The Top 10 Uplifting Films

With movie theatres gone dark and no new films to see for a very long time, the time is ripe to dive into our favorite back-catalogs. Last week, Reel Speak ranked the best comedy films (HERE), and this week, it’s time to look at the films that are the most uplifting. The movies that make us feel like a million bucks, the ones that inspire us to keep on keeping on, the ones that teach us resilience is the key to overcoming, and ultimately the things that really matter in life.  

The movies can inspire an uplift more than any other medium; sometimes all it takes is a swell of music to hit us in the heart. Cinema has done this across many genres; comedy, animated kid’s films, sci-fi, and sometimes even horror. But the drama films have the most work to do to get there. A drama beats us down to a pulp and then works hard to bring us back up, making that climax even more meaningful and powerful. With that in mind, and for the purposes of this blog, comedies and kids’ films don’t fit the criteria…these are the films that take us on an emotional journey…and do the best job to bring us all up when we’re down. It is this Blogger’s hope that this will inspire a few of you to revisit these films and be reminded that we can all overcome. 

So let's find a way to make that medicine go down...

10. MARY POPPINS RETURNS (2018)

From STAR WARS to Marvel to Pixar to Circle of Life, no one can provide an uplift like Disney, and their 2018 sequel to their 1965 classic provides a journey that goes from an extraordinary emotional low-point to an inspiring high. The early goings of the film have the grown-up Michael Banks in mourning, and soulfully wondering out loud “where did you go” to his departed wife. Later, thanks to the presence of a returning Mary Poppins, the Banks family overcomes their grief and literally soar to the clouds in the stirring number Nowhere to Go But Up. The difference between the two numbers is remarkable and allows the finale to offer many lessons in overcoming sadness. 

9. THE NATURAL (1984)

Nothing can inspire us better than an underdog story, because let’s face it…we are all underdogs…and no genre can tell those stories better than sports. Robert Redford stars as Roy Hobbs, a ballplayer who has his dream of playing in the big leagues taken away from him. He returns decades later and overcomes his age to give it one last try. It’s a tale of accomplishing dreams despite the passage of time, loaded with a lot of heart…and capped off with one of the best endings in all of cinema. 

8. APOLLO 13 (1995)

The race to the moon has provided some excellent, reach-for-the-stars inspiring cinema, from THE RIGHT STUFF (1984) to the recent HIDDEN FIGURES (2018). Ron Howard’s true tale of the failed Apollo 13 mission, which had three astronauts hurtling out-of-control in the vastness of space with depleting oxygen, gave us the broad picture of an entire planet’s worth of support combined with the professional and herculean efforts of NASA to bring the astronauts home safely. The odds were stacked high against them, and by the time the high-tension ending comes, it is an applause-worthy emotional landing. Harrowing and exhilarating even if the true-story outcome is known in advance. 

7. WHEN HARRY MET SALLY (1989)

A love story had to be chosen in a list of films that are supposed to make our hearts soar. There are plenty of options; TITANIC (1997), THE NOTEBOOK (2004), CASABLANCA (1942), and LOVE ACTUALLY (2003)…for starters. Rob Reiner’s romantic comedy, led by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, raises the question of the friendships between men and women, and takes the question into places that have become permanent ideas in culture today. Where most rom-coms can be corny, this stays grounded and realistic, while still managing to make us smile and care. A genuine love story. 

6. RUDY (1993)

The game of American football has not been given its definitive film like baseball and boxing have, but RUDY comes close. Based on the true story and life of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, a five-foot-nothing dreamer with the goal of playing football for Notre Dame, is a little-engine-that-could story that invests us into the main character early and keeps us there. It’s a movie about a dreamer made for dreamers, and the rousing finale is enough to light a spark in anyone who has yearned for something out of grasp. 

5. THE AVENGERS (2012)

Superheroes have the ability to inspire us in many ways, with the most important lessons showing us how good we can be, and how helping those who can’t help themselves is the true definition of heroism. There are a lot of options in this genre, with SUPERMAN (1978), and recently WONDER WOMAN (2018) as shining examples. But its Marvel’s first super-team up that had audiences whooping and cheering as if they were at the Super Bowl with one fist-pumping moment after another. Plenty of eye-popping spectacle, but also a lesson of overcoming differences to work together. 

4. INDEPENDENCE DAY (1996)

Roland Emmerich’s alien-invasion film was basically a b-movie with a large VFX budget and an ensemble cast, and today many circles look at as just that; a b-movie. But the fighting spirit that the film carries makes it one of the most rousing viewing experiences; with people coming together from all walks of life to fight off an alien attack that has decimated the Earth. The film spends much of its running time with the good guys getting their asses kicked, and finds a slim, yet hopeful chance at victory…a victory that very much feels earned after the last big explosion. Those of us who experienced ID4 on the big screen in 1996 can certainly remember leaving the theatres ready to take on the universe. 

3. STAR WARS (1977)

There are many sports films that end with the hero getting that preverbal gold medal at the end, but very few sci-fi and fantasy films have done that. STAR WARS in 1977 not only gave us a bell-ringing victory with the destruction of the dreaded Death Star by a former farm-boy, but it went a step further and gave said farm-boy and his compatriots a medal ceremony. John Williams’ magnificent closing Throne Room score is reason enough to rank STAR WARS high on the uplifting list. 

2. THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994)

On the surface, a drama about a man who is falsely imprisoned for 20 years for killing his wife doesn’t seem like it would be very uplifting, and for most of the film it really isn’t…but that’s the genius of the film because it eventually sneaks up on us. Resilience is the key term here for poor Andy Dufresne as he fights to keep his humanity in a place where he doesn’t belong, and the final iconic line of “get busy living or get busy dying” is enough for this Frank Darabont-directed film to inspire anyone to get off their ass. 

1. ROCKY (1976)

The 1976 Best Picture winner that would catapult Sylvester Stallone into stardom, and the character of “The Italian Stallion” Rocky Balboa into permanent world culture as the icon of all underdogs. The simple story of a small-time club boxer who gets a shot at the greatest title in the world has more heart in any one scene than most movies have in their entire runtime, and the main character of Rocky, who has no vain ambitions to get rich or win championships, has that guy-next-door vibe that everyone can relate to. There is a little bit of Rocky in all of us, and as the film showed, we can all get up when knocked down. And as the topper, there are many films in which the hero/main character loses the battle and wins the war (BRAVEHEART, for example), and ROCKY’s ending, with Balboa not really caring that he lost the fight and just wanting to be with his beloved Adrian…shows us the things in life that really matter. 

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 UPLIFTING FILMS

1. ROCKY
2. THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
3. STAR WARS
4. INDEPENDENCE DAY
5. THE AVENGERS
6. RUDY
7. WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
8. APOLLO 13
9. THE NATURAL
10. MARY POPPINS RETURNS

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Comedy Films

It is a dark time for cinema. With the global pandemic Coronavirus causing health concerns, theatres are closing, and major studios have halted release plans for potential blockbusters A QUIET PLACE PART II, BLACK WIDOW, MULAN, the next installment in the FAST AND THE FURIOUS franchise, and the James Bond film NO TIME TO DIE. Off the screen, productions on many films have halted, including the next BATMAN. The recovery time for cinema may take a very long time. 

Fans of cinema are left nowhere to go with nothing new to watch. But sitting at home and watching old favorites certainly isn’t the worst thing ever…and we can be reminded of cinema’s ability to provide the best escapism. With the news coming out of the world all grim and bad, a good laugh is what we all need. And that brings us to Reel Speak’s very first Top 10 Best Comedy Films. 

More than any other genre, comedy is probably the most subjective; what is funny to one person may not be to another. The criteria to judge a good comedy film is (obviously), if it’s funny to one degree or another, cultural impact, and if it’s a good movie. It’s also important to note that many films may have comedy elements but are not completely driven by the laughs (BACK TO THE FUTURE and ANT-MAN, for example), so to qualify, the movie has to live and die off the comedy. 

So let’s get ready to LOL…and hopefully this will inspire a need to go back and revisit these classics…and have a little fun. 

10. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974)

Mel Brooks was the undisputed king of comedy for decades, but as time has passed many of his films and their simple gags now seem very dated, with the off-color humor in his classic BLAZING SADDLES (1974) rendering that film nearly obsolete. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, which also came in 1974, has aged well with its jokes and one-liners still delivering effective laughs. The cast of Gene Wilder, Gene Hackman (!), Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn, and Teri Garr seem like they’re having a blast. One of the few comedy films that is considered to be essential viewing in the horror genre as well. 

9. NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION (1989)

Chevy Chase and National Lampoon may have earned their place in comedy history with the first two VACATION films, but it is the holiday version that has the better staying power. It’s a bit of a cheat, as all Christmas movies have a timeless quality to them, but the situations and predicaments that Clark finds himself in are grounded in a reality; nearly everyone can watch the film and say, yes…I remember when my dad did that. From malfunctioning house-lights, trees that are too big, and dealing with intolerable family members and bosses. Everything about Christmas-at-home is present here, and the laughs still work. There aren’t many people who don’t have this film on their watch-list every December. 

8. MRS. DOUBTFIRE (1993)

The two biggest comedy stars in the 1990’s were by far Jim Carrey and Robin Williams. While Carrey’s ACE VENTURA films had everyone screaming in laughter, it was Williams and his MRS. DOUBTFIRE that provided emotional bursts in laughter and in tears; a rarity for a comedy film. The notion of the entire movie itself is ridiculous; a man fooling everyone, including his own family, that he was an elderly woman. But what could have been a silly film was turned into something that tugged on the all heartstrings, as its grounded reality of broken families spoke to audiences. 

7. ANIMAL HOUSE (1978)

This John Landis romp about a misfit group of fraternity members made such an impression, that frat-houses to this day, for better or for worse, are still connected to it. The late great John Belushi became an overnight movie star, and the film was the starting point for future stars Karen Allen and Kevin Bacon. The film is outrageously funny, and launched the “gross out” film genre, which since then has become a Hollywood regular. 

6. NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (2004)

Perhaps the best sleeper-hit of all time. This Jared Hess-directed indie film about an awkward teen came out of nowhere and became an overnight sensation; earning box office dollars and becoming an instant pop-culture entry. The humor is realistic and subtle, and the actors perfectly cast in their roles. One of the few films that owns simple phrases such as “vote for Pedro” or “gosh!”. Everyone knows what movie those lines come from. 

5. MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (1975)

The off-brand humor of the Monty Python comedy group didn’t work for everyone 40 years ago, and for modern audiences even less so. But their 1975 lampooning of the Arthurian legend, which Hollywood has done to death over the decades, embraced a level of zaniness that gave it a unique personality. The writing is sharp and witty, and the script is loaded with classic zingers that people still quote today, even if they don’t know the source. 

4. THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998)

Joel and Ethan Coen have dabbled in many genres in their most-excellent careers, but the dark comedy seems to be the one they excel at. Their twisting and turning mystery tale of mistaken identity made Jeff Bridges’ character of The Dude an instant icon, and the laughs are delivered in physical comedy and relentless dialogue. Many people may not consider this to be a straight-up comedy film, but anyone who has rolled over laughing at The Dude getting a face-full of ashes would disagree. 

3. SPACEBALLS (1987)

Mel Brooks spent half his career spoofing other people’s work, and he landed on a gold mine when he decided to go after STAR WARS. His galactic comedy treated the original material with the respect it deserved, which allowed long-time fans of the Force to get on board with it. SPACEBALLS is endlessly quotable, and the laughs are well-timed and have aged very well. 

2. CLUE (1985)

Based on the popular board game, CLUE took the whodunit genre and turned it upside down with a few shakes for good measure. Another twisting and turning mystery that goes in a million different directions, it keeps the viewer guessing in a roller-coaster ride. The humor goes from machine-gun dialogue to physical in a nice balance, and the lines are quotable to this day. As a topper, just when the film is seemingly heading for the exit door, it offers a few more surprises. And let’s not forget the ensemble cast; Tim Curry, Leslie Ann Warren, Martin Mull, Madeline Khan, Christopher Lloyd, Eileen Brennan, Michael McKean, Colleen Camp, and Howard Hesseman.  

1. GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)

Ivan Reitman’s comedy about a trio of misfit scientists who go into business for themselves to bust spiritual heads has lost none of its impact over the course of nearly 40 years. The dry humor and witty one-liners have made it one of the most often-quoted films in history, and despite its sci-fi elements, has a grounding that makes its silly concept feel real. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and the late great Harold Ramis starred as the trio in roles that they would be tied to for the rest of their careers, and the supporting cast of Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts, and Rick Moranis add to the fun. It is endlessly rewatchable and a joy each time, and it simply works as a good movie. From the instantly recognizable logo, to Slimer the ghost, to the Ecto-1 vehicle, it is one of the biggest entries in pop culture since STAR WARS. They are the one, there are the only…GHOSTBUSTERS. 

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 COMEDY FILMS

1. GHOSTBUSTERS
2. CLUE
3. SPACEBALLS
4. THE BIG LEBOWSKI
5. MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL
6. NAPOLEON DYNAMITE
7. ANIMAL HOUSE
8. MRS. DOUBTFIRE
9. CHRISTMAS VACATION
10. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

A Reel 125: The Motion Picture

This month marks the 125^th anniversary of what is widely regarded as the birth of the motion picture. 

It was March of 1895. Grover Cleveland was President of a United States that was only 30 years removed from the Civil War, the Cuban War of Independence was underway, and Germany had just launched the world’s first gasoline bus route. Also in this month, French brothers Auguste Marie Louis Nicolas Lumiere and Louis Jean filmed 17 meters, or 50 seconds of moving pictures in what would be entitled WORKERS LEAVING THE LUMIERE FACTORY. The film, which had a single scene of workers leaving a factory, did not have anything resembling a script, storyline, or characters…but that one shot would become a shot heard around the world. 

The first screening of their motion picture also took place in March, in Paris at the “Society for the Development of the National Industry”. The central focus of the conference was supposed to the developments in the photography industry, specifically color photos…but it was the moving black-and-white images that grabbed everyone’s attention. Their first public screening was a few months later, along with nine other short films of their own making, and by 1896 they were on tour exhibiting their films worldwide. 

Although the Lumiere brothers were not the first to work on techniques to create motion pictures, they are credited as among the first to create the technology for cinema as a mass medium, and were certainly the first to understand how to use it. Not unlike today, the new medium of cinema had filmmakers taking inspiration from their predecessors. In 1897 Robert W. Paul used the first rotating camera for taking panning shots, and in that same year Georges Melies built one of the first film studios on his way to making over 500 films…including A TRIP TO THE MOON in 1902. Innovations would come over the decades, including sound and color, stop-motion and puppetry, green-screen and matting…all the way up to Computer Generated Imagery (CGI)…which would create everything from environments to dinosaurs to de-aged people. 

When the Lumiere brothers first exhibited their 50-second film through a hand-cranked camera, they never could have imagined the impact cinema would have on the world; inspiring generations of new storytellers and innovators, and changing world culture forever. Ever since the dawn of man, when images were scratched on cave walls, the world had been telling stories and searching for better way to tell them. Although being told a story verbally (or through radio) enabled (or forced) us to use our imaginations to provide the visuals, the motion picture took our imaginations to new places; conveying ideas, places, characters, and stories that would inspire the imagination even more. 

Today, cinema is a zillion-dollar industry, and has permeated the sub-conscious of nearly every human being on the planet. Everyone knows something about the movies; from Kong to Thanos, from Kubrick to Spielberg, from James Bond to Luke Skywalker, and from Manhattan to the Moon…the motion picture is, and always will be an inspiration and a genuine art of self-expression that will always have us reaching beyond our grasp. 

A Reel Review: ONWARD

In the last decade or so, famed animation studio Pixar has been stuck in sequel-mode; cranking out entertaining, yet inessential follow-ups to their hits TOY STORY, THE INCREDIBLES, CARS, and even FINDING NEMO. Recently, the studio that once revolutionized animated storytelling has made a new commitment to making original films, with its first effort coming in ONWARD. 

In a fantasy world where magic has faded, elf-brothers Ian (Tom Holland), and Barley (Chris Pratt), inherit a magical staff and a spell which can bring back their deceased father for one day. When the spell goes awry and only the bottom-half of their father returns, the two brothers embark on a quest to obtain what they need to perform the spell correctly. 

In any fantasy setting for a film, world-building is essential. The world established here takes shape in the opening minutes and works right away. Despite being a world populated by elves, unicorns, and centaurs…modern technology has taken over and rendered magic and the beings that wielded it a thing of a long-forgotten past. This works right into the two brothers, with Barley longing for those days and Ian being the only one of the two who can work the magic staff. 

Once the two brothers start their quest, good times are had and the characters come to life nicely. Barley is the slightly obnoxious older brother who would enter the room by giving everyone a noogie, and Ian is the awkward teenager who can barely drive a car. With Barley driving the quest ahead, thanks to his extensive knowledge of role-playing fantasy gaming, the two brothers find their own reasons for bringing back dad; Ian never knew him and Barley never had his chance to say goodbye. It’s a family story combined with a teen-comedy and road-trip movie, and the many elements click together nicely. 

Director Dan Scanlon, who contributed to Pixar’s sequel/prequel legacy with MONSTERS UNIVERSITY, manages to make ONWARD a fun, and slightly surprising ride as he digs into the brotherly love with that familiar, yet workable Pixar style of tugging on the heart-strings. The film swings for the fences on the emotional front, and connects most of the time. The pacing is brisk and the laughs are nearly non-stop, making for one of Pixar’s funniest and energetic films in their extensive catalog. 

Acting is tremendous. Tom Holland and Chris Pratt are perfectly cast, and it helps that their characters resemble their real-world faces. Julia Louis-Dreyfus voices their mom who is hot on their heels and is also very good, and she shares most of her time with Octavia Spencer, who comes in as a manticore. 

The finale is an emotional one-two punch, with both brothers getting closure in their lives and setting themselves up for a brighter future. In true Pixar style it ends on a high note, and the journey to get there is more than worthwhile. It’s appropriate that Pixar’s new era would begin with ONWARD, as it’s a film about shedding the past and moving forward…which is exactly what Pixar needs to do. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

Max von Sydow: 1929 - 2020

Actor Max von Sydow has passed away at 90. 

Born Carl Adolf von Sydow in Sweden in 1929, he began his acting career at an early age when he and some school friends founded an amateur theatrical company. He would later study at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm before making his screen debuts in ONLY A MOTHER (1949), and MISS JULIE (1951). 

In 1955 his career and life would take a turn when he would meet his eventual mentor, director Ingmar Bergman. Bergman and Sydow would collaborate on several films, including one of his most iconic roles in THE SEVENTH SEAL (1957)...as a knight who plays a chess match with Death. Other films with Bergman included WILD STRAWBERRIES (1957), and THE VIRGIN SPRING (1960). 

He quickly became an icon in the arthouse scene, and worked on stage and in film while resisting calls to come to America. After he was considered for the title role in the James Bond film DR. NO, he finally relented and agreed to star in the film that would bring him wide recognition; the role of Jesus Christ in George Stevens’ epic THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (1965). With his talent now in demand in Hollywood, he would appear in John Huston’s THE KREMLIN LETTER (1970), and Jan Troell’s THE EMIGRANTS (1971). 

He would land perhaps his most remembered role in 1973, when he was cast as Father Merrin in William Friedkin’s horror classic, THE EXORCIST…which would earn him a Golden Globe nomination. Throughout the 1970’s and early 1980’s, he would appear in FLASH GORDON (1980), CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982), STRANGE BREW (1983), DUNE (1984), and Woody Allen’s HANNAH AND HER SISTERS (1986). He would earn an Oscar nomination for his part in the Danish film PELLE THE CONQUEROR in 1987, which would go on to win Best Foreign Language Film. He would earn another Oscar nomination in 2011 for his part in EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE. 

Other notable roles came in THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR (1975), the 007 film NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN (1983), AWAKENINGS (1990), JUDGE DREDD (1995), WHAT DREAMS MAY COME (1998), MINORITY REPORT (2002), Martin Scorsese’s SHUTTER ISLAND (2010), Ridley Scott’s ROBIN HOOD (2010), THE WOLFMAN (2010), and STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015). 

He would voice Vigo in GHOSTBUSTERS II (1989), and Zeus in the Swedish version of Disney’s HERCULES (1997), He would also voice Esbern in the video game The Elder Scrolls V. He guest-starred on TV’S THE SIMPSONS in 2014, would play Sigmund Freud in THE YOUNG INDIANA JONES CHRONICLES, and would appear as the Three-eyed Raven on HBO’s GAME OF THRONES. 

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This Blogger’s introduction to Max von Sydow came in 1980, when he appeared as the big bad villain Ming the Merciless in the 1980 cult-classic FLASH GORDON. With his booming yet elegant voice, he was well-suited to the role…and if any remake is to happen…the next Ming would have big shoes to fill. Some time later, as a wee-lad, I would see him again in THE EXORCIST, and when I wasn’t scared out of my wits, I was intimidated by the screen-presence of Sydow. In that role, he would fill the screen in a quiet way; you knew he was there even when he wasn’t speaking. It was a far cry from Ming, and it showed his range. For seven decades he maintained that presence, and most of us do not know cinema without him. 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2020 - Episode III

The dumping-ground months of January and February are mercifully over, and with March there is some fun to look forward to. Here are the notable releases for the upcoming month…

It all goes on with…

ONWARD – Disney/Pixar has made a commitment to lay off of the many sequels they were producing and go back to original tales, and this is their first shot at a new era. In a fantastical world, two elf brothers (voiced by Tom Holland and Chris Pratt of AVENGERS fame) stumble upon a spell that could bring back their departed father. It is directed by Dan Scanlon, who directed MONSTERS UNIVERSITY in 2013 for Pixar. 

THE WAY BACK – Ben Affleck plays an alcoholic construction worker who is recruited to coach basketball at his old high school. It is directed by Gavin O’Connor, who directed Affleck in THE ACCOUNTANT (2016), and also helmed MIRACLE (2004), and the magnificent WARRIOR in 2011. 

BLOODSHOT – In this adaptation of the Vertigo comic, Vin Diesel plays a soldier who is brought back to life with superpowers. 

THE HUNT – Based on the 1924 short story The Most Dangerous Game, a group of strangers awake on a remote island only to discover that they’re being hunted by elites. 

MY SPY – Dave Bautista (Drax from GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY), plays a CIA agent who must watch over a young girl after his assigned to protect her family. 

A QUIET PLACE: PART II – The sequel to the 2018 horror hit in which mankind in on the verge of extinction, after an invasion of noise-sensitive creatures. Emily Blunt returns, and she is directed by PART I director John Krasinski. 

MULAN – Disney’s live-action remake of their 1998 animated film, in which Mulan (played by Liu Yifei), takes the place of her ailing father in the Imperial Chinese Army. It is directed by Niki Caro (WHALE RIDER). 

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Next month, a preview for the month of April. 

A Reel 30: THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER

…There are those who believe that we should attack the United States first…Red October was built for that purpose…”

Today marks the 30th anniversary of John McTiernan’s THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER. 

Based on the novel of the same name by author Tom Clancy, in which a Russian submarine captain and his silent-running nuclear submarine vanish into the sea with unknown intentions, THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER was the 4^th feature film from director John McTiernan. When McTiernan signed on to helm the seafaring espionage voyage, he had already solidified himself as a solid action director with a talent for fleshing out great characters in a thrill-ride landscape; as evidenced in his films PREDATOR (1987) and DIE HARD (1988). 

The effort to get RED OCTOBER out to sea was not an easy one in the early stages. Many Hollywood executives passed on the project, calling Clancy’s dense novel too complicated to understand and un-filmable. It was also feared that the film, which would spend a lot of time aboard U.S. submarines, aircraft, and other Navy vessels, would give away many U.S. military secrets. After screenwriters Larry Ferguson and Donald Steward whittled down the novel to a filmable screenplay, producer Mace Neufeld gained full cooperation from the U.S. Navy, who had hopes that RED OCTOBER would do for submariners what TOP GUN had done for fighter pilots. The cooperation from the Navy would pay off on film. Actors trained alongside active duty personnel, and commanders made suggestions to the script…adding a great deal of authenticity and realism to the Cold War-era drama. 

The cast was led off by Sean Connery who would play Red October’s captain. As a veteran of the sea, he was countered by the landlocked desk jockey CIA analyst, played by Alec Baldwin. The rest of the cast could be considered a glorious ensemble by today’s standards; Fred Thompson, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill, James Earl Jones, Joss Ackland, Richard Jordan, Tim Curry, Courtney Vance, Stellan Skarsgard, Jeffrey Jones, and Larry Ferguson. 

THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER would be one of the top grossing films of 1990, both in North America and worldwide. It would be nominated for four Oscars, winning one for Best Sound Editing. Sean Connery’s iconic performance would earn him a nomination for Best Actor at the British Film Industry Awards, and composer Basil Poledouris, also famous for his work in CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982), would win a BMI Film Music Award. 

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In the Spring of 1990, this Blogger and his brother were taken by Dad to see THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER. The opening moments of the film, in which a computer screen tells us that “nothing of what you are about to see, ever happened”, right away set the tone…which was full of mystery and seriousness. It was the first time Dad had taken us to see a grown-up movie, and the impact was ever-lasting. RED OCTOBER was an eye-opener; the stakes were high, the storytelling was very adult, and the battle of wits across the depths of the ocean made for a very smart, thinking-man’s thriller. This was not a film which relied heavily on special effects or the fury of sights and sound to get a point across, but instead weaved a thick and glorious web of espionage. It was a cat-and-mouse game at sea; what was the Russian sea captain up to, who knew about it, and did he know who knew about it? It was, and still is a great spy story that would feel right at home in a James Bond flick. THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER never won Best Picture, and it is sadly often overlooked when in discussions concerning great spy movies. But its legacy in time is secure; it was the first of many Jack Ryan films, and one of the last great films prior to the CGI era. It is a true adventure at sea and just as relevant today as it was 30 years ago. 

“Today comrades, we sail into history!”