Movies can be cinematic masterpieces or massive dumpsterfires, and even then, we can’t know what was going on behind the cameras. A bad movie could’ve been a lot of fun to make for the people involved, while a good one could’ve been, as you might expect, a nightmare to shoot.
That’s what we’ve decided to focus on today: movies that were problematic behind the scenes. We aren’t talking about the quality of the finished product, rather the difficulties people had making, mixing, and bringing the project to the finish line.
Waterworld
Making a movie called Waterworld on the actual water sounds like a bad idea. For Kevin Costner, it almost was. The star nearly lost his life for real when a storm hit while he was strapped to a ship’s mast.
Titanic
James Cameron’s blockbuster was a nightmare. Kate Winslet got hypothermia in the water tanks, and someone laced the crew’s lobster chowder with PCP, hospitalizing about 50 people. That’s one way to remember a film shoot.
The Revenant
Leonardo DiCaprio finally won his Oscar for this, so here’s hoping the brutal production was worth it. The shoot was delayed from May to August 2015 because of crew and location problems, forcing everyone to endure the harsh, freezing wilderness.
The Shining
Stanley Kubrick’s perfectionism was legendary, and it made this shoot a psychological ordeal. He famously pushed his actors through endless takes, wearing down the cast and crew to get the perfect sense of on-screen madness.
Roar
Often called the most dangerous film ever made, and it doesn’t feel like an exageration. During production, 70 members of the cast and crew were injured by untrained lions, including a young Melanie Griffith, who was mauled on camera.
The Passion of the Christ
This 2004 biblical epic from Mel Gibson was famously grueling, especially for the actors. The intense physical demands of the story, combined with challenging filming conditions, made for an incredibly difficult and painful production for everyone involved.
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote
This film took over 25 years to finally get made. The first attempt in 2000 was shut down by a flash flood and an injured lead actor. Its cursed production became its own documentary, Lost in La Mancha.
Aguirre, the Wrath of God
Director Werner Herzog and star Klaus Kinski’s relationship was famously explosive. Herzog reportedly threatened to shoot Kinski if he left the film, and Kinski himself fired a gun into a hut, injuring an extra’s finger.
Alien 3
David Fincher’s directorial debut was a disaster he ultimately disowned. He fought daily battles with producers, the script was constantly being rewritten during the shoot, and he walked away before editing was even complete.
I Heart Huckabees
This 2004 philosophical comedy is known for its quirky humor as well as for the on-set tension. Leaked videos showed director David O. Russell in very heated arguments with his cast, making for an uncomfortable workplace.
Justice League
After director Zack Snyder left due to a family tragedy, extensive and costly reshoots changed the film’s tone completely. Star Ben Affleck later called the messy production, with its clashing visions, “the worst experience.”
World War Z
While this zombie blockbuster looked great on screen, its entire third act had to be completely rewritten and reshot. That’s a massive and expensive undertaking that signaled major problems behind the scenes before its release.
Blade Runner
This sci-fi classic is beloved now, even though the mood on set was anything but. Director Ridley Scott and star Harrison Ford clashed constantly, right down to their fundamental disagreement over whether Deckard was a human or a replicant.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Looking graceful on screen, Ang Lee’s martial arts epic was a physical test for its stars. The demanding wire work and complex fight choreography, much of it learned on set, pushed the cast to their limits.
S. Squad
Studio panic after another film’s poor reception led to massive reshoots to inject more humor. Much of Jared Leto’s Joker performance was cut from the final film, a decision the actor was not quiet about.
The post 15 Movies That Were the Biggest Nightmares to Shoot appeared first on Den of Geek.
0 Commentaires