GUEST COLUMN: 10 Classic Movies With Fun Behind-the-Scenes Facts
10 Classic Movies With Fun Behind-the-Scenes Facts
by Lewis Robinson
Classic films are often enjoyable to watch. However, discovering what happened behind the camera can be even more fun! So, here are ten classic movies with fun behind-the-scenes facts.
1. Soylent Green
Soylent Green is a film known for its disturbing twist ending. However, it's also notable as being one of the first popular environmental films. It was based on a book about overpopulation called Make Room, Make Room! Funnily enough, the book's author was annoyed at all the added murder scenes, which he said were irrelevant to the original point. Nevertheless, Soylent Green definitely makes audiences want to look up a review of solar companies straight away.
2. Psycho
Hitchcock made an important decision when he displayed Marion flushing a toilet. While this may sound odd, Psycho is notably the first American film to depict a toilet flushing. This is particularly interesting since Psycho isn't very old - it's from 1960. It was only filmed in black and white because Hitchcock couldn't afford color! Essentially, this just shows how uptight films were in the 1950s.
3. Casablanca
Casablanca, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Berman, has some of the best performances ever seen on screen. Despite this, the casting was initially misreported due to incorrect rumors. These rumors, strangely enough, were that Ronald Reagan was cast in the leading role. Keep in mind that Reagan was an actor back then, so this is mainly funny in hindsight.
4. Vertigo
Although Vertigo is mainly remembered for its brilliant directing, acting and twists, its effects can't be overlooked. In order to create a realistic depiction of vertigo, cameraman Irmin Roberts created the dolly effect. This involves zooming in or out while the camera moves in the opposite direction.
5. Gone With the Wind
One of the most memorable moments from Gone With the Wind is the burning of Atlanta. While filmmakers from today could simply use CGI, a real fire had to be created back then. This was accomplished by burning leftover movie sets. The shot was so intense that it was filmed early on, even before the role of Scarlett was cast.
6. The African Queen
The African Queen was an extremely difficult film to create. This was mainly because director John Huston insisted on filming in Africa. Other than dealing with inclement weather and wild animals, the cast and crew apparently developed dysentery.
7. The Great Dictator
While Chaplin's The Great Dictator is now celebrated as an iconic stand against fascism, it wasn't universally celebrated at the time. Oddly enough, Chaplin made a brave decision when he mocked Hitler. This was seen as highly leftist at the time, which wasn't good for the filmmaker during the Red Scare. Despite this, Chaplin was determined to display his views on the growing Nazi party. He even reportedly planned on sending Hitler a copy of the film.
8. Dr. Strangelove
The ending of Dr. Strangelove, in which the titular character miraculously stands, was originally completely different. Initially, the movie was supposed to end with a giant pie fight among all of the political officials. Despite spending a lot of time on this scene, Kubrick eventually decided to replace it. This was partially because a line in it would be inappropriate after the recent Kennedy assassination.
9. Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane is widely regarded as the best film ever made. Unfortunately for Orson Welles, not everyone thought this way. Since the film was transparently a critique of William Randolph Hurst, the newspaper tycoon made it his mission to destroy the movie. In fact, Hearst went so far as to accuse Welles of being a communist. He also banned the newspapers he owned from reviewing the movie.
10. Moby Dick
Moby Dick is another famous film that was affected by the Red Scare. Director John Huston had grown angry at the rise of McCarthyism in America. Unfortunately, McCarthyism had begun to directly target the film industry. In an act of protest, Huston left America to live in Ireland. Therefore, Moby Dick was filmed in Ireland.
The film industry has a rich and interesting history. After learning about it, it's clear how far movies have come.
