Plunging into dark waters, ‘The Abyss’ takes viewers on a ride into the depths of the unknown. What will they find and just how big of a threat will it cause for the entire world? In this article, we will take a look at behind the scenes details concerning this science fiction film.
‘The Abyss’ Trivia and Facts
The director and writer for this film was James Cameron, who also great hits like ‘Terminator,’ ‘Terminator 3,’ ‘Aliens,’ and ‘Titanic.’
‘The Abyss’ was classified as an action, sci-fi, thriller, adventure, and drama.
Before filming of the movie started, the director (James Cameron) contacted Orson Scott Card to ask permission of producing a book based on the film. At first, Card did not like the idea of what he called “novelizations.” However, he wound up making an exception when he found out that the interested party was James Cameron. When the script arrived, Card was on board , with the concession that he could mold the novel in the way he saw fit. After a meeting with Cameron, Card went straight to work on the first three chapters. These chapters would come in handy for the actors and actresses, as Cameron gave the material to Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio to help with the development of their characters.
Before filming for the movie started, cast members were instructed to become certified divers.
The masks worn during the filming of the movie were especially made to reveal the faces of the actors.
Microphones were also placed in strategic places so that the dialogue spoken at the time could be transferred into the film. During sound post-production, the sounds that came from the regulators in the helmets were removed in the end.
The unfinished nuclear reactor facility in Gaffney, South Carolina became the largest underwater set in the world. It held 7 million gallons of water.
Ironically, Michael Biehn’s character is bitten on the arm by another character. This is not the first time this has happened to him. In fact, it has occurred in every James Cameron movie that he has appeared in , The Terminator (1984) and Aliens (1986).
Director trademarks to appear in the film include the fading of the title. At the start of the movie, you will see the blue “Y” in the opening credits extend and then fade into the underwater setting with the submarine. Another feature of James Cameron films is the emphasis of feet, as seen in the scene where the soldiers arrive at the supply ship and emerge out of the helicopters.
In the final installment of ‘Alien Movie Trivia and Facts: ‘The Abyss’ (1989), the third part of the article will provide information on some of the exciting achievements that the movie marked; some of the hardships that the crew, actors, and actresses encountered; and some of the places that filming took place.