Writer-director James Cameron and  producer Gale Anne Hurd have carved a  distinct  niche  for themselves in the  world of  high-tech science  fiction filmmaking.  After traveling  across time in The Terminator and to the outer reaches of deep space in Aliens, they have now journeyed into the Cayman Trough   - one of  the deepest  and most  impenetrable  chasms on  earth - for  The Abyss, Set in an underwater oil drilling  habitat  located  seventeen hundred feet beneath the ocean surface, the film begins with the search for a downed nuclear submarine and evolves  into an aquatic odyssey  of cosmic consequence.   Forty percent of the production was shot in the largest  fresh water filming  tank in the world - a specially converted reactor containment building located at an  uncommissioned nuclear power plant.  Nine visual effects units were engaged to produce literally hundreds of shots covering the  gamut of  cinematic illusions from  computer generated  imagery and motion control to animatronic puppets and radio  control vehicles to  matte paintings  and underwater  miniatures to  rear projection and  bluescreen traveling mattes.  Virtually no effects technique was left untapped.  A trio of distinguished effects supervisors - John Bruno and Hoyt Yeatman and Dennis Muren - oversaw the activities of in-house units and teams from Dream Quest Images and Industrial Light & Magic.  Ancillary units were headed by Cameron veterans Robert and Dennis Skotak and Gene Warren of Fantasy II. Though photographed  thousands  of miles apart - in  situations both  wet and  dry and by artists of diverse talents and experience - the effects blended together seamlessly with the main unit photography and with one another. The end result is an unprecedented and uncompromising accomplishment - an epic film of wonder and imagination propelled by the singular vision and relentless drive of a master filmmaker just hitting his stride.

Article by Don Shay