Rating: 
Summary: one of the better films of all-time
Review: cold-war saga, starring Rock Hudson, Patrick MacGoohan, Ernest Borgnine & Jim Brown. The suspense begins when Hudson as the captain of a US nuclear submarine is given a mission to a north pole research station manned by British and American scientists...
As a side note, one wonders if this was the reason that the 'Drake' character from Secret Agent finally resigned from being a spy and ended up being taken to 'The Village' as The Prisoner?
Rating:
Summary: Could have been a stage play
Review: From the initial credits we see that this film will have something to do with satellites, the soviets and the U.S. Looks like an accident has happened at the North Pole (Ice station Zebra). The U.S. with Brittan, and the soviets are rushing to the rescue. Both are hampered by a snow storm. The U.S. has sent a submarine to the rescue. However it looks like something covert is afoot. The submarine is being packed with marines and an unscrupulous acting character. What is the secret? Will the sub even make it to the pole? And if so what will they find? Why are the soviets so keen in helping? Because critical scenes take place in the snow our characters are color coded:
Brown furry top with brown trousers = David Jones (Patrick McGoohan)
All blue = Cmdr. Ferriday (Rock Hudson)
Brown practically furless with black and white bands = Boris Vaslov (Ernest Borgnine)
Orange and yellow = sub crew
All white with m16's = marines
All white with AK's = soviets
* You may have guest that it is a mans movie with all men * This story as adapted for the movies could make a pretty good stage play as the real action is the bantering and posturing during a face to face confrontation. Another movie adaptation from the author (Alistair MacLean) is "The Guns of Navarone" (1961). The original music for this film also stands on its own; you may want to buy the sound track.
Rating:
Summary: Could have been a stage play
Review: From the initial credits we see that this film will have something to do with satellites, the soviets and the U.S. Looks like an accident has happened at the North Pole (Ice station Zebra). The U.S. with Brittan, and the soviets are rushing to the rescue. Both are hampered by a snow storm. The U.S. has sent a submarine to the rescue. However it looks like something covert is afoot. The submarine is being packed with marines and an unscrupulous acting character. What is the secret? Will the sub even make it to the pole? And if so what will they find? Why are the soviets so keen in helping? Because critical scenes take place in the snow our characters are color coded:
Brown furry top with brown trousers = David Jones (Patrick McGoohan)
All blue = Cmdr. Ferriday (Rock Hudson)
Brown practically furless with black and white bands = Boris Vaslov (Ernest Borgnine)
Orange and yellow = sub crew
All white with m16's = marines
All white with AK's = soviets
* You may have guest that it is a mans movie with all men * This story as adapted for the movies could make a pretty good stage play as the real action is the bantering and posturing during a face to face confrontation. Another movie adaptation from the author (Alistair MacLean) is "The Guns of Navarone" (1961). The original music for this film also stands on its own; you may want to buy the sound track.
Rating:
Summary: The Cold War in cold weather...
Review: Here we have, in Cinerama, an epic submarine-spy-thriller-meets-action-adventure. What more could you ask for from a movie?
You get Patrick McGoohan as a debonair spy. You get Rock Hudson as submarine captain. You get Ernest Bourgnine doing a Russian accent (okay, that's laughable). You get decent-for-the-era special effects. You get a soundtrack of glorious movie music.
There are some thin parts and bits that are now somewhat dated, but mostly this thriller still thrills, justifying the long running time. The DVD is long overdue, as this is a, if not *the* classic Cold War movie. (well, maybe Dr. Strangelove probably takes that prize...)
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty decent movie despite of itself.
Review: I would rate this movie as 3.75 on the five star system. I found Ice Station Zebra to be quite an interesting and entertaining movie. A great cast led by Rock Hudson proves to be superb and fun to watch. The movie was adapted from the Alistair MacLean's novel. Guns of Navarone and Where Eagles Dare were both taken from MacLean's novels and both were great movies.
The Cold War situation really don't looked that dated to me. Its part of history. The script is well written and although the special effects on ice and snow appears to be bit cheesy by today's standards, it doesn't take away from gripping story about espionage, betrayal and secret microfilm. The photography was superbly done, even on the cheesy ice and snow area. Personally, I didn't see anything wrong with Ernest Borgnine playing a Russian, If Sean Connery can, why not him? I felt sorry for Jim Brown again, cutting a promising football career only to be killed off in movies. Patrick McGoohan was great and he and Hudson carried the load of the film.
The film became infamous when it was learned that it was Howard Hughes' favorite movie of all times but that shouldn't distract from the fact that its a pretty decent film. Its on my guilty pleasure list of films I like despite of some flaws. What some flaws? Well, the movie more closer to a drama, not action adventure as some folks may have thought. When I first saw this movie at the age of ten, even I could figured out that Ernest Borgnine may end up being a the bad guy. It was bit obvious. The ice and snow set were really pretty lame but it can be overlook. And for some of you guys out there, there is no female in this movie!! (All male cast.)
The DVD edition of this film proves to be quite good. The images are clear and crisp, the 5.1 DD works pretty decently although not very aggressively. There is a short documentary on the film and some trailers to watch. Definitely not much on the extras.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Cold War Adventure films
Review: ICE STATION ZEBRA is an outstanding piece of cinema. It is as breathtaking as the day it was released. It does not grow old but continues to grow on you. This is one of Rock Hudson's best performances and the photography and sets are outstanding. Good to have it on DVD at last.
Rating:
Summary: solid action flick..........but where's the DVD?
Review: Ice Station Zebra is one of my favorite flims next Where Eagles Dare, The Green Berets, and The Great Escape. I.S.Z. begins when Navy submarine commander James Farraday (Rock Hudson) is asked to take a British agent (Patrick McGoohan) to a remote outpost known as Ice Station Zebra to find a downed Russian satilite that contain top secret photos of Western missile installations. Tagging along with Farraday is a tough no-nonsense Marine captain, brilliantly acted by Jim Brown, fresh from his role as a prisoner turned soldier in Dirty Dozen. Also tagging along is a defecting Russian played by Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine. And starring in a cameo in this picture is war movie veteran Lloyd Nolan who plays a U.S. admiral. This movie should have been nominated for Best Special Effects, Best Picture, Best Cinematgraphy, and for Best Sound Effects. I hope that this "lost" gem of a movie is released on DVD format. I wish they would release it in DVD. If you love action movies about the cold war, give this movie a try, I recemend it.
Rating:
Summary: Coming out in January 2005
Review: So many DVD sites on the internet have already reported the decision by Warner Bros. to release this movie on DVD in January that I am surprised as to why Amazon has not yet updated its listing. The DVD cover art is even available on The Digital Bits site which lists Amazon as a partner.
Rating:
Summary: HOWARD HUGHES REALLY, REALLY, REALLY LOVED THIS ONE
Review: The film adaptation of Alistair MacLean's best-seller ICE STATION ZEBRA (1968) is one of the movies Howard Hughes watched hundreds, maybe thousands, of times in seclusion when he was going bonkers.
On the surface, this cold (no pun intended) war espionage suspenser starring Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine and Jim Brown is about the submarine rescue mission of Drift Ice Station Zebra, a North Pole weather station team. But everything changes when the sub is ordered to take on mysterious British agent Patrick McGoohan.
The film's plot is dated, but even with the fake sets and Hudson, something weird happens when watching it that makes it strangely compelling. It's hard to explain.
It's nice to see this oddity in such a crisp, widescreen transfer, but I fear that it's hypnotic power will only be increased. So be careful. I liked the vintage making-of featurette "The Man Who Makes the Difference."
I give it four stars only because it has a Hughes connection and a proven power to take over (damaged?) minds.
Rating: 
Summary: Why does Amazon.com not have this for sale on DVD?
Review: The film is available for release on 1/11/2005 on DVD but, for some strange reason, Amazon.com is not selling it.
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