Twilight Zone: The Movie is a title that will eternally remain shrouded in cinematic notoriety.
Based on the television programme of the same name and co-helmed bySteven Spielberg, John Landis, George Miller and Joe Dante, the production was to feature a sequence where Bill Connor, portrayed by Vic Morrow, saved two youngsters from an American helicopter.
However, catastrophe occurred during shooting, claiming all three lives in harrowing circumstances.
The tragedy unfolded at 2:20am on July 23, 1982. Filming at Indian Dunes, California, Morrow, 53, was supposed to carry child performers Myca Dinh Le, seven, and Renee Shin-Yi Chen, six, to safety from a low-flying helicopter, piloted by Vietnam veteran Dorcey Wingo.
John Landis, who was directing the scene, purportedly instructed Wingo to fly closer to the ground than he was comfortable with,reports the Mirror.
While the pursuit was being captured on camera, a scheduled pyrotechnic was detonated to simulate a mortar bomb. Nevertheless, the explosive ignited before the helicopter had sufficient time to manoeuvre clear of it.
Fragments from the special effects mortar hit the helicopter's tail rotor, causing the aircraft to spiral out of control.
As the 2,500 kilogramme helicopter plummeted to earth, its 15 metre long rotor blades sliced through Morrow's and Le's neck, decapitating them both.
Chen, who was avoided by the rotors, was instead hit by the fuselage of the aircraft and was crushed and killed beneath its enormous weight. The parents of both children had been present on set during filming and witnessed their children's deaths.
None of them had been told a helicopter or explosives would feature in the scene.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
