Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster (1992)

Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster is a 1992 television movie depicting the Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster off the coast of Alaska. Directed by Paul Seed, it stars Christopher Lloyd, John Heard, Rip Torn and Michael Murphy.

Most of the film was shot in Vancouver, Richmond and Steveston, British Columbia, but it also utilizes archival film clips of the actual disaster and cleanup efforts.

Synopsis

On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker struck a reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska. It was the worst oil spill of its time, releasing over 11 million US gallons (260,000 bbl; 42,000 m3) of crude oil onto the Alaskan shoreline.

Much of the film centers on the conflict between local officials, the fishing industry, and the Exxon official sent out to oversee the clean-up and take the rap. The filmmakers point out that much of the aftermath could have been minimized had the officials in charge been better prepared and not spent so much time involved in useless red-tape and petty bureaucratic bickering.

Cast

John Heard as Dan Lawn, State of Alaska

Bob Gunton as Larry Dietrick, State of Alaska

Mark Metcalf as Dennis Kelso, State of Alaska

Bruce Gray as Governor Steve Cowper, State of Alaska

Jo Bates as Michelle Brown, State of Alaska

Walter Marsh as John Janssen, State of Alaska

John Maclaren as Al Kegler, State of Alaska

Marek Czuma as Jim Hayden, State of Alaska

Susan Astley as Jan Jackson, State of Alaska

Lochlyn Munro as Trooper Mike Fox, State of Alaska

Wally Dalton as Senator, State of Alaska

Frank C. Turner as Biologist, State of Alaska

Christopher Lloyd as Frank Iarossi, Exxon

Ron Frazier as Don Cornett, Exxon

Remak Ramsay as Craig Rassinier, Exxon

Malcolm Stewart as Dr. Gordon Lindblom, Exxon

Richard Sargent as Ulysses Legrange, Exxon

Tom McBeath as Bill Deppe, Exxon (credited as Tom Mcbeath)

Forbes Angus as Paul Myers, Exxon

Patricia Dahlquist as Millie Iarossi, Exxon

Don S. Davis as Bill Stevens, Exxon

Paul Guilfoyle as Commander Steve McCall, US Coast Guard

Gary Reineke as Rear Admiral Nelson, US Coast Guard

Eric Keenleyside as Gordon Taylor, US Coast Guard

Andrew Wheeler as Bruce Blanford, US Coast Guard

Michael Patten as Tom Falkenstein, US Coast Guard

J.B. Bivens as Mark Delozier, US Coast Guard

Rip Torn as Admiral Paul Yost, Presidential Delegation

Michael Murphy as U.S. EPA Administrator William K. Reilly, Presidential Delegation

Kenneth Welsh as Sam Skinner, Presidential Delegation

Peter Yunker as John Gaughan, Presidential Delegation

Myron Natwick as George M. Nelson, Alyeska

Alex Bruhanski as Chuck O'Donnell, Alyeska

Bill Dow as Larry Shier, Alyeska

Ken Camroux-Taylor as Dave Barnum, Alyeska (credited as Ken Camroux)

Leslie Carlson as Theo Polasek, Alyeska

Jackson Davies as Captain Hazelwood, Tanker Exxon Valdez

Philip Granger as 3rd Mate Greg Cousins, Tanker Exxon Valdez

Peter LaCroix as Helmsman Claar, Tanker Exxon Valdez (credited as Peter Lacroix)

Peg Christopherson as A.B. Maureen Jones, Tanker Exxon Valdez

Nathan Vanering as Helmsman Kagan, Tanker Exxon Valdez

Anthony Ulc as 1st Mate Kunkel, Tanker Exxon Valdez

Dwight McFee as Crewman, Tanker Exxon Valdez (credited as Dwight Mcfee)

David Morse as Rick Steiner, Fisherman

Timothy Webber as Jack Lamb, Fisherman

Tamsin Kelsey as Dr. Riki Ott, Fisherman

Michael Rogers as David Grimes, Fisherman (credited as Michael J. Rogers)

Danny Virtue as Baker, Fisherman

Mark Brandon as The Narrator (voice)

Production and release

Dead Ahead is based on the Exxon Valdez oil spill that occurred on March 24, 1989 where an oil tanker spilled nearly 11 million gallons of crude oil off the coast of Alaska. The film was written by Michael Baker. Baker spent more than a year going through official reports and transcripts for research before writing the first draft.

Reception

Howard Rosenberg from the Los Angeles Times called the film a "compelling thriller about self-interest taking precedence over public interest", praising Paul Seed's directing and the performances by John Heard and Christopher Lloyd.

References

External links

Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster at IMDb