Shooting of the film "Predator"

A squad of US Special Forces soldiers sent to the jungles of Latin America to carry out a secret mission, stumbles upon a mysterious creature who can become invisible. When the monster kills the two of them, taken prisoner by the Americans in the woman notices that wounded in battle monster reserves the glowing green spots of blood. "If it bleeds, you can kill", - says authoritatively commander.





With his movie start? Sometimes books, sometimes with an idea, and sometimes - with a joke. It was born as one of the best sci-fi thriller 1980s. When the announcement of the plot "Rocky 4" spread around Hollywood joke that in the fifth series of the boxer to the title will have to fight with alien champion (earth-all is already defeated!), Two novice author took this joke seriously. And writing a scenario that formed the basis for the hit 1987 "Predator».

Things to do an alien on Earth? If you believe Hollywood, their favorite activity - a conquest of the planet. But they are, and other purposes. Someone arrives for the sake of research, someone - for fun, somebody - for sex ... So why the aliens did not come to us for hunting? After all, as the title of a classic American film of 1932 people - "most dangerous game" (directed this thriller was Ernest Shedsak and Marian Cooper, who shot a year later "King Kong").



Combining this idea with the aforementioned joke about Rocky, brothers Jim and John Thomas decided to write a script, in which the company alien hunters will come to Earth and plucked a very tough guy who will tell them that the people - not game, and hunters are not worse than the aliens. < br />
It was not the worst idea in the world, but the sponsors quickly realized that this movie will be too expensive - at least for the project debutants. After all, every second location on the screen newcomer enters the studio a lot of money (penny effects are only thrash!). And if there will be some newcomers, then multiplied by the number of monsters will drive the cost accountants crazy. Besides, who would believe that even a very steep single be able to cope with the whole group of aliens who are well prepared for the hunt? They know all about him, he does not know anything about them ... His chance is less than zero.

Quickly realizing his mistake, Thomas turned the hunting party in a single "Hypericum" who wants to supplement their collection of trophies earth riot policemen (of course, heavily armed American). One on one, man to man - such a confrontation was much more believable.



Action script, called "Hunter", was developed in the jungle as a source of inspiration for the brothers was "Apocalypse Now." In the film, Coppola's dense tropical forest was the place where modern man turns into a primitive, and Thomas would like to have their picture evokes the ancient legends - such as Old English tale of Beowulf, Grendel's monstrous winner. Or something of the "Odyssey».

He wrote the first version of "The Hunter", Thomas tried to attach it, but found that no one is listening because they do not have an agent. And how to pay for something that could not succeed, they do not like, they did not look for a representative, but simply slipped into the office the Fox and slipped the script under the door, Michael Levy, the future executive producer of "Die Hard 2».

Surprisingly, Levi did not throw in the garbage text. He picked it up off the floor, flipped through, found that he was not helpless, and gave it to an experienced and reputable producer Lawrence Gordon, who in 1984 became president just studio Fox. Even more surprisingly, Gordon did not report the slave because he was wasting his time boss, read the "Hunter" and immediately bought it for his studio. Why is that? Because the 1980s were the era of science fiction and the militants, and the script was Thomases both. And relatively inexpensive.



Clearly, Gordon could not close itself to engage in "Hunter", and he entrusted the project to producer debutant John Davis, formerly featuring production manager on the set of the second "Indiana Jones." That, in turn, continued the theme of "Team newcomers" and hired director John McTiernan, who by then had created only one picture - horror "Nomads", where researcher primitive peoples by Pierce Brosnan came across in America punk nomads (who turned out to be wandering evil spirits). "Nomads" and failed at the box office, and in the eyes of critics, but Davis and his colleagues found that McTiernan - capable director intense movie, which to open, needed a better script than his own composition.

In addition, Gordon Davis also attracted to work on the "Hunter" producer Joel Silver, with whom he had previously worked on the "Warriors" and "48 hours". Like a good guest, Silver came to the project is not empty-handed. Before "Predator" he produced "Commando," and he offered to hire for the role of Special Forces soldier is not Stallone (who formerly was the most obvious candidate), and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Which at the time seemed just as should look supertrofey superohotnika.



Schwarzenegger was not averse to again play a commando, but he did not want to be a soldier again, a loner. In "Commando", he portrayed a former commander of the secret unit, and then it was logical to play the commander in active service, the steering is almost as steep subordinates. Therefore, Schwarzenegger demanded that the script was turned into a story about a team of special forces, which are alien hunter kills one after another, until the hero Arnold does not remain alone. In fact, Schwarzenegger proposed to turn the "Hunter" in "" Alien "in the jungle" with soldiers instead of astronauts and by Arnold instead Sigourney Weaver. However, the enemy and they had at least formally more dangerous (because highly intelligent and futuristic weapons).

A significant increase in the number of characters means a significant increase in the budget, but the studio did not mind. Schwarzenegger was already large enough star to consent to appear automatically gave the "green light" additional costs. Besides, no one was going to hire his subordinates superstars. It was necessary only to dial physically impressive performers, the audience believed that the guys deserve to be in command of such a superman like Schwarzenegger.

For rewriting the script responsible brothers Thomas. Producers tried to find a more experienced authors, but none of them the studio was not satisfied, and she returned to those who initiated the project (although some of that proposed co-author "Blade Runner" David Webb Peoples, the film is still included) . In the future, to create images of the commandos had a hand hired actors who were so picturesque that it was easier to "shoot from nature" rather than trying to impose pre-invented characters.



The most famous of all the associates became Schwarzenegger Carl Weathers, "inherited" by inspire a "Hunter" series on Rocky. In the series, Stallone black actor (former pros in football) depicts Apollo Creed's first opponent, then another title character. The film also McTiernan Weathers got the role of a CIA agent - an old friend of Schwarzenegger's character, who goes to Latin America, along with special forces (first it was a "routine" operation bloody, but then the hunters rebels turn into alien prey).

One of the unwritten laws of mass art says that when you build a team of characters, you need to create characters that the audience in any case not to confuse. This rule is observed less frequently than would be worth, but in the "Predator" (revised script for the film was given a new title) it complied thoroughly. Confused characters in the picture could not even visually impaired viewers.

Himself hefty member of the squad played Jesse Ventura - American Slovakia, a former professional wrestler, a former Marine submarine (it is often hinted that fought in Vietnam, and only in 2002 publicly admitted that during the war he served in the Navy not in Vietnam and the Philippines) and the future governor of Minnesota (1999 to 2003).



The role almost as impressive a black best friend character Ventura got Bill Duke, the future director of "black" movie, which has already managed to play with Schwarzenegger in "Commando" (where, however, they did not play allies and opponents). In turn, the position "Latino" in the unit filled previously starred in the "soap operas" real Vietnam veteran Richard Chavez, and "Indians" was beginning to pornography Sonny Land, a descendant of the Cherokee and Seminole. Many years later, in 2003, Lando tried to follow in the footsteps of his on-screen partner, and also to become governor, but Republicans in Kentucky not trust him to represent his party in the elections in the state.

Finally, the role of the "four-eyes" in the unit (somebody has to be a radio operator!) Was a writer, "Lethal Weapon" Shane Black, who wrote in 2013 and has removed "Iron Man 3". McTiernan and produced "Weapons" Silver invited Black to kill two birds: Man removed as an actor and use it as a writer on the site if you suddenly need urgently to rewrite some stage. Looking ahead, we say that the author's talent Black film is not useful - cost McTiernan own creativity and improvisation actors.

Why not simply invite the shooting Thomases? Because the bulk of filming, it was decided to take place in Mexico, in the jungle of Palenque and around the city of Puerto Vallarta. And just in case the two writers to drag in another country was absurd. In addition to the nature of Mexican filmmakers also involved a Mexican actress. A woman from the rebel unit that characters taken prisoner, played Elpida Carrillo. It was not her Hollywood debut - it has already managed to play with Jack Nicholson in "Border" (1982) with Richard Gere in "Honorary Consul" (1983) and James Woods in "Salvador" (1986).



Who is depicted in "Predator" title villain? The filmmakers initially wanted the Predator was a such a space ninja, fast moving and possessing martial arts. Therefore, the role went to Belgian karateka Jean-Claude Van Damme, who was played by Russian fighter in the movie 1986 "No retreat, no surrender" - not too successfully clone "Karate Man". But against the backdrop of the tall husky squad Schwarzenegger Predator van Damme just not looking. It was commonplace in other weight categories. Besides already tasted glory actor ever complained that plays a monster in a suit and that viewers will not see his face. Therefore, soon after the start of filming Van Damme replaced the black giant Kevin Peter Hall (218 cm!), Which has already Schwarzenegger, Ventura, and their colleagues were able to speak: "Uncle, get sparrow!" In addition to the Predator Hall played the pilot carrying special forces helicopter that viewers saw the film its true face.

Replacing artist villainous role, McTiernan and at the same time changed the design of the Predator. Initially, the agreed design turned into a sort of alien ant overgrown, and it looked pretty stupid and pathetic. In addition, the design was completely impractical for filming in the jungle, as he was far from protruding parts. When it became apparent Schwarzenegger advised to turn to the rising star of Hollywood spetseffektnogo Sam Winston, who previously worked on "Terminator." At the same time McTiernan consulted with James Cameron, who, being an artist and creator of the first effects of kinoprofessii, offered some good ideas. In particular, Cameron came up with disgusting, horrible mandibles to face the monster. So thanks to Winston and Cameron was born on the Predator, which we now know and love. When creating the alien armor Winston proceeded from the fact that all of interplanetary hunter must be at hand - from the medical kit to the suicide bombing of a detonator in the event of "lost everything but honor."



Create a new monster has demanded an eight-month break and additional half million dollars (the first version was half the price), then the shooting continued. More on all of natural film sets suffered Hall, as his suit was heavy and sultry, and actor in "head monster" literally could not see anything (he had to play blind, rehearsing and memorizing every move). But the other actors was not easy - especially Schwarzenegger, who had to swim in the surprisingly cold water and jungle camouflage to cover themselves with mud. During filming, the actor married Maria Shriver, niece of President Kennedy, but allowed himself only a three-day "honeymoon". After all, during his absence principal photography had not been maintained.

A separate problem during the shooting were heavy and complex artists. By Sonny Land fasten even had a bodyguard - not to protect the actor, but to protect the rest of his outbursts of anger, which sometimes ended in assault and battery. In addition, the stars did not like each other together to go to the next to set equipped gym area, trying to show that they do not need a special effort to keep yourself in shape kulturistskoy. So they trained separately, which sometimes made them wake up in the night to quietly work out on the equipment.



Not taking into account the lessons learned from bitter experience learned in Tunisia, the crew of the first "Indiana Jones", a group of "Predator" on location in Mexico in full force earned food poisoning and diarrhea (and nothing to eat and drink untested products!). The common fate avoided only McTiernan, who fear not eaten anything because of the time lost almost 10 kg. Recall that Spielberg in his time, too, avoided the frequent visits to the toilet, but did not starve because ate brought with them canned. That is what distinguishes genius from talent - foresight!

For the creation of the most impressive visual effects painting - in particular, the "invisible" Predator camouflage - responsible company R / Greenberg Associates. Now it is a marketing and advertising firm, but in the 1980s she was engaged in special effects and was among the pioneers of the use of computer graphics in movies. Camouflage Predator, however, was an analog optical trick. First Hall, or stunt played a role in a bright red suit. Then the red "subtracted" from an image using the technique of "hromakey" (the same technology as in shooting with a green screen), and on-site Predator encountered empty space. The resulting mask superimposed on a shot of the jungle with the same terms, but without actors and a lens with a wider angle. As a result, two of the resulting image (on top of the mask and a mask) proved slightly misaligned, and the screen the illusion that viewers are looking at almost transparent, only slightly distorts light passing through a stranger.



By the time the "Predator" was completed, the studio has already disappointed in him, and epic achievements of the film were not expecting. But Schwarzenegger, who never doubted the success, had the last laugh. Released in rental June 12, 1987 picture, which cost Fox $ 15 million, has earned nearly 100 million. And this despite the fact that the criticisms were quite derogatory - many wrote that the picture is too much violence and too few ideas.

Over time, however, critics drew attention to the fact that the predator with its interesting adaptations and samurai notions of honor was much more interesting monster, than a lot of fantastic monsters, and the fact that a team of special forces in the film - one of the most vibrant and variegated in Hollywood history (without turning it into a cartoon caricature), and that is not McTiernan sings modern weapons. Although rifles and machine guns provide heroes win over the people to defeat Schwarzenegger Predator character has to use archaic traps.



As a result, "Predator" was nominated for "Oscar" for visual effects, and is recognized, if not artistic masterpiece, the achievement of an important genre. Over the years, he has created a whole mythology, which in turn led to the emergence of computer games and films about the confrontation Predators and Aliens.

The latter was the more surprising that the "Predator" was not created as the beginning of the epic, and many aspects of it have developed by chance, without careful planning. For example, fans of the cycle made many insightful conclusions of the green and the bright glow of the blood monster - the one that is mentioned in the most popular movie quote. But initially it was assumed that the blood of the monster will be orange, well visible on the background of the jungle.
Yes.