Whether it’s Avatar 2, Titanic or the underwater documentaries The Ghosts of the Titanic and Aliens of the Seas: James Cameron seems to be magically attracted to the blue water. But the production of Abyss was anything but magical. The result was all the more true, because the underwater sci-fi thriller is now considered one of the best sci-fi films of all time, which even goes one step further in the three-hour special edition.
Now the Cameron classic shines in new splendor thanks to an extensive 4K restoration. Abyss celebrates its 4K premiere in a 3-disc edition including a theatrical version and a special edition.
The 4K version of Abyss will be released on April 26th, but you can pre-order it now from Amazon with a price guarantee. Shipping is also free for first-time buyers and Prime customers.
Wrongly unknown: This is Abyss
During the Cold War, the American nuclear submarine USS Montana receives a strange signal and decides to investigate. The submarine crashes into an unknown object and sinks to the bottom of the ocean. A special team of Navy Seals led by Lt. Hiram Coffey (Michael Biehn) is sent to the rescue, but it turns out to be more difficult than expected. Because in addition to an approaching hurricane and the approaching Russian submarines, there is a completely different evil hiding in the infinite depths of the sea…
Abyss had a difficult time in its theatrical release and only grossed around 90 million worldwide, although the reviews in the trade press were very positive. That’s what the 1990 Academy Awards were for Oscar for best special effects and the film also enjoyed a certain level of popularity in home cinema. Still, it is one of the blockbuster director’s least known films.
One of the most complex shoots in film history
About 40 percent of the scenes with actors took place underwater, which was incredibly complex. In the 18 meter deep pool, a 26-person diving crew supported Cameron and stayed with him most of the time Underwater for 5 hours straight. They worked 70-hour weeks for six months to make James Cameron’s vision come true. At one point, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio suffered a nervous breakdown and Ed Harris also had moments of emotional breakdown.
Things became particularly critical for Cameron when he was almost… empty oxygen tank tried to get the attention of his underwater cameraman (Al Giddings), but he turned his back on him. A safety diver’s attempt to help him also failed and instead of bringing him to the surface, the diver held Cameron underwater (to avoid a pulmonary embolism).
At the last second, Cameron punched the diver square in the face and escaped to the surface (more on this story in this article on Abyss). If you are now curious, we recommend the documentary Under Pressure: Making ‘The Abyss’, which is also included in the 3-disc set of the 4K edition.
Theatrical Version vs. Special Edition
While the theatrical version is 140 minutes, the special edition has a full 28 minutes, which contains an important subplot and makes the film more rounded overall. A scene with elaborate special effects, using then-brand new computer technology that was also used in Terminator 2, was added. The new scenes also give the relationship between the main characters more depth.
So you’re spoiled for choice, because both versions are included. However, the consensus is that that the special edition is the better film.
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