- Source: Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster
Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster is a 1992 movie depicting the Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster off the coast of Alaska. Directed by Paul Seed, it stars Christopher Lloyd, John Heard, Rip Torn and Michael Murphy.
Most of the film was shot in Vancouver, Richmond and Steveston, British Columbia, but it also utilizes archival film clips of the actual disaster and cleanup efforts.
Synopsis
On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker struck a reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska. It was the worst oil spill of its time, releasing over 11 million US gallons (260,000 bbl; 42,000 m3) of crude oil onto the Alaskan shoreline.
Much of the film centers on the conflict between local officials, the fishing industry, and the Exxon official sent out to oversee the clean-up and take the rap. The filmmakers point out that much of the aftermath could have been minimized had the officials in charge been better prepared and not spent so much time involved in useless red-tape and petty bureaucratic bickering.
Cast
John Heard as Dan Lawn, State of Alaska
Bob Gunton as Larry Dietrick, State of Alaska
Mark Metcalf as Dennis Kelso, State of Alaska
Bruce Gray as Governor Steve Cowper, State of Alaska
Jo Bates as Michelle Brown, State of Alaska
Walter Marsh as John Janssen, State of Alaska
John Maclaren as Al Kegler, State of Alaska
Marek Czuma as Jim Hayden, State of Alaska
Susan Astley as Jan Jackson, State of Alaska
Lochlyn Munro as Trooper Mike Fox, State of Alaska
Wally Dalton as Senator, State of Alaska
Frank C. Turner as Biologist, State of Alaska
Christopher Lloyd as Frank Iarossi, Exxon
Ron Frazier as Don Cornett, Exxon
Remak Ramsay as Craig Rassinier, Exxon
Malcolm Stewart as Dr. Gordon Lindblom, Exxon
Richard Sargent as Ulysses Legrange, Exxon
Tom McBeath as Bill Deppe, Exxon (credited as Tom Mcbeath)
Forbes Angus as Paul Myers, Exxon
Patricia Dahlquist as Millie Iarossi, Exxon
Don S. Davis as Bill Stevens, Exxon
Paul Guilfoyle as Commander Steve McCall, US Coast Guard
Gary Reineke as Rear Admiral Nelson, US Coast Guard
Eric Keenleyside as Gordon Taylor, US Coast Guard
Andrew Wheeler as Bruce Blanford, US Coast Guard
Michael Patten as Tom Falkenstein, US Coast Guard
J.B. Bivens as Mark Delozier, US Coast Guard
Rip Torn as Admiral Paul Yost, Presidential Delegation
Michael Murphy as Bill Reilly, Presidential Delegation
Kenneth Welsh as Sam Skinner, Presidential Delegation
Peter Yunker as John Gaughan, Presidential Delegation
Myron Natwick as George M. Nelson, Alyeska
Alex Bruhanski as Chuck O'Donnell, Alyeska
Bill Dow as Larry Shier, Alyeska
Ken Camroux-Taylor as Dave Barnum, Alyeska (credited as Ken Camroux)
Leslie Carlson as Theo Polasek, Alyeska
Jackson Davies as Captain Hazelwood, Tanker Exxon Valdez
Philip Granger as 3rd Mate Greg Cousins, Tanker Exxon Valdez
Peter LaCroix as Helmsman Claar, Tanker Exxon Valdez (credited as Peter Lacroix)
Peg Christopherson as A.B. Maureen Jones, Tanker Exxon Valdez
Nathan Vanering as Helmsman Kagan, Tanker Exxon Valdez
Anthony Ulc as 1st Mate Kunkel, Tanker Exxon Valdez
Dwight McFee as Crewman, Tanker Exxon Valdez (credited as Dwight Mcfee)
David Morse as Rick Steiner, Fisherman
Timothy Webber as Jack Lamb, Fisherman
Tamsin Kelsey as Dr. Riki Ott, Fisherman
Michael Rogers as David Grimes, Fisherman (credited as Michael J. Rogers)
Danny Virtue as Baker, Fisherman
Mark Brandon as The Narrator (voice)
Production and release
Dead Ahead is based on the Exxon Valdez oil spill that occurred on March 24, 1989 where an oil tanker spilled nearly 11 million gallons of crude oil off the coast of Alaska. The film was written by Michael Baker. Baker spent more than a year going through official reports and transcripts for research before writing the first draft.
Reception
Howard Rosenberg from the Los Angeles Times called the film a "compelling thriller about self-interest taking precedence over public interest", praising Paul Seed's directing and the performances by John Heard and Christopher Lloyd.
References
External links
Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster at IMDb