MovieChat Forums > Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) Discussion > Substance use on the Morrow set

Substance use on the Morrow set

posted 16 years ago by PiercedDiva
6 replies | jump to latest

According to both books I read about the Twilight Zone deaths which were called Special Effects and Outrageous Conduct,There were many accounts that Landis was high on Cocaine and Vic Morrow pointed out the appearance of Landis's pupils and how they made him nervous because he then knew that Landis was high also thre was beer cans found in the helicopter which meant Dorcey Wingo was most likely buzzed also. I am in no way saying this excuses the deaths I think it makes it even more tragic...John Landis is very egotistical and power tripped in a straight mind and it makes him all the more sickening imagining him on Cocaine!!

Everyone is entitled to MY opinion

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] Squonkamatic 16 years ago

Half empty vodka bottles were also found in the special effects truck. Nothing mellows out the rush of a hit of potent cocaine like a couple shots of vodka, and since it doesn't have much of a smell and mixes with anything it and gin are the preferred choices for substance abusers who wish to keep their drinking secret. I read those books too and am convinced that while not quite at frat party levels there was a lot of drinking and drug use going on at the shoot and that it probably played a role in how the tragedy unfolded.

The real problem was that Vic Morrow and the two children were placed in harms way to begin with. Eliminate the helicopter hovering overhead with pyrotechnic fireballs going off too close and you would have averted the whole accident. Shouldn't have taken a rocket scientist, even a stoned & half drunk one, to realize what they were staging was foolishly dangerous.

[–] ZeoRangerFive 16 years ago

John Landis is such a douchebag. I *beep* hate him so much. Not just because of this, but because he IS egotistical because he made a few "classic" films. What drives me nuts is that he has been chosen as one of the "Masters of Horror" for the Showtime series. Why? Because he made "An American Werewolf in London"? That makes him a MASTER of Horror? He should have been arrested and put in jail for life after this incident. A few years back I actually saw that E! had made a True Hollywood Story about the incident and court case. I'd love to see that again, since I don't remember much about it.

Oh, yeah, and he has no reason to be egotistical anymore since the last theatrical film he made was Blues Brothers 2000.

Lets put a SMILE on that face!

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] Martialhorror 13 years ago

You guys say you read Outrageous Conduct, but you forgot the part where the (often biased) writers seemed to acknowledge that its unlikely Landis allowed drugs on the set?

While Landis was pretty crazy, he actually detested drugs. When he got enough power (After "Animal House"), he confronted Belushi about it during "The Blues Brothers". For all of everyones muckups on the set, just about everyone agrees that there probably wasnt any drugs...especially with Landis.

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[–] pablo-taylor 12 years ago

If the reckless staging of the helicopter sequence was the work of someone stone-cold sober, it makes the whole event that bit more unforgivable IMO; as someone who had personally worked as a stuntman and had experience of making his own stunt-heavy films, he should have known better, instead he was just just interested in getting his 'money shot' at the cheapest cost possible and as a result three people paid the greatest price of all.

I'm generally a very forgiving, non-judgemental person and I love Landis's earlier work and to this day find him a fascinating man to listen to but his complete lack remorse and the lengths some people go to in order to defend him sickens me.