ALL SCI-FI

[Bogmeister]

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The inaugural directorial effort for James Cameron (Terminator) and sequel to the '78 Piranha film, though this doesn't have any of the characters from the 1st film and it also changes the setting, as well as the premise. It takes place somewhere in the Caribbean.

The first victims are a young couple who decide to have sex underwater at night. The main character (Tricia O'Neil) works for a hotel, taking tourists out on the ocean for some scuba-diving. She has a son and is estranged from her husband (Lance Henriksen, the only well-known actor in the cast), the local top cop who usually gets around in a speedboat.

She is courted by a newcomer who it's later revealed knows about these deadly fish. It's another of those biochemical experiments — these are the results of combining various fish properties — and now we have flying piranha! The final act revolves around another trope — the rich greedy bastard who won't listen to the warnings, which results in many guests getting attacked.

The film is something of a chore to sit through, but it's not the worst in the genre. The most effective scene takes place in a morgue because there's genuine unexpected scares and gore. But for the most part the small budget probably placed many constraints on Cameron, who went on to much more entertaining fare.

I expected, for example, much more carnage in that big attack scene near the end, but it seems like only a few people get chewed up. The flying fish FX aren't too bad. Only after watching this recently did I realize that Cameron got a chance to indulge in some underwater filming for this movie, something he was known to favor ever since his big epic The Abyss 8 years later.

Star Trek actor alert: O'Neil guest-starred in the famous TNG episode Yesterday's Enterprise as the rare (for that time) female ship's captain; much of the film was actually directed by the producer Ovidio Assonitis, which may explain its different style from the later Cameron films; Cameron was also ill with a high fever during post production, at which point he dreamed of the metal endoskeleton rising from the flames, an image from the eventual next project, The Terminator (1984).

BoG's Score: 3 out of 10



BoG
Galaxy Overlord Galactus

[Bud Brewster]

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Flying piranha!

Damn, why didn't I think of that?

Netflix doesn't have this one either. I'm beginning to wonder why those guys don't have so many of the movies I'd like to see! But at least I can watch the trailer.
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____________ Piranha II: The Spawning (1981)


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

______ Piranha II The Spawning 1981 full movie


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IMDB has several interesting trivia items for this production.
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~ In an interview, James Cameron said this movie gets better halfway through when seen at the drive-in with a six pack of beer.

Note from me: I wonder if Cameron's comment is based on first hand knowledge. Probably not . . .

~ James Cameron had come to Rome to see the film's post-production, but he had spent his entire advance salary on the plane ticket. With no money for food, he just snatched leftovers and rolls from dinner trays in his hotel. Due to the exhaustion and malnutrition, he grew ill with fever, and had a nightmare about a metallic torso emerging from an explosion, and dragging itself over the floor with kitchen knives, which gave him the idea for The Terminator (1984).

Note from me: On second thought, maybe Mr. Cameron DID see this at a drive-in . . . with plenty of beer!

~ Although this is the first official directing credit for James Cameron, most of the work was actually performed by Ovidio G. Assonitis, the film's producer and prolific film-maker.

Assonitis had made a deal with a small label at Warner Bros. for a budget of $500,000 to produce the movie, provided that an American was credited as director. After considering Miller Drake as director but finding him unsuitable, he gave the job to Cameron after being impressed by his special effects on Galaxy of Terror (1981); but what he really wanted was a first-timer who he could easily side-step in order to take over as director, something he had already done on Beyond the Door (1974) and Madhouse (1981).

According to "Dreaming Aloud," a biography of James Cameron by Christopher Heard, and "The Futurist" by Rebecca Keegan, Cameron worked on the film's special effects, re-wrote the script, created storyboards, did location scouting and actually filmed for four days.

However, Assonitis called most of the shots, continuously questioned Cameron's decisions, did not allow him to watch his own footage, and finally fired him on the fifth day of shooting, reportedly because Cameron's footage wouldn't cut together.

Later, Cameron was able to convince Assonitis to show him a rough cut of the film — which was horrible, but not because there was anything wrong with his footage. Assonitis had simply manipulated the situation to re-write half the movie (adding nudity that wasn't in the script originally).

Cameron then broke into the editing room every night for weeks, and cut his own version. Unfortunately, Assonitis found out and re-cut it again! The most widely distributed version of the film that is available on DVD is Assonitis' version, although Cameron was later allowed to create a director's cut that saw a limited release in some markets.

Note from me: Holy mackerel! I love this story! It would make a great documentary about the history of this movie.

~ James Cameron reused the flying piranha effects in Aliens (1986) for the face-huggers.

Note from me: I don't get this one. How does a face hugger look like flying piranha?

~ In an interview, James Cameron jokingly said, "I believe 'The Spawning' was the finest flying piranha movie ever made."

Note from me: Dubious distinction indeed. Now matter how badly Ovidio G. Assonitis screw it up, it's still best 'cause it's got no competition.

~ James Cameron's name remained on the picture despite being fired, as the film was contractually obliged to have an American name cited as director. Cameron considered suing the production to have his name removed, but he couldn't come up with the money for a lawsuit, as he was sleeping on a friend's couch at the time.

Note from me: Wow, it's hard to imagine James Cameron being dirt poor!

~ Director James Cameron arrived in Jamaica to join his crew in pre-production, one week before shooting was supposed to start. He was dismayed to find out that they had not yet secured a single shooting location, or even finished a complete set.

Cameron immediately grabbed the production cash wallet and a Polaroid camera, and offered the first person that he saw with a car some money to drive him around the island. Cameron scouted the filming locations himself, paid for them in cash and secured every deal through hand-written contracts.

Note from me: I was already impressed by Cameron's awesome talent, but this gives me a new respect for his determination and ingenuity!

The stories about this crazy production just get better and better — like this next one.

~ According to Lance Henriksen, making this movie was the most trying time in his life production-wise.

The film's European producer Ovidio G. Assonitis wanted to spend only 300,000 dollars on the film (even though he had made a deal for 500,000), which meant that they had to cut cost wherever they could. The original director of the film was Miller Drake, who had started his career in Roger Corman movies, but disagreements over the script caused him to be fired.

Production was a mess, with replacement director James Cameron, who had been working as special effects supervisor for Corman, having to make a number of the flying piranha rubber models himself.

Henriksen was told that they couldn't afford a uniform for his character and that he should play the role in his own plain clothes — to which Henriksen objected, insisting that a harbor patrolman couldn't do his job without a uniform as if he's some plain clothes undercover cop!

The situation was resolved when Henriksen noticed a sharply dressed waiter the same size as him, and asked him to sell his uniform for 75 bucks of his own money. He also had to use whale-shaped pins as his police badge and epaulets that showed his rank. Additionally, Henriksen had to carve the wooden gun in his holster by himself.

Note from me: "Officer, what kind of sidearm do you carry?

"Pine . . ."
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)