Down Periscope (1996) - 30 mistakes

Factual error: When the submarine rises in the waters of Norfolk and you see Norfolk in the background, there is one blatant problem. There are NO mountains in Norfolk. Most of Norfolk, Virginia, is below sea level.

Continuity: During the final chase scene, Captain Dodge says that it's overcast, and they surface. The first shot of the Stingray shows a hazy day. When the Orlando surfaces afterwards, it's clearly that one piece of stock footage of a Los Angeles-class submarine surfacing - not only is it sunny, but the ship shoots up from an emergency fast rise. After that, the shots of the Stingray in pursuit, and that of the torpedoes hitting the target ship, show it to be sunny rather than overcast. [It's not just stock footage of any old submarine surfacing. It is in fact the shot of the submarine in Tom Clancy's The Hunt For Red October surfacing - exactly the same footage. Some kind of in-joke, perhaps?]

Factual error: On the type of submarine Dodge is commanding, you must climb up to the conning tower to use the periscope. The periscope is not accessible inside the sub itself.

Factual error: When the Admirals are going over Dodge's FitRep, Admiral Graham states that Dodge received his tattoo as an ensign. However it is also stated in other scenes that it happened after the Murmansk incident three years ago. One does not go from ensign to Lt. Commander in only three years.

Visible crew/equipment: When Stapanak is running to the engine room, the camera equipment at the bottom of the screen is visible.

Visible crew/equipment: When Captain Dodge is sitting down to talk to Lake, you see the boom mic follow him down.

Visible crew/equipment: When Howard is starting the engine, he's stepping over the dolly track for the camera rig.

Continuity: Exterior shots of the Orlando switch back and forth between the older model 688 with the sail planes (fins) on the side of the tower to the new one with the planes on the bow.

Visible crew/equipment: When Dodge Say's "Good ole Graham" you can see the mic on top of the screen.

Factual error: Stepanik is introduced in the crew boarding scene as an Engineman First Class, however in the homecoming scene, his uniform insignia is that of a Machinist's Mate First Class.

Audio problem: When Dodge and Jackson go outside to put the spotlight on the periscope, Jackson climbs up. He sings the Army theme, be all you can be. You hear Dodge say that's the army not the navy, but if you look at him when he says this, his doesn't even open his mouth.

Factual error: In the opening credits, when you see a submarine (presumably the Orlando) passing underneath a bridge, the sub is going south, away from the base, seeing as the base pictured is the Naval Submarine Base in Groton, CT. The sub is supposedly returning from being under the ice cap, according to Dodge in another scene, therefore, it's going the wrong way.

Factual error: At the end, Lt Howard is calling cadence and gives the command "Crew Salute" for the Admiral. The correct command is "Present Arms". Howard would know this as he was Navy during WWII and the command hasn't changed since.

Continuity: When Dodge is in his room talking to Lt. Lake, he throws the towel on his bunk which can be seen in the mirror. A few seconds later back on Dodge the towel is now gone from the bunk.

Continuity: When Grammer is being taken by launch out to see his sub for the first time, you see between shots that he's going two different directions at different times of day. As they cut back and forth, one set of footage is a live shot, the other is against a screen. The end of the scene is a shot taken either in early morning or late afternoon whereas the preceding were more at midday.

Continuity: At 1:20:35, when Dodge gives the order to "ready torpedo tubes one and two", both tubes are already showing "ready to fire" in the panel above Dodge's shoulder.

Continuity: Capt. Dodge (Kelsey Grammer) is on the deck of the sub and is sending a crewman up a ladder to attach a lamp onto the periscope. To attach it, he uses duct tape. However, when they show him climbing, the duct tape is still in Dodge's hand. Then, a second later, it is magically in the crewman's hand.

Continuity: Martin Pascals index finger goes from the lid of coffee to the side of can a couple of times while yelling at Buckman.

Factual error: In the final chase, Orlando surfaces to chase Stingray. WWII subs are considerably faster on the surface, but modern Los Angeles class subs are designed to spend 99% of the time underwater. Orlando must travel slower on the surface as her aft rudders are out of the water, decreasing her stability. On the surface, the greater the speed, the more difficult she is to steer. Her speed and handling on the surface would be greatly reduced. There's no way she would have surfaced to chase Stingray, as it would actually make it more difficult to catch her.

Continuity: When Grammer is welcoming his new crew on board, between the time the first crewman has walked up the gangplank and Grammer is talking to the second and receiving his papers and telling him to get on board, you can see that a third has already boarded and the number of envelopes held by the ensign has jumped from one to three.