According to one of the most famous urban legends in Hollywood history, when the first famous movie was released, panic ensued. Arrival of the train at Gare de la Ciotat belonging The Lumiere Brotherswas shown in Paris on January 25, 1896, to a group of astonished spectators. The vast majority reportedly erupted in screams of horror as the locomotive in the footage appeared to be approaching them at full speed. The audience is said to have thrown down their chairs and fled in terror. This was despite the fact that the Lumières had serious doubts about whether the invention would be successful in the future.
Only none of this is true. In fact, the presentation generated only lukewarm interest, and according to contemporary accounts, the audience seemed more interested in trying to understand the trick of the moving image than in enjoying it. In fact, there was polite disbelief, and most of those present doubted the future success of cinema. A view that persisted for nearly a decade was that in fact, it became an element against the invention.
It may seem like a curiosity, but the above only shows that many urban legends in Hollywood are a mixture of fantasy and exaggeration. And while in the case of the eventful first screening of the Lumières it is nothing more than an anecdote, in other cases they are distortions of facts and major events. Like those we will tell you about below. From the death of a beloved actor to a hoax that has accompanied horror films for decades. All to demonstrate the extent to which fiction combines and reality in the Mecca of cinema can be a difficult way to understand its history.
The Death of Bruce Lee
On July 20, 1973, the famous actor, known for his martial arts skills, apparently died suddenly. While it was unclear what caused his illness, the actor fell into a coma at the home of translator Betty Ting Pei. And this was after the latter gave him a painkiller. Ekwagsikcompletely harmless. But the truth was that the drug had caused Lee to have a violent reaction, culminating in acceleration of nervous symptoms and swelling. Eventually the actor died without ever waking up.
All sorts of theories about his death immediately arose. Some suggested that he had gradually poisoned himself with a combination of herbs. This would explain why Bruce Lee was so ill in the last months of his life He had strange and even paranoid behavior.
In fact, this version also seemed to explain why both producer Raymond Chow and Betty Ting Pei lied about the conditions in which Lee was found unconscious. Were they both part of a conspiracy? Did the Chinese Mafia extend its long and dangerous tentacles through them to Bruce Lee? What was far more unique and disturbing was that no one could explain the rumors of threats and violence that Lee allegedly faced in the weeks before his death. A hidden enemy who eventually triumphed by killing him?
What really happened
In reality, what happened was much simpler and perhaps therefore more tragic. As several medical publications report, the death and autopsy data are publicly available. For those who know what caused the final shock What ended up killing him was an allergic reaction.
The actor suffered from cerebral edema due to hypersensitivity to the active ingredients of the drug Equagesic. Among them, Tospirina and meprobamate. Which caused an immediate reaction – severe cerebral edema, which increased the brain mass to 1575 g. compared to the usual 1400g.
Poltergeist Bones (Strange Phenomena)
June 4, 1982 Poltergeist (Strange Phenomena) Tobe Hooper was released and wowed horror fans. Not only for cleverly updating the haunted house image for a new generation of fans. Also, thanks to the practical use of special effects that managed to surprise Take the realm of the supernatural to an uncharted level of realism.
Featuring one of the creepiest scenes in horror cinema, Diane Freeling (JoBeth Williams) can be seen floating in her family’s pool surrounded by eerily realistic-looking skeletons. This has led to claims over the years that these are the remains of a real cemetery that producers used to cut costs during filming. Several skeletons and various human bones can be seen around the actress in the scene. They all have a worn appearance that seems to suggest that they have just emerged from the grave.
What really happened
As curious and creepy as it may seem, there is some truth to this rumor. While these are not skeletons dug up from a grave, they are real. In fact, they were purchased from a medical supply company, which in turn, He acquired them as material for biological research in India.
According to special effects director Craig Reardon, they were used, not classified as real, and were returned after the scene was completed. The scary fact? Actress JoBeth Williams didn’t know they were real human remains until production is completed.
The Ghost in Three Men and a Baby
In 1987, this film directed by Leonard Nimoy (yes, Mr. Spock) was a smash hit at the box office, grossing more than $100 million in its first two weekends. The story of three lonely men who are forced to take care of one of their own daughters was captivating. But it was also the center of one of the strangest urban legends of the 1980s. The most curious? It was actually based on a scene from a movie.
Namely, about the second part of the story – about an hour after it began – in one of the scenes you could see a small room. In it, the figure of a ghostly child appeared between two curtains, and then, when the camera returned for a second inspection of the place, the image had already disappeared. When the film was released on VHS in 1990 in honor of its sequel. Three men and a little ladyThe image caused a stir. In addition, all sorts of rumors were circulating about the child. deceased and even a young teenager prone to suicide.
What really happened
Finally, with the premiere Three men and a little ladyall became clear. Touchstone Pictures explained that the image depicted a cardboard cutout of Ted Danson, one of the main characters, who was played by an actor. For the occasion, a sequence was filmed in which the character starred in a cat food commercial, which was ultimately not included in the final version. But a set of sequences was made available for reuse. something that was made as part of the props for the bachelor pad at the center of the story.
Fun fact? Since the explanation was published, many occultists and conspiracy theorists have tried to demonstrate that Disney is trying to hide the truth. Namely, that the mysterious boy is actually a ghost and that, However, it is one of the unsolved mysteries of Hollywood.
The killer lion from the MGM logo
There isn’t a movie fan who doesn’t recognize this image: a golden arch with a roaring lion inside. The truth is, the MGM lion is one of the most iconic logos in cinema. One that has a very strange urban legend behind it. One that claims that the huge animal killed at least two people before the historic coup. This made it part of the seventh art.
According to some sources, Alfred Hitchcock was asked to shoot a scene in which the camera would shoot an animal in extreme close-up. So MGM asked the Los Angeles Zoo for the largest and most ferocious lion in its population. The British director then tried to shoot the scene on one of the studio’s sets. And to avoid being disturbed, he did it at night, which limited the crew to two cameramen. the director and lighting manager himself.
Then the unthinkable happened, as urban legend has it. Two thieves who had been planning to break into the studio for months did so that night, and on a set used by a restricted clique. What happened next was inevitable. Neither the director nor the animal’s trainer could stop it before it leapt on the thieves and killed them with a roar. When it finally did, Alfred Hitchcock simply asked that the bodies be removed and that shooting continue.
What really happened
It’s not really clear where the rumors are coming from, although one thing is clear: it’s more of a sinister fantasy than anything else. Not only has the British director never been involved in anything like that, but the entire rumor is false. even when it comes to a lion.
The short episode is usually filmed in a zoo and lasts four or five days. This avoids stress for the animal and, of course, attacks on any of the crew. Fun fact: so far, there have been seven lions in the image? MGM and even one (which was the symbol of the historic studio from 1924-1928) that never roared.
Paul McCartney is dead
One of the most delusional theories in the world of entertainment and entertainment in general claims that Paul McCartney dead. Not only that, he died before John Lennon, and was replaced by a double. Which also made the whole huge and the powerful machine behind the singers ensures that no one will notice what happened.
It is rumored to have first appeared in a newspaper in 1969. Times-DelphicMcCartney died in a car crash, so Billy Shears was hired to replace him. The band reportedly accepted the situation in order to maintain their success and because of the debts they all had. So, the “secret contract” This forced them to take all necessary risks to avoid detection.
What really happened
As the same newspaper that published the rumor explained, it was all a joke, designed to test the credulity of the culture. Of course, they could never have suspected that it would get out of hand and reach the level of a conspiracy theory. Which almost accidentally led them to try – in the strangest way –the premise that the text attempted to explore in the first place.
Source: Hiper Textual
