DEEPSTAR SIX
US, 1989, 90 minutes, Colour.
Taurean Blacque, Nancy Everhard, Greg Evigan, Miguel Ferrer, Nia Peeples, Cindy Pickett.
Directed by Sean S.Cunningham.
Deep Star Six is an underwater action adventure. It focuses on technology, the establishing of a missile base on the bottom of the sea. There are the usual confrontations between characters. There is also a mysterious presence which may or may not be scientifically explained. Ultimately, a monster appears - rather late in the film. From then on there is a touch of Alien under the sea.
The film might be compared with its contemporary adventure, Leviathan. Leviathan is bigger in scope, has more name stars, also introduces the horror element from the beginning. It is much more parallel with Alien.
Those interested in technology might find this action interesting and straightforward - those expecting more explicit horror might be impatient until the final part of the film. Direction is by Sean S. Cunningham, director of the first Friday the 13th film as well as A Stranger is Watching.
1. Enjoyable undersea action? Human confrontations? Coping with disasters? Monster?
2. Underwater photography, the base on the bottom of the sea, the sea vessels and the technology? The action sequences? The special effects for the monster? Explosions? Decompression? Musical score?
3. The title, the focus on the mission, underwater? The collapse of the mission?
4. The basic premise: the American navy and its commission, investigating the establishment of a settlement on the bottom of the sea, the establishing of the missile base? The group underwater for six months? Communications? Tensions? The possibility of leave in the offing? The disasters?
5. Collins and McBride? Their relationship, her pregnancy, this being discovered? McBride? and his work, friendship with the captain, going to the rescue, saving Collins, the dangers with the flooding of the vessel, the death of the captain, his grief? Confrontations with Snyder? Surviving? The bond with Collins? Collins and her expertise, in the sea tracker, the loss of communications, her fellow scientist being killed? The rescue? The truth about the child? Collins and McBride? as the final couple, the dangers they experienced, the mending of the leak, in the decompression chamber? The monster following them to the surface? McBride's ingenuity with the explosion? The happy ending?
6. Dr Norris, her efficiency on the staff, her abilities, taking charge, decisions, her being able to keep people in control, the final confrontations, her death?
7. Snyder - as villain, his nastiness to people, nerviness, wanting to go to the surface, communications? His following the letter of the book, causing the nuclear explosion, causing the wave? His nervousness and fear, cowardice? His imagination of Van Gelder attacking him? His fears, running away, into the decompression chamber, his being decompressed and dying?
8. Dr Van Gelder, the professor, the missile base, ignoring the information about the caves? His having to make decisions with the final group, the monster taking him?
9. Richardson and his girlfriend? Her conscientiousness, the caverns? His ingenuity? Their action in time of trouble, Richardson's sympathy to McBride? after the death of the captain? His being cut in half? Her death?
10. The captain, the family man, his friendliness with people, concern, the nature of the mission? His going to the rescue, ingenuity in avoiding the monster, his death with the door, flooding the compartment?
11. The trackers, their losing their equipment, the monster separating them from the group?
12. The visualising of the monster, the scientific background, nuclear explosions, light, people interfering with the bottom of the sea? The monster's pursuit of the humans?
13. Nuclear themes - and missile bases, nuclear explosions at the bottom of the sea and their reactions? Ecology and disturbing nature, the creating of monsters? Human beings as scientists, as sailors, obeying orders, using their initiative? Confronting disasters?
