What Was the Hardest Film to Make?

[@FilmStack]

Hey everyone! Make sure to check out our Part 2 to this video which includes 11 more difficult films to make! Also just a small correction that's been brought up a few times in the comments. Russian Ark (2002) no longer has the longest single shot in film. Victoria (2015) has dethroned it with the whole film being filmed in a single 134 minute take. Russian Ark still deserves its spot on the list due to its scale and the pressure they had from not having much time to film.

[@mikeboy0001]

Was going to point that And if you see the movie, you'll notice Victoria was much harder to shoot, different locations, outdoors, indoors, moving cars, actual script and fantastic performances Important to mention it's not boring as Russian Ark, it's a thrilling and brilliant piece of cinema A true Masterpiece in my view

[@agabrielrose]

@@mikeboy0001How many orchestras were in it?

[@rogersheddy6414]

12:38. She had pneumonia. She had a tracheotomy. And she had a heavy duty smoking habit.

[@TTFerdinand]

I could take a day or two of "torture" to shoot a movie. Can't imagine it dragging on for months tho.

[@gingernightmare9152]

I ❤Victoria.

[@dominic4981]

Apocalypse now definitely feels like most ambitious film ever made specially for what it did back in the day

[@FilmStack]

Yeah they just don’t make films like that anymore. Those guys were on a mission to get it done haha

[@steveconn]

Just alot of military gear. Recreating small version of Vietnam.

[@marccru]

You will never see set design like that again.

[@goodoldbubba6620]

It is a masterpiece. Not an even close accurate depiction of combat conditions in Vietnam, but a masterpiece of cinema nonetheless.

[@travisbickle3835]

war and peace by sergei bondarchuk

[@CourtlandSandoverSly]

I worked on The Grey. They dragged a plane from California to the top of a ski hill in northern BC, and shot "on location" in blizzards. I've never been so cold in my life, and all the actors and producers were there with us.

[@mrfake675]

I love that movie. I appreciate your hard work.

[@afakefilms]

@@mrfake675 another Mr Fake?! Pleased to meet your acquaintance.

[@mikemcconville2495]

Fantastic movie

[@delauder]

I remember previewing The Grey at a Director’s screening at CAA before it came out in wide release. I do remember him coming out before the movie started and saying something like “we’ll see if they ever let us make something like this again” with like a nervous chuckle, as if to say the shooting was grueling. Then the movie started with a plane crash sequence that nearly scarred me for life. 😂 One of the most intense things I’d ever seen. You can completely tell when things are shot on location with real natural elements, especially in harsh conditions. You can’t fake stuff like that and sadly so many movies are. We’re getting more and more advanced yet slowly losing everything about what makes movies special. Bravo to you and your team!

[@sandordula5207]

One of my favourite. Great work in every ways! Congrats!

[@christianstryder]

I think Tarkovsky’s Stalker is an honorable mention. Not only did they have to nearly re-shoot the entire film because of a processing issue but it’s theorized filming in toxic locations is what eventually caused him and his wife to pass away from the same type of cancer around the same times.

[@FilmStack]

It was actually the last one that didn’t make the cut for this video, even did the research for it. Too many films to talk about so we might make another one in the near feature going over even more films

[@spiritualanarchist8162]

Is that the movie based on the novel ; Roadside picnic ?'

[@ianstopher9111]

@@spiritualanarchist8162 Yes it is.

[@spiritualanarchist8162]

@@ianstopher9111 thanks

[@spiritualanarchist8162]

@@ianstopher9111 thanks

[@eddiegreencheez]

Cameron seems to put himself through everything that he puts his actors through, credit for that

[@patrickwilliamson29]

Just because you're prepared to eat shit, doesn't mean you should expect others to do the same

[@Greg_Buckingham]

@@patrickwilliamson29they’re signing up for the job to eat it? Lol

[@whitedevil2]

@@patrickwilliamson29 ever hear of great leaders saying "i wouldn't command any of my employees/soldiers/etc to do something i wouldn't do myself"? the fact that he's in the trenches with them, and already had the track record of making masterpieces, his crew has/had less cause for grumbling.

[@DARTH-C3RB3RUS]

I'm letting you breathe. What more do u want 😂😂

[@dylanburton4955]

@@Greg_BuckinghamDoesn’t excuse the fact that Cameron would often act like a dick when he really didn’t need too, I mean I’m pretty sure he’s chilled out now and is aware that he didn’t need to act the way he did towards people

[@fungus_am0nguz644]

Wesley Snipes not opening his eyes in that scene musta been one of the most hilarious things ever pn that set. Haha can u imagine? "Aaaaaand ACTION .......Wes....wes open your eyes....wes...wes please open your eyes...HEY WES OPEN YOUR FKIN EYES.....pretty please"

[@kidkangaroo5213]

when you can't bother to perform one of the most simple and common human actions to portray your character, then you cease to be an actor

[@master-of-mind5881]

The backstage drama behind the scenes is more entertaining then the movie itself. Snipes knew what he was doing. He knew his diva behaviour would be remembered more then the movie! I always thought the moment he opened his eyes looked weird now I know. 😂😂

[@thatboybear]

@@kidkangaroo5213his filmography and pay scale would disagree.

[@NoCluYT]

@@kidkangaroo5213 the only time I'll feel bad for a hollywood actor is if they've been taken advantage of sexuallu(too common). Other than that, DO YOUR DAMN JOB. They get paid to much to act like children.

[@goodoldbubba6620]

Well. Wesley sure got repaid dozens of times over afterwards. He is still paying for it actually. It's one thing for one of Marlon Brando's status to be a pain. It's quite another for one light-years below that level to act the fool.

[@ymaoh12]

The german movie "Victoria" by Sebastian Schipper was shot in a single continuos take and runs for 138 minutes. It is (afaik) the longest one shot movie that exists.

[@adambraverman756]

I worked on the Revenant. A very difficult shoot. The problem honestly was that the director and cinematographer, who are both from Mexico, would have private discussions and not share their information with the crew. Suddenly we’d be told to pick Up The camera and move it several hundred meters, then face another direction. This lack of communication (Ys Canadians didn’t speak Spanish) and possibly a cultural difference between the director/DOP and the crew on how we work in Canada led to many felt being disrespected.

[@harikrishnant.n2755]

Really, i love the Cinematography of that movie really well. Definitely That comes on my top 3 favourite Hollywood movie. Can you tell much more about the behind the scenes of the movie? I enjoyed it very well

[@adambraverman756]

A lot of the script was shot chronologically in order. Which is why we’d go from scenes with snow to other without and then back to snow. That’s the weather for ya in Alberta. Beautiful shot but a pain in the butt. The director and DP were yellers and not respectful of the crew.

[@joedwyer3297]

That probably makes you the most famous person in the comment section then😅

[@adambraverman756]

Nah. I was just a member of the camera department.

[@adambraverman756]

No. I was just a member of the camera crew who witnessed disfunction

[@JamesBond-pu6qf]

The Last Airbender was the hardest movie to make because someone actually made the conscious decision to plague mankind with such an atrocity- and then another man agreed to such a thing.

[@PowuhToSeven]

"UNG!"

[@seatownfan]

That “Roar” movie is legit insane.

[@seanpaden7532]

There’s a scene in Fitzcarraldo where a cable breaks and winds up killing one of the tribesman and I had to do a google search to make sure that was scripted and I didn’t just witness someone’s actual death.

[@mogadon7]

How Badly injured was Leonardo DeCaprio by the Bear in The Revenant ?

[@ranchokitty1]

I really dug that whole block/tackle pulley system they were using to pull the boat along.

[@7bordello]

Any movie with Klaus Kinski in it could qualify as a hard movie to make lol

[@flzrian3623]

His freakouts are absolutely iconic

[@user-cp9id1mj8b]

Bro when he freaks out in german to another german chef in the middle of the amazon with tribespeople looking on confused. I literally almost shit my pants laughing.

[@kellymoses8566]

He was completely insane.

[@ChrisJensen-se9rj]

Aguirre: The Wrath of God must take the crown for the worst Kinski movie of all. Supposedly about a Conquistador looking for El Dorado, the internet descriptions tell of the journey made by Kinski's character "taking its toll on his mental health." Anyone watching this low budget extravaganza of pointless film making would, I'm certain, have experienced a remarkably similar effect on the mental health of any audience unfortunate enough to have shelled out actual cash to view this film.

[@mlvcsj]

What about For A Few Dollars More?

[@tricivenola8164]

Carrie Fisher said often that nobody would ever know how hard it was to make the first three Star Wars. I like your channel, you know some things that don't get out much. Thanks.

[@danroberts9050]

Because she was tripping on acid.

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

Carrie was also a talented script doctor on DOZENS of films. She may have been troubled by substance abuse, and certainly became involved with the wrong people over the decades, but she was talented in a lot of aspects of production. Acting was just one of them, and I'd definitely say that she was a far better writer than she was an actor.

[@craigkemery]

The difficulty of the Revenant is pretty overblown. It was a pain, mostly due to the use of all natural light as previously mentioned. It really wasn’t all that remote, almost all of the locations are regularly used for other productions, and the notion that travelling to locations took up 40% of the days is pretty absurd. There were certainly some cold days, but in the later months, the production actually struggled to maintain the snow during an unseasonably warm winter. Many major productions such as Fargo(tv) and Cold pursuit used the exact same locations in far harsher weather. Dicaprio definitely had some challenging scenes, but still spent the vast majority of the shoot in heated tents and trailers surrounded by an entourage of assistants. The amount of crew turnover however, was not at all exaggerated.

[@E3ECO]

I heard "How the West was Won" (1962) was difficult to film because of the Cinerama process. It was a huge camera utilizing three lenses that had an enormous field of view. This made it hard to film without getting the camera itself into frame. Cinerama had until then been used to make travelogues, and the three directors found it cumbersome for filming drama. The actors had a tough time because they couldn't look directly at the person they were talking to during over-the-shoulder shots, but instead had to gaze between two of the lenses to make it look right. And the movie itself had enormous practical effects, horse and bison stampedes, and a rafting scene where the monster camera setup ended in the river. Despite all that, the movie was hailed as amazing and was a box office success. Not many movies were made using this process though, and the specialized theaters it needed for projection went out of business.

[@rsigmond5422]

The scalped cinematographer of Roar is Jan de Bont. In the 90's he became the director of the movies Speed and Twister.

[@lavendardust]

Wow.

[@McHaro0079]

Speed? Fxxk me!

[@trevorpacelli8056]

I don't think any film would ever be harder to make than Tommy Wiseau's The Room. Try being on set for longer than one hour while putting up with Wiseau's bizarre line of logic.

[@patrickwilliamson29]

That movie sucked so hard, not funny at all. I honestly don't understand why people enjoy it

[@trevorpacelli8056]

@patrickwilliamson29 Because it's so fascinating how many weird creative decisions Tommy Wiseau made while writing, directing, producing, and starring in his movie. Nothing he does ever makes sense, and results in something where the more times you watch it the more pathetic details that worsen the film’s quality you notice.

[@stevenking4617]

Does that one count as a movie, though?

[@trevorpacelli8056]

@@stevenking4617 lol, sure it does.

[@Masterfighterx]

@@patrickwilliamson29 Same can be said about Paranormal activity, just replace funny with scary

[@osareafallire]

Roar is straight insane. No movie like it will ever be made again. I met the son (the guy with the beard) at a screening in Austin. The whole thing is terrifiying but the background music is something right out of a 1980's live action Disney family adventure film including goofy "boing" sound effects. The only FAKE blood in it is some they put on one lion that was designed to be the "bad guy" lion. Spoiler: There's a fair amount more blood in it. Thanks for including it in this list.

[@g-manthenurseman7532]

I wonder if everyone involved with Roar wished they had waited for CGI-😅. It is definitely terrifying, especially the guy getting scalped.

[@c.cudder1234]

What Iñarritu and the rest of the cast and crew achieved with The Revenant still amazes me to this day. Some shots are just breathtaking and when I tell you I would get literal chills in the theater because of how freezing cold it looked was absolutely insane. I've never had an experience where I could actually feel the movie coming out of the screen. When you combine those inpeccable shots and realize how good of a performance everyone achieved, it seriously deserves the praise it got, and those oscars as well.

[@stevenpike7857]

It really peeves me off when these actors make it and throw it all away being a DIVA - like Snipes and others. They "win the lottery" against the odds of making it in film and when they get there - they become total monsters to deal with instead of being humbled and thankful that they have the opportunity that millions want and will never get.

[@williamdillard5060]

That scene in the amazing movie "The Revenant" when "Glass" is attacked and mauled by the bear, is so realistic that it literally makes me cringe every time I see it. That cold and those extremely difficult weather conditions can not be done with CGI. They ALL had to be cold and somewhat miserable. It reminded me of being on guard duty for 8 hrs in South Korea in below 10 WCF back in the late 70s.

[@mrquirky3626]

That's not quite true about cold conditions can't be replicated with CGI. HBO's brilliant Band of Brothers came out in 2001, and if you watch the behind the scenes stuff, a lot of the winter forest scenes for the Battle of the Bulge episodes were actually done in a warm, indoor studio with the actors pretending to be freezing in fake snow and their icy breath added in post with CGI to make it seem more realistic.

[@mattjordan6743]

I've always been intrigued by the plot of Megalopolis since I first heard of its premise way back in the early-2010s.

[@lukelocks9083]

The Dr Dolittle movie, has the funniest mishaps! Where the goat ate the script, the ducks wouldn't float and hilariously the Parrot kept shouting "Cut"! They say never work with kids and animals if you want a stress free filming.

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

Youth, animals, nature, the ocean, Snipes, Brando, etc., etc. 😂 There are too many things to avoid when it comes to the idea of "shooting stress free". Chances are... yer gonna have drama, issues, setbacks, problems, obstacles, financial woes, illnesses, accidents, etc.

[@BedBugReviews]

FilmStack: "We don't want to over stay our welcome, because this was already a pretty long video." Me: "When is hardest films to make part 2?"

[@evanroberts2771]

When the channel that's been making the content about these films produces enough content for him to steal....

[@KasFromMass]

Kevin Costner's very quick to point out that over time, Waterworld has made over 1 Billion and still makes money. It only broke even in theaters, but its been a success on video, traditional TV, and now streaming, throughout every worldwide market.

[@Professorlicme8]

I LOVE that movie. Post apocalyptic water settings are so interesting and rare

[@benmcfee]

Info-dump time: From what I've heard, from both Kevin Reynolds and Kevin Costner, _Waterworld_ wasn't a set that was as "plagued" as it was made out to be. There _were_ some significant setbacks (like the set blowing away, the creative differences between the Kevins, and things that normally would have been simple on land-such as buried squibs to simulate gunfire hitting the ground-being logistical nightmares on the water) most of the problems they encountered were things they knew they would have to deal with. From the sounds of things, it was the press that really amplified the hype about the on-set problems, and by the time the film hit theatres, people had already been conditioned to think it was a flop, so no one went). The movie had its production issues, but the hype really killed it. And like one commenter said, it's really not a bad film at all. Would I choose _Waterworld_ over _Mad Max 2,_ or _Mad Max: Fury Road?_ No. Would I choose _Waterworld_ over _Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome?_ In a heartbeat.

[@AbeStephan]

As an Alaskan Native , I think Kevin Costner pissed off the ruling class when he made 500 Nations . It was really an eye-opener to me . Soon after the docu-series he was making Waterworld and it got negative press since day one and he got all the blame . They said it bombed even though it didn't . I saw it myself and thought it was ok .

[@jp3813]

Watching The Abyss is really a double feature: one for the film itself (preferably the special edition) and the other for the behind-the-scenes documentary ("Under Pressure: Making the Abyss").

[@a.nobodys.nobody]

Was just thinking how id never watched it. Almost put it on last night. Thanks for the tip to watch the behind the scenes doc

[@JohnBender1313]

I like the special edition but have decided Cameron made the right choice cutting the wave. It wouldn't make sense for the NTIs to threaten us for our actions when they are asking us to stop and put away such things.

[@jp3813]

@@JohnBender1313 It makes sense when you consider that the NTI's almost got nuked out of existence. The Cold War was a threat, but WWIII is a holocaust.

[@williampotter2098]

When I saw the title, "Apocalypse Now" first came to mind. Coppola had many battles to win to get that made but persevered and got it finished. A great man.

[@hippomancy]

"making a movie with Wesley Snipes"...

[@ForeheadPushUps]

You must include Howard Hughes' HELL'S ANGELS (1930) at the Great Depression with real planes crashing, filming delays. BEN HUR (1925) was ambitious too. Worth a mention cause it's one of my fav movie: the train scene in THE GENERAL (1926) cost 500k$.

[@FRN2013]

And Ben Hur (1959) was no 'walk in the park' to make, either!

[@hildahilpert5018]

There is also the movie Greed, from the 1900s directed by Eric von Stroheim eith Gibson Gowland , Jean Hersolt and Zazu Pitts. It was based on a book by Frank Norris and part of it was actually filmed in Death Valley.

[@robertdominicceasarsalvill2221]

Apocalypse Now is one of the greatest war movies ever made because of FFC. It just so happened that they filmed it here in the Philippines where typhoons were devastating.

[@psterud]

I know this video deals with American movies, but one I think of is Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker, based loosely on the Strugatsky brothers novel Roadside Picnic, which got entirely remade several times during the process. If you know Tarkovsky, you know every single thing he did was epic, highly deliberate, and existential. The final film is a masterpiece, but it boggles my mind to think of those people having to recreate the movie over and over. There's got to be something demoralizing about that process. But there's also something to be said about not going with your first effort.

[@BloodSweatandFears]

I’ve seen multiple comments here about this movie, now I must see it 😂

[@jimmerhardy]

You missed Friedkin's Sorcerer. Shot in the jungle, it's a magnificent film that broke everyone involved.

[@ScottyColoradoKid]

Agreed; and its his best movie....(I think nobody saw it just because of the title)

[@jimmerhardy]

@@ScottyColoradoKid And because of Star Wars, mostly that, and it's an adult-level non-popcorn date movie.

[@benmcfee]

It's one of those movies that legitimately translates the stress of filming it, into stress watchimg it, too. Once those trucks get moving, there is little time to breathe. The movie that it's based on, _The Wages of Fear,_ is also worth a look.

[@ScottyColoradoKid]

Just like Apocalypse Now; those damn Jungle movies!

[@jimmerhardy]

@@benmcfee I own Wages. Only watched once out of interest. Friedkin's take is a modern classic.

[@prestonvanhorn6248]

I think the space movies have to be super expensive because to go up there and film things for an entire movie would be crazy expensive

[@travisbickle3835]

fr

[@apokatastasian2831]

they don't film movies in space, it's all effects

[@Migmaqiw]

@@apokatastasian2831prove it

[@Puppy_Puppington]

I know right! And can you imagine how much it costs to get to those galaxies far far away with the crappy mileage we get on our older rockets & space shuttles!!! I’m truly grateful to Lucas film ltd. For taking the time and risks to give us great films!

[@Puppy_Puppington]

@@apokatastasian2831mhmm. Sure buddy.. next your gonna say that the moon landing is all fake fx too!!! 😂😂

[@Supermunch2000]

I see Herzog, I smile and thumbs up.

[@FilmStack]

Within the last year alone, we’ve talked about Herzog in 4 videos. But there’s still so much room for more Herzog in our lives haha

[@flzrian3623]

Your fact about Russian Ark being the longest single shot is wrong. Victoria (2015) is another movie that was taken in just a single shot and it's 140 minutes. They filmed it 3 times on consecutive nights between 4 and 6 AM and used the first one

[@evanroberts2771]

If filmed BETWEEN 4 and 6, how long is that runtime again?????

[@flzrian3623]

@@evanroberts2771 approximately. Idk the exact times but about 3:50 to 6:10 or something

[@mikeboy0001]

They actually used the last take on the last attempt It's a Masterpiece

[@flzrian3623]

@@mikeboy0001 true! Filmed between 4:30 and 7:00. Looked it up just now

[@a.nobodys.nobody]

Never heard of it. Worth checking out?

[@TrillDeuce]

First video I've seen from your channel. 6 minutes in and it's excellent.

[@doublethomas8415]

Before watching I was like "IF Fitzcarraldo isn't on the list, it's incomplete". Thanks for not letting me down!

[@Magneticlaw]

I very much appreciate your narration....no goofy AI voice. Good video!

[@joeri-uu5kp]

really? You dont get annoyed that all sentences are equal length and equal intonation with that annoying rise at the end?

[@354Entertainment]

For me it is Apocalypse Now by far! The hardest production in history and the result is magnificent, still today!

[@gmg9010]

Roar the reason why I’m fine with having cgi wild animals for the most part.

[@FilmStack]

Haha agreed! It’s crazy they didn’t stop after the first few attacks

[@landondavis8125]

​@FilmStack, they should sue

[@ThomasPalm-w5y]

When I saw it I assumed they just kept the camera rolling and then wrote the script around the best shots they got, but apparently they kept making reshoots so that the lions got tired and grumpy. Insanity. The modern trailer is hilarious though. Best trailer ever.

[@SERGIODELRÍOREYES]

4:34 that can’t be right. 31 million budget?!

[@wearywanderer7018]

It’s right. The film was made in 1979 It was a large budget for that time It’s comparable to a modern budget of 200 million

[@misterpaulggftw9103]

For the one take film, watch Victoria by Sebastian Schipper as well. It is 2 hours and 20minutes long- all in one take.

[@Skybloo263]

Jodorowsky's Dune is also an iconic movie that never been completed, although a bit out of this category because it never hit the screens, the documentary is fascinating, showing all the art work that some been used in the movie "The Fifth Element"

[@danieldravot341]

The cold in ‘The Revenant’ was almost unbearable to watch so making the movie must have been a gargantuan challenge.

[@MLawrence-z9k]

Props to Werner Herzog , Leo Di Caprio , James Cameron & definitely Francis Coppola ❤ they all went crazy asf in their respective films to make those films amazing 💯

[@shmooveyea]

Love The Revenant shoot, freezing wilderness of winter, bro that's just my hometown 😢

[@peg202xo7]

Quest For Fire, hands down the hardest on the actors, some suffered long term effects of frostbite. If in doubt of my choice watch the DVD with commentary.

[@cedricgist7614]

Good job! Most of these films I've never seen - yet know of them by reputation. So, what you shared - even briefly - enlightened me. I think you did a good job picking these particular projects to profile - including the bonus. And I can see this video was a project in itself. I've got so many subscriptions - but you deserve a "like" and I am subscribing.

[@michaelvachon1334]

I vote for 'Fitzcarraldo'. So many aspects of this project contributed to to it's difficulties that it's mind boggling that it ever completed production. Still a great watch, however.

[@steveconn]

Fitzcarraldo - pulling a ship up a mountain - c'mon, hardest to make easily (other than life with my mother).

[@glkification]

Thanks for the video, really enjoyed it! Charlie Chaplin's film The Circus was really dreadful to make too, apparently. The original set was blown apart by a storm, the film negative was found to be scratched, the studio and props were destroyed in a fire, Chaplin was being chased for owing taxes, he was going through a very messy public divorce, and his mother died. In his autobiography, he skips the entire period of the film (while going into a lot of other films and parts of his life in depth). Seems even in later life the recollection was too much for him to revisit.

[@warpathh]

You missed one of the hardest to make films of all time… William Friedkin’s 1977 film Sorcerer…

[@ihavegymnastics]

Yes!!!

[@Polyphemus47]

I must have seen that film at least a dozen times back then. The Tangerine Dream soundtrack was a big plus.

[@Willrobert92]

I can always tell just by watching that film that the logistics must've been a nightmare. The bridge scene alone looks like it would've been hell for both the cast and the crew

[@seatownfan]

Of course, before Sorcerer, there was “Wages of Fear” which had its own difficulties. I would like to see “Socerer”, but it is very hard to find.

[@warpathh]

@@seatownfan no, it’s not.

[@QCPro]

Why isn’t Pirates of the Caribbean on the list? They had a really difficult time with weather issues, which caused millions in costs and required hundreds of hours to complete. Not to mention, they faced many delays and long waiting times due to the weather. Their budget was also something like $300 million, and transporting everything to the island was a nightmare.

[@spacecadet35]

The remake of Snow White should be on this list. Even though it isn't finished yet, but is probably the most expensive film in history, and also going to be the biggest financial bomb in cinema history. There may even be a complete reshoot in the near future.

[@lavendardust]

" and is going to be a financial bomb." lol could very well be.

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

No more attention should ever be placed on that putrid attempt at rewriting and rebranding the original in order to fit some janky, megalomaniacal, "woke" agenda. It's worse than "Madame Webb", "Willow" (reboot), "Rebel Moon", and "Röbê¥π Hœød" by 'The Director' or whatever that non-sequitur nonsense was all about. 🙄 Bunch of slipshod hacks.

[@jalin8039]

Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3 were also a big challenge to film

[@MerchantIvoryfilms]

Bridman: "We made it "look" like one shot" Russian Ark: "We DID do it in one shot"

[@do9138]

I just found this channel. I love channels about movies so I subscribed. I really enjoyed this video. It was well researched and very well produced. Bravo!

[@i.candig-it]

Found your page yesterday and been binging since. Great content!

[@acrophobe]

"The sheep kept peeing on Harrison" is an incredible sentence to say out loud out of context. Just let people imagine.

[@The_Pariah]

I heard Tropic Thunder was a huge pain in the ass to make. They had a huge explosion they didn't even capture on film. Les Grossman was PISSED.

[@gabrielpierce1985]

from what I heard from many actors mouths (via behind the scenes, commentaries, etc), working with Wesley Snipes is one of the most difficult things to do in all of Hollywood.

[@Wheretheportlandorarealadiesat]

Waterworld will live on forever it’s a cult cult hit people love this movie

[@thenightstar8312]

No mention of The Thief And The Cobbler? What about Pink Floyd: The Wall? The director of it had some pretty choice words about how difficult it was to make and how he ultimately believed the experience wasn't even worth it in the end

[@Polyphemus47]

You're the only person I've ever seen that mentioned "The Thief and the Cobbler". That one deserves its own vid. I liked it a lot, but my VHS copy is long gone, now.

[@munkustrap2]

I was surprised that Jaws wasn't mentioned beyond the Spielberg warning about filming on the ocean. That movie was extremely difficult to make.

[@IarwainBen-adar]

In my opinion definitely Lord of the Rings. Thousands of costumes, extras and just about everything else. 10 years of active post production and over a year of filming. Pretty much the entire country of New Zealand why relied on to get the films made.

[@WatchAndGame]

Small correction: I think that the german movie Viktoria is a longer signle shot movie than Russian Ark. Also, really good, worth a watch!

[@brick6347]

I mean, they sounded horrible to make, but at least nobody died. The same cannot be said of Twilight Zone: The Movie, which claimed 3 lives (2 of them children). There's probably other examples, but i can't think of any of the top of my head. And course an actor dying always makes it hard to finish the movie. The Crow, Gladiator etc.

[@alancrawford8749]

Was thinking the exact same.

[@abracadaverous]

I was surprised it didn't make the list.

[@shimmer8289]

My vote is for Aguirre the Wrath of God aka Fitzgeraldo. I loved it and watched it 2x. When I watched it I felt amazed and a bit concerned at the danger to animals and humans in the creation of that movie.

[@WUStLBear82]

_Roar_ might have been the most dangerous near-term, but _The Conqueror_ (1955) might be the most dangerous long-term, given that dozens of the cast and crew contracted various types of cancer, many fatal, over the following two decades. Outdoor scenes were filmed 200 mi downwind of the active Nevada Nuclear Test Range, and for studio shooting at RKO they trucked in hundreds of tons of still-radioactive sand from Nevada because Howard Hughes complained that the color of the beach sand they originally used didn't match the location footage. How that sand was eventually disposed of is unknown, according to the book 'Killing John Wayne: The Making of The Conqueror'.

[@a.nobodys.nobody]

.... he refused to open his eyes!? What!?!?!

[@lavendardust]

Yeah, that got me too.

[@lavendardust]

Now I've head that actors get sleepy in scenes when they're in a hospital bed or such. In fact, one actor had to be woke up. They kept waiting for him to say his line but he fell asleep. hehe

[@cyrollan]

good lord, these are INSANE. it's a miracle that Apocalypse Now was even made, but it's also an excellent movie

[@bpdbhp1632]

Gotta be hachi. Working with a dog in the leading role must be a nightmare

[@PakaBubi]

"I'm letting you breathe. What more do u want" the line of the century

[@JeffreyDeCristofaro]

They say every filmmaker's nightmare is when a passion project s/he committed to envisioning ends up in development hell. Weighed against these actual production nightmares for films that DID get completed, though...

[@reptongeek]

12:05 By the end of the shoot she would be paid $7 million, mostly because they had to pay Elizabeth Taylor for using the Todd AO filming process. I do want to see Heaven's Gate, but the length of it and its reputation makes me a little scared!

[@amimim69]

No reason to destroy time by watching heaven's gate...god it was an awful experience...probably after one hour i said f**k it and never went back to that shitty thing ever

[@reptongeek]

@@amimim69 I do like his previous film The Deer Hunter, but it did feel like a two hour movie told over three hours

[@amimim69]

@@reptongeek deer hunter is far far better than heaven's gate in my eyes at least. Heaven's gate is just long, pretentious, filled with too many ideas that just weren't explored enough and i felt it just watching the first one hour🤣. I am sry i just think heaven's gate is a bad movie

[@AnnaeusSeneca13]

I've seen Heaven's Gate at least a dozen times over the years. I always seem to love it more and more.

[@anauticalgate5496]

Loved that line in Waterworld ,from the weary old guy down in the boiler room when he saw the lit,stick of dynamite Costner dropped down the stack. "Oh,.. thank God"

[@mashashumayt1263]

Well, it's Resident Evil 2002, a Film by Paul W.S. Anderson It's also stated to be the Most Difficult movie ever made, taking atleast more than several liberties, Script writing and changes from every Director. That's when Paul was chosen to direct the movie. James Cameron has also admitted that the Movie is his Guilty Pleasure and his All time favorite, Which Michelle was complied to be part of the Avatar Movie production in 2009.

[@V3ntilator]

"The Abyss" filming were so insane the casting got mental problems, physical problems etc. and some almost died too. The underwater scenes were filmed in a nuclear tank too...

[@kellymoses8566]

Cleopatra's inflation adjusted budget is $316 million

[@amrita_s8094]

More than infinity war

[@madlenellul3430]

Kelly…Yes I have to agree with you with Cleopatra. Two films became one … nearly bankrupted the studio. Over budget, over acted….over long..🤫🤗

[@planetdisco4821]

So just a little more about the movie “Roar” the Hollywood couple filmed in their own ranch and their teenage daughter was also attacked by a lion. Her name was Meg. Meg Ryan. The actress…

[@mostlymotiongraphics2134]

I think Tarkovsky's "Stalker" also deserves a mention, given that it had to be shot three times and killed one of the lead actors, the director and his wife.

[@JohnBender1313]

Its sad The Abyss never got the recognition it deserved for all that went into it. I remember seeing it for the first time flipping through channels on the TV, and couldnt stop watching. Its one of my favorite movies. And so many people i know have never heard of it.

[@ArtLike]

Great video! However, just a correction. Unless I'm mistaken, the longest film ever shot in one take is Sebastien Schipper's "Victoria" (2015)

[@nuancolar7304]

Everything I have read about the production and filming of the Revenant puts it at the top, in my opinion.

[@lavendardust]

I was surprised about the ducks not being able to swim. wow. My 2 favorite things was The parrot in Dr. Doolitte that yelled CUT. And the one that makes me laugh is Director Michael Cimino owning the land, so taking his sweet time to film Heaven's Gate, to make more money , inducing Studio United Artists to investigate the over blown price for renting the land. haha

[@thinkhector]

Another film that could have been included is "The Wizard of Oz." The film went thru three different directors and Margaret Hamilton, who plays the which, was severely burned.

[@AwakenedAvocado]

That green face paint was highly toxic

[@NondescriptMammal]

Also Buddy Ebsen, cast as the Tin Man, got seriously ill from the aluminum dust used as makeup, and had to be replaced

[@AwakenedAvocado]

@@NondescriptMammal lmao one part of me says the costume and make up department of wizard of the oz were maniacal sadiststrying to kill them off. The amount of heavy metals they exposed them to it wonder they're still alive

[@sebastianm.2901]

Thank you for the timestamps!

[@12Cooper]

Terry Gilliams Don Quixote should be definitely on this list. It was doomed from the go. They had to constantly reshoot and on one point a natural disaster, a flood washed away the whole set in the Spain. It was an almost 30 year struggle which didn’t even worth it considering how underwhelming the final movie turned out.

[@benjaminskylerhill8276]

It’s a crime that this channel doesn’t have more subscribers

[@douglee3651]

The Abyss was since its debut, and still really is, my favorite movie of all time. But the history of its making and the anguish inflicted on its actors dampens my ability to enjoy or share it, because I believe the pain has not all passed for them. So I would like M.E.M., E.H., and anyone else to whom it squarely enough applies, to know this: I want you, and everyone, to enjoy the ultimate success of the venture, *and the credit for that success*, after the fashion of the ending of Genesis' song Driving The Last Spike… "Digging in darkness, and living with danger. Showing no fear of what lies up ahead. They'll never see the likes of us again!" Whatever else can be said, and surely much ccan, they, earned, that, much.

[@Suedetussy]

Yes, it’s so unnecessary to put people under so much stress for the audience‘s „entertainment“. Yes, i watch movies for entertainment (or intellectual stimulation), but i can’t enjoy it,when people involved inthe making were suffering.

[@Trevorious2010]

Filmstack: "these are the hardest films to make!" Cast of Jackass has entered the chat

[@Cadence733]

Re LOTR check out Ian Nathan's book on the making of it- absolutely brilliant.

[@FoundingYouTuber-2005]

Actor and director heatedly arguing because actor stopped delivering his lines on hearing "cut," but the director denying he said any such thing, only later to discover it was a parrot on set chortling "cut" at the worst time (when mid-scene), well, that's the dictionary definition of "priceless."

[@satsadarkpath2094]

Am I the only nerd that thought it was weird for the narrator to say that Cleopatra would make back its budget in the following years thanks to movie rentals?! Movie rentals didn’t exist for another 20 years after this was released, and in fact Cleopatra wasn’t released on VHS until the end of 1992. So a good 30 years after release 😅 Wow. I just showed my geek hand, and it was a royal flush 🤦‍♀️

[@witteafval]

"Rentals" in pre-VHS days primarily refers to theaters renting copies of the film and showing them after the initial release. Also add to that the money TV networks would pay to air a film.

[@satsadarkpath2094]

@@witteafval ah! Great! Thanks for the info

[@DA-bk9bf]

17:08 That must have been a terrifying set, for a movie I literally never heard of.

[@ashcrumpton139]

The Eiger Sanction is definitely one of if not the most difficult they filmed a movie on the side of a vertical face of a mountain called The Eiger they filmed on the north face which is also called “the murder wall”

[@AaronAustin-d9i]

What about Strange Brew? That part where they hung the van from the telephone wires was sheer magic.

[@KidJV]

water world.. im still amazed by that movie

[@alexdagreat80]

I'm actually kinda disappointed The Wizard of Oz wasn't mentioned

[@FRN2013]

Yup, that and Ben Hur (both 1925 and 1959 versions).

[@1971bdott]

You missed the adventures of Baron Munchhausen. And generally any movie that takes place in water is going to be a pain in the ass