The Most Expensive Things Destroyed During Filming
Ever wondered how movies created those insane action scenes, complete with crazy fiery explosions and crashes? Well to make the movie seem more real, directors blow up actual cars, planes, buildings, you name it. And sometimes, the filming equipment gets caught in action too, much to everyone’s dismay. Either way, let’s have a look at the most expensive things that have been destroyed in the name of entertainment.
1. The Sands Casino at the End of Con Air
The most memorable scene in Con Air was the one where a massive prison transport plane crash landed into the Sands Casino. It’s the same Sands Casino where the Rat Pack filmed Ocean’s 11. The casino was sold in 1988 for $110 million, and by 1996, it was pretty much falling apart and set for demolition. So producers decided to take advantage of this situation by asking the owners to put off the destruction for a few weeks to film the scene. Fourteen cameras were placed at various angles since they only had one chance at this.
2. Furious 7 Destroyed Nine Lykan Hypersport Stunt Cars Worth Millions
No other film franchise has wrecked more cars than the Fast and Furious, though most of them were simply tube-chassis shells with salvaged V8 engines. In the Furious 7 alone, an estimated 1,500 cars were destroyed, including an authentic Lykan Hypersport. To be precise, nine of the ten that were made for the movie were obliterated, while the tenth was sold at an auction for nearly $2 million. Even though the true value of the destruction is still unknown, it’s safe to assume that the bill definitely runs in the millions.
3. Michael Bay Blew Up a Real Mansion for Bad Boys II
From Armageddon to Transformers, Michael Bay certainly loves making things go boom! He also directed the Bad Boys trilogy, starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. But the most remarkable explosion scene was in the second installment, where a real mansion was blown to smithereens. Instead of demolishing it himself, the mansion’s owner sold it for $16.5 million so he could convert the lot into three new properties. Though Bay did have to replace the walls with lighter ones and fake parts to make it explode faster.
4. Buster Keaton Destroyed a Locomotive in the Silent Film The General
Wanting to make a big impression on audiences, Buster Keaton something that was completely unheard of during his time. In 1926, Keaton starred and directed the silent film, The General. And in one particular scene, a train can be seen hitting a burning bridge then crashing right through the river below. The train was the real thing, costing Keaton an impressive $42,000 or $682,000, if adjusted for inflation. Though he made sure to stay clear of the train, a promise he made to his wife who demanded that he wouldn’t board it.
5. Jessica Biel Destroyed a $300,000 Camera Making Blade: Trinity
For her role as Abigail Whistler in Blade: Trinity, Jessica Biel had to take up archery lessons, a skill that she became really good at. But, maybe a little too good. For one scene, the producers had Biel shoot directly at the camera, and to ensure their safety, the camera was placed behind a plexiglass with a 2 inch by 2 inch hole for the lens. Well, her aim and eyesight was beyond what they were expecting, because Biel sent her arrow flying through the hole and right into the $300,000 camera, some 40 feet away.
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