Movies uplifted the nation during the Great Depression and World War II. And they're not so bad when we want to relax on a Tuesday night, either! While we chill out, unwind, and forget our troubles, we do sometimes wonder how those Hollywood folks actually make it all so real. What's going on behind the scenes, and off the screens? We demand answers, people!
Escape From Reality
Comedies, dramas, fantasies, action films, and horror alike now use special effects and CGI.
And in the emerging era of deepfakes, things are going to get pretty interesting in the near future! Let's find out a few trade secrets in the here and now before things get too crazy out there!
See eye-opening behind-the-scenes photos of recent films:
Design Drama
For Maleficent 2, Angelina Jolie said her intention was to be a “Film Noir Goddess” in terms of costume. But it turns out there were a few little fashion critics on set. And by little, we mean her kids!
Apparently, the original movie set was full of terrified child actors who didn't like her costume at all. This included her own kids! For the sequel, they offered her lots of suggestions for an outfit update. And she did take some of them, it turns out!
Jokin' Around
Joker is breaking the bank right now, and the box office is pretty happy about it! The fans of this film seem to be super-fans, and many want to know more about Joaquin Phoenix’s acting process in the movie. Were all those crazy little quirks pre-planned by the writers, or was it all genius improv?
As it turns out, a lot of the results were organic:
“While some scenes were very planned out, like when he’s in the phonebooth or walking up the stairs, others had no plan at all...When he climbed in the refrigerator, we had no idea he was going to do that. We set up two camera positions, and Joaquin just thought about what he would do if he was a massive insomniac. Again, we lit it so he could go anywhere, and the first and only time he did it, we were mesmerized. I remember thinking, ‘What is he doing? Did he just crawl in the fridge?’ It was as fun and weird for us to watch it, too.”
Unreal stuff, Joaquin!
Chill Bill
Uma Thurman played Quentin Tarantino's vengeful bride in Kill Bill who wanted to destroy everyone she felt betrayed her. She had one heck of a long list of people to exact her revenge on.
They were all fellow assassins and one, in particular, was O-Ren Ishi, the deadly leader of the Crazy 88, played by Lucy Liu.
Time To Kill Bill
When the cameras were rolling, these two actors were the worst of enemies.
When the cameras stopped rolling, behind the scenes, they were the best of buddies.
Honey, I Shrunk The DeLorean!
This DeLorean prop vehicle was used to travel back to the future in the blockbuster Back to the Future.
The fact is, this car was actually created in 1975 which was 10 years before the movie. Thanks to the movie, this became the most famous car anywhere!
Back To The Future
This scene is fabulous, it's showing a really teeny version of the DeLorean and a model train.
They were set up to portray the scene where the actors try to escape from the train.
Let Them Listen To iTunes
Marie Antoinette was the queen of France before the French Revolution and portrayed by Kirsten Dunst.
Antoinette's most remembered statement ever was “Let them eat cake” when she learned that people were starving. What a piece of work and without a doubt, not the brightest bulb on the tree!
Queen Kirsten
Although she was the queen in the movie Marie Antoinette, Dunst was draped in exquisite gowns and surrounded in amazing sets but this picture shows the actress listening to iTunes on her Mac.
Just goes to show that being a queen is not everything it's cracked up to be and a little R&R was in order.
Being Agent Smith
Just about everyone remembers the iconic movie Matrix where Neo realizes that the world he lives in is actually dominated by machines.
That starts a wild and crazy action-packed ride!
Who's Face Is It Anyway?
Probably the most essential character in the film is Hugo Weaving who is an agent that can duplicate himself in order to take over other agents.
This picture shows how detailed the process was to reproduce the exact real looking masks. That's like really super cool!
One, Two, Freddy’s Coming For You
Those who love horror films, there are very few quite as frightening as the 80s Halloween with Freddy Kruger. If you missed out on this experience, you must find this film and watch it!
For those who have never seen it, the story is based on this very, very scary guy with burned skin who haunts kids and adults alike, in their dreams, and then murders them in the most gruesome way! Freddie is without a doubt what true nightmares are made of!
Best Friend Freddy
Now that you know about Freddy, played by Robert Englund, take a look at this picture!
Obviously, the entire cast just absolutely loved Robert. Everyone is right there to give this guy a lot of love while he was still in his costume!
A Magical Time
Anyone who has entered the world of Harry Potter knows that Dumbledore represents good while Lord Voldemort represents evil.
These two characters could not possibly be more opposite throughout all the films.
Get Away! He's A Bad Man!
This is a great shot of the two brilliant actors Michael Gambon and Ralph Fiennes having a great conversation.
The photo doesn't exactly make you want to scream and yell – Get Away! Seeing how the two came together is not only delightful but magical!
Legs For Miles
The Godzilla franchise has been one of the longest series of films coming in with an amazing 33 films! Godzilla was originally launched back in 1954 featuring this prehistoric monster who stomps around and destroys all buildings in his quake.
Fans of the original cult film know all too well that back in 1954, they did not have the special effects that audiences enjoy today.
The Real Godzilla
This is a really funny photo of Haruo Nakajima who was one of the two actors who played Godzilla.
As you can see, he is wearing his Godzilla legs and then walking around a really tiny set. It kind of removes the notion of a big scary monster who's out to get you!
Not Such A Huge Marshmallow
Talking about super popular franchises, everyone really adorned Ghostbusters!
Who doesn't remember the enormous Marshmallow Man walking around the streets of New York or that Marshmallow Man was possessed by the Sumerian god named Gozer?
Don't Think About Anything
This film was another before technology film so you can see how they actually filmed this really great scene.
Marshmallow Man here was surrounded by toy cars on a really, really tiny-scaled set!
Ancient Bromance
The 1959 mega film Ben-Hur starred Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd. Their characters were childhood friends who chose two different paths in their beliefs that eventually led to them becoming enemies.
Probably the most famous and engaging scene in the film is the chariot race with Judah Ben-Hur and Messala. This scene is considered a classic example of an excellent action film know-how!
Modern Ben-Hur
I think pretty much off the screen these two mega actors did not pick up chariot racing in an event to wipe each other out!
It just goes to show the depth of the actors' abilities to play their characters who are polar opposites off screen.
Less Thrilling
As we are on a roll with famous franchises, let's not overlook the blockbuster films, Jurassic Park! As time has moved on, these films have continually improved thanks to technology and special effects. In no way does any of this take away from the original masterpiece!
The most recent film featured wonderful performances by Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard! All said and done, the obvious box office draw has always been the dinosaurs!
Dino-Trick
From the time of the first Jurassic Park til now, there is no doubt why we are really lucky these big guys no longer walk the earth! Scenes like these huge creatures approaching their next human victim will make your blood run cold!
Now, take a look at the behind-the-scenes actions! It definitely takes away a good deal of the terror! If interested, you can also read up on how the artists and consulting experts on dinosaurs were able to recreate these amazing creatures.
"Come Play With Us, Danny"
Who doesn't remember Stephen King's 1989 film The Shining? The Shining was based on his number one bestseller which also introduced the creepy twins who want poor Danny to come and play with them, like forever and ever!
The scene takes place in the hotel hallways and is remembered by all!
Are You Scared Now?
For some reason, little kids in horror films seem to be the creepiest of all characters.
But once the cameras stopped rolling, these two adorable twins charmed and won the hearts of everyone from the cast to crew backstage.
Batman And Bane Having A Laugh
Maybe in the real world, British actor Tom Hardy might just be a complete heart-throb, but in Dark Knight Rises, his character is anything but appealing!
As Bane, in the third film of the Dark Knight Batman trilogy, he is one very creepy villain with his spooky mask and insidious voice. This is one really disturbing character!
Last Smile
Even though the characters Batman and Bane are arch enemies in the film, this shot shows that Christian Bale and Tom Hardy are having a really good time between shoots!
Hopefully, Hardy returned to his normal voice or if he didn't, maybe that brought on the laughter!
It Needs Makeup
Meanwhile, back to our favorite horror author Stephen King. With his 1986 novel “It” and creepy character Pennywise, he managed to turn clowns into the scariest creatures in horror movie history!
The character Pennywise was first portrayed by Tim Curry in the 1990 television adaptation and then portrayed by Bill Skarsgard in the 2017 film version. Don't know about you, but Curry has always been excellent at playing really creepy guys!
Have A Balloon?
Both portrayals of this creepy clown have very unique qualities but without makeup, they'd never cut the mustard.
So these guys needed constant re-touching of their makeup. Well, check this out, how scary can a clown be when his nose was being painted red?
All Aboard The Hobbit Ride
I don't know anyone who doesn't love the hobbits from the Lord of the Rings franchise.
These guys had the difficult duty to destroy the ring that was the core of all their problems. An easy task it was never going to be!
Shortcut To Mordor
I'm sure there must have been easier ways to get to Mount Doom, maybe by helicopter as shown in this picture.
Well, what would we have done if we couldn't enjoy every second of this 10-hour plus film saga? Go Hobbits!
The Fun Side Of Michael Myers
I don't know anyone who had an easy time falling asleep after watching the horror film Halloween with Michael Myers! Myers was a truly frightening character who stalked babysitters and leaving all audiences on the edge of their seats.
That said, take a look behind the scenes and some of that magic will disappear.
Scared Mask
This confirms that even evil murderers need food and sustenance!
Seeing Myers enjoying a Dr. Pepper in his spare time does sort of kill the mood!
Not Guarding The Galaxy
Guardian of the Galaxy is the MCU film that developed an enormous following with great reactions, hysterical dialog, awesome 80's soundtrack, and without a doubt an amazing cast!
That said, when the cast is not saving the galaxy, they are entertaining themselves in many different ways.
A Family Rest
Clearly, Kurt Russel who portrayed Ego is in dire need of a really good nap!
Also, aliens, super-heroes, and half-gods are extremely addictive to audiences!
Rejecting The Jetsons
Ad Astra is getting absolutely rave reviews right now, and you might want to check it out if you're into futuristic scenery and feeling your feelings. Sounds like a good combo we say! But how did the behind-the-scenes people develop this strange reality for film?
What inspired the setting where we can watch Brad Pitt explore both his life and space in front of our very eyes?
Apparently there was extensive research with NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory! This made the director realize that technology has changed a lot, but everything kind of still looks like the International Space Station and the old Apollo footage we all know.
As a result, the visual effects are probably more understated than what you might expect for a movie about the future. The more you know!
Golden Girl
Probably one of our favorite franchises are the Bond films that are based on the spy novels by Ian Fleming. One of the most famous and popular films from the franchise is Goldfinger released in 1964 starring Sean Connery.
In one scene, Bond comes to after being knocked out only to discover that his employee, Jill Masterson, is dead.
Bond... Golden Bond
The really horrible part of her death was caused by her skin being covered in gold which led to suffocation. Well, take a big sigh of relief looking at these photos.
You can see a very happy, healthy Shirley Eaton, laying back so she can be painted in gold for that very famous scene!
Beauty And The CGI
At some point, even Disney needed to jump on the bandwagon by bringing back some of our favorite movies, including Beauty and the Beast.
Disney went out of their way to come up with some really incredible technology-enhanced scenes. This approach also led to some really funny behind-the-scenes photographs!
Beauty Is On The Inside
There is no doubt that Emma Watson looked absolutely stunning as Belle but too bad we couldn't get to see Dan Stevens when he wasn't a CGI beast.
Also, Emma deserves a big round of applause for managing to keep a straight face while filming this movie!
Stopping For Lunch
Millions of people around the world have found connections and love for the Star Wars characters including Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, C3PO, and of course R2-D2.
They all seem so real that it's not surprising our brains really believe they are real!
Too Much Oil?
Even though we really do know everything is unreal, there is something about seeing an actor sitting in the R2-D2 costume, as you can see in the photograph.
Where does reality end and fantasy begin?
There, There.
It's really wild to realize that Rocket Raccoon was brought to life thanks to two different actors!
Bradley Cooper is Rocket's voice while Sean Gunn, from Guardians of the Galaxy, is actually wearing the suit! I bet they both had a lot of fun!
Nice Raccoon
If that isn't mind-boggling enough, this photo of Drax petting a man in a green suit rather than a raccoon leaves some further questions.
Sometimes, the entire movie industry is just a little too confusing!
The Blue Tiger
Life of Pi is based on the exceptional novel that only has two characters. The story is about a man and a tiger are stranded in a boat in the middle of the ocean.
Needless to say, the director needed to get a little creative because a tiger and a man in one boat could be a dangerous situation.
Petting A Plush Toy
This is how it worked out. Instead of a real living, breathing tiger, there's a plush toy and a boat that is situated on a set.
Do you see that little blue thing? That's the toy the actor got to work with! The upside, I've never run into a plush toy that bites!
Lord Of The Tall Man
When filming Lord of the Rings, there were no tricks or body types they didn't use to get the exact appearance needed. Giants, Hobbits, Wizards, and Elves all had to appear as completely natural and balanced.
Sir Ian McKellen needed help when standing next to the hobbits. Therefore, he had several other body doubles who were different sizes to pull off the effect of these little people in comparison to a grand wizard!
Who's The Boss?
There was nothing simple and easy to balance off Gandalf's size in comparison to the hobbits. In one scene, they brought in a seven-foot-tall body double to replace McKellen when he was talking to Frodo.
Then Ian's face was superimposed digitally to give the audience the impression this really was him!
Fawning Over Food
Pan's Labyrinth was a magical experience for audiences to watch!
This film has become a cult favorite all over the world thanks to its haunting and beautiful plot!
Hungry For Anything
We all remember how Fain went to any lengths to entice the main character into the underworld.
Well, Fain really didn't need any persuasion to inhale his meal of chicken and Coca-Cola! I guess pulling tricks really does build up a good appetite!
Give Us A Hand
Everything seems so real, that it's really difficult to wrap your brain around that Arbie, in the Terminator, really is a human being and not a cyborg with metallic arms and body parts.
It easy to assume that CGI was responsible for his transformations on the screen, but that's just not the truth.
A Helping Hand
Surprise, surprise – in reality, a crew member sat on the floor while holding a prosthetic limb to create the image of a solid Arnie!
He was literally going out on a limb here!
Raiders Of The Cardboard Cutout
It's a fact that all producers and directors will go out of their way to ensure every scene in a movie is absolutely perfect!
Indiana Jones – Raiders of the Lost Ark is no exception by making it easier for them to make a few changes in their props for the temples and dark passages.
It's All In Your Head
In some cases, they can take some shortcuts. For instance in this shot, instead of coming up with a trunk full of jewels, they used a cardboard cutout!
None of us ever knew that, so you really have to give credit where credit is due!
Staying Up There
Like many superheroes, Spiderman has several impressive skills up his sleeve! He shoots webs out of his fingers so he can hang upside down and can scale buildings with the greatest of ease!
He can relax and take his time from the top of a tower but as I'm sure you can imagine, this takes a great deal of work to help the real-life actor pull off these stunts.
Hang In There
I guess the effects would be lost if you suddenly realized he had bungee cords attached to his suit and the assistance of a crew member who propped him up! Come on now guys!
Spiderman! Spiderman! Does whatever a spider can...not!
The Perfect Librarian
All of the Harry Potter movies have given us so much magic and mystery! They have also given us some of the most beloved characters such as Hermione Granger!
How wonderful that she could spend her school life not having to worry about putting her library books back in the right place. The magic shelves did all that for her! Boy, I could use that for cleaning up my home!
Be Quiet!
The beauty of magic, what you never got to see were the green hands peeking through the bookshelves waiting to grab the books from her hands!
Hogwarts School of CGI and Trickery!
All About The Ears
Talk about dazzling! Avatar is without a doubt one of the most stunning movies ever made! The blue avatars definitely needed some serious CGI and very special effects.
I think most viewers would prefer not to know that everything is made up so they can just sit back and be swept away in the magic!
Who's Yelling?
Although the actors only donned pointed ears, the outstanding characteristics of the avatars are their blue skin and pointed ears!
They're blue - da ba dee da ba dye, da ba dee da ba dye, da ba dee da ba dye!
Going Back In Time
The behind-the-scenes photos show us how very difficult it is and how completely different the end product will be.
Making a film that looks like the past is very difficult because of many inaccuracies but the amazing movie 300 got it right and dead spot on!
300 Effects
Although on the screen everything is nature, war, and Gerard Butler kicking butt!
From behind-the-scenes is mostly cameramen and taking notes!
Who's The Boss?
Needless to say, The Godfather is probably one of the most memorable films of all time. Who could ever forget the legendary actor Marlon Brando as Don Corleone!
Corleone was the don of all dons and called all the shots but there were some crazy behind-the-scenes photos that reveal a different picture!
The Don
Well looking at these photos, it's pretty clear the real Don is Francis Ford Coppola.
As we see him stand behind Brando with his hand on his shoulder, we know how holds definite power!
Keep Holding On
Speaking about brilliant movies, James Cameron's Titanic doesn't take a back seat to any movie.
Everyone bonded with and loved the character, Rose. When she fell off the side of the ship, everyone held their breath and closed their eyes!
Jump!
Well, everyone was lined up to ensure safety with crash mats and an emergency crew on standby so there were no plummeting to her death moments.
It might take some of the shock away but we're all really glad all safety was implemented!
Stopping For A Drink
C-3PO hung out with Jedi's and saving the galaxy is really hard work!
It's no wonder he needed some well-deserved rest! Still, it's really strange to see a robot surrounded by real people!
Sip It
Okay, you can see that he is taking a sip, with the help of the crew. If he wasn't wearing a helmet, it wouldn't have seemed so strange.
But here he is, drinking through his C3-PO mouth which is actually quite funny!
Hear Me Roar
We all know that scene right before our favorite movie starts when the fierce MGM lion looks straight into the eyes of the camera and gives a fierce roar!
It is majestic, it is exciting and it gives us all the movie feels.
Hear Me Roar
Okay so it may not be backstage of a movie, but seeing the lion being filmed all the way back in 1924 by these two cameramen is really something.
All of a sudden you realize that the lion we all know, and love doesn’t just belong behind the screen and was an actual animal!
Burton’s Batman
The 1989 version of Batman was as iconic as it comes, partly due to it being directed by the one and only Tim Burton.
It also helped that Jack Nicholson absolutely nailed the role of the most popular and psychotic villain in comic book history - the joker.
Jokes On You
While his quirky performance stole the show and gave everyone the shivers, this behind-the-scene pic of Nicholson getting his makeup done reminds us that this was just a character.
We can all sleep well at night knowing there is no real psycho clown running around!
Scissorhands
Another Tim Burton classic is the one and only Edward Scissorhands. The film has a cult-like following and was one of Burton and Depp’s first collaborations.
It also starred both Depp and Wynona Ryder who would go on to be romantically involved (the hottest couple in history).
Johnny Scissorhands
This photo is plain adorable. It shows Johnny Depp pre-Scissorhands makeup but already with those scary hands hugging a sweet-faced Winona Ryder.
Can you just feel that chemistry between them?
The Terminator
The Terminator really brought Arnold Schwarzenegger to the front field of the acting world.
Directed by James Cameron the one and only, it followed the adventure of an assassin sent from the future for a very specific task.
Fast Friends
While Schwarzenegger’s on-screen portrayal of the Terminator was a calculated half cyborg killing machine, this photo from backstage shows Arnold and Cameron chilling side by side - no assassin plans going on over here!
He'll be back. Hasta la vista, baby!
The Best Jones
Indiana Jones, a film franchise that every adventure junkie worship. Jones was most famously portrayed by Harrison Ford.
He arguably the greatest film character in history.
Under The Sun
This is one ionic duo. The picture shows Indiana Jones and a young Spielberg under the hot sun.
They are clearly mid-filming judging by the interesting looking characters behind them. It's crazy to see these Hollywood legends so young!
The Real Superman
Who can forget Christopher Reeves and his iconic portrayal in most would say the best Superman movies to date.
Reeves story is tragic, the actor was left quadriplegic after being thrown off a horse and was left having to use a wheelchair as well as a portable ventilator to breathe.
No Special Effects Needed
This behind the scene photo of Superman literally seeming to fly proves that technology and CGI effects are not always needed to create some of the best effects in the film industry!
It's a bird. No, it's a plane. No, it's a crane dangling a man! Superman! Up, up and away!
One Flew Over
The film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is considered one of the greatest films ever made and we have to agree!
It revolved around Randle McMurphy, a criminal sent to a mental institution who reeks absolutely havoc with amongst the patients and nurse.
They’re All Cuckoo
This iconic behind-the-scene photo shows the whole cast having some fun, nurses, and patients.
It seems that even when the cameras weren’t rolling they could all get a bit crazy!
Dance Baby
What is an iconic movie list without at least one mention of Pulp Fiction? One of Quentin Tarantino’s most iconic films featuring his muse Uma Thurman and John Travolta amongst other stars.
It was quirky, it was violent, it was classic Tarantino, and everyone recalls the most legendary dance scene.
Popular Pulp
This behind-the-scenes shot shows the filming of that very dance scene.
It’s crazy to think of these characters as actors rather than two weirdos getting it on but it certainly doesn’t take away from the magic!