Rating: 
Summary: Not very good
Review: I was expecting better laughs, not a slapstick comedy. There were only a few other laughs than people geting hit.
Rating: 
Summary: Hilarious!
Review: This is my favorite funny movie. I don't usually like slapstick, but these are great gags. The bad guy gets his, the girl is tolerant but assertive, and the good guy gets his. I liked the navy's song and the Village People singing "In the Navy" along with Kelsey at the end. This movie will make you happy.
Rating:
Summary: a unique comedy
Review: Down Periscope is hilarious from beginning to end. It is one of those movies that has a serious plot invaded by superb humor. I laughed almost every couple of minutes while watching this movie. Down Periscope is one humorous movie that anyone can pretty much agree on. What is amazing to me is that this movie did not do well at the box office. I definately think it was good enough to spawn a sequel.
Rating:
Summary: Great "Sick Day" Flic !
Review: What can I say ? This is one of my favourite comedies. I taped it off Cinemax years ago and have just about worn the tape out ! I just got the dvd and it's excellent ! I've never seen D.P. in such great shape. So what if it's not an oscar worthy film, but if you're looking for a great movie to cheer yourself up when you're sick, then pick this one up. As to one of the other reviewers who said the widescreen is just the fullscreen cropped, they're wrong. I checked both versions and made notes of where certain things (tops of masts, shirt cuffs, etc.) were, and they were in the exact same spots on both versions. There is nothing covered up by the widescreen version's framing. As I said before, get this movie !
Rating:
Summary: More Than a Comedy
Review: Others have written about the comedy and "feel good" aspects of this movie which, while predictable, are good fun. From the officer that learns to cope under fire, to the ne'er do well that comes of age, these are standard fare executed to perfection. Often overlooked is the brilliant 2nd unit work of subs leaving the harbor or tankers infiltrating a convoy.
As good is the music score, which from the opening scenes is spot on perfect - a clinic in how to score a film ( a good reason to get a home theater set up if you don't already have it).
I'll just add that the best comedic moments, like the "whale sounds" scene, are classics of non-verbal comedy.
This movie won't change the world, but it will change your mood. Draw a pirate goatee on your chin, pop a cold one, and flop on the coach. PBS iat ain't. PGC (Pretty Good Comedy) it is. Aaarrh......
t
Rating: 
Summary: Lots of fun
Review: Considering that Down Periscope is a comedy, they get more things right than a lot of "serious" movies. Okay, this isn't a movie you'd want to watch if you wanted to know exactly how things were done on a diesel sub. Things are moved around to accommodate camera placement, and the crew is mostly too young. If the Navy ever did something like, you'd expect a lot of middle-aged reservists, guys old enough to have some actual experience with diesel boats. (And not just one potty old engineering officer, either.) The torpedoes are wrong, too. You can't fire a Mark-48 from a Balao's tubes.
But that's not the point. This is good, sophomoric fun, humor for humor's sake. It's not a movie that requires you to think that much. You might be better of if you didn't, and just sat back and enjoyed it. You might even learn something useful. As a Marine officer pointed out in a Naval Institute Proceedings article, Down Periscope may be a comedy, but Kelsey Grammer's Tom Dodge also represents a pretty good example of applied leadership skills.
Oh, and despite what some reviewers have suggested, the wide screen DVD isn't the "pan and scan" full screen version with the top and bottom of the screen cut off. It's just the opposite, in fact. The full screen version includes image area at the top and bottom of the screen that was never really intended to be shown. (Like the top of Dodge's golfing pants before the gag is revealed.) Most wide screen movies with heavy CGI effects are shot "flat" today, instead of with anamorphic lenses, and mask the unwanted image area in printing.
Rating:
Summary: "...It's a long story..." (speaking of his tattoo.)
Review:
Director: David S. Ward
Format: Color, Widescreen
Studio: Fox Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: February 3, 2004
Cast:
Kelsey Grammer ... Lt. Cmdr. Thomas 'Tom' Dodge
Lauren Holly ... Lt. Emily Lake, Diving Officer
Rob Schneider ... Executive Officer Martin T. 'Marty' Pascal
Harry Dean Stanton ... Lt,. Howard, Chief Engineer
Bruce Dern ... RAdm. Yancy Graham
William H. Macy ... Capt. Carl Knox (Orlando)
Ken Hudson Campbell ... Seaman Buckman
Toby Huss ... Seaman Nitro 'Mike'
Duane Martin ... Planesman 1st Class Jefferson 'R.J.' Jackson
Jonathan Penner ... Seaman Stanley 'Spots' Sylvesterson
Bradford Tatum ... Engineman 1st Class Brad Stepanak (Winslow)
Harland Williams ... Seaman 2nd Class E.T. 'Sonar' Lovacelli
Rip Torn ... Adm. Dean Winslow
James Martin Jr. ... Orlando Radioman
Jordan Marder ... Orlando Ensign
Matt Landers ... Orlando XO
Joseph Latimore ... Orlando Sonarman
Patton Oswalt ... Stingray Radioman
Joe Soto ... Helmsman
John Shepherd ... Young Sailor
Pierrino Mascarino ... Trawler Captain
Dennis Fimple ... Fisherman
Ancel Cook ... Fisherman
James Harper ... Supportive Admiral
Rudy Hornish ... Admiral #2
Tommy Terrell ... Admiral #3
Elliot Easton ... Secretary
Michael William Connors ... Orlando Young Sailor
Paul Tranghese ... Sailor #2
Mitch Danton ... Conn Tower Officer
Jackson Sleet ... Torpedo Man
Annie Talbot ... Singing Waitress
Eugene Daniel ... Singing Sailor
Bob Dini ... Singing Sailor
Andrew Christian English ... Singing Sailor
Steve Giralo ... Singing Sailor
Robert Grochau ... Singing Sailor
Jamie James ... Singing Sailor
Joseph Keawkalaya ... Singing Sailor
Todd Odom ... Singing Sailor
Lt. Cmdr. Thomas 'Tom' Dodge (Kelsey Grammer) is an officer attached to the U.S.S. Orlando, a fast attack nuclear submarine operating out of norfolk. He is up for promotion and his own submarine command, but due to his past history, including an incident where, intoxicated, he got a tattoo on his private parts, he has incurred the enmity of one member of the board, RADM Yancey Graham (Bruce Dern), who opposes his promotion.
Dodge is given a command, but of an old WWII biesel rustbucket,
the U.S.S. Stingray, and ordered to take part in an exercise pitted against the nuclear navy, to see if an old diesel sub, in the wrong hands, could get by our modern defenses and sink a target vessel in Norfolk harnor. The exercise is to be under the supervision of RADM Graham, and Dodge's crew is composed of misfits and a spy (his own executive officer). His dive officer turns out to be a female, and a rebellious crewman is a vice-admiral's son.
That is the plot and the conflict. This is a hilarious movie.
Joseph (Joe) Pierre
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books
Rating: 
Summary: Stink Bomb
Review: Finally got my DVD copy of Down Periscope...my favorite movie starring Kelsey Grammer. I opened it immediately and put it in my DVD player, saying to myself, NOW I will see the whole movie in WIDESCREEN!!Nope. They did not put out the orignal print. This is the pan-and-scan version with the top and bottom of the screen chopped off. Its very apparent in several parts of the movie. I ran my VHS on one TV and the DVD on the home theater...its the same width of screen. I was also not impressed with the 5.1 surround. Not nearly enough seperation and use of the back speakers, or subwoofer!! Buckman's fart should have come booming out of my subfoofer...Nada. At least the colors and quality of print on the pan-and-scan side are better than my VHS copy. Movie is great. DVD is not.
Rating:
Summary: Tollerable DVD, Fun Movie
Review: If you're reading this, you likely already know how much fun this movie is. One of the few I'll watch many times. But the DVD job here is mediocre at best. Like one other said, faked widescreen, ok audio, no specials. But if you don't mind having a fullscreen (and good) copy on DVD with fair audio, that you won't wear out (easily), hear you go! Shame on 20th Century Fox for such a shabby effort, knowing full well they'll use the funds from this to pay for the real enhanced release in a few months no doubt. They know we'll still buy it. But now we know to rent from them first, then wait for the enhanced editions. Me? Couldn't wait....this movies too good.
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