Feedback

Here are some comments I've gotten from people about this site. Remember how I asked for suggestions, comments, and information on the Why This Site? page? Well, here they are:

I.S. Wrote on May 12th, 2002:

I'm Ivan from Belgium. That's a very small country in Europe where they speak Dutch, so my English isn't so well. Since the first time I saw "The Final Countdown" on Dutch television, I believe it was in 1982 (I was twelve years old) I'm a huge fan of it. Back then I recorded it on VHS video and watched it over and over again. In those early years I also took the the VCR from my parents and made a copy from the videotape to an old audio tape-recorder and listened to the music and dialogue for many times. The music from John Scott is so beautiful, with all those trumpets and violins. It's the greatest soundtrack of all times to me.

S.W. Wrote on May 3rd, 2002:

Thanks so much for keeping this movie alive and kicking. I was fortunate enough to be stationed aboard the Nimitz during the production. As luck would have it I got myself in the right place at the right time and have several shots of me in the movie including two speaking parts (I lost it, I lost the helo!). It was a big thrill working with the actors and crew. They were extremely considerate of our ideas and suggestions to make the movie more authentic. I think the proof is in the final result and the comparison with the other movie I was in a few years later. Super Carrier was not so believable even though Final Countdown was about time travel.

By the way, I've written S.W. back, asking if he knows what the guy off-camera shouts in the scene where the crew is upset that the Captain hasn't told them what's going on yet. I hope he knows, because it's driving me crazy. -- SJR

C.D. Wrote on April 26th, 2002:

I have been a huge fan of this movie since it came out in 1980. I saw it a second time when it hit cable on HBO and HTN back in 1981. And numerous times on ABC, TBS, TNT, and God knows what other channel! My favorite scene in the movie is when the F-14 fighters take on the Japanese Zero planes. The looks on those Japanese pilots still make me crack up to this day. My late parents thought the movie was really cool, too. They thought (and this is still a pretty interesting theory) that the Nimitz was sent back in time to retrieve Charlie The family dog for Richard Tideman and his wife Laurel. I just only wish the Nimitz had taken out the Japanese Task Force on its way to Pearl Harbor. That would have been awesome.

I like that theory. In the novel we find out that the original storm at sea was created by Mr. Tideman's scientists. And as a former dog owner, let me tell you that a good dog is worth the trouble. -- SJR

R. B. Wrote on April 12th, 2002:

Just found your web site for the Final Countdown, this movie has got to be one of the best sci-fi action films ever, so very thought provoking and a great cast. The music is fantastic... a cult classic movie.

R.M. Wrote on April 4th, 2002:

I am actually a filmscore collector and have this John Scott score on vinyl. Always hoped it would come to CD and thanks to your site (actually reporting it before Filmscore Monthly magazine) I ordered mine  I remember seeing this film in the theatres when it got released and though the ending was a copout; it was still a good movie which likely could have only logically ended the way it did. Now if we could only get the old TV series Time Tunnel released to DVD....

R.L. Wrote on February 14th, 2002:

If you pay attention to the music in the movie the mysterious Mr. Tideman's music incorporates music from Laurel & Owen's theme.  So, the music reveals (right at the beginning) the whole time travel/Laurel Owen surprise ending!

P.H. Wrote on February 15th, 2002:

I called last night to order my dvd.  I started out with "I can't beleive I am finally able to do this!" I really got a huge laugh from your comments (and hatred) about Europe's Final Countdown. I have sifted through countless ebay searches of that and have developed a strong distaste for the group Europe. It is also great to hear of other enlighted people who love The Final Countdown as much as I. Great site!

R.P Wrote on February 11th, 2002:

Thanks for putting up the Final Countdown web site. I was just remembering watching the movie in the theaters in the 80's, and how I was never able to find a reasonably priced version of the movie. So I plugged it into Google.... Wow! Out soon on DVD! And a 24-hour order line so that I could order it immediately! Thanks so much for putting up information on a great movie. I can't wait to get my hands on the DVD.......

Urrrr... I guess now we all know that "soon" is pretty loosely defined, at least by the company putting out the Region 1 DVD. -- SJR

L.H. Wrote on February 11th, 2002:

Just thought I would say thanks for your help I've really enjoyed reading your web-site and have it on my list of favourites!!!!!!!!!!!

A.R. Wrote on January 14th, 2002:

; Growing up this was one of my all time favorite movies, and I haven't seen it since maybe the mid-80's. I have already ordered the DVD, and can't wait to get it.

D.P. Wrote on January 11, 2002:

Someone just recently turned me on to trying to see "The Final Countdown." What he didn't tell me, if he knew, was that the damn movie was out of print and was nearly impossible to find. The guy at Blockbusters knew what movie I was asking for, which probably explains why he laughed in my face when I asked if they had a copy. He told me "I had a better chance of seeing Jesus". Too bad there isn't a medium to help people looking for out of print movies to either find them or provide an avenue to bitch to the manufacturer until they decide to release the dang thing again!

That was one of the suggestions I got on what to do with this site, now that it looks like both the movie and soundtrack will be available for a while. But while it's a good idea, and I hope someone does it, I've decided tonight that I just don't have the time to champion other out-of-print movies, what with both a career and a day-job to support. -- SJR

T.D. Wrote on January 10, 2002:

Thanks for the great job you have done on this webpage! I have loved this movie since I first saw it years ago. I started shopping for a new copy to replace my worn one and was amazed by the prices on eBay. Searched out for this VHS and was pleased to see that I am not the only ardent fan of this movie. Was also very pleased with your info about the re-release and the savings involved! Not only that, but I get it in DVD also.... Thank you!!!!

D.B. Wrote on December 31st, 2001:

Hello, I cannot tell you how excited I am to see that the movie is coming out for reprint. I have looked high and low for it in my area. The last place I saw it was on eBay and they were auctioning a couple of VHS videos off. Some of the bids I believe were up past $55.00 or so! I just couldn't believe it. All my local video stores had a couple, but then people would not return them... now that I have a DVD player I will attain both. Thanks for your good work!!!!

J.F. Wrote on December 19th, 2001: ; I was a plane captain in VF-84 during the filming of the Final Countdown. The flying was filmed at Key West Naval Air Station.       After the filming was done, Aspen Productions rented out a movie theater and showed us the raw flying footage. My memory is a little vague but only 1/100th of what was shot made it into the movie. I would love to know what happened to the rest.

J.W. Wrote on December 16th, 2001: ; Just wondered if anyone had dedicated a small piece of cyberspace to a very cool film, and you have!  I remember having the PAL version on video, but alas sold it, what a mistake!   It's now one hell of a rare film, not even shown on TV over in the UK, but thanks to your site, I now know of the existence of the DVD version.

T.C.G. Wrote on December 7th, 2001: Just wanted to tell you how much I liked your website. I saw THE FINAL COUNTDOWN in theaters when it opened in 1980. I was 11 years-old and could not wait to see it. After seeing it in theaters, I saw it on ABC television in 1983 or 1984, with commercials and all that. Of course, I didn't even understand the concept of anamorphic projection and didn't know how much of the image was missing either. I do remember seeing the tape in video stores on Vestron, but the last time I saw that was about 1989 and I'll tell you - movies that you think will always be around, they're really disappearing.  Well, it's long overdue, and I'm looking forward to seeing the film uncut and uninterrupted.  They really should have released it on DVD today - why they didn't is beyond me.

D.B. Wrote on October 28th, 2001: One of my half-brothers was serving aboard a sister ship of the Nimitz at the time the movie was made. He was on the Eisenhower. The film crew came aboard the Ike to shoot some footage. They did that on various of the US Navy carriers. Few people seem to realize that not all of the scenes actually came from the Nimitz itself. It's just like what was done for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Most of the aircraft carrier footage from that film was shot aboard the Ranger, not actually the Enterprise. I didn't realize until now that there was such a devoted following to one of my favorite movies. Glad to hear it!

J.J. Wrote on October 19th, 2001: To whomever put this site together I say BRAVO.I was serving in the US Navy at the time this movie was released.  I was serving in Pearl Harbor just prior to and at the time of release.  I have searched for this movie for 20 years and am glad you have this website. In my opinion, this is the best movie ever made. I can relate to the story, and I really like the way it makes you think. The ending was superb!!

A.S. Wrote on October 15th, 2001: Just wanted to thank you for putting up your WebPage. This movie was highly underrated back in the eighties. I watched it when I was young and was left in awe of the Nimitz and its fighter pilots.  The best scenes are truly the dog fight scenes, and at the very end of the film when the soundtrack theme is blaring and the viewer is left with images of these brave men and women. A genuine sense of pride is left when one watches these hard working people working together in unison.

J.H. Wrote on October 5th, 2001:  I wanted to tell you that your Final Countdown website is very cool. I became a fan of that movie the first time I saw it on T.V way back in 1981 or so. I think it was on ABC's Monday Night Movie. I've been waiting for a long time to finally get this movie on tape. I bought a DVD player not to long ago, so I really can't wait for it now. I'm such a big fan of it, I wrote a book that takes up after the Tideman's and Lasky drive off. It's a fan fiction and goes into a bunch of other Sci-Fi stuff. Again, Great Website.

Maria Wrote on October 5th, 2001: Just had to write and tell you how much I enjoyed your website. I have been a fan of the movie since I first saw it. I was lucky enough to actually see it in the theater when it was first released! I'm not sure I even know how I stumbled across your site. Just kept clicking links in my search to find a copy. Thanks for a great site.

M.M. Wrote on October 1st, 2001: This is a favorite movie of mine and I have been trying to get a copy. I was thrilled to see that it will be released on DVD. I can hardly wait. Thanks again for your web site.

D.H. Wrote on September 17th, 2001: ; Thanks for a great web site on one of my favourite films I thought I was never going to see again.

B.M. Wrote on September 13th, 2001: This is a great website! Just found it about a week ago. The Final Countdown is my favorite movie. When Carriers at War, an aircraft carrier computer war game, came out I had to buy it because it has a Pearl Harbor scenario based on the movie. Its great for a fast game.

In another email B.M. gave me more information on this game, which I'll find a place for somewhere on this site. -- SJR

R.L.M. Wrote on September 7nd, 2001: I went looking for The Final Countdown in DVD. Started at Google and found your site. Most excellent! We love The Final Countdown. Have watched it for years. Watched it again last night. Still get chills at the final scene. Never thought of it in book form. Purchased a paperback today at Amazon today. Thanks for the idea (and the reminder to make sure of the author!).Our VHS copy is wearing out (Though we didn't really notice it until we started watching DVD's.) It's nice to know I'll be able to replace it soon.

M.H. Wrote on September 7nd, 2001: Thanks for your work on putting this site together. Final Countdown has been a favorite of mine for years. I have a "Taped from TV" copy I was able to do a number of years ago and it is well worn. I was really impressed with the accuracy of the movies historical facts in light of all the specials that came out this year.

Mike Wrote on September 2nd, 2001:  Great to see your site. I was a Hospital Corpsman on board the Nimitz when they filmed, and an extra in a few of the scenes with hospital corpsman. The VHS version cut out the wider shots where I can also been seen during the captains' announcement. (I was watching in sickbay.) I'm hoping the DVD shows the widescreen version.  Also, I have pictures taken of me & Kirk Douglas, James Farrentino, Katherine Ross, Martin Sheen & Charles Durning. I also have the original script of the movie signed by everyone including director Don Taylor. I also have the rubber .45 caliber that was used in some of the scenes & still might have the shirt that Mark Thomas (the marine that was shot by Soo tec Oh in sickbay) was wearing when he was shot.  I hung out during the filming & watched the special effects guys filling the packets of blood that was sewn into the Japanese pilots uniform for when he was shot. I also watched a lot of the scenes being filmed.

Wow! Actually being in the movie -- now that's cool. --SJR

M.S. Wrote on September 1st, 2001: Found your site and had fun reading through it. If the movie were made today with ILM doing the special effects, I wonder how different the movie would be. Well, they remade Planet of the Apes, just maybe.... I still have my paperback and I am not selling. I hope the DVD will be released soon. I made a copy of the Laser Disc from a rental. I recorded it in SVHS so I would not loose too much resolution.The ending of the novel was strange. The movie was better. I would have been interested in see the early years with Owen and Laurel and how they made their fortune.

P.J.M. Wrote on August 7th, 2001: I'm from the UK and remember seeing this film many, many years ago. It was only released on video here for a short time and never resurfaced. I keep an eye on the eBay auctions but the price for copies from the US tends to be a bit off-putting!  Anyway, well done on the site.

A.S. Wrote on August 2nd, 2001: Wow! You went through a lot for that movie. I can sympathize because I would like to get a copy of that movie as well.  I can understand why the copyright owners of music and movies do not like pirated stuff. However it would sure be nice if they would produce this "older" stuff so we can buy it legally from them. I have been trying to find a copy of the soundtrack to "Goonies"! What a task! Oh, I can find one if I want to pay a ridiculously inflated price for it. Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience. That was a cool movie.

T.S. Wrote on July 30th, 2001: Bravo!!!! Superb job. I'm on the mailing list already for the new copies, thanks to you. I have always loved that movie, and have a beat-up dub from an old Beta copy that I watch frequently. ; The score is wonderful, but there's something inexplainable about the plot and the concept of the thing. I was shocked, I tell you, that such a film should have so many other rabid fans.   Interestingly enough, back when it was in the theaters, my blabbermouth brother in law told me the whole plot. It actually made it worse for me when I watched the movie... I was on pins and needles the whole way. I still feel that way, I guess. Ditto to you about the pirates. It's getting so that they don't even bother with artwork. I have not succumbed. Tried for a laser disc, but died at about $50. It sold for $185, I think. As far as the soundtrack goes, I have a near mint copy that I play on a $600 turntable through Bose speakers, and it has much the same cook that the theater sound had. Can't get that thundering bass that shows up in the final scene just before the dog goes down the ramp (as the limo pulls up). By the way, a page devoted to movie errors found only one in this movie, that the limo would have run off the dock if it had continued in the direction it was going. Who cares? Great movie.

R.A. Wrote on July 2nd, 2001: Hey, thanks for setting-up your site.  This movie has been a favourite of mine for years.  There was a copy of the VHS version back in a video rental place I used in Montreal, and I'll bet I paid for the movie twice over. I was always tempted to lose it ... but honesty revailed. Anyway, I'm glad to hear [The company putting out the Region 1 DVD] are putting it out DVD.   By the way, a Google search makes me think this movie has been out in the Netherlands since May. I can never quite figure out how that happens.... Best scene -- the Tomcats overflying the yacht!

C.P. Wrote on June 15th, 2001: ; I was just watching my VHS version and was online.  I decided to look up The Final Countdown and was glad to see it had a web site.  This was [one of] my favorite movies, being in the navy now I was influenced a lot by this movie.  I think a great addition to the site might be a subscribers section so updates can be mailed about the DVD release. Once again a great job and a good idea.

Hmmm.... That's a good idea. I don't have the time to find out how to set it up to be automatic, but I'll save the email addresses of everyone that write to me (just a note saying "add me to the list" would be fine, just make sure to put "The Final Countdown" in the subject) and I'll send out an email when I hear the DVD is available. -- SJR

K.Y. Wrote on June 7th, 2001: What a help your web site has been!  My father (WW II pilot and POW and also a veteran of two tours in Viet Nam) and I both loved this movie.  We have been trying to get a VHS copy of it for years.  I guess we will wait for the DVD. Thank you so much for taking the time and trouble to do this site.

R. L. Wrote on May 11th, 2001:  I remember seeing this movie when I was 10 in the theatre. I thought it was really cool and the music! I left humming that main theme. Then 10 years later I rented the film and hooked up my cassette player to the TV and recorded all the music onto cassette. That did me for a year or so until I found out about the CD. Interesting point is that with respect to the soundtrack is that the first music we hear isn't the opening title. It's a very low key version of the love theme for Laurel and Owens.  So really, we know from scene one who is; in the limo! At least I thought it was cool.