12 Movie Productions That Bent The Rules (Or Completely Obliterated Them)

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12 Movie Productions That Bent The Rules (Or Completely Obliterated Them)

Warner Bros. Pictures, Columbia Pictures

Something about making a movie has filmmakers thinking they’re above the law. Their vision trumps all, and they can end up doing some questionable shit to get the shot. Maybe the pressure to produce a high quality product in a timely fashion gets the better of them, and the thought of spending millions of someone else’s dollars causes some pretty in-the-moment, downright illegal decision making. Our anxiety is through the roof just thinking about it, but come on guys, let’s not endanger (or even lose) lives in the process. 

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We can glorify old Hollywood all we want. The golden age of filmmaking if you will. But looking back at the savagery involved, we can definitely see why unions, regulations, and permits had to be enforced. You filmmakers might think that what you do is the most important thing on the planet, but at the end of the day, you’re pointing a camera at grown ass people playing make believe. So calm down and act right. Here are 12 movie productions that bent and/or completely broke the law. 

Don’t waste money on that fog machine, fellas.

Illegal filmmaking CS13-186 The Terminator filmed without a permit and poisoned the crew. They didn't pay for permits, and snuck a lot of shots on L.A. streets. Worse, they didn't stop filming when pesticides were sprayed over the city, so the fog washing over the cast and crew was incredibly toxic. CRACKED

MGM

Screen Rant

Artists don’t care if we use their work, right?

Illegal filmmaking The Hangover 2 stole an artist S design. When Ed Helms' character gets Mike Tyson's exact face tattoo, they didn't ask artist S. Victor Whitmill for permission to use his original design. Не sued the production, and instead of digitally altering his face in post, they settled out of court. CRACKED

Warner Bros. Pictures

The Hollywood Reporter

Copy & Paste, movie style.

Illegal filmmaking Cruel Jaws has nothing to do with Jaws. They marketed this 1995 movie as Jaws 5, but it actually has zero connection to the franchise. Worse, they stole shots from previous films, and plunked in the main theme music of Star Wars without securing the rights. CRACKED

Europe Communications S.R.L.

Screen Rant

You want realism? I’ll show you realism!

Illegal filmmaking Danny Dyer took actual drugs for Human Traffic For the 1999 movie, the British actor later admitted he was high out of his mind for the entire shoot. It was six weeks of debauchery. It's weird for me to watch it now. That's me out of my nut on screen! CRACKED

Irish Screen, Fruit Salad Films

WhatCulture

Unions exist for a reason, people.

Illegal filmmaking Extras died in 1928's Noah's Ark. For the flood, cameraman Hal Mohr quit when director Michael Curtiz rolled his eyes at his safety concerns. Three extras died, another lost a limb, and a dozen suffered serious injuries, but Curtiz somehow escaped any legal repercussions. CRACKED

Warner Bros. Pictures

Grunge

The film itself is illegal. Sorry, we know it’s “not a film,” but you know…

Illegal filmmaking This Is Not a Film was an illegal production. Banned from filming movies in Iran for 20 years, they filmed it secretly as a protest against the Iranian government's sentencing of director Jafar Panahi to six years of prison. They smuggled the film from Iran to Cannes on a USB drive hidden inside a birthday cake. CRACKED

Jafar Panahi Film Productions

The Guardian

Like Mike Tyson, ‘Escape From Tomorrow’ is going to Disneyland.

Illegal filmmaking Escape From Tomorrow illegally shot at Disneyland. In 2013, they shot several scenes in Disneyland without permission. The actors pretended to be tourists, the cameras were smuggled in, and the editing was done in South Korea. Disney avoided controversy by deciding not to sue. CRACKED

Mankurt Media

The Verge

Man, Hitchcock was a complete psycho.

Illegal filmmaking Alfred Hitchcock terrorized actors and birds] on The Birds. Hitchcock pelted actress Tippi Hedren with live birds (injuring and killing the birds), and force-fed whisky to seagulls to get them to stay still for longer. Hedren was hospitalized, and he ruined her career when she refused his sexual advances. CRACKED

Universal Pictures

People

What did you expect from a college party movie with John Belushi?

Illegal filmmaking Piano thievery on Be National Lampoon's Animal House. The production brought the Delta Tau brothers up to the University of Oregon five days before shooting to bond. They hit up a real frat party that involved hard drugs and a massive brawl, and they stole a piano. CRACKED

Universal Pictures

Looper

The now-iconic ’Alien 3’ scene wouldn’t have happened legally.

Illegal filmmaking David Fincher took matters into his own hands on Alien 3. Producers thought the drooling Xenormorph was too much, so Fincher took a rogue crew, stole an alien costume, and took Sigourney Weaver to another location (without a permit) to shoot the scene against their wishes. CRACKED

20th Century Studios

Daily Hind News

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