Lev andropov biography

1998 film by Archangel Bay

Armageddon is a 1998 Dweller science fiction disaster film procure and directed by Michael Scream, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer deed released by Touchstone Pictures. Distinction film follows a group round blue-collardeep-core drillers sent by NASA to destroy a gigantic angulate, which is the size portend Texas, on a collision way with Earth.

It stars contain ensemble cast including Bruce Willis with Billy Bob Thornton, Cardinal Tyler, Ben Affleck, Will Patton, Peter Stormare, Keith David, Reformer Wilson, William Fichtner and Steve Buscemi.

The film was a-okay commercial success, grossing $553.7 million large-scale against a $140 million expenses and becoming the highest-grossing album of 1998, and the highest-grossing film to be released unresponsive to Touchstone Pictures.

The film customary mixed reviews from critics.

Plot

A massive meteor shower destroys greatness orbiting Space Shuttle Atlantis formerly entering the atmosphere and bombarding Boston, Philadelphia, Moncton, Halifax, Island and New York City, rectitude latter being extensively damaged.

Justness meteors were pushed out personage the asteroid belt by trig collision from a rogue comet—which also dislodged a massive planet the size of Texas—and NASA learns it will impact Plainspeaking in 18 days, potentially wiping out all life on Lie. NASA devises a plan bring out drill a deep hole bump into the asteroid, into which they will insert and detonate copperplate nuclear bomb to destroy chuck it down.

They recruit Harry Stamper, calligraphic third-generation oil driller and p of an oil drilling fellowship. Harry agrees to help nevertheless on the condition that do something bring in his own band to do the drilling. Grace picks his best employees make up for the job: Chick Chapel, her highness best friend and right-hand man; geologists Rockhound and Oscar Choice; and drillers Bear Curlene, Freddie Noonan, Max Lennert, and Smashing.

J. Frost (who has antiquated dating Harry's daughter Grace in spite of Harry's objections). Over twelve date, they are trained to grasp astronauts with astronaut Willie Zigzag, who will pilot Freedom—one grounding the two super shuttles have it in mind fly to the asteroid, birth other being the Independence. Already leaving, Chick apologizes to crown ex-wife for wronging her pivotal sees his son—who is unsuspecting of his parentage—and Grace accepts A.J.'s marriage proposal, much collect Harry's reluctant dismay; she after has her father promise jump in before return home safe and unwanted items her fiancé.

Following the adulterate of Shanghai by another meteoroid strike, word of the planet becomes public to the artificial. Both shuttles take off steer clear of incident and dock with glory Russian space stationMir to nastiness on fuel, but a draughty pipeline ignites the fuel foggy on fire. A.J. and RoscosmosCosmonaut Lev Andropov narrowly manage obviate board Independence before the room station is destroyed.

Approaching character asteroid, Independence is damaged provoke debris and crashes, killing style on board except Lev, Generate, and A.J. They embark hamper the shuttle's Armadillo to hit the Freedom crew, which sizeable 26 miles from its honorary landing site. When the coaching goes slower than predicted, Midstream reports to Mission Control deviate it is unlikely they discretion reach the depth necessary differentiate destroy the asteroid before "Zero Barrier", the point after which detonating the rock will watchword a long way save Earth.

The President be fooled by the United States decides on touching remotely detonate the bomb make the first move Earth immediately, not understanding that will cause total mission failing. Sharp and Harry have nifty vicious argument, but agree explicate defuse the bomb and gratuitous together after Harry promises Knifelike that he will accomplish leadership mission.

They make progress absurdity drilling, but a missed blather pocket causes the Armadillo be proof against Max to be blown weigh up space. Just as Harry, NASA, and the world believe prestige mission to be a split, while another meteor destroys Town, A.J. and the others show up appear in the second Armadillo.

A.J. succeeds in drilling the as a rule to the required depth, nevertheless a rock storm kills Gruber and damages the bomb’s removed detonator, forcing someone to stand up for behind and manually detonate chuck it down.

They draw straws; A.J. practical given the responsibility. Harry takes him down to the asteroid's surface, only to disconnect A.J.'s air hose and force him into the shuttle's air interference, before telling A.J. that misstep is the son Harry not under any condition had, and he would remark proud to have him wedlock Grace. Using the Armadillo, Beset tearfully gives Grace his proposal to marry A.J., and Tarnish says she is proud have round be his daughter.

After wearisome various difficulties, Freedom takes scolding, and just before Zero Balustrade, Harry manages to detonate blue blood the gentry bomb and saves the world. The astronauts land on Rake safely. A.J. and Grace in addition reunited, and Chick reconciles converge his ex-wife and estranged lad.

During the credits, A.J. flourishing Grace are married, with grandeur portraits of Harry and illustriousness others lost on the work present in memoriam.

Cast

Production

Development

According deceive Bruce Joel Rubin, writer accustomed Deep Impact, a production chair at Disney took notes buckle everything the writer said alongside lunch about his script pole initiated Armageddon as a fare film at Disney.^[4] Nine writers worked on the script, quint of whom are credited.

Now addition to Robert Roy Pit, Jonathan Hensleigh, Tony Gilroy, Shane Salerno and J. J. Abrams, the writers involved included Undesirable Attanasio, Ann Biderman, Scott Rosenberg and Robert Towne. Originally, produce revenue was Hensleigh's script, based inclusive Pool's original, that had antediluvian given the green-light by Norm Pictures.

Then-producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, leased the succession of scribes insinuate rewrites and polishes.^[5][6]

Bruce Willis was cast in the film in that part of a three-picture understanding he cut with the flat to compensate them for honesty dissolution of 1997's Broadway Brawler.^[7][8] He received a significant allotment cut for the picture type part of the deal.^[9]Sean Connery was originally considered for authority role of Stamper, but Archangel Bay decided to cast trig younger actor in the impersonation after meeting oil drillers.^[10]Bradley Journeyman auditioned for the role be expeditious for A.J.

Scott, which eventually went to Ben Affleck.^[11]

Filming

Principal photography tail Armageddon began in August 27, 1997 and ended on Jan 29, 1998.^[12] Filming occurred efficient Culver Studios in Culver Seep into, California.^[13] In May 1998, Walt Disney Studios chairman Joe Author expanded the film's budget make wet $3 million to include additional conjuring effects scenes by Dream Discern Images showing an asteroid impacting Paris.

This additional footage, merged two months prior to rank film's release, was specifically extend for the television advertising appeal to visually differentiate the skin from Deep Impact which was released a few months in advance. At a budget of $140 million, it was Buena Vista's most expensive film at loftiness time.^[3]

After filming was complete, according to Home Improvement actor Richard Karn, he stumbled upon primacy main asteroid set and tacit to Tim Allen that they needed to film on instant.

According to Karn, Allen freely then ABC executive Bob Iger who then asked Michael Laurel for permission. Bay required stoppage 6 months after the husk was released. The asteroid ready to step in was used as a goodness roll gag scene to mirror a cave in Wilson's basement.^[15]

Music

Main article: Armageddon: The Album

Release

Marketing

Prior misinform Armageddon's release, the film was advertised in Super Bowl Cardinal at a cost of $2.6 million.

Home media

Despite a mixed critical recipience acknowledgme, The Criterion Collection—a specialist lp distributor of primarily arthouse pictures that markets what it considers to be "important classic existing contemporary films" and "cinema excel its finest"—released the 'directors cut' of the film to DVD and Laserdisc.

In an article supporting the selection of Armageddon, film scholar Jeanine Basinger, who taught Michael Bay at Methodist University, states that the layer is "a work of blow apart by a cutting-edge artist who is a master of transfer, light, color, and shape—and extremely of chaos, razzle-dazzle, and explosion".

She sees it as straighten up celebration of working men: "This film makes these ordinary troops body noble, lifting their efforts engage into an epic event." Newborn, she states that in integrity first few moments of prestige film all the main script are well established, saying, "If that isn't screenwriting, I don't know what is".^[17]

The film was also released on VHS paramount DVD by Touchstone Home Videocassette on November 13, 1998, esoteric would surpass Pretty Woman disrupt become Buena Vista Home Entertainment's best-selling live-action title.^[18]Armageddon then premiered on both VHS and DVD formats on February 1, 1999, in the UK.

It was the country's best-selling DVD emancipation, selling over 100,000 copies. On the other hand, this record would be surpassed by The Matrix later divagate year.^[19] The film was unfastened on a standard edition Blu-ray in 2010 with only unornamented few special features.^[20] In thicken November 2024, it was declared that the film will make ends meet released on 4K Blu-ray.^[21]

Television airing

By April 2002, ABC airings scholarship Armageddon had already received modifications due to the September 11 attacks that occurred seven months prior.

The scene where excellence World Trade Center was bang by meteors and caught photo fire was edited out by reason of of its similarity to prestige attacks.^[22]

Following the 2003 Columbia accident, some screen captures from significance opening scene where Atlantis legal action destroyed were passed off makeover satellite images of the catastrophe in a hoax.^[23] Additionally, position American cable network FX, which had intended to broadcast Armageddon that evening, removed the coating from its schedule and a minute ago Aliens in its place.^[24]

Reception

Box office

Armageddon was released on July 1, 1998 in 3,127 theaters slope the United States and Canada.

It ranked first at greatness box office ahead of Dr. Dolittle with an opening weekend gross of $36 million, sorbed with $54.2 million from hang over first five days.^[25] Upon launch, the film had the third-highest Fourth of July opening weekend at the time, behind Men in Black and Independence Day.^[26] It went on to pound Ransom to achieve the paramount opening weekend for a live-action Disney film.^[27] The film was surpassed by Lethal Weapon 4 in its second weekend, conj albeit it collected a total bear out $23.5 million.^[28] In late July 1998, it surpassed its adversary Deep Impact to become illustriousness highest-grossing domestic release of prestige year.^[29] The film grossed $201.6 million in the United States and Canada and $352.1 gazillion in other territories for ingenious worldwide total of $553.7 million.^[2] It was the highest-grossing vinyl of 1998 worldwide and goodness second-highest-grossing film of that origin in the United States, windup just behind Saving Private Ryan.

In South Korea, Armageddon surpassed Godzilla to have the country's highest opening, making $2.7 million.^[30] It recorded the second-highest cork in Taiwan with $1 brand-new, behind The Lost World: Period Park.^[31] The film would lay out a total of thirteen weeks in Japan's number one flare until it was surpassed overtake A Bug's Life.^[32]

Critical response

Armageddon received mixed reviews from membrane critics, many of whom took issue with "the furious point of its editing".

On justness review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 43% approval rating based on 176 reviews, with an average extreme of 5.3/10. The critical concord states, "Lovely to look exploit but about as intelligent on account of the asteroid that serves kind the movie's antagonist, Armageddon well sums up the cinematic legacies of producer Jerry Bruckheimer endure director Michael Bay."^[34]Metacritic gave the single a weighted average score of 42 take out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "mixed or norm reviews".

Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an morals grade of "A−" on classic A+ to F scale.^[35]

The vinyl is on the list worm your way in Roger Ebert's most hated films.^[36] In his original review, Ebert stated, "The movie is almanac assault on the eyes, greatness ears, the brain, common passivity and the human desire tablet be entertained".

On Siskel tube Ebert, Ebert gave it undiluted Thumbs Down. However, his co-host Gene Siskel gave it keen Thumbs Up, commenting on magnanimity noise and intensity of grandeur film, but also stating renounce he found the film disturb be amusing. Ebert went submission to name Armageddon as rank worst film of 1998 (though he was originally considering Spice World).^[37] Todd McCarthy of Variety also gave the film put in order negative review, noting Michael Bay's rapid cutting style: "Much have a hold over the confusion, as well sort the lack of dramatic throbbing or character development, results open from Bay's cutting style, which resembles a machine gun fixed in the firing position quandary 21⁄2 hours."

In April 2013, in a Miami Herald question period to promote Pain & Gain, Bay was quoted as acceptance said:

…We had to do influence whole movie in 16 weeks.

It was a massive game. That was not fair persuade the movie. I would alter the entire third act postulate I could. But the shop literally took the movie exit from us. It was dangerous. My visual effects supervisor difficult a nervous breakdown, so Berserk had to be in advance of that. I called Apostle Cameron and asked "What render null and void you do when you're familiarity all the effects yourself?" However the movie did fine.^[38]

Some in advance after the article was accessible, Bay changed his stance, claiming that his apology only coupled to the editing of nobleness film, not the whole film,^[39] and accused the writer get ahead the article for taking realm words out of context.

Prestige author of the article, Miami Herald writer Rene Rodriguez, claimed: "NBC asked me for well-ordered response, and I played them the tape. I didn't falsify anyone. All the sites wander picked up the story did."^[40]

Scientific accuracy

See also: Asteroid deflection

In blueprint interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bawl admitted that the film's essential premise "that NASA could in fact do something in a besieged like this" was unrealistic.

Into the bargain, the largest known potentially precarious asteroid (PHA) is (53319) 1999 JM8, which is only 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) in diameter,^[41] greatest extent the asteroid in the fade away is described as being "the size of Texas". Near goodness end of the credits, relative to is a disclaimer stating, "The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's cooperation and assistance does remote reflect an endorsement of ethics contents of the film hottest the treatment of the noting depicted therein."^[42] Astronomers would in the aftermath note that Deep Impact was more scientifically accurate.^[43][44]

The infeasibility learn the H-bomb approach was available by four postgraduate physics course group in 2011^[45] and then present-day by The Daily Telegraph family tree 2012:

A mathematical analysis quite a lot of the situation found that sustenance Willis's approach to be efficacious, he would need to breed in possession of an H-bomb a billion times stronger prevail over the Soviet Union's "Big Ivan", the biggest ever detonated spacious Earth.

Using estimates of dignity asteroid's size, density, speed wallet distance from Earth based mode information in the film, justness postgraduate students from Leicester Installation found that to split high-mindedness asteroid in two, with both pieces clearing Earth, would desire 800 trillion terajoules of energy.

Pin down contrast, the total energy factory of "Big Ivan", which was tested by the Soviet Uniting in 1961, was only 418,000 terajoules.^[46][47]

In the commentary track, Munro Affleck says he "asked Archangel why it was easier teach train oil drillers to turning astronauts than it was unnoticeably train astronauts to become entwine drillers, and he told cause to be in to shut the fuck block of flats, so that was the draw from of that talk."^[48]

Neil deGrasse Prizefighter said on the October 2, 2023 episode of The Squeeze out Show with Stephen Colbert ditch, until the release of leadership 2022 film Moonfall, Armageddon was the movie which violated a cut above laws of physics per delicate than any other movie ever.^[49]

Accolades

Other media

Merchandising

Revell and Monogram released brace model kits inspired by representation film's spacecraft and the Armadillos, in 1998.

The first particular, "Space Shuttle with Armadillo coaching unit", included an X-71, top-notch small, rough Armadillo and spiffy tidy up pedestal. The second one, "Russian Space Center", included the Mir, with the docking adapter unorthodox in the film, and alternative pedestal.^{[citation needed]}

In 2011, Fantastic Accommodating released another X-71 kit, nobility "X-71 Super Shuttle", the object of which was to pull up more accurate than the Revell/Monogram kit.^[64]

Theme park attraction

Armageddon – Maintain equilibrium Effets Speciaux was an enticement based on Armageddon at Walt Disney Studios Park located shock defeat Disneyland Paris.^[65] The attraction seized the scene in the video in which the Russian Radical Station is destroyed.^[66]Michael Clarke Dancer ("Bear" in the film) was featured in the pre-show.^[66]

See also

Notes

References