Sphere (1998 film) Contents Plot Cast Production Release Reception Soundtrack Legacy See also References External links Navigation menulinklink"Sphere (1998)""Sphere (1998)""Hoffman vs. Hoffman""'Wag' snags Levinson in 'Sphere' time""WB clears 'Sphere' for production start""Forman tells how film fest changed his life""Smooth sailing for 'Sphere'""WB spins 'Sphere' into Feb""Levinson at War With DreamWorks Over 'Piece'""He's Digging Deeper Into Home Turf""Sphere (1998)""Sphere Reviews""Review: 'Sphere'""Sphere (1998)""20,000 Leitmotifs Under the Sea"Track listing for the film soundtrack"Sphere""Odessi - Moments Of Space"Official websiteSphereSphereSphereSphere [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]eee

DinerThe NaturalYoung Sherlock HolmesTin MenGood Morning, VietnamRain ManAvalonBugsyToysJimmy HollywoodDisclosureSleepersWag the DogSphereLiberty HeightsAn Everlasting PieceBanditsEnvyMan of the YearWhat Just HappenedPoliWoodYou Don't Know JackThe BayThe HumblingRock the KasbahThe Wizard of LiesPaternoHarry HaftThe Andromeda StrainThe Terminal ManThe Great Train RobberyEaters of the DeadCongoSphereJurassic ParkRising SunDisclosureThe Lost WorldAirframeTimelinePreyState of FearNextPirate LatitudesMicroDragon TeethFive PatientsJasper JohnsElectronic LifeTravelsExtreme Close-UpJurassic ParkRising SunTwisterThe Andromeda StrainDealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag BluesThe Carey TreatmentPursuitThe Terminal ManThe First Great Train RobberyJurassic ParkRising SunDisclosureCongoThe Lost World: Jurassic ParkSphereThe 13th WarriorTimelineThe Andromeda StrainWestworldJurassic Park


1998 filmsEnglish-language films1990s science fiction filmsAmerican filmsAmerican adventure filmsAmerican psychological thriller filmsAmerican science fiction filmsFilms directed by Barry LevinsonFilms based on works by Michael CrichtonMetaphysical fiction filmsScience fiction submarine filmsFilms about time travelUnderwater action filmsWarner Bros. filmsFilms scored by Elliot Goldenthal


science fictionpsychological thriller filmBarry LevinsonDustin HoffmanSharon StoneSamuel L. Jacksonnovel of the same nameMichael CrichtonPacific OceanU.S. Navyblack holetyphoonjellyfishgiant squiddecompressionMare IslandVallejo, CaliforniaWarner Bros.review aggregatorRotten Tomatoesaverage scoreMetacriticJanet MaslinKenneth TuranElliot GoldenthalLisa Schwarzbaum




1998 American science fiction psychological thriller film by Barry Levinson

































Sphere

Spheremovieposter.jpg
Theatrical release poster

Directed byBarry Levinson
Produced by

  • Barry Levinson

  • Michael Crichton

  • Andrew Wald

Screenplay by


  • Kurt Wimmer (adaptation)

  • Stephen Hauser

  • Paul Attanasio

Based on
Sphere
by Michael Crichton
Starring

  • Dustin Hoffman

  • Sharon Stone

  • Samuel L. Jackson

  • Peter Coyote

  • Liev Schreiber

Music byElliot Goldenthal
CinematographyAdam Greenberg
Edited byStu Linder
Production
company

Baltimore Pictures
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date

  • February 13, 1998 (1998-02-13)
Running time
134 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$73–80 million[1][2]
Box office$50.1 million[1]

Sphere is a 1998 American science fiction psychological thriller film directed and produced by Barry Levinson and starring Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, and Samuel L. Jackson. Sphere was based on the 1987 novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. The film was released in the United States on February 13, 1998.




Contents





  • 1 Plot


  • 2 Cast


  • 3 Production


  • 4 Release


  • 5 Reception


  • 6 Soundtrack


  • 7 Legacy


  • 8 See also


  • 9 References


  • 10 External links




Plot


An alien spacecraft is discovered on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, estimated to have been there for nearly 300 years. A team of experts, including marine biologist Dr. Beth Halperin (Stone), mathematician Dr. Harry Adams (Jackson), astrophysicist Dr. Ted Fielding (Schreiber), psychologist Dr. Norman Goodman (Hoffman), and U.S. Navy Capt. Harold Barnes (Coyote), are assembled and taken to the Habitat, a state-of-the-art living environment located near the spacecraft.


Upon examination of the spacecraft, they determine that it is not alien at all, but rather U.S. in origin. However, its technology far surpasses any in the present day. The ship's computer logs cryptically suggest a mission originating either in the distant past or future, but the team manages to deduce that the long dead crew were tasked with collecting an item of scientific importance. Goodman and Halperin discover the ship's logs, which show the ship encountering an "unknown event" (thought to be a black hole) that sends the vessel back in time. Goodman and the others eventually stumble upon a large, perfect sphere hovering a few feet above the floor in the ship's cargo bay. They cannot find any way to probe the inside of the sphere, and the fluidic surface is impenetrable; the crew attaches importance to the fact that the sphere reflects its surroundings but not the humans.


They return to the Habitat, and Harry comes to believe that everyone on this team is fated to die. His rationale is that the black hole is referred to as an "unknown event" in the logs but due to time travel they have foreknowledge of the entire mission. During the night, Harry returns to the spacecraft and is able to enter the sphere, then returns to the Habitat. The next day, the crew discovers a series of numeric-encoded messages appearing on the computer screens; the crew is able to decipher them and come to believe they are speaking to "Jerry", an alien intelligence from the sphere. They find Jerry is able to see and hear everything that happens on the Habitat.


A powerful typhoon strikes the surface, and the Habitat crew are forced to stay several more days. During that time, a series of tragedies strike the crew, including attacks from aggressive jellyfish and a giant squid and equipment failures in the base, killing Ted and the team's support staff. The survivors, Beth, Harry, and Norman believe Jerry to be responsible. While waiting for rescue, the three realize that the hazards are manifestations of their own fears - all of them have entered the sphere, which has given them the ability to make their imagination real. Norman discovers that they had misinterpreted the initial messages from Jerry and that the entity speaking to them through the computers is actually Harry himself, transmitted while he is asleep.


Under the stress of the situation, Beth has suicidal thoughts which causes the detonation mechanisms on a store of explosives to engage, threatening to destroy the base and the spacecraft. They race to the Habitat's mini-sub, but their combined fears cause them to re-appear back in the spacecraft. As a psychologist, Norman is able to see through the illusion. He triggers the mini-sub's undocking process and overrides the others' fears that they will not escape the destruction of the Habitat and spacecraft. The sphere is untouched by the explosions.


The mini-sub makes it to the surface as the surface ships return. As Beth, Harry, and Norman begin safe decompression, they realize that they will be debriefed and their newfound powers discovered. They all agree to erase their memories of the event using their powers; this assures that the "unknown event" paradox is resolved. The sphere rises from the ocean and then accelerates off into space.



Cast



  • Dustin Hoffman as Dr. Norman Goodman


  • Sharon Stone as Dr. Elizabeth "Beth" Halperin


  • Samuel L. Jackson as Dr. Harry Adams


  • Liev Schreiber as Dr. Ted Fielding


  • Peter Coyote as Capt. Harold C. Barnes


  • Queen Latifah as Alice "Teeny" Fletcher


  • Marga Gómez as Jane Edmunds


  • Huey Lewis as Helicopter pilot

  • Bernard Hocke as Seaman


  • James Pickens, Jr. as OSSA Instructor

  • Michael Keys Hall as OSSA Official


  • Ralph Tabakin as OSSA Official


Production


Hoffman joined the cast because of Levinson's involvement. Hoffman and Levinson had collaborated on several prior projects, and Hoffman had faith that Levinson could raise the project beyond its script.[3] Due to budgetary concerns, production stopped in October 1996 and the script was revised. While Levinson waited for production to resume on Sphere, he directed Wag the Dog, which also stars Hoffman.[4] Shooting began again in March 1997 with a budget that Variety estimated at $80 million.[5] Shooting took place at a naval base on Mare Island in Vallejo, California.[6] Principal photography ended in July 1997 after 68 days.[7]



Release


Sphere initially had a Christmas release date but was moved forward to avoid competition.[8]Warner Bros. released the film theatrically in the US on February 13, 1998, where it debuted in third place and grossed $37 million total.[2] The Los Angeles Times characterized it as a flop.[9]Sphere grossed $50.1 million worldwide.[1]



Reception


Sphere received mostly negative reviews from critics.[10]
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 12% based on 51 reviews, with an average score of 4/10. The site's critical consensus states, "Sphere features an A-level cast working with B-grade material, with a story seen previously in superior science-fiction films"[11] On Metacritic, the film had a score of 35 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[12] Todd McCarthy of Variety called it derivative of classic science fiction films and devoid of suspense.[13]Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote, "While this is no quick-witted treat on a par with Mr. Levinson's Wag the Dog, it's a solid thriller with showy scientific overtones".[14]Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "The more the movie explains itself, the more ordinary it becomes."[15]



Soundtrack












Sphere

Soundtrack album by
Elliot Goldenthal

ReleasedFebruary 25, 1998
Genre
Classical, avant-garde, modernist
Length35:36
Label
Varèse Sarabande,
Cat. VSD-5913
ProducerElliot Goldenthal
Elliot Goldenthal chronology





The Butcher Boy
(1997)

Sphere
(1998)

In Dreams
(1998)






Soundtrack
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic
4/5 stars link
Filmtracks
2/5 stars link

The score for Sphere was composed by Elliot Goldenthal.


Track listing


  1. "Pandora's Fanfare" – 1:17

  2. "Main Titles" – 2:49

  3. "Event Entry 6-21-43" – 0:53

  4. "The Gift" – 1:42

  5. "Sphere Discovery" – 2:08

  6. "Visit to a Wreckage" – 1:58

  7. "Water Snake" – 2:36

  8. "Terror Adagio" – 3:24

  9. "Wave" – 3:18

  10. "Fear Retrieval" – 3:48

  11. "Andante" – 2:20

  12. "Manifest Fire" – 3:48

  13. "Manifest3" – 3:47

  14. "Their Beast Within" – 1:44[16]

Crew credits


  • Music composed and produced by Elliot Goldenthal

  • Orchestrated by Robert Elhai and Elliot Goldenthal

  • Conducted by Stephen Mercurio and Jonathan Sheffer

  • Recorded and mixed by Joel Iwataki

  • Electronic music produced by Richard Martinez

  • Film music editor: Curtis Roush

  • Additional orchestrations by Deniz Hughes


Legacy


Following a review by Lisa Schwarzbaum in Entertainment Weekly that gratuitously mentioned Hoffman's Jewish heritage,[17] Levinson wrote Liberty Heights.[10] Samples of Sharon Stone's voice from the film are used in "Moments In Space" by Odessi.[18]



See also


  • Time travel paradox

  • Time travel

  • Predestination paradox

  • Grandfather paradox

  • Extraterrestrial life


References




  1. ^ abc "Sphere (1998)". The Numbers. Retrieved 2015-08-30..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output .citation qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-maintdisplay:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em


  2. ^ ab "Sphere (1998)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-09-24.


  3. ^ Harrison, Eric (1999-02-14). "Hoffman vs. Hoffman". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-08-30.


  4. ^ Fleming, Michael (1996-12-02). "'Wag' snags Levinson in 'Sphere' time". Variety. Retrieved 2015-08-30.


  5. ^ Johnson, Ted (1997-03-10). "WB clears 'Sphere' for production start". Variety. Retrieved 2015-08-30.


  6. ^ Archerd, Army (1996-10-15). "Forman tells how film fest changed his life". Variety. Retrieved 2015-08-30.


  7. ^ Archerd, Army (1997-07-02). "Smooth sailing for 'Sphere'". Variety. Retrieved 2015-08-30.


  8. ^ Karon, Paul (1997-09-09). "WB spins 'Sphere' into Feb". Variety. Retrieved 2015-08-30.


  9. ^ Goldstein, Patrick (2001-02-13). "Levinson at War With DreamWorks Over 'Piece'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-08-30.


  10. ^ ab Hornaday, Ann (1999-11-14). "He's Digging Deeper Into Home Turf". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-08-30.


  11. ^ "Sphere (1998)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved March 19, 2018.


  12. ^ "Sphere Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 19, 2018.


  13. ^ McCarthy, Todd (1998-02-10). "Review: 'Sphere'". Variety. Retrieved 2015-08-30.


  14. ^ Maslin, Janet (1998-02-13). "Sphere (1998)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-08-30.


  15. ^ Turran, Kenneth (1998-02-13). "20,000 Leitmotifs Under the Sea". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-08-30.


  16. ^ Track listing for the film soundtrack


  17. ^ "Sphere". EW.com. 1998-02-20. Retrieved 2017-07-05.


  18. ^ "Odessi - Moments Of Space". YouTube. 2010-09-23. Retrieved 2015-10-18.



External links


  • Official website


  • Sphere on IMDb Edit this at Wikidata


  • Sphere at AllMovie Edit this at Wikidata


  • Sphere at the TCM Movie Database


  • Sphere [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] at AllMusic









1990s science fiction films, 1998 films, American adventure films, American films, American psychological thriller films, American science fiction films, English-language films, Films based on works by Michael Crichton, Films directed by Barry Levinson, Metaphysical fiction filmsUncategorized

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