Ghosts of the Abyss
Encyclopedia
Ghosts of the Abyss is a 2003 documentary film
released by Walt Disney Pictures
and Walden Media
. It was Disney's first film produced in 3-D
and was directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker James Cameron
after his Oscar winning film Titanic
. During August and September, 2001, Cameron and a group of scientists stage an expedition to the wreck of the Titanic, and dive in Russian deep-submersibles to obtain more detailed images than anyone has before. With the help of two small, purpose-built remotely-operated vehicles, nicknamed "Jake" and "Elwood", the audience too can see inside the Titanic and with the help of CGI
, audiences can view the ship's original appearance superimposed on the deep-dive images.
Also along for the ride Cameron invites friend and actor Bill Paxton
who played Brock Lovett in the 1997 film
. He narrates the event through his eyes. The film itself was premiered for IMAX
3D and was also nominated for a BFCA
award for Best Documentary. The submersibles Mir 1 and Mir 2
carried the Ghosts of the Abyss team
on twelve dives.
returns to the site of the wreck of the RMS Titanic. With a team of history and marine experts and friend Bill Paxton
, he embarks on an unscripted adventure back to the final grave where 1,517 people lost their lives. Using technology developed for this expedition, Cameron and his crew are able to explore virtually all of the wreckage, inside and out, as never before. This documentary was made for IMAX 3D Theatres and specially outfitted 35mm 3D theaters. Cameron and his team bring audiences to sights not seen since the sinking 91 years previously to the filming and explore why the vessel continues to intrigue and fascinate the public.
.
The feature film
on the DVD is 90 minutes long and is available in a 2-disc edition and as the 5th disc in the Titanic 5-Disc Deluxe Limited Edition.
's songs were composed and conducted by Joel McNeely, and the orchestrations were conducted by David Brown, Marshall Bowen, and Frank Macchia. The album was also recorded and mixed by Rich Breen, edited by Craig Pettigrew, and mastered by Pat Sullivan. The album was ultimately produced by James Cameron
, Randy Gerston and Joel McNeely and released by Disney's Hollywood Records
label.
Track listing
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
released by Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
and Walden Media
Walden Media
Walden Media is a children's film production and publishing company best known as the producers of The Chronicles of Narnia series. Its films are based on notable classic or award-winning children's literature, compelling biographies or historical events, documentaries and some original...
. It was Disney's first film produced in 3-D
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
and was directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker James Cameron
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
after his Oscar winning film Titanic
Titanic (1997 film)
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
. During August and September, 2001, Cameron and a group of scientists stage an expedition to the wreck of the Titanic, and dive in Russian deep-submersibles to obtain more detailed images than anyone has before. With the help of two small, purpose-built remotely-operated vehicles, nicknamed "Jake" and "Elwood", the audience too can see inside the Titanic and with the help of CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
, audiences can view the ship's original appearance superimposed on the deep-dive images.
Also along for the ride Cameron invites friend and actor Bill Paxton
Bill Paxton
William "Bill" Paxton is an American actor and film director. He gained popularity after starring roles in the films Apollo 13, Twister, Aliens, True Lies, and Titanic...
who played Brock Lovett in the 1997 film
Titanic (1997 film)
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
. He narrates the event through his eyes. The film itself was premiered for IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
3D and was also nominated for a BFCA
Broadcast Film Critics Association
The Broadcast Film Critics Association is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada , representing approximately 250 television, radio and online critics....
award for Best Documentary. The submersibles Mir 1 and Mir 2
MIR (submersible)
Mir is a self-propelled Deep Submergence Vehicle. The project was initially developed by the USSR Academy of Sciences along with Design Bureau Lazurith. Later two vehicles were ordered from Finland...
carried the Ghosts of the Abyss team
on twelve dives.
Outline
Director James CameronJames Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
returns to the site of the wreck of the RMS Titanic. With a team of history and marine experts and friend Bill Paxton
Bill Paxton
William "Bill" Paxton is an American actor and film director. He gained popularity after starring roles in the films Apollo 13, Twister, Aliens, True Lies, and Titanic...
, he embarks on an unscripted adventure back to the final grave where 1,517 people lost their lives. Using technology developed for this expedition, Cameron and his crew are able to explore virtually all of the wreckage, inside and out, as never before. This documentary was made for IMAX 3D Theatres and specially outfitted 35mm 3D theaters. Cameron and his team bring audiences to sights not seen since the sinking 91 years previously to the filming and explore why the vessel continues to intrigue and fascinate the public.
Release
The film was screened out of competition at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival2003 Cannes Film Festival
The 2003 Cannes Film Festival started on May 14 and ran until May 25. The Palme d'Or went to the American film Elephant by Gus Van Sant.-Jury:* Patrice Chéreau, President * Aishwarya Rai * Meg Ryan * Karin Viard...
.
The feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
on the DVD is 90 minutes long and is available in a 2-disc edition and as the 5th disc in the Titanic 5-Disc Deluxe Limited Edition.
Soundtrack
The official soundtrackSoundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
's songs were composed and conducted by Joel McNeely, and the orchestrations were conducted by David Brown, Marshall Bowen, and Frank Macchia. The album was also recorded and mixed by Rich Breen, edited by Craig Pettigrew, and mastered by Pat Sullivan. The album was ultimately produced by James Cameron
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
, Randy Gerston and Joel McNeely and released by Disney's Hollywood Records
Hollywood Records
Hollywood Records is an American record label owned by Disney Music Group, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company.-History:Hollywood Records was founded in 1989 by then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner with the idea of expanding the music operations of the company and to develop and promote...
label.
Track listing
- Departure (written and performed by Glen PhillipsGlen PhillipsGlen Phillips is a songwriter, lyricist, singer and guitarist. He is best known as the singer and songwriter of 1990s alternative rock group Toad the Wet Sprocket.-Personal life:...
) (2:33) - Main Title (1:16)
- Apprehension (1:29)
- Getting Ready (1:20)
- Titanic Revealed (3:11)
- Floating Above the Deck (3:01)
- Dangerous Recovery (1:28)
- Valse Septembre (written by Felix Godin) (2:19)
- The Windows (0:47)
- Jake and Elwood (2:14)
- The Bots Go In (1:33)
- Titsy Bitsy Girl (written by Ivan CaryllIvan CaryllFélix Marie Henri Tilkin , better known by his pen name Ivan Caryll, was a Belgian composer of operettas and Edwardian musical comedies in the English language...
and Lionel MoncktonLionel MoncktonLionel John Alexander Monckton was an English writer and composer of musical theatre. He was Britain's most popular musical theatre composer of the early years of the 20th century.-Early life:...
) (1:52) - The Grand Staircase (1:33)
- Exploring the Staterooms (1:51)
- Song Without Words (written by Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky) (2:26)
- Elegance Past (2:10)
- Building the Ship (1:28)
- I... I Had to Go (1:54)
- The Ship's Engines (1:42)
- Alexander's Ragtime Band (written by Irving BerlinIrving BerlinIrving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...
) (1:53) - The Final Day (2:15)
- The End (3:17)
- Memorials (1:18)
- Go Toward the Light (1:31)
- The Next Morning (2:08)
- Nearer My God to Thee (written by John B. Dykes) (0:55)
- Saying Goodbye to Titanic (1:55)
- Eternal Father, Strong to Save (written by John B. Dykes and William WhitingWilliam WhitingWilliam Whiting was an English writer and hymnist, best known for his 1860 hymn Eternal Father, Strong to Save ....
) (3:02) - Darkness, DarknessDarkness, Darkness"Darkness, Darkness" is a song written by Jesse Colin Young in 1969 which has been covered by many artists. It initially appeared on The Youngbloods album Elephant Mountain...
(written by Jesse Colin YoungJesse Colin YoungJesse Colin Young is an American singer / songwriter / folksinger and a founding member of the group The Youngbloods.-Early life:...
, performed by Lisa Torban) (4:05)