Essential Movies for Divers
From the 1960’s onwards, we pick our favourite films that are dive related. We have picked 9. What would be your favourite – to bring our list to a neat and tidy 10?
Jaws
The film that instilled a fear of sharks into a generation. A masterpiece of film-making by Steven Spielberg and writing by Peter Benchley. Most of the shark shots used an animatronic model, called Bruce, however some shots were filmed at the Neptune Islands in South Australia with Rodney Fox. We chatted with Rodney about Jaws, and he recalled stories from the filming, one of which included the use of a tiny cage, with a dwarf body-double inside, to make the shark look much bigger! The Great White Shark managed to get its mouth all the way round the cage and the actor within decided that was enough for him and vowed to fly back to LA!
Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo is the ideal movie for divers, and their kids, to while away a rainy afternoon. For divers, watching this film and seeing the attention to detail on the marine creatures characters is a joy. Bruce, the shark, is named after the model shark used in filming Jaws. Soon we will have the sequel to enjoy – Finding Dory.
Thunderball
A classic Sean Connery Bond film, with plenty of underwater scenes, filmed in the Bahamas. One of the sites used in the film is now called Thunderball Grotto and is a great place to spend the day snorkelling. The film is a 1960’s 007 homage to orange wetsuits, twinsets and spearguns.
After reading the sequence in the script with the sharks in Largo’s pool, Connery feared that his life would be in danger, so he insisted that production designer Ken Adam build a special Plexiglas partition inside the pool. However, the partition Adam built was not a fixed structure and one of the sharks managed to pass through it.
“He never got out of a pool faster in his life – he was walking on water,” said Adam.
Big Blue (le Grand Blue)
Luc Besson’s cult film about freediving is a must watch for any diver. Sporting rivalry, friendship, romance and freediving wrapped in wonderful cinematic underwater scenes.
The Abyss
James Cameron combines his sci-fi expertise with a love of the depths and creates a classic. To make the film, the cast and crew endured over six months of grueling six-day, 70-hour weeks on an isolated set. At one point, actress Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio had a physical and emotional breakdown on the set and on another occasion, actor Ed Harris burst into spontaneous sobbing while driving home. Following the film’s release, Harris publicly refused to ever again discuss the film, saying “I’m never talking about it and never will.” Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio said of the film “The Abyss was a lot of things. Fun to make is not one of them.”
Men of Honour
Robert De Nero and Cuba Gooding Jr star in a US Navy classic. It is inspired by the true story of Master chief petty officer Carl Brashear, the first African American master diver in the United States Navy.The film features the classic US Navy Mark V diving equipment used by the Navy from 1915 until 1985.
Sphere
Another heavy-weight cast and director combine to make another underwater alien encounter. In this case, the alien is called Jerry! The film is based on the 1987 novel of the same name by Jurassic Park author Michael Crichton.
The Life Aquatic
Completely nuts! Bill Murray and the cast have a blast, but does anyone know what is going on? And do you care?
Though the characters were inspired by such American novels as The Great Gatsby and The Magnificent Ambersons, the plot has been compared to Moby-Dick.
Deep Blue Sea
Samuel L. Jackson’s second film in our list. This has all the makings of a classic B movie. Sit down and prepare to laugh out loud! Scientists experiment on sharks to cure Alzheimer’s and it all goes horribly wrong.
Have you got a favourite dive related film that’s not on our list? Let us know in the comments section below!
For more from Nick and Caroline, check out our Underwater Photography Section or visit www.frogfishphotography.com.
