The Abyss ( Orson Scott Card novel)

The Abyss (Orson Scott Card novel)
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The Abyss
OSCabyss.jpg
Author
Orson Scott Card
Country
United States
Language
English
Genre
Science fiction
Publisher
Time Warner Books

Publication date
 1989
Media type
Print (Hardcover & Paperback)
Pages
368
ISBN
978-0671740771
The Abyss (1989) is a science fiction novel by Orson Scott Card based on an original screenplay by James Cameron.
Plot introduction[edit]
The novel The Abyss is similar to the film The Abyss in terms of story but it gives the main characters greater depth and background. It also gives more attention to the aliens’ point of view.
Card wrote the novel based on the screenplay and discussions with Cameron. He wrote back stories for Bud Brigman, Lindsey Brigman and Hiram Coffey as a means not only of helping the actors define their roles, but also to justify some of their behavior and mannerisms in the film. For example, Lindsay's mother was a prissy socialite intent on raising well-mannered, popular, "feminine" daughters, while her father was a civil engineer unable to share his interests with his children. Once Lindsey discovers that she inherited her father's engineering skills, it affects her entire family perspective and life goals. Coffey was written as a child of a poor single mother who joined the SEALs as a way to give himself a purpose after her remarriage. Separating his worldview into "Them" (Outsiders) and "Us" (him and his mother) defined some of his thought processes in the film as he worked to protect his men from the perceived "Soviet" threat.
Card also wrote the aliens as a colonizing species which preferentially sought high-pressure deepwater worlds to build their ships as they traveled further into the galaxy. Their knowledge of neuroanatomy and nanoscale manipulation of biochemistry was responsible for many of the deus ex machina aspects of the film; an NTI saved a diver's life after a breathing mixture accident, prevented permanent brain damage during Bud's 2 mile dive, which allowed him to properly disarm the warhead, and a number of NTIs microscopically infiltrated the crew upon their rise to the surface to prevent decompression sickness. The alien reaction to human warfare in the director's cut was explained to be a result of their monitoring of radio communications and copying the memories of the dead submarine crew; their interactions with the crew of Deep Core finally persuaded them to halt their attack on the coastlines and instead attempt peaceful contact.
See also[edit]

Portal icon Novels portal
List of works by Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card
External links[edit]
About the book The Abyss from Card's website


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Backdraft (film)
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Backdraft
Backdraft poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster

Directed by
Ron Howard
Produced by
Richard B. Lewis
 John Watson
 Pen Densham
Written by
Gregory Widen
Starring
Kurt Russell
William Baldwin
Scott Glenn
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Rebecca De Mornay
Donald Sutherland
Robert De Niro
Music by
Hans Zimmer
Cinematography
Mikael Salomon
Edited by
Daniel P. Hanley
Mike Hill
Production
   company
Imagine Films Entertainment
 Trilogy Entertainment Group
Distributed by
Universal Pictures
Release date(s)
May 24, 1991

Running time
132 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$75 million[1]
Box office
$152,368,585
Backdraft is a 1991 action thriller film directed by Ron Howard and written by Gregory Widen. The film stars Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rebecca De Mornay, Donald Sutherland, and Robert De Niro. Jason Gedrick and J. T. Walsh co-star. The story is about firefighters in Chicago on the trail of a serial arsonist who sets fires with a fictional chemical substance, trychtichlorate.
The film grossed $77,868,585 domestically and $74,500,000 in foreign markets, for a total gross of $152,368,585, making it the highest grossing film ever made about firefighters.[2][3] The film received three Academy Award nominations.
The film's theme, "Show Me Your Firetruck", by Hans Zimmer is also used as the theme for the U.S. broadcast of the hit Japanese cooking show Iron Chef.[4]


Contents  [hide]
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production 3.1 Realism
4 Theme park attraction
5 Release 5.1 Critical reception
5.2 Box office
5.3 Awards
6 In popular culture
7 References
8 External links

Plot[edit]
Two firefighters of Engine 17 of the Chicago Fire Department, are brothers. Lt. Stephen "Bull" McCaffrey, the elder, is experienced, while Brian has labored under his brother's shadow all his life. He returns to firefighting after a number of other careers falter, though Stephen has doubts that Brian is fit to be a firefighter. As a child, Brian witnessed the death of their firefighting father, Dennis, when he accompanied him on a call.
The longest serving of all the men at Engine 17, John "Axe" Adcox, served under the McCaffreys' father in the department and was like an uncle to the boys when their father died. He attacks fires head on, but is concerned about Stephen's unorthodox methods and disregard for safety procedures. Helen McCaffrey is Stephen's estranged wife and the mother of their son, Sean. Helen has grown fearful of Stephen's dedication to firefighting and the risks he takes. While they are still in love, she separated from Stephen to protect herself and Sean.
Martin Swayzak is an alderman on the Chicago City Council. He hopes to be elected mayor, but has had to make a number of budget cuts to the fire department. Many of the rank and file firemen believe that the cuts are endangering firefighters' lives. Jennifer Vaitkus is Brian's ex-girlfriend and works in Swayzak's office. Her loyalties are torn between her job and Brian.
Donald "Shadow" Rimgale is a dedicated arson investigator. He is called in because a number of recent fires appear to be like fires committed by pyromaniac Ronald Bartel, who has been imprisoned for many years. Rimgale manipulates Bartel's obsession with fire to ensure Bartel's annual parole application is rejected. Brian consults Bartel for advice in order to determine the missing link in the recent arsons. It is revealed during an investigation that Swayzak was paid off to shut down firehouses so they could be converted into community centers, with the contractors receiving contracts for the construction.
When 17 answers a call in a highrise, Stephen urges them to move in quickly to take out the fire despite Adcox's advice to wait for back-up. Brian's friend and fellow "probationary fireman" trainee Tim Krizminski, under Stephen's wing, accidentally opens a door only to be met by a backdraft. His face is burned beyond recognition, but he survives. Adcox and Brian both blame Tim's condition on Stephen's reckless tactics.
Stephen confronts Adcox about the deadly backdrafts during a multiple-alarm fire at a chemical plant. Adcox admits that he set the fires to kill associates of Swayzak because Swayzak was benefiting from the deaths of firefighters. When an explosion destroys the catwalk they are on, Stephen grabs Adcox's hand while hanging on to the remains of the catwalk. Adcox requests Stephen let go of him, but Stephen loses his grip on the catwalk. Adcox is killed and Stephen is mortally wounded. Brian, having been injured by Adcox, rushes to help other firefighters reach his brother. Stephen dies on the way to the hospital with Brian at his side, his final request being that Brian not reveal that Adcox was behind the fires.
After Stephen and Adcox's funeral, Brian and Rimgale, with the help of the police, interrupt a Swayzak press conference. Rimgale questions Swayzak on a fake manpower study that led to the deaths of several firemen, including Stephen and Adcox, effectively killing Swayzak's mayoral ambitions.
Brian decides to continue as a firefighter despite the loss of his father and brother.
Cast[edit]
##Kurt Russell as Lt. Stephen "Bull" McCaffrey/Capt. Dennis McCaffery
##William Baldwin as Brian McCaffery
##Robert De Niro as Inspector Donald "Shadow" Rimgale
##Scott Glenn as John "Axe" Adcox
##Jennifer Jason Leigh as Jennifer Vaitkus
##Rebecca De Mornay as Helen McCaffrey
##Donald Sutherland as Ronald Bartel
##Jason Gedrick as Tim Krizminski
##J. T. Walsh as Alderman Martin Swayzak
##Anthony Mockus, Sr. as Chief John Fitzgerald
##Cedric Young as Grindle
##Juan Ramirez as Ray Santos
##Kevin Casey as Nightingale
##Jack McGee as Schmidt
##Mark Wheeler as Pengelly



Production[edit]
According to the article in Entertainment Weekly, rubber cement from Petronio Shoe Products was used to create some of the fire effects. Industrial Light & Magic created many of the visual effects.[5]
The oil painting seen at the beginning of the bar scene depicting several dogs playing poker in a firehouse is painted by Chicago artist and retired firefighter Lee J. Kowalski.
Realism[edit]
Fire fighting professionals have noted that most real structure fires differ from what is shown in the movie by having smoke conditions that obscure vision inside the building almost completely.




The pictures of firefighters searching in movies like Back Draft do not really show what it is like to search in a fire. Firefighters are shown advancing through fully involved structure fires while not wearing the complete compliment of protective gear (Nomex hoods, radios, PASS devices). Most scenes display firefighting without the use of SCBA [self contained breathing apparatus]. Realism in our case would make a very bad movie because the fact is that in almost every fire the smoke conditions completely obscure all vision.[6]
"The movie ... came pretty close at times, but it also suffered from the very same, all too common shortcomings that any visual presentation was bound to encounter (...) Smoke, steam and other miscellaneous factors usually combine to obscure almost everything that is taking place".[7]
Furthermore, fire investigation professionals have dismissed the methods shown in the movie as unscientific, in particular the portrayal of fire as a living entity.[8]
Theme park attraction[edit]
Main article: Backdraft (Amusement park attraction)
Release[edit]
Critical reception[edit]
Backdraft received a positive reception from critics.[9][10][11] The film currently holds a 73% 'Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus "It's not particularly deep, but Backdraft is a strong action movie with exceptional special effects."[12]
Box office[edit]
The film grossed $77,868,585 in the US (ranking 14th in box-office for 1991), and $74,500,000 in foreign markets.[13][14]
Awards[edit]
The film received three Academy Award nominations (Sound Effects Editing, Visual Effects and Best Sound - Gary Summers, Randy Thom, Gary Rydstrom and Glenn Williams).[15] It also received two nominations at the first annual MTV Movie Awards.[citation needed]
In popular culture[edit]
The 1995 movie Backfire! is a spoof of Backdraft.
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Box Office Information for Backdraft. The Wrap. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
2.Jump up ^ "Backdraft (1991)". Box Office Mojo. 1991-08-06. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
3.Jump up ^ "Fire/Firefighter Movies at the Box Office". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
4.Jump up ^ "Iron Chef". BBC. 30 June 2000.
5.Jump up ^ Henrikson, Christopher (1991-06-14). "Burning Down the House". EW.com. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
6.Jump up ^ Ron Garner (2004). Fire Chief. iUniverse. p. 62. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
7.Jump up ^ Jerry E. Lindsay: "A Firefighter's Story", pp. 52-53.
8.Jump up ^ Robert L Rowe, Pyrocop, Inc.: Fire Investigations and “The Scientific Method - Change is Good!”
9.Jump up ^ Maslin, Janet (1991-05-24). "Review/Film; 'Backdraft,' Firefighting Spectacular". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
10.Jump up ^ "Backdraft". Variety. 1990-12-31. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
11.Jump up ^ "Backdraft". Entertainment Weekly. 1991-05-31. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
12.Jump up ^ Backdraft at Rotten Tomatoes
13.Jump up ^ Fox, David J. (1991-05-29). "'Backdraft' Burns 'Hawk's' Wings at the Box Office". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-03.
14.Jump up ^ "Backdraft at on Box-Office Mojo".
15.Jump up ^ "The 64th Academy Awards (1992) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Backdraft
##Backdraft at the Internet Movie Database
##Backdraft at the TCM Movie Database
##Backdraft at Box Office Mojo
##Backdraft at Rotten Tomatoes


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Films directed by Ron Howard


Grand Theft Auto (1977) ·
 Night Shift (1982) ·
 Splash (1984) ·
 Cocoon (1985) ·
 Gung Ho (1986) ·
 Willow (1988) ·
 Parenthood (1989) ·
 Backdraft (1991) ·
 Far and Away (1992) ·
 The Paper (1994) ·
 Apollo 13 (1995) ·
 Ransom (1996) ·
 EDtv (1999) ·
 How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) ·
 A Beautiful Mind (2001) ·
 The Missing (2003) ·
 Cinderella Man (2005) ·
 The Da Vinci Code (2006) ·
 Frost/Nixon (2008) ·
 Angels & Demons (2009) ·
 The Dilemma (2011) ·
 Rush (2013) ·
 Made in America (2013) ·
 In the Heart of the Sea (2015)
 

 


Categories: 1991 films
English-language films
1990s action thriller films
American films
American action thriller films
American disaster films
Films about arson
Films set in Chicago, Illinois
Films shot in Chicago, Illinois
Firefighting films
Films directed by Ron Howard
Imagine Entertainment films
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Film scores by Hans Zimmer





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This page was last modified on 7 August 2014 at 21:26.
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