Ice Station Zebra (novel)
OCLC 844681 | | |
Preceded by | The Satan Bug | |
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Followed by | When Eight Bells Toll |
Ice Station Zebra is a 1963 thriller novel written by Scottish author Alistair MacLean. It marked a return to MacLean's classic Arctic setting. After completing this novel, whose plot line parallels real-life events during the Cold War, MacLean retired from writing for three years. In 1968 it was loosely adapted into a film of the same name.
Plot
The (fictional) American nuclear-powered submarine USS Dolphin is dispatched on a rescue mission. Just before she departs, Dr. Carpenter, the narrator, is sent to accompany her. Carpenter's background is unknown, but he claims that he is an expert in dealing with frostbite and other deep-cold medical conditions, and he carries orders from the Chief of Naval Operations of the United States Navy. Commander Swanson, the Dolphin submarine captain, is suspicious of Carpenter, and calls in his superior Admiral Garvie. Garvie refuses to allow Carpenter on board without knowing his mission. Under duress, Carpenter finally reveals that the ice station is actually a highly equipped listening post, keeping watch for nuclear missile launches from the Soviet Union, a statement which convinces the commander and the admiral.
Dolphin reaches the Arctic ice-pack, and dives under it. She surfaces in a break in the ice and succeeds in making tenuous radio contact with Ice Station Zebra. Carpenter confides to the Captain that the commander of the station is his brother. Having obtained a bearing on the station, Dolphin dives again, and succeeds in finding a lead 8 kilometres (5 mi) from the station and breaks through a crack in the ice above. Carpenter,
The sick men are cared for by Dolphin. Carpenter does some more investigating, and finds that the fire was no accident; it was a cover to hide that three of the dead men, one of whom was his brother, were murdered. He also discovers several unburned supplies hidden in the bottom of a hut, while Swanson finds a gun hidden in a petrol tank. The surviving members of Zebra are brought on board the Dolphin, and the station is abandoned. While still under the ice, a fire breaks out in the engine room and the sub is forced to shut down its nuclear reactor. The crew succeeds in saving the ship, after several hours of hard labour, and thanks to Swanson's ingenuity.
Carpenter calls a meeting of the survivors, and announces that the fire was no accident. He reveals that he is an
The film of the US bases is recovered, but Carpenter has switched the film on the Soviets. The film they successfully sent to the Soviet surface ships is actually photographs of cartoon characters on the walls of the submarine's sick bay.
Background and origin of plot
The novel was influenced by the heightened atmosphere of the
The novel exploits contemporary fascination with the under-the-ice exploits of such American
Ice Station Zebra also uses the accelerating
The story has parallels with
Finally, MacLean even mentions the newly-operational Soviet nuclear-powered icebreaker Lenin by involving the ship in an aborted attempt to reach the survivors at Drift Ice Station Zebra.
Maclean says he got much of the technical information of the novel from the book Nautilus 90 North by William Anderson.[6]
Reception
The New York Times called it "an exciting adventure".[7] Another review said Maclean's "gift for sustained excitement is remarkable."[8]
Film adaptation
1968 film
The novel was later very loosely adapted into the 1968
- The nuclear submarine Dolphin became USS Tigerfish.
- The British spy Dr. Carpenter was renamed David Jones, portrayed by Patrick McGoohan.
- Commander Swanson was changed to Commander Ferraday, portrayed by Hudson.
Additional characters were added, including a
- Soviet defector Boris Vaslov, portrayed by Ernest Borgnine
- Marine Captain Leslie Anders, portrayed by Jim Brown
- 1st Lt. Russell Walker, portrayed by Tony Bill
Much of the novel's characterisation involving the submarine's crew was jettisoned in favour of these new cinematic creations. Also all characters from the Ice Station Zebra in the novel were removed. They were claimed to have died in the fire, notably two main villains who had caused the fire in the first place. Also removed were all references to Dr. Carpenter's brother.
Beyond the name change, the film's submarine has a design similar to the first nuclear-powered submarine, Nautilus, rather than the more streamlined, teardrop-shaped vessel, either the contemporaneous
The Soviet interest in recovering the lost spy satellite is shown early in the film when a spy ship disguised as a
Remake
On 6 May 2013, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Warner Bros. will undertake a remake of Ice Station Zebra, with Christopher McQuarrie signed to direct and write the screenplay for the film.[9]
Popular culture
The novel is referenced in the 19th episode of the second season of Perfect Strangers, Snow Way to Treat a Lady, Part 2. After a second avalanche during the night while everyone was sleeping, Larry wakes up in the morning in discomfort. he pulls a book from under him and reads the title "Ice Station Zebra?", and throws it aside.
The novel is referenced in "
The novel is parodied in the Sealab 2021 third-season episode, "Frozen Dinner". The Sealab crew must rescue scientists aboard Ice Station Zebra, a research station on top of an ice floe. The ice floe has turned upside down and trapped the two men, while the Sealab crew tries to rescue them in a submarine. While the scientists immediately turn to cannibalism, the Sealab sub – led by a German crew resembling that from Das Boot – predictably fumbles the rescue.
The movie adaptation of the novel is referenced in
Howard Hughes's obsession[10][11] with the movie adaptation of the novel is referenced in "I Wanna Be a Boss", a 1991 song by American singer-songwriter Stan Ridgway.
In 2018 Jack White released a song with the title "Ice Station Zebra".
In the eighth episode of the second season of the American television drama series
In the first season of the British cartoon "Danger Mouse", the 11th episode "Ice Station Camel" is a clear reference to the novel.
References
- ^ Existential Ennui: Beautiful British Book Jacket Design of the 1950s and 1960s
- ^ a b Williams. Submarines Under Ice, p. 133–141
- ^ Polmar and Moore. Cold War Submarines, p. 156
- ^ Chronology of Spy Satellites Archived 13 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine @ Totse.com
- ^ Taubman, Secret Empire, p. 287.
- ^ Johnstone, Jain (17 December 1972). "War Is Hell, but It Pays Off for MacLean: War Pays Off for MacLean War Pays Off for MacLean War is Hell, but It Pays Off for Alistair". Los Angeles Times. p. 1.
- ^ MARTIN LEVIN (13 October 1963). "A Reader's Report". New York Times. p. 385.
- ^ "Books of The Times: Terror On and Under the Polar Ice By ORVILLE PRESCOTT End Papers". New York Times. 13 December 1963. p. 33.
- ^ "Christopher McQuarrie to Write, Direct Remake of Ice Station Zebra] (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
- ^ Chun, Rene. "Howard Hughes had an epic screening room installed in his Vegas hotel suite. We've recreated it". Wired. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
- ^ "Ice Station Zebra (1968)". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad - First Appearance. YouTube. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021.
Sources
- Anderson, William R. (1959). Nautilus 90 North. Hodder & Stoughton.
- Norman Polmar and K. J. Moore. Cold War Submarines: The Design and Construction of US and Soviet Submarines (Washington, D.C.: Potomac Books, Inc., 2004) ISBN 1-57488-530-8
- Phil Taubman. Secret Empire: Eisenhower, the CIA, and the Hidden Story of America's Space Espionage (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003) ISBN 0-684-85699-9
- Marion D. Williams. Submarines Under Ice: The US Navy's Polar Operations (Annapolis, Maryland: ISBN 1-55750-943-3
External links
- Book review at AlistairMacLean.com
- Internet Movie Database