The Hunt for Red October

Absolutely the best submarine movie made to date. The underlying story by Tom Clancy is as exciting and thrilling as a movie can get—great story and acting take precedence over the presentation of events. Masteful movie making...

This is a fascinating action film adapted from a fascinating book by Tom Clancy. Even though it takes place back during the Cold War between the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R., the film is gripping and will hold anybody's interest right from the opening scene to the final scene. Bonus: it's a pure action film and can be watched by the whole family. The plot has been modified from the novel by Tom Clancy and slightly simplified to work better on the screen. Briefly, a Russian submarine commander, Marko Ramius (Sean Connery), plans to defect to the United States; the Russian government tries to stop him by trying to sink him and they convince the American government that Ramius is a rogue commander who wants to nuke America. Jack Ryan, a C.I.A. analyst (Alec Baldwin), is convinced that Ramius is actually trying to defect and winds up going to extreme lengths to assist Ramius. The cast was superbly chosen. Sean Connery is the Lithuanian-born sub commander (a perfect performance - and he has an interesting accent in the film); Alec Baldwin is Jack Ryan (interesting to see him when he was young and thin); James Earl Jones as James Greer the C.I.A. head (great character part); Sam Neill as Borodin the 2nd in command of the Red October (another great character part); Scott Glenn as Bart Mancuso, an American sub commander (and his portrayal makes you hope ALL American sub commanders are like him); Richard Jordan as the National Security Adviser (makes you almost like politicians); Tim Curry as the Russian medical officer (wonderful character part- who knew Tim Curry was really this good?); Courtney Vance as "Jonesy", the American sonar operator (a pitch-perfect performance); Fred Thompson (yes, THAT Fred Thompson before Law & Order) in a really good part as an American Admiral. You can't beat this cast and their performances. The scenes that take place inside the subs are good, but the technology you see are strictly Hollywood - the computer systems and controls are a bit cartoonish - but that's okay - this film is pure entertainment. For years I had the VHS tape and snapped up this Blu-ray version and I am impressed with it's magnificent quality. This DVD is well worth it and one of the most enjoyable action films you can watch.

A masterpiece of a movie. 36 years later and it still holds up. Makes most modern movies look like a bunch of children with money making a youtube video. I hope to watch this movie again sometime in ten years and expect to be just as impressed.

It’s a good movie I like Sean Connery he was a good actor

Great movie

Director John McTiernan has had a checkered past as a movie maker. He has made some of the best movies to come out of Hollywood in recent years (`Die Hard' and `The Thomas Crown Affair') and yet he is also the one responsible for some of the worst big budget productions (`The 13th Warrior,' `Nomads' and `The Last Action Hero'). Thankfully for fans of the Tom Clancy novel on which `The Hunt for Red October' is based, this movie falls into the first category. And equally lucky for fans of the novel and film is the fact that Paramount Pictures has seen fit to replace the previous movie-only bare bones DVD release with a special collectors edition. Sometime in the early 1980s I was looking through novels in the local bookstore searching for that one elusive book that would make a great birthday present for my mother. I came across a work by an author I had never heard of, and a novel that sounded as if it had an interesting `Firefox-like' plot. The author was Tom Clancy and the novel was `The Hunt for Red October.' Fast forward several years and in 1990 Paramount Pictures released the Sean Connery/Alec Baldwin starring adaptation of the novel. The movie was a triumphant success, even given its longer than usual running time and its lack of real action (most of the actual action occurs in the final moments of the film). What held the movie together, and kept the viewers rapt attention, was the simply incredible acting and presence of Sean Connery as Soviet sub captain Marko Ramius and the building suspense and tension that pervades the well structured plot. The plot centers on the plan by Ramius to, with the help of some fellow crewmembers, to defect to the United States, taking with him the newest sub in the Russian fleet - the Red October (named after the October revolution. The Red October is capable of running silent with a new propulsion system that makes it almost invisible to sonar. The Russians launch a mission to destroy the submarine and even tell the Americans that Ramius is a rogue in an attempt to elicit their help in sinking the ship. The one American who doesn't believe the Russian story is CIA analyst Jack Ryan (played in this movie by Alec Baldwin). Having met Ramius previously and studied him he suspects the true intention of the Soviet captain. He must convince his bosses and eventually an American sub captain (played wonderfully by Scott Glenn) to trust him and give Ramius a chance. Taut and at times nerve wrenching (the blind timed navigating through the underwater trenches), the `Hunt for Red October' is simply one of the best techno-thrillers to come out of Hollywood in the past two decades. Sticking fairly close to the Clancy novel, McTiernan keeps building the pressure and ratcheting up of the stakes until an explosive final confrontation off the Labrador coast. For the collectors edition Paramount has provided us with not only a commentary by McTiernan but also a nice "making of.." documentary. I have always been disappointed with McTiernan commentaries (`The Thomas Crown Affair' is a case in point) and again here with `The Hunt for Red October' there is a lot of dead air with not much being said. Where this DVD does score top marks is in the documentary. We are provided with some fairly in-depth insight into what went into the making of the picture. Featuring all the leading actors in the movie and the production team responsible the documentary covers every angle and even reveals how close they came to not signing Connery when the Scottish actor was faxed the entire script sans the opening scroll. A great movie and this well-made documentary make this DVD a must buy - Recommended.

I don't have a single favorite movie.I talk about the group of movies that are my favorite.And this one is absolutely in that group and has been since the day it came out. The combination of drama , suspense, and action is amazing. As with any movie of this type, there are a few places where you need to suspend your disbelief. But it is not reduced at all by those moments. I saw the movie before.I ever read any of Tom Clancy's books. This movie sent me down the path to read many of his books. A quick comment on the other movies that are in the Jack Ryan series, they're all good.But this one is the best.

Enjoyed this movie. Big fan of Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin.

Great movie

The Hunt for Red October is an Amazing thriller Submarine Movie! I thought that nothing can Beat the Tension like it was in the movie Crimson Drive but this Movie is actually good and sometimes even better than Crimson drive but both are Great submarine movies with regards to nuclear Submarine. In Hunt for Red october.Captain Marko Ramius is captain of soviet submarine Nuclear class submarine with technology undetectable to sonar.Sean connery Plays a Dam good role of a Submarine commander Ramius. He kills one of his superiors and give counterfeit orders to his crew with excuse of exercising the nuclear weapons on American soil.However is he really there to Start a war or does he have other Intention??? Alec Baldwin plays a CIA Investigator but who is more of a Naval expert and Who met Marko Ramius in his life and knows the man well.The CIA think Ramius is going to Fire NUKEs at USA while Alec Baldwins Character thinks otherwise he is going to defect.The Russian government on the other hands Supports the CIAs suspicion causing more Fear and terror. This movie has Really a Good pacing and editing with some good Visuals and music. The language in the Sovient sub is russian first but later the russian crew speaks english.This movie was Released in 1990 and is Really a Thinking Mans Action thriller movie with Charisma Rather than "BOOM BANG BOOM". Sean Connery plays well for a Sovient sub Commander along with other great Cast.Glen scott plays Well too for an USA Submarine commander who is Tracking Ramius submarine vessel with his Intelligent SONAR Team. This movie might not have the CGI of todays but the submarine shots are still convincing and very creative work of Interiors.with hard work from the art department. I just like the Tension in the movie plus the Suspense the movie actually makes you think and wonder whats gonna happen next. The Dialogue is articulate and very sincere. This movie does a great job to show how Beneath our Uniforms we are all the same But politicians and some people try to Ignite Hatred and War!.. The Hunt for Red october is an amazing written Tom clancy Novel! and I wish Tom clancy RIP but the movies are better than the books. The Redoctober Submarine Incident is Said to be a True event but both countries deny it ever Happening. or are suppressing the matter because of captain ramius wanting asylum in USA and protection from CIA. Alec Baldwin and Sean connery were Phenomenal in this movie! I Belive everyone should see this movie on BLURAY. I am glad I got a very very good! Discount in Amazon India had it been otherwise I would have not tried this movie... HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER IS A MUST FOR ACTION THRILLER FANS and ALL YOU GUYS IN THE NAVY! Cinematography-8/10 Story/plot-10/10 Casting/Actors-10/10 Music-10/10 Submarines-10/10 Bluray quality-10/10

Ce film est un classique. « La Chasse à l'Octobre Rouge » est librement inspiré d'un fait réel survenu en 1975. Le roman s'inspire de la mutinerie de la frégate soviétique Storozhevoy, au cours de laquelle un groupe d'officiers et de marins, dirigé par Valery Sablin, a tenté de renverser le gouvernement soviétique. Si les détails et l'issue de la mutinerie diffèrent du récit fictif de « La chasse à l'octobre rouge », le thème central, à savoir la défection d'un officier de marine soviétique à bord d'un sous-marin à propulsion nucléaire, reste similaire. Cela dit, les différences résident dans le fait que le navire était un sous-marin dans le roman, que l'objectif n'était pas simplement la défection vers l'Ouest et que l'issue de la mutinerie a été, en réalité, la répression de la mutinerie par les autorités soviétiques, et que Sablin et ses complices ont été exécutés. Clancy a donc pris la vérité et en a fait un grand roman. Le plus beau, c'est qu'Hollywood a fait de ce grand roman un film classique ! Les principaux acteurs sont bien connus, comme Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Sam Neil et James Earth Jones (la voix de Dark Vador). Avec une telle équipe d'acteurs, un scénario captivant et des décors réalistes, ce film reste un classique à voir absolument.

Très bon film avec l'acteur Sean Connery. A regarder.

Excellent film, dvd worked well, film is definitely worth watching.