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In their tense phone exchanges, Frank has avoided talking about JFK, despite Learys goading.
But now, in this reflective moment with Lilly, he finally opens up about that day.
And then, Clint Eastwood does a thing he almost never does in movies.He sheds a tear.
The tear seems even to surprise him.
He actually recoils ever so slightly upon sensing it.
That tear was not in the script.
Petersens forte, especially after his arrival in Hollywood, was breathless genre theatrics.
In fact, he put his stamp on American action movies even before he arrived.
Petersens camera races through the subs corridors, simultaneously evoking fear, claustrophobia … and exaltation.
Cameron himself has noted the influence ofDas Bootmultiple times.
WithoutDas Bootthere is noTitanic, orThe Abyss.
OrTop Gun, orCrimson Tide, orArmageddon.
Once Petersen did get to the U.S., he understood the American action film better than almost anyone else.
But Petersen also grasps that the mens relationships have to be intertwined with their relationship to the boat.
Other filmmakers (even some very good ones) might keep character development and action separate.
Then theresAir Force One(1997), every gloriously insane moment of it.
And because its all so ridiculous, Petersen understands that he can never afford to lose the audience.
So, how do you strike a middle ground?
Petersen flies to both extremes, simultaneously.
He approaches the movie with full sincerity, while fully embracing its ridiculousness.
He also makes sure that the emotions are pitched to unimaginable heights.
Theyre howling, were howling, and a silly action movie becomes a work of pure catharsis.
His under-seen 1991 neo-noirShatteredhas one of the craziest reveals of any movie ever made.
(I still remember screaming when I watched a VHS of it in my moms basement.)
I had always hoped that he would one day make his triumphant return to the big screen.
But maybe it was sadly appropriate that he didnt.
