Being a huge fan of the Alien franchise, I’ve often heard the story about how the chestburster scene in the movie was a surprise to the cast, which is how Ridley Scott got such great horrified performances out of them. No matter how many times I come across this tidbit, I always kinda call BS on it. Really? A total surprise despite the elaborate practical effects, the multiple takes and varied camera angles? Maybe the press and fandom are just overselling shock at how bloody the effect was, but the “nobody saw it coming” story has become part of the film’s lore, and it strikes me as both baloney and wishful thinking.
Just the other day I read (once again) the factoid that the revelation of Darth Vader as Luke’s father in The Empire Strikes Back came as a surprise to the crew. I can maaaaybe buy this one a bit, as not every single person in a film crew gets the whole script. But still, massive elaborate set and effects on what’s expected to be the biggest movie of all time, and behind the camera is a sea of faces mouthing “Holy shit! Whaaaa?” It’s a fun image, but still strikes me as fanciful. Did David Prowse even need to say all of his lines on set considering he was being dubbed over anyway?
Another example, the classic David Bowie/Queen song “Under Pressure.” The wiki page on the song describes a much more collaborative recording process, but there are still tales out there that basically say that big chunks of it were improvised, and that it just flowed together perfectly. Look, it’s a flawless pop song IMHO. No way that two coked-out megastars scatted and improv’d their way into something that flows together so seamlessly.
Those are just my readings on those examples. And I know there must be competing accounts about those first two as well. And I’m a self-confessed cynic about most things. But they really seem like “Print the legend” moments in movies and music.
Are there other examples where the behind the scenes story of the creative process doesn’t seem to pass the smell test?
(if the mods can think of a better title for this, feel free, I kind of struggled)
The story is (and I haven’t seen good evidence to indicate otherwise) is that, while Prowse did deliver lines while scenes were shot* (so that his fellow actors had something to act against), he was given a different line to say in that scene, and that, prior to the scene, director Irwin Kirschner took Mark Hamill aside, told him what the actual line in the finished film would be, and directed Hamill to react appropriately.
Various sources indicate that, on set, Prowse either said “Obi-Wan killed your father,” or "The Emperor is strong with The Force – but The Force runs strong in the Skywalker line and together we will overthrow him. I will complete your training and we will rule the Empire as equals…” (the latter being what is in Prowse’s copy of the script, which went up for auction a couple of years ago).
*- Parenthetically, when the original film was being shot, Prowse was allegedly unaware that his voice was going to be dubbed over by James Earl Jones in post-production, and wasn’t happy when he learned this, later on.
Right, I find that story pretty unconvincing too. As you say, there would need to have been a lot of obvious prep.
Vader as Luke’s father? Does it really matter if it came as a surprise to the crew?
Was it envisioned from the start of the story arc… that’s another question. Vader being ‘father’ in Dutch, it’s possible, though it could have been an ‘aha’ moment Lucas had after the first episode.
As for “Under Pressure”, I can well believe that the signature bass riff was improvised on the spot in the studio. A lot of songs start out that way. But it evolved in the hands of great musicians and songwriters… sometimes chance favours the prepared mind as the saying goes.
A big disappointment for me was the revelation that Robbie the robot in ‘Forbidden Planet’ was not really animatronic at all: there was a human operator inside…
There is a line at the end of the opening scene in the James Bond movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service before the theme song and opening credits runs where George Lazenby (who took on the role from Sean Connery) breaks the fourth wall and says “this never happened to the other fella”. It is a pretty clear that this is the way they decided to break the ice that it is someone new. In pre-production they were discussing explaining the change of actor by creating a backstory that Bond had to undergo plastic surgery and voice alteration after becoming too well known or suffering some life changing accident. I’m very glad they didn’t go down that route because now we have had several Bond actors it would be ridiculous to have to do that as an explanation every time.
But if you believe Lazenby’s story he says they settled on “this never happened to the other fella” because during filming he did his own stunts for the most part and when they made him do retakes he’d grumble things like “bet the other fella didn’t have to do this” meaning Connery. Bare in mind Lazenby was not an actor before getting the job so he had no idea of what it takes to make a movie especially of that size and scale. After a while he says the director Peter Hunt heard him complain about doing things a movie star like Connery probably didn’t have to do and decided rather than an elaborate “between You Only Live Twice and now James Bond had to change the entire physical appearance of his face and gain a slightly Australian accent” explanation they planned that instead Lazenby’s frustration of things “the other fella” didn’t have to do would be a great way to actually get over the fact there is a new Bond and in the context of that scene that not only does he look different and talk different but he also isn’t guaranteed to get the girl.
I have complete scepticism of that story because Lazenby also bemoans his downfall on Peter Hunt not talking to him and deliberately giving him a cold shoulder during filming. It can’t be both ways where the director completely ignores you - impossible given the amount of physical demands are placed on that role - and flies against your own story that your famous line to introduce yourself to the world was something he told you to do.
Here’s an article that maintains the notion that there was a surprise, but relates it to the high level of gore. But even then, the crew was wearing protection…but at least I can imagine that as a possibility.
The most unbelievable story about the song “Under Pressure” is Vanilla Ice claiming the bassline “Ice Ice Baby” was different because he added an extra ding.
Correct. A persistent but silly rumor.
Veronica Cartwright, already in character acting horrified, was especially surprised by the amount of gore that sprayed her, which shows in the finished film.
Yes, all the angles, multiple takes, not to mention the elaborate gag (is that the word?) of John Hurt’s head and shoulders sticking up out of the table, attached to the dummy torso.
Absolutely. IIRC Sir Paul once confirmed the story of Julian naming his drawing LITSWD, no problem there. But the story beyond that point is obvious bullshit.
Speaking of the “I am your father” scene, I can’t be the only one that immediately thought Vader was lying? I mean, he’s the bad guy, he’s manipulative. Why not?
Also it’s pretty poor storytelling to have all the important people in the galaxy, let alone your movie, to be related.
Not just you. I was 15 when I first saw it, having gone to the theater with three friends to see it. We hadn’t been spoiled in regards to that reveal, and on the way home afterwards, we discussed how we were all positive that Vader was lying about it.
Yes, and I’ll also chalk it up, in part, to the fact that Lucas wasn’t trying to make high cinema – he was making an homage to campy sci-fi serials, like Flash Gordon.
I have heard the surprise was not that there was chestbursting but rather how big the blood explosion was and that the stage blood would cover everyone.
I think many of these stories get exaggerated in the telling and retelling to make a better story.
The story about David Schwimmer messing up a line leading to the episode of Friends where Ross says Rachel’s name at his wedding shows up three different ways depending on the telling: it happened during a script run-through/it happened during rehearsal/it happened during an actual show taping. You can believe whichever version sounds the most inspired.
When Henry Blake was killed off in MASH, the legend was that no one in the cast or crew knew it was coming. Later interviews clarified that there was a dummy script circulated in case it was leaked, but that Alan Alda and Gary Burghoff knew all along, while the rest of the cast was told before the scene was shot.
Dustin Hoffman always said the Taxi scene in Midnight Cowboy where he screams “I’m walking here” was entirely improvised when a taxi ran through where they were filming. But other people working on the film said the scene was planned beforehand.
Speaking of Hoffman. there is the old story when making Marathon Man with Sir Laurence Olivier that Dustin Hoffman–being a “method actor”–stayed up all night to play a character who has stayed up all night. Arriving on the set, Olivier asked Hoffman why he looked the way he did. Hoffman told him, to which Olivier replied “Why not try acting? It’s much easier.” Hoffman has always denied this story but I am not sure if I believe him
Here’s the scene from the original script of the movie, sounds like the action was scripted, but the exact words were improvised.
Joe has difficulty keening up with Ratso, who swings himself
along with surprising agility, his half skipping little gate
favoring one game leg.
RATSO
Look, with these chicks that want
to buy it, most of 'em are older,
dignified, right? Social register
types. They can’t be trotting down
to Times Square to pick out the
merchandise. They need a middleman,
right? That’s O’Daniel.
Joe hesitates as Ratso darts into traffic against a red
light, yelling unheard obscenities at a cab driver who blasts
his horn. Joe runs recklessly forward as Ratso slams the taxi
fender with his fist, pretending to be hit, falling into
Joe’s arms. The taxi stops, halting traffic. Ratso, recovers,
strolls casually in front of the cab, biting his thumb at the
driver.
I know one that did. The making of Animal House. The filmmakers put the Deltas on one floor- the party floor. The Omegas werent supposed to fraternize, along with Dean Wormer, etc.
Most of the Deltas were relative film newcomers, and the pizza & beer parting together made them act more like buddies.
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