Wolfgang petersen

Description:

This four-disc DVD set of Petersen's most acclaimed films includes AIR FORCE ONE, DAS BOOT, IN THE LINE OF FIRE,and THE PERFECT STORM. See individual titles for details.

Description:

President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) is one of the most respected leaders in the history of America. When Kazakhstanian separatists commit atrocities on their own people, Marshall authorizes a guerrilla mission to take their leader, General Radek (Jürgen Prochnow), into custody and restore the democratic regime. In his speech afterward, the president vows never to let America hesitate again when dealing with terrorists. However, that's before a group of them, led by the ruthless Korchunov (Gary Oldman) take over his own flight on Air Force One, with his wife and young daughter also on board. President Marshall, a decorated Vietnam veteran, becomes a one-man vigilante force in his efforts to free his family and the other hostages, retake the plane, and thwart the hijackers. Director Wolfgang Petersen's thrilling film is supported by an excellent ensemble cast, which includes William H. Macy, Philip Baker Hall, and Glenn Close as Kathryn Bennett, the vice president who must hold the Cabinet together in Marshall's absence.

Description:

STEALTH: This high-action flight movie centers on a team of three sexy stealth bomber pilots who are forced to fly with EDI (Extreme Deep Invader), a computer-manned prototype plane that specializes in extra-precision bombing. The brainchild of a Bill Gates-esque wunderkind (Richard Roxburgh), EDI has the ability to learn at a fantastic rate, talks like HAL from 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY, and likes to listen to hard rock before going into combat. Before long, a freak accident causes it to question authority and launch an attack on Russia. W.D. Richter's script probes big issues involving men, machines, and the nuclear fate of the free world. (Read: DR. STRANGELOVE meets THE TERMINATOR.) But this is also an action thrill ride from Rob Cohen--the man responsible for THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS and XXX--replete with some truly tremendous explosions and speeds that outdo any mph records set in Cohen's past oeuvre. Jessica Biel (TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE) is tough and surprisingly believable as the token female fighter pilot, while Jamie Foxx (RAY) makes a fine wingman to the daredevil squadron leader, played by Josh Lucas. Sam Shepard (THE RIGHT STUFF) is their commanding officer, with Joe Morton playing a shady politician. AIR FORCE ONE: President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) is one of the most respected leaders in the history of America. When Kazakhstanian separatists commit atrocities against their own people, Marshall authorizes a guerrilla mission to take their leader, General Radek (Jürgen Prochnow), into custody and restore the democratic regime. In his speech afterward, the president vows never to let America hesitate again when dealing with terrorists. However, that's before a groups of them, led by the ruthless Korchunov (Gary Oldman), take over his own flight on Air Force One, with his wife and young daughter also on board. President Marshall, a decorated Vietnam veteran, becomes a one-man vigilante force in his efforts to free his family and the other hostages, retake the plane, and thwart the hijackers. Director Wolfgang Petersen's thrilling film is supported by an excellent ensemble cast that includes William H. Macy, Philip Baker Hall, and Glenn Close as Kathryn Bennett, the vice president who must hold the Cabinet together in Marshall's absence.

Description:

In the midst of World War II, as the tide turns against the Axis, a German U-boat crew is sent out to patrol the Atlantic and fire at Allied ships bringing supplies to England. The submarine also carries a press correspondent, there to report from the front lines of nautical warfare. Meanwhile, the crew's captain (Jürgen Prochnow) is becoming disillusioned with the Nazi regime and with war in general. What starts out as a routine mission is soon livened up beyond the crew's expectations when their boat's surprise attack on a convoy is thwarted by a fast-moving destroyer. Battered by depth charges, the crew must pull together to survive the attacks of their unseen enemy. Widely considered to be director Wolfgang Petersen's best film and one of the finest German films ever made, DAS BOOT is stunningly realistic in its portrayal of the cramped conditions aboard a German submarine. Based on a novel by Lothar G. Buchheim, it is a striking example of an intelligent antiwar film clothed in the guise of a military thriller.

Description:

Based on the engrossing nonfiction work by Sebastian Junger about the Andrea Gail--a commercial swordfishing boat that was lost at sea in October 1991--Wolfgang Petersen's THE PERFECT STORM brings the pages to life. The movie features a big-name cast (George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg) playing the gruff, edgy fishermen in the Gloucester, Massachusetts, port, as well as close-up camera shots of the boats moored on the wintry docks. Viewers are drawn into the closely knit New England community that is struck speechless by a fierce nor'easter made from three merging hurricanes. Meteorologists call it the Perfect Storm. Despite the weather forecast, skipper Billy Tyne (Clooney) insists that his crew go out on one more 30-day swordfishing trip before the winter sets in. At sea, a series of tragedies ensues, including a man dragged overboard by one of the 300-foot-long lines and a bloodthirsty shark that gets reeled onto the deck accidentally. What's worse, the skipper's right-hand man, Bobby Shatford (Wahlberg), is homesick for his girlfriend back onshore. But it is not until the storm finally hits and the special effects--mountainous dark digitized waves--take hold that the Andrea Gail is rendered helpless even to Coast Guard helicopters and THE PERFECT STORM's terrifying true-story tragedy becomes reality.

Description:

In director Wolfgang Petersen's fast-paced, intelligently written thriller, Dustin Hoffman plays Col. Sam Daniels, an expert on infectious diseases who is called in to study the outbreak of a deadly illness in Zaire. He finds a virus that spreads so quickly it could wipe out an entire nation in just a few weeks, and he believes that it might have spread to the United States. With the help of his ex-wife (Rene Russo), who works at the Centers for Disease Control, Daniels tracks the virus to the quiet seaside town of Cedar Creek, California. His superiors' reticence to help begins to raise questions in Daniels's mind, and he must find a cure before a panicky U.S. army general decides to kill the town's populace in order to save the world. The all-star cast includes Hoffman, Russo, Kevin Spacey, Donald Sutherland, Morgan Freeman, and Cuba Gooding, Jr.

Description:

German-born director Wolfgang Petersen (DAS BOOT, THE PERFECT STORM) returns to the sea for POSEIDON, a gripping remake of Ronald Neame and Irwin Allen's 1972 disaster classic, THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE. As passengers celebrate New Year's Eve aboard the massive ship Poseidon, a rogue wave devastates the luxury liner, turning it upside down as windows smash, fires break out, electric wires dangle dangerously, and people try to run for their lives--with seemingly nowhere to go. Despite Captain Bradford's (Andre Braugher) pleas for people to remain calm in the ballroom, a small group of people go against his orders and attempt to make their own way to the bottom of the ship, which is now the only section above water. Led by a low-rent gambler named Dylan (Josh Lucas) and the onetime mayor of New York City, Ramsey (Kurt Russell), and including a suicidal architect (Richard Dreyfuss), the former mayor's daughter (Emmy Rossum) and her fiancé (Mike Vogel), a stowaway (Mia Maestro), and a single mother (Jacinda Barrett) and her young son (Jimmy Bennett), they band together as they battle the elements, fight to save their lives, and learn something about themselves along the way. Although the special effects are cutting-edge, starting with the long, complex opening shot, Petersen makes sure to instill humanity into the characters, letting the film be driven by the story, not just the mechanics. To ensure the integrity of the project, one of the executive producers is Sheila Allen, who was married to disaster master Irwin Allen (producer of such films as THE TOWERING INFERNO, VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, and THE SWARM) until his death in 1991, and played Gina Rowe in THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (under her maiden name, Sheila Mathews). Fans of the Black Eyed Peas will get a kick out of Fergie as Gloria, the ballroom singer.

Description:

In director Wolfgang Petersen's fast-paced, intelligently written thriller, Dustin Hoffman plays Col. Sam Daniels, an expert on infectious diseases who is called in to study the outbreak of a deadly illness in Zaire. He finds a virus that spreads so quickly it could wipe out an entire nation in just a few weeks, and he believes that it might have spread to the United States. With the help of his ex-wife (Rene Russo), who works at the Centers for Disease Control, Daniels tracks the virus to the quiet seaside town of Cedar Creek, California. His superiors' reticence to help begins to raise questions in Daniels's mind, and he must find a cure before a panicky U.S. army general decides to kill the town's populace in order to save the world. The all-star cast includes Hoffman, Russo, Kevin Spacey, Donald Sutherland, Morgan Freeman, and Cuba Gooding, Jr.

Description:

DAS BOOT: In the midst of World War II, as the tide turns against the Axis, a German U-boat crew is sent out to patrol the Atlantic and attack Allied ships bringing supplies to England. The submarine also carries a press correspondent, there to report from the front lines of naval warfare. Meanwhile, the crew's captain (Jürgen Prochnow) is becoming disillusioned with the Nazi regime and with war in general. What starts out as a routine mission is soon enlivened beyond the crew's expectations when their boat's surprise attack on a convoy is thwarted by a fast-moving destroyer. Battered by depth charges, the crew must pull together to survive the attacks of their unseen enemy. ANZIO: This film from director Edward Dmytryk (THE CAINE MUTINY) follows the Allied landing in Italy at the beaches of Anzio--one of the bloodiest battles of the war, thanks to an overly cautious general (Arthur Kennedy) whose delays gave the Germans time to erect the Caesar Line of defense around Rome. Robert Mitchum stars as Dick Ennis, an unarmed seen-it-all war correspondent who finds himself in the thick of the fray. Peter Falk is scrappy Corporal Rabinoff, a former shoe salesman who's grown addicted to the thrill of combat. Together they get stuck behind enemy lines and must fight their way back to warn the troops. THE CAINE MUTINY: In director Edward Dmytryk's classic seafaring drama, privileged mama's boy Ensign Keith (Robert Francis) gets assigned to the Caine, a rusty old minesweeper with a haggard, undisciplined crew, during the latter days of WWII. Soon the paranoid, strawberry-loving Captain Queeg (Humphrey Bogart) takes charge and tries to clean up the ship, arousing the hatred and suspicion of the other officers, especially a flippant lieutenant (Fred MacMurray). Eventually, the men stage a mutiny, and a dramatic trial follows, featuring a sharply intelligent military lawyer (José Ferrer). DEADMEN'S SECRETS: THE SECRETS OF SEAWOLVES: This documentary uses archive footage to trace the Germans' use of submarines during World War II. The seawolves were a formidable technology, and with them, the Nazis came close to cutting of Great Britain's access to food and supplies and starving them into submission. The sea battles were a crucial element of the war, and this documentary shows how the Allies eventually managed to stave off the technologically superior Germans and put an end to the fighting.

Description:

A metal-twisting, glass-shattering car accident destroys both the face and memory of Dan Merrick (Tom Berenger), while his sublimely beautiful wife remains unharmed. Although plastic surgeons repair the physical damage, he still remembers nothing of the past. Despite his wife's solicitousness, Dan slowly begins to realize she's trying to hide something from him. Desperate for knowledge, he hires a private eye to search out the truth. But when the investigator gets to the bottom of it all, Dan may not want to hear what he's got to say. Directed by Wolfgang Petersen (A PERFECT STORM, AIR FORCE ONE), this suspenseful tale of lies, betrayals, and unanswered questions hurtles the audience headfirst toward its surprising conclusion.

Description:

President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) is one of the most respected leaders in the history of America. When Kazakhstanian separatists commit atrocities on their own people, Marshall authorizes a guerrilla mission to take their leader, General Radek (Jürgen Prochnow), into custody and restore the democratic regime. In his speech afterward, the president vows never to let America hesitate again when dealing with terrorists. However, that's before a group of them, led by the ruthless Korchunov (Gary Oldman) take over his own flight on Air Force One, with his wife and young daughter also on board. President Marshall, a decorated Vietnam veteran, becomes a one-man vigilante force in his efforts to free his family and the other hostages, retake the plane, and thwart the hijackers. Director Wolfgang Petersen's thrilling film is supported by an excellent ensemble cast, which includes William H. Macy, Philip Baker Hall, and Glenn Close as Kathryn Bennett, the vice president who must hold the Cabinet together in Marshall's absence.

Description:

With soaring photography that circles from above then swoops in for the action, TROY is Wolfgang Petersen's majestic presentation of the classic Greek legend. It tells the story of an epic battle over Helen (Diane Kruger), the queen of Sparta, who is kidnapped by her lover Paris (Orlando Bloom), the prince of Troy. This infuriates Helen's husband Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson), whose brother Agamemnon (Brian Cox) convinces him to invade Troy. They recruit Achilles (Brad Pitt), the best warrior in Greece, whose bravery, quick feet, and remarkable swordsmanship (not to mention tanned biceps, short kilts, and blond locks) have earned him a reputation that is almost as impressive as his ego. Achilles agrees to fight for Sparta, if only for the fame it will bring him. Even Achilles's mother, in a touching scene, advises him to forget mortal achievements and become a hero who will be remembered throughout history. Along with the invasion of Troy, a series of duels must also be fought: Paris, who is heartbreaking in his lovestruck naiveté, must go up against the enraged Menelaus, and Achilles must settle a score with Hector (Eric Bana), who is fiercely dedicated to protecting his brother Paris and their father, the frail king Priam (Peter O'Toole). When the war finally ignites in its massive proportions, the action is awesome. And as the increasingly dramatic events play out, TROY earns its own timeless reputation among other action-adventure epics such as GLADIATOR and SPARTACUS.

Description:

President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) is one of the most respected leaders in the history of America. When Kazakhstanian separatists commit atrocities on their own people, Marshall authorizes a guerrilla mission to take their leader, General Radek (Jürgen Prochnow), into custody and restore the democratic regime. In his speech afterward, the president vows never to let America hesitate again when dealing with terrorists. However, that's before a group of them, led by the ruthless Korchunov (Gary Oldman) take over his own flight on Air Force One, with his wife and young daughter also on board. President Marshall, a decorated Vietnam veteran, becomes a one-man vigilante force in his efforts to free his family and the other hostages, retake the plane, and thwart the hijackers. Director Wolfgang Petersen's thrilling film is supported by an excellent ensemble cast, which includes William H. Macy, Philip Baker Hall, and Glenn Close as Kathryn Bennett, the vice president who must hold the Cabinet together in Marshall's absence.

Description:

With soaring photography that circles from above then swoops in for the action, TROY is Wolfgang Petersen's majestic presentation of the classic Greek legend. It tells the story of an epic battle over Helen (Diane Kruger), the queen of Sparta, who is kidnapped by her lover Paris (Orlando Bloom), the prince of Troy. This infuriates Helen's husband Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson), whose brother Agamemnon (Brian Cox) convinces him to invade Troy. They recruit Achilles (Brad Pitt), the best warrior in Greece, whose bravery, quick feet, and remarkable swordsmanship (not to mention tanned biceps, short kilts, and blond locks) have earned him a reputation that is almost as impressive as his ego. Achilles agrees to fight for Sparta, if only for the fame it will bring him. Even Achilles's mother, in a touching scene, advises him to forget mortal achievements and become a hero who will be remembered throughout history. Along with the invasion of Troy, a series of duels must also be fought: Paris, who is heartbreaking in his lovestruck naiveté, must go up against the enraged Menelaus, and Achilles must settle a score with Hector (Eric Bana), who is fiercely dedicated to protecting his brother Paris and their father, the frail king Priam (Peter O'Toole). When the war finally ignites in its massive proportions, the action is awesome. And as the increasingly dramatic events play out, TROY earns its own timeless reputation among other action-adventure epics such as GLADIATOR and SPARTACUS.

Description:

Based on the engrossing nonfiction work by Sebastian Junger about the Andrea Gail--a commercial swordfishing boat that was lost at sea in October 1991--Wolfgang Petersen's THE PERFECT STORM brings the pages to life. The movie features a big-name cast (George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg) playing the gruff, edgy fishermen in the Gloucester, Massachusetts, port, as well as close-up camera shots of the boats moored on the wintry docks. Viewers are drawn into the closely knit New England community that is struck speechless by a fierce nor'easter made from three merging hurricanes. Meteorologists call it the Perfect Storm. Despite the weather forecast, skipper Billy Tyne (Clooney) insists that his crew go out on one more 30-day swordfishing trip before the winter sets in. At sea, a series of tragedies ensues, including a man dragged overboard by one of the 300-foot-long lines and a bloodthirsty shark that gets reeled onto the deck accidentally. What's worse, the skipper's right-hand man, Bobby Shatford (Wahlberg), is homesick for his girlfriend back onshore. But it is not until the storm finally hits and the special effects--mountainous dark digitized waves--take hold that the Andrea Gail is rendered helpless even to Coast Guard helicopters and THE PERFECT STORM's terrifying true-story tragedy becomes reality.

Description:

THE PERFECT STORM: Based on the engrossing nonfiction work by Sebastian Junger about the Andrea Gail--a commercial swordfishing boat that was lost at sea in October 1991--Wolfgang Petersen's THE PERFECT STORM brings the pages to life. The movie features a big-name cast (George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg) playing the gruff, edgy fishermen in the Gloucester, Massachusetts, port, as well as close-up camera shots of the boats moored on the wintry docks. Viewers are drawn into the closely knit New England community that is struck speechless by a fierce nor'easter made from three merging hurricanes. Meteorologists call it the Perfect Storm. THREE KINGS: David O. Russell makes his entry into the major studio big leagues with the electric war dramedy THREE KINGS. The politically charged script, based on a fictional story by John Ridley, is a sly reworking of KELLY'S HEROES, and concerns four Gulf War soldiers who discover a map that may lead to an enormous stash of gold bullion. Russell gives actors George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube, and Spike Jonze a chance to shine, in roles that step outside the usual cinematic clichés and enable them to create human, believable characters, resulting in one of 1999's most exciting, original, and underrated motion pictures.

Description:

With soaring photography that circles from above then swoops in for the action, TROY is Wolfgang Petersen's majestic presentation of the classic Greek legend. It tells the story of an epic battle over Helen (Diane Kruger), the queen of Sparta, who is kidnapped by her lover Paris (Orlando Bloom), the prince of Troy. This infuriates Helen's husband Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson), whose brother Agamemnon (Brian Cox) convinces him to invade Troy. They recruit Achilles (Brad Pitt), the best warrior in Greece, whose bravery, quick feet, and remarkable swordsmanship (not to mention tanned biceps, short kilts, and blond locks) have earned him a reputation that is almost as impressive as his ego. Achilles agrees to fight for Sparta, if only for the fame it will bring him. Even Achilles's mother, in a touching scene, advises him to forget mortal achievements and become a hero who will be remembered throughout history. Along with the invasion of Troy, a series of duels must also be fought: Paris, who is heartbreaking in his lovestruck naiveté, must go up against the enraged Menelaus, and Achilles must settle a score with Hector (Eric Bana), who is fiercely dedicated to protecting his brother Paris and their father, the frail king Priam (Peter O'Toole). When the war finally ignites in its massive proportions, the action is awesome. And as the increasingly dramatic events play out, TROY earns its own timeless reputation among other action-adventure epics such as GLADIATOR and SPARTACUS.

Description:

With soaring photography that circles from above then swoops in for the action, TROY is Wolfgang Petersen's majestic presentation of the classic Greek legend. It tells the story of an epic battle over Helen (Diane Kruger), the queen of Sparta, who is kidnapped by her lover Paris (Orlando Bloom), the prince of Troy. This infuriates Helen's husband Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson), whose brother Agamemnon (Brian Cox) convinces him to invade Troy. They recruit Achilles (Brad Pitt), the best warrior in Greece, whose bravery, quick feet, and remarkable swordsmanship (not to mention tanned biceps, short kilts, and blond locks) have earned him a reputation that is almost as impressive as his ego. Achilles agrees to fight for Sparta, if only for the fame it will bring him. Even Achilles's mother, in a touching scene, advises him to forget mortal achievements and become a hero who will be remembered throughout history. Along with the invasion of Troy, a series of duels must also be fought: Paris, who is heartbreaking in his lovestruck naiveté, must go up against the enraged Menelaus, and Achilles must settle a score with Hector (Eric Bana), who is fiercely dedicated to protecting his brother Paris and their father, the frail king Priam (Peter O'Toole). When the war finally ignites in its massive proportions, the action is awesome. And as the increasingly dramatic events play out, TROY earns its own timeless reputation among other action-adventure epics such as GLADIATOR and SPARTACUS.

Description:

German-born director Wolfgang Petersen (DAS BOOT, THE PERFECT STORM) returns to the sea for POSEIDON, a gripping remake of Ronald Neame and Irwin Allen's 1972 disaster classic, THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE. As passengers celebrate New Year's Eve aboard the massive ship Poseidon, a rogue wave devastates the luxury liner, turning it upside down as windows smash, fires break out, electric wires dangle dangerously, and people try to run for their lives--with seemingly nowhere to go. Despite Captain Bradford's (Andre Braugher) pleas for people to remain calm in the ballroom, a small group of people go against his orders and attempt to make their own way to the bottom of the ship, which is now the only section above water. Led by a low-rent gambler named Dylan (Josh Lucas) and the onetime mayor of New York City, Ramsey (Kurt Russell), and including a suicidal architect (Richard Dreyfuss), the former mayor's daughter (Emmy Rossum) and her fiancé (Mike Vogel), a stowaway (Mia Maestro), and a single mother (Jacinda Barrett) and her young son (Jimmy Bennett), they band together as they battle the elements, fight to save their lives, and learn something about themselves along the way. Although the special effects are cutting-edge, starting with the long, complex opening shot, Petersen makes sure to instill humanity into the characters, letting the film be driven by the story, not just the mechanics. To ensure the integrity of the project, one of the executive producers is Sheila Allen, who was married to disaster master Irwin Allen (producer of such films as THE TOWERING INFERNO, VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, and THE SWARM) until his death in 1991, and played Gina Rowe in THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (under her maiden name, Sheila Mathews). Fans of the Black Eyed Peas will get a kick out of Fergie as Gloria, the ballroom singer.

Description:

German-born director Wolfgang Petersen (DAS BOOT, THE PERFECT STORM) returns to the sea for POSEIDON, a gripping remake of Ronald Neame and Irwin Allen's 1972 disaster classic, THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE. As passengers celebrate New Year's Eve aboard the massive ship Poseidon, a rogue wave devastates the luxury liner, turning it upside down as windows smash, fires break out, electric wires dangle dangerously, and people try to run for their lives--with seemingly nowhere to go. Despite Captain Bradford's (Andre Braugher) pleas for people to remain calm in the ballroom, a small group of people go against his orders and attempt to make their own way to the bottom of the ship, which is now the only section above water. Led by a low-rent gambler named Dylan (Josh Lucas) and the onetime mayor of New York City, Ramsey (Kurt Russell), and including a suicidal architect (Richard Dreyfuss), the former mayor's daughter (Emmy Rossum) and her fiancé (Mike Vogel), a stowaway (Mia Maestro), and a single mother (Jacinda Barrett) and her young son (Jimmy Bennett), they band together as they battle the elements, fight to save their lives, and learn something about themselves along the way. Although the special effects are cutting-edge, starting with the long, complex opening shot, Petersen makes sure to instill humanity into the characters, letting the film be driven by the story, not just the mechanics. To ensure the integrity of the project, one of the executive producers is Sheila Allen, who was married to disaster master Irwin Allen (producer of such films as THE TOWERING INFERNO, VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, and THE SWARM) until his death in 1991, and played Gina Rowe in THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (under her maiden name, Sheila Mathews). Fans of the Black Eyed Peas will get a kick out of Fergie as Gloria, the ballroom singer.