Thirteen Days

Director: Roger Donaldson Roger Donaldson

Overview

An exemplary achievement as a film, and an equally exemplary achievement as a DVD. Ostensibly New Line's first Infinifilm disc (Little Nicky was, in fact, the first, with an Infinifilm version hidden as an easter egg), the DVD contains a selection of fairly normal features plus new features that utilize branching technology. The transfer is excellent. The film has been mastered anamorphically at an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Colors are strong and accurate throughout (and the disc includes color bars to assist with setup) with deep blacks and good shadow detail. Fleshtones are accurate throughout. The image is sharp and clear, with no artifacts or softness. The Dolby 5.1 audio track has an excellent mix, with subtle use of atmospheric and ambient surround. The bass, when called up, is tight and clear and does not thump or rattle. Straightforward directional effects are few and far between in the mix, simply because they're not often called for. The ambient effects, however, more than make up for this, with each set given its own atmosphere. The Infinifilm feature places a broad semi-transparent blue bar at the bottom of the screen from time to time. Each time it appears, it offers one or more choices; by making a selection, the viewer is sent along a branching path to a snippet of information: filmographies, background information, clips from one of the two documentaries, and so forth. This certainly functions to broaden the experience of watching a film such as Thirteen Days, though not every movie would seem to call for this approach. Not content with offering this aspect, New Line has provided both a filmmaker's commentary track (executed as a roundtable with Kevin Costner, Roger Donaldson, David Self, and others), a historical figures commentary track compiled from a variety of recordings, a historical background commentary presented in subtitles, historical figure biographies, and cast and crew biographies. Additionally, there are two documentaries, "The Roots of the Cuban Missile Crisis" and "Bringing History to the Silver Screen," along with a brief visual effects piece, a number of deleted scenes with director commentary, and the theatrical trailer. This is certainly a DVD worth owning, considering the wealth of material included; the extra materials are fascinating, and will take time to digest.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/10/2001
UPC:	0794043520228
Original Release:	2000
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	New Line Home Video
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	2:27:00
Sales rank:	538

Special Features

Commentary by Kevin Costner, director Roger Donaldson, writer David Self and executive producer Michael De Luca, Documentaries "Roots of the Cuban Missile Crisis" and "Bringing History to the Silver Screen", Visual effects scene deconstructions, Historical figures biography gallery, Deleted scenes with director commentary

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Kevin Costner	Ken O'Donnell
Bruce Greenwood	John F. Kennedy
Steven Culp	Robert F. Kennedy,Actor
Dylan Baker	Robert McNamara
Henry Strozier	Dean Rusk
Frank Wood	McGeorge Bundy
Len Cariou	Dean Acheson
Michael Fairman	Adlai Stevenson
Lucinda Jenney	Helen O'Donnell
Bill Smitrovich	Gen. Maxwell Taylor
Ed Lauter	Gen. Marshall Carter
Kevin Conway	Gen. Curtis LeMay
Kelly Connell	Pierre Salinger
Elya Baskin	Anatoly Dobrynin
Madison Mason	Adm. George Anderson
Christopher Lawford	Cmdr. William Ecker
Charles Esten	Maj. Rudolph Anderson
Jack Blessing	John Scali
Olek Krupa	Andrei Gromyko
Stephanie Romanov	Jacqueline Kennedy
Janet Coleman	Evelyn Lincoln
Dakin Matthews	Arthur Lundhal
Walter Adrian	Lyndon Johnson
Peter White	John McCone
Tim Kelleher	Ted Sorensen
James Karen	George Ball
Daniel Ziskie	General Walter `Cam' Sweeney,General Walter 'Cam' Sweeney
Bruce Thomas	Floyd
Jack McGee	Mayor Daly
Drake Cook	Mark O'Donnell
Caitlin Wachs	Kathy O'Donnell
Jon Foster	Kenny O'Donnell Jr.
Matthew Dunn	Kevin O'Donnell
John Aylward	Orville Dryfoos
David O'Donnell	Lieutenant Bruce Wilhemy,NPIC Photo Interperter
Vivien Straus	White House Aide
Gene Del Bianco	Petty Officer
Daniel Vergara	OAS President
Reuben Moreno	Argentine Diplomat
Thomas Roberts	Sonar Operator
Sean Bergin	Chief Sonarman
Alan Francis	Executive Officer of USS Pierce
Robert Munstis	Radio Room Operator No. 1
Michael Gaston	Captain of USS Pierce
Joseph Repoff	Radio Room Operator No. 2
J. Tucker Smith	Captain of USS Kennedy,Football Coach,Aide
Chris Henry Coffey	Officer of Destroyer
Oleg Vidov	Valerian Zorin
Radu Gavor	Romanian Delegate
Zitto Kazann	Chilean Delegate
Alex Veadov	Radio Room Operator No. 3
Tom Everett	Walter Sheridan
Karl Makinen	Young FBI Agent
Boris Lee Krutonog	Alexander Fomin,Alexander Fomin
Charles Barrett	Air Force NCO
Alan Graf	Football Referee
Robert Miranda	RFK's Driver
Todd Sible	RFK's Staffer
Marya Kazakova	Soviet Woman
Cliff Fleming	Aerial Coordinator
Craig Hosking	Pilot
Ben Koldyke	RF-8 Pilot
Shawn Driscoll	U2 Pilot
Timothy Jerome	Journalist
Liz Sinclair	Kennedy Assistant No. 1
Colette O'Connell	Kennedy Assistant No. 2
Karen Ludwig	Operator Margaret
Audrey Rapoport	White House Operator No. 1
Marliese K. Schnieder	White House Operator No. 2
Marliese Schneider	White House Operator #2
Trevor Jones	Composer

Technical Credits

David Self

Philip D. Zelikow

Roger Donaldson	Director
Marc Abraham	Executive Producer,Producer
Peter O. Almond	Producer
Armyan Bernstein	Producer
Kevin Costner	Producer
Diane Crittenden	Casting,Casting
Ilona Herzberg	Executive Producer,Producer
Louis Lantieri	Special Effects
Allen Maris	Special Effects
Michael J. McAlister	Special Effects
David Self	Screenwriter
Thomas A. Bliss	Executive Producer,Producer
Connie Brink	Special Effects
Daniel W. Barringer	Stunts
Benjamin Beardwood	Sound Effects
Philip D. Zelikow	Screenwriter
Paul Deason	Producer
Eli Jane	Producer
Lope V. Juban Jr.	Producer
Matthew Adams	Special Effects
Greg Burgmann	Sound Effects
Prisciano Canape	Sound Effects
Rick Canelli	Sound Effects
John Cannon	Sound Effects
Michael De Luca	Producer
Cinesite	Special Effects
Michael DeLuca	Executive Producer
Richard Bryce Goodman	Sound/Sound Designer
Mary Montiforte	Producer

Scene Index

Side #1 --
0. Select a Scene
1. Opening Sequence: A World on the Brink [1:05]
2. Missiles Spotted in Cuba [1:50]
3. "I need to see the President, Kenny" [2:55]
4. National Security Briefing [1:51]
5. EXCOM Formed [2:24]
6. Battle Lines Drawn within EXCOM [3:11]
7. Military Options [2:17]
8. JFK Meets with Dobrynin & Gromyko [1:36]
9. JFK Keeps Appointment with Mayor Daley [2:04]
10. Quarantine or Air Strike [1:29]
11. Reston & Frankel Have the Story [2:28]
12. Defcon 3 [2:36]
13. Nation Awaits Presidential Decision [1:56]
14. Presidential Address [4:00]
15. Rules of Engagement [1:08]
16. Low-Level Cuban Fly-By [1:55]
17. Brink of Destruction [1:40]
18. Eyeball to Eyeball [:04]
19. Defcon 2 [2:04]
20. A Moral Contest [1:08]
21. Courtroom of World Opinion [1:55]
22. Enforcing the Line [1:20]
23. Back Channel Overture [:26]
24. Khrushchev's First Letter [1:06]
25. Khrushchev's Second Letter [:35]
26. Major Anderson [:51]
27. Running Out of Time [1:51]
28. Accepting the First Letter [2:26]
29. Facing the Enemy [1:54]
30. A New Dawn [:45]
31. Kennedy's Speech [1:54]
32. End Credits [2:39]

Menu

Side #1 --
   Play Movie
   Infinifilm
      What is Infinifilm?
      Play Infinifilm
      Infinifilm Select a Scene
         Opening Sequence: A World on the Brink
         Missiles Spotted in Cuba
         "I need to see the President, Kenny"
         National Security Briefing
         EXCOM Formed
         Battle Lines Drawn within EXCOM
         Military Options
         JFK Meets with Dobrynin & Gromyko
         JFK Keeps Appointment with Mayor Daley
         Quarantine or Air Strike?
         Reston & Frankel Have the Story
         Defcon 3
         Nation Awaits Presidential Decision
         Presidential Address
         Rules of Engagement
         Low-Level Cuban Fly-By
         Brink of Destruction
         Eyeball to Eyeball
         Defcon 2
         A Moral Contest
         Courtroom of World Opinion
         Enforcing the Line
         Back Channel Overture
         Khrushchev's First Letter
         Khrushchev's Second Letter
         Major Anderson
         Running Out of Time
         Accepting the First Letter
         Facing the Enemy
         A New Dawn
         Kennedy's Speech
         End Credits
      Infinifilm Features
         BEYOND THE MOVIE: Historical Figures Commentary
         Historical Information Track
         Historical Figures Biographies
            John F. Kennedy (1:48)
            Nikita Khrushchev (2:34)
            Fidel Castro (2:04)
         Roots of the Cuban Missile Crisis (48:00)
         ALL ACCESS PASS: Filmmakers Commentary
         Bringing History to the Silver Screen (11:00)
         Visual Effects
            Introduction by Visual Effects Supervisor Micheal McAlister (1:20)
            Angle 1: Plate without Animation
            Angle 2: Rough Animation/Greenscreen
            Angle 3: Flat Color Animation
            Angle 4: Composite
            Angle 5: Final Film
         Deleted Scenes
            Political Machination (1:38)
               View scene with commentary
               View scene without commentary
            "Watch What We Say" (:52)
               View scene with commentary
               View scene without commentary
            RFK Passes Note (1:55)
               View scene with commentary
            View scene without commentary
            Rebuffing the Press (1:48)
               View scene with commentary
               View scene without commentary
            Joint Chiefs Concerned (:20)
               View scene with commentary
               View scene without commentary
            OAS Vote (:35)
               View scene with commentary
               View scene without commentary
            Taylor Reports on Low Level Flights (:31)
               View scene with commentary
               View scene without commentary
            Rough Night (2:50)
               View scene with commentary
               View scene without commentary
            O'Donnell Confronts McNamara (2:00)
               View scene with commentary
               View scene without commentary
         Cast & Crew
            Kevin Costner- Kenneth O'Donnell
            Bruce Greenwood- John F. Kennedy
            Steve Culp- Robert F. Kennedy
            Dylan Baker- Robert McNamara
            Roger Donaldson- Director
            David Self- Writer
         Theatrical Trailer (2:45)
   Screen and Sound Options
   Need Help?
   DVD Credits

Editorial Reviews

In 1962, unbeknownst to all but a select few, the world hovered on the brink of nuclear war for nearly two weeks. That agonizingly tense period, as experienced by the leaders of our government, is dramatized superbly in the suspenseful Thirteen Days. It began with the discovery that Russian missiles were being deployed in Cuba, a development totally unacceptable to both President John F. Kennedy (Bruce Greenwood) and the Pentagon big shots already spoiling for a fight with the Soviet Union. Counseled by his brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy (Steven Culp), and chief domestic adviser Kenny O'Donnell (top-billed Kevin Costner), JFK tries every trick at the diplomatic playbook in hopes of defusing an incendiary crisis. Director Roger Donaldson, who helmed Costner's 1987 breakout film, No Way Out, is punctilious in his re-creation of time and place, although he takes occasional liberties with the historical record -- combining characters and altering the sequence of events -- in trying to capture the essence of those extraordinarily perilous 13 days. Costner, the ostensible star, gets plenty of screen time; O'Donnell's role in the situation's management is somewhat inflated. But it's Greenwood, most frequently seen as a smooth villain, who rates the kudos for his compelling portrayal of JFK. A carefully crafted mixture of history and entertainment, Thirteen Days is an edge-of-the-seat thriller -- a remarkable achievement considering that, four decades later, we go into the movie already knowing how the crisis was resolved. Costner, Donaldson, and screenwriter David Self participate in a feature-length commentary for the DVD, which also includes deleted scenes, cast and crew bios, DVD-ROM content (including script-to-screen presentation), and historical notes on the real-life people who figured in the crisis.

Barnes & Noble - Ed Hulse

It may seem nearly impossible to create a taut, engaging thriller out of events where the outcome has already been predetermined (as they were in 1962), but the team that assembled this crackling political drama has succeeded. Thirteen Days triumphs as a story of the tests of human endurance, mostly because it never loses the sense of urgency of the situation at hand. With the aid of his perfectly in-sync cast, director Roger Donaldson never resorts to glossiness or pandering to present the film's tale of a conflicted president in the midst of chaos. Bruce Greenwood not only captures JFK's cadences and physicality, but also gives the former president an unmistakable core of integrity and believability. Kevin Costner and Steven Culp are equally nuanced as well; the film's most admirable trait is how it suggests the vitality of their friendship without resorting to pathos or cheap sentiment. It's rare to see a politically centered movie with this much heart: though Thirteen Days may not be as edgy or risk-taking as one might like, it is undeniably rooted in true emotion -- one of the rarest things to capture in popular entertainment.

All Movie Guide - Jason Clark

A tense and engrossing political thriller.

Village Voice - J. Hoberman