I was the Lead Engineer for the large floating platforms designed by Lockheed that the set was built on. It was quite a project, very different from the rest of the projects I've worked, before or since. This video is the most accurate and thorough I have seen. Thanks for making it. 68percentwater is the amount of surface on Earth that is covered by ocean...at least for now.
Wow! A true honor to see this comment! Thank you so much for your contributions to one of the greatest movie sets in history! Do you have any pictures of the miniature created to test your designs before flotation platforms were built and sent to Hawaii??
@@TheAtoll I do, however it is of very poor quality. The original did not fare well in my attic, and the only copy is a very low-resolution scan (it was the 90's after all)
I’m here a year later, but wanted to echo the sentiment that the Atoll was awesome. Waterworld was one of those movies I rewatched often as a kid on VHS. Thanks for all your contributions!
It really helps put the bloated budget of the film into perspective when you see the lengths they had to go through to make these things possible. So many props and pieces that either flash in a scene for an instant, or seem unused entirely. Great video! These longer videos are really well done, very thorough, and thoughtful. I look forward to more of your work.
The film could've been a 3 hour epic about environmental problems but instead became a run of the mill action flick.. probably because of and I'm citing Guillermo del Toro here: "the bastards with the money"
My cousins are 2/3 kids sitting on the pier where Kevin Costner is shining the rearview mirror and they shield their eyes, and my mom grew up there... Such a wonderful movie imo
@@TheAtoll unfortunately not close and only one of them went on to star in another film/TV series filmed over there Called Byrds of Paradise I do know their mom's sister (one of my aunts) went on and still is involved in movies and TV shows alike, I'll have you look her acting career up, Arlene Neumann Van Aspren she's no super popular one but has been in array of films and such
Is Willy P (the kid with the toe head blonde braids) your cousin?? I went to school with him from 6th grade-graduation! My mom was an extra and had an amazing experience as well :)
@@TheAtoll ah sorry I was being cheeky and sarcastic. It isn't, a smoker accidentally drops his deacon-issued cig mid raid, distillery goes boom, your weapons, soil and food all go boom too. Amazing set regardless
Waterworld was always one of my most favourite movies of all time. Also Jurassic Park, Independence Day and Back to The Future. But Waterworld was always so magical...the water, the music, the postapocalyptic-setting. It was probably the main reason, i'm now a huge fan of nearly every postapocalyptic movie out there. I had that movie recorded on VHS from the TV, then as DVD, a few years later as Bluray, and now i own that movie on UHD-BD w/ HDR! 😍 And of course i will buy the "8K-Remaster Anniversary Platinum Edition", whenever it will possibly be released. P.S. I'm german btw, so by english grammatic could be bad, tbh xD I'm sorry, if that's the case. 🙈
Honestly, given the enormous cost of the sets etc. They really should have planned on making a trilogy, then the sets could have been utilized enough to justify the expense. The sets from miniseries like Game of Thrones were massive and expensive but were frequently seen locations throughout the series. So if they were making a trilogy where in which locations like The Atoll and the Deez would be frequently visited, their destruction only occurring at the end. A larger epic, effectively a Star Wars contender, could have grossed enough to have been successful.
No doubt I would have liked to see sequels! But I believe that the Atoll was a bit slapped together as the production fell further and further behind schedule, and never really built to last.
I love these videos, but I cracked up big time at 30:29 when you called manatees mantises. I was like wow, I dind't know there are praying mantises in the ocean. Rad.
Haha, oh boy, yes! Inevitable after talking about Waterworld for many hours here on UA-cam over the years, I have made a few mispronunciations. I am glad this one gave you a laugh!
Man. For 22 million dollars they really should have kept the atoll. I dunno how that could have worked, transporting it piece by piece to Hollywood or simply leaving it there in hawaii as a pilgrimage site but there would have been a lot of waterworld fans willing to pay good money to visit it in the years after.
@@TheAtoll There is not. The atoll was disassembled and drug up on the beach at the end of the harbor, cut up for scrap and hauled away. There was some talk about sinking it for an artificial reef but the regulatory hoops were too big. The old sugar plant and warehouse (where they did a lot of fabrication, including re-assembling the trimarans) are also gone.
I barely remember when my dad took me to see this film in theaters when I was seven years old, but it left an impact on me that caused a renewed interest in it during my teen years, which has endured well into adulthood! The one thing that stood out to me the most was the Atoll (or Oasis). What an impressive set, the likes of which may never be seen again in film. While a logistical challenge to create this film in the traditional way they could at the time, I'm so glad that they did and we have a permanent monument to a bygone era of high risk film-making in "Waterworld!" I can see any spiritual successor to Waterworld making use of CGI or camera tricks to simulate the water-bound setting. I really enjoyed your video on this underrated, yet spectacular floating set! So much lore was included into every detail that it's a shame that "Waterworld" was only able to fit so much of it into its story. There is still so much that the visionaries behind this post-apocalyptic world can tell us! And I hope they get the chance, one day!
Such epic vision for a movie, just astonishing! They just dont make movies like this anymore. Maybe Avatar being the most recent I can think of. Its a shame all that effort was not used more extensively like in a series or something. But glad we'll always have the movie on Bluray to appreciate. And you Sir did an excellent job with this vid. Well worth the wait. You treated the subject matter with the grandeur and scope it deserved with this extensive vid. Congrats to you!
"They just dont make movies like this anymore." Absolutely agree! Thank you so much for the kind words! The past two years have really been building towards this video, and I felt like I was finally comfortable enough with UA-cam and my video creation skills to tell this epic tale! This comment really made my day! Hope to see you in the next one!
@@TheAtoll Yes and I enjoy the movie too. Didn't realize there were so much media around it. One aspect I love about Waterworld is that it's like a philosophical treasure hunt.
This video is top tier content, absolutely awesome. Thank you for pulling together so much interesting information and visuals to match. Looking forward to more content!
The combination of dedicated, practical craftsmanship and pure ridiculous camp is what makes this such a legendary movie. Thanks for celebrating it the way you do 👍 I hope the Ulysses Cut becomes digitally available one day.
I can't think of a more suitable ending for The Atoll than to be dismantled and sold off for scrap! That may sound like an insult but it is far from. I find it rather poetic, and embodies the spirit of Waterworld,
Haha, yeah. I lot of people ask me why they didn't save the set after filming, and I think it's because the whole thing was a hazard and was only built for temporary use.
@@TheAtoll I know, right? Feel like we're twins or something. It was great year for movies. Wonderful to hear your thoughts and knowledge on Waterworld. Makes me like the movie even more. I always enjoyed it but have really loved diving back into it these last fee months with the Ulysses Cut and Children of Leviathan comics. Keep up the good work. Quick question: what do you think of The Postman?
Aw, The Postman! It's a movie I haven't seen in years, but greatly enjoyed the last time I watched it. Definitely in need of a rewatch! And I heard it's one of those movie that greatly differs from the book it's based on. Comparing the book and the movie could make a great video essay....hhhhmmm! What are your thoughts on it my friend??
@@TheAtoll I put it off for years because the reviews were so negative but I really enjoyed it when I watched it last year. It's long, slow and a tad pretentious but also pretty unique. It's a very different post apocalyptic movie from Waterworld - almost a counterpoint. Much more optimistic about finding a way back to civilisation. Posits that words are what will save us in a post apocalyptic setting. Not violence. I find it fascinating Costner did both films almost back to back. Feel bad that it killed his career for a few years after it came out.
Kewlness. The days of those.colossal sets are long gone but they made the most epic and memorable movies. I love anything and everything post apocalyptic! Great vids man!
Wow! An honor to have Matrix Explained comment on a video of mine! Before I started this channel, I actually debated creating a Matrix Lore channel. But I could have never have done the fantastic job you guys do! I love the Matrix Explained, I am there for every video!
@@TheAtoll its all good 👍 when good content is there it's one thing but good content for a thing i have loved for decades is something else. Thanks again for the awesome work 🙂
Wow, this video is incredible and clearly took a massive amount of time and effort to put together! I Iove Waterworld and I love this channel! Thank you for starting up this channel and for spreading your love and knowledge of the Waterworld universe! Much love and success to you!
I remember as a kid maybe six years old. My father brought me to Universal Studios California. We watch the Waterworld show having never seen the movie as a kid I have been fascinated with this live show my entire life in circa 2015 one of my best friends named Ryan, who is obsessed with the show played it randomly as we were hanging out and I got infatuated for no reason other than this was an incredible movie and it brought back some nostalgia that I wasn’t sure of. I asked my father what the name of the show was that night and he said Waterworld I’ve never been so obsessed with the movie. Great video.
Thanks Lorenzo! This was a really fun one to make! And even in the two years after publishing this video, I have found more footage of the film's production, including video of the miniature Atoll and video of the crew welding though the night to meet their deadline!
@@TheAtoll That is amazing! I am sometimes watching the used market and hoping to find an '84 Jenneau trimaran for sale. It would be epic to sail at thigh speed on the upwind hull of the trimaran just like the mariner. Luckily there are cheaper and more space-friendly option for trimarans on the market and I can wait to sail on one!
Does nobody else think how flimsy most of the boats and the atol looked .After one decent storm the whole lot would have fallen apart ..That was the most unbelievable thing about the movie i found
Such a detailed video! It is incredible that the production team went all out on building the Atoll, They could have made it into a theme park or find some other use of this.
Haha, funny that you mention that, since there's a Waterworld stunt show at Universal Studios that is still running to this day! Though it did not use the actual structure from the fim.
@@TheAtoll Yes, later in the video I noticed. Will try to visit one one day. Its great to know that they exist at all, before watching your vid, I never knew about it. Great job keeping this classic alive man!
Hey, glad you found the channel too Chris! I know, bts stories are my favorite! The bonus material on DVDs is something more exciting then then the movie for me.
If the waterworld tv series comes out will have a chance to see not only new enemies but many atolls societies instead of just one that we saw in the film.
Despite seeing this movie so often, I just realized that the tombstones are made of old surf boards! It would be funny if thes used the recycling symbol instead of crosses though
Such a funny little detail that's so easy to miss! I agree about the recycling symbol. And the fact that they use crosses makes me wonder if they have some form of Christianity in their religious beliefs, or if it's simply a holdover from the Land Days?
Can't say I don't agree. The overall color pallet of the film is very brown. But the blue of the Pacific waters surrounding the Atoll does come through in many shots and is spectacular on film!
Haha, yeah i guess the movie never really goes back to them after the Mariner leaves for the Deez. But I think it's implied by the Live Stunt Show that they return to the original atoll and that is who is occupying the city when Helen arrives giving the news that Dryland is not a myth. I have been thinking about doing a video looking at the entire unofficial timeline of the Waterworld universe which could go deeper into stuff like this!
@@TheAtoll If that is the case, then how on Waterworld did The Deacon survived the jetski trio explosion during the bungee jump sequence? Wouldn't he be a lot more burnt akin to Harvey "Two-Face" Dent? Or perhaps The Deacon in the Stunt Show was secretly a twin brother and he just wore a eye-patch to hide his normally intact eye?
I'm honestly kind of surprised that they didn't approach this the same way they did the oil tanker as far as using more model work and studio sets to pull it off. They ended up spending a lot of money on it considering it wasn't in the movie for all that long.
Waterworld's one of my favorite movies of all times. It's not perfect but the scale of the props involved is mind boggling. It reminds me of something like lord of the rings were I can't even believe they built a whole unique town just for the movie.
I find the deleted scene with the desperate people outside the atoll interesting and shows humanity in decline, or as the mariner says "your dyeing". Since I have learned to make cordage by hand I can see why they let the man in to trade his hair for hydro and salvaged the hair of the dead. This is also one of the reasons the mariner angerly cuts the hair off his companions when their actions damage his ship. He will retwist his ropes mending them with the hair as best he can.
Yes, I am so glad you pointed this out Chloanne! There does seem to be a "cult of hair" thing running through the movie. You also might recall that as they are lowering the dead woman into the organo barge, the atollers are cutting off her hair. Haha, maybe I will make a video on this topic someday!
Yes, I think the producers were definitely hoping for a strong box office return and a sequel or two. But by the end of the production, it seemed like everyone involved was ready to move onto other projects. But I suspect that a sequel would have the Mariner searching for other mutants like himself.
The things you'll do to avoid what would have been a much better looking matte painting. That set is so small compared to what it was intending to represent despite all that legendary effort.
Hmm, yeah, I'm not sure. I love a good matte paint, and some incredible work can be done with them, but I think in this application it would not be able to capture the natural spatial coherence of the life sized set. There's also the national movement of the floating set that I don't think a painting could capture. Yeah, I just think there is something really grand and awe-inspiring about the Atoll, you can totally feel it as the Mariner sails up and into it. I just don't this a background painting could capture that.
I pull information from a bunch of different sources including: production notes that purchased from an auction, articles written at the time, Maelstrom (the documentary on the Arrow Blu Ray release from 2019), other DVD bonus content, and of course, the making of book that came out in 1995. For the lore, I look to the novelization, comics, video games, actionfigures, other merchandise, and stuntshow.
I couldn't come up with any information about what happened to the Atoll after shooting the film unfortunately. I suspect it was dismantled and sold for scrap metal.
Yeah, I'm sorry for the mistake. A couple people have pointed that out. Pretty embarrassing but I'm always trying to improve my speaking and pronunciation. Definitely a struggle for me but doing this channel has given me a lot of valuable practice.
I have my own theory. The city was not floating but it was on the top of a mountain peak in the Alps and the land they finally settled was mount Everest. The only problem with this theory is that the dirt would be much less valuable than the movie shows. Or what if all the dirt is eroded and the mountain peak was pure solid granite so it was hard to make dirt from it.
@@TheAtoll the reason I was asking, there’s something about the design you made that I love and that is the diorama for me. Hmm if I made it scaled to the figures, be a display base even the smokers would admire!
It's funny he said "they're dying" but the Oasis Atoll wasn't doing too badly considering they had agriculture and large supplies of water and plankton cakes.
Yeah, others have pointed this out too. Sorry for my confusion, I am not sure how I got that mixed up. I plan on doing a channel update/corrections video at the beginning of next year, so I will be sure to include this in that round up.
Yes, thank you for pointing this out. You have a very keen ear! And I'm sorry for the misperception. I tracked down the source of my mistake, and it ends up it was an oops on my end. I was citing a quote from Marty Bresin, special effects coordinator on the picture, who said "We saw groups of six- or eight-foot mantas mating nearby." So, he of course is referring to manta rays, which I misread that as manatees, and then mispronounced it as mantises. Well, that's all pretty embarrassing for me, haha!
@@TheAtoll Regarding your video on "How Waterworld Became Flooded," you should check out science fiction author Stephen Baxter's novel Flood for a scientific explanation about how Earth could become entirely flooded (deep submarine seismic activity leads to seabed fragmentation, opening of deep subterranean reservoirs of water). It's basically a prequel to Waterworld!
Yeah, I have to agree. I would not be the first person to point out that it is a bit strange we never return to the Atoll after the first act of the film. It's such a massive part of the film, and then we just never see it again.
@@TheAtoll As a kid I used to try and recreate it out of lego. I loved the hell out of this film, I was 7 when it was released and being so, I was completely unaware of the media backlash of it. Finding this channel made me smile. Still not seen the Ulysses cut, always wanted to watch that monstah!
@@GhostRider-on6bz Aw yeah, that is great to hear! I just recently got back into lego, and man, what a dream it would be to build the an atoll MOC! And yeah, the Ulysses cut is more accessible than it has ever been thanks to the Arrow release. Worth seeking out if you want to experience all of Waterworld!
If they ever make another water world movie that's great, a mini series or even a big open world video game of this great universe in such potential it has... I would love for them to make atolls in it even larger & more interesting than this small one in lore = because even though I loved seeing it all while I was younger growing up with it... it just felt too small for my tastes in supporting such a big population in it = maybe over a mile in diameter or so next time with more room to spare for buildings, facilities and harbour for the boats to station themselves in to move around = just to make it more realistic in use. I know it's a movie, but realism really counts... but that might cost them another $80 million or more for the new one eventfully when that happens, but if they plan ahead = they can use it for tourism afterwards if organized for after the filming period for later years for people to enjoy seeing & use for other things stationed off the shores safely... and that will pay for itself over due time. But the worst thing they'll do instead these days is they'll properly build small parts of it for filming scenes, and the rest will be CGI, even if it is great quality... it won't always feel the same in being organic & real as before. The best thing they can do for future follow ups instead, is to make a prequel franchise or series in how the world flooded bit by bit + how careless humanity & other factions were in letting it come to pass with the chaos that followed, how the atolls came to be... as we know from the deleted scenes that they were many more of them back in the past. How better off they were before the decline post land being mostly gone on their own with resources being used up over time, how they coped in the early days... and how the rest fell into ruin over the three centuries after that leading up to the first film's events with the smokers attacking & destroying most of what's left of them throughout the world = even showing the Deacon in his very early years as he rose to power... there's potential there if done right. And other subjects to look into as well = fleets of ships surviving in the water world all over + large cargo, military and other ships like the Deeze on its own & others, water outposts like the slaver's one but way bigger & operational in practical effects + small communities of boats coming together to try to survive in this water world through harsh climates & raids by others, and many other factions as well. Like what they did with Mad Max Fury Road, but staying mostly true to lore and add more to it all in background info... a continuation of the franchise, but prequels instead of remakes or sequels, because there's not much to go by follow ups unless it all has great stories in mindset with more to see of that world... which I see highly unlikely these days. If they ever need an advisor & writer for future lore for new movies & series in great ideas about water world = if they take 5 years or more in preparing for it in making properly with the best crew around... here I am! = not in everything, but good enough to get it all started with great inspirations for more later on. But the new film or series would likely cost around a quarter or half a billion with everything that needs to be made for it all to make... then, they'll most certainly need to bring back the new movie merchandise in vast numbers in good to great quality for all of us to enjoy once again... I would. 😊💲 As a cult classic if done right, it will help pay for itself after release at Cinemas & streaming, and continue to do so for many years & decades after that in follow ups. As long as there's no political BS in it with today's world, just practical reactions to how the world ends in water with events in natural reactions and afterwards in survival in that ocean world, it will pay off. 👍✔🤞
Thanks for your thought Peter! Yes, I feel for a lot of us fans, the world of Waterworld is the most compelling part of the film, and a prequel that further fleshed out that world would be incredibly welcomed!
Yes, thank you for pointing this out. You have a very keen ear! And I'm really sorry for the misperception. I hope it did not take away from the video too much.
@@TheAtoll Don't worry about it. Nobody really cares about a little error. It might have made the video more fun. The videos are GOOD! I would like to know the origin of the Manatees in Hawaii tale though. Did the crew really say that? It was probably monk seals.
Yeah, after replying to your comment, I looked it up and your right, no manatees in Hawaii! By the end of the weekend I am going to track the source I grabbed this story from and get back to you. I don't know off the top of my head were I read it...
@@edityourname5598 Yeah, I am really not sure how I got confused there. The map clearly shows the Atlantic Ocean now I am watching it back. Oh well, haha, I am embarrassed! But it's always great to meet a fellow fan. Thanks again EDITYOUR NAME!
I was the Lead Engineer for the large floating platforms designed by Lockheed that the set was built on. It was quite a project, very different from the rest of the projects I've worked, before or since. This video is the most accurate and thorough I have seen. Thanks for making it. 68percentwater is the amount of surface on Earth that is covered by ocean...at least for now.
Wow! A true honor to see this comment! Thank you so much for your contributions to one of the greatest movie sets in history! Do you have any pictures of the miniature created to test your designs before flotation platforms were built and sent to Hawaii??
@@TheAtoll I do, however it is of very poor quality. The original did not fare well in my attic, and the only copy is a very low-resolution scan (it was the 90's after all)
Amazing! I would love to see even a poor quality photo!
Its a badass set
I’m here a year later, but wanted to echo the sentiment that the Atoll was awesome. Waterworld was one of those movies I rewatched often as a kid on VHS. Thanks for all your contributions!
It really helps put the bloated budget of the film into perspective when you see the lengths they had to go through to make these things possible. So many props and pieces that either flash in a scene for an instant, or seem unused entirely.
Great video! These longer videos are really well done, very thorough, and thoughtful. I look forward to more of your work.
Totally agree! Thanks for checking out the vid!!!
i know it's a 2 year old comment but i adore the fact they contacted *LOCKHEED* to help make this become a reality
The film could've been a 3 hour epic about environmental problems but instead became a run of the mill action flick.. probably because of and I'm citing Guillermo del Toro here: "the bastards with the money"
At lest we can see what all the money was spent on, compere to your modern super expensive Hollywood production.
My cousins are 2/3 kids sitting on the pier where Kevin Costner is shining the rearview mirror and they shield their eyes, and my mom grew up there... Such a wonderful movie imo
Wow, no kidding?! What an interesting connection to the film! Are you still close with those cousin? Do they still act?
@@TheAtoll unfortunately not close and only one of them went on to star in another film/TV series filmed over there Called Byrds of Paradise I do know their mom's sister (one of my aunts) went on and still is involved in movies and TV shows alike, I'll have you look her acting career up, Arlene Neumann Van Aspren she's no super popular one but has been in array of films and such
Is Willy P (the kid with the toe head blonde braids) your cousin?? I went to school with him from 6th grade-graduation! My mom was an extra and had an amazing experience as well :)
@@britty_noelani Yes he is a long with one of the others or so I've been told, small world :)
From a tactical standpoint putting your food in between the highly explosive armoury and distillery is pure genius
Oh interesting point! What is the reasoning??
@@TheAtoll ah sorry I was being cheeky and sarcastic. It isn't, a smoker accidentally drops his deacon-issued cig mid raid, distillery goes boom, your weapons, soil and food all go boom too. Amazing set regardless
I dont think the atollers had anything explosive in their armoury, just crossbows and catapults
Waterworld was always one of my most favourite movies of all time. Also Jurassic Park, Independence Day and Back to The Future. But Waterworld was always so magical...the water, the music, the postapocalyptic-setting. It was probably the main reason, i'm now a huge fan of nearly every postapocalyptic movie out there. I had that movie recorded on VHS from the TV, then as DVD, a few years later as Bluray, and now i own that movie on UHD-BD w/ HDR! 😍 And of course i will buy the "8K-Remaster Anniversary Platinum Edition", whenever it will possibly be released. P.S. I'm german btw, so by english grammatic could be bad, tbh xD I'm sorry, if that's the case. 🙈
I love your love for waterworld my friend! I really hope there will be another physical release of waterworld in the future!
@@TheAtoll a criterion release would be wonderful
I feel eavtly the same I l9ve it more b3cause of the trimaran❤
Honestly, given the enormous cost of the sets etc. They really should have planned on making a trilogy, then the sets could have been utilized enough to justify the expense. The sets from miniseries like Game of Thrones were massive and expensive but were frequently seen locations throughout the series. So if they were making a trilogy where in which locations like The Atoll and the Deez would be frequently visited, their destruction only occurring at the end. A larger epic, effectively a Star Wars contender, could have grossed enough to have been successful.
No doubt I would have liked to see sequels! But I believe that the Atoll was a bit slapped together as the production fell further and further behind schedule, and never really built to last.
After going that far over budget there is no way a studio would allow them to waste more money with triple the shooting days.
Awesome and very thorough video, I'm impressed! Keep at it and you'll become the encyclopedia of Waterworld here on YT, if you aren't already!
Wow! Truly an honor to have you comment on one of my videos Mad Max Bible! Your channel has been such an inspiration for The Atoll!
@@TheAtoll No worries man, keep going! Looking forward to more videos of yours!
The wild sea and the sandy desert together. My favorite post-apocalyptic franchises.
Fire and metal everywhere
@@MadMaxBible damn your a legend
I love these videos, but I cracked up big time at 30:29 when you called manatees mantises. I was like wow, I dind't know there are praying mantises in the ocean. Rad.
Haha, oh boy, yes! Inevitable after talking about Waterworld for many hours here on UA-cam over the years, I have made a few mispronunciations. I am glad this one gave you a laugh!
@@TheAtoll It happens! You've been doing phenomenally.
Man. For 22 million dollars they really should have kept the atoll.
I dunno how that could have worked, transporting it piece by piece to Hollywood or simply leaving it there in hawaii as a pilgrimage site but there would have been a lot of waterworld fans willing to pay good money to visit it in the years after.
I'd like to travel to Kawaihae harbor and see if there's any remanence of it.
@@TheAtoll There is not. The atoll was disassembled and drug up on the beach at the end of the harbor, cut up for scrap and hauled away. There was some talk about sinking it for an artificial reef but the regulatory hoops were too big. The old sugar plant and warehouse (where they did a lot of fabrication, including re-assembling the trimarans) are also gone.
This is the most comprehensive and in-depth look at the mysterious and expensive structure that is "The Atoll" from Waterworld. Amazing work my dude!
Wow, thank you! Very happy that you enjoyed the video!
I barely remember when my dad took me to see this film in theaters when I was seven years old, but it left an impact on me that caused a renewed interest in it during my teen years, which has endured well into adulthood! The one thing that stood out to me the most was the Atoll (or Oasis). What an impressive set, the likes of which may never be seen again in film. While a logistical challenge to create this film in the traditional way they could at the time, I'm so glad that they did and we have a permanent monument to a bygone era of high risk film-making in "Waterworld!" I can see any spiritual successor to Waterworld making use of CGI or camera tricks to simulate the water-bound setting.
I really enjoyed your video on this underrated, yet spectacular floating set! So much lore was included into every detail that it's a shame that "Waterworld" was only able to fit so much of it into its story. There is still so much that the visionaries behind this post-apocalyptic world can tell us! And I hope they get the chance, one day!
I hope so too! Let's see if that new streaming series actually comes to be!
So happy. This is a channel i never knew i needed. I don't feel alone for loving this movie and stunt show anymore.
Hello, so glad you found us! It's a small fandom, but a fandom never the less!
Every video of yours I watch about the production, the more I appreciate both the monumental cost, and the effort that was put in by the crew.
Hey thanks for checking out the videos! I am glad they gave you a greater apreation of the effects behind this film!
Such epic vision for a movie, just astonishing! They just dont make movies like this anymore. Maybe Avatar being the most recent I can think of. Its a shame all that effort was not used more extensively like in a series or something. But glad we'll always have the movie on Bluray to appreciate. And you Sir did an excellent job with this vid. Well worth the wait. You treated the subject matter with the grandeur and scope it deserved with this extensive vid. Congrats to you!
"They just dont make movies like this anymore." Absolutely agree!
Thank you so much for the kind words! The past two years have really been building towards this video, and I felt like I was finally comfortable enough with UA-cam and my video creation skills to tell this epic tale!
This comment really made my day! Hope to see you in the next one!
Well done documentary, your channel (and voice) is good covering all this about Waterworld.
Many thanks! Glad you are enjoying the channel!
@@TheAtoll Yes and I enjoy the movie too. Didn't realize there were so much media around it. One aspect I love about Waterworld is that it's like a philosophical treasure hunt.
This video is top tier content, absolutely awesome. Thank you for pulling together so much interesting information and visuals to match. Looking forward to more content!
Thank you so much! This comment really made my day! Many more videos planned for the future!
Great vid bro - your delivery, passion and production quality are top notch ❤
Thanks! Glad you enjoy it! I should have a whole new waterworld video dropping next week!
Great video, watched during my lunch break. Thank you! Subscribed.
Ha, nice! Thank you so much for the sub!
Now a days they don’t dismantle such movie sets.
Hmm, interesting! Do you have some modern day examples?
@@TheAtoll Only one. That habit village from Lord of the Rings. They rebuilt it for the prequel.
...so the implication is, it was disassembled in the first place. DUUUUURRRR @@donovandelaney3171
The combination of dedicated, practical craftsmanship and pure ridiculous camp is what makes this such a legendary movie. Thanks for celebrating it the way you do 👍 I hope the Ulysses Cut becomes digitally available one day.
Glad you enjoyed it! I also hope the Ulysses Cut is available digitally someday too. It's only officially on the Arrow Blu-ray I believe.
I can't think of a more suitable ending for The Atoll than to be dismantled and sold off for scrap!
That may sound like an insult but it is far from. I find it rather poetic, and embodies the spirit of Waterworld,
Haha, yeah. I lot of people ask me why they didn't save the set after filming, and I think it's because the whole thing was a hazard and was only built for temporary use.
Fantastic video. I've nearly watched all your videos. Saved this one til the end!
Thank you for checking out the videos! I also have been exploring your channel! I love that we both have dove deep into our favorite films from 1995.
@@TheAtoll I know, right? Feel like we're twins or something. It was great year for movies. Wonderful to hear your thoughts and knowledge on Waterworld. Makes me like the movie even more. I always enjoyed it but have really loved diving back into it these last fee months with the Ulysses Cut and Children of Leviathan comics. Keep up the good work. Quick question: what do you think of The Postman?
Aw, The Postman! It's a movie I haven't seen in years, but greatly enjoyed the last time I watched it. Definitely in need of a rewatch! And I heard it's one of those movie that greatly differs from the book it's based on. Comparing the book and the movie could make a great video essay....hhhhmmm! What are your thoughts on it my friend??
@@TheAtoll I put it off for years because the reviews were so negative but I really enjoyed it when I watched it last year. It's long, slow and a tad pretentious but also pretty unique. It's a very different post apocalyptic movie from Waterworld - almost a counterpoint. Much more optimistic about finding a way back to civilisation. Posits that words are what will save us in a post apocalyptic setting. Not violence. I find it fascinating Costner did both films almost back to back. Feel bad that it killed his career for a few years after it came out.
I love your little write-up/review of The Postman here. Now I am really looking forward to revisiting this film!
Kewlness. The days of those.colossal sets are long gone but they made the most epic and memorable movies. I love anything and everything post apocalyptic! Great vids man!
Yeah, for sure, I really feel that Waterworld marked the end of a certain era in Hollywood
Awesome movie!! Keep it up!!!
Wow! An honor to have Matrix Explained comment on a video of mine!
Before I started this channel, I actually debated creating a Matrix Lore channel. But I could have never have done the fantastic job you guys do! I love the Matrix Explained, I am there for every video!
Another excellent video! Keep up the amazing work!
Thanks Forrest! Thanks for always checking out my videos man!
I can't even explain how much I am enjoying working through all of your uploads 👍🙂
Dang dude! This comment made my morning! Thanks for checking out all the videos, that's amazing!
@@TheAtoll its all good 👍 when good content is there it's one thing but good content for a thing i have loved for decades is something else.
Thanks again for the awesome work 🙂
Wow, this video is incredible and clearly took a massive amount of time and effort to put together!
I Iove Waterworld and I love this channel!
Thank you for starting up this channel and for spreading your love and knowledge of the Waterworld universe!
Much love and success to you!
So glad you found the channel and are enjoying the videos! Much still planned for the future!
always something new to learn every vid i watch
Hey that's great to hear!
Fantastic!!! Thank you so much for making such a comprehensive and fun video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
30:31 mantis's!? Haha. Great video though, man. Very detailed and in-depthed.
Haha, thanks for checking it out Dean!
I caught that too lol
I remember as a kid maybe six years old. My father brought me to Universal Studios California. We watch the Waterworld show having never seen the movie as a kid I have been fascinated with this live show my entire life in circa 2015 one of my best friends named Ryan, who is obsessed with the show played it randomly as we were hanging out and I got infatuated for no reason other than this was an incredible movie and it brought back some nostalgia that I wasn’t sure of. I asked my father what the name of the show was that night and he said Waterworld I’ve never been so obsessed with the movie. Great video.
Thanks for sharing Chase! It's so interesting that you became a fan of the stunt show first and the movie second!
Great job bro!! Love this movie and you have made it better with your videos!!
Very informative keep up the great work!!
Thank for the kind words and dropping a sub! I will be publishing my next video in about a week! Hope to see you there!
I'm so glad this was done with practical effects and not all cgi
I totally agree, if it were made five years later, it probably would have been.
Absolutely outstanding my dude 😊👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks Skylar! Glad your enjoying the channel!
Can you make another video about Enolas tattoo. Or the drifter with the paper
Yes! I will definitely be doing a video on Enola's tattoo soon! I am really really looking forward to that video. So much to explore there!
@@TheAtoll you should also make another video about the deacons ship 🚢
@@omarhaq9635 yes!! That is the plan for the big end of year video for 2021!! Got plenty of great videos planned for the entire year though!
Awesome Video! Absolutely Great 👍🏼
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks again for checking out the channel Jose!
Sounds like Gasner was milking that filming location search!😉🍻
Haha, sure did!
nice work on this one! i enjoyed hearing about how the builders overcame problems with the atoll
Yeah, and under a tight deadline as well! I don't think they full understood the enormous task they were undertaking!
Great research work on this often unappreciated, but great movie!
Thanks Lorenzo! This was a really fun one to make! And even in the two years after publishing this video, I have found more footage of the film's production, including video of the miniature Atoll and video of the crew welding though the night to meet their deadline!
@@TheAtoll That is amazing! I am sometimes watching the used market and hoping to find an '84 Jenneau trimaran for sale. It would be epic to sail at thigh speed on the upwind hull of the trimaran just like the mariner. Luckily there are cheaper and more space-friendly option for trimarans on the market and I can wait to sail on one!
@@Lorenzo6880 Sounds so epic!
Does nobody else think how flimsy most of the boats and the atol looked .After one decent storm the whole lot would have fallen apart ..That was the most unbelievable thing about the movie i found
Yes, it's a movie with a lot of potholes and unbelievable things, and the fragile nature of the Atoll for sure one of them!
I feel like a global ocean would probably be fairly calm away from the poles
Nope. Would still.have bad storms
Awesome video!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!!! Thanks for checking it out man!!!
great video dude :)
Thank you!!! Truly a milestone for the channel!!!
Such a detailed video! It is incredible that the production team went all out on building the Atoll, They could have made it into a theme park or find some other use of this.
Haha, funny that you mention that, since there's a Waterworld stunt show at Universal Studios that is still running to this day! Though it did not use the actual structure from the fim.
@@TheAtoll Yes, later in the video I noticed. Will try to visit one one day. Its great to know that they exist at all, before watching your vid, I never knew about it. Great job keeping this classic alive man!
I love that background music
Thanks again~!
I always enjoyed this movie. I always wanted to know so much more about the world they created for this story. I'll have to find the novel now 😂
Yeah, the novel is a fun read if you are enjoying the Waterworld universe!
I love this movie one of my all time favorites.💖
Same here! Thanks for watching Robert!
Massive set. Just nuts.
Haha, there will never be another movie like Waterworld.
Probably the best movie set of all time.
Yes, it certainly goes down in cinema history as one of the most ambitious projects ever put to life!
So glad I found this channel! These bts stories are so interesting.
Hey, glad you found the channel too Chris! I know, bts stories are my favorite! The bonus material on DVDs is something more exciting then then the movie for me.
If the waterworld tv series comes out will have a chance to see not only new enemies but many atolls societies instead of just one that we saw in the film.
Yes, it would be very nice to see other Atoll societies!
Despite seeing this movie so often, I just realized that the tombstones are made of old surf boards!
It would be funny if thes used the recycling symbol instead of crosses though
Such a funny little detail that's so easy to miss! I agree about the recycling symbol. And the fact that they use crosses makes me wonder if they have some form of Christianity in their religious beliefs, or if it's simply a holdover from the Land Days?
I wish it wasn't so ugly. I like the idea of the walls being colored plastic, give it some humanity, life.
Can't say I don't agree. The overall color pallet of the film is very brown. But the blue of the Pacific waters surrounding the Atoll does come through in many shots and is spectacular on film!
With the way things are going we need to start building atolls
Yeah, man, I hope not
I wonder what happened to the atollers in "New Oasis", after Helen, Gregor
& The Enforcer left to help The Mariner with the rescue?
Haha, yeah i guess the movie never really goes back to them after the Mariner leaves for the Deez. But I think it's implied by the Live Stunt Show that they return to the original atoll and that is who is occupying the city when Helen arrives giving the news that Dryland is not a myth. I have been thinking about doing a video looking at the entire unofficial timeline of the Waterworld universe which could go deeper into stuff like this!
@@TheAtoll
If that is the case,
then how on Waterworld did The Deacon survived the jetski trio explosion during the bungee jump sequence? Wouldn't he be a lot more burnt akin to Harvey "Two-Face" Dent?
Or perhaps The Deacon in the
Stunt Show was secretly a twin brother and he just wore a eye-patch to hide his normally intact eye?
That's a great fan theory!
I heard that the Atoll was damage in a storm or something. Did that not happen?
Nope, that's a false rumor that's been spread wide and far. It was actually the small barter outpost set that was capsized.
Awesome video!
Have anyone build this in minecraft or anything else? Want to walk around in it
I just realized, someone should make a tribute video to the Deccan and the smokers with “Smoke On The Water” by Deep Purple as background music.
Truly genius!
Great video very interesting
Glad you enjoyed it!
I'm honestly kind of surprised that they didn't approach this the same way they did the oil tanker as far as using more model work and studio sets to pull it off. They ended up spending a lot of money on it considering it wasn't in the movie for all that long.
It is really crazy that they built a whole floating city! It still boggles my mind
The Waterworld show at Universal Studios in SoCal is still the best attraction there. It’s amazing!
100% the best part of Universal Studios! I hope they never replace it!
Waterworld's one of my favorite movies of all times. It's not perfect but the scale of the props involved is mind boggling. It reminds me of something like lord of the rings were I can't even believe they built a whole unique town just for the movie.
Yeah, completely agree!
I find the deleted scene with the desperate people outside the atoll interesting and shows humanity in decline, or as the mariner says "your dyeing". Since I have learned to make cordage by hand I can see why they let the man in to trade his hair for hydro and salvaged the hair of the dead. This is also one of the reasons the mariner angerly cuts the hair off his companions when their actions damage his ship. He will retwist his ropes mending them with the hair as best he can.
Yes, I am so glad you pointed this out Chloanne! There does seem to be a "cult of hair" thing running through the movie. You also might recall that as they are lowering the dead woman into the organo barge, the atollers are cutting off her hair. Haha, maybe I will make a video on this topic someday!
That right! Waterworld was the last movie made with huge sets. They moved to CGI after this movie.
Yeah, really the end of an era in Hollywood.
I really wonder what a sequel would’ve been about since they spent so much money on this you’d think they were planning a trilogy beforehand
Yes, I think the producers were definitely hoping for a strong box office return and a sequel or two. But by the end of the production, it seemed like everyone involved was ready to move onto other projects. But I suspect that a sequel would have the Mariner searching for other mutants like himself.
The things you'll do to avoid what would have been a much better looking matte painting. That set is so small compared to what it was intending to represent despite all that legendary effort.
Hmm, yeah, I'm not sure. I love a good matte paint, and some incredible work can be done with them, but I think in this application it would not be able to capture the natural spatial coherence of the life sized set. There's also the national movement of the floating set that I don't think a painting could capture. Yeah, I just think there is something really grand and awe-inspiring about the Atoll, you can totally feel it as the Mariner sails up and into it. I just don't this a background painting could capture that.
This is incredible! How do you find all this stuff out?
I pull information from a bunch of different sources including: production notes that purchased from an auction, articles written at the time, Maelstrom (the documentary on the Arrow Blu Ray release from 2019), other DVD bonus content, and of course, the making of book that came out in 1995. For the lore, I look to the novelization, comics, video games, actionfigures, other merchandise, and stuntshow.
@@TheAtoll thank you for this all with us!!!
another banger ❤❤❤
Thank you Gordon!
What happened to the Atoll? By any chance does it still exist?
I couldn't come up with any information about what happened to the Atoll after shooting the film unfortunately. I suspect it was dismantled and sold for scrap metal.
@@TheAtoll I’ve heard a good portion of it was recycled onto the universal studios stunt show set
I love atoll
Me too BBQ!!! I hope you having a nice weekend!!!
imagine how cool of a dive site it would make if it had sank at some point
Haha, yes a sunken floating city!
Meant mantas, said mantises, showed a manatee. Lmao
Yeah, I'm sorry for the mistake. A couple people have pointed that out. Pretty embarrassing but I'm always trying to improve my speaking and pronunciation. Definitely a struggle for me but doing this channel has given me a lot of valuable practice.
The headstones look like they are from the tips of surf boards.
Oh yeah! What a cool little detail. The set dressing is topnotch in Waterworld!
I’d like to know about the tri-maran and how it functions.
If you check out my review of the Trimaran toy, you will find it has a lot information on the actual boat as well!
How is the Deacon alive if it's a sequel to the movie?
Haha! Not sure, maybe the Deacon in the live stunt show is an imposter!
I have my own theory. The city was not floating but it was on the top of a mountain peak in the Alps and the land they finally settled was mount Everest. The only problem with this theory is that the dirt would be much less valuable than the movie shows. Or what if all the dirt is eroded and the mountain peak was pure solid granite so it was hard to make dirt from it.
Interesting theory!
Just wondering about your opening graphics, was that from a game or did ya make it?
I made the animation in Blender and the music is from the SNES game
@@TheAtoll the reason I was asking, there’s something about the design you made that I love and that is the diorama for me. Hmm if I made it scaled to the figures, be a display base even the smokers would admire!
It's funny he said "they're dying" but the Oasis Atoll wasn't doing too badly considering they had agriculture and large supplies of water and plankton cakes.
Yes, true! But you have to wonder, how the atoll life presented in the film compared to atoll life one generation before??
@@TheAtollthat's true. I just meant comparing the other atoll we saw and the drifters.
I need to travel to all these amazing locations before deciding I liked the first location most. Hmmmmmm.
HahaHa, pretty suspicious!
30:31 Those are Manatees, not Mantises. The Praying Mantis is an insect, while Manatees are medium to large-ish sea mammals.
Yes, quite a few have correct me on this. I'm sorry for the mistake.
Great Work 👏💯
Thanks Michael!
I love the atoll. Its like the middle class of bioshock couldnt afford rapture so they came up with this
Sargasso is in the Atlantic. Your voiceover says the Pacific.
Yeah, others have pointed this out too. Sorry for my confusion, I am not sure how I got that mixed up. I plan on doing a channel update/corrections video at the beginning of next year, so I will be sure to include this in that round up.
@@TheAtoll Cool
Lol, you've already heard of manatees, now get ready for seafaring mantises.
Yes, thank you for pointing this out. You have a very keen ear! And I'm sorry for the misperception. I tracked down the source of my mistake, and it ends up it was an oops on my end. I was citing a quote from Marty Bresin, special effects coordinator on the picture, who said "We saw groups of six- or eight-foot mantas mating nearby." So, he of course is referring to manta rays, which I misread that as manatees, and then mispronounced it as mantises. Well, that's all pretty embarrassing for me, haha!
@@TheAtoll to know that that spelling mistake had so many layers is amazing.
Great video btw, it convinced me to watch the movie later.
@8:00 But no living quarters? Or do people just live on their docked boats?
Haha, I never even thought about that! It's a really good point. Where do the people live?
@@TheAtoll Regarding your video on "How Waterworld Became Flooded," you should check out science fiction author Stephen Baxter's novel Flood for a scientific explanation about how Earth could become entirely flooded (deep submarine seismic activity leads to seabed fragmentation, opening of deep subterranean reservoirs of water). It's basically a prequel to Waterworld!
Those "Mantises" are better known as Manatees. I'm pretty sure a Mantis is an Insect.
Yes, sorry about the mistake
Hawaii represent.
Aloha! What a beautiful part of the world to live it!
30:30 those are manatees, not mantises. The mantis is an insect.
Yeah, a bunch of people have pointed that out in the comments. I am sorry the mispronunciation and thank you for correction.
A floating town. They actually built that! Now a days they would use garbage CGI
It really marks a high point and the end of an era in Hollywood!
Megaton on water
A Fallout reference?
@@TheAtoll yes😊
Lol this whole time i thought it was steel sheets
I know right! That's what I thought for the longest time too!
There was a guy who live on the Atoll who was a huge jerk, everyone called him the Atoll Ay-hole.
Haha, okay Richardo 🥴
What a shame you never truly get to grips with the geography of the thing in the film.
Yeah, I have to agree. I would not be the first person to point out that it is a bit strange we never return to the Atoll after the first act of the film. It's such a massive part of the film, and then we just never see it again.
@@TheAtoll As a kid I used to try and recreate it out of lego. I loved the hell out of this film, I was 7 when it was released and being so, I was completely unaware of the media backlash of it. Finding this channel made me smile. Still not seen the Ulysses cut, always wanted to watch that monstah!
@@GhostRider-on6bz Aw yeah, that is great to hear! I just recently got back into lego, and man, what a dream it would be to build the an atoll MOC! And yeah, the Ulysses cut is more accessible than it has ever been thanks to the Arrow release. Worth seeking out if you want to experience all of Waterworld!
If they ever make another water world movie that's great, a mini series or even a big open world video game of this great universe in such potential it has... I would love for them to make atolls in it even larger & more interesting than this small one in lore = because even though I loved seeing it all while I was younger growing up with it... it just felt too small for my tastes in supporting such a big population in it = maybe over a mile in diameter or so next time with more room to spare for buildings, facilities and harbour for the boats to station themselves in to move around = just to make it more realistic in use.
I know it's a movie, but realism really counts... but that might cost them another $80 million or more for the new one eventfully when that happens, but if they plan ahead = they can use it for tourism afterwards if organized for after the filming period for later years for people to enjoy seeing & use for other things stationed off the shores safely... and that will pay for itself over due time.
But the worst thing they'll do instead these days is they'll properly build small parts of it for filming scenes, and the rest will be CGI, even if it is great quality... it won't always feel the same in being organic & real as before.
The best thing they can do for future follow ups instead, is to make a prequel franchise or series in how the world flooded bit by bit + how careless humanity & other factions were in letting it come to pass with the chaos that followed, how the atolls came to be... as we know from the deleted scenes that they were many more of them back in the past.
How better off they were before the decline post land being mostly gone on their own with resources being used up over time, how they coped in the early days... and how the rest fell into ruin over the three centuries after that leading up to the first film's events with the smokers attacking & destroying most of what's left of them throughout the world = even showing the Deacon in his very early years as he rose to power... there's potential there if done right.
And other subjects to look into as well = fleets of ships surviving in the water world all over + large cargo, military and other ships like the Deeze on its own & others, water outposts like the slaver's one but way bigger & operational in practical effects + small communities of boats coming together to try to survive in this water world through harsh climates & raids by others, and many other factions as well.
Like what they did with Mad Max Fury Road, but staying mostly true to lore and add more to it all in background info... a continuation of the franchise, but prequels instead of remakes or sequels, because there's not much to go by follow ups unless it all has great stories in mindset with more to see of that world... which I see highly unlikely these days.
If they ever need an advisor & writer for future lore for new movies & series in great ideas about water world = if they take 5 years or more in preparing for it in making properly with the best crew around... here I am! = not in everything, but good enough to get it all started with great inspirations for more later on.
But the new film or series would likely cost around a quarter or half a billion with everything that needs to be made for it all to make... then, they'll most certainly need to bring back the new movie merchandise in vast numbers in good to great quality for all of us to enjoy once again... I would. 😊💲 As a cult classic if done right, it will help pay for itself after release at Cinemas & streaming, and continue to do so for many years & decades after that in follow ups.
As long as there's no political BS in it with today's world, just practical reactions to how the world ends in water with events in natural reactions and afterwards in survival in that ocean world, it will pay off. 👍✔🤞
Thanks for your thought Peter! Yes, I feel for a lot of us fans, the world of Waterworld is the most compelling part of the film, and a prequel that further fleshed out that world would be incredibly welcomed!
Mad Max 2 on Water
30:28 Mantises don't live in the ocean around Hawaii. Manatees don't live in the ocean around Hawaii either.
Yes, thank you for pointing this out. You have a very keen ear! And I'm really sorry for the misperception. I hope it did not take away from the video too much.
@@TheAtoll Don't worry about it. Nobody really cares about a little error. It might have made the video more fun. The videos are GOOD! I would like to know the origin of the Manatees in Hawaii tale though. Did the crew really say that? It was probably monk seals.
I know how troubling a comment like this can be I hope you didn't loose any sleep over it.
Yeah, after replying to your comment, I looked it up and your right, no manatees in Hawaii! By the end of the weekend I am going to track the source I grabbed this story from and get back to you. I don't know off the top of my head were I read it...
@@TheAtoll Lemons=Lemon aid, nice.
Electric
Glad you're enjoying the channel!
Aa-tol
Yes, sorry for the mispronunciation
That’s ok, I figured it must be the American pronunciation 😀 Just sounds a bit odd to a British speaker. Great video by the way!
I can’t believe we put up with CGI when movies used to be made like this. Modern media (movies, video games, and even most music) truly is awful
Haha, there is something certainly tactile about the production efforts in Waterworld!
You can blame the people funding them nowadays. Its all faster cheaper better, which results in substitution...
@17:31 *Indian Ocean
Thanks for the correction
@@TheAtoll that's okay. Nice videos, I'm a Waterworld fan too
@@edityourname5598 Yeah, I am really not sure how I got confused there. The map clearly shows the Atlantic Ocean now I am watching it back. Oh well, haha, I am embarrassed! But it's always great to meet a fellow fan. Thanks again EDITYOUR NAME!
@@TheAtoll I love the music when the mariner is teaching Enola to swim
@30:31 manatees or manta rays?
Thanks for the correction
@@TheAtoll well it may not be a correction, do manatees swim in the open ocean? Idk.