‘Twilight Zone: The Movie’ and the Tragic Accident That Occurred – The Gentleman Report
The release of the anthology film “Twilight Zone: The Movie” on June 24, 1983, was met with mixed reviews, with one critic describing it as a “flabby, mini-minded behemoth.” However, the film’s debut was marred by a tragic event that occurred during its production, leading to the indictment of five filmmakers, including director John Landis, for their involvement in a fatal stunt. This incident brought significant attention to the film, which may have otherwise been forgotten.
The accident took place on July 23, 1982, during the filming of Landis’s segment, featuring Vic Morrow as a bigot experiencing various historical events. In the final scene, Morrow’s character was tasked with carrying two Vietnamese children across a river as a village exploded behind them. Due to poor planning and minimal rehearsal, the helicopter used in the stunt crashed, killing Morrow and the two children. It was later discovered that the children’s presence on set was illegal, as child labor laws prohibited them from working late at night or in proximity to dangerous elements like explosions and helicopters.
Landis and one of the producers found a way to circumvent regulations by casting children they knew personally, concealing their names from official documentation, and paying them in cash. This disregard for safety regulations and the nonchalant attitude on set raised concerns about Landis’s behavior as a director.
When the collection of films “Twilight Zone: The Movie” premiered in 1983, it was met with mixed reviews. However, the film’s debut was overshadowed by a tragic incident that took place during its production. This led to the indictment of five filmmakers, including the director, John Landis, for their involvement in a fatal stunt. This incident brought significant attention to the film, which may have otherwise been forgotten.
The accident occurred during the filming of Landis’s segment featuring Vic Morrow. In the final scene, Morrow’s character was supposed to carry two Vietnamese children across a river as a village exploded behind them. However, due to poor planning and minimal rehearsal, the helicopter used in the stunt crashed, killing Morrow and the two children. Furthermore, it was later discovered that the children’s presence on set was illegal, as child labor laws prohibited them from working late at night or in proximity to dangerous elements like explosions and helicopters.
Landis and one of the producers found a way to circumvent regulations by casting children they knew personally, concealing their names from official documentation, and paying them in cash. This reckless behavior towards safety regulations and the nonchalant attitude on set raised concerns about Landis’s behavior as a director.
When the anthology film “Twilight Zone: The Movie” premiered on June 24, 1983, it received mixed reviews. One critic called it a “flabby, mini-minded behemoth.” However, the film’s release was overshadowed by a tragic event that occurred during its production: the grand jury indictments against five filmmakers, including director John Landis, for their involvement in a fatal stunt. This incident brought attention to the film, which otherwise might have been forgotten.
The accident took place on July 23, 1982. Landis’s segment featured Vic Morrow as a bigot who experiences various historical events. In the final scene, Morrow’s character was supposed to carry two Vietnamese children across a river as a village exploded behind them. Due to poor planning and minimal rehearsal, the helicopter used in the stunt crashed, killing Morrow and the two children. It was later discovered that the children’s presence on set was illegal, as child labor laws prohibited them from working late at night or in proximity to dangerous elements like explosions and helicopters.
Landis and one of the producers circumvented regulations by casting children they knew personally, hiding their names from official documentation, and paying them in cash. This disregard for safety regulations and the cavalier attitude on set raised concerns about Landis’s behavior as a director.
