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Real life accidents on film/tv sets

Started by milstar, 08 October, 2021, 10:13:22 PM

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milstar

So let us begin.

First, thanks to Funt for suggesting a thread dedicated to this hot and rather peculiar subject which I am sure it can provide some thought-provoking discussions instead of trolling unrelated topics.

Accidents that claim people's lives in the movie industry aren't something new. Whose fault is it? The director's? Hackneyed equipment? Stunt person overstepping own capabilities? Mistakes in sfx and prop department? Malfunctions in communication between the crew members.? All of the above? A film is a collaboration, and while the director might seem responsible for everything that happens on camera, irl is often the product of people in charge of several departments. Unfortunately, the Twilight Zone catastrophe isn't the first one in the history of cinema. I have seen recently Flight of the Phoenix (the 1965original), where a stunt guy is killed by sheer destiny. Obviously, filming of dangerous scenes takes a lot of preparations which can last for weeks, in order to measure up every possible aspect in avoiding life defying risks and to get the precious gold-worthy seconds of usable footage.

Now, about Twilight Zone...Landis definitely stepped over his work ethic when he had those kids to work over pre-estimated hours that allow children on a film set. His second mistake was not informing children's parents about the perilous level of the stunt. His third mistake - rushing up the shoot. But it's insane, if not infantile blaming everything on one man, whose job isn't even to research, prepare, and calculate everything that he needs to have his shot. I am sure that everyone are aware that filmmaking is a tough, often stressful experience, where everyone involved carry a high level of responsibility for what is their job in film production.

"When you read about the accident, they say we were blowing up huts—which we weren't—and that debris hit the tail rotor of the helicopter—which it didn't. The FBI Crime Lab, who was working for the prosecution, finally figured out that the tail rotor delaminated, which is why the pilot lost control. The special effects man who made the mistake by setting off a fireball at the wrong time was never charged."


(For the record, I read what the commission reported on the incident)

Ofcourse, I wish that people here don't stick up strictly to Twilight Zone; hence, I am sure there are equally valuable other subjects of a similar ilk worth of discussion.
Reyt, you lot. Shut up, belt up, 'n if ye can't see t' bloody exit, ye must be bloody blind.

Woolly

RE: The Twilight Zone

Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, and Frank Marshall (all producers on the film) must have known what was going on in regards to the under-the-table dealings with the child actors.
The parents of the two children were assured that there would be no explosions on set, as were the casting agents.
The children were hidden when safety inspectors visited the set on the day of the shoot, and the helicopter pilot (Dorcey Wingo, a vietnam veteran) was supposedly hired as it was thought he'd be more likely to follow Landis' orders without questioning them. (Landis also reportedly made crewmen climb scaffolding to repair lights while the helicopter was hovering nearby, calling them 'chickensh*t' if they refused).

So while Landis is clearly responsible here (although the courts somehow aquitted him), I find it unbelievable that Spielberg et al would claim to have had no knowledge of the underhand dealings, or the lack of safety on set.
The fact that Spielberg instantly distanced himself from Landis appears to be more about deflecting any personal involvement in this, as opposed to trying to prove the crew/Director weren't responsible.

One last thing - one crew member originally reported that Spielberg was on set when the accident occurred. He then changed his mind and said it may have been Frank Marshall. Make of that what you will.


milstar

Quote from: Rara Avis on 15 October, 2021, 04:17:11 PM
Brandon Lee, shot on the set of The Crow:

https://www.grunge.com/175557/the-truth-about-brandon-lees-death/


I have no knowledge are anyone of those prop blokes held responsible for negligence, that took the life of one man.
Reyt, you lot. Shut up, belt up, 'n if ye can't see t' bloody exit, ye must be bloody blind.

rogue69

This article has 15 on set accidents from films including Top Gun, The Hobbit & Maze Runner

https://screenrant.com/tragic-movie-accidents-on-set-famous/

Rara Avis

Quote from: milstar on 15 October, 2021, 06:14:41 PM
I have no knowledge are anyone of those prop blokes held responsible for negligence, that took the life of one man.

There were no charges filed : Dist. Atty. Jerry Spivey said he found no evidence of the "willful and wanton" negligence that would have been required to prosecute Crowvision, the production company making the movie "The Crow."

Just a terrible accident.

Maybe the most famous onset injury: https://youtu.be/6n0Uj41zlhU

milstar

Seems that LOTR and Hobit were true nightmares of filmmaking.
Reyt, you lot. Shut up, belt up, 'n if ye can't see t' bloody exit, ye must be bloody blind.

Rara Avis

I'm not familiar with anything else happening on LOTR other than Sean Bean has a fear of flying and would have to hike in his costume to the shooting locations. How did he get to NZ I wonder?

He (Sean Bean) also got stabbed in a pub a few years back and apparently just went back and finished his pint.


Jim_Campbell

Quote from: Rara Avis on 15 October, 2021, 08:03:58 PM
I'm not familiar with anything else happening on LOTR other than Sean Bean has a fear of flying and would have to hike in his costume to the shooting locations.

Well, there's Viggo Mortensen breaking his toe, and Sean Astin cutting his foot on some glass at the bottom of a lake, but they hardly seem in the same league as dropping a helicopter on three people.

(I don't think Sean Bean has a general fear of flying, so much as not wanting to get in the helicopter that flew the cast halfway up a NZ mountain to shoot the Caradhras "Such a little thing..." scene!)
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Rara Avis

True but it was a real life accident .. I'm not familiar with where this thread originated so I'm not au fait with the context of the thread. I just happen to know a few bits of movie trivia.

I read a story online recently about an actress who was hurt on the set of a film and now had a permanent scar on her face but I don't know the exact detail. 

milstar

This may not belong to the real life accident, but John Rhys Davies had terrible time under make-up that burned the skin under his eyes.
Reyt, you lot. Shut up, belt up, 'n if ye can't see t' bloody exit, ye must be bloody blind.

Rara Avis


rogue69

In Ben Hur the story goes that the stunt double for Stephen Boyd (the villain Mesalla) was killed during the chariot race. This was false the only person that was injured during the filming of this scene was Joe Canutt, doubling for Heston, when he was flipped out of chariot, catching himself on the center hitching rail before pulling himself back in place. His only injury was a gash on his chin requiring four stitches.

Rara Avis

DiCaprio on the set of Django, cut his hand and it ended up in the film.


Jim_Campbell

Quote from: Rara Avis on 15 October, 2021, 09:55:09 PM
DiCaprio on the set of Django, cut his hand and it ended up in the film.

Mark Hamill was mauled by a Wampa and then had to fake a car accident to explain the facial injuries. TRUE STORY.
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