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PATREON EXCLUSIVE UNCUT REACTION - The Abyss (1989)

We are watching the SPECIAL EDITION version of The Abyss decided by your vote

PATREON EXCLUSIVE UNCUT REACTION - The Abyss (1989)

Comments

Recently saw the guy who played Coffey on the Asohka episode of the Madelorien. Didn't know who he was till I saw the credits lot of years between this and the Abyss.

Keith S

The Abyss. A movie I watch a least once a year, possibly more, if anime doesn't take over my life. This, to me, is James Cameron's best film, and I love everything James Cameron has put out (I have not seen Titanic because I just don't care). But to me, everything in this movie is perfect (and I am talking the Special Edition). It's funny, but I despise the ocean and I HATE claustrophobic spaces, yet this is one of my favorite movies. I doesn't really hurt me that you only liked it because there are a lot of movies you talk about loving that I saw once and swore never to watch again. But that's okay. It was fun watching this movie with you, and at least you didn't downright despise it (unlike a certain Star Trek movie I will not name--(*cough* Wrath of Khan *cough*). But keep watching movies and I'll enjoy them if you don't, and you can enjoy them if I don't. Great reaction as always!

wildhunt1973

Okay so I'm probably a few days late to the party here and I'm not going to read through all the comments so here's my take, bearing in mind, the last time I saw this movie was when I was probably 12 or 13 years old: I still like this movie... a lot. I also think that the added scenes from the Special Edition are all welcome and don't feel out of place.... with one exception: the ending. In case you didn't know, the theatrical ending didn't have the tidal waves or the 80's preachy nuclear war, or the "love saved you" messages thrown in. While I enjoyed those scenes as a kid, as a person in my mid 30's now, I much prefer the original ending. I wish there was a "Final Cut" of the Abyss that essentially the Special Edition with the theatrical ending. I have a feeling Josh and Alex would have preferred watching the theatrical cut of this instead.

Ca$hWednesday

James Cameron films: The Terminator (1984), The Abyss (summer 1989), The Terminator 2 (1991), Titanic, Avatar.

Geoffrey Linehan

Ya, I agree with that one.

Monty Crawford

Yeah it was a sh1tshow. Cameron also almost drowned, I think he ended up punching someone underwater. There are a few different takes on the whole making of but I think most of them go over the absolutely crazy stuff.

Angelaina Marie

Not necessarily as much as you’d think if the water is cold enough to slow down decay.

Pokeysaurus

Lindsey... I think I like this character. ;)

Lindsey

8 minutes minimum swim underwater + at least 2 minutes out of water before revived = irreversible brain damage

Evan Guthrie

Enjoyed watching your reactions. Alex was almost falling asleep towards the end, ya the special edition was a bit too long even for me, but made the ending TOTALLY different from the theatrical release. It made a lot more sense. One of my critical points of the movie...All Bud had to do to disable the nuke was remove the detonator from the nuke. Cutting the wire at that point was unnecessary...the detonator has to be precisely positioned to set the nuke off. But it made for dramatic license.

Monty Crawford

Love this movie. I didn't even know about this special edition until your video popped up. So I bought a copy and there is so much more in it than I've ever seen!

danzthename

Josh you completely summed up my feeling on the movie. It’s a filmmaking accomplishment, and not boring with some good acting from the leads but it isn’t a favorite movie for me. If I had seen this in theaters in 89 i probably would have been more impressed and have nostalgia for it like all the people who voted for it do. I kind of have similar feelings about Aliens as well and I know even more people love that movie. I have only seen the longer version but I think the writing could have made the pacing a bit quicker or the side characters more fleshed out. Thanks for watching for everyone who was interested. This is my third 3 hour movie this weekend coincidentally and some 3 hour movies don’t seem like it.

Jonathan

They nearly killed Ed Harris!

Steven Johnson

Got it! Yeah I was trying to rent but it looks like purchase is the only way. Oh well, I think it’s worth supporting. Thank you for the extra help.

PIG

Oh also when you are casually talking about 'how they made it' right in the beginning. That is a whole documentary and it will blow your mind. Shit was INVENTED for this movie. Real diving gear.

Angelaina Marie

Awesome watch with you guys, thanks for that. Incredible movie and far better with the content put back in. People will claim the content was cut because it's bad, which is bullshit. Cameron's desired version is what you watched. It was 20th Century that insisted on trimming it down to 2 hours 15 min. Lol I've never met anyone as hung up on run time as you guys. I think, having watched your reactions to the entire thing, you liked it a lot more than you acted in the end talk there.. but I maybe am misinterpretting your wide eyed, jaws agape faces for most of the run time 😉😉 looking forward to the discussion (tho this time, bracing for you to rip it up lol)

James Bottas

I think I had just started working at the theater when this was released, I believe I got to see it a number of times and out of all the movies I had to multiply watch that year this was the one that I really loved and was glad I got to kind of be a part of the beginning of. I knew it would be a classic, it stood way the hell out even then.

Angelaina Marie

This is where I first noticed Cameron's limitations as a writer. It's very impressive technically and in many ways ground-breaking. The script though doesn't come up with enough of a pay-off. Cameron falls back on the escalating action set-pieces (Rambo, Aliens), the working class 'grunts' as the heroes ('Aliens') and the re-establishment of the traditional family/relationship (Ripley & Hicks & Newt). Fine score by Alan Silvestri helps with the film's climax.

Numinous2019

The special edition completely changes the NTIs. Their civilization, their motivation, etc. are all more malevolent. Ask yourself why they didn't do anything during WWII, or why they even care what happens on the surface. Because someone sent a nuclear bomb down to their level (which is nothing to them based on the level of control of water they demonstrate)? Also, the added scenes are almost all from outside the rig and the ocean floor, completely taking you out of the isolation they've built up from the start. There is also absolutely no build up given for the conflict, it just is assumed to exist and everything is on the brink of nuclear war for some reason. Third, the movie is too long with the added scenes. the pacing of the theatrical version is near perfect. The tension and atmosphere they build holds from scene to scene. There's a reason they cut those scenes out. Overall, the theatrical release is. 9.5/10, with the special edition being an 8.5/10. The only dings the real story gets is how little the other SEALs do when they realize their commander is being affected by the pressure and how bad Ed Harris' character is at tying knots (considering what he does for a living, that rope would have never slipped off).

Nerd's Gold

So this film isn't available to rent huh? Just $20 to purchase?

Michael Nemo

The entire subplot of the giant waves, and the retribution of the NTI creatures is what was removed in the theatrical, edit, including dozens and dozens of single sentence phrases and connective tissue to the story. The theatrical versions is a little better at the time, the original special edition, the waves looked worse than what is presented in the 4K Remaster that is part of why this has been pulled off the market for 25 years You could buy the previous special edition until around 2012 when it went on moratorium along with true lies

Thicketdweller

You didn’t recognize Hicks or Reese when you saw Coffey because? Mustache.

Thicketdweller

Coffey is played by Michael Beihn, who was the last surviving marine in aliens

Thicketdweller

I see the special edition for purchase on Youtube and Xbox's movie app. In Canada

James Bottas

Haven't seen this one but heard good things. Looking forward!

Evan Guthrie

James Cameron got the use of the containment vessel for an abandoned nuclear reactor project and fill the entire tank with water, and then use microscopic granular black beads that would float to make the tank present the complete darkness of the extreme depth as well as developed the special suits that they use that expose the full face, so the cameras can see the actors Also, the liquid oxygen emulsion is a real thing although I’m not sure that it is really used in this movie. There was no animals injured in the filming of this movie however, it is claimed that it really was filmed that way so hard to say.

Thicketdweller

Looks like at least in US you can buy it digitally on Amazon video & Vudu. Don’t see anywhere where you can rent it or stream it, which is unfortunate but this is what won the poll so I’m hoping people have access to what they voted for. FWIW it looks like you can buy the 90s physical DVD of the special edition for less than $10 online.

Josh (Target Audience)

Tom Green look-alike Chris Elliott

Thicketdweller

Does anyone know where I can find the special edition streaming? I'll gladly pay for it but I can't find it anywhere.

PIG

Damn movie is 35 years old and Avatar still has nothing on it. Great special effects, interesting story direction, some character cheese, and overall a good story. I like this vote!

PIG

Great movie, glad you did special edition, the theatrical is lacking.

MrDeadstu

I remember going to the theater and seeing terminator to judgment day and seeing the T 1000s transitions and facial effects and thinking they were just practicing for this when they did the abyss!

Thicketdweller

Ah now we've got a Sunday morning!

James Bottas


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