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Armageddon

Armageddon (1998 film)

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Armageddon

German theatrical poster
Directed by Michael Bay
Produced by Michael Bay
Jerry Bruckheimer
Gale Anne Hurd
Screenplay by Jonathan Hensleigh
J. J. Abrams
Tony Gilroy
Shane Salerno
Story by Robert Roy Pool
Jonathan Hensleigh
Narrated by Charlton Heston
Starring Bruce Willis
Billy Bob Thornton
Liv Tyler
Ben Affleck
Will Patton
Keith David
Steve Buscemi
Music by Trevor Rabin
Harry Gregson-Williams
Cinematography John Schwartzman
Editing by Mark Goldblatt
Chris Lebenzon
Glen Scantlebury
Studio Jerry Bruckheimer Films
Valhalla Motion Pictures
Distributed by Touchstone Pictures
Release date(s)
  • July 1, 1998 (1998-07-01)
Running time 151 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $140 million
Box office $553,709,788[1]

Armageddon is a 1998 American disaster film, directed by Michael Bay, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and released by Disney's Touchstone Pictures. The film follows a group of blue-collar deep-core drillers sent by NASA to stop a gigantic asteroid on a collision course with Earth. It features an ensemble cast including Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Owen Wilson, Will Patton, Peter Stormare, William Fichtner, Michael Clarke Duncan, Keith David and Steve Buscemi.

Armageddon opened in theaters only two-and-a-half months after a similar impact-based movie, Deep Impact, which starred Robert Duvall and Morgan Freeman. Armageddon fared better at the box office; astronomers described Deep Impact as being more scientifically accurate.[2][3] Both films were equally received by film critics. Armageddon was an international box-office success, despite generally negative reviews from critics. It became the highest-grossing film of 1998 worldwide surpassing the Steven Spielberg war epic, Saving Private Ryan.

Contents

  • 1 Plot
  • 2 Cast
  • 3 Production
  • 4 Release
    • 4.1 Critical reception
    • 4.2 Box office
    • 4.3 Scientific inaccuracies
    • 4.4 Accolades
    • 4.5 Home media
  • 5 Soundtracks
    • 5.1 Armageddon: The Album
      • 5.1.1 Track listing
      • 5.1.2 Chart positions
        • 5.1.2.1 End of decade charts
    • 5.2 Armageddon: Original Motion Picture Score by Trevor Rabin
  • 6 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
  • 7 Novelization
  • 8 Theme park attraction
  • 9 See also
  • 10 References
    • 10.1 Bibliography
  • 11 External links

Plot

The film begins with a pre-credit narration by Charlton Heston about the extinction of the dinosaurs caused by a 6-mile wide asteroid hitting the Earth 65 million years ago. In the present day, a massive meteor shower destroys the Space Shuttle Atlantis and bombards parts of New York City, the East Coast and Finland, and NASA discovers that a Texas-sized asteroid will collide with Earth in 18 days, creating another extinction event. With the military, NASA scientists, led by Dan Truman (Billy Bob Thornton) plan to embed a nuclear device 800 feet within the asteroid that, when detonated, will split the asteroid in two parts that will both safely fly past the Earth. NASA contacts Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis), considered the best deep-sea oil driller in the world, for assistance and advice. Harry returns to NASA along with his daughter Grace (Liv Tyler) to keep her away from one of his young and more rambunctious drillers, A. J. Frost (Ben Affleck), who has fallen in love with her much to Harry's dismay. Harry and Grace learn of the critical issues of the asteroid from Truman, and Harry explains he will need his team members, including A. J., to carry out the mission. Once they have been rounded up and Harry explains the situation to them, they agree to help, but only after they are assured of being rewarded from an eclectic list of demands.

As NASA puts Harry and his crew through a shortened rigorous astronaut training program, Harry and his team reoutfit the mobile drillers, named the "Armadillos", that NASA plans to use on the asteroid. When a large fragment from the asteroid wipes out Shanghai, NASA is forced to reveal its plans to the world. NASA launches two military space shuttles (U.S.A.F X-71s), named Freedom and Independence. Once in orbit, the shuttles dock with a Russian space station manned by Lev Andropov (Peter Stormare) to refuel with liquid oxygen. A fire breaks out during the transfer, and the station is evacuated before it explodes, with Lev and A. J. making a narrow escape on Independence. The shuttles continue the plan, slingshotting around the Moon in order to land on the backside of the asteroid. Traveling through the debris field behind the asteroid, Independence is punctured by debris and crashes onto the asteroid. Grace, watching from NASA headquarters, becomes distraught over A. J.'s apparent death.

Freedom lands safely, but the team realizes they missed their target area by 26 miles, and must now drill through an area composed of iron ferrite rather than the planned softer composition. When they fall significantly behind schedule and communications seem likely to fail, the military (by order of the President) intiates "Secondary Protocol"; where they will remote detonate the nuclear weapon on the asteroid's surface, which, according to Truman, will not have any effect. While Truman delays the military at Mission Control, Harry persuades the shuttle commander to disarm the bomb so they can complete the drilling.

Distracted by "Rockhound" (Steve Buscemi), who is suffering a mental breakdown, the Freedom crew loses its "Armadillo" when it strikes an explosive gas pocket and is blown into space. World panic ensues as the mission is assumed lost, just as another meteorite completely destroys Paris. A. J., Lev, and "Bear" (Michael Clarke Duncan), having survived the Independence crash, arrive in their "Armadillo" just in time to complete the drilling.

As the asteroid moves dangerously close to the earth, it begins to heat up, causing a dangerous rock storm that damages the bomb's remote trigger. They realize that someone must stay behind to trigger it manually. After all the non-flight crew volunteers, they draw straws, and A. J. is selected. As he and Harry exit the airlock, Harry rips A. J.'s air hose and shoves him back in, telling him that he's the son he never had, and he'd be proud to have him marry Grace. Harry assumes responsibility for detonating the bomb and contacts Grace to say his last goodbyes. After the Freedom moves to a safe distance, Harry detonates the bomb at the last minute (after some difficulty), and his life passes before his eyes as the bomb rips through the asteroid. The asteroid, as predicted, breaks in two, and both halves miss the Earth. Freedom lands, and the surviving crew are treated as heroes. The film ends with A. J. and Grace's wedding, complete with photos of Harry and the other lost crew members are present in memoriam.

Cast

  • Bruce Willis as Harry Stamper: Leader of shuttle Freedom drill team.
  • Ben Affleck as A. J. Frost: Leader and Armadillo operator of shuttle Independence drill team.
  • Billy Bob Thornton as Dan Truman: Head of NASA, discovers the asteroid and organizes the plan to destroy it.
  • Liv Tyler as Grace Stamper: Daughter of Harry Stamper and A.J.'s fiancee.
  • Will Patton as Charles "Chick" Chappel: Harry's best friend and drill team member of shuttle Freedom.
  • Steve Buscemi as "Rockhound": Geologist of shuttle Freedom.
  • Michael Clarke Duncan as J. Otis "Bear" Kurleenbear: Member of shuttle Independence drill team.
  • Peter Stormare as Lev Andropov: Russian cosmonaut and overseer of the Russian Space Station.
  • William Fichtner as Colonel Willie Sharp: Commander, Shuttle Freedom, Senior Commander of Mission.
  • Ken Hudson Campbell as Max Lennert: Operator of the Armadillo of shuttle Freedom drill team.
  • Keith David as General Kimsey: Member of US government who proposes using nukes to shoot down the asteroid.
  • Owen Wilson as Oscar Choice: Geologist of shuttle Independence.
  • Jessica Steen as Jennifer Watts: Pilot of shuttle Freedom.
  • Clark Heathcliffe Brolly as Freddy Noonan: Member of shuttle Independence drill team.
  • Grayson McCouch as Gruber: Munitions specialist of shuttle Freedom.
  • Jason Isaacs as Dr. Ronald Quincy: Head scientist at NASA, who comes up with the idea of blowing up the asteroid from inside.
  • Judith Hoag as Denise Chappel: Chick's ex-wife who has not allowed Chick to be part of their son's life, until she realizes that he's one of the astronauts on the mission to destroy the asteroid.
  • Dyllan Christopher as Tommy Chappel: Chick's son who does not know his father till the end of the movie.
  • Marshall R. Teague as Colonel Davis: Commander, Shuttle Independence.
  • Anthony Guidera as Captain Tucker: Pilot of shuttle Independence.
  • Greg Collins as Lt. Halsey: Munitions specialist of shuttle Independence.
  • Chris Ellis as NASA Flight Director Clark, the coordinator of the mission and Truman's immediate subordinate.
  • Stanley Anderson as the president of the United States.
  • Charlton Heston as the narrator.
  • Lawrence Tierney as Harry Stamper's father (uncredited)
  • Udo Kier as extremely cynical NASA flight surgeon who finds himself subjected to the rambunctious behavior of the flight crew he is supposed to psychoanalyze.

Production

In May 1998, Disney chairman Joe Roth expanded the film's budget by $3 million to include additional special effects scenes. This additional footage, incorporated two months prior to the film's release, was specifically added for the television advertising campaign to differentiate the film from Deep Impact which was released a few months before.[4]

Release

Prior to Armageddon's release, the film was advertised in Super Bowl XXXII at a cost of $2.6 million.[5]

Critical reception

The film was given generally negative reviews, and it received a large amount of criticism from film reviewers, although it was an international box office success. On Rotten Tomatoes it scored a 40% "Rotten" rating;[6] on a similar website, Metacritic, it scores a comparable 42%. The film is on the list of Roger Ebert's most hated films.[7] In his original review, Ebert stated, "The movie is an assault on the eyes, the ears, the brain, common sense and the human desire to be entertained".[8] Todd McCarthy of Variety also gave the film a negative review, noting Michael Bay's rapid cutting style: "Much of the confusion, as well as the lack of dramatic rhythm or character development, results directly from Bay's cutting style, which resembles a machine gun stuck in the firing position for 2½ hours."[9] It was also subjected to an extensive scathing review at Agony Booth.[10]

According to author Eric Lichtenfeld:

"When it comes to answering critics, Bay himself is one of Hollywood's most outspoken directors. Responding to Peter Travers's scathing review of Armageddon, Bay wrote a letter to the editor of Rolling Stone asking if Travers knows something "that the other two million people around the world who saw my movie don't?" (Incidentally, while Bay claims that Travers hates blockbusters, the critic had been ardent in his enthusiasm for Speed and Air Force One.) As Bay's letter continues, it seems to suggest that the film's popularity is tantamount to, or should at least override questions of, its quality."
—Eric Lichtenfeld, Action Speaks Louder

According to Bruce Joel Rubin, writer of Deep Impact, a "president at Disney" took notes on everything the writer said during lunch about his script and initiated Armageddon as a counter film at Disney.[11]

Box office

Armageddon had a budget of US$140,000,000 and in its opening weekend it grossed $36,089,972.[1] Throughout its release, it grossed $201,578,182 in the United States and Canada and $352,131,606 in foreign markets for a total of $553,709,788 worldwide.[1]

Scientific inaccuracies

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Michael Bay admitted that the central premise of the film, "that [NASA] could actually do something in a situation like this," was unrealistic. Robert Roy Pool, a contributing screenwriter, stated that his script, in which an anti-gravity device is used to deflect a comet from a collision course with Earth, was "much more in line with top-secret research."[12] Additionally, near the end of the credits there is a disclaimer stating, "The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's cooperation and assistance does not reflect an endorsement of the contents of the film or the treatment of the characters depicted therein."[13]

NASA shows the film as part of its management training program. Prospective managers are asked to find as many inaccuracies in the movie as they can. At least 168 impossible things have been found during these screenings of the film.[14]

Accolades

The film was nominated for four Oscars at the 1999 Academy Awards: 'Best Sound' (Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell and Keith A. Wester), 'Best Visual Effects', 'Best Sound Effects Editing', and 'Best Original Song (I Don't Want To Miss A Thing performed by Aerosmith)'.[15] The film received the Saturn Awards for Best Direction and Best Science Fiction Film (where it tied with Dark City). It was also nominated for seven Razzie Awards[16] including: Worst Actor (Bruce Willis), Worst Picture, Worst Director, Worst Screenplay, Worst Supporting Actress (Liv Tyler), Worst Screen Couple (Tyler and Ben Affleck) and Worst Original Song. Only one Razzie was awarded: Bruce Willis received the Worst Actor award for Armageddon, in addition to his appearances in Mercury Rising and The Siege, both released in the same year as this film.

Home media

Despite the general critical disdain, a DVD edition of Armageddon was released by The Criterion Collection, a specialist film distributor of primarily arthouse films that markets what it considers to be "important classic and contemporary films" and "cinema at its finest". In an essay supporting the selection of Armageddon, film scholar Jeanine Basinger, who taught Michael Bay at Wesleyan University, states that the film is "a work of art by a cutting-edge artist who is a master of movement, light, color, and shape—and also of chaos, razzle-dazzle, and explosion". She sees it as a celebration of working men: "This film makes these ordinary men noble, lifting their efforts up into an epic event." Further, she states that in the first few moments of the film all the main characters are well established, saying, "If that isn't screenwriting, I don't know what is".[17]

Soundtracks

Armageddon: The Album

Armageddon
Soundtrack album by Various artists
Released June 23, 1998
Genre Pop
Rock
Length 56:35
Label Sony Records

The soundtrack features the song "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", performed by Aerosmith. The soundtrack also features the song "Remember Me", as performed by Journey. Our Lady Peace's "Starseed" is a remixed version of the original.

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Artist Length
1. "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"   Diane Warren Aerosmith 4:59
2. "Remember Me"   Jonathan Cain, Neal Schon, Jack Blades Journey 5:29
3. "What Kind of Love Are You On"   Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Jack Blades, Tommy Shaw Aerosmith 3:16
4. "La Grange"   Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank Beard ZZ Top 3:35
5. "Roll Me Away"   Bob Seger Bob Seger 4:38
6. "When the Rainbow Comes"   Karl Wallinger Shawn Colvin 4:21
7. "Sweet Emotion"   Tyler, Tom Hamilton Aerosmith 5:10
8. "Mister Big Time"   Jon Bon Jovi, Aldo Nova Jon Bon Jovi 2:48
9. "Come Together"   John Lennon, Paul McCartney Aerosmith 3:45
10. "Wish I Were You"   Patty Smyth-MacEnroe, Glen Burtnik Patty Smyth 3:49
11. "Starseed"   Raine Maida Our Lady Peace 4:20
12. "Leaving on a Jet Plane"   John Denver Chantal Kreviazuk 4:41
13. "Theme from Armageddon"   Trevor Rabin Trevor Rabin 3:08
14. "Animal Crackers" (Dialogue by Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler) Warren, Rabin, Harry Gregson-Williams Steven Tyler 2:36
Total length:
56:36

Chart positions

Year Chart Position
1998 The Billboard 200 1
End of decade charts
Chart (1990–1999) Position
U.S. Billboard 200[18] 94
Preceded by
City of Angels (soundtrack) by Various artists
Billboard 200 number-one album
July 18–31, 1998
Succeeded by
Hello Nasty by Beastie Boys

Armageddon: Original Motion Picture Score by Trevor Rabin

Armageddon
Soundtrack album by Trevor Rabin
Released November 10, 1998
Genre Soundtracks
Original Score
Film score
Label Sony

There was also an instrumental score titled Armageddon: Original Motion Picture Score by Trevor Rabin and Harry Gregson-Williams. Rabin was formerly a member of the progressive rock band Yes and Gregson-Williams was a former Hans Zimmer's disciple and protegé.[citation needed]

  1. "Armageddon Suite"
  2. "Harry & Grace Make Peace"
  3. "A.J.'s Return"
  4. "Oil Rig"
  5. "Leaving"
  6. "Evacuation"
  7. "Harry Arrives at NASA"
  8. "Back in Business"
  9. "Launch"
  10. "5 Words"
  11. "Underwater Simulation"
  12. "Finding Grace"
  13. "Armadillo"
  14. "Short Straw"
  15. "Rockstorm"
  16. "Demands"
  17. "Death of MIR"
  18. "Armageddon Piano"
  19. "Long Distance Goodbye/Landing"

Space Shuttle Columbia disaster

Following the 2003 Columbia disaster, some screen captures from the opening scene where Atlantis is destroyed were passed off as satellite images of the disaster in a hoax.[19] Also, in response to the disaster, FX pulled Armageddon from the night's schedule and replaced it with Aliens.[20]

Novelization

A novelization was written by C. Bolin, based on the screenplay by Jonathan Hensleigh, J.J. Abrams, Tony Gilroy and Shane Salerno and the story by Jonathan Hensleigh and Robert Pool.[citation needed]

Theme park attraction

Armageddon – Les Effets Speciaux is an attraction based on Armageddon at Walt Disney Studios Park located at Disneyland Paris.[21] The attraction simulates the scene in the movie in which the Russian Space Station is destroyed.[22] Michael Clarke Duncan ("Bear" in the movie) features in the pre-show.[22]

See also

Film portal
  • List of American films of 1998
  • Asteroid deflection strategies
  • List of disaster films
  • Meteor (film)
  • Deep Impact (film)

References

  1. ^ a b c "Armageddon (1998)". Box Office Mojo. 1998-10-11. class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved 2009-12-13. 
  2. ^ "Disaster Movies". Box Office Mojo. class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved 2008-03-23. 
  3. ^ Plait, Phil (2000-02-17). "Hollywood Does the Universe Wrong". Space.com. class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.btitle=Hollywood+Does+the+Universe+Wrong&rft.atitle=&rft.aulast=Plait%2C+Phil&rft.au=Plait%2C+Phil&rft.date=2000-02-17&rft.pub=Space.com&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2Fopinionscolumns%2Fopinions%2Fplait_000217.html&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Armageddon_(1998_film)"> 
  4. ^ Lichtenfeld, p. 221
  5. ^ Lichtenfeld, p. 224
  6. ^ Armageddon – Movie Review – Rotten Tomatoes
  7. ^ Ebert, Roger (2005-08-11). "Ebert's Most Hated". Chicago Sun-Times. class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved 2011-01-14. 
  8. ^ Roger Ebert – Armageddon. Rogerebert.suntimes.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-14.
  9. ^ Lichtenfeld, p. 220
  10. ^ Armageddon (1998) Recap Not a Review @ the agony booth : making fun of movies and TV since 2002. Booth.bz. Retrieved on 2012-05-14.
  11. ^ "Tales from the Script: Hollywood Screenwriters Share Their Stories – - Nonfiction Book & Film Project About Screenwriting". Talesfromthescript.com. class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved 2011-04-29. 
  12. ^ Daly, Steve (March 27, 1998). "The Hype That Fell To Earth". 
  13. ^ TOUCHSTONE PICTURES ARMAGEDDON. movie-page.com
  14. ^ "New Scientist (September 1, 2007), "Feedback" p 72: ISSN 0262-4079". class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved 2010-04-05. 
  15. ^ "The 71st Academy Awards (1999) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved 2011-11-19. 
  16. ^ "1998 Golden Rasberry Award Nominees and Winners". class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved 30 April 2006. 
  17. ^ The Criterion Collection: Armageddon by Michael Bay. Criterion.com. Retrieved on 2012-05-14.
  18. ^ Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved October 15, 2010. 
  19. ^ "Photos of the Shuttle Columbia Disaster?". BreakTheChain.org. class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved 2009-12-13. 
  20. ^ Sue Chan (2003-02-03). "TV Pulls Shuttle Sensitive Material, Hewlett-Packard Ad, Bruce Willis Movie Yanked From Air". CBS News. class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved 2009-12-13. 
  21. ^ "Armageddon – Backlot – Disneyland® Resort Paris". International.parks.disneylandparis.com. class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved 2011-04-29. 
  22. ^ a b "Armageddon – Les Effets Speciaux | Photos Magiques – Disneyland Paris photos". Photos Magiques. class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved 2011-04-29. 

Bibliography

  • Lichtenfeld, Eric (2007). Action Speaks Louder. Middletown, Connecticut: Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 0-8195-6801-5. class="Z3988" title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Action+Speaks+Louder&rft.aulast=Lichtenfeld&rft.aufirst=Eric&rft.au=Lichtenfeld%2C%26%2332%3BEric&rft.date=2007&rft.place=Middletown%2C+Connecticut&rft.pub=Wesleyan+University+Press&rft.isbn=0-8195-6801-5&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Ftbs%3Dbks%3A1%26q%3Disbn%3A0819568015&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Armageddon_(1998_film)"> 

External links

  • Armageddon at the Internet Movie Database
  • Armageddon at AllRovi
  • Armageddon at Box Office Mojo
  • Armageddon at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Armageddon -vs- Deep Impact at Movie Smackdown!
  • Criterion Collection essay by Jeanine Basinger, from a Wesleyan University professor under whom the film's director studied
  • Movie Physics review of Armageddon
  • Bad Astronomy – The Astronomy of Armageddon
  • Movie Tour Guide.com – Maps and directions to Armageddon Filming Locations
  • Ketzer.com – The Armageddon movie props and costumes archive