While many believe that horrible productions seem to be the kiss of death for a movie, some great ones were no picnic to work on. It is said that when a film has plenty of problems on set, most of the audiences’ first instinct is to predict it will flop and become a box office bomb. However, many of the best movies of all time had a rocky road getting to the screen and became successful products in the cinema industry.
Sometimes, actors have to put themselves in dangerous situations to get the perfect shot. Despite safety precautions, unexpected accidents happened throughout the years. Because of a tight budget and time constraints, these accidents seemingly increase. All actors have made an endless effort to create scenes as perfectly as possible.
Today, we have collected
10 movies that actors have to go through hell to make.
#1 Titanic (1997)
Source: © Titanic / Paramount Pictures
James Cameron, the director of “Titanic”, was a nightmare to work with when he continuously screamed at everyone all the time. He forced the cast and crew members to spend days in the tanks filled with cold water. It is the main reason that led them to suffer from the flu.
#2 Jaws (1975)
Source: © Jaws / Universal Pictures
Steven Spielberg started filming “Jaws” at a young age. The filming process met a lot of challenges when it lasted 159 days instead of 55 days. The production hadn’t created a fake shark yet and the cast and crew were yet to be hired. The director was under a great of pressure. Spielberg yelled to get the actors off the boat, while a sound engineer yelled to ignore the actors and save the sound equipment first. However, eventually, the movie made most of its money during its first weekend.
#3 The Lighthouse (2019)
Source: © The Lighthouse / A24 Films
The filming of Robert Eggers’ “The Lighthouse” was physically demanding that
Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe hardly talked outside of filming scenes together. In an interview, Robert Pattinson shared that the production was so grueling to the point that he nearly punched the director in the face.
#4 The Revenant (2015)
Source: © The Revenant / Regency Enterprises
“The Revenant” was shot under extreme weather conditions. The sub-zero temperatures and the continuously changing weather made it very hard for the cast and the crew to maintain continuity. Because director Alejandro González Iñárritu wanted the movie as realistic as possible, so he decided to use natural light. And it was a tough job.
#5 The Shining (1980)
Source: © The Shining / Peregrine Productions
For Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall, the filming process of “The Shining” is an unforgettable time, especially for Duvall. She was under psychological pressure to fulfill perfectly her role. In the famous baseball bat scene, Kubrick shot 127 takes of Duvall, which still holds the Guinness World Record. Nicholson had it way better than Duvall. He was only sleeping in the car from the hotel to the shooting location.
#6 The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Source: © The Wizard of Oz / MGM Studios
The filming process of “The Wizard of Oz” didn’t go smoothly. An actor spent weeks in the hospital because of an allergic reaction, while the actress, who played the witch was severely burned when the pyrotechnics went off and she wasn't told to move out of the way. Moreover, the cast had to wear outfits made from dangerous and heavy materials.
#7 The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018)
Source: © The Man Who Killed Don Quixote / Alacran Group
The production of “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” was delayed for years due to harsh weather conditions. A flood in the desert ruined a lot of the equipment and changed the scenery. Additionally, the lead actor, Jean Rochefort, quit in the middle of the movie because of his herniated disc. Eventually, after years the movie was released in the US and the UK but with very little success.
#8 Fitzcarraldo (1982)
Source: © Fitzcarraldo / Werner Herzog Film
The filming process of “Fitzcarraldo” is known as one of the hardest of all time. Director Werner Herzog wanted to use a real 320-ton ship in the scene where they drag it up a hill instead of miniature replicas as was suggested to him. During filming, many extras were injured which made them leave the project. Mick Jagger, who supposedly got a supporting role, walked away, forcing the director to re-shoot all of his scenes with his replacement.
#9 Heaven’s Gate (1980)
Source: © Heaven's Gate / Partizan Productions
Many scenes in the movie were shot between 32 and 60 times which not only affected the budget but put great psychological pressure on the cast. Additionally, many amateur extras were injured when performing dangerous scenes.
#10 Apocalypse Now (1979)
Source: © Apocalypse Now / Omni Zoetrope
The movie was shot in the Philippines, where the weather condition was so harsh. It destroyed the sets and made the studio spend way too much money. Marlon Brando not only often had quarrels with Francis Ford Coppola, but nearly was fired from the movie due to his weight. Moreover, Martin Sheen had a heart attack during the filming process but thankfully made a full recovery.