it's a decent teaser trailer. :)

Yea, seriously. I think you guys are expecting a little too much at this stage :)

[Subnuts]

Given that filming for the movie hasn't really started yet, I'd say it's a decent teaser trailer. :)
Yea, seriously. I think you guys are expecting a little too much at this stage :)

Actually, I think they've run out of money, can't afford any actors, and are just going to have the entire movie be two hours of smoky interior shots of the boat with disembodied voices coming from everywhere. Or the sub could be controlled by a supercomputer like HAL or WOPR. That would be cool.

[Torvald Von Mansee]

You know, I really liked "Enemy at the Gates," though I was a bit disappointed that everyone was speaking English. Not an American film, though.

You know, I'd think their would be a lot of Russian/Soviet WW2 films, but I'm barely aware of any. Can anyone recommend some?

[LukeFF]

You know, I really liked "Enemy at the Gates," though I was a bit disappointed that everyone was speaking English. Not an American film, though.

Yuck, yuck, yuck, and yuck again. Good story ruined by a stupid romantic encounter and Cold War propaganda that some people just won't let go of.

[AkbarGulag]

You know, I really liked "Enemy at the Gates," though I was a bit disappointed that everyone was speaking English. Not an American film, though.

You know, I'd think their would be a lot of Russian/Soviet WW2 films, but I'm barely aware of any. Can anyone recommend some?

I saw one that wa made in the 80's. Can't recall what it was called, it was about a young boy (maybe 10-12 years) who loses his family and has to survive the German assault. It spent a lot of time concentrating on SS units and how insane/animal like they were. To be honest, it was a pretty reasonable film. Wish I could recall what the hell it was, but they are deffinately out there. Maybe our Russian members could recommend some?

[sqk7744]

OK, that's the worst trailer I have ever seen...

The whole movie could be a hoax given that as evidence of any actual movie footage. Good grief, I coulda done that myself after a 10 min vid-cam tour of the Drum.

So where do I pre-order the DVD?
:p

[Torvald Von Mansee]

You know, I really liked "Enemy at the Gates," though I was a bit disappointed that everyone was speaking English. Not an American film, though.
Yuck, yuck, yuck, and yuck again. Good story ruined by a stupid romantic encounter and Cold War propaganda that some people just won't let go of.

Dude, I was really happy that a big budget film was actually MADE about Stalingrad and being released in a theater w/a large screen and good sound system. They can't all be masterpieces.

You know, I really liked "Enemy at the Gates," though I was a bit disappointed that everyone was speaking English. Not an American film, though.

You know, I'd think their would be a lot of Russian/Soviet WW2 films, but I'm barely aware of any. Can anyone recommend some?
I saw one that wa made in the 80's. Can't recall what it was called, it was about a young boy (maybe 10-12 years) who loses his family and has to survive the German assault. It spent a lot of time concentrating on SS units and how insane/animal like they were. To be honest, it was a pretty reasonable film. Wish I could recall what the hell it was, but they are deffinately out there. Maybe our Russian members could recommend some?

I will have to see that, if I can find it (after I identify it).

[shoot-kill-win]

I understand everyones dislike of the film from the story line posted on the website and, the trailer. However you must realize, that a volunteer at the U.S.S. Drum has been working with the film crew to make the picture more realisic. Also, at least someone is making a WWII submarine movie in color, since most of todays generation wont watch black and white movies. And at least watch the film once since the profits the film makes will be going towards restoring the Drum, she is in desperate need of restoration, Go out to this site and check it out: http://www.saveoursubmarines.com/

[snakeyez]

I understand everyones dislike of the film from the story line posted on the website and, the trailer. However you must realize, that a volunteer at the U.S.S. Drum has been working with the film crew to make the picture more realisic. Also, at least someone is making a WWII submarine movie in color, since most of todays generation wont watch black and white movies. And at least watch the film once since the profits the film makes will be going towards restoring the Drum, she is in desperate need of restoration, Go out to this site and check it out: http://www.saveoursubmarines.com/

:up:

I agree. Before anyone casts their stone at this film, they should visit the Drum and get to know the volunteers. I can assure you it would change your heart to at least be open to the upcoming film.

[Machineit]

http://www.seasky.org/monsters/sea7a1d.html ;)

[Carl Lyons]

Gentleman,

In the interest of full disclosure I am one the producers on Sea Viper. I have changed my name as not to get pummeled with phone calls. However, I did want folks to know that the actors, crew, and including Tom & Leslie who are working very hard on the boat along with various sub and navy vets are all volunteers or deferred. The directors father served on the on the Drum & Torsk during WW2 and will be interviewed for the doc. Tom and Leslie have been working with our team to make sure that we are as accurate as possible. Our director is a navy vet and our sfx coordinator is an army vet. A number of the stories in the film are taken from actual events including believe it or not the Captain leaving the sub. (Lt. "Red" Coe). We'll be happy to provide further docs on request. Our team is doing this completely independently at this time and is basically trying to pull this off with the resources and gear we have on hand. Though we won't be perfect we will work our hardest to ensure that the silent service receives it's due honor and respect with the film and the doc.

Regards,
Seaviper,
Cast & Crew

"Jungle warfare! Crew of the S-39 (SS-144), led by Skipper "Red" Coe, searches for Singapore refugees on a tropic island, circa 1942. Had the enemy intercepted the call for help? Were Japanese marksmen waiting in ambush? This was one of many dangerous special missions performed by submariners."

[kikn79]

Gentleman,

In the interest of full disclosure I am one the producers on Sea Viper. I have changed my name as not to get pummeled with phone calls. However, I did want folks to know that the actors, crew, and including Tom & Leslie who are working very hard on the boat along with various sub and navy vets are all volunteers or deferred. The directors father served on the on the Drum & Torsk during WW2 and will be interviewed for the doc. Tom and Leslie have been working with our team to make sure that we are as accurate as possible. Our director is a navy vet and our sfx coordinator is an army vet. A number of the stories in the film are taken from actual events including believe it or not the Captain leaving the sub. (Lt. "Red" Coe). We'll be happy to provide further docs on request. Our team is doing this completely independently at this time and is basically trying to pull this off with the resources and gear we have on hand. Though we won't be perfect we will work our hardest to ensure that the silent service receives it's due honor and respect with the film and the doc.

Regards,
Seaviper,
Cast & Crew

"Jungle warfare! Crew of the S-39 (SS-144), led by Skipper "Red" Coe, searches for Singapore refugees on a tropic island, circa 1942. Had the enemy intercepted the call for help? Were Japanese marksmen waiting in ambush? This was one of many dangerous special missions performed by submariners."

Welcome aboard!!!

I for one am glad someone is making a WWII Submarine movie. I would have hated to have to do the damn thing myself with machinima and SH4. :)

I am looking forward to seeing it.

Chuck

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

Movie on the Eastern Front- "Cross of Iron".

[Sailor Steve]

I just read Shoot-Kill-Win's link, and after looking at the photos of the sad state Drum is in, I'll see the movie no matter what anybody says. If I hate it, I hate, it; and who knows, I might even like it.

And if I ever have any real money, I'll send some of it Drum's way first.

[shoot-kill-win]

That is great Sailor Steve, and judging from what the producer up above said it sounds like it is being tweaked towards more historical guidelines with the help of the Drum volunteers. So please everyone support it.

[XLjedi]

Gentleman,

In the interest of full disclosure I am one the producers on Sea Viper.
.
.
.


Sounds respectable indeed! :ping:

I will be happy to support your effort with my dollar votes! ...and I should also then retract any negativity I may have cast upon this thread.

Best of luck to you and the Seaviper crew for much success! :up:

[snakeyez]

Carl,

Thank you for coming here to update us about the upcoming movie USS Seaviper. Come back once you start filming and chat about it.

As far as the USS Drum's status goes, remember to visit:

http://www.saveoursubmarines.com/

And if you want to learn more about any of the 20+ submarine museums like the Drum in the USA, visit:

http://www.submarinemuseums.org/

[Machineit]

I too am one of the producers and I'm doing some special and mechanical effects. I'm a Army vet, 1967-74. My father was a demolition and salvage diver in WW2 and served in Europe. My step-father landed on Omaha Beach.

We have been waiting for a new camera to arrive and it will be here soon now. Our DP's reservation number came up last week. He will take delivery of his new RED One camera shortly. If you are interested see here: http://www.red.com/

I will be heading to Mobile in a couple of weeks to install some hydraulic gear and help Tom Boser with getting some lights and gauges operational. The USS Drum's hydraulics for the periscopes were drained over 45 years ago and are not functional. I have to build a hydraulic unit to move them up and down.

For those who wish to know, the teaser is just that, a teaser. Just what you put together before you begin shooting. That is not what the movie will look like.

Good luck to all and see you around. Please support Tom and Leslie on the Drum.

M

[Sailor Steve]

And WELCOME TO SUBSIM, both of you!:sunny:

[bookworm_020]

Thanks to the guys from the movie for comming on board to tell us what's happening.:rock:
It put alot of fears to bed to know that you will be trying to stay in historical lines. :up:We just in fear of some sad knockoff that was OTT!:yep:

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

I'll reserve my judgement until I see it. I think that's fair enough.:yep:

[Carl Lyons]

Gentlemen,

Is anyone aware of anyone who could build a 20' working model of the USS Drum. We need it for under water and over head shots. We've got the ability to do great CGI. But we'd rather use a model. I still think the original Star Wars models beat any CGI to date.


Let me know.

CL
USS Seaviper Movie

[M. Sarsfield]

There are some pretty good model builders that post in the Movies and Models forum on this site. Give them a try. What time frame would you be looking to get the model in?

Out of curiosity, will the model be filmed under water or will you use the oil smoke trick like they did for Hunt for Red October?

[Carl Lyons]

We would be shooting underwater in 4K. We are having a housing built for the RED One Camera now. We think 20' is about the smallest vessel that will allow realistic displacement of water. If we are able to do this. Nobody else on the planet would have believable ww2 sub footage in 4k that I am aware of. That's pretty amazing. Whatever we do, it's got to be believable.

CL
Seaviper

[Sailor Steve]

I have a lot of years building smaller models, including one of the Boeing 299 (the original prototype B-17) that has lived at the Hill AFB Air & Space museum since 1990. I would love to have a chance to be part of a project of this scale. Unfortunately, I:

1) Have no way of getting to Alabama from Utah, and

2) No way of supporting myself while I was there

Maybe next time.:oops: :cry:

[Doolittle81]

@ Carl Lyons!!

Welcome to the Sub Forums...a Free source for advisors/consultants, all full of enthusiasm.

Did you get my PM (Private Message) with some recommendations on how to get authentic WWII era dialog, terminology, Submarine procedures, etc? That will be Key to providing authenticity in your movie. Often it is the use of a term, in aviation flicks, such as "Lock On" before that term had ever been 'used/created' in real life, which immediately destroys a Korean or WWII era movie's credibility.

The resource I recommended in my PM would be extremely useful to you and your Screenwriter, in that regard. Even a recent retiree from the USN, born in, say, the early 1960's is unlikely to be expert on the language/terminology/slang/procedural steps employed in submarine tactics/life in the 1930's/1940's.

Looking forward to a great movie from you and your Crew.

[Carl Lyons]

I did receive it. Thank u. I have passed it on to our writer. We are also working with Tom Bowser on the USS Drum who is a retired Sub Vet and is refurbing the Drum. At our request Tom is literally standing over our shoulder to make sure this is as believable as possible. We'll definitely give this material a look we need all the info we can get our hands on.

Kind Regards,
CL
Seaviper Film & Drum Doc

[Carl Lyons]

Gentlemen,

We had a great production meeting on the 20th. Will be headed for Mobile to begin shooting for the feature on the 24th of April. We'll keep you posted.

CL
Seaviper Movie and Drum Doc

[snakeyez]

Gentlemen,

We had a great production meeting on the 20th. Will be headed for Mobile to begin shooting for the feature on the 24th of April. We'll keep you posted.

CL
Seaviper Movie and Drum Doc

Wonderful! Maybe I can run down there and throw up some shadow puppets in the background of a couple of scenes. LOL

Seriously, I hope things roll smoothly for you guys.

[kikn79]

Gentlemen,

Is anyone aware of anyone who could build a 20' working model of the USS Drum. We need it for under water and over head shots. We've got the ability to do great CGI. But we'd rather use a model. I still think the original Star Wars models beat any CGI to date.


Let me know.

CL
USS Seaviper Movie

There was an EBAY auction of the sub built for the SH4 commercial/episodic film "Subsessed" You might try and track down the person that won the auction...

Chuck

[Machineit]

Thanks for the tip, but that sub was made out of Styrofoam. Getting it under water would be a bitch!:lol:

We are most likely going with CGI. Can probably be more realistic looking than even shooting underwater with a model.

Thanks Again!

[Doolittle81]

If you were producing a movie only for DVD release, you could probably have simply used SH4 to produce all your external scenes...submerged or surfaced (where you don't need closeups of humans). No need for expensive CGI. I say this based upon having watched History Channel's "Dogfight" series in which the CGI is not much better, if at all, than the 2001 vintage IL2/Forgotten Battles Flight Simulation.

Well, maybe PC graphics aren't quite there yet, but in another year or two they might be giving mainstream Hollywood CGI studios a run for the money.

[Machineit]

What we have access to will be great. No straight to DVD stuff. :D Expensive, but great!

Thanks

[Mav87th]

Besides Schindler's List name one american WWII movie that was actually a good movie? I'll watch Das Boot for the 100th time.

Empire of the Sun - http://imdb.com/title/tt0092965/

The Bridge on the River Kwai - http://imdb.com/title/tt0050212/

Letters from Iwo Jima - http://imdb.com/title/tt0498380/

Patton - http://imdb.com/title/tt0066206/

[Ducimus]

I think any whines or complaints on the film are a moot. You all know your going to watch it anyway. Its a Sub movie, period. Thats all it takes for this crowd! Sure they'll be whining afterward, and even if it turns out to be a big flop, you'll secretly going to buy the DVD anyway - just like im wagering most of us did with u-571. I think we all own it, but few will fess up to it! :lol:

[Captain Vlad]

Its a Sub movie, period. Thats all it takes for this crowd! Sure they'll be whining afterward, and even if it turns out to be a big flop, you'll secretly going to buy the DVD anyway.
See it? You betcha.

Buy it? Erm...that really does depend.

- just like im wagering most of us did with u-571. I think we all own it, but few will fess up to it! :lol:
I don't own it, for, while I hated the movie, it was instrumental in avoiding a variety of 'chick flicks' an ex wanted to watch. They all starred Matthew McConaughey, and I convinced her I bore him a grudge due to U-571. Buying the DVD would've torpedoed that story, and I'd have been forced to watch 'How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days'.

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

Ha! I didn't buy U-571 or even rented it. It showed up on cable and I yawned myself into a coma. I'm a budding 3D Modeler/Animator and History Cannel's Dogfights series is good enough- not great mind you.

[gimpy117]

cool guys i say more power too ya!!
I'd much rather see a movie come together via a community rather than have soem big company come in and make a move with no accuracy at all (*cough*Below)

anyways, keep it up i look foward to this one!

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

Below wasn't so bad as some say. You gotta hand it to them a Horror/War film. First time I saw one.

[Carl Lyons]

Hello all,

It's been a while since we've posted. Tomorrow the first part of the crew heads to Mobile to begin final prep for filming on the Drum. The balance of the crew and cast arrive Friday and Saturday and we start. We may have a live web cast available during the production, not sure about that yet. In any case, we'll keep u updated. Please remember to convey your gratitude to Tom and Leslie for all their work on this.

Kind Regards,
CL
Seaviper film & Drum Doc

[shoot-kill-win]

It would be neat to see the webcast, you should try to do that.

[ReallyDedPoet]

Hello all,

It's been a while since we've posted. Tomorrow the first part of the crew heads to Mobile to begin final prep for filming on the Drum. The balance of the crew and cast arrive Friday and Saturday and we start. We may have a live web cast available during the production, not sure about that yet. In any case, we'll keep u updated. Please remember to convey your gratitude to Tom and Leslie for all their work on this.

Kind Regards,
CL
Seaviper film & Drum Doc

Very nice :yep: Welcome to SUBSIM by the way :up:


RDP

[Monica Lewinsky]

Just stumbled into this post. Puzzled that I missed it until now.

Anyway, I found the trailer opening music interesting. I could SWEAR it is the SAME song from the Woody Allen movie called "Radio Days". At one point in his chilldhood he is on the beach in New Jersey using binoc's and sees a German U-boat dive and decides not to tell his friends. During that scene I could swear the same song was used; I could be wrong on which scene it was used but I know that song was used in that movie, too.

[EnsignCrow]

Had to bump this up for "The Enemy Below". Won an oscar for special effects. One of the first post WWII that was not a politically correct, and gave the enemy military (Germans) some respect.

[bertle]

I sure hope this movie has some action instead of the heavy plot dialog that
hollywood seems to want to include in most movies today. Good example is
"Pearl Harbor", a 3 hour spectacular that in my opinion was a very good 1 hour
movie !! That 1 hour was the last hour of the film. The first 2 hrs. was garbage.

JIM

Oh goodness

Accuse Hollywood of many things but never acuse it of having too much heavy plot. You do realise your stance is basically the opposite of everyone else tired of what comes out of there? Pearl Harbour's problem wasn't "heavy plot", it was just meaningless fluff which you seem to be confusing with plot. Plot is generally engaging even when there is little action. Most people did not fall asleep during the lord of the rings trilogy, even in the bits without fighting. This is because there was plot.

Plot is rarer than antimatter, do not speak ill of it lest it be lost forever.

[Hylander_1314]

As long as they don't give it the "Pearl Harbor or Flyboys" treatment, it may be worth checking out. I'll wait this time though. I got burned on those and the Memphis Belle film that was done in the early '90s. So I'm more than a bit scepticle with HW films, big budget and indies.

[Monica Lewinsky]

As long as they don't give it the "Pearl Harbor or Flyboys" treatment,
Amen!

Spent $12.00 Each to see Pearl Harbor [the two of us] - what a WASTE of money and time that movie was. Cannot remember Flyboys - refresh my memory please.

One movie I did enjoy [sorry outside the scope of subs], was the Aviator. I had a negative attitude going into the thearte, but enjoyed it coming out - Darn good movie.

Had to bump this up for "The Enemy Below". Won an oscar for special effects.
One darn good movie! Watch that [Enemy Below] as much as Das Boot.

If you like that [Enemy Down Below], HIGHLY recommend the movie called "The Bedford Incident". EXCELLENT B&W flick!

[Hylander_1314]

As long as they don't give it the "Pearl Harbor or Flyboys" treatment,
Amen!

Spent $12.00 Each to see Pearl Harbor [the two of us] - what a WASTE of money and time that movie was. Cannot remember Flyboys - refresh my memory please.

One movie I did enjoy [sorry outside the scope of subs], was the Aviator. I had a negative attitude going into the thearte, but enjoyed it coming out - Darn good movie.

Flyboys, WWI very loosely based on the Laffayette Escadrille. (To me it was, Marval Comics goes Hollywood). All the Fokker DrI's were red, and even my daughter at 14 saw the inaccuracies. One that I'm following is the Red Baron from Piximondo. It looks real good compared to the former WWI film. There are Albatros Fighters, Camels, SPADS, Se5as, Handley twin engine bombers, and the observation balloons, full of hydrogen gas.

Other good sub films, like Destination Tokyo are hard to find, but they were good if you keep in mind they were from the era, so hollywood gave them that "propaganda" atmosphere.

[Carl Lyons]

Gentlemen.

My apologies for the extensive post. Thought everyone might like to know what is going on. Here is a release we sent out to the networks and area media this week.

Best,
Carl Lyons
Seaviper & USS Drum Doc

VILLANI-ROCKHILL PRODUCTIONS, INC.
Ralph Villani, Director
www.seaviper.net


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Villani-Rockhill Productions, Inc. of Stuart, Florida, Prepare to Shoot Their
Feature-Length Film, U.S.S. SEAVIPER, in South Florida

Crashing DC3’s, gun battles, and top secret meetings, are just a few of the scenes that a regional production
co-op headed by Villani-Rockhill Productions will be filming in Martin, St. Lucie, and Palm Beach Counties
over the next 3 months.

Villani-Rockhill Productions in co-operation with Statusfilms, Shoreline Production Services, Saturn Sound
Studios and TC Video will film eight scenes from the upcoming feature film, USS SEAVIPER, a World War
II submarine combat film. The story is about a submarine that discovers uranium on an island occupied by
Japanese and German soldiers in the south Pacific, while the Navigational Officer and Chief of the Boat
struggle for power, and USS SEAVIPER is hunted and depth charged by a Japanese destroyer.

Scene four, a “top secret” meeting that takes place in Hawaii during August of 1944 between Vice-Admiral
(Ralph VILLANI) and the Commanding Officer of SEAVIPER, Captain Culpepper (Steve ROTH), will be
shot at the historic home of Bill and Anne Krueger-Stimmell (Anne’s father, Karl Krueger, the former Mayor
of Stuart, Florida) on Saturday, June 28 from 7:00 am till 5:00 PM.

Director of Photography, Jon Schellenger, has chosen the RED camera for this project. USS SEAVIPER will
be shot on locations in south Florida as well as aboard an historic WW II submarine the USS DRUM, located
at Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama. Additional locations will be shot in Wisconsin and New
Mexico.

The movie’s core, crew members are residents of south Florida: Ralph VILLANI/Director-Producer; Mike
TEUTSCH/Special FX Coordinator; Jon SCHELLENGER/Director of Photography; Rob NORRIS/Producer-
Chief Sound Mixer; Jane VEREEN/Line Producer; Greg JOCOY/Data Specialist; Bob Lutjen/Lighting
Design; Jose HERRERA/Assistant Director of Photography; and Alejandro MEJIA/Assistant Sound Mixer.
The script was written by Lynanne ROCKHILL, who also is a south Florida resident.

Military Vehicles for this location provided by the Road To Victory Military Museum in Stuart, Florida.
Civilian Vehicles provided by The Elliot Museum of Stuart, Florida and Gweed’s Gangstprovided by Shiloh Theater Company. Special thanks to Martin County and David Graham.

[Hylander_1314]

Gentlemen.

My apologies for the extensive post. Thought everyone might like to know what is going on. Here is a release we sent out to the networks and area media this week.

Best,
Carl Lyons
Seaviper & USS Drum Doc

VILLANI-ROCKHILL PRODUCTIONS, INC.
Ralph Villani, Director
www.seaviper.net (http://www.seaviper.net)


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Villani-Rockhill Productions, Inc. of Stuart, Florida, Prepare to Shoot Their
Feature-Length Film, U.S.S. SEAVIPER, in South Florida

Crashing DC3’s, gun battles, and top secret meetings, are just a few of the scenes that a regional production
co-op headed by Villani-Rockhill Productions will be filming in Martin, St. Lucie, and Palm Beach Counties
over the next 3 months.

Villani-Rockhill Productions in co-operation with Statusfilms, Shoreline Production Services, Saturn Sound
Studios and TC Video will film eight scenes from the upcoming feature film, USS SEAVIPER, a World War
II submarine combat film. The story is about a submarine that discovers uranium on an island occupied by
Japanese and German soldiers in the south Pacific, while the Navigational Officer and Chief of the Boat
struggle for power, and USS SEAVIPER is hunted and depth charged by a Japanese destroyer.

Scene four, a “top secret” meeting that takes place in Hawaii during August of 1944 between Vice-Admiral
(Ralph VILLANI) and the Commanding Officer of SEAVIPER, Captain Culpepper (Steve ROTH), will be
shot at the historic home of Bill and Anne Krueger-Stimmell (Anne’s father, Karl Krueger, the former Mayor
of Stuart, Florida) on Saturday, June 28 from 7:00 am till 5:00 PM.

Director of Photography, Jon Schellenger, has chosen the RED camera for this project. USS SEAVIPER will
be shot on locations in south Florida as well as aboard an historic WW II submarine the USS DRUM, located
at Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama. Additional locations will be shot in Wisconsin and New
Mexico.

The movie’s core, crew members are residents of south Florida: Ralph VILLANI/Director-Producer; Mike
TEUTSCH/Special FX Coordinator; Jon SCHELLENGER/Director of Photography; Rob NORRIS/Producer-
Chief Sound Mixer; Jane VEREEN/Line Producer; Greg JOCOY/Data Specialist; Bob Lutjen/Lighting
Design; Jose HERRERA/Assistant Director of Photography; and Alejandro MEJIA/Assistant Sound Mixer.
The script was written by Lynanne ROCKHILL, who also is a south Florida resident.

Military Vehicles for this location provided by the Road To Victory Military Museum in Stuart, Florida.
Civilian Vehicles provided by The Elliot Museum of Stuart, Florida and Gweed’s Gangstprovided by Shiloh Theater Company. Special thanks to Martin County and David Graham.

Thanks Carl,

The only thing is, the turning point in the War in the Pacific, was The Battle of Midway. Japan lost 4 fleet carriers and was never able to recover from the loss of the ships, and the experienced aircrew that were lost with them. So by 1944, after America geared up for war, and production in the States outpaced all the Axis Partners combined, plus the manpower available to the U.S. forces, it was just a matter of time before the inevitable would happen.

Henry J. Kaiser was building cargo ships faster than the Germans and Japanese could sink them.

[snakeyez]

Thanks for the update, Carl. Keep up the good work.

I've also been wanting to thank whoever from your crew that fixed up the USS Drum's Christmas Tree.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc198/lancedean/christmastree.jpg

They did a great job on the new lenses. I hope he left a ton of spares. :-?

[Buddahaid]

The subs name is pure hollywood, the story idea isnt bad actually, what bugs me is (correct me if im wrong) the captain leaves his ship to go on a mission???um that would never happen.

Hey Captain Kirk did that every episode! What about Leon Uris' "Battle Cry" with Aldo Ray, and "The Big Red One", and "Hell in the Pacific", and "Attack" with Buddy Ebson, Lee Marvin, Jack Palance, Eddy Albert?

Buddahaid

[DavyJonesFootlocker]

I wish someone would make a new movie about Wake Island. The stand of the US Marines and Civilians is the stuff legends are made of. That and a movie about the Korean War (the forgotten war). Seldom has a topic on that war made it to the modern screen.

[Carl Lyons]

Without revealing to much about the plot, the Allie and Axis powers we're both going nuts looking for anything that had to do with the atom bomb. German and Jap officers we're discovered together at one point in a converted mine boat with supplies that included uranium. As you know the Axis forces were becoming increasingly desperate at this point and had no idea how close we were to winning. Even if they did the Japanese certainly wouldn't have stopped until all options were exhausted. Respectfully, these guys kept going even after Hiroshima.

With regard to the Captain leaving the boat. We've had questions regarding this before and there are a number of documented cases specifically with regard to prisoner recovery. Which is the case in our story.

Heres the deal. We have to have a story line, because we're making a movie. Anything that we've pushed the envelope on, we've spent hours discussing with seasoned sub vets. In each case and we're sure there will be few. We've asked the question could this happen or would this have happened. We've got at least "it's possible" or "ya it's documented". If it's not possible or documented we've pulled it.

We're diligently working to keep ourselves honest on this that's why we've got subvets standing over our shoulder for every detail of the film at our request.

We are currently fiming a documentary on the USS Drum as well. We've interviewed eight WW2 sub veterans. Snippets from some of those interviews will begin to appear on our site. I'll keep you posted.

With regard to the lenses you can thank our Special FX coordinator Mike Teutsch who hand ground and cut each one of those pieces. The lenses were then each individually installed by Tom Bowser, Lesley Waters and Mike.

If any of you are in the area and want to help with the restoration of the USS Drum give Tom a call at Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile. I am sure they'll welcome your help.

Here is a link for an article that ran in the Palm Beach Post this week.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/search/content/tcoast/epaper/2008/06/28/m1c_mcmovie_0629.html (http://www.palmbeachpost.com/search/content/tcoast/epaper/2008/06/28/m1c_mcmovie_0629.html)

Thanks for all of your continued support.

Kindest Regards,
Carl Lyons
Co-Producer
Seaviper Fim & USS Drum Doc

[gimpy117]

The subs name is pure hollywood, the story idea isnt bad actually, what bugs me is (correct me if im wrong) the captain leaves his ship to go on a mission???um that would never happen.
Hey Captain Kirk did that every episode! What about Leon Uris' "Battle Cry" with Aldo Ray, and "The Big Red One", and "Hell in the Pacific", and "Attack" with Buddy Ebson, Lee Marvin, Jack Palance, Eddy Albert?

Buddahaid

I do agree with the ships name being hollywood...but they wanted a imaginary submarine and just about every other fish is taken....

[Seminole]

most of all USS Seaviper sounds like a very hollywoodish and lame name for a submarine. Besides, to my knowledge at least, all US subs up until the Los Angeles class were named after fish or sea-mammals.


Well.. lets see there was the SeaDragon, the SeaWolf, the SeaRaven...I just don't see where the SeaViper is so out of place on that list. :shifty:


Lets wait and see...who knows it might just be terriffic. :yep:

[kholemann]

One thing folks just have to do with works of fiction is to divorce it from the actual realities of history that the piece wishes to change. So what if maybe a Captain never left his ship? So what if the actual turning point of WWII was some other historical event? Talk to 10 folks, get ten different opinions. Facts are still facts but fiction is just that, fiction. Factually based fiction has its critics, like me. My wife didn't enjoy U571 because I kept whispering to her about the discrepancies with history. What I should have done was just sat back and enjoyed the movie for what it was, a piece of artistic fiction. Das Boot has been said to have been unreal by just as many ex-u-boat captains as there ones that may have supported the movie. So what! I am going to go see the Seaviper movie in the theater or via DVD. If you want the movie to be 100% based on actual events then it is no longer a movie but a documentary. The Midway movie was fiction based on actual events but it was still fiction. Pearl Harbor (the movie) had its good points but it was still fiction (I didn't like it that much). Thus, my take on any movie is to sit back, enjoy the popcorn, and if the movie is good, stop analyzing it and enjoy it (if it is a well done movie). I loved Countdown until the very end. I saw it in the theater once and never saw it again. I so wanted our guys to not go back through the wormhole in time and just blast the Zeros with F-14s (or whatever they had). That would have been awesome (even though the whole thing was ahistorical to begin with).

[Sailor Steve]

Very well said, kholemann. If I don't like the movie I'll certainly say so, but I'm going to see it first before I make that judgement.

[Doolittle81]

I just hope that the make-up crew makes an effort to de-beautify the actors...For example, in real life in the WWII era, very few folks had perfect, braces-produced, brilliantly white Porcelain-veneer teeth/smiles. Unfortunately, Hollywood-type actors can't get a job without such 'Looks'.



Consider Das Boot, which avoided the Beautiful Actor syndrome: "Most of the filming was done in one year; to make the appearance of the actors as realistic as possible, scenes were filmed in sequence over the course of the year. This ensured natural growth of beards and hair, increasing skin pallor, and signs of strain on the actors, who had, just like real U-boat men, spent many months in a cramped, unhealthy atmosphere.

Throughout the filming, the actors were forbidden to go out into the sunlight, to create the pallor of men who seldom saw the sun during their missions.

Think about the appearance of the Chief Mechanic, Johann:
http://members.cox.net/doolittle80/a19.jpg

[Seminole]

like real U-boat men, spent many months in a cramped, unhealthy atmosphere

the pallor of men who seldom saw the sun


Hmmmmm....now, just who does that remind me of????


Hey...Maybe most of us can get parts in the movie! :yep: :D

[Carl Lyons]

Here is a press release that is going out for our team's appearance on CBS this Sunday. Wish us luck as we'll be discussing the movie and the USS Drum Documentary.

Regards,
Carl Lyons
Seaviper the Movie and USS Drum Documentary



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


July 18, 2008

VILLANI-ROCKHILL PRODUCTIONS, INC.
Seaviper440@comcast.net
www.seaviper.net

Seaviper the Movie and USS Drum Documentary on
CBS Sunday, July 20, 2008!

Tim Large (Chief of the Boat: Frank Keenan), Michael Jacques (British POW
Frederick Grey) and Director, Ralph Villani will appear on West Palm Beach, CBS
Affilliate WPEC Channel 12’s “Morning News” Sunday, July 20, 2008 to discuss
Villani-Rockhill’s upcoming feature film USS Seaviper and USS Drum Documentary.

South Florida based, Villani-Rockhill Productions in co-operation with Statusfilms,
Shoreline Production Services, Saturn Sound Studios and TC Video will film eight
scenes from the upcoming feature film, USS SEAVIPER, a World War II
submarine combat film in south Florida. The story is about a U.S. submarine that
discovers uranium on an island occupied by Japanese and German soldiers in the
south Pacific, while the Navigational Officer and Chief of the Boat struggle for
power, and USS SEAVIPER is hunted and depth charged by a Japanese destroyer.

A documentary about the USS Drum Submarine including interviews from World
War 2 Submarine Veterans is also being produced in co-operation with Battleship
Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama. Three of the USS Drum World War 2
Submarine Veterans featured in the Drum Documentary currently reside in south
Florida.

The movie’s core, crew members are residents of south
Florida:RalphVILLANI/DirectorProducer;MikeTEUTSCH/SpecialFXCoordinator;
Jon SCHELLENGER/Director of Photography; Rob NORRIS/Producer- Chief
Sound Mixer; Jane VEREEN/Line Producer; Greg JOCOY/Data Specialist; Bob
Lutjen/Lighting Design; Jose HERRERA/Assistant Director of Photography; and
Alejandro MEJIA/Assistant Sound Mixer. The script was written by Lynanne
ROCKHILL, who also is a south Florida resident. Submarine Veteran Tom
BOWSER and Museum Curator Lesley WATERS are the consultants on the
ground in Mobile.

For more information on SEAVIPER the movie or the upcoming USS DRUM
documentary, visit us online at www.seaviper.net.
Press release courtesy of
SEAVIPER, LLC.
###

[snakeyez]

Thanks for that update!

Here's the website for WPEC in Florida: http://www.cbs12.com/

[Doolittle81]

Hopefully the interview can be put up for on-line viewing, after the fact...on vimeo or youtube for example.

[Faamecanic]

Besides Schindler's List name one american WWII movie that was actually a good movie? I'll watch Das Boot for the 100th time.

Late to the party, and maybe this was said already...

HBO films...the series Band of Brothers... may not be a 2 hour movie (its like a 14 part mini-series) was EXCELLENT. for those that havent seen it...it follows a group of us 101st (I think) Airborne, Easy Company, from training, to being positioned in the UK, through D-day, and the end of the war.

Great thing is each episode was introduced with the actual guys (to include thier squad leader (2nd lt) who eventually became thier company commander). who fought in the battles.... VERY cool for realism, as well as very sobering when the soldiers found Berknau (spelling?) concentration camp near the end.

[Carl Lyons]

The station said they would give us a copy, will post it on our site as soon as we get it.

Regards,
CL

[mookiemookie]

Besides Schindler's List name one american WWII movie that was actually a good movie? I'll watch Das Boot for the 100th time.
Late to the party, and maybe this was said already...

HBO films...the series Band of Brothers... may not be a 2 hour movie (its like a 14 part mini-series) was EXCELLENT. for those that havent seen it...it follows a group of us 101st (I think) Airborne, Easy Company, from training, to being positioned in the UK, through D-day, and the end of the war.

Great thing is each episode was introduced with the actual guys (to include thier squad leader (2nd lt) who eventually became thier company commander). who fought in the battles.... VERY cool for realism, as well as very sobering when the soldiers found Berknau (spelling?) concentration camp near the end.

Seconded on the Band of Brothers and I'll add Tora, Tora, Tora and Bridge on the River Kwai.

[Sailor Steve]

1) Read the thread.

2) Find a good war movie that has NOT already been named three times.

[mookiemookie]

1) Read the thread.

2) Find a good war movie that has NOT already been named three times.

So Sailor Steve was all like :hulk: and then I was all like :huh: but then, I apologized for just skimming the thread before replying which was pretty :88) of me, and then we went out for drinks :()1:and that made everything all :sunny:

[Carl Lyons]

Guys,

We've posted a little featurette behind the scenes for the CBS deal on Sunday. Enjoy it. Be nice we still have another 18 months worth of work on this. I promise we'll get actors with dirty faces and beards on there soon. This doesn't say anything about the documentary in it. We'll most likely have snippets from interviews up this week I'll keep you posted. They'll discuss the Drum Doc Sunday on CBS, we'll post the interview as well.

go to www.seaviper.net

CL

[Sailor Steve]

1) Read the thread.

2) Find a good war movie that has NOT already been named three times.

So Sailor Steve was all like :hulk: and then I was all like :huh: but then, I apologized for just skimming the thread before replying which was pretty :88) of me, and then we went out for drinks :()1:and that made everything all :sunny:
I should have put in a :p but I forgot so :oops: but sometimes it's fun to play the :arrgh!: and now I'm all :rotfl: but after the :()1: I'm feeling kind of :dead: .

[Doolittle81]

... I promise we'll get actors with dirty faces and beards on there soon. This doesn't say anything about the documentary in it...
go to www.seaviper.net (http://www.seaviper.net/)



A cautionary note concerning the lower right actor/picture"Ralph Villani": I'm sure your ex/retired Navy advisors will agree with me that you would never have seen a Vice-Admiral (three-stars) badly needing a shave, let alone intentionally sporting a beard, trimmed or otherwise. Crewmembers on a sub, okay...sure...absolutely....but, never an admiral, even if on board a Flagship in hostile waters for weeks or months on end....not before, during or after WWII....and continuing through today. (In the 19th century the situation was different) If anyone can post a picture of a bearded WWII three-star, I'll eat my words/opinion, of course.


Also, please don't take my input as being overly negative...I'd just suggest that you will want to try your best to avoid obvious 'historical' mistakes such as the above...and/or other 'immersion killers'. In that regard, neither of your actors playing Japanese soldiers has the ethinc appearance of being Japanese. One appears ethnically chinese and the other possibly hispanic(?). I'll admit, I've lived on and off for many years at a stretch in Japan, China, and SouthEast Asia, etc..and travelled extensively in Asia over several decades...and speak Japanese and Mandarin... So, I'm almost certainly way TOO sensitive/picky and this 'mis-casting' of 'foreigners' in US movies has been a disappointment to me for a long, long time.

These comments are just offered with the best of intentions as one man's perspective/advice. Please don't take offense.

Looking forward of course to seeing your TV interview, and the movie itself.

http://www.villani-rockhill.com/NewCastComposite-14%20copy.jpg

[Carl Lyons]

Well said,

As you know Japanese actors are difficult to find in this neck of the woods. So it's something we're definitely struggling with. Finding WW2 Japanese Fighting gear is no easy task either. As to the "amount of Japanese" in the 2 guys we've cast, your synopsis may be correct. We are toying with idea of adding a nasty combat scene on the island and finding gear and casting are our 2 major barriers there.

With regard to the admiral we had a 30 year navy vet. Not sure of exact rank. Let's call him mid-level management, on the set and he seemed to think the beard was a non issue. I would love to get these immersion killers solved. I'm in full agreement with u that we don't want any preventable distractions. Obviously, it's a movie and different people had different experiences. We've got subvets on the boat in Alabama as well doing there best to keep us in line. It's definitely a struggle trying to decide which way to lean when there are several views from qualified guys on both sides of the issue. It seems like every time we get an issue addressed there a 10 more thoughts on it.

If you can recommend some kind of comprehensive layman's guide we'd be open. We have done tons of research and we have modern as well as WW2 subvets in FL and AL advising on this. We welcome your continued input, we'll do the best we can.

Kindest Regards,
CL
Seaviper the Movie
USS Drum Documentary
www.seaviper.net

[Carl Lyons]

Hey all here is a link to an article one of the guys posted with regard to some scenes being filmed for Seaviper the movie in S. Florida. Give it a look.

Regards,
CL

http://tc.yourhub.com/Jupiter/Stories/Entertainment/Theater/Story~509934.aspx

[Kloef]

A cramped unhealthy atmosphere?

U.S subs had airconditioning and fresh food.....i think that mostly goes for other submarine services but not the U.S one,although being aboard a sub is allways a drag.


Ok,so a movie about the U.S.S Drum.
And they are making the inside pretty again,well i wish they would do something about the bow hull section and the starboard torpedotube door,since they are missing and rusted away.

Hell ,if somebody would pay my ticket and get me into a local machine shop i would do it myself voluntarely!!

[snakeyez]

A cramped unhealthy atmosphere?

U.S subs had airconditioning and fresh food.....i think that mostly goes for other submarine services but not the U.S one,although being aboard a sub is allways a drag.


Ok,so a movie about the U.S.S Drum.
And they are making the inside pretty again,well i wish they would do something about the bow hull section and the starboard torpedotube door,since they are missing and rusted away.

Hell ,if somebody would pay my ticket and get me into a local machine shop i would do it myself voluntarely!!
Tom Bowser and Lesley Waters are working on her daily! Come by SUBMARINEMUSEUMS.ORG (http://www.submarinemuseums.org) and see what they're doing.

[Kloef]

Great site,gonna look into it!

[Carl Lyons]

http://tc.yourhub.com/Jupiter/Stories/Entertainment/Theater/Story~522450.aspx

Here is the link for the latest article on the film.


Thanks,
Carl Lyons

[Carl Lyons]

http://tc.yourhub.com/Jupiter/Stories/Military/Veterans/Story~526121.aspx

Link to the latest on USS SEAVIPER the Movie.

Best,
Carl

[Pulver]

And no one should forget IN HARM'S WAY.

I just visited the building used as the morgue where Kirk Douglas' character goes to review the remains of his wife. It really was a morgue during the Vietnam war and is now a military surplus store on Sand Island, Oahu.

[A Very Super Market]

Necromancy is frowned upon in most societies. Do not ressurect what should not be ressurected.


I've never even heard of this movie...

[snakeyez]

You've never heard of this movie because it is still being created.

The film crew is supposed to be back at the USS Drum sometime in the near future for more filming, last I heard.

[LiveGoat]

I can't believe I missed out on this. Would loved to have auditioned for it.:damn:

[jazzabilly]

This looks like yet another Hollywood attempt to make a competent submarine movie. I will bet a day's pay that it will be craptastic.

[jazzabilly]

[quote=Woody34]
HBO films...the series Band of Brothers... may not be a 2 hour movie (its like a 14 part mini-series) was EXCELLENT. for those that havent seen it...it follows a group of us 101st (I think) Airborne, Easy Company, from training, to being positioned in the UK, through D-day, and the end of the war.

Great thing is each episode was introduced with the actual guys (to include thier squad leader (2nd lt) who eventually became thier company commander). who fought in the battles.... VERY cool for realism, as well as very sobering when the soldiers found Berknau (spelling?) concentration camp near the end.

It was very good; suitable level of gore, and quite a few of the central characters buy the farm or are hideously wounded.

Not to nitpick, but they discover Landsberg Concentration camp. The other historical inaccuracy however, is that they take the Berghof which was actually destroyed by bombing. Besides that, the 3rd Infantry captured it, not the 101. Poetic license, I suppose.

[snakeyez]

I understand that more filming for USS Seaviper will be underway sometime within the next couple of months.

Even more exciting to me is the upcoming "The Untold Story" documentary on the USS Drum (SS-228) in production by the same crew!

http://www.ussdrum228story.com

The documentary is supposed to be released in 2010 with partial proceeds going towards the restoration of USS Drum.

They have interviewed many Drum veterans and are still working hard on this documentary.

Please keep it in mind, as I'm sure it will be an interesting look at WWII submarine life and it will also help upkeep the Drum, which is in need of help as most of you know.

[Max2147]

Well, as long as it's helping keep USS Drum in one piece, I guess it's worth the trouble.

I might get hanged from the nearest tree for saying this, but I loved Down Periscope. It didn't have an ounce of accuracy in it, but it's still hilarious if you can suspend your disbelief.

[Stealhead]

"The Bridge on the River Kwai" is actually a british/UK film - but still awesome!

Yes a good movie but very off the mark as to what really happened and the real rail bridge was steal not wood like it was in that movie it is an insult to allied POWS of Japan to be honest go to the D-Day museum in New Orleans they have some very good docs there about the war and they are graphic no kiddies allowed inside I saw some WWII vets walk out and others where crying it was that good. This Seaviper sounds pretty stupid and I dont know myself it seems kind of scamish the USS Drum procedes thingy :hmmm:. I will pass thank you on both if you want to really help any old sub I say go to its location or look it up on the web and ask to donate yourself directly thats the best way to do it. This Seaviper sounds like it is low budget like this sucker is a G movie when most are A or B movies even if it is legit not much money is going to be made.

[A Very Super Market]

Wait, why is it an insult to POWs?

IRL, Saito was portrayed fairly accurately as a not sadistic camp officer.

[Stealhead]

Uh I am guessing that you are being sarcasitc? you could always use a little :O: or a :haha: to throw somebody a bone. Casue that might ahve been a good movie but it was way off like most movies are but sadly it seems that many people base historical fact on movies very often. If you are being serious dont waste your time with me as I know I am right just to let you know.:03: That last sentance was not sarcasim.

@ the guy that was bieng picky on Band of Brothers that show was based on a book by Stephen E. Ambrose that was 100% factual and he wrote the book after talking to many of the men who where in 101 506th E company and they filmed an hour or so long doc where they spoke with the Easy company guys that are still alive and the producers and Ambrose all went through to make sure the things shown where accurate and they checked with the Easy company men as well. they where at Berchtesgaden the city that the Berghof was near not the Berghof itself which was bombed though soliders did go to look at it. http://www.ww2-airborne.us/18corps/101abn/101_overview.html
http://www.ww2-airborne.us/units/506/506.html make sure that you read the entire pages.

[snakeyez]

...This Seaviper sounds pretty stupid and I dont know myself it seems kind of scamish the USS Drum procedes thingy :hmmm:. I will pass thank you on both if you want to really help any old sub I say go to its location or look it up on the web and ask to donate yourself directly thats the best way to do it. This Seaviper sounds like it is low budget like this sucker is a G movie when most are A or B movies even if it is legit not much money is going to be made.
And you obviously don't know what you are talking about. The USS Seaviper movie, while yes it may be low budget and you may not be able to go to your local theater to see it upon release (it could be a limited screen release or straight to DVD), the heart is in it. See, the guy who is doing this, director Ralph Villani, his father SERVED on the USS Drum in WWII. P.J. Villani, EM2c, was on the Drum for what would have been the 14th war patrol if the war hadn't ended before they reached their patrol station. Heck Ralph Villani was an EM3c himself back in '66 - '70.

And as far as giving to a museum submarine, you have to be VERY cautious about to whom you give your money to. If you visit Battleship Memorial Park and just make a donation to the Park, or use the "make a donation" link through the Battleship Memorial Park website, I can almost guarantee you that the Drum will never see a penny. There are funds out there for the Drum, and sometimes where to give isn't so obvious, especially in places where there is more on display than just a submarine (like USS Alabama battleship). I have tried to simplify the donation process for the Drum on the Drum228.org website as best I can. Those methods listed on the Drum228.org website - I can assure you the money will go exactly to where it is intended. I have given much of my time and money to the Drum throughout the past couple of years.

And as far as to how much money is made, that's completely up to the buyers of the film and the documentary.

Why put something down that isn't even finished yet? And I think it makes perfect sense to create a documentary on the Drum while you have all the equipment and personnel there anyway. Ralph Villani wants to help perpetuate the memory of his father and his father's boat. The documentary - he wants people to know the story of the Drum, which has been basically untold through any medium even after all this time. You can't find any book or documentary on the Drum, while many exist for other museum submarines. USS Cod, USS Silversides, USS Bowfin, USS Batfish, USS Pampanito, USS Nautilus, they all have books dedicated to them to name a few. The Drum was out there from April of '42 until August of '45, making 13 (and a 14th unofficial) war patrols. It's time for this documentary.

[tater]

~16,000 Allied POWs died making the Burma Railway.

Terrible as THAT was, they had it easy. The Asian forced labor used by the Japs on the Burma railway? Around 90,000 died.

[Schani]

For a good POW movie; King Rat (1965). 1945 Thailand. James Clavell novel based on Changi prison.

Some other movies not mentioned that I like:

The Bridge at Remagen (1969). 1945 Germany. We might have a distant relative in that one. Jan Schanilec, played Lt. Eckert on the German side. So I might be a bit biased there. I think he should have received an Oscar for best bit part.

A Bridge to Far (1977). 1944 Holland. Kinda a classic. Huge cast.
A Walk in the Sun (1945). 1944 Italy
The Story of G.I. Joe (year?) Italy. Burgess Meridith as Ernie Pyle. Good flick.

Pork Chop Hill (1959). 1953 Korea. I just plain outright love that movie.
The Blue Max (1966). 1917 World War I.

And I some good comedic ones.

Father Goose (1964). 1942 Pacific Coastwatcher.
Mister Roberts (1955). 1945 Pacific backwaters. An all time classic in my books.
Operation Petticoat (1959). 1942 Pacific submarine.
What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (1966) 1943 Sicily.
Willie and Joe (year?) Italy

[A Very Super Market]

Why are you suddenly talking about BoB?

There was no sarcasm in that post, and though I agree that conditions were generally terrible in the POW camps, the one Saito was in second command only squalid.

[Schani]

And one more comes to mind. Academy award winner, The Fighting Lady. Color; 61 minutes. The best part. It's downloadable off yorktownsailor.com. Downloaded it a couple of weeks ago. It is quite good.

[Franklin Van Valkenburg]

I just read through every post and noticed...

... not one person has mentioned The Thin Red Line.

Its an excellent film and is worth watching. It may move just a bit slow and may be a little hard to follow at points, but its not supposed to be like Saving Private Ryan (which opened in theaters the same year and overshadowed this film) or Eastwood's Iwo Jima films (which I must commend for its eye candy and sound mixing... has some neat cinematography too; ie, the Corsair scenes in the cockpit!). The Thin Red Line is, in my opinion, a very realistic and emotionally moving war film... because it really dives into the soldier's mind, captures the horrible conditions of the fight for Guadalcanal, and constantly reminds you that everyone is human... nobody is perfect... and anyone can die at any moment. I tend to feel a closer connection to this film, as if I were there with the characters, than I do with other films... because its all in the little realistic details.


Operation Pacific - A rather Americanized propaganda film but fun to watch! Can't beat The Duke!


Tom Hanks and Steven Speilberg are currently working on another WWII HBO Mini-Series called The Pacific, due to air this year I believe. From what I've read it follows two Marines (the 10-part plot is based on their memoirs), all the way from the hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor to the signing of the Japanese surrender!
http://www.pacificfans.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pacific_(miniseries)

[Schani]

The Thin Red Line was left out in my opinion is that it was not a very well done movie. I felt that it was not a case of the Americal or 32nd division, as it was more of the 3rd shut-in Battalion of the 1st manic depression regiment of the Psycological division that should have been commanded by Dr. Phil. Way to much interpersonal drama that clouded what could have been one damned good action movie. It is no wonder Woody Harrelson and George Clooney jumped at the chance to snatch a roll in that film to get in another Hollywood liberal jab at how imperfect everyone is. I own the VHS and would have to dust it off to view it again if ever. Pacific should be much better. BTW, wasn't it originally titled `With the Old Breed'. Isn't it based on Eugene Sledge's book? Just wondering.

[Schani]

`Run Silent, Run Deep' is on TCM (Turner Classic Movies) tomorrow evening at 8:00pm EST. I could watch it; but Fighting Sioux hockey is on a local station. Sioux vs. Badger's.:up:

[Sailor Steve]

This is why I own a copy on DVD. Watch it on my PC when nothing else is going on.

[Schani]

I guess tonight is submarine night on TCM. `Run Silent, Run Deep' is followed by `Submarine Command', followed by `Ice Station Zebra'. As for me though it's the University of North Dakota Fight Sioux at University of Wisconsin Badger's WCHA hockey.:rock:

I should be able to catch most of `Submarine Command'. I must have seen that movie. But I don't remember.:hmmm:

[SteamWake]

I guess tonight is submarine night on TCM. `Run Silent, Run Deep' is followed by `Submarine Command', followed by `Ice Station Zebra'. As for me though it's the University of North Dakota Fight Sioux at University of Wisconsin Badger's WCHA hockey.:rock:

I should be able to catch most of `Submarine Command'. I must have seen that movie. But I don't remember.:hmmm:

Cool thanks for the heads up !

[Schani]

Originally Posted by Schani
I guess tonight is submarine night on TCM. `Run Silent, Run Deep' is followed by `Submarine Command', followed by `Ice Station Zebra'. As for me though it's the University of North Dakota Fight Sioux at University of Wisconsin Badger's WCHA hockey.:rock:

I should be able to catch most of `Submarine Command'. I must have seen that movie. But I don't remember.:hmmm:

Cool thanks for the heads up


Yes, should be a great game.

You meant the hockey game, right?:rotfl:

[surf_ten]

I can't wait to see the Hollywood messages this movie is going to contain. Throwing away any true historical context I expect to see a strong female character that captain's the boat and can easily emasculates any male chavinists twit that get's in her way. She is accompanied with her faithful minority second in command that has that folksy charm and wit . Add in a gay couple that just seeks civil justice but is tormented by several homophobe crew members that seeks to deny them their rights. The crew members who don't exhibit the stereotypical insensitive warmongering redneck behaviors will be countered by the rationally thinking atheists, enviromentally senisitive crew members. Yup should be a winner alright.

[FIREWALL]

Menphis Belle :salute:

[Carl Lyons]

Hey all,

It's been some time since we've posted we are headed back to Mobile for three weeks of filming on the USS Drum. We've posted our documentary website www.ussdrum228story.com . It contains photos and documents that haven't been seen by anyone accept for families. Some of the documents here have been stashed on the boat since world war 2. Enjoy.

Best,
Carl Lyons
Producer
USS Seaviper and USS Drum Documentary

[jazzabilly]

My best war movies of all time. I'm a sucker for "Top Ten" lists. In no particular order:

1. All Quiet On The Western Front (1932)
2. Lawrence Of Arabia
3. Der Untergang English title: "Downfall"
4. Das Boot (Director's Cut)
5. The Best Years Of Our Lives
6. Glory
7. Apocolypse Now (Redux)
8. Paths Of Glory
9. The Burmese Harp (this one made me cry) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Burmese_Harp_(film)
10. The Thin Red Line - far superior, IMHO, to Saving Private Ryan, which I consider a CGI Sargeant Rock Comic)

Honorable mentions:
~Breaker Morant
~Gallipoli
~The Cruel Sea
~The Great Escape
~J'Accuse http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%27accuse_(1919_film)

[kiwi_2005]

Seaviper looks promising. :salute:

[Carl Lyons]

The New Seaviper web site is up.

www.ussseaviper.net (http://www.ussseaviper.net).

Best,
Carl Lyons
Seaviper the Movie
USS Drum Documentary

[snakeyez]

New video about filming (http://www.nbc15online.com/news/local/story/Vintage-Sub-Preps-for-Movie-Role-at-Battleship/IB7Ms0cylkuyq01tvSMLGQ.cspx)

In the short video found in the link above, you get to meet Tom Bowser and Lesley Waters, the caretakers of the USS Drum.

[AVGWarhawk]

I hope the producers listen and listen good. A hokie sub movie we do not need. Thanks for posting Snakeyez.

[Folducker]

I can't wait to see the Hollywood messages this movie is going to contain. Throwing away any true historical context I expect to see a strong female character that captain's the boat and can easily emasculates any male chavinists twit that get's in her way. She is accompanied with her faithful minority second in command that has that folksy charm and wit . Add in a gay couple that just seeks civil justice but is tormented by several homophobe crew members that seeks to deny them their rights. The crew members who don't exhibit the stereotypical insensitive warmongering redneck behaviors will be countered by the rationally thinking atheists, enviromentally senisitive crew members. Yup should be a winner alright.

Don't forget the reference to Fox News as the root of all evil.

[Sensekhmet]

I actually quite liked Saints and Soldiers.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373283/

[Wicked Popsicle]

New video about filming (http://www.nbc15online.com/news/local/story/Vintage-Sub-Preps-for-Movie-Role-at-Battleship/IB7Ms0cylkuyq01tvSMLGQ.cspx)

In the short video found in the link above, you get to meet Tom Bowser and Leslie Waters, the caretakers of the USS Drum.

Lulz the anchorman at the end said USS drum sank 15 ships in WWI. I hope I am not the only one to catch that.

[Marinesko]

I can't wait to see the Hollywood messages this movie is going to contain. Throwing away any true historical context I expect to see a strong female character that captain's the boat and can easily emasculates any male chavinists twit that get's in her way. She is accompanied with her faithful minority second in command that has that folksy charm and wit . Add in a gay couple that just seeks civil justice but is tormented by several homophobe crew members that seeks to deny them their rights. The crew members who don't exhibit the stereotypical insensitive warmongering redneck behaviors will be countered by the rationally thinking atheists, enviromentally senisitive crew members. Yup should be a winner alright.


Oh you mean like when they put all those women, gay guys, black dudes(OH NO!!!), etc. into Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, Black Hawk Down, We Were Soldiers, etc.?

[Marinesko]

I guess this came from the site?

A U.S. submarine is trapped below by a Japanese destroyer,
and its crew holds a secret for the turning point of WW II.

Doesn't this film take place in 1944? They missed the turning point of WWII by a year.

[Torplexed]

I guess this came from the site?

A U.S. submarine is trapped below by a Japanese destroyer,
and its crew holds a secret for the turning point of WW II.

Doesn't this film take place in 1944? They missed the turning point of WWII by a year.



If you take the commonly accepted turning point of the Pacific War at the 1942 Battle of Midway, more like two years. Looks like the plot includes some Germans. I guess the Japanese aren't dangerous enough. ;)

[Marinesko]

Guess someone with screenwriting software needs to start working on adapting Wahoo or something to movie format. There really should be a submarine equivalent to Band of Brothers.

[MetalMania]

Sorry, this post is probably gonna be a bit lengthy. I'll probably get slammed for this, but I liked U-571. I took it for what it was, a Hollywood WWII FICTIONAL action drama with some events (very) loosely based on things that actually happened, or could have happened. I'm not a submariner nor do I know any, so no I am no expert but I'm not exactly sure what bits of it seem to have cut people so deeply here. It wasn't a documentary nor was it supposed to be. I haven't seen it in a while but I think at the end they DO scroll some text saying that the British were the ones who recovered the Enigma along with some other factual information. Got a problem with Matthew McConaughey and Jon Bon Jovi? At least they were recognizeable names that might have brought some viewers that might otherwise have passed it up.

Whenever these movies come up people always start crying over "that's not right! That's not how it happened! Oh God, there's a WOMAN in the plot!?!?!?! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Heresy!" It's kind of the same thing when a new sim comes out, everybody jumps all over it because it doesn't model this targeting system absolutely accurately, this rivet is out of place, this plane's flight model isn't right, that ship's guns are too accurate. Some things, when they are glaringly wrong deserve to be corrected. I am not saying realism is not important, it is. But whether it's a movie or a game (even though it's a simulation it's still a game), the people who produce it need to sell it and try to make a profit. It's not cheap making high end games/ sims or movies. They need to be entertaining. Deciding to make a WWII submarine product is already limiting market appeal, so tailoring it to the nth degree to appease the ultra hard core crowd is only going to further limit its reach. Please don't misunderstand me, I would be in an uproar too if we saw Gato class subs racing around submerged at 20 kts after taking depth charge hits and firing active homing Mk-14's. However, I think with the realities of the media market we have to allow some wiggle room for people to tell their stories and give respect to the realities of what people really experienced in a context that people beyond the hard core will watch.

I think USS SeaViper sounds promising, like they are trying to "keep it real" while still making a movie that a non sub-nut could watch. The fact that they are simultaneously doing a genuine documentary - *all reality* - especially since it seems like they aren't working with a mega blockbuster budget, really deserves a round of applause. Like has been said earlier in this thread, they chose to make a film based on a subject we're all interested in here in a day where that doesn't happen very much. It's not going to be "perfect" and nail every detail, but if we crucify it for taking hopefully minor liberties the next guy just might not bother. I will see this movie when it comes out, and judge it then on its own merit of being just that - a movie that hopefully is engaging to watch with the requisite thrills and dramatic turns while maybe giving a decent glance at the atmosphere of a particular niche of the Pacific War.

I'm just finishing reading "Wahoo" and will follow it with "Clear the Bridge". I'd love to see a well done movie or HBO miniseries on Richard O'Kane. Mr Hanks, Mr Spielberg?

Oh yeah, for what it is I enjoyed Pearl Harbor too. Inaccuracies aside the flying scenes (except for the silly on the deck criss cross midair collision duel during the attack) were good and uh, Kate Beckinsale.

[snakeyez]

Well said, MetalMania.

:rock:

As I previously stated, Ralph Villani is the director and co-writer of this movie. His father P.J. Villani was a WWII submariner and served on the USS Drum for what would have been the 14th war patrol if the war hadn't ended.

His heart IS in the right place. The producer, Rob Norris, feels very strongly about the subject as well. These are good people.

[Stealhead]

Hanks and Berg have been working on a miniseris about i belive a group of marines in the Pacific so i dont think that they will be doing anything about O'Kane soon(if they ever even plan to). Band of Brothers was pretty expensive and that was the last thing they did together and that was about 8 years or so ago now. The thing with a submarine movie is that it is very niche and of course any one who is going to make or put money into a movie is going to be concerned about the market and you are going to get a lot more market out of a movie or miniseris about either infantryman or fighter pilots hate to say they get all the glory. But at the same time you must admit that there is alot more action to be had in a movie about a group of soliders than there is a submarine. Even a very good movie like Das Boot I only watch every few years there just isnt enough mass intrest in WWII submarines that is going to attract any large well funded group into making a movie or mini-series the hayday for WWII subs in main stream media was the 50s and early 60s. There is are alot of other less well known units and such from WWII for example you think they are going to make a movie about the CBI like Marels Marauders? not likely.Myself to be honest Id find a miniseries about Marines who fought in the Island hopping much more interesting than WWII subs those Marines went through hell on earth. MetalMania is correct all movies are going to have some "hollywood" in them Das Boot does just like any other of Enemy at The Gates a pretty good movie but much of the story is very "hollywood" but it made someone who most americans never heard off a little more famous. Something dose not have to high budget to be good either anyway you cant knok it down until you see a movie.

[Onkel Neal]

Sorry, this post is probably gonna be a bit lengthy. I'll probably get slammed for this, but I liked U-571. I took it for what it was, a Hollywood WWII FICTIONAL action drama with some events (very) loosely based on things that actually happened, or could have happened.

You and me, buddy. I enjoyed U-571 for what it is. :D I got beat up in a bar the last time I said that but the bruises are almost gone now.

[Sensekhmet]

I haven't seen it in a while but I think at the end they DO scroll some text saying that the British were the ones who recovered the Enigma along with some other factual information.


Let me quote Wikipedia here:
The Biuro Szyfrów, (Polish (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_language) for "Cipher Bureau") was the interwar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interwar) Polish General Staff (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_General_Staff)'s agency charged with both cryptography (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptography) (the use of ciphers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cipher) and codes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code)) and cryptology (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptography#Terminology) (the study of ciphers and codes, particularly for the purpose of "breaking" them)...
...Beginning in December 1932, the Cipher Bureau broke the German Enigma machine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enigma_machine) cipher (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cipher) and, over the next nearly seven years before World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II), overcame the growing structural and operating complexities of the plugboard (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plugboard)-equipped Enigma. The Enigma would be the main German cipher device during the Second World War. Five weeks before the outbreak of World War II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II), the Cipher Bureau revealed Poland's Enigma-decryption techniques and equipment to the French and British. Poland thereby made possible the western Allies' vitally important decryption (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decryption) of Nazi German (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_German) secret communications (Ultra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra)) during World War II.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biuro_Szyfr%C3%B3w
Thus, any Western Enigma movie makes people in Poland (well, at leat the ones who give a **** about their nation's history) laugh and/or shake their heads in disbelief.

[MetalMania]

Sensekhmet, whether Wikipedia's info is correct or not I don't know (but I don't doubt that it's true) what I meant was that the end of the film says that a British task force really did recover an Enigma machine from a German U-Boat - not necessarily that they cracked the code. From what I gather the Brits were ticked that the movie suggested the Americans got the Enigma. Well, same deal - it didn't say "based on a true story", and to their credit gave the accurate information at the end. As an American, no I don't want to see history twisted so that we "always get the glory", but like I said before I'm just watching a movie. If someone wants to make a "hollywood" feature film that actually has the right nations and/or characters doing their heroic deeds and still makes for a good movie, well hey I'm all for it and so much the better. Outside of documentaries or the History Channel getting into feature film production we're going to have to take what we're offered and hope it's enjoyable and not too far fetched. Actually, forget the latter - THC is more into truck drivers and lumberjacks now than history apparently. However...... maybe a "Battle 360" season or series of episodes on the Silent Service? That could be really good.

[Ducimus]

So whats the latest on this anyway? Did they release it yet? Considering these were uploaded two weeks ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TAokWbJfH8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyo1MkH0SN8

I'm assuming not yet.

I know it's a massive load of hollywood manure, but considering its a PTO submarine movie (the combination of those words is incredibly rare as movie selections go), i wouldn't mind seeing it. Hell, id buy the DVD. I'll put it right next Das Boot and U-571 on DVD shelf. :haha:

[Bubblehead1980]

lol ducimus, i am visiting the Drum soon, will ask when I am over there.

I am holding out hope(perhaps foolishly) that Tom Hanks and company will produce a WWII PTO sub movie or series along the lines of Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan.With the huge budgets and talent they could put in, plus a love of history and not hollyweirding it, it would be awseome.

[AVGWarhawk]

So whats the latest on this anyway? Did they release it yet? Considering these were uploaded two weeks ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TAokWbJfH8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyo1MkH0SN8

I'm assuming not yet.

I know it's a massive load of hollywood manure, but considering its a PTO submarine movie (the combination of those words is incredibly rare as movie selections go), i wouldn't mind seeing it. Hell, id buy the DVD. I'll put it right next Das Boot and U-571 on DVD shelf. :haha:


Yes sir, does not look bad. Some embellishment but the use of the Drums interior makes it a bit more credible. I reckon it will be like the newer Pearl movie with Ben Affleck. Either way I will buy it. However I do not have U571..that is just awful.

[Bubblehead1980]

Everyone rips on U571.Yes I know it was not correct in many, many areas but come on, it was a decent flick.....

[Armistead]

Everyone rips on U571.Yes I know it was not correct in many, many areas but come on, it was a decent flick.....

I could only watch it once...it was just too silly for me. First half was OK, regardless of how poorly inaccuate, when it became a Rambo movie, lost me....

[MetalMania]

U-571, great DVD for a surround sound system!

[Bubblehead1980]

how did it become rambo ?

[Ducimus]

how did it become rambo ?

My assumption was they had someone go ashore for some reason or another. Considering we had one boat who's crew "sunk a train", sending a party ashore isn't out of the realm of possiblities. Err.... i guess. :shifty:

[Jan Kyster]

I guess this came from the site?

A U.S. submarine is trapped below by a Japanese destroyer,
and its crew holds a secret for the turning point of WW II.

Doesn't this film take place in 1944? They missed the turning point of WWII by a year. Didn't know until now, but the above sounds exactly like taken out of what I'm reading about right now... USS Crevalle rescue mission to Negros bringing home 41 americans - and with the Plan Z documents captured by guerillas on board. May 1944... under heavy attack and nearly destroyed as Walker for strange reasons decided to attack a heavily escorted convoy.

Crevalle patrol log: http://issuu.com/hnsa/docs/ss-291_crevalle_part1?mode=a_p (page 168)

Plan Z: http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2005/fall/z-plan-1.html

Just a (late) thought.

[AVGWarhawk]

Everyone rips on U571.Yes I know it was not correct in many, many areas but come on, it was a decent flick.....


I think it is more Matthew Mcwhatever his name. He is awful.

[snakeyez]

It's been a while since I heard anything of the Drum documentary or the Seaviper movie. I'd like to have new info for the Drum's website.

[AlexMejia07]

This sounds crap-tacular. Can't wait to see it... :roll:


No way man, I've been working with this movie for the past two years and it's a great film.

New trailer on IMDB. http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi303630105/

it's gonna be a great one.

[AlexMejia07]

http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi303630105/

that's the trailer for the movie, it's coming out soon... I hope.

It's been two long years since we started this journey and it's amazing.

I know some of you are a little iffy about it, but the movie's coming out great.

[ETR3(SS)]

Gotta say as a former submariner, this movie looks like U-571 II. Not my cup of tea.

[Jan Kyster]

But it's with Fleet Boats!! And no Tom Cruise! http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z15/subject_rod/smilies/banana.gif

Tickets reserved! :smug:

[Admiral8Q]

I don't know, I'd like to see it to see what is realistic to what is not.

[Frumpkis]

That trailer is awful. I don't care about the accuracy of the military hardware they're showing if the acting sucks, and the story is ridiculous.

Read something like "Thunder Below" to learn about the professionalism of real sailors under stress. They don't act anything like what's shown in that trailer (or the plane going down either, for that matter). Bunch of whiners, there.
:-?

[WarlordATF]

I'll check it out, looks like it could be a good movie. Like others have said, there are not alot of options for WWII Sub Movies that have been made recently.

I liked The hunt for Red October,U-571 and K-19 so i can enjoy the movie even if its full of Hollywood BS.

As long as they don't try to work a love story in like Pearl Harbor or the Red Baron i'll add it to my DVD Collection.

[Steelkilt]

I'm kinda suprised nobody mentioned the movie "Destination Tokyo". I think it came out around '43. In the film the boat was named "Copperfin".
I was living in the Chicago area back in the '80's and got word that a fleet sub was being refurbished at the Navy Reserve Pier, next to Navy Pier. The group doing the work found her just short getting scraped. They looked up the history and discovered this was the boat portrayed in the movie. Armed with that info they got her registered as a National Monument. A grant was probably given but they were looking for funds and volunteers at the time.
There was a lot of work involved as the boat went down by the bow in a storm due to the foward hatch left open. By the time I got to her they had her floating but the entire foward torp room was stripped. I was amazed how big the empty cavern was. The rest of the boat was basically cleanup, inspect, replace and repair. BIG JOB!!!
The tour was great. I even had a chance to get a look through the attack scope. Was surprised to see it was raised by exposed cables.
Anyway Silversides resides across Lake Michigan at Muskegon MI., open to the public...SK

SS 236 Silversides...sorry

[CptLoonee]

This sounds like the WWII submarine equivalent of Flyboys...

[Kongo Otto]

This sounds like the WWII submarine equivalent of Flyboys...

:timeout:
http://images.ncix.com/forumimages/B4386DEB-2CCF-4945-8AA4545D355A48FC.jpg

[Captain J. Borne]

Gotta say as a former submariner, this movie looks like U-571 II. Not my cup of tea.

Hey, be nice. U-571 is a great movie. Even though its not a true story, it was still a great movie of Americans pwning the germans. For a former submariner, how can you say its not a good movie? I dont know of any other ww2 sub movies that compare in quality. And U-571 historically, did a great job, patrolling the coasts of florida with multiple successes. Look it up on wiki.

[Subnuts]

For a former submariner, how can you say its not a good movie? I dont know of any other ww2 sub movies that compare in quality.

http://i51.tinypic.com/20pg0x.jpg

[Torplexed]

Hey, be nice. U-571 is a great movie. I don't think it's contents would even make for a decent coloring book. :nope: