papyrusbeetle Posted February 28, 2019 Anyone ever discover WHY Howard Hughes constantly screened a copy of ICE STATION ZEBRA (1968)? I mean DAILY. Many times a day. thanks, if you know!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamesjazzguitar Posted March 1, 2019 Hushes had a thing for Ernest Borgnine? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TopBilled Posted March 1, 2019 Maybe it had to do with Hughes' interest in cold war politics. It could have been any reason. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougieB Posted March 2, 2019 He also owned a local Las Vegas TV station and insisted they air the damn thing all the time too. TB could be right about the Cold War fascination. Hughes futzed and futzed with his project Jet Pilot, a Cold War remake of Hell's Angels directed by Josef Von Sternberg. The release was delayed for years. John Wayne was an American fighter pilot caught up with a Soviet flying ace (Janet Leigh); I'd have reservations about releasing something like that too. There was kind of a cartoony "Terry and the Pirates" feel to both films, so maybe something in Ice Station Zebra appealed to Hughes' personal aesthetic as a former filmmaker himself. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
papyrusbeetle Posted March 4, 2019 Thanks for this information!😏 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sgt_Markoff Posted March 18, 2019 I like it. What real man wouldn't? The utter absence of females doesn't hurt anything in this case. One thing: Patrick McGoohan --whom I believe was reasonably tall in real life --looks awkwardly puny compared to Rock Hudson; yes I have to admit that. And Ernest Borgnine's accent --seemed, mind you, to my ears, seemed -- although I am no expert --as I say, it sounded 'laid on a little thick'. Good to see Jim Brown, but he had little to do. All in all, fairly exciting romp and probably one of the most faithful Alistair MacLean adaptations (this isnt saying much, his series of books can really try one's patience due to the hammy writing). But this story benefits from being told visually. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fxreyman Posted March 19, 2019 Can't go wrong with a double bill here of Alistair MacLean's Ice Station Zebra and Where Eagles Dare which has females in it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sgt_Markoff Posted March 19, 2019 and what females! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GordonCole Posted March 30, 2019 Saw this movie while on a date when it first came out, while in college. STill find it an interesting and well done movie worth watching. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TopBilled Posted April 7, 2019 I have to admit I've never watched this film all the way through... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LawrenceA Posted April 7, 2019 2 minutes ago, TopBilled said: I have to admit I've never watched this film all the way through... I did, once. That was enough. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TopBilled Posted April 7, 2019 1 minute ago, LawrenceA said: I did, once. That was enough. Larry, you're not inspiring me to give it another chance. LOL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fxreyman Posted April 14, 2019 To the uninformed, ISZ can be rather slow and somewhat plodding. You get a real sense of what life aboard a nuclear submarine was really like. But it had great underwater photography and the model work was fantastic. One of the reasons why I think it was nominated for Best Special Effects Oscar in 1968 (but lost to 2001), and Best Cinematography (Losing to Romeo and Juliet). As Sarge has indicated, many of Alistair MacLean's novels are hard enough to get through, but this film and 1969's Where Eagles Dare and later on Breakheart Pass with Charles Bronson were also well made. One note, the actual submarine they used for the on the surface shots and the close up of when the helicopter comes in to deliver the passengers was NOT a nuke. The Navy did not have a suitable nuke to use for filming, so they substituted a diesel submarine for those shots. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LawrenceA Posted April 14, 2019 1 hour ago, fxreyman said: To the uninformed, ISZ can be rather slow and somewhat plodding. To the uninformed, Ice Station Zebra would be considered a good movie. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fxreyman Posted April 14, 2019 9 minutes ago, LawrenceA said: To the uninformed, Ice Station Zebra would be considered a good movie. I consider myself somewhat informed on some level when I speak about movies, but I also have to say that my knowledge of film only goes so far. There are many films I love and don't love. There are lots of films I have seen and have made informed opinions about them. There are categories of films I do not like and there are some categories I love. This being said I really like ISZ mainly because I am a naval history buff and I love military-like subjects. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LawrenceA Posted April 14, 2019 24 minutes ago, fxreyman said: I consider myself somewhat informed on some level when I speak about movies, but I also have to say that my knowledge of film only goes so far. There are many films I love and don't love. There are lots of films I have seen and have made informed opinions about them. There are categories of films I do not like and there are some categories I love. This being said I really like ISZ mainly because I am a naval history buff and I love military-like subjects. I don't hate Ice Station Zebra, it was just average, to my tastes. I've seen dozens of naval films, if not more, from patrol boats to carriers to frogmen demo flicks to submarines movies, and I've liked many of them. I've also seen other films based on MacLean, and consider Where Eagles Dare one of the ten best films of '68. So I wouldn't say that I was uninformed on the matter, either. It's simply a case of our tastes diverging on this film. My snarky comment was my way of pointing out that accusing others of being ignorant as to the reason that they dislike something you do like isn't very persuasive nor courteous. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fxreyman Posted April 14, 2019 7 minutes ago, LawrenceA said: I don't hate Ice Station Zebra, it was just average, to my tastes. I've seen dozens of naval films, if not more, from patrol boats to carriers to frogmen demo flicks to submarines movies, and I've liked many of them. I've also seen other films based on MacLean, and consider Where Eagles Dare one of the ten best films of '68. So I wouldn't say that I was uninformed on the matter, either. It's simply a case of our tastes diverging on this film. My snarky comment was my way of pointing out that accusing others of being ignorant as to the reason that they dislike something you do like isn't very persuasive nor courteous. Agreed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Casey06 Posted June 18, 2019 I literally watched this for the first time yesterday. I thought it was alright. First part was slow and kinda boring but well staged and acted. The second part was much better though. I do love Ernest Borgnine and Jim Brown But Hudson has sadly never done to much for me. He seemed bored during the film. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
