Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The (film) Eccentric, down-but-not-out oceanographer Steve Zissou and his motley crew—Team Zissou—find themselves in troubled waters when they attempt to track down the mysterious “jaguar shark” that ate Zissou’s partner while filming a documentary of their latest adventure. Adding to his troubles, Zissou must contend with a beautiful journalist assigned to write a profile and a new member of the team who might possibly be his long-lost son. Zissou faces hilarious complications trying to keep his expedition afloat while contending with budgetary woes and a host of other challenges (including a close encounter with marauding pirates). A Touchstone Picture. Directed by Wes Anderson. Released on December 10, 2004 in New York and Los Angeles, and on December 25, 2004 nationwide. Stars Bill Murray (Steve Zissou), Owen Wilson (Ned Plimpton), Cate Blanchett (Jane Winslett-Richardson), Anjelica Huston (Eleanor Zissou), Willem Dafoe (Klaus Daimler), Jeff Goldblum (Alistair Hennessey), Michael Gambon (Oseary Drakoulias), Seu Jorge (Pele dos Santos), Bud Cort (Bill Ubell), Seymour Cassel (Esteban du Plantier). 118 min. Filmed in Rome and other Italian locations in Super 35-Scope. For the boat, the Belafonte, the filmmakers found a 50-year-old minesweeper in South Africa and then re-outfitted it to become an oceanographic research ship. Released on video in 2005.
