The Abyss


2h 20m 1989

Brief Synopsis

A group of civilian divers are pressed into service by the United States Navy to search out and rescue a stricken nuclear submarine.

Film Details

Also Known As
Abyss, Abyss: Special Edition, The, Avgrunden, L' Oeuvre au noir, Oeuvre au noir, L'
MPAA Rating
Genre
Action
Adventure
Fantasy
Thriller
Release Date
1989
Production Company
Knox White
Distribution Company
20th Century Fox Distribution
Location
Westport, Washington, USA; Harbor Star Stage, San Pedro, California, USA; Earl Owensby Studios, Gaffney, South Carolina, USA

Technical Specs

Duration
2h 20m

Synopsis

A group of civilian divers are pressed into service by the United States Navy to search out and rescue a stricken nuclear submarine.

Crew

Scott L Alexander

Pilot

Scott L Alexander

Assistant

Craig Allen

Video

Ken Allen

Matte Painter

David Amborn

Special Effects

Stan Amborn

Best Boy

Ira Anderson

Other

John Anderson

Driver

Larz Anderson

Digital Effects Supervisor

Rick Anderson

Visual Effects

Scott E Anderson

Cgi Artist

Deena Appel

Costume Supervisor

Newton Arnold

Assistant Director

Paul Babin

Camera Operator

Michael Backauskas

Other

Michael Backes

Consultant

Wayne Baker

Camera Operator

Mark Barbarino

Other

Philip Barberio

Other

Bill Barschdorf

Other

Dave Bartholomew

Electrician

Don Bassman

Sound

Scott Beattie

Motion Control

Robert Beck

Other

Steve Beck

Art Director

James Belkin

Assistant Camera Operator

Bill Bell

Electrician

Jennifer C. Bell

Other

Peter B Bennett

Assistant

Scott Beverly

Production Associate

David Bifano

Audio

Michael Bigelow

Motion Control

Mark Biggers

Other

Kristina Birkmayer

Production Coordinator

Danny Blanton

Assistant

Nancy Blewer-mahaffey

Set Production Assistant

Clay Boss

Stunts

Ty Boyce

Visual Effects Designer

Marr Bradley

Other

Marr Bradley

Pilot

Evan Brainard

Other

Denny Breese

Other

Martin Bresin

Special Effects

Eric Brevig

Photography

Steve Brock

Electrician

Daniel D Brown

Visual Effects

Dean Brown

Assistant

Marc Brown

Assistant Camera Operator

Matt Brown

Production Assistant

John Bruno

Visual Effects Supervisor

Greg Bryant

Other

Conrad Buff

Editor

Laura Buff

Visual Effects

Stephen Burg

Miniatures

Jeff Burks

Animation Supervisor

Gary Burritt

Negative Cutting

Dave Caldwell

Visual Effects

James Cameron

Screenplay

Mike Cameron

Other

Dwight Campbell

Gaffer

James B Campbell

Original Music

Scott Campbell

Motion Control

Mark Cane

Assistant Camera Operator

Kevin E Carpenter

Sound

Kurt Carpenter

Other

Mike Cassidy

Stunts

Ray Cavaluzzi

Visual Effects

Bob Cecchini

Camera Assistant

Camille Cellucci

Production Assistant

Mike Chambers

Effects Coordinator

Andy Chapman

Location Manager

Kathy Chasen-hay

Editor

Rosemary Chastney

Continuity

James Childers

Gaffer

Peter Childs

Art Director

Terry Chostner

Camera

Russell Christian

Art Director

Chuck Clarke

Transportation Coordinator

Walter Clayton

Lighting

Kevin F Cleary

Sound

Ron Cobb

Other

Brian E Cole

Art Department

Michael Condro

Motion Control

Joe Cooper

Other

Tony Cope

Production

Stuart Copley

Sound Editor

Tim Corbin

Caterer

Jack Cornish

Carpenter

Larry Coster

Electrician

Arnold Crotts

Other

Bob K Cummings

Stunts

Mike Cummins

Visual Effects

Mike Daigle

Scenic Artist

Phillip Darlington

Other

Henry Darnell

Visual Effects

Dane A. Davis

Sound Effects

Scott D. Davis

Dolly Grip

Nancy De Los Santos

Assistant

Brian Delahanty

Transportation Captain

Mike Deluna

Stunts

Jeff Denker

Assistant

Beth Depatie

Production Assistant

Daniel Deschamps

Production Assistant

Leslie Dilley

Production Designer

Mark A.z. Dippt

Cgi Artist

Daren R. Dochterman

Art Assistant

George D Dodge

Camera Operator

Dody Dorn

Sound Editor

Dody Dorn

Sound Supervisor

Joe Dorn

Adr Editor

John Douglass

Special Effects

Miller Drake

Editor

Michael Dressel

Sound Editor

Phyllis Drury

Other

Christopher Duddy

Photography

Glenn Edwards

Mechanical Special Effects

Jeff Edwards

Special Effects

Jim English

Project Manager

Jon Epstein

Stunts

Deborah Everton

Costume Designer

Davis Ewing

Assistant

Ernest D. Farino

Consultant

Ernest D. Farino

Titles

Yuri Farrant

Camera

Kathleen Feeney

Pilot

Kathleen Feeney

Assistant

James Ferrell

On-Set Dresser

Howard Feuer

Casting

Eric Fiedler

Other

Glory Fioramonti

Stunts

Stephen J Fisher

Assistant Director

Richard Foreman

Photography

Dale Forest

Production Assistant

Ian Fox

Assistant Camera Operator

Jim Fredburg

Special Effects

David Frederick

Production Assistant

John Frost

Pilot

John Frost

Other

Kris Fullan

Other

Alex Funke

Photography

Bruce Fuoco

Pilot

Bruce Fuoco

Other

Robert Garrett

Music

Dean Gates

Visual Effects

Jacques Gaudreault

Pilot

Jacques Gaudreault

Assistant

Robin Gauss

Other

Adam Gelbart

Visual Effects

Mark Gengler

Consultant

Lowell George

Song

Stephen A George

Lighting

Howell Gibbens

Sound Editor

Julia Gibson

Production Supervisor

Al Giddings

Director Of Photography

Al Giddings

Dp/Cinematographer

Gershon Ginsburg

Set Designer

Jean Giraud

Concept Artist

Jack Gittings

Visual Effects Designer

David Goldberg

Miniatures

Tim Goldberg

Location Manager

Joel Goodman

Editor

Robert Gordon

Accounting Assistant

Bob Gorelick

Steadicam Operator

John Grafman

Production

Laura Graham

Sound Editor

Peter Grant

Props

Peter Grant

Other

James Green

Photography

Jim Greenall

Special Effects

Laura Greenlee

Production Coordinator

Michael Griffin

Camera Assistant

Rhonda Gunner

Video

Gene Guval

Mechanical Special Effects

Bob Hagans

Color Timer

Hilbert Hakim

Set Production Assistant

Mike Hall

Carpenter

Cris Hammond

Visual Effects

Wes Hanson

Other

Joni Harding-waller

Other

Jim Cody Harrington

Key Grip

Roy Harrison

Stunts

Motoyoshi Hata

Special Effects

Bruce Hayes

Other

Vince Heileson

Production Accountant

Mike Helgeson

Driver

Erik Henry

Assistant Editor

Gloria Hetfield

Stunts

Robert Hill

Camera Assistant

Robert G Hoelen

Grip

John Hoeren

Sound Editor

Richard Hollander

Video

Marcia Holley

Stunts

Michael Hood

Other

Michael Hosch

Special Effects

Lincoln Hu

Cgi Artist

Robert Huber

Key Grip

Karen Hughes

Other

Troy Hughes

Other

John Huneck

Camera Operator

Leslie Huntley

Production Supervisor

Film Details

Also Known As
Abyss, Abyss: Special Edition, The, Avgrunden, L' Oeuvre au noir, Oeuvre au noir, L'
MPAA Rating
Genre
Action
Adventure
Fantasy
Thriller
Release Date
1989
Production Company
Knox White
Distribution Company
20th Century Fox Distribution
Location
Westport, Washington, USA; Harbor Star Stage, San Pedro, California, USA; Earl Owensby Studios, Gaffney, South Carolina, USA

Technical Specs

Duration
2h 20m

Award Wins

Best Visual Effects

1989

Award Nominations

Best Art Direction

1989
Leslie Dilley

Best Cinematography

1989

Best Sound

1989

Quotes

Trivia

Miscellaneous Notes

Released in United States Summer August 9, 1989

Re-released in United States February 26, 1993

Released in United States on Video March 29, 1990

Re-released in United States on Video August 20, 1996

Released in United States October 1989

Shown at Sitges Film Festival, Spain October 1989.

Completed shooting December 8, 1988.

Began shooting August 15, 1988.

Some special effects were shot on 65mm film.

The novelization of the film was written by Orson Scott Card, and published by Pocket Books in June 1989.

Re-released in United States February 26, 1993 (special edition; New York City and Los Angeles)

Released in United States on Video March 29, 1990

Re-released in United States on Video August 20, 1996 (widescreen version)

Released in United States October 1989 (Shown at Sitges Film Festival, Spain October 1989.)

Released in United States Summer August 9, 1989