Waterworld
Encyclopedia
Waterworld is a 1995 post-apocalyptic science fiction film. The film was directed by Kevin Reynolds and co-written by Peter Rader and David Twohy
. It is based on Rader's original 1986 screenplay and stars Kevin Costner
, who also produced
it. It was distributed by Universal Pictures
. The film was the follow-up project to the last collaboration between Kevin Costner and Kevin Reynolds, who previously worked together on Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
in 1991.
The setting of the film is the distant future. Although no exact date was given in the film itself, it has been suggested that it took place in 2500. The polar ice caps have completely melted, and the sea level has risen many hundreds of metres, covering virtually all the land. The film illustrates this with an unusual variation on the Universal logo, which begins with the usual image of Earth, but shows the planet's water levels gradually rising and the polar ice caps melting as well until virtually all the land is submerged. The plot of the film centers on an otherwise nameless antihero, "the Mariner," a drifter who sails the Earth in his trimaran
.
Waterworld was released to mixed reviews, despite being moderately successful at the international box office. The film's release was accompanied by a tie-in novel and video game, and also three popular themed attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood
, Universal Studios Singapore
and Universal Studios Japan
based on the film, called Waterworld: A Live Sea War Spectacular, which are all still running as of 2011.
An antihero drifter known only as "the Mariner" (Kevin Costner
), sails the seas in his trimaran. He enters an artificial atoll
seeking to trade dirt, which is now a precious commodity. It is later revealed that he is a mutant with webbed feet and gills, an evolutionary step to accommodate the changes in climate. The fearful atollers vote to "recycle" him by drowning him in a yellow sludge brine pool
. At that moment pirates, known as "Smokers", raid the atoll, as they were tipped off by a Smoker spy posing as a trader (Gerard Murphy), known as "the Nord."
The Smokers are searching for an orphan girl named Enola (Tina Majorino
), who has what appears to be a map and directions to Dryland tattooed on her back. The girl and her guardian, Helen (Jeanne Tripplehorn
), the atoll's shopkeeper, plan to escape with Gregor (Michael Jeter
), the atoll's expert inventor, in the hopes of finding Dryland. Unfortunately, Gregor's escape method, a hot air balloon made of old rags, launches too early with him on it, leaving Helen and Enola stranded. Instead, they escape with the Mariner, who agrees to take them with him as they saved his life. He is ill at ease with their company, though, as he prefers solitude, and he finds them to be a nuisance. Chasing them is "the Deacon" (Dennis Hopper
), who is the captain of a derelict oil tanker, the Exxon Valdez
, and the leader of the Smokers. He wants the map to Dryland and has a number of skirmishes with the Mariner while trying to get Enola. After Helen's naive actions during a battle with the Smokers results in significant damage to the Mariner's boat, he angrily cuts their hair very short. After this incident, however, the Mariner gradually warms up to them, and teaches Enola to swim.
Helen, convinced that Dryland exists, demands to know where the Mariner finds his dirt. The Mariner, able to breathe underwater, puts her in a diving bell
, and swims down to the ruins of Denver. While they are underwater, the Deacon and his Smokers board the boat. The Mariner and Helen escape as the Deacon burns it and captures Enola. Since Helen cannot breathe underwater, the Mariner breathes for the both of them, resulting in an underwater kiss of life. They resurface and board the wreckage of the Mariner's trimaran, where they are later rescued by Gregor. He takes them to a new makeshift atoll where the survivors of the first atoll attack have regrouped.
Using a jet ski
, the Mariner chases down the Exxon Valdez and boards it. There, the Deacon is having a celebration, tossing gifts of cigarettes and Smeat (cans of Spam
) to the crew, proclaiming they have found the map to Dryland. After they have all gone below decks to row, the Mariner walks out onto the deck and threatens to drop a flare into the oil reserves unless the Deacon releases Enola. The Deacon, believing that the Mariner is bluffing, refuses. The Mariner drops the flare into the vent leading to the oil reserves.
The ship explodes, and the Mariner escapes with Enola by climbing a rope up to Gregor's balloon. The Deacon, still alive, makes a grab for Enola, but Helen throws a metal object which strikes him in the forehead, causing him to fall into the water. He then pulls out his pistol and shoots at the balloon, hitting one of the lines, causing Enola to fall into the sea. The Deacon and two other Smokers, all on jet skis, converge on Enola. The Mariner ties a rope around his ankle and bungee jump
s down to grab Enola, pulling her out of the water just as the jet skis collide and explode.
Gregor figures out the map, translating the Asian symbols using an old and tattered China Airlines
magazine, realises they are latitude and longitude coordinates, and steers his balloon in that direction. The group indeed finds Dryland, which turns out to be the peak of Mount Everest
, which is still above sea level. Gregor, Enola, Helen and the others land on the island and find the skeletons of Enola's parents. They then begin civilization anew on the island, but the Mariner decides he must leave. Enola, saddened to hear the Mariner is going, asks why. He explains that he does not belong on land, and that the ocean, his only home, calls to him. He builds a new, wooden boat on the beach and sails off.
The atollers refer to anybody from outside as "outwaters" and are very suspicious of them. On occasion, drifters are permitted temporary entry, but only if they prove they have something of value to trade, such as food, plants, cigarettes, paper, soil, or fresh water ("hydro").
Due to the extreme limits of living space in the settlements, along with sparse resources, the atoll elders limit the number of citizens to a constant number, avoiding the issue of overpopulation. Since there is nowhere to bury the dead, the bodies are recycled in a yellow brine pool. Occasionally, drifters are asked to mate with the women of the atolls to expand the shallow gene pool, in an attempt to avoid inbreeding
. However, the only time women are permitted to try for a child is when a citizen of the atoll dies, thus keeping the population number steady.
English and Hindi are still spoken. Another language used on Waterworld is "Portugreek", which is a mixture of Portuguese
and Greek
.
In the film, Old Gregor refers to these gills as "isotropic gills," and functional as opposed to vestigial. In addition to their speed and stealth, they are also very strong. They also have the sense of electroreception
either above or below the water, being able to tell when it is about to rain.
Old Gregor refers to these genetic mutants as Ichthyus sapiens (Latin for "wise fish"). The Deacon also refers to the Mariner in this way, calling him an "Ichthy-demon". The other less educated atollers refer to them as "mute-o."
The Mariner is such a mutant, although no other mutants are ever seen. However, from certain lines of dialogue in the film, it is clear there are more of his kind. The leader of the Smokers, the Deacon, refers to the protagonist as a "guppy freak," and, in line with his quasi-religious nature, believes that no such "abominations" should exist in nature. It is stated that Ichthyus sapiens do not need to eat for days on end.
The Smokers obtain many of their wares as marauders and by raiding the settlements of the surface. Many Smokers appear to be quite sadistic and revel in murder and carnage.
The base of the Smokers is the rusted old carcass of an oil tanker, referred to as the Deez, which is revealed to be the Exxon Valdez in a brief shot. Although the tanker no longer has any functional engines, the Smokers still have a large supply of crude oil aboard the tanker, and apparently a small oil refinery, as they are able to refine the crude oil into gasoline and diesel fuel to power the jet skis, plane, and other machines they make use of. The Deacon also mentions refining but states that they are running out of "the black stuff" and the "go-juice" rapidly, and that they only have "two lunars" (months) left of it. The Smokers have also hoarded large quantities of firearms, heavy artillery, ammunition, Smeat (Spam), paper, tobacco, cigarettes, whiskey, and "Black Death" Vodka aboard the tanker. The Smokers move the tanker by use of dozens of oars that stick out of the barnacle-encrusted hull.
The captain of the tanker and also the leader of the Smokers is looked up to as a messianic figure, as he has promised to lead the Smokers to the mythical Dryland, and in line with this quasi-religious nature, he is referred to as "Deacon
". The Deacon, or "Deac", has an intense hatred of sails, instead preferring the mechanical machines, and believes that his aim to raid atolls is a "crusade". He teaches his men a philosophy of "take and ye shall receive." The Smokers also worship a former historical captain of the tanker, "Saint Joe" (original Exxon Valdez Captain Joseph Hazelwood
).
The Deacon's inner circle is well organized and includes a man with medical knowledge, and a man who follows the Deacon around with a ledger and a bowler hat who records for posterity everything that happens and who also informs the Deacon of various statistics he needs to know. The Deacon's second-in-command is a large and imposing man of Scandinavia
n descent, referred to as "the Nord", who is reminiscent of a viking. The Nord likes to be in the thick of the action and delights in murder, leading the raids on atolls and also posing as a spy for reconnaissance. Smokers refer to each other as "cousins".
The primary goal of the Smokers in the film is to find an orphan girl named Enola, who as myth states came from the legendary Dryland, and has directions to it on a tattoo placed on her back. What the Deacon plans to do with Dryland is unclear though. In the extended cut, the Deacon claims he wishes to create a "church of eternal growth" for the Smokers.
s. Only one such outpost is seen in the film, in which the outpost keepers have been killed by the Smokers who attempt to lay a trap for the Mariner at the outpost.
, who went on to also write G.I. Jane
, Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick
. Twohy cited Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
as a major inspiration, which has the same director of photography as Waterworld, Dean Semler
. Gene Hackman
, James Caan, Laurence Fishburne
, and Gary Oldman
all turned down the role of the Deacon. Anna Paquin
was the first choice to play Enola.
During production, the film became notorious as it was plagued by a series of cost overruns and production setbacks. Universal Pictures initially authorized a budget of $100 million, but ballooning production costs eventually ran to an estimated $175 million, a record sum for a film production at the time. Filming took place in a large artificial sea water enclosure similar to that used in the film Titanic
two years later; it was located in the Pacific Ocean
just off the coast of Hawaii
. The final scene was filmed in a valley on the Big Island
, Waipio Valley
, also referred to as The Valley of Kings. The production was hampered by the collapse of this multi-million dollar set during a hurricane. Additional filming also took place in Los Angeles
, Huntington Beach, California
, and Santa Catalina Island
, Channel Islands, California
.
The production featured many different types of personal watercraft (PWC), most prominent being Kawasaki
jet skis. Kevin Costner was on the set for 157 days, working 6 days a week. At one point, he nearly died when he got caught up in a squall while tied to the mast of his trimaran. Laird Hamilton
, the well-known surfer, was Kevin Costner’s stunt double
for many water scenes. Hamilton, who had been commuting to the set via jet ski, was temporarily lost at sea when his jet ski ran out of fuel between Maui
and the Big Island. He drifted for many hours before being spotted by a Coast Guard
plane and rescued; when the abandoned jet ski washed up on shore on the island of Lanai
, he went over to fetch it and drove it back home again. Stunt coordinator Norman Howell succumbed to decompression sickness
during filming of an underwater scene and was rushed to a hospital in Honolulu by helicopter. He recovered fairly quickly from the potentially life-threatening sickness and returned to the set two days later. Tina Majorino was nicknamed "Jellyfish Candy" by Costner after she was stung three different times by jellyfish
during production.
Mark Isham
's score was reportedly rejected by Costner because it was "too ethnic and bleak", contrasting the film's futuristic and adventurous tone; James Newton Howard
was brought in to write the new score. Joss Whedon
flew out to the set to do last minute rewrites on the script and later described it as "seven weeks of hell".
The state of Hawaii had more than $35 million poured into its economy as a result of the colossal film production. Rumors abound that, after the filming ran notoriously over-budget, Kevin Costner fired Kevin Reynolds as director and shot the last few scenes himself. Other rumors suggest Reynolds was not fired, but simply walked off set with two weeks of filming left. Their previously acclaimed partnership ended with this film.
Inspired by racing trimarans built by Jeanneau Advanced Technologies' multi-hull division Lagoon; a custom 60 feet (18.3 m) yacht was designed by Marc Van Peteghem & Vincent Lauriot-Prevost and built in France by Lagoon. Two versions were built, a relatively standard racing trimaran for distance shots, and an effects-laden transforming trimaran for closeup shots. The first trimaran was launched on 2 April 1994, and first surpassed 30 knots (16.3 m/s) in September of that year. The transforming version was first seen in the film as a sort of raft with a three-bladed egg-beater windmill. When needed, levers could be triggered that would flatten the windmill blades while raising a hidden mast to full racing height. This was followed by revealing a boom previously hidden in the hull, and automated unfurling of the two sails. Once the transformation was complete this version could actually sail, although not as well as the dedicated racer. The first boat is stored in a lake at Universal Studios Florida
, and the second is in private hands in San Diego, California
.
, Gregg Landaker
and Keith A. Wester
).
Problems encountered during filming led to massive budget overrun, and it held the dubious distinction of being the most expensive film ever made at the time. Some critics dubbed it "Fishtar" and "Kevin's Gate" (references to the notorious flops Ishtar
and Heaven's Gate
).
With a budget of $175 million (not including marketing and distribution costs), the film grossed a mere $88 million at the U.S. box office, which seemed to make it the all time box office bomb. The film, however, did much better overseas, with $176 million at the foreign box office (for a total of $264 million).
After bringing some disappointing numbers in the U.S., the film was nominated for 4 Razzie Awards including Worst Picture, Worst Actor (Kevin Costner), and Worst Director, with Dennis Hopper winning the award as Worst Supporting Actor.
Contemporary reviews for the film were mixed, and varied widely. Roger Ebert
said of Waterworld: "The cost controversy aside, Waterworld is a decent futuristic action picture with some great sets, some intriguing ideas, and a few images that will stay with me. It could have been more, it could have been better, and it could have made me care about the characters. It's one of those marginal pictures you're not unhappy to have seen, but can't quite recommend."
James Berardinelli
of Reelviews Movie Reviews was one of the film's few supporters calling it "one of Hollywood's most lavish features to date" and saying that "Although the storyline isn't all that invigorating, the action is, and that's what saves Waterworld. In the tradition of the old Westerns and Mel Gibson
's Road Warrior
flicks, this film provides good escapist fun. Everyone behind the scenes did their part with aplomb, and the result is a feast for the eyes and ears."
At Metacritic
, the film has a "metascore" of 54/100, in the range of "Mixed or average reviews". At Rotten Tomatoes
, the film is rated "rotten" with a Tomatometer score of 42% and an averaged rating of 5.1. However, among the "Top Critics" on the film's page, the film is certified "fresh" with a score of 75%, and an averaged rating of 6.4/10.
of the film was trimmed and submitted to the studio at a length of around three hours. But most of it was then trimmed down again by the studio and Kevin Costner against the wishes of director Kevin Reynolds to a running length of 136 minutes, and Costner re-shot or re-edited some major plot points.
It was not until 1998 that the ABC
network premiered Waterworld as a two-night event with an additional 40 minutes of footage that was rarely seen during its theatrical run (Part 1 aired on Sunday night March 15, and part 2 aired on Thursday night March 19). These additional scenes make for a more solid cohesion of the film and fill some previous plot holes. This extended version was shown at some theaters and pre-releases, but eventually all theaters ran the 2 hour and 15 minute version of the film. Despite being much longer than the theatrical cut, the ABC cut was heavily edited for language, violence, action, and some nudity. Some examples of this are:
Despite these heavy edits, this 176-minute version was praised by fans of the film for the previously unseen footage it contained and was widely bootleg
ged, and increased in popularity over the years, as the extended cut was syndicated on stations like Bravo, USA, and AMC
. However, most of these stations only included 20 to 30 minutes of the extra footage, and not the full 40 minutes or so of the extended ABC cut. Scenes were still missing, especially excluding the Mount Everest
ending in some broadcasts. It wasn't shown in its entirety until the full ABC cut, with commercials, was finally seen on Sci Fi Channel
. The Sci Fi cut remains the most complete cut of the film to date.
After many petitions and pleas from Waterworld fans, Universal reissued it in November 2008 on DVD in a two-disc set. Despite being void of extras, except the theatrical trailer, this contained a new anamorphic widescreen transfer and the extended cut. Fans were disappointed to find that the extended cut, despite being in a widescreen format, was actually a transfer of the ABC cut, which was itself heavily edited for profanity and violence and had a poorer quality of picture, rather than the unedited and major restoration-cut that fans had hoped for.
As of May 2010, there remains to be released a major restoration of the film which is not subject to heavy edits, with no word from Universal of the possibility. There may yet still be a chance with the growing popularity of the Blu-ray Disc media format, which would result in even better picture quality than a DVD re-cut, if cut from the original master reel and not another cut (such as the edited lower-quality ABC cut).
The edited version is now the only one available on DVD and on NetFlix. Here is a detailed highlight of what was added:
, Virtual Boy
and PC
. While the Super Nintendo and Virtual Boy version were released by Ocean Software
, the PC version was released by Interplay
. The game received negative reviews; the Virtual Boy version was marked as the worst Virtual Boy game ever released out of the 22 games in its short life.
In 1995, Gottlieb Amusements (later Premier, both now defunct) released a pinball machine based on the movie.
In an episode
of The Simpsons
, Milhouse plays a Waterworld arcade game costing 40 quarters for the character to take one step, mocking the cost overruns of the movie. In another episode
, Homer says that taking him to a plaque of bad memories would be like "taking Richard Nixon
to Watergate, or Kevin Costner to Waterworld".
In the movie The Cable Guy
, Jim Carrey
's character says he watched Waterworld six times and that "it ruled!".
and published by Arrow Books. The novelization goes into much greater detail regarding the world of the film, and closes many of the apparent plot-holes therein.
, Universal Studios Japan
and Universal Studios Singapore
based on the film. The show's plot takes place immediately after the movie, when Helen returns to the Atoll with proof of Dryland, only to find herself followed by the Deacon, who survived the events of the movie. The Mariner arrives immediately after him, however, defeats the Deacon and takes Helen back to Dryland while the Atoll explodes.
David Twohy
David Neil Twohy is an American film director and screenwriter.-Life and career:Twohy was born in Los Angeles County, California...
. It is based on Rader's original 1986 screenplay and stars Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
, who also produced
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
it. It was distributed by Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
. The film was the follow-up project to the last collaboration between Kevin Costner and Kevin Reynolds, who previously worked together on Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is a 1991 American adventure film directed by Kevin Reynolds. Kevin Costner heads the cast list as Robin Hood...
in 1991.
The setting of the film is the distant future. Although no exact date was given in the film itself, it has been suggested that it took place in 2500. The polar ice caps have completely melted, and the sea level has risen many hundreds of metres, covering virtually all the land. The film illustrates this with an unusual variation on the Universal logo, which begins with the usual image of Earth, but shows the planet's water levels gradually rising and the polar ice caps melting as well until virtually all the land is submerged. The plot of the film centers on an otherwise nameless antihero, "the Mariner," a drifter who sails the Earth in his trimaran
Trimaran
A trimaran is a multihulled boat consisting of a main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls , attached to the main hull with lateral struts...
.
Waterworld was released to mixed reviews, despite being moderately successful at the international box office. The film's release was accompanied by a tie-in novel and video game, and also three popular themed attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is a movie studio and theme park in the unincorporated Universal City community of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood movie studios still in use...
, Universal Studios Singapore
Universal Studios Singapore
Universal Studios Singapore is a theme park located within Resorts World Sentosa on Sentosa Island, Singapore. It was a key component of Genting's bid for the right to build Singapore's second integrated resort. On 8 December 2006, the Singapore government announced that the consortium had won the...
and Universal Studios Japan
Universal Studios Japan
, located in Osaka, is one of four Universal Studios theme parks, owned and operated by USJ Co., Ltd. . The park is similar to Universal Orlando Resort, since it contains many of the same rides. Most visitors are Japanese tourists or tourists from other Asian countries such as Taiwan, Hong Kong,...
based on the film, called Waterworld: A Live Sea War Spectacular, which are all still running as of 2011.
Plot
In the future, the polar ice caps have melted, and the sea level has risen hundreds of meters, covering every continent.An antihero drifter known only as "the Mariner" (Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
), sails the seas in his trimaran. He enters an artificial atoll
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
seeking to trade dirt, which is now a precious commodity. It is later revealed that he is a mutant with webbed feet and gills, an evolutionary step to accommodate the changes in climate. The fearful atollers vote to "recycle" him by drowning him in a yellow sludge brine pool
Brine pool
Brine pools are large areas of brine on the ocean basin. These pools are bodies of water that have a salinity three to five times greater than the surrounding ocean. For deep-sea brine pools, the source of the salt is the dissolution of large salt deposits through salt tectonics...
. At that moment pirates, known as "Smokers", raid the atoll, as they were tipped off by a Smoker spy posing as a trader (Gerard Murphy), known as "the Nord."
The Smokers are searching for an orphan girl named Enola (Tina Majorino
Tina Majorino
Tina Marie Majorino is an American film and television actress. She started her career as a child actor, starring in films such as Andre; When a Man Loves a Woman; Corrina, Corrina; and Waterworld...
), who has what appears to be a map and directions to Dryland tattooed on her back. The girl and her guardian, Helen (Jeanne Tripplehorn
Jeanne Tripplehorn
Jeanne Marie Tripplehorn is an American film and television actress. She was brought to the public's attention through her supporting role in the 1992 film Basic Instinct, and since 2006 has starred opposite Bill Paxton in the HBO drama Big Love.-Early life:Tripplehorn was born in Tulsa,...
), the atoll's shopkeeper, plan to escape with Gregor (Michael Jeter
Michael Jeter
Michael Jeter was an American actor.- Early life :Michael Jeter was born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. His mother, Virginia , was a housewife...
), the atoll's expert inventor, in the hopes of finding Dryland. Unfortunately, Gregor's escape method, a hot air balloon made of old rags, launches too early with him on it, leaving Helen and Enola stranded. Instead, they escape with the Mariner, who agrees to take them with him as they saved his life. He is ill at ease with their company, though, as he prefers solitude, and he finds them to be a nuisance. Chasing them is "the Deacon" (Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
), who is the captain of a derelict oil tanker, the Exxon Valdez
Exxon Valdez
Oriental Nicety, formerly Exxon Valdez, Exxon Mediterranean, SeaRiver Mediterranean, S/R Mediterranean, Mediterranean, and Dong Fang Ocean is an oil tanker that gained notoriety after running aground in Prince William Sound spilling hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude oil in Alaska...
, and the leader of the Smokers. He wants the map to Dryland and has a number of skirmishes with the Mariner while trying to get Enola. After Helen's naive actions during a battle with the Smokers results in significant damage to the Mariner's boat, he angrily cuts their hair very short. After this incident, however, the Mariner gradually warms up to them, and teaches Enola to swim.
Helen, convinced that Dryland exists, demands to know where the Mariner finds his dirt. The Mariner, able to breathe underwater, puts her in a diving bell
Diving bell
A diving bell is a rigid chamber used to transport divers to depth in the ocean. The most common types are the wet bell and the closed bell....
, and swims down to the ruins of Denver. While they are underwater, the Deacon and his Smokers board the boat. The Mariner and Helen escape as the Deacon burns it and captures Enola. Since Helen cannot breathe underwater, the Mariner breathes for the both of them, resulting in an underwater kiss of life. They resurface and board the wreckage of the Mariner's trimaran, where they are later rescued by Gregor. He takes them to a new makeshift atoll where the survivors of the first atoll attack have regrouped.
Using a jet ski
Personal water craft
A personal water craft , also called water scooter, is a recreational watercraft that the rider rides or stands on, rather than inside of, as in a boat....
, the Mariner chases down the Exxon Valdez and boards it. There, the Deacon is having a celebration, tossing gifts of cigarettes and Smeat (cans of Spam
Spam
Spam may refer to:* Spam , a canned pork meat product* Spam , unsolicited or undesired electronic messages* E-mail spam, unsolicited or undesired email messages* "Spam" , a comedy sketch...
) to the crew, proclaiming they have found the map to Dryland. After they have all gone below decks to row, the Mariner walks out onto the deck and threatens to drop a flare into the oil reserves unless the Deacon releases Enola. The Deacon, believing that the Mariner is bluffing, refuses. The Mariner drops the flare into the vent leading to the oil reserves.
The ship explodes, and the Mariner escapes with Enola by climbing a rope up to Gregor's balloon. The Deacon, still alive, makes a grab for Enola, but Helen throws a metal object which strikes him in the forehead, causing him to fall into the water. He then pulls out his pistol and shoots at the balloon, hitting one of the lines, causing Enola to fall into the sea. The Deacon and two other Smokers, all on jet skis, converge on Enola. The Mariner ties a rope around his ankle and bungee jump
Bungee jumping
Bungee jumping is an activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a large elastic cord. The tall structure is usually a fixed object, such as a building, bridge or crane; but it is also possible to jump from a movable object, such as a hot-air-balloon or helicopter, that...
s down to grab Enola, pulling her out of the water just as the jet skis collide and explode.
Gregor figures out the map, translating the Asian symbols using an old and tattered China Airlines
China Airlines
China Airlines is both the flag carrier and the largest airline of Republic of China . Although not directly state-owned, the airline is owned by China Airlines Group, which is owned by the China Aviation Development Foundation...
magazine, realises they are latitude and longitude coordinates, and steers his balloon in that direction. The group indeed finds Dryland, which turns out to be the peak of Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
, which is still above sea level. Gregor, Enola, Helen and the others land on the island and find the skeletons of Enola's parents. They then begin civilization anew on the island, but the Mariner decides he must leave. Enola, saddened to hear the Mariner is going, asks why. He explains that he does not belong on land, and that the ocean, his only home, calls to him. He builds a new, wooden boat on the beach and sails off.
Cast
- Kevin CostnerKevin CostnerKevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
as The Mariner - Dennis HopperDennis HopperDennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
as The Deacon - Jeanne TripplehornJeanne TripplehornJeanne Marie Tripplehorn is an American film and television actress. She was brought to the public's attention through her supporting role in the 1992 film Basic Instinct, and since 2006 has starred opposite Bill Paxton in the HBO drama Big Love.-Early life:Tripplehorn was born in Tulsa,...
as Helen - Tina MajorinoTina MajorinoTina Marie Majorino is an American film and television actress. She started her career as a child actor, starring in films such as Andre; When a Man Loves a Woman; Corrina, Corrina; and Waterworld...
as Enola - Michael JeterMichael JeterMichael Jeter was an American actor.- Early life :Michael Jeter was born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. His mother, Virginia , was a housewife...
as Old Gregor - Gerard Murphy as The Nord
- R. D. CallR. D. CallR. D. Call is an American film and television actor.-Biography:R. D. Call was raised in Utah. He began his acting career in college while attending Utah State University and Weber State University....
as Atoll Enforcer - Kim CoatesKim CoatesKim Coates is a Canadian-American actor who has worked in both Canadian and American movies and television series. He has worked on Broadway portraying Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire and in the lead role of Macbeth performed at the Stratford Theatre...
as Drifter #2 - Robert JoyRobert JoyRobert Joy is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Dr. Sid Hammerback in CSI: NY and playing Charlie in Land of the Dead.-Early life:...
as Smoker Ledger Guy - John Fleck as Smoker Doctor
- Jack BlackJack BlackJack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
as Smoker Plane Pilot - John Toles-Bey as Smoker Plane Gunner (Ed)
- Zitto Kazann as Atoll Elder #3
- Zakes MokaeZakes MokaeZakes Makgona Mokae was a South African-born American actor.-Life and career:Mokae was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, moved to Great Britain in 1961, and to the United States in 1969. He turned to acting at the same time as playwright Athol Fugard was emerging...
as Priam - Sab ShimonoSab ShimonoSab Shimono is an American actor who has appeared in dozens of movies and television shows in character roles.-Career:An accomplished stage actor, he has appeared on Broadway and in regional theaters including San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre and Berkeley Repertory Theatre...
as Atoll Elder #1 - Rick AvilesRick AvilesRick Aviles was an American stand-up comedian and actor of Afro-Puerto Rican descent, who is best remembered for the role of Willie Lopez in the movie Ghost.-Early years:...
as Atoll Gatesman #1 - Leonardo CiminoLeonardo CiminoLeonardo Cimino born 1918, is an Italian film and television and stage actor who in 1937 appeared in the original stage production of Marc Blitzstein's The Cradle Will Rock...
as Atoll Elder #2 - Jack KehlerJack KehlerJack Kehler is an actor. He is sometimes credited as Jack Keeler.Jack has appeared in over 60 feature films, including Men in Black II. One of his most memorable performances was in film Love Liza as Denny, an energetic radio control hobbyist trying to help Philip Seymour Hoffman's character come...
as Atoll Banker - Robert A. SilvermanRobert A. SilvermanRobert A. Silverman was born on February 24, 1943 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Robert is one of several actors often cast by writer/director David Cronenberg. Silverman is sometimes credited as Bob Silverman or Robert Silverman. He has appeared in 5 films directed by David Cronenberg...
as Hydroholic - Neil GiuntoliNeil GiuntoliNeil Giuntoli is an American actor active since 1987, whose most famous role was in Child's Play . Giuntoli is also the author and lead actor of the play Hizzoner, a fictional account of former Chicago mayor Richard Daley...
as Hellfire Gunner (Chuck) - William PrestonWilliam Preston (actor)William Preston did not start his acting career until he was at the age of 47 but subsequently appeared in more than sixty productions of Shakespeare's plays. He had a Master's degree in English literature from Penn State. He is perhaps best known for his role as recurring character Oldie Olson on...
as Smoker Depth Gauge Guy - Chris Douridas as Atoller #7
- Sean WhalenSean WhalenSean M. Whalen is an American film, television, and stage actor.Whalen was born in Washington D.C. in 1964, the youngest of four children, he was raised in Silver Spring/Olney, Maryland. He attended Sherwood High School and graduated from UCLA. He worked as a waiter while studying and performing...
as Bone - Robert LaSardoRobert LaSardoRobert LaSardo is an American actor.LaSardo began his career studying at the famed High School of Performing Arts in New York City, before going on to the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Robert also spent four years in the U.S...
as Smitty - Lee ArenbergLee ArenbergLee Arenberg is an American actor, best known for his role as Pintel, one of Captain Barbossa's crew of miscreants, in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series.-Career:...
as Djeng
Factions within the film
The melting ice caps flooded the Earth, causing the end of civilization. Remnants of the human race who survived now live in large floating islands made up of scrap and debris found floating on the ocean; these settlements are called atolls. The atoll dwellers are primitive and superstitious.The atollers refer to anybody from outside as "outwaters" and are very suspicious of them. On occasion, drifters are permitted temporary entry, but only if they prove they have something of value to trade, such as food, plants, cigarettes, paper, soil, or fresh water ("hydro").
Due to the extreme limits of living space in the settlements, along with sparse resources, the atoll elders limit the number of citizens to a constant number, avoiding the issue of overpopulation. Since there is nowhere to bury the dead, the bodies are recycled in a yellow brine pool. Occasionally, drifters are asked to mate with the women of the atolls to expand the shallow gene pool, in an attempt to avoid inbreeding
Inbreeding
Inbreeding is the reproduction from the mating of two genetically related parents. Inbreeding results in increased homozygosity, which can increase the chances of offspring being affected by recessive or deleterious traits. This generally leads to a decreased fitness of a population, which is...
. However, the only time women are permitted to try for a child is when a citizen of the atoll dies, thus keeping the population number steady.
Drifters
Drifters travel in various kinds of boats. They have a rule that whenever two drifters come across each other, something must be traded between them, although many try to steal from each other. Drifters are usually loners. Some drifters are driven insane by their long and endless solitude on the waves.English and Hindi are still spoken. Another language used on Waterworld is "Portugreek", which is a mixture of Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
.
Aquatic human mutants
Some humans have developed genetic mutations allowing them to deal with the aquatic environment; they have webbed feet, which enable them to swim at high speeds, and gills located behind the ears, allowing them to breathe underwater. This lets them explore the previous drowned civilizations, scavenging for supplies and materials.In the film, Old Gregor refers to these gills as "isotropic gills," and functional as opposed to vestigial. In addition to their speed and stealth, they are also very strong. They also have the sense of electroreception
Electroreception
Electroreception is the biological ability to perceive natural electrical stimuli. It has been observed only in aquatic or amphibious animals, since water is a much better conductor than air. Electroreception is used in electrolocation and for electrocommunication.- Overview :Electroreception is...
either above or below the water, being able to tell when it is about to rain.
Old Gregor refers to these genetic mutants as Ichthyus sapiens (Latin for "wise fish"). The Deacon also refers to the Mariner in this way, calling him an "Ichthy-demon". The other less educated atollers refer to them as "mute-o."
The Mariner is such a mutant, although no other mutants are ever seen. However, from certain lines of dialogue in the film, it is clear there are more of his kind. The leader of the Smokers, the Deacon, refers to the protagonist as a "guppy freak," and, in line with his quasi-religious nature, believes that no such "abominations" should exist in nature. It is stated that Ichthyus sapiens do not need to eat for days on end.
Smokers
The pirates are known commonly as "Smokers" because of the smoke from oil-powered machines, such as personal water craft and airplanes, which they use. They also appear to apply great cultural significance to the smoking of cigarettes.The Smokers obtain many of their wares as marauders and by raiding the settlements of the surface. Many Smokers appear to be quite sadistic and revel in murder and carnage.
The base of the Smokers is the rusted old carcass of an oil tanker, referred to as the Deez, which is revealed to be the Exxon Valdez in a brief shot. Although the tanker no longer has any functional engines, the Smokers still have a large supply of crude oil aboard the tanker, and apparently a small oil refinery, as they are able to refine the crude oil into gasoline and diesel fuel to power the jet skis, plane, and other machines they make use of. The Deacon also mentions refining but states that they are running out of "the black stuff" and the "go-juice" rapidly, and that they only have "two lunars" (months) left of it. The Smokers have also hoarded large quantities of firearms, heavy artillery, ammunition, Smeat (Spam), paper, tobacco, cigarettes, whiskey, and "Black Death" Vodka aboard the tanker. The Smokers move the tanker by use of dozens of oars that stick out of the barnacle-encrusted hull.
The captain of the tanker and also the leader of the Smokers is looked up to as a messianic figure, as he has promised to lead the Smokers to the mythical Dryland, and in line with this quasi-religious nature, he is referred to as "Deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
". The Deacon, or "Deac", has an intense hatred of sails, instead preferring the mechanical machines, and believes that his aim to raid atolls is a "crusade". He teaches his men a philosophy of "take and ye shall receive." The Smokers also worship a former historical captain of the tanker, "Saint Joe" (original Exxon Valdez Captain Joseph Hazelwood
Joseph Hazelwood
Joseph Jeffrey Hazelwood is an American sailor. He was the captain of the Exxon Valdez during its 1989 oil spill. He was accused of being drunk at the time of the accident, though at trial he was cleared of this charge...
).
The Deacon's inner circle is well organized and includes a man with medical knowledge, and a man who follows the Deacon around with a ledger and a bowler hat who records for posterity everything that happens and who also informs the Deacon of various statistics he needs to know. The Deacon's second-in-command is a large and imposing man of Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n descent, referred to as "the Nord", who is reminiscent of a viking. The Nord likes to be in the thick of the action and delights in murder, leading the raids on atolls and also posing as a spy for reconnaissance. Smokers refer to each other as "cousins".
The primary goal of the Smokers in the film is to find an orphan girl named Enola, who as myth states came from the legendary Dryland, and has directions to it on a tattoo placed on her back. What the Deacon plans to do with Dryland is unclear though. In the extended cut, the Deacon claims he wishes to create a "church of eternal growth" for the Smokers.
Slavers
Although not seen in the film, slave traders are talked about and mentioned throughout. This would suggest that there is an active slave trade in Waterworld, although in the theatrical cut of the film this slave trade is little elaborated on, nor do we see what form this slave trade takes. In the extended cut of the film, it makes clear that the ruthless Mariner's initial intentions are to sell Helen and Enola to slave traders, but relents as he grows to know them.Border outposts
Although there is no longer any land, certain areas of Waterworld are set out as clear territories for the various factions and groups who dwell on the water's surface. The borders of these territories are defined by the outposts on the outskirts of the territories. It appears they also act as trading outposts, repair shops and lighthouseLighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
s. Only one such outpost is seen in the film, in which the outpost keepers have been killed by the Smokers who attempt to lay a trap for the Mariner at the outpost.
Production
The film was the follow-up project to the last collaboration between Kevin Costner and Kevin Reynolds, who previously worked together on Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves in 1991. The film was co-written by David TwohyDavid Twohy
David Neil Twohy is an American film director and screenwriter.-Life and career:Twohy was born in Los Angeles County, California...
, who went on to also write G.I. Jane
G.I. Jane
G.I. Jane is a 1997 American action film directed by Ridley Scott, produced by Largo Entertainment, Scott Free Productions and Caravan Pictures, distributed by Hollywood Pictures and starring Demi Moore and Viggo Mortensen. The film tells the fictional story of the first woman to undergo training...
, Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick
The Chronicles of Riddick
The Chronicles of Riddick is a 2004 American science fiction film which follows the adventures of Richard B. Riddick, as he attempts to elude capture after the events depicted in the 2000 film Pitch Black, and details his meeting with Jack and Imam, his escape from the prison planet Crematoria, and...
. Twohy cited Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
Mad Max 2 is a 1981 Australian post-apocalyptic action film directed by George Miller. The film is the second installment in the Mad Max film series, with Mel Gibson starring as Max Rockatansky...
as a major inspiration, which has the same director of photography as Waterworld, Dean Semler
Dean Semler
Dean Semler, A.C.S., A.S.C. is an Australian cinematographer. Over his career, he has worked as a cinematographer, camera operator, director, second unit director, and assistant director.-Early years:...
. Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman
Eugene Allen "Gene" Hackman is an American actor and novelist.Nominated for five Academy Awards, winning two, Hackman has also won three Golden Globes and two BAFTAs in a career that spanned five decades. He first came to fame in 1967 with his performance as Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde...
, James Caan, Laurence Fishburne
Laurence Fishburne
Laurence John Fishburne III is an American film and stage actor, playwright, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Morpheus in the Matrix science fiction film trilogy, as Cowboy Curtis on the 1980's television show Pee-wee's Playhouse, and as singer-musician Ike Turner...
, and Gary Oldman
Gary Oldman
Gary Leonard Oldman is an English actor, voice actor, filmmaker and musician.A member of the 1980s Brit Pack, Oldman came to prominence via starring roles in British films Meantime , Sid and Nancy and Prick Up Your Ears , with his performance in the latter bringing him his first BAFTA Award...
all turned down the role of the Deacon. Anna Paquin
Anna Paquin
Anna Helene Paquin is a Canadian-born New Zealand actress. Paquin's first critically successful film was The Piano, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1994 at the age of 11 – the second youngest winner in history...
was the first choice to play Enola.
During production, the film became notorious as it was plagued by a series of cost overruns and production setbacks. Universal Pictures initially authorized a budget of $100 million, but ballooning production costs eventually ran to an estimated $175 million, a record sum for a film production at the time. Filming took place in a large artificial sea water enclosure similar to that used in the film Titanic
Titanic (1997 film)
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
two years later; it was located in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
just off the coast of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. The final scene was filmed in a valley on the Big Island
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
, Waipio Valley
Waipio valley
Waipio Valley is a valley located in the Hamakua District of the Big Island of Hawaii. "Waipio" means "curved water" in the Hawaiian language.It was the capital and permanent residence of many early Hawaiian alii up until the time of King Umi...
, also referred to as The Valley of Kings. The production was hampered by the collapse of this multi-million dollar set during a hurricane. Additional filming also took place in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 189,992; making it the largest beach city in Orange County in terms of population...
, and Santa Catalina Island
Santa Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
, Channel Islands, California
Channel Islands of California
The Channel Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California along the Santa Barbara Channel in the United States of America...
.
The production featured many different types of personal watercraft (PWC), most prominent being Kawasaki
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
jet skis. Kevin Costner was on the set for 157 days, working 6 days a week. At one point, he nearly died when he got caught up in a squall while tied to the mast of his trimaran. Laird Hamilton
Laird Hamilton
Laird Hamilton is an American big-wave surfer, co-inventor of tow-in surfing, and an occasional fashion and action-sports model. He is married to Gabrielle Reece, a professional volleyball player, television personality, and model...
, the well-known surfer, was Kevin Costner’s stunt double
Stunt double
A stunt double is a type of body double, specifically a skilled replacement used for dangerous film or video sequences, in movies and television , and for other sophisticated stunts...
for many water scenes. Hamilton, who had been commuting to the set via jet ski, was temporarily lost at sea when his jet ski ran out of fuel between Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
and the Big Island. He drifted for many hours before being spotted by a Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
plane and rescued; when the abandoned jet ski washed up on shore on the island of Lanai
Lanai
Lānai or Lanai is the sixth-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is also known as the Pineapple Island because of its past as an island-wide pineapple plantation. The only town is Lānai City, a small settlement....
, he went over to fetch it and drove it back home again. Stunt coordinator Norman Howell succumbed to decompression sickness
Decompression sickness
Decompression sickness describes a condition arising from dissolved gases coming out of solution into bubbles inside the body on depressurization...
during filming of an underwater scene and was rushed to a hospital in Honolulu by helicopter. He recovered fairly quickly from the potentially life-threatening sickness and returned to the set two days later. Tina Majorino was nicknamed "Jellyfish Candy" by Costner after she was stung three different times by jellyfish
Jellyfish
Jellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. Medusa is another word for jellyfish, and refers to any free-swimming jellyfish stages in the phylum Cnidaria...
during production.
Mark Isham
Mark Isham
Mark Isham is an American trumpeter, synthesist, and film composer. He works in a variety of genres, including jazz, electronic, and film.-Life and career:...
's score was reportedly rejected by Costner because it was "too ethnic and bleak", contrasting the film's futuristic and adventurous tone; James Newton Howard
James Newton Howard
James Newton Howard is an American composer best known for his scores to motion pictures. He is one of the most popular and respected composers for cinema, and has scored over 100 films...
was brought in to write the new score. Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
flew out to the set to do last minute rewrites on the script and later described it as "seven weeks of hell".
The state of Hawaii had more than $35 million poured into its economy as a result of the colossal film production. Rumors abound that, after the filming ran notoriously over-budget, Kevin Costner fired Kevin Reynolds as director and shot the last few scenes himself. Other rumors suggest Reynolds was not fired, but simply walked off set with two weeks of filming left. Their previously acclaimed partnership ended with this film.
Inspired by racing trimarans built by Jeanneau Advanced Technologies' multi-hull division Lagoon; a custom 60 feet (18.3 m) yacht was designed by Marc Van Peteghem & Vincent Lauriot-Prevost and built in France by Lagoon. Two versions were built, a relatively standard racing trimaran for distance shots, and an effects-laden transforming trimaran for closeup shots. The first trimaran was launched on 2 April 1994, and first surpassed 30 knots (16.3 m/s) in September of that year. The transforming version was first seen in the film as a sort of raft with a three-bladed egg-beater windmill. When needed, levers could be triggered that would flatten the windmill blades while raising a hidden mast to full racing height. This was followed by revealing a boom previously hidden in the hull, and automated unfurling of the two sails. Once the transformation was complete this version could actually sail, although not as well as the dedicated racer. The first boat is stored in a lake at Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies," and it features numerous attractions and...
, and the second is in private hands in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
.
Box office and reception
The film debuted at box office at No.1. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound (Steve MaslowSteve Maslow
Steve Maslow is an American sound engineer. He won three Academy Awards for Best Sound and has been nominated for four more in the same category...
, Gregg Landaker
Gregg Landaker
Gregg Landaker is an American sound engineer. He won three Academy Awards for Best Sound and has been nominated for four more in the same category...
and Keith A. Wester
Keith A. Wester
Keith A. Wester was an American sound engineer. He was nominated for six Academy Awards in the category Best Sound...
).
Problems encountered during filming led to massive budget overrun, and it held the dubious distinction of being the most expensive film ever made at the time. Some critics dubbed it "Fishtar" and "Kevin's Gate" (references to the notorious flops Ishtar
Ishtar (film)
Ishtar is a 1987 American comedy film directed by Elaine May and starring Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman as "Rogers and Clarke" – a duo of incredibly untalented lounge singers who travel to Morocco looking for work, and stumble into a four-party Cold War standoff.It also starred Isabelle Adjani...
and Heaven's Gate
Heaven's Gate (film)
Heaven's Gate is a 1980 American epic Western film based on the Johnson County War, a dispute between land barons and European immigrants in Wyoming in the 1890s...
).
With a budget of $175 million (not including marketing and distribution costs), the film grossed a mere $88 million at the U.S. box office, which seemed to make it the all time box office bomb. The film, however, did much better overseas, with $176 million at the foreign box office (for a total of $264 million).
After bringing some disappointing numbers in the U.S., the film was nominated for 4 Razzie Awards including Worst Picture, Worst Actor (Kevin Costner), and Worst Director, with Dennis Hopper winning the award as Worst Supporting Actor.
Contemporary reviews for the film were mixed, and varied widely. Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
said of Waterworld: "The cost controversy aside, Waterworld is a decent futuristic action picture with some great sets, some intriguing ideas, and a few images that will stay with me. It could have been more, it could have been better, and it could have made me care about the characters. It's one of those marginal pictures you're not unhappy to have seen, but can't quite recommend."
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli is an American online film critic.-Personal life:Berardinelli was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey and spent his early childhood in Morristown, New Jersey. At the age of nine years, he relocated to the township of Cherry Hill, New Jersey...
of Reelviews Movie Reviews was one of the film's few supporters calling it "one of Hollywood's most lavish features to date" and saying that "Although the storyline isn't all that invigorating, the action is, and that's what saves Waterworld. In the tradition of the old Westerns and Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
's Road Warrior
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
flicks, this film provides good escapist fun. Everyone behind the scenes did their part with aplomb, and the result is a feast for the eyes and ears."
At Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, the film has a "metascore" of 54/100, in the range of "Mixed or average reviews". At Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, the film is rated "rotten" with a Tomatometer score of 42% and an averaged rating of 5.1. However, among the "Top Critics" on the film's page, the film is certified "fresh" with a score of 75%, and an averaged rating of 6.4/10.
Extended cut
The initial filmed script ran at over five hours. The original director's cutDirector's cut
A director's cut is a specially edited version of a film, and less often TV series, music video, commercials, comic book or video games, that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit...
of the film was trimmed and submitted to the studio at a length of around three hours. But most of it was then trimmed down again by the studio and Kevin Costner against the wishes of director Kevin Reynolds to a running length of 136 minutes, and Costner re-shot or re-edited some major plot points.
It was not until 1998 that the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
network premiered Waterworld as a two-night event with an additional 40 minutes of footage that was rarely seen during its theatrical run (Part 1 aired on Sunday night March 15, and part 2 aired on Thursday night March 19). These additional scenes make for a more solid cohesion of the film and fill some previous plot holes. This extended version was shown at some theaters and pre-releases, but eventually all theaters ran the 2 hour and 15 minute version of the film. Despite being much longer than the theatrical cut, the ABC cut was heavily edited for language, violence, action, and some nudity. Some examples of this are:
- The opening shot of the Mariner urinating
- The shot in which the Mariner shoots the gatesman of the atoll (Rick AvilesRick AvilesRick Aviles was an American stand-up comedian and actor of Afro-Puerto Rican descent, who is best remembered for the role of Willie Lopez in the movie Ghost.-Early years:...
) through the foot with a harpoon gun - Helen's undressing on the Mariner's trimaran
- The shot where the gunner of the Smoker airplane is speared through the chest by the harpoon gun
- The shot where the Mariner crushes the Smoker referred to as "Smitty" (Robert LaSardoRobert LaSardoRobert LaSardo is an American actor.LaSardo began his career studying at the famed High School of Performing Arts in New York City, before going on to the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Robert also spent four years in the U.S...
) with a jet ski - Swear words are replaced with less offensive words such as "toilet" and "slimeball."
Despite these heavy edits, this 176-minute version was praised by fans of the film for the previously unseen footage it contained and was widely bootleg
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
ged, and increased in popularity over the years, as the extended cut was syndicated on stations like Bravo, USA, and AMC
AMC (TV network)
AMC is a cable television specialty channel that primarily airs movies, along with a limited amount of original programming. The letters originally stood for American Movie Classics; however since 2002, the full name has been deemphasized as a result of a major shift in programming...
. However, most of these stations only included 20 to 30 minutes of the extra footage, and not the full 40 minutes or so of the extended ABC cut. Scenes were still missing, especially excluding the Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
ending in some broadcasts. It wasn't shown in its entirety until the full ABC cut, with commercials, was finally seen on Sci Fi Channel
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
. The Sci Fi cut remains the most complete cut of the film to date.
After many petitions and pleas from Waterworld fans, Universal reissued it in November 2008 on DVD in a two-disc set. Despite being void of extras, except the theatrical trailer, this contained a new anamorphic widescreen transfer and the extended cut. Fans were disappointed to find that the extended cut, despite being in a widescreen format, was actually a transfer of the ABC cut, which was itself heavily edited for profanity and violence and had a poorer quality of picture, rather than the unedited and major restoration-cut that fans had hoped for.
As of May 2010, there remains to be released a major restoration of the film which is not subject to heavy edits, with no word from Universal of the possibility. There may yet still be a chance with the growing popularity of the Blu-ray Disc media format, which would result in even better picture quality than a DVD re-cut, if cut from the original master reel and not another cut (such as the edited lower-quality ABC cut).
Additional scenes
The original cut of Waterworld contained many additional character developments and clarified many plot points. Most of these are included in the first broadcast on ABC and syndicated versions of the extended cut, but some scenes are missing or dropped to fill in a three-hour block with commercials during such broadcasts. This cut was the version that was syndicated until the Sci-Fi Channel acquired the rights to air the full cut. Some theaters showed the extended cut during the initial release, although it seems that most theaters showed the heavily edited version due to concerns about the running time. At the time of the film, the producers believed that a three-hour running time would prevent much of the targeted audience (teen boys) from wanting to see the film, as the only three-hour films released in the 1990s were "serious" artistic films targeted for adults.The edited version is now the only one available on DVD and on NetFlix. Here is a detailed highlight of what was added:
- Prior to the Mariner's arrival at the atoll, an elderly drifter with long white hair and beard is shown outside the gates to the city, and wants to barter his hair for a small portion of hydro. The guards do not grant him entrance, as they say they already have enough traders, just as they do at first with the Mariner.
- After the Mariner shows the guards of the atoll his gadgets and jar of dirt and is permitted entry, shots are added of the guards blasting the other drifters at the gates with giant water hoses to prevent them from also entering as the Mariner is let in.
- A slightly longer version of the bank scene, where the Mariner grabs all the chits and leaves an amazed crowd.
- The bar scene is much longer, and it begins with an additional moment of a barfly telling Helen how impressive the Mariner's dirt is. This includes a new shot of the Mariner approaching, and more footage of him buying more hydro. Plus, the Nord has more lines (speaking some lines in Norwegian). It is clearer that the Nord suspects the Mariner of being a mutant. Enola's tattoo is seen more clearly for a few more seconds.
- When a family offers the Mariner their daughter, there is an additional line from an elder explaining that when a member of the atoll dies, they gain the social right to give birth to another family member, making the barter more clear.
- A new scene where a trial of the Mariner is held. At a night meeting, an atoller shows some of the items they confiscated from the Mariner's ship, which are in fact various gadgets from the previous civilization, and gives a negative interpretation for each one, believing the Mariner to be a murderer and a Smoker spy. The atollers believe a yo yoYo YoYo Yo is a 1965 film by Pierre Étaix. It was entered into the 1965 Cannes Film Festival.-Plot:Yo Yo is a 1920s billionaire who, although having everything he fancies and living in a cavernous old castle, is not happy because he is in love with a beautiful circus artist. The stock-exchange crashes...
is garotte wireGarroteA garrote or garrote vil is a handheld weapon, most often referring to a ligature of chain, rope, scarf, wire or fishing line used to strangle someone....
, a ThighMaster to be a torture device, and a clarinet to be surveillance equipment. Helen defends the Mariner, knowing that he might know where Dryland is. Helen claims that they need to find Dryland fast, if it does indeed exist, as their atoll is dying, their way of life ending, and many other similar atolls have died out. The Mariner may be the only one capable of leading them to Dryland. But, the council ignores her pleas and decide the Mariner's fate. They also bay for the blood of Enola, as they have heard the rumour that the Smokers are looking for her. - A bunch of kids menace the Mariner and tease him with a fish. However, this backfires, as he scares them off. This cuts into a scene where Gregor calculates the meaning of Enola's tattoo, but finds himself cornered again. Helen shows up, and there is more dialogue between the two, as Helen fears that the atollers may eventually set them all adrift.
- The attack on the Atoll is much longer, with more footage of the Atollers preparing for the assault (including the use of the sharp bills of swordfishSwordfishSwordfish , also known as broadbill in some countries, are large, highly migratory, predatory fish characterized by a long, flat bill. They are a popular sport fish of the billfish category, though elusive. Swordfish are elongated, round-bodied, and lose all teeth and scales by adulthood...
as melee weapons), Gregor assembling the flying machine, a woman demanding they give Enola over to the Smokers and her death, and Gregor, trying to mount the flying machine, runs up the stairs and leaps onto it. - The Deacon arrives at the remains of the atoll, as Smokers are raiding the water supply and cutting down trees with chain saws. His record-keeper reports to him on the spoils of the raid, much to the disappointment of the Deacon, who feels that the previous attacks were more "worthy." When told the atoll contains no cigarettes or ammunition, the Deacon states that they are savages. He also states that his "crusade" is coming to an end, as there are barely any atolls left to plunder.
- An added scene where the Deacon summarizes the origin of the world in a sermon, stating that the world was made as a ball of water by God and how mutations cannot be possible as the concept of evolution is false, all whilst interrogating the two prisoners. The Smokers say amen at the conclusion of the Deacon's sermon.
- A shot of the Mariner fixing the bullet holes beneath the water line is followed by additional dialogue between him and Helen, and added footage of Enola exploring the lower deck of the Trimaran.
- A scene where the Mariner makes some fresh hydro, and waters his plant. He explains that he does not make hydro out of seawater because it is harder on the filters. With some left, he gives it to Enola, after Helen asks for it, who in return thanks the Mariner with a hug. Enola also thanks him for not throwing her and Helen overboard to save his hydro. The Mariner responds by shoving Enola aside, and Helen warns Enola to stay away from him.
- After the airplane assault, there is a much longer version of the Deacon and the Nord plotting to capture the Mariner, which includes more lines from Jack BlackJack BlackJack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
's character, the Smoker airplane pilot, who is upset over the death of his friend, Ed, the airplane gunner. He refers to Helen as "the atoll witch". It is also made clearer that the Deacon wants to capitalize the newfound land and convert it into a resort, and we see a drawing of it. (This scene was split into two parts, with the second half ending the first part of the ABC TV cut.) - Prior to the bizarre Drifter's arrival, a sequence is added where the Mariner is eating a tomato, with Helen and Enola watching in hunger.
- The scene where the Mariner fishes is presented as a separate scene, where Helen teases him, saying that he "can't fish."
- The scene where Helen and the Mariner talk by moonlight is much longer, with a CD player the Mariner has repaired to working order playing jazz music in the background. Helen explains that she is not Enola's mother, and how she found Enola in a basket floating on the waves. The basket was also filled with dirt far darker and richer than any she had seen before, and so she believes Enola must have come from "Dryland", along with this dirt. The other atollers wanted to shove Enola back out to sea as they wouldn't allow for another citizen, but in her compassion Helen promised the elders that she would raise Enola as her own and forfeit the right to have her own child instead. The Mariner doesn't understand this, and says that his only ever friend is his boat, which will never lie to him, or cut his throat when he is asleep. Helen says she pities him, so the Mariner looks up the meaning of the word in an issue of National Geographic magazine, where the definition of pity is given as the name of a bushmanBushmenThe indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, are variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe...
, leaving the Mariner even more confused. - After the scene at the border outpost where the Mariner was shot, it is made clear that the place the Mariner was heading was a slaver colony, and that his plan was to sell Helen and Enola to them. Helen realizes this, and tells the Mariner there is nothing human about him, and he should have been killed at birth. The Mariner responds by saying "they tried".
- After finding Enola, the Nord presents the Deacon with the Mariner's National Geographic issues, and they all marvel at the pictures of Dryland.
- The scene where the Deacon talks to Enola is longer, as he explains that the Smokers are growing in number and that he needs more land in order to continue his development, with what he calls his "church of eternal growth", and also his desire to make roads and highways. Enola suggests "making" fewer people and limiting the population to a steady number like in the atolls. The scene also ends with the Deacon ordering Enola to be chained up, while she screams that the Mariner will come to save her.
- A scene is deleted and moved to a later spot, where the Mariner is looking over the remains of his boat, and finally realizes that Enola may know where Dryland is. Instead, a scene is inserted where Helen claims she cannot go any further, but the Mariner will not quit. It then cuts to a shot of Gregor's ship flying in the clouds, following the smoke, and discovering the two, explaining how he found them.
- About 4–5 minutes of footage is restored, where the group joins the New Atoll, and Helen is having a hard time convincing them to save Enola. The Mariner does not want to save her, and returns to the Trimaran wreckage. There, he sees Enola's drawings, and compares them to a National Geographic issue. He finally realizes that she does know where Dryland is. He returns to the New Atoll to find two Smokers terrorizing the group. He dispatches them, lights one of the jet skis on fire, which creates a fire trail leading to the Deez. This explains how he managed to get a jet ski and locate the Deez in the theatrical cut of the film.
- In the above added footage, it is made clearer that a pole shift has occurred in the planet, turning the world upside down.
- After crashing into the Smoker referred to as "Smitty" (Robert LaSardoRobert LaSardoRobert LaSardo is an American actor.LaSardo began his career studying at the famed High School of Performing Arts in New York City, before going on to the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Robert also spent four years in the U.S...
) with a jet ski while docking inside the Deez, two Smokers appear and menace the Mariner for a moment. They then change tune and congratulate the Mariner for killing Smitty, seeing how annoyed they were with Smitty, and not realizing the Mariner is not a Smoker like them (this may be because the Mariner is wearing goggles he took off Horse, a Smoker he drowned in the water.) One of these Smokers, Djeng, celebrates that, due to the fact Smitty is dead, he is now in charge of the lower decks of the Deez. Djeng is played by Lee ArenbergLee ArenbergLee Arenberg is an American actor, best known for his role as Pintel, one of Captain Barbossa's crew of miscreants, in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series.-Career:...
, who later went on to have a large part in the Pirates of the CaribbeanPirates of the Caribbean (film series)Pirates of the Caribbean is a series of fantasy-adventure films directed by Gore Verbinski and Rob Marshall , written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
film series. - As the Mariner is climbing up the inside of the Deez, there is an added sequence whereby the Mariner notices a loudspeaker playing the Deacon's speech, as the Deacon is talking about settling, building on and capitalizing on "Dryland". The Mariner is startled for a moment, not knowing what the speaker is, and thinking the Deacon is in close proximity. Realizing the speaker is the source of the voice, the Mariner responds by hacking it to pieces with a macheteMacheteThe machete is a large cleaver-like cutting tool. The blade is typically long and usually under thick. In the English language, an equivalent term is matchet, though it is less commonly known...
. - Before telling the two Smokers to drive into Enola, the Deacon yells, "If I can't have Dryland, no one will!!!"
- After rescuing Enola, Gregor reveals a map he discovered, which he uses to direct the airship to Dryland, also with the use of a sextantSextantA sextant is an instrument used to measure the angle between any two visible objects. Its primary use is to determine the angle between a celestial object and the horizon which is known as the altitude. Making this measurement is known as sighting the object, shooting the object, or taking a sight...
. - There is much more dialogue in the final scene. Before the Mariner leaves, the enforcer shakes the Mariner's hand, saying that is all he has, and the Mariner replies "it is enough". Gregor gives the Mariner dirt, and tells him not to trade it all at once at another atoll, and then says maybe he should and then come back for more dirt. Helen pleads with the Mariner to stay, but he refuses, saying that he does not belong on land. When Helen asks what the Mariner is looking for out at sea, the Mariner says he wants to look for more of his kind, because Gregor said it is likely there are more mutants out at sea. He also says that Helen is responsible for finding Dryland, because she never gave up hope. If he finds any other humans at sea, he will tell them about Helen and her story of courage, and where to find Dryland. Helen's gift to the Mariner is not something he can trade with, which the Mariner states would be the first such free thing in Waterworld. She gives him a name, "UlyssesOdysseusOdysseus or Ulysses was a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in the Epic Cycle....
", because she hopes he will one day return. The Mariner states that it is a good name. - In the original ending, while watching the Mariner leave from a hill, Helen and Enola uncover a worn plaque that reveals Dryland to be the summit of Mount Everest. This is the very same plaque laid down by Edmund HillaryEdmund HillarySir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE , was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest – see Timeline of climbing Mount Everest...
and Tenzing NorgayTenzing NorgayPadma Bhushan, Supradipta-Manyabara-Nepal-Tara Tenzing Norgay, GM born Namgyal Wangdi and often referred to as Sherpa Tenzing, was a Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer...
on 29 May 1953, the first time the summit was reached. This ending to Waterworld was only seen once during its 1998 broadcast premiere on ABC. It was cut from other syndicated airings, until the Sci-Fi ChannelSci Fi Channel (United States)Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
restored it, when they aired the full cut.
Cultural impact
The video game based on the movie was released on Super NintendoSuper Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
, Virtual Boy
Virtual Boy
The was a video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was the first video game console that was supposed to be capable of displaying "true 3D graphics" out of the box. Whereas most video games use monocular cues to achieve the illusion of three dimensions on a two-dimensional...
and PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
. While the Super Nintendo and Virtual Boy version were released by Ocean Software
Ocean Software
The British company Ocean Software was one of the biggest European video game developers/publishers of the 1980s and 90s...
, the PC version was released by Interplay
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corporation is an American video game developer and publisher, founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by Brian Fargo. The company had been a quality developer until they started publishing their own games in 1988, like Neuromancer and Battle Chess. The company was renamed...
. The game received negative reviews; the Virtual Boy version was marked as the worst Virtual Boy game ever released out of the 22 games in its short life.
In 1995, Gottlieb Amusements (later Premier, both now defunct) released a pinball machine based on the movie.
In an episode
The Springfield Files
"The Springfield Files" is the tenth episode of The Simpsons eighth season, which originally aired January 12, 1997. The episode sees Homer believe he has discovered an alien in Springfield. It was written by Reid Harrison and directed by Steven Dean Moore...
of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, Milhouse plays a Waterworld arcade game costing 40 quarters for the character to take one step, mocking the cost overruns of the movie. In another episode
Take My Life, Please
"Take My Life, Please" is the tenth episode of the twentieth season of The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 15, 2009...
, Homer says that taking him to a plaque of bad memories would be like "taking Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
to Watergate, or Kevin Costner to Waterworld".
In the movie The Cable Guy
The Cable Guy
The Cable Guy is a 1996 black comedy film, directed by Ben Stiller, and starring Jim Carrey and Matthew Broderick. The film also features Leslie Mann, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson...
, Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
's character says he watched Waterworld six times and that "it ruled!".
Novelization
A tie-in novel of the film was released to coincide with the movie's opening, which was written by Max Allan CollinsMax Allan Collins
Max Allan Collins is an American mystery writer. He has written novels, screenplays, comic books, comic strips, trading cards, short stories, movie novelizations and historical fiction. He wrote the graphic novel Road to Perdition , created the comic book private eye Ms...
and published by Arrow Books. The novelization goes into much greater detail regarding the world of the film, and closes many of the apparent plot-holes therein.
Comic books
A sequel comic book four issue mini-series entitled Waterworld: Children of Leviathan was released by Acclaim Comics in 1997. Kevin Costner did not permit his likeness to be used for the comics; thus, the Mariner looks different. The story reveals a little about the Mariner's back-story, as he gathers clues about where he came from and why he is different from others. The comic also expands immensely in the possible cause for the melting of the polar ice caps and worldwide flood; and introduces a new villain "Leviathan", the supplier of the Deacon's Smoker organization. The comic also hints at the possibility of the Mariner's mutation may not be caused by evolution but by genetic engineering and that his origins may be linked to those of the Sea Eater, the sea monster seen during the fishing scene in the film.Theme park attractions
There are attractions at Universal Studios HollywoodUniversal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Hollywood is a movie studio and theme park in the unincorporated Universal City community of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood movie studios still in use...
, Universal Studios Japan
Universal Studios Japan
, located in Osaka, is one of four Universal Studios theme parks, owned and operated by USJ Co., Ltd. . The park is similar to Universal Orlando Resort, since it contains many of the same rides. Most visitors are Japanese tourists or tourists from other Asian countries such as Taiwan, Hong Kong,...
and Universal Studios Singapore
Universal Studios Singapore
Universal Studios Singapore is a theme park located within Resorts World Sentosa on Sentosa Island, Singapore. It was a key component of Genting's bid for the right to build Singapore's second integrated resort. On 8 December 2006, the Singapore government announced that the consortium had won the...
based on the film. The show's plot takes place immediately after the movie, when Helen returns to the Atoll with proof of Dryland, only to find herself followed by the Deacon, who survived the events of the movie. The Mariner arrives immediately after him, however, defeats the Deacon and takes Helen back to Dryland while the Atoll explodes.