Culture news This cult sci-fi film by James Cameron was a nightmare on set: it has become a timeless classic!
The filming of this Cameron film, released in 1989 and starring Ed Harris, could really have turned into a tragedy.
Under the ocean
At the very end of the 1980s, James Cameron left his mark on the world of cinema with the release of his film The Abyss. The director’s work received a warm reception, and critics recognized an oppressive closed session. The film tells the story of a group of people finding themselves on an underwater platform. Their existence is turned upside down by the discovery of a new form of life. For filming purposes, James Cameron took his teams to an abandoned nuclear power plant in rural Gaffney, South Carolina. And unfortunately for him, everything didn’t go as planned..
Not a long quiet river
The site Collider returned to a major event that could have been dramatic, during the filming of The Abyss. The director came close to death while trying to take shots for his film. He actually descended to a depth of 35 feet with nearly 20 kg attached to his body, without a safety diver, in order to capture beautiful images. Only then, he noticed, underwater, that his pressure gauge indicated “zero”, meaning that he simply had no more oxygen. Weighted to the ground and not wearing fins, Cameron sees death coming. Around him, technicians are present, but no one pays attention to the director. He tries to warn Al Giddings, director of underwater photography, but the latter has become deaf due to a diving accident where he blew out both eardrums. When it doesn’t want, it doesn’t want!
Convinced that no one understands what is happening, Cameron drops his diving gear and rushes to the surface. On his way home, he is stopped by a member of security who inserts a respirator into the director’s mouth, thinking he is helping him.. The problem is that water comes out, not air! On the verge of suffocation, Cameron draws on his remaining strength, struggles, and finally manages to return to the surface. “It allowed me to survive” he declares. The site’s article also discusses the fact that Ed Harris also almost drowned during an exercise.
Pre-order The Abyss (4K) on Amazon
More beautiful than ever
Confirmed during the Beyond Fest organized in Los Angeles last year, the 4K version The Abyss will arrive on April 24, 2024 in our regions. The good news is that James Cameron personally supervised the frame-by-frame restoration and UHD transfer of The Abyss for a result that we are promised will be spectacular, whether for the eyes (Dolby Vision HDR) or the ears (thanks to its Dolby Atmos mastering).
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