Twilight Zone Movie Set Fatalities Case Analysis | Shared Guilt or No Guilt?

This video answers the question: Can I analyze the 1982 case of the three fatalities on the set of “Twilight Zone: The Movie?”
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[@vikramgupta2326]

John Landis is culpable not just because of the underhanded hiring of the children, but because he clearly ignored safety warnings.

[@susanlansdell863]

He should have done time.

[@remingtongagnard4442]

^preach it. Man obviously didn't care, criminal negligence for sure

[@aarondavis8943]

It's goes beyond that. He chose to do things that were illegal (live ammo used on set) and dangerous (large explosions close to the helicopter) even though none of these thigs added anything to the final result of the film. It's almost as if he was using dangerous methods to antagonise the crew.

[@rucianapollard4057]

And he has the nerve to say that Michael Jackson didn't pay him all of his money for directing "Thriller".

[@chiefscheider]

Landis didn't hire the children. Frank Marshall did, and even signed the checks issued to the parents during filming.

[@anonymousadult]

I find the Twilight Zone accident to be significantly more complex than Rust. Twilight was a planned negligence concerning the children: if the rules were followed, the kids would never have been there. Therefore, the shooting of the scene would not have happened and all would be alive today.

[@richmonroe203]

And just like what hapoened in the Twilight Zone, no one will be prosecuted. All the damaged parties will be bought off.

[@Maximillion666]

@@ToyotaGuy1971 Oh look random words that mean nothing . You can't even define who these supposed oligarchy's are. Typical right wing nonsense ....

[@Maximillion666]

@@ToyotaGuy1971 ..........I know all about those conspiracy theory's and most of them especially the banking ones have an anti semitic tie into them.

[@VerisimilitudeFilms1]

I feel the accident would've still happened even if the hired the child actors the right way. Landis wanted to get everything in one shot.

[@anonymousadult]

@@VerisimilitudeFilms1 yes, landis is ultimately at blame.

[@katemaloney4296]

The saddest part is that the parents of the children watched in real-time as the tragedy happened right before them and were totally unable to do anything. They literally watched their children be killed. As for Landis. . . Watch the making of "THRILLER" and you will see his personality ALL over the place. MJ respected Landis, but you can tell that deep down inside Michael also feared him.

[@southernoregoncatmom6519]

Those poor parents!😥😪😥😪

[@manolokonosko2868]

Michael Jackson could have hired someone else to direct the video and based on the idea of the song it would have come out equally good or even better.

[@roxannemaguire9844]

Unforgivable that the children's parents had to witness their tragic deaths.

[@UMAMIMAMU]

@@manolokonosko2868That's a _really_ bold statement to make, and quite unfair. Landis's other works all stand on their own regardless of his culpability in this case. To act like a masterpiece like "Thriller" could just be done by anyone is ignorant at best. It's like someone saying "OJ Simpson was an _OK_ football player, but the Buffalo Bills could have hired anyone else and they would have performed the same". Landis didn't become a top tier Hollywood director because he sucked at it.

[@williesnyder2899]

John Landis may have wanted his time back, but three actors have no time left. They might desire their lives back. A film production still skirting child labor laws…

[@andreaadams6464]

Vic Morrow was my grandfather. This is my first time hearing some of these details. Thank you for your analysis.

[@frahn1702]

I’m sorry. It was a horrible way to die 😢

[@triciajohansen3027]

My condolences to you and your family. Your grandfather was much loved and respected as an actor and person. I know I grieved when I found out he and the two children were killed, I was only seven. God bless. 😪🙏

[@terr777]

Really?

[@powlperc]

Combat! w/ Vic Morrow…great show! You are related to Jennifer Jason Leigh?

[@MishaMishaSoprano]

I am so sorry to know this happened to him and the children.

[@biffmercury]

Actually it was the location that made the stunt dangerous. There was a cliff wall, and Landis was told by the art director that the force of the blast against the cliff wall would send back a shock wave that could bring down the copter. Landis glibly replied, “Oh well, we might lose the copter.” It was no “unnamed special effects tech.” The effects tech in charge went on trial for his part in it as well. In addition to being very much aware of the illegal hiring of underaged actors, Landis knew the stunt was potentially dangerous and did nothing to stop it from happening. Landis attended the funerals, uninvited by the families, most of whom, glared at him. At Morrow’s funeral, he had the gall to basically say that if Vic Morrow had to die, he died, “making a great movie.” Landis has absolutely no self-awareness whatsoever. If he did, he’d never have shown his face at those funerals. I don’t think Landis planned to harm anyone, but he was so clueless that he truly believed that danger was incapable of happening on the set of one of his movies. Even so, he refused to take seriously valid safety concerns, and it ended up costing the lives of three people and the careers of many people, who probably looked back and wished they had just walked off the set before the tragedy happened.

[@angelachouinard4581]

This was so long ago and apparently nothing has changed in the industry, except crew did walk off before the most recent fatality. I suspect there have been many close calls that never made the news over the years in between.

[@natekeyes2297]

It sounds like you read the book also. It is a scathing indictment of Landis' actions and his character.

[@dorbie]

Yea, Landis' conduct at Vic's funeral was absolutely deplorable.

[@andreseh87]

What a narcissistic sociopath.

[@Dagian_Jade]

Exactly! I was such a John Landis fan before this happened in 1982. "Animal House", "Blues Brothers", "Trading Places", and "American Werewolf in London" showed he was a brilliant and innovative director. BUT, when he gave the following interview (& stated this same excuse again & again for years), I was disgusted by his arrogance and outright disregard for the accident, and his refusal to take any responsibility for his part in the loss of 3 human lives.... "When you read about the accident, they say we were blowing up huts-- which we weren't-- and that debris hit the tail rotor of the helicopter-- which it didn't. The FBI crime lab, who was working for the prosecution, finally figured out that the tail rotor delaminated, which is why the pilot lost control. THE SPECIAL EFFECTS MAN WHO MADE THE MISTAKE BY SETTING OFF A FIREBALL AT THE WRONG TIME WAS NEVER CHARGED." (my emphasis because he was pissed & practically growling this last sentence during the interview with Giulia Valla). It's like, "Dude, you were the DIRECTOR, the buck stopped with you!! You willing allowed children to work on your set illegally; you were warned by MULTIPLE PEOPLE that the stunt was NOT safe; and you STILL put actors in harm's way to make your film on time & under budget. YOU are responsible for their deaths, so man up & stop blaming everyone else!!!". Landis was "reprimanded" for circumventing California's child labor laws, but continued to deny his culpability, and walked away cleared off all charges. The insurance companies paid off the families of the victims; including Jennifer Jason Leigh, who was Vic Morrow' daughter; so he wasn't even affected financially. The sad part is that while this incident caused stricter safety measures on set and enforcement of California's Child labor laws; this incident had NO affect on his career. Immediately after the on-set accident that killed 3 human beings, he started filming the Eddie Murphy hit, "Trading Places;" going on to direct the massive hits "Coming to America" and "Beverly Hills Cop. Bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in profits for the studios allowed him to walk away from this incident scott free, while creating a personal net worth of $150 million dollars. ☹

[@annal7364]

Since no one held this man accountable for his actions, I’m glad Dr. G stepped up to punch him in the face a little. 🤣🥊

[@NHRebelsthoughts]

" make the audience wish they were dead " you always make me smile

[@ilenestauch5973]

LOL!

[@richarddiaz1241]

Dr. Todd’s comedic timing is as good as anything Landis ever filmed.

[@makexwar]

SAVAGE.

[@cayebaye312]

He’s a truly funny man❣️

[@patsysmothermon7861]

Yes,That's hilarious!!🤣🤣

[@herschelwright4663]

If a movie stunt looks and sounds dangerous then don’t think twice before backing out immediately.

[@polarbearsrus6980]

Agreed! Peer pressure, they should have but those ego maniacs have a way of getting thing done on a set. It's all about the money.

[@mattbrumley9853]

Well I think Vic Morrow even had a bad feeling about it cuz I read that before it occurred he said that he felt like he was out of his mind for doing it

[@khloeknievel3874]

Not so fun fact: John Landis threw a big party to celebrate the one year anniversary of his acquittal. So much for paying respect to the victims.

[@richmonroe203]

People are too swayed and awed by celebrities and power. Why on earth would you go to a party celebrating the acquittal? Three people died.

[@amyrussell860]

I initially thought this person lacks insight/self awareness re: how others are behaving in response to what he says and does. After reading this post, I changed my mind. He knows.

[@reneedennis2011]

😡

[@stevemaher7481]

@@richmonroe203 like O.J.

[@jackspring7709]

That's no surprise at all. I've dealt with a lot of tv and film people and the vast majority of them are lowlives.

[@esteemedmortal5917]

Man, f*** John Landis. Serious injuries and death were foreseeable when you have a low-flying helicopter and pyrotechnics. Rest In Peace Vic Morrow, Renee, and Myca.

[@sunrae7680]

I feel the same.

[@MishaMishaSoprano]

Perfect timing. Was just watching the Movies That Made Us Netflix series about Coming To America, where Landis was being interviewed. I had not heard about this incident, and when it came up, he was dismissive and brushed it off like it was no big deal. Learning 1 adult and 2 children died, I found his response confusing and concerning. Learning these details makes it even worse. It still appears the situation was merely a hassle. I can't imagine how it would feel for one of the family members to watch that. He had to deal with a hassle, but 3 people are dead. Thank you for this.

[@Iron4TrollPatrol]

Amazing that the victims relatives didnt off him, isnt it.

[@richmonroe203]

@@Iron4TrollPatrol They were bought off. If the families didnt settle for monetary damages, especially Vic Morrow daughter, there would have been much more attention to the crime.

[@Duifjaah]

Ah that's where I knew him off! I really did not like him on the show, he seemed veeeeery arrogant. Like how he didn't want to introduce himself, because everyone should know him.

[@jonaswhite5842]

It was puzzling how little media coverage it received when it happened. Obviously they had too much invested in the production at that point, and had to consider the investors and bottom line. Though no excuse for the tragedy..

[@walygisnep]

@@jonaswhite5842 probably two reasons: the actors involved weren’t as famous as, let’s say, someone like Alec Baldwin. And the second would be because nobody wanted or felt the need to talk about it outside the production, probably to save their asses.

[@Transmission_Rory]

"I don't want to say who was guilty or who was innocent. But if you're directing a movie and two kids get their heads chopped off at twelve o'clock at night when there ain't supposed to be kids working, and you said, 'Action!' then you have some sort of responsibility. So my principles wouldn't let me go down there and sit in court. That's just the way I am." - Eddie Murphy's thoughts on John Landis' handling of The Twilight Zone accident.

[@TDubya811]

Those principles would, however allow Eddie Murphy to go on to work with John Landis in several movies.

[@Transmission_Rory]

@@TDubya811 He was saying this during or after Coming to America’s release. Eddie wanted to give Landis another shot by having him direct. However, him and Landis did not get along. At one point, Landis was talking smack about Eddie behind his back, particularly how Eddie didn’t defend him during the trial. Eddie then pinned Landis to the wall, threatening him with his entourage if he ever spoke about him that way ever again. They managed to patch things up for Beverly Hills Cop 3, but no one was happy with the final product, especially a then depressed Murphy.

[@ivorbiggun710]

Aside from the seemingly unbelievable fact that these men walked, the arrogance and staggering lack of contrition of Landis after this horrible accident really sticks in my craw.

[@wizardofahhhs759]

Really grinds my gears.

[@SKY-wt2pp]

@@wizardofahhhs759 Seriously flips my wig.

[@bthomson]

I've heard " Jams my preserves!"

[@jamonturner9583]

Seemingly unbelievable? It was pretty apparent at the moment he said they were charged that they would walk free.

[@janedmunds4218]

The word "hubris" came to mind... I love all the idioms!! :D

[@autumn.melody1715]

I didn’t remember this. I was 12 at the time. My husband told me about this tragedy after the Rust incident reminded him. The persons in charge should be held accountable. Travis Scott should also be responsible for the deaths at his concert.

[@humaneleaguelancPA]

@@kaelalosey2877 Yes, but there were an eye witness that staff were trying to relay the message that people were being hurt/killed and for whatever reason Travis didn't shut it down. it's all about making money!

[@VeeLondon1449]

Thanks Dr. Grande. Vic Morrow is actor Jennifer Jason Leigh’s father. Though I had no idea that children had also died during the filming of Twilight Zone. No idea, Just incredibly sad. It all seems so negligent and preventable.

[@toweypat]

This reminds me of the old saying: "It is easier to do the right thing 100% of the time than 99% of the time." One minute, you're skirting child labor laws. So the next minute it might not seem so bad to have a helicopter in a dangerous position. And after that, you might think "well, the explosion could be too big, but let's risk it".

[@fasilharer1291]

John Landis movies are so realistic his actors are expected to die in real life.

[@nightwood4379]

Vic Morrow was great in “Combat!” Tragic end.

[@shadowwolf2524]

Roger that ! I can't even stand to watch his episode in this movie.

[@kevinc809]

Great show, every episode was like a movie

[@jeanettewaverly2590]

The show was very well done and Morrow’s acting was superb. That Twilight Zone was his chance to make a come-back makes his death in it even more tragic.

[@kevinc809]

@@jeanettewaverly2590 Youre right it was well done. As a kid I never watched it. In the late 90's it came back. I watched and recorded every episode. But I doubt TZ was going to be a comeback. In the 70's he usually played a bad guy in tv shows. And the guy who whipped Kunta Kinte in Roots. In TZ he was an extreme racist hanging out with a bunch of wussies. I doubt that role would have got him much future work, but who knows.

[@pequalsa]

I found Combat! As a teen in the 90s on late night reruns. At that point, I really only knew comedies and the original Twilight Zone from 1960s TV. I was very impressed with the depth of the writing. I've watched through the entire series twice.

[@duagrentia]

"Hollywood produces a lot of terrible movies..." LOL, I can't argue with that. But seriously, Landis being dismissive of this incident just portrays him as a real-life villain as the years go by.

[@chrislondo2683]

Disagree, Hollywood has produced some classics.

[@lnc-to4ku]

What a disastrous and completely avoidable tragedy! It's so chilling that Vic Morrow had such a dark, and very real premonition about dying from a helicopter! And those poor little children!! I can certainly see why Stephen Spielberg separated himself from John Landis! Excellent video, Dr. Grande!! ♡

[@ren17x50]

Doc, I didn't see this analysis coming. I like surprises.

[@ren17x50]

@Mjira Achieng yes

[@DavidDeeble]

Landis, to my mind, represents Hollywood's fixation with realism, especially insofar as it can be a substitute for storytelling.

[@astoldbytheolyn4382]

👏 👏 👏

[@richmonroe203]

Not really. Its an adolescent fixation on big bang.

[@justinjester6410]

Yeah totally and it smells like fart.

[@DavidDeeble]

@@ZachAsaD Realism is fine for comedies and whatever "Thriller" is, but not in action movies when lives are put in danger. Hollywood's insistence on using real instead of fake guns - see "Rust" - is only the latest example.

[@DavidDeeble]

@@PortlandSucksss Seems we have the same view but different conclusions: the staggering incompetence found on Hollywood sets vis a vis handling guns is precisely why real guns used in movies is not only unnecessary but dangerous.

[@bthomson]

"A good way to avoid being a defendant is to not commit any offenses!". How very true!

[@logicalblackman8228]

Meh. Lots of innocent people are on trial every year🤷🏾‍♂️

[@eadweard.]

@@logicalblackman8228 Well a good way to avoid lung cancer is not to smoke. You might get it regardless, but even so.

[@logicalblackman8228]

@@eadweard. I don’t engage strawman arguments. But are you disputing my claim that a lot of defendants are actually innocent?

[@eadweard.]

@@logicalblackman8228 Isn't a straw man where you attribute to your opponent an argument they haven't in fact made?

[@logicalblackman8228]

@@eadweard. That is basically what you have done. You equated the court scenario (my argument) to lung cancer and then made your argument.

[@xx7secondsxx]

The director is guilty of the accidental deaths. Pushing for the shot.. you blew it BIG time!! It cost people their lives

[@julietteyork6293]

Agree. I had to unfollow Dr Grande after he recklessly pushed the clot shot. I’m guessing he was paid by Pharma, as most big social media personalities were. Ironic that Dr Grande himself now has blood on his hands from countless deaths and injuries that are still mounting.

[@michaelphelan423]

Morrow is pronounced like to-Morrow. He used to star in a 60s TV show titled “Combat”. The announcer used to say his name each week. Cheers

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

@ michael. That is true. All the episodes were / are available on youtube here in the UK. 🇬🇧👍🇺🇸

[@vickielawson3114]

Yeah, that bugged me the way he was pronouncing Morrow as well.

[@powlperc]

It’s helps if you’re old enough to have watched Combat, w Vic Morrow, as a kid in the 60’s. Vic was the Sarge. Good show!

[@mollydion8311]

Vic Morrow was a lead actor from 1962 - 1967 in the tv series "Combat!" For five years he worked with guns, explosions, grenades, & bayonets. Producer Selig Seligman ordered before filming every cast member to take one week of basic training @ the Army's Infantry Training Center @ Fort Ord in CA. They all complained of the difficulty but admitted they needed that training. The Army was also assigned to be a technical advisor & to critique every episode for authenticity. Vic learned to trust the film company & the crew. He really only made the mistake of following orders. He was only 53. He was a busy actor this was a terrible waste of human lives.

[@calendarpage]

"John Landis would continue to wreak havoc..." You're killing me. I almost choked on my soda.

[@RyDawg084]

DietCoke???

[@keithbrunson7190]

John Landis was coy. He had just come off of “Animal House” and felt he could do no wrong. As a pilot, I would never hover about a live person. The entire debacle was preventable, but Landis said “ action” and, he got it.

[@exhaustguy]

The fact that they allowed children under a hovering helicopter even without pyrotechnics is still mind blowing. In some ways Wingo was most at fault since, as a pilot, he would better know the risks. That doesn't change the fact that Wingo was put into that position by a power mad Landis who would probably have seen him not work in Hollywood again if he didn't follow instructions. Every industrial company I have worked for has had might tighter safety standards. Near misses trigger shut downs and assessment of risk. The Safety officer's word is the last word.

[@UMAMIMAMU]

He did more than Animal House by this point. He was just coming off of the Blues Brothers (1980) and Trading Places (1982). If any movie he did gave him a big head it would have been the Blues Brothers. The stunts in that movie hold up today and were pretty insane for their time. I agree about the pilot however. I think people who are certified professionals i.e. pilots, pyrotechnicians, etc.... have to be tasked with being their own bosses in cases like this. A film production hires a pyrotechnician _because_ they have extensive knowledge of explosives and fire and how they behave. It's basically silently understood that *they* are the safety bottleneck in all things explosive. As such it's their responsibility to inform ANYONE (including the director, assistant director, producer, etc...) if what they're being tasked to do is unsafe, and it's their responsibility to stand their ground. I mean, what's the point of hiring an expert if he's going to be controlled by someone else? I mean, take the recent case of the movie Rust with Alec Baldwin. And it was the cinematographer, one of the production crew that got killed in that case! And people want to blame Alec Baldwin! I mean, I _sort_ _of_ get where they're coming from; Yes, in a perfect world everyone on a movie set that handles firearms knows them 100% in and out. But that's not the world we live in, and that's not the safety culture that Hollywood has adopted. Actors are not expected to be firearm proficient because regardless of whether they are or not there's *always* by law a prop armorer on set that's _paid_ to be firearm proficient, and ensure safe handling practices. So far as I know, that's literally the ONLY time in history that someone has been shot by a live cartridge that was supposed to have been a blank in movie history. And no, Brandon Lee doesn't count. His situation was a little bit different. That said, think of how many movies/TV shows have been made in history with guns on the set. It's gotta be tens of thousands. When you look at it that way, you easily get why Alec Baldwin had every reason to trust a protocol that had been used tens of thousands of times. One that he himself had entrusted multiple times in the past, with no harm done to anyone. He simply assumed that the person ahead of him was doing her job. She wasn't, and unfortunately someone is dead because of it.

[@JanetSnakehole28]

My mind went straight to this tragedy when the Alec Baldwin story broke. You might be interested in covering The Herald of Free Enterprise ferry disaster & the Hillsborough tragedy here in the UK. Both cases involved needless multiple deaths due to negligence, blame shifting and incompetence

[@RB01.10]

It is something though that despite negligent deaths on this set and The Crow, that both still got released. I don’t mind, but I guess the family didn’t mind with the settlement

[@USALibertarian]

I wonder why a real helicopter would be used. A gimble could be used for infinite (safe) takes. In reality, they were all guilty but got off because they blamed each other. They exploited a known glitch in the legal system.

[@brandonhaygood5286]

Kind of like what's happening now with Rust.

[@eadweard.]

The helicopter was part of the scene, not just a means of carrying the camera.

[@apismellifera4158]

I always liked Vic Morrow as an actor. I remember so vividly as a boy sitting next to my dad on the couch and watching Combat! My dad had been in heavy combat in the Solomons and Philippines in WWII, and liked the high standards of realism the series maintained. It brings tears to my eyes writing this how my dad would sometimes interject comments like, “No, no, Kim, we wouldn’t do it like that,” or “They should’ve done it this way.” I know he suffered emotionally, successful though he was professionally, from his experiences in the South Pacific as a very young man. Wonderful husband and dad, the best, moral and straight and true. Oh my, how he love Combat! It was a weekly father/son TV experience. We’d munch on Payday candy bars while watching, his favorite. I think, in retrospect, the series helped him. A shout out to his unit, Battery B, 245th Field Artillery of the American Division!

[@apismellifera4158]

I mean, the Americal Division!

[@carolsdarksarcasm4223]

Lovely story. Thank you for sharing.

[@humaneleaguelancPA]

Yes, I remember watching it with my Dad as a kid, and now my 65yr. boyfriend and I recently watched Combat! Yes, Vic was a great actor. Interesting that he had the premontion of dying in a helicopter crash!

[@mybusiness9705]

Blessings to you!

[@94Trish]

Another excellent analysis. Could do an analysis on the Station Night club fire in Warwick RI? In 2003, the band Great White set off pyrotechnics, which ignited flammable acoustic foam in the walls and ceilings resulting in the death of 100 people and injuring 200 more.

[@rayross997]

That would be a very interesting one. I watched a lawyer for the families & victims talk about the fire, it was a totally preventable tragedy. Hope Dr. Grande covers it.

[@94Trish]

@@rayross997 I read his book Killer Show (John Barylick). Cheesy title but it was excellent and I could not put it down.

[@haveaniceday970]

I remember that, so horrible.

[@Booth81]

One of my Facebook friends often refers to John Landis as “That fucking murderer.” I try not to be as judgmental, but I do find the fact that he’s shown little remorse in the years since the accident to be quite disturbing. The same friend also pointed out that Jennifer Jason Leigh has never worked with Landis or Spielberg, and he thinks it’s because she’s Vic Morrow’s daughter. I certainly don’t blame her, if that’s indeed the case.

[@pharaohgamma3931]

Director, John Landis acted irresponsible when he bullied his way through the movie, "The Twilight Zone". According to the book, "Outrageous Conduct" the director grew frustrated as lighting the fatal scene grew difficult. The lighting job required grips to climb scaffolding thirty feet in the air while being buffeted by rotor wash from the helicopter. When some techs hesitated, director Landis demanded, "Is there somebody on this electrical crew who's not too chickenshit to do the job?" William Friedkin is quoted a couple of times in the book, as he shot with a helicopter at the same location and said with a wind machine and good cutting there was no need to even have the actors in the same place, let alone actually underneath the helicopter; he also said there would have been more honour in it for Landis to say he felt responsible instead of claiming ignorance of what was a blatantly excessive and dangerous set-up

[@kyleshockley1573]

If even Friedkin was saying "There was a safer way to do it," then you know it was reckless.

[@andrewdavidscott8731]

He pulled the similar s**t nearly 30 years later on the set of Burke and Hare.

[@natowaveenjoyer9862]

, "Is there somebody on this electrical crew who's not too chickenshit to do the job?" Sigma behavior.

[@grayfortress3413]

I remember when that happened and I couldn’t stand Landis after seeing his behavior. In my opinion, Landis is a creep. I can’t imagine causing the death of a child or anyone but especially an innocent child. I’d quit whatever career allowed me to be such a dangerous fool.

[@brycearmstrong2891]

Spielberg was also part of this, but he always escapes any blame.

[@BigZebraCom]

The artificial cactus is on the edge of the night table. One more step, the cactus thinks, and he will be embraced by the dark void that awaits us all. It doesn't help matters that the two real cacti on the night table are laughingly cheering him on.

[@tomscerbo1588]

What are you saying about the cactus!🤔

[@BigZebraCom]

@@tomscerbo1588 The artificial cacti look depressed to me, while the real cacti have an aspect of the sinister about them. Just a reminder I'm not analyzing any cactus in this video; only speculating about what could be happening in a situation like this.

[@bthomson]

Just remember like the Rorschach test, the cacti formation is just a reflection of your own psyche!

[@BigZebraCom]

@@bthomson Oh NO! To tell you the truth, I've always thought I might be really messed up. I should show a doctor where the bad cactus touched me.

[@tomscerbo1588]

Thanks BigZebra for your feedback on analysis of cactus on Grande's shelf!👌👍

[@thelocalmaladroit8873]

I was always fond of Vic Morrow. He wore his soul in his eyes. Thank you, Dr Grande for covering this tragedy.

[@Coffeedrinker291]

Omg, how horrific! I never heard of this at all. It’s crazy that something so terrible happened and was so thoroughly forgotten

[@detectivefiction3701]

I don't think it's been forgotten at all! It's perhaps the most famous film set catastrophe in history, and has put most people off watching the Twilight Zone movie.

[@melodyk10]

Another great analysis Dr. Grande. I love your podcast. This was so sad when it happened. I think I remember it more from when the trial was going on, and CNN aired actual footage of the accident every freaking 20 minutes. My hate for their lack of decency with tragedies started at that time. Something I didn't learn until a couple months after the accident though, was that Vic Morrow was Jennifer Jason Leigh's dad. Her first movie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, came out just a a few weeks after this tragedy. She played Stacy, one of the leads of the movie. What a sad turn to what should have been an exciting time.

[@MaryBethMcCoy]

I remember this tragedy well, as I was living in Los Angeles at the time and details were featured prominently in the news. There is no question that John Landis, as the Director, was responsible for everything that occurred on the set, and that includes all three deaths which were the result of his his recklessness. He was warned that the stunt was unsafe by various people and knew the children were hired illegally. Yet, he proceeded anyway and 3 people lost their lives in the most horrific way. Landis should have been convicted and gone to prison. While I don’t think it was his intention that 3 people would be killed, he ignored the warnings and therefore is guilty of involuntary manslaughter. The fact that he walked away and never faced any repercussions for his egregious negligence, is simply mind boggling. Justice for the victims was not served in this case,, which is reprehensible.

[@johnmellor932]

Its wrong to assume that Directors are in charge on a movie set. They are the creative force. Im willing to bet there were people on set that night who had the power to over ride Landis but didn't. A Director is only really in charge creatively but not necessarily in charge of people.

[@RebelTheUncanny1]

I was a little boy when this happened. I remember it vividly. Hope all you other patients have a good day. Zzzz

[@GelatinousCube-jw8vg]

The flannan isle mystery is screaming out for your analysis Dr Grande!

[@brianpratt3224]

I am pretty sure Jennifer Jason Leigh has never forgiven Landis over this

[@existenz001]

JJL about him: We were not close. It’s hard. I don’t really talk about my father publicly, because there are a lot of people that really love him very, very much - his work as an actor. I don’t want to disabuse them [of] their admiration.

[@gaylejackson9409]

@@existenz001 I only know Vic Morrow from his great villain performance in THE BAD NEWS BEARS. Sad to know he and his daughter were not close.

[@existenz001]

@@gaylejackson9409 I'm a huge Jennifer Jason Leigh fan. Only saw him in this tragedy.

[@agutz1765]

It's cool to see how Dr. Grande's channel is evolving! From the background to the fancy microphone etc.

[@bthomson]

Do we realize that all the upgrades are for us!

[@remingtongagnard4442]

Makes sense with the recent Rust accident how horribly accurate and relevant this is now. Great content as always 👍

[@frozemoments39]

This movie and Tales from the Darkside were some of my first favorite horror movies . I had never heard this. Crazy.

[@vagabond-yj8pn]

That’s because you’ve been in the fourth dimension.

[@BeesWaxMinder]

10:35 + RUST = this

[@bethheizer2886]

Wow, 😞 those poor kids and their family!😢that guy should have been put in jail!!! All the people involved!!!

[@SKILLED521]

Vic Morrow, a star in the television program COMBAT, was a fine dramatic actor. The episode 'The Little Carousel' it was perfect example psychological insight. I urge the good doctor to give it a view.

[@kevinc809]

Great actor, great show.

[@debswatching]

Also, check out Vic’s performance in Combat! Season 1, episode 23, called “Survival.” Vic was nominated for an Emmy for his haunting and touching performance.

[@ederrocha3491]

Those men were accepting accountability by bringing those children on set despite legal concerns. You hit the nail on the head with this conclusion doc. Love your videos

[@davidanspach1624]

As the director of the film ultimately the responsibility is Landis' in the literal sense; the director's job is overseeing the almost endless number of details and delegations that a film requires. At the end of the day, what goes down on a set is almost always up to the director except when you have a situation where a film is largely a studio project and the director is primarily there to enact the whims of the producers. This was not the case particulary with a director like Landis who, along with the aforementioned Spielberg and many others, came out of the "New Hollywood" generation of directors that were noted for being auteurs and having carte blanche over the films they directed so far as studio meddling was concerned. So both in terms of his literal job title and in a moral sense Landid was totally culpable, he should have been convicted of 3 counts of involuntary manslaughter.

[@lysawoolley9008]

Excellent analysis. Thank you, Dr Grande.

[@BucketHeadianHagg]

Dr Todd, you really had me rolling about the director acting all annoyed, and completely above it all, by having to go to court all day and " *sit for a long time* " .. LOL!! Omg, i swear, I laughed so dang hard!

[@kyleboulanger170]

John Landis may have avoided jail time, but at least his directing career in the 90s was not as fortunate. Most of the movies he directed in that decade were commercial & critical bombs from Beverly Hills Cop 3 to Blues Brothers 2000.

[@Jared_Wignall]

This was a very unfortunate incident that didn’t need to happen, yet it did. I didn’t expect you to do an analysis about this incident, but I’m glad you did. Keep up the great work Dr. Grande.

[@RawHeadRay]

I got mad obsessed with this incident in 2007 or 8, I would constantly try to figure out what the victims were thinking at that moment before the immediate violence, (here’s the weird part) one night I had a really crystal clear dream that Vic said to me “ I heard the chopper make weird noises and felt the breeze of the rotors behind us , I thought I was carrying the kids away from the rotors but it swung around in front” it stuck with me and I never looked at the story again.

[@mr.bradley7316]

May as well ask even though it’s under investigation, could the amazing Dr. Grande look into the Astroworld concert crowd crush and the many mistakes that took place?

[@soyburglar1878]

This was one of my favorite movies growing up, I had it on VHS (actually, my dad kind of collected movies and had over 250-300 tapes...we had a very expensive double-head VCR he would use to record everything we rented) and at one point, would watch it at least once a day. I had no idea that this accident even happened until just a few years ago.

[@Churd84538]

Saw the movie in the theater. The final scene with the Gremlin was cool as hell. In the original Twilight Zone TV show, that episode starred William Shatner.

[@therealmrsruttle]

I loved it

[@jguenther3049]

The airline pilot on the TV episode was played by Ed Kemmer, Cmdr. Buzz Corry of "Space Patrol." Sort of ironic that Shatner, Capt. Kirk of "Star Trek," played the passenger of "NIghtmare at 20,000 Feet."

[@milestonowheres]

In the series “3rd rock from the sun” Shatner playing “ the big giant head” arrives at the airport . Lithgow asked him how his flight was . Shatner replies “ I seen something out on the wing “ Lithgow replied “ OMG the same thing happened to me “

[@jguenther3049]

@@milestonowheres LOL

[@jackangel4502]

Dr Grande is a master of extremmmmely dry, sarcastic humor!

[@zellar8054]

Dr Grande! I request an analysis on Drew Barrymoore’s mother and Drew.

[@randysuffens1200]

Excellent analysis, as usual! Small correction: as I recall from "Combat!" & other work, Vic Morrow's last name actually is like the 'morrow' in tomorrow, not 'morROW', but then I'm old enough to remember when TV was the latest thing!

[@emilyhollis4231]

As always, I learned so many things I didn't know!

[@iananderson8363]

I like how I come here for an informative analysis but end up belly laughing at least once. Every time! Great channel doctor!

[@TheOneWhoGnocchs]

Would you cover the murder of Sylvia Likens? It is probably the single most heart wrenching thing I’ve ever read.

[@museumghost]

the helicopter was hovering 25 feet above the ground wtf??! those poor two innocent babies…everyone involved didn’t give a f*ck about them

[@shawnnewell4541]

The only good thing was Landis' career was tanked as a result.

[@HarryBuddhaPalm]

No, it didn't. He's still working. He directed some of his biggest hits after this happened. It SHOULD'VE tanked his career but he didn't.

[@joeangell5652]

Let’s see….. Blues Brothers Three Amigos Animal House Werewolf in London Coming to America Spies Like Us Beverly Hills Cop Planet of the Apes Psycho IV……and so on. Yeah, really tanked there bud.

[@shawnnewell4541]

@@HarryBuddhaPalm Well according to Landis it did. I know he is still working but he isn't getting the projects he wanted.

[@shawnnewell4541]

@@joeangell5652 Most of those movies were before 1983 when the accident happened. Look after that date.

[@kyleboulanger170]

@@joeangell5652 In the 90s Landis's career tanked. Beverly Hills Cop 3, Blues Brothers 2000 & The Stupids were all panned by audiences & critics.

[@mattnde]

This case, and it's outcome have always made me uncomfortable. It seems morally correct for the director and producer to be responsible for what happens on set; they do, after all, take the majority of the credit if the film is a success

[@bthomson]

Notice that often CEOs get their big bonus even if the corporation is not doing well or has a major meltdown (Wells Fargo!)

[@crazycrackinchick]

Please do astroworld. The crowd psychology is one (thankfully) not seen often.

[@sherryberry3902]

There are still videos of this horrific accident on KZbin. I remember it well. John Landis should have gone to prison. “Outrageous Conduct” book by Dick Peabody details what happened on the set. There was no value put on human life, just over the top camera angles and crazy big in your face explosions. RIP Vic Morrow, My-Ca Dehn Le -and Renee Shin-Yi.

[@silverstuff182]

I’ve listened to a number of your analyses and agreed with them but this one is truly brilliant. Having worked on set in the industry during the time T. Zone was being made I can vouch for the fact that massive arrogance on the part of directors, producers and production managers was off the charts. I worked on a film that barreled on one night for over 22 hours, until I was shaking with exhaustion. I had to drive an hour and a half home. I gave the production manager my equipment and walked off. Later I found out that everyone else had dealt with it by snorting coke. It is awful but no surprise at all that nobody got convicted for this horrendously irresponsible behavior. Filmmakers are dreamers, thus they turn a blind eye to danger. Nothing will happen! I do have one important caveat though. If it was the producer or production manager’s idea to sneak the kids into the shot and pay the unsuspecting parents under the table it is very possible that Landis, the director, didn’t know anything about it. The jobs are extremely compartmentalized, the production managers are cheapskates and directors are WAY too busy to think about legalities. Shame on them. Blues Brothers was great but this disaster put Landis in the toilet, directing schlock. So much for hubris.

[@TJTurnage]

Appreciate your Interesting insights on this, thank you. I am also thankful I stayed away from the entertainment industry - or more accurately, that the entertainment industry had zero interest in me.

[@nadiazahroon6573]

Landis got off with a slap on the hand, sadly.

[@jimc6687]

Vic Morrow was spectacular on the TV show Combat! plus Blackboard Jungle!! This sad incident really did affect me. Jim C.

[@craigtalbert8248]

Dr Grande Thank you for analyzing this event I personally know the camera operator that was on board the helicopter when it crashed I know his name however I’m not gonna mention it here He sustained many injuries including a back injury that prevented him from working for a while. I belong to the same union as a camera operator he was badly shaken and has PTSD At the time we were all horrified by what happened and still are. I worked in motion pictures and television for 35 years some directors not all not all of them feel the need to capture these life and death experiences on film however film and television are not life and death they are time and dollars and cents (money) often mistakes Happen trying to save time and money and can cause these needless events. Your Analysis fits the facts I remember about this event when it happened. Thank you again for making these videos ✌️😔 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars ✨

[@emily.g.929]

I think it’s respectful that you are keeping his name to yourself. I’m sure with such bad physical injuries, the mental impact was all the more crippling. As someone with C-PTSD, I empathize with his pain, I hope he knows that he’s not at fault, but I know how hard it is to internalize sometimes. I hope he’s doing okay, a tragic incident that changed his life, I’m sure it’s hard for him.

[@craigtalbert8248]

@@emily.g.929 Thank you too for your thoughtful reply best wishes to you and everyone coupling with PTSD please know many of us care about you and do what we can in support Please take care stay safe and help one another 🙏✌️✨🤗

[@bthomson]

I like "Help one another" so simple and yet so central!🌈

[@ChristinePerez903]

Sadly Hollywood still hasn’t learn their lesson Great video Dr Grande!!!

[@bthomson]

If there is no retribution, no actual penalty then little learning takes place! Humans are very bad at remembering tragedy!.

[@2024lucky-b8z]

I saw the movie a long time ago, when it came out in Japan. At that time I did not know that horrible accident occurred but I did have the memory of the scene quite vividly. It somehow engrained in my mind. -Vic Morrow, carrying the children in both arms, trying to come out of the sea/lake shore with the helicopter just closely tilting low behind them. Some weeks later I found out about the horrible accident. A shocking moment.

[@lisanewcar4157]

This happened before I was born and I’m still not over it.

[@SplendidCoffee0]

I’ve hated this guy for a long time. His casual disregard for the lives that were lost directly because of him is disgusting. Also, Steven Spielberg sucks as well because he quietly bailed out Landis. He did publicly denounce him and quit being his friend, but he should have let the bastard drown in justice.

[@detectivefiction3701]

I always thought Steven Spielberg was a decent man (I knew nothing of his involvement with this catastrophe until recently; I'm only 43 and don't remember it). It's all too easy for us to sit behind a screen and judge him, without considering that as Landis' friend and co producer, maybe he felt he owed it to Landis--especially since he had the money to bail him out. I think he was right not to associate with Landis again after that. Maybe Spielberg even regrets his cameo in THE BLUES BROTHERS.

[@amydamjanovic9183]

Speaking as someone who used to be an actor in the film industry, I can tell you that in reality very little has changed since this incident. Despite new “rules and regulations,” if you’re a no-name actor who doesn’t have enough experience yet to join the union, you are SOL. No union or organization will do a thing for you no matter how dangerous or awful a situation on set is, and if you don’t like something, you’ll be fired in a second and replaced with someone who won’t complain. And it’s not just an isolated occurrence, it happens A LOT. Directors and producers rarely follow the rules, and get around labour laws and safety regulations by bribery or finding ways to skirt around them. The only major thing that has improved safety somewhat is that now most explosions and similar effects can just be done with CGI.

[@BrickbyBrick4U]

If only every piece of bad news in life were delivered to us by Dr.Grande...nothing would seem that bad.

[@robertdegraffenreid7309]

Love your videos Dr. Grande. I saw Twilight Zone the movie when I was kid and obviously had no idea this happened. Eddie Murphy commented on it a while ago when referencing John Landis.

[@beeimaginative]

Hubris, irresponsibility and recklessness. Question - Do dummies bleed? If picking up someone’s torso and seeing their head elsewhere does not shake you to the core, I don’t know what will.

[@eadweard.]

What has this got to do with anything?

[@kewrock]

Dr. Grande is digging deep for material. I'll watch😁.

[@bthomson]

Fertile soil!🌱🌱🌱

[@EddieG1888]

This is a subject that has interested me for a long time, so its good to see a video about it. I'm also glad to see that comparisons are being drawn between the Twilight Zone incident and the accident that happened on the set of Rust in the comments, as I made the comparison with someone on Facebook who was claiming that Alec Baldwin should be charged with murder; my point was, that if the George Folsey (the producer) and John Landis (who ordered the concealment of the child actors from the governing bodies on set, and who ordered the pilot to "get lower!" and said in the pre-shoot briefing "we may lose the helicopter" respectively) could be found innocent, and they were far more culpable than Alec Baldwin, why should he be charged with murder? Landis was Baldwin, the helicopter was the gun, and he walked out of court a free man. They couldn't quite accept that, the cognitive dissonance was too strong. In my opinion, the buck on Twilight Zone should have stopped with Landis; the director's position is to have a vision of what he wants seen on a screen, and to direct the actors, actresses and various stunt people to portray it exactly as he has pictured it. If he encourages reckless or dangerous behaviour to achieve this, and an accident occurs, it shouldn't be the fault of the people he's directing, as he tried to assert. Folsey was definitely in the wrong for having the two children hidden until filming time, but Landis would clearly have known the rules on night shoots and children, he could have halted the proceedings at any time. He was a coward for claiming otherwise. His bullying and arrogance cost the lives of three people that night. Milgram's experiment proved that a majority of people will act in a way contrary to their own beliefs if the responsibility for the outcome is taken away from them, Dorcey Wingo was acting as he was being directed to do by his boss, a man who at that time wielded a lot of power within the movie industry, and anybody who is in any kind of employment does the same. On the set of Rust, there were at least two people between that gun reaching Alec Baldwin, people that he had hired to look after those issues for him while he got on with his job, of acting. Ultimately, the armourer is in charge of the guns and making sure they're safe. And people can argue "oh, basic gun safety is to always assume a gun is loaded", but if you've been passed it by someone whose job it is to make it safe and insist that it is safe, and they and the assistant director both have insisted its safe, you're going to believe them. Hannah Gutierrez, the armourer, is ultimately responsible for that woman's death.

[@katlakolikoko4210]

I've been waiting for this one!

[@Hollis_has_questions]

Good analysis. I remember it well. The movie being filmed was also a terrible movie. Too bad for Vic Morrow, because fame came to him through a kind of helicopter accident he could never have imagined. John Landis attending the funerals seems like something his agent would have strongly advised. ETA: I read many of the comments, then googled Landis. If people had integrity, by rights no one would work for or employ Landis again. But he’s a proven moneymaker, and that’s the way, uh-huh uh-huh, they like it.

[@JannaWillard]

Vic Morrow was no stranger to stunts, explosions, etc.; he played the Sergeant on Combat! for nearly a decade. It may be that he didn't think anything would really happen due to his past experiences.

[@ladymopar2024]

Look into the accidents that happened on the set of the Lone Ranger my friend did the train and scenes and he and his crew walked off because of the actions of are producers trying to cut corners and they did not feel safe and sure enough somebody lost their life

[@amynoland9162]

Love Dr. Grande’s deadpan humor - no pun intended!! 🤣

[@denisewhitaker5116]

I agree with your movie review. More importantly, I agree that the three men are indeed guilty by negligence for the two children's lives. I want to find out if they paid for that in any way over the years. Thxo

[@cytfmm9238]

Can you please analyse what happened at the Astroworld Festival over the weekend?

[@ETtheOG]

Truly one of the most shocking examples of "stunt gone wrong" in the movie industry. Learned a few things about this story i didn't know about, didn't this Twilight Zone movie also result in the end of the Outer Limits show? And is this director really the same as the one for Coming to America; Truly one of Eddie Murphy's best movies.

[@rayross997]

Please cover the Circleville Letters Case? Have a great week everyone.

[@RebelTheUncanny1]

Nice one.

[@thecassandraeffectvsperilo6754]

I haven't watched this movie in over 20yrs BUT decided to watch it THIS Halloween..I had ZERO idea any of this happened!! It makes that story all the more eeiry..especially considering the premise of the ending..he was "pretend" begging for his life, not knowing the end of his life would come more swiftly than the "pretend" death's of the people on that train..and here I stumble across your video on a film, I haven't watched in decades, breaking down the story that I've had dreams about for over 2weeks..that's even more spooky..Krazy stuff Doc 😳

[@LawnMowerFan]

I was positive your next upload would be on the Astroworld concert tragedy, maybe we’re in store for a two video Sunday :)

[@mollymollie6048]

I remember this happening when I was a kid (before 24 hour news, so would hear about it periodically, and thought it was awful.) I like that you divide between criminal level of guilt, and actual guilt, I agree with your opinion. This is such a tragedy, should not have ever happened, and those poor children. Also, correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the Director the person ultimately in charge of the set? I would think that may have held Landis to a higher level of responsibility. The arrogance is such a charming additional factor…

[@wretch1]

How on earth Landis got away with this is beyond me. On top of that, he showed no respect for the dead, only pity for himself. Even if he didn't directly cause the accident, he was ultimately responsible for the children being there in the first place. The children weren't even licensed and multiple employment violations were committed.

[@yesiamsharon]

Absolutely superb wrap up comments on this one!! Also, I really appreciate how you pointed out that industrial accidents tend to be from a series of things going wrong and not a single cause. The Charlie Morecraft story is such an excellent illustration of this.

[@gatewaytothecrossedover-ta9489]

Thank you for posting.

[@nickkausch1107]

Speilberg was apparently disgusted by Landis after this incident. Cut off all ties.