TWISTER Stunt Coordinator Recalls Producer Steven Spielberg Flying to Oklahoma to Yell at Director Jan de Bont
The summer blockbuster Twisters is now in theaters, but almost 30 years ago, the franchise began with the fan-favorite film Twister. The original movie has remained a staple for fans of the genre, and upon each rewatch, I’m reminded of the magic the movie produced when it hit theaters when I was a kid. But it wasn’t all magic behind the scenes.
In a recent interview with The Independent, the film’s stunt coordinator, Mic Rodgers, talked about the chaos that ensued during the production of the original movie. Rodgers recalled Twister director Jan de Bont having an alleged meltdown on set one day that resulted in the crew temporarily abandoning the production. He explained:
“De Bont’s most notorious outburst nearly scuppered the entire production. The crew was filming in a ditch one day, when the director shoved a camera assistant aside, who tripped and tumbled down the gulley. After the director refused to apologise for the incident, [the] entire camera crew stormed off the set, promptly followed by the audio team, then the wardrobe department.”
“It had been brewing,” Rodgers told the publication about the set tension. According to Rodgers, none other than executive producer Steven Spielberg arrived the next day to Norman, Oklahoma, to have a chat with the director over the chaotic production. Apparently Spielberg never made it to set and de Bont met him at the airport.
“The ramp came down on the Learjet and Spielberg walked down it and he never touched the ground. He just stood there yelling at Jan. He never even got off the plane. He was just fucking yelling, pointing his finger at him, screaming at him. I don’t know what he said to him, but he barked at him for, like, 15 minutes and got back in the plane. The plane left without him even stepping off.”
That’s pretty wild! But the reprimand and pep talk must have worked, as the film crew returned and the movie was made. Jan de Bont made a great film, but hopefully he learned his lesson in how to treat his crew.
via: Variety