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Hunt for Red October 1990 (2016)

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Re: Hunt for Red October 1990 (2016)

#31
post #7

Off topic, but always amazed me that the Russian submarine in this film has a swimming pool (more like a plunge pool) but still seems wild. https://youtu.be/JrULRXlAlMU?si=kvh64qy64E7aqXPY

A normal ballistic missile submarine has one pressure hull, with a large section of ballistic missiles taking up the middle of it. This submarine has two pressure hulls, on either side containing no missiles, but sandwiching the missiles between them. In theory this means that you can torpedo the sub from a side, and the missiles are still okay. But it also means that the sub has ludicrous amounts of space available. No missiles taking up pressure hull space, and two, not one pressure hulls. So everything on this sub got to be more spacious and there was room for extras.

Re: Hunt for Red October 1990 (2016)

#32
post #7

Off topic, but always amazed me that the Russian submarine in this film has a swimming pool (more like a plunge pool) but still seems wild. https://youtu.be/JrULRXlAlMU?si=kvh64qy64E7aqXPY

From the yt comments:

One of the crew members' memoir (Эдуард Овечкин "Акулы из стали") mentions that the pool was filled with freshwater. The crew rarely used the pool themselves, because they could find better use for that much water. The author had an interesting story about this swimming pool. One day, a high-ranking officer came with inspection. He was very rude and the crew didn't like him in return, especially since he sat in the captain's chair (only the captain was supposed to sit there). Then this officer wanted to take a swim and he ordered the crew to prepare a pool. As the author was drawing water, he and other crew members decided to urinate in the pool. And then watched as this officer was swimming there, barely containing the laughter. When they finally told the captain about this in control room some time later, the submarine was sailing without control for several minutes, because everyone was laughing on the floor.

Re: Hunt for Red October 1990 (2016)

#33
post #27

“This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it.” Overheard every few sprints…

Yah, yah, yah... [waves people away while walking through offices, before sitting down to a cup of tea and some correspondence]

That scene is how most Monday mornings feel as I start to process my inbox. Including dropping the cup of tea all over myself and immediately needing a meeting with my superiors.

Re: Hunt for Red October 1990 (2016)

#34
post #7

Off topic, but always amazed me that the Russian submarine in this film has a swimming pool (more like a plunge pool) but still seems wild. https://youtu.be/JrULRXlAlMU?si=kvh64qy64E7aqXPY

A normal ballistic missile submarine has one pressure hull, with a large section of ballistic missiles taking up the middle of it. This submarine has two pressure hulls, on either side containing no missiles, but sandwiching the missiles between them. In theory this means that you can torpedo the sub from a side, and the missiles are still okay. But it also means that the sub has ludicrous amounts of space available.…

Yeah, the Typhoon sub was like two submarines side-by-side inside the external shell. The scene in the movie where Alec Baldwin fights the KGB agent between the missile silos ("Some things there don't react well to bullets") couldn't have happened as the missile tubes are between those internal hulls, though one could have argued this sub was built differently with it's "silent drive".

Still an amazing movie.

Diagram here: https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/5f40d7...

Re: Hunt for Red October 1990 (2016)

#35
Great read on how ILM made the shots. As a crew member on the USS Salt Lake City (SSN-716), we took many of the cast and crew out to sea for 24 hours before they made the movie to get a feel for what sub-life was like before they made the movie. All the cast and crew were great, and I think it made the movie better.

Actor Scott Glenn, who plays the Captain of Dallas, modeled his character after our Captain, Tom Fargo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rjO_VrESNo

It is a great movie!

Re: Hunt for Red October 1990 (2016)

#36
post #13

If you like Red October, dont miss the french movie "Le chant du loup". Absolutely great for lovers of the genre: "The Wolf's Call" - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7458762/

+1! I had little expectations toward that movie (I think it was just randomly airing on the TV and I watched it), but was very pleasantly surprised. I'm a fan of Clancy's books (and movies based on them), and The Wolf's Call could easily be one of them.

I love Clancy's books too and hate that they ruined his legacy by slapping his name on a whole bunch of books he didn't write at the end there.

Re: Hunt for Red October 1990 (2016)

#38
post #37

Just a quick note that this film really holds up, like weirdly well given its subject and vintage. If you haven't watched it in a long time, add it to your list.

Watched it again recently — still great. Alec Baldwin is a great Jack Ryan. It's such different role than what he's become known for since.

Re: Hunt for Red October 1990 (2016)

#39
post #8

It's interesting that ILM went with a smoke chamber to shoot the underwater scenes in this film. It was probably a lot easier than shooting underwater and less likely to screw up the models. Some of the time this method looks fantastic but, at other times, it looks like a model in a room full of smoke. I've always found the underwater model scenes shot for Das Boot[1] to be more convincing. [1] https://theasc.com/art…

It's less about screwing up the models as much as not needing a pool, as well as not needing underwater capable cameras. Underwater rigging for cameras puts incredible limitations on what camera is used, the motion of the camera, etc. Keeping everything dry is always going to be preferred. The motion control equipment isn't meant for use underwater either. It just makes much more sense to shoot it dry. Especially considering this was before CGI and 3D rendering was in its infancy, maybe toddler stages.

Re: Hunt for Red October 1990 (2016)

#40
post #32
post #7

Off topic, but always amazed me that the Russian submarine in this film has a swimming pool (more like a plunge pool) but still seems wild. https://youtu.be/JrULRXlAlMU?si=kvh64qy64E7aqXPY

From the yt comments: One of the crew members' memoir (Эдуард Овечкин "Акулы из стали") mentions that the pool was filled with freshwater. The crew rarely used the pool themselves, because they could find better use for that much water. The author had an interesting story about this swimming pool. One day, a high-ranking officer came with inspection. He was very rude and the crew didn't like him in return, especially…

It's like the old public swimming pool joke. "Check the pH!" "Hmm, mostly p, not much H."
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