i read in a book that during the filming a lion killed one of the extras, but they carried on filming due to the fact that lions were more expensive than extras, but when the lion started eating the dead extra they shot the lion, its in a book the worlds worst movies.
"We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star."Stephen Hawking
I think that's nonsense about the lion thing. The only deaths I've ever read about were several horses killed in accident(s) during the chariot race filming. Some were killed outright others had to be destroyed. This was in the days before animal rights laws came into being in the movie industry. Errol Flynn's The Charge of the Light Brigade (1935?) in which trip wires and reckless use of horses resulted in dozens of dead and injured animals turned the tide for better protections for animals in films.
There were some close calls to scores of extras swimming away from the burning ship in the naval battle sequence- the fire was planned but it got way out of control and those people were really swimming away for their lives. Some couldn't swim. I don't believe anyone drowned though. That was filmed out in the ocean with full size galleys not in some big pool with model ships like the 1959 version.
By the way take that lion story with a big grain of salt if it's featured in a book titled world's worst movies. If you know anything about movies and movie history the 1925 Ben-Hur was a huge blockbuster and critically acclaimed production. Maybe certain parts of it haven't dated well but that shouldn't lessen its importance in film history and as a work of art.
dont get me wrong i love the movie. i disagree that its a worlds worst movie and it should not be in the roton tomato website.
its only what i read in that book. whats true and not i dont know aparantly ppl did die making ben hur 1925 acording to a few web sites.
whether the lion story is true or not i cant say.
"We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star."Stephen Hawking
Yes I found one site that has info on the 1925 and 1959 film versions and possible deaths to people. Apparently one stuntman in the 1925 silent version MAY have died during the chariot race sequences shot in Rome before the production moved to Calif., where no other deaths allegedly occurred. I don't doubt that stuntmen and others have died in the production of movies over time just the accuracy of when, where, who etc. I'm sure coverups occurred too. But it would seem that with many of these purported incidents eventually the truth would have come out. After all these people probably didn't all die before only a few eyewitnesses who for whatever reasons kept quiet.
http://www.snopes.com/movies/films/benhur.asp
In Kevin Brownlow's great book documenting the silent film era, "The Parade's Gone By...", there's a whole chapter devoted to the making of the 1925 Ben-Hur film. It was one of those earlier movies where at first it seemed nothing would go right - much time and money was wasted in filming in remote locations, etc. Thankfully, it all came out well in the end to be the revered legend it is today.
Brownlow states that in addition to a few horses (and at least one stuntman) being killed during the chariot race, there were also several extras who drowned during the naval battle scene. Most of these unfortunates were men who spoke little to no English and, perhaps desperate and/or excited for the money, lied about being able to swim, not realizing that such an ability WAS a necessary precaution despite it all being a "make-believe" battle.
Charlton Heston: 1923-2008 RIP and may God bless.
"Now, bring me that horizon." --Captain Jack Sparrow
missya, this is all very interesting about the 1925 version and what did and didn't occur involving deaths and injuries etc. In my link the info that is apparently attributed to an Urban Legends Reference Pages also mentions Brownlow's "The Parade's Gone By" but doesn't say unequivocally that Brownlow stated that several extras died (drowned)during the naval battle scene- only that Bushman (I assume actor Francis X) said to director Niblo "My God Fred they're drowning I tell you!" while witnessing the disaster.
I'm assuming you've read the Brownlow book and that particular chapter, what evidence does Brownlow provide that extras died in that scene, it would be interesting to find out. Frankly I wouldn't be surprised if some did as I've seen that scene a few times and it looked like pure chaos as scores of people are jumping off the burning ship and swimming away from it. It looked very real because apparently it was! I can imagine the scenario you mentioned about many local people wanting to earn some money and have some excitement participating in a big Hollywood film. A major point too from what I understand is that the filmmakers never intended on having the ship catch fire and smoke like it did and force the literally 100s of extras to have to jump into the water like they did. So the ability to be able to swim may have never been as big an issue as it became for the extras because they never expected to end up in the water! Still in all, things were done just a little bit differently back in those days, especially regarding safety practices.
Hi Turtletommy,
I still have that Brownlow book and if I can just find the darn thing (recently moved so it's in a box somewhere. lol), I'll definitely review the Ben-Hur chapter and report back. It's been quite awhile since I read the book, but it was always one I devoured with gusto several times - I love history and silent movies in particular. :-)
Yes, to me we have a two-edged sword in the "safety vs. reality" balance in movie-making. Obviously no one wants to see anyone (or any animal) hurt or killed in making movies, so for me to say it's "too safe" these days would probably not fly. On the other hand, however, it's just like I've seen others comment on how the 1959 sea battle with its use of models, etc., "looked more fake" (to paraphrase) than the frighteningly, realistically-done 1925 version (with perhaps some tragic results).
You hear the same type of comparisons (and complaints) in modern movies where fancy computer-wizardry just doesn't always cut it insofar as what viewers expect to see portrayed "realistically". I like the comment attributed to "Pirates of the Carribean" series' director Gore Verbinski: "CGI should NOT be a verb".
Oh, but for those who knowingly and willingly took such high risks back in the early days (like Buster Keaton), I gotta take my hat off to them and thank them for at times having been willing to literally give their all for their art.
"Now, bring me that horizon." --Captain Jack Sparrow
...A few days ago, I rented a 4 DVD edition where BOTH 1925 and 1959 Ben-Hurs are included in the set. The last time I had seen the 1925 version was about 15 years ago. I watched both movies and, you know what? I never saw a single lion in either film!
If there were any scenes in either version with lions, the scenes must have ended up on the cutting room floor...
I watched that same newer 4-disc Ben-Hur SE and I don't remember any lions in the silent version. There was that famous silent (Sign of the Cross?) biblical epic that had lions and wild beasts in the arena with Christians and/or gladiators maybe that's what the OP was thinking of. I've never heard of any extras or actors being mauled by a lion etc during filming of Ben-Hur or any other film to be honest. I can imagine possibly a trainer or handler maybe.
shareThank you. I was thinking "what lions????"
Vesele Vianoce!!!! http://www.iarelative.com/czech/xmas/index.html
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