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The Neptune Factor

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Wikipedia article




'The Neptune Factor', also known as 'The Neptune Disaster',[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070438/releaseinfo#akas Alternate Titles for THE NEPTUNE FACTOR] at IMDb is a 1973 science fiction film directed by Daniel Petrie, featuring underwater cinematography by Paul Herbermann. The film's special effects utilized underwater photography of miniatures with actual marine life.

Plot



Marine scientists prepare to leave their underwater 'Oceanlab' after an extended stay performing oceanographic research. An underwater earthquake interrupts their plans. Dr. Andrews (Walter Pidgeon) enlists experimental sub captain Adrien Blake (Ben Gazzara) to survey the damage and rescue the oceanauts. He brings along Chief Diver "Mack" MacKay (Ernest Borgnine) and Dr. Leah Jansen (Yvette Mimieux), fiance of one of the scientists.

Blake finds the lab has been ripped from its moorings and has tumbled down an unexplored, deep ocean trench, presumably intact. With the lab's reserve air supply dwindling, the team descends into the unexplored trench and finds an incredible ecosystem populated with monstrously oversized fish.

After surviving encounters with unfriendly denizens, they find the lab partially intact, the surviving scientists breathing from scuba tanks and fending off giant, hungry eels. Diver Moulton sacrifices his life distracting the eels in order to enable the others to be rescued. The submarine returns to the surface with the two rescued scientists.

Cast



*Ben Gazzara Commander Adrian Blake

*Yvette Mimieux Dr. Leah Jansen

*Walter Pidgeon Dr. Samuel Andrews

*Ernest Borgnine Chief Diver Don MacKay

*Donnelly Rhodes Diver Bob Cousins

*Chris Wiggins Captain Williams

*Michael J. Reynolds Dr. Hal Hamilton

*Leslie Carlson Brigs, Triton Radioman

*Stuart Gillard Diver Phil Bradley

*David Yorston Diver Stephens

Production notes



The film was based on an original story by writer Jack DeWitt. Gazzara and Borgnine's casting was announced in August 1972. The movie has a subtitle of "An Underwater Odyssey".

Filming began in Toronto in September 1972.

The nature of the 'Oceanlab' underwater facility bears a resemblance to real-world projects of the 1960s such as the ConShelf Two project of Jacques Cousteau, NASA's NEEMO, and the US Navy SEALAB.

Release



The film premiered in Florida in May 1973 and grossed $203,000 in its first four days.

Reception



'TV Guide' gave the film one out of 5 stars, stating that while its underwater photography was well done, the film was predictable, the characters stereotypes and the story lacking. The 'New York Times' also praised the photography, but found little else of value in the film.

See also



* List of American films of 1973

* 'Sealab 2020', a 1972 animated series about a futuristic underwater research base

References




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