Apocalypse on the Set: Nine Disastrous Film Productions
Taylor provides a thoroughly entertaining look at the trials and tribulations that plagued the filming of nine now infamous motion pictures. From ballooning costs to vexing locations to shocking fatalities, the nine films Taylor discusses reveal how easily ambition and stubbornness can plague a production. The opening chapter, devoted to The Twilight Zone: The Movie, is easily the most gruesome: a lead actor, Vic Morrow, and two children were killed when an ill-advised stunt involving a helicopter went awry. The death of Brandon Lee (himself the son of an actor), who died on the set of The Crow due to a bullet mishap, is equally tragic.  Other productions had their own sets of challenges: The Abyss, filmed underwater, proved incredibly taxing to cast and crew and almost cost director James Cameron his life. Budgets skyrocketed on films such as The Adventures of Baron Munchausen and Waterworld, which brought in  little at the box office to justify their enormous expense. A must-read for film buffs and anyone curious about the many ways filming a movie can go awry. --Kristine Huntley