Introduction
I usually stay well clear of anything that involves nuclear power or war when it comes to films. But sometimes I have to let my boyfriend choose what we watch and this time it was his turn. I got a book ready, not really expecting to want to watch the film; but surprisingly found ... Read review
An intense dramatisation of a long-suppressed Cold War anecdote,K-19: The Widowmakeris the ... more
first big Hollywood film to view the conflict through a Soviet periscope, casting Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson (with slight accents) as patriotic Russians.In 19...
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An intense dramatisation of a long-suppressed Cold War anecdote,K-19: The Widowmakeris the ... more
first big Hollywood film to view the conflict through a Soviet periscope, casting Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson (with slight accents) as patriotic Russians.In 19...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Harrison Ford delivers one of his most powerful performances in this riveting action-drama ... more
inspired by a true story.At the height of the 1960's Cold War, Russia launches its flagship nuclear submarine, the K-19 . In command is iron-willed Captain Alexe...
K*19 THE WIDOWMAKERHarrison Ford delivers one of his most powerful performances in this ... more
riveting action-drama inspired by a true story. At the height of the 1960's Cold War, Russia launches its flagship nuclear submarine, the K-19. In command is iron-willed Captain Alexei Vostrikov (Ford). Also aboard is the popular executive officer Mikhail Polenin (Liam Neeson), who clashes with Vostrikov but shares his unwavering patriotism. As the K-19 heads towards American waters, a shocking discovery is made: the vessel's nuclear reactor system is leaking, imperilling the men and the sub's missiles. With time running out, the fearless Vostrikov and his crew join together as brave countrymen who must decide the true meaning of duty, honour and sacrifice.WITNESSWhen a young Amish woman and her son get caught up in the murder of an undercover narcotics agent, their savour turns out to be hardened Philadelphia detective John Book.Harrison Ford is sensational as Book, the cop who runs head-on into the non-violent world of a Pennsylvania Amish community. The end result is an action-packed struggle of life and death, interwoven with a sensitive undercurrent of caring and forbidden love.CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGERHarrison Ford returns as intrepid CIA agent Jack Ryan in this critically acclaimed box-office smash from the producers of Patriot Games. When his mentor Admiral James Greer (James Earl Jones) becomes gravely ill, Ryan is appointed acting CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence. His first assignment: investigate the murder of one of the President's friends, a prominent U.S. businessman with secret ties to Columbian drug cartels. Unbeknownst to Ryan, the CIA has already dispatched a deadly field operative (William Dafoe) to lead a paramilitary force against the Columbian drug lords. Caught in the crossfire, Ryan takes matters into his own hands, risking his career and life for the only cause he still believes in - the truth.
Titles Comprise: Witness: When a young Amish woman (McGillis) and her son (Haas) are ... more
caught up in the murder of an undercover narcotics agent their unlikely savior proves to be the worldly and cynical Philadelphia detective John Book. Harrison Ford is sensational as Book the cop who runs head-on into the non-violent world of a Pennsylvania Amish community. The end result is an action-packed struggle of life and death interwoven with a sensitive undercurrent of caring and forbidden love. K-19: The Widowmaker Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson star in a thrilling action-drama inspired by the true story of a Soviet submarine crew trying to save its vessel from a nuclear meltdown - and avert global war. Clear And Present Danger: When his mentor Admiral James Greer (James Earl Jones) becomes gravely ill Ryan is appointed acting CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence. His first assignment: investigate the murder of one of the President's friends a prominent US businessman with secret ties to Colombian drug cartels. Unbeknownst to Ryan the CIA has already dispatched a deadly field operative (Willem Dafoe) to lead a paramilitary force against the Colombian drug lords. Caught in the crossfire Ryan takes matters into his own hands risking his career and life for the only cause he still believes in - the truth. Patriot Games: His days as an intelligence agent behind him former CIA analyst Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) has traveled to London on vacation with his wife and daughter. Meeting his family outside of Buckingham Palace Ryan is caught in the middle of a terrorist attack on a member of the Royal Family. Ryan helps to thwart the assailants and becomes a local hero but his courageous act marks him as a target in the sights of the terrorist whose brother he killed. Now he must return to action for the most vital assignment of his life: to save his family. Sabrina: Directed by Sydney Pollack Sabrina shimmers like a fairy tale come true. Ford plays Linus Larrabee a busy tycoon who has no room for love in his appointment book. But when a romance between his playboy brother (Kinnear) and Sabrina (Ormond) daughter of the family chauffeur threatens one of Linus' business deals the CEO clears his schedule for some ruthlessness. He courts Sabrina intending to drop her when the deal closes. Will "the world's only living heart donor" discover his heart? Regarding Henry: Ruthless lawyer Henry Turner is left an amnesiac after being shot when caught up in a store robbery. Trying to rebuild his life Henry must learn to walk again tie his shoelaces and become a better husband...
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Production Year: 1977 - Action/Adventure - Director: Clint Eastwood - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring:Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, William Prince, Bill McKinney
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 2008 - Action/Adventure - Director: Christopher Nolan - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Advantages: Based on a true story, devastatingly addictive Disadvantages: Horribly depressing
Introduction
I usually stay well clear of anything that involves nuclear power or war when it comes to films. But sometimes I have to let my boyfriend choose what we watch and this time it was his turn. I got a book ready, not really expecting to want to watch the film; but surprisingly found it very addictive. The film is set in 1961 during the fight for world supremacy between the US and the Soviet Union over nuclear power. If you prefer ... ...But it is a very good film with some powerful performances from all involved - definitely recommended.
The director
Kathryn Bigelow is one of the few female directors to have hit Hollywood. She is an artist by trade and directed the music video for the New Order song Touched by the Hands of God.
The plot
The men on board the first Russian nuclear submarine K19 are preparing for a mission to test their nuclear ... more
Introduction I usually stay well clear of anything that involves nuclear power or war when it comes to films. But sometimes I have to let my boyfriend choose what we watch and this time it was his turn. I got a book ready, not really expecting to want to watch the film; but surprisingly found it very addictive. The film is set in 1961 during the fight for world supremacy between the US and the Soviet Union over nuclear power. If you prefer comedy or light-hearted chick flicks, this is not for you. But it is a very good film with some powerful performances from all involved - definitely recommended.
The director Kathryn Bigelow is one of the few female directors to have hit Hollywood. She is an artist by trade and directed the music video for the New Order song Touched by the Hands of God.
The plot The men on board the first Russian nuclear submarine K19 are preparing for a mission to test their nuclear weapons. Those in power decide that the test mission must take place earlier than planned, despite exhortations by the captain that the ship, Mikhail Polenin, is not yet completely sea-worthy. An ambitious officer, Alexei Vostrikov, is put in charge of the submarine, to preside over the current captain. One of the officers in charge of the nuclear reactor is found to be drunk and sacked, to be replaced by a young lieutenant,Vadim, straight out of training. Before the submarine has even left dock, 10 men have died and it has been nicknamed The Widowmaker.
Despite these initial problems, the test mission is successful. As a result, the crew are sent off on another mission; off the east coast of America. Yet on the way, disaster strikes; one of the cylinders of the nuclear reactor breaks down. The problem is temporarily solved, but only by risking the entire crew to nuclear radiation. Can the submarine reach safety before it becomes a ghost ship or is discovered by the US crew? This is a story of courage in the face of disaster.
The actors/characters Harrison Ford, who is also the executive producer, does a great job in the role of Alexei Vostrikov. Initially, I wasn't terribly impressed by his acting - he is tough and overpowering, never cracking a smile - and I didn't feel that he was being particularly stretched. This all changes later on in the film and we begin to see the real man beneath the mask - all his weakness come to the surface, but he deals with them and becomes a better person for it (and Ford gets a chance to show off his acting skills). There are a few occasions, especially at the beginning, when his Russian accent slipped, but on the whole, he managed to maintain it throughout the film.
Of the two main characters, I think Liam Neeson actually did a better job than Harrison Ford as Mikhail Polenin. This was a role of a man put under intense pressure when another officer was brought in above his head, but he dealt with it admirably, without ever letting his men down. Eventually, when disaster strikes, he continues to show his mettle, to the extent that he manages to win over Vastrikov. A strong performance from Neeson; I'm not very familiar with other work that he has done, but certainly look forward to seeing more of him.
Also worth a mention is Peter Sarsgaard, who put in a strong performance as Vadim, the wet behind the ears lieutenant, who graduated at the top of his class but has no active experience. He faces his responsibilities well, until put in a position where he faces being irradiated and goes to pieces. He later overcomes his fears and becomes a hero. This is an excellent performance from Sarsgaard, who is most recently in Jarhead.
Conclusion This is a powerfully moving film; all the more so because it is based on a true occurrence, one that was hidden from the world for 28 years, during which all involved were sworn to secrecy. There is an awful lot of pushing knobs and twiddling controls, to be expected in a film of this type, but the acting makes up for this in spades and the storyline is very addictive - just as well, because it is over 2 hours long. There is, as you can probably guess from a film with the subtitle of The Widowmaker, no happy ending. But I finished the film with a sense of satisfaction, having watched something raw and real and therefore not having wasted my time. The music played throughout is worth a mention; it is classical and matches the tone of the film perfectly. Sadly, it didn't do as well in the box office and it deserved to. Highly recommended for both the story and the acting.
I watched the film on video, but the DVD is available from Amazon for £5.97.
Advantages: Fast paced, good performances from Ford & Neeson Disadvantages: Appears to end abruptly
Introduction
When the trailers for this film came out a couple of months ago, I must say that I was looking forward to it with much anticipation: one of my all-time favourite films is “The Hunt for Red October”, another excellent Russian submarine movie. (Coincidentally with a character latterly played by Harrison Ford – Jack Ryan, a role he assumed from Alec Baldwin).
Although the movie was released in the USA on 19 July, I’d not had the opportunity ... ...the cinema (Carmike, Morgantown, W.Va.) to be packed with Harrison Ford fans, but noted that the theatre was barely half-full. “Good,” I thought, “more room for me!”
The film is based on an actual event (aren’t they all?) in 1961, when JFK is the U.S. President and Nikita Khrushchev (Pron. CROOS-choff) is the Soviet Premier; a hastily-put-together nuclear submarine suffers a disaster in one of its reactors. But for the brave action of eight of its ...
Luigi 29.07.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of K-19: The Widowmaker (DVD)
Advantages: Liam Neeson & Harrison Ford are superb, tension by the bucketload, fascinating viewing Disadvantages: A little bit too Hollywood at least once, the human tragedy angle seems a little stunted, a little US bias and probably not too accurate historically
...be my only criticism of K-19: The Widowmaker, because there is a very real human tragedy here for the Russian people and yet, it chooses to gloss over that in preference for what might have been, in other words, in favour of concentrating on American interests. Men died during this incident, but they are faceless crew-members in this movie rather than 'real' people.
Gripes aside, it offers everything else you'd expect or desire from a submarine ... ...fascinating all at once.
K-19: The Widowmaker may not rival the supreme master of the genre Das Boot, but there is more than enough tension, coupled with some superb performances and of course, the rather scary prospect of how close to global catastrophe we came to make it compelling viewing. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the two hours it runs for literally flew by...but it drops a star for a wishy-washy moment of pure "Hollywood" which I can't elaborate ...
wampyrii 26.10.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of K-19: The Widowmaker (DVD)
Advantages: Well made film with good performances from the leads Disadvantages: Strayed from the truth and didn't appeal to the audience enough
Every now and then, a film comes along that gives disappointing results but is actually a marvellously made film, and no doubt leaves everyone involved with it bitter at the poor showing from the public to watch it and publicise it. In 2002, director Kathryn Bigelow teamed up with actors Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson to make a film based on one of the closest scrapes in Cold War history. A true story is always hard to convert into a cinematic success, ... ...Cold War, the Russians believed that the US were on the verge of striking against them with a nuclear attack. To counter this and possibly prevent it, they constructed a nuclear submarine and sent it to rest in the waters off New York, just out of US jurisdiction. Captain Mikhail Polenin was originally chosen as the man to lead this mission, and he was heavily involved with the construction of the sub and the politics and finer details of the mission. ...
pmcds 10.11.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of K-19: The Widowmaker (DVD)
Advantages: Realism, i.e. story, characters, performances, underwater effects. Disadvantages: The actors' Russian accents
I was quite skeptical about Hollywood's ability to treat such a subject without distorting it or exaggerating it as they usually do. Perhaps the fact that K-19 is actually directed (very well) by a woman, Kathryn Bigelow, helped matters considerably. The accident which struck the Soviet nuclear sub in 1962 is portrayed generally accurately and fairly (in the view of its surviving crew, if you saw 'The True Story of K-19' on the History Channel last ... ...ill-fated boat and the dedication of the crew to repair a reactor leak at the cost of their own lives. A nuclear explosion in the Atlantic was, thus, averted but the heroes of the venture still suffered in the hands of their commanders even if officially nobody was found to blame apart from the 'system' (when there are too many to blame, then there's nobody to blame). More importantly, 'K-19' destroys the American grotesque myth according to which ...
C_C_Ryder 01.11.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of K-19: The Widowmaker (DVD)
Advantages: almost real, Disadvantages: music too loud, bad accents
***Introduction***
K19 – The widowmaker is based on a true story that happened during the cold war period. It was widely assumed that a war between the two super powers was inevitable. Not only the United States had five times greater nuclear arsenal than the soviets, but also it had the capability to destroy most Russian cities including Moscow and Leningrad.
To neutralise this threat Soviet Union decided to build it’s first nuclear ballistic ... ...K19, the pride and joy of the Russian government and the flagship for the navy. What happened to K19 was kept a secret for 28 years, until the collapse of communism. The film is based on the life of Alexei Vostrikov, captain of K19, who sadly passed away before the film went into production. The film is directed by Katherine Bigelow (ex Mrs James Cameron).
***The Plot***
The film starts at the testing stage of the K19, although minor works are ...
razmao 28.12.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of K-19: The Widowmaker (DVD)
Based on real-life historical events, this is the story of the Russian submarine K-19. A leak occurs in the vessel's cooling system and the captain orders the crew to repair the damage exposing them to very high levels of radiation.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
PARAMOUNT HOME ENTERTAINMENT; TECHNICOLOR DIST. SERVICES
Release date
19/05/2003
No of Discs
1
Catalogue No
PHE 8259
Barcode
5014437825933
Screenwriter
William Broyles, Jr., Christopher Kyle, Louis Nowra
Composer
Klaus Badelt
Executive Producer
Christine Whitaker, Nigel Sinclair, Harrison Ford, Guy East, Moritz Borman
"...K-19 is a movie of hurtling technical prowess..." (Entertainment Weekly, p.42, 26/07/2002)
"...It is rare and stirring to see a Hollywood epic told from a Russian perspective....Bigelow invests this mean machine of a movie with a beating heart..." (Rolling Stone, p.85, 08/08/2002)
DVD Description
Inspired by a true story that was kept secret until the fall of communism, K-19: THE WIDOWMAKER is a tale of ordinary men who sacrifice everything for their shipmates and their country. In 1961, at the height of the Cold War, an ill-prepared Russian nuclear missile submarine embarks on its maiden voyage with near-disastrous consequences. When the sub's nuclear reactor malfunctions, Captain Alexei Vostrikov (Harrison Ford) makes some decisions that are unpopular with the crew. Tensions mount as radiation levels rise throughout the submarine and there is no respite in sight. If the sub explodes, it may cause an international incident as it may be mistaken as an attack on a nearby NATO base and an American Navy destroyer that is in the area. If the sub dives deep below the surface, perhaps the malfunction can be fixed, but the loss of some lives is then inevitable. The Executive Officer, Mikhail Polenin (Liam Neeson), who formerly commanded the sub, can placate the crew, but must decide where his own loyalties lie. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow (BLUE STEEL, POINT BREAK), this thriller examines the Cold War from the Russian perspective, an uncommon point of view in American films.
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