Submarine Quotation of the Month

Why Vigilis must see this movie


Quote of the Month by someone who would know...
Movie Review of the Year

“Phantom is one of the most realistic post-WWII submarine movies that has ever been made. It is also the first Hollywood movie shot almost entirely inside an actual, Soviet cold-war submarine, docked at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.  In particular, the film truly captures the unique camaraderie and courage any submarine crew experiences, whether Soviet or American.” - Captain Charles R. MacVean, USN, (Ret) [aka: "Mustang Charlie"]  USS Sea Wolf (SSN-575). source

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From Phantom writer-director... 

“At one point, we had 27 people in a space about twice the size of an average family bathroom with cameras, lights and all kinds of gear,” Robinson recalls. “By the time you got through shooting in that place, you couldn’t get out fast enough. Frankly, there was always an ass in your face, and it didn’t matter who you were. Everyone was suffering the same conditions. Also, it’s a very old submarine. It’s sort of falling apart. Just to pre-rig the thing for shooting, we had to cut holes all the way through it.”  - Todd Robinson  source

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 “What dawned on me when I became an adult was that these decisions—the most terrible decisions that anyone could make—would have to be made by ordinary men in aircraft, missile silos and in the unforgiving conditions of submarines. That’s really why I chose this setting. And there is actual history that supports these events.”  - Todd Robinson  source

Note 1
Phantom filming took place in a real Soviet-era sub: 

B-39 was a Foxtrot class diesel-electric attack submarine of the Soviet Navy. The "B" (actually "Б") in her designation stands for большая.  B-39 is now a museum ship on display at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.

Note 2
Hear what Captain MacVean USN, (Ret) has to say about submarine crew members in a short YouTube.

Submarines are always silent and strange.