Down Periscope
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Movie Reviews of Down Periscope
Movie Review: "...It's a long story..." (speaking of his tattoo.)
Summary: 5 Stars
Director: David S. Ward
Format: Color, Widescreen
Studio: Fox Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: February 3, 2004
Cast:
Kelsey Grammer ... Lt. Cmdr. Thomas 'Tom' Dodge
Lauren Holly ... Lt. Emily Lake, Diving Officer
Rob Schneider ... Executive Officer Martin T. 'Marty' Pascal
Harry Dean Stanton ... Lt,. Howard, Chief Engineer
Bruce Dern ... RAdm. Yancy Graham
William H. Macy ... Capt. Carl Knox (Orlando)
Ken Hudson Campbell ... Seaman Buckman
Toby Huss ... Seaman Nitro 'Mike'
Duane Martin ... Planesman 1st Class Jefferson 'R.J.' Jackson
Jonathan Penner ... Seaman Stanley 'Spots' Sylvesterson
Bradford Tatum ... Engineman 1st Class Brad Stepanak (Winslow)
Harland Williams ... Seaman 2nd Class E.T. 'Sonar' Lovacelli
Rip Torn ... Adm. Dean Winslow
James Martin Jr. ... Orlando Radioman
Jordan Marder ... Orlando Ensign
Matt Landers ... Orlando XO
Joseph Latimore ... Orlando Sonarman
Patton Oswalt ... Stingray Radioman
Joe Soto ... Helmsman
John Shepherd ... Young Sailor
Pierrino Mascarino ... Trawler Captain
Dennis Fimple ... Fisherman
Ancel Cook ... Fisherman
James Harper ... Supportive Admiral
Rudy Hornish ... Admiral #2
Tommy Terrell ... Admiral #3
Elliot Easton ... Secretary
Michael William Connors ... Orlando Young Sailor
Paul Tranghese ... Sailor #2
Mitch Danton ... Conn Tower Officer
Jackson Sleet ... Torpedo Man
Annie Talbot ... Singing Waitress
Eugene Daniel ... Singing Sailor
Bob Dini ... Singing Sailor
Andrew Christian English ... Singing Sailor
Steve Giralo ... Singing Sailor
Robert Grochau ... Singing Sailor
Jamie James ... Singing Sailor
Joseph Keawkalaya ... Singing Sailor
Todd Odom ... Singing Sailor
Lt. Cmdr. Thomas 'Tom' Dodge (Kelsey Grammer) is an officer attached to the U.S.S. Orlando, a fast attack nuclear submarine operating out of norfolk. He is up for promotion and his own submarine command, but due to his past history, including an incident where, intoxicated, he got a tattoo on his private parts, he has incurred the enmity of one member of the board, RADM Yancey Graham (Bruce Dern), who opposes his promotion.
Dodge is given a command, but of an old WWII biesel rustbucket,
the U.S.S. Stingray, and ordered to take part in an exercise pitted against the nuclear navy, to see if an old diesel sub, in the wrong hands, could get by our modern defenses and sink a target vessel in Norfolk harnor. The exercise is to be under the supervision of RADM Graham, and Dodge's crew is composed of misfits and a spy (his own executive officer). His dive officer turns out to be a female, and a rebellious crewman is a vice-admiral's son.
That is the plot and the conflict. This is a hilarious movie.
Joseph (Joe) Pierre
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books
Movie Review: A fun movie
Summary: 5 Stars
There are far too few movies that are made just for fun these days. Down Periscope is proof that you don't need fancy special effects or a giant budget to make a fun movie. My teenagers loved it, setting it up on the same shelf with zoolander and super-troopers.
Kelsey Grammer does a wonderful job and seems to relish his role, playing it with the controlled fun that is the hallmark of the movie. Known for his unorthodox activities he has drawn the ire of Admiral Graham (Bruce Dern who appears to be having a lot of fun in his role as well) and ends up with the worst crew that can be dredged up and the worst sub (an old rusty diesel boat) that can be found and the worst assignment - to go up against the entire modern Navy. Fortunately Grammer is up to the task and the underhanded tactics and brilliant maneuvers he performs will bring a laugh from almost everyone.
The crew consists of stereotypes, from the flatulant cook, to the grizzled old veteran, to the spoiled son of an admiral, to the basketball star, to the spit-and-polish XO, but the actors manage to bring them off with charm, especially the electrician who Grammer notes has "absorbed a lot of voltage". In addition to the big laughs, there are the little scenes that bring a smile, such as during the first dive when a panicked crewman heads aft to "see if the other rooms are still tilted"
Ultimately it is a feel-good movie. It doesn't highlight any great moral conflicts, but its a great diversion to settle down and enjoy on a rainy day and one of the few movies you will probably get your teenagers to sit with you and watch!
Of special note, San Franciscans will immediately notice the backdrop used is the "mothball fleet" in Suisun Bay and the docked sub shots of the "Stingray" are the USS Pampanito, a sub open for tours at Pier 39 - you can even see the other piers at the end.
Movie Review: "Deep Float"
Summary: 5 Stars
DOWN PERISCOPE is a gem, combining sublime comedy with Horacio Hornblower "heroics". This is the classic story of the British naval novel translated to the American submarine fleet: i.e. the unconventional officer shows his worth, captures the hearts of his crew and wins promotion due to tactical brilliance against long odds.
Kelsey Grammer plays Captain Tom Dodge, a naval officer with a black mark on his record who has had the misfortune to earn the enmity of a two-star Admiral who is blocking his promotion. Dodge is given the command of a rust-bucket sub dating from World War II and secret orders to "think like a pirate" during a war game exercise in which he is to play the part of a renegade enemy sub. The goal he is given is to attack first Charleston and then a dummy naval ship at Norfolk.
Naturally the crew he is given is a crowd of screw-ups, cut-ups, misfits and one woman, Lt. Emily Lake, who is part of a pilot program to see if women can serve on submarines. It is as if DAS BOOT just became "Dat Booty". The each member of the crew is given individual comic solo turns, each more funny than the last. The deadpan timing and talent assembled here make this rust bucket sub excursion more fun than a barrel of monkeys.
When this movie first came out, it didn't receive the attention it deserved. This might be because Kelsey Grammer was a TV star who didn't translate well to the big screen. It might also be because the military was not in such high favor--the movie was ahead of its time. The film almost sunk without a trace, but I recommend it highly for home viewing. If you loved the Horatio Hornblower series or the books of Patrick O'Brien or if the career of "Mad Jack" thrills you, than the tactical and comedic antics of Captain Dodge will tickle your funnybone.
Movie Review: Really great comedy
Summary: 5 Stars
Just terrific! I loved this movie when I first saw it on TV, just bought the DVD and it's even better, since you get to see the whole movie with nothing snipped to make room for commercials -- and of course the video quality is better than TV.
The disc is double-sided, full screen on side A and widescreen on side B.
Some reviewers here have complained bitterly that it isn't really widescreen, it's just "pan and scan" with the top and bottom cut off. That isn't true. Yes, the widescreen version is the same as the full screen version but with the top and bottom of the frame cut off -- that's the way many widescreen movies WERE MADE, folks! For example, ALL of Stanley Kubrick's movies after "2001: A Space Odyssey" were made this way. It isn't pan and scan. You're not missing any part of the original, you're seeing the full frame as it was before it was matted for theatrical showing.
It's the same as the "panorama" feature in many point-and-shoot 35mm cameras. The "panorama" mode doesn't really give you a wider angle of view, it just looks wider because the top and bottom have been cropped off and the photo is then printed on paper with a wider aspect ratio.
Not all widescreen movies are made this way, of course. But DVDs that are widescreen on one side and full screen on the other are usually if not always this way in my experience. "The Searchers" is another example. Compare the widescreen and full screen sides and you'll see the full screen side is really just as wide in angle of view, it just shows more of the top and bottom that you never saw in a theatrical showing because it was matted out.
Movie Review: Down Periscope a real winner
Summary: 5 Stars
Any good movie is only as good as the script and the cast. Casting for this film was excellent. Kelsey Grammer as Lt. Cmdr. Thomas 'Tom' Dodge did a great job running the fine line between serious situations to sublime humor. He maintained the air of command yet was a part of the group in comedy. Lauren Holly as Lt. Emily Lake, Diving Officer, was perfect casting. Her body language and facial expressions at certain times in the film were priceless. I sense a potential for other great comedies in her. Harland Williams as Seaman 2nd Class E.T. 'Sonar' Lovacelli is another standout. This is excellent visual comedy a la Radar of Mash. I was continually amazed by Rob Schneider doing the part of Executive Officer Martin T. 'Marty' Pascal. His boisterous, over-animated actions were well played. His whole body seemed to be in motion at every delivered line.
The plot was a plausible scenario and I never understood why some people disliked this film. The whole tongue in cheek attitude this film took toward the military has been used successfully in many other films and series like McHale's Navy without giving the impressions as a slam on the military. Respect and discipline was portrayed as an undertone even while the comedy raged. I feel this was a entertaining film and most current Hollywood offerings seem to have forgotten that the public wants to be entertained. One wonders if this could even be a potential TV series. A great film to watch when you want a light evening of true entertainment - time and time again!