Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster
| Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Drama |
| Written by | Michael Baker |
| Directed by | Paul Seed |
| Starring |
Christopher Lloyd John Heard Bob Gunton Mark Metcalf |
| Music by | David Ferguson |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
Richard Broke Colin Callender Leslie Woodhead |
| Producer(s) |
John Smithson David M. Thompson Howard Meltzer (co-producer) Frank Doelger (co-producer) Joanna Gueritz (associate producer) |
| Location(s) |
Alaska Vancouver |
| Cinematography | Ian Punter |
| Editor(s) | Dave King |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
HBO Films HBO BBC Films |
| Distributor | HBO |
| Release | |
| Original network | HBO |
| Original release |
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Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster is a 1992 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.