Piranha II: The Spawning: Difference between revisions
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In a 2008 interview on [[The Hour (Canadian TV series)|The Hour]], Cameron jokingly denied breaking into the editing room, then recounted the story as a "hypothetical scenario", and told host [[George Stroumboulopoulos]] how he "would've broken into the office" if he actually did it. |
In a 2008 interview on [[The Hour (Canadian TV series)|The Hour]], Cameron jokingly denied breaking into the editing room, then recounted the story as a "hypothetical scenario", and told host [[George Stroumboulopoulos]] how he "would've broken into the office" if he actually did it. |
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As in the first film, which was one of many horror films inspired by the success of [[Steven Spielberg]]'s 1975 film ''[[Jaws (film)|Jaws]]'', [[piranha]]s act as the antagonist monsters harming human life, and have developed the ability to fly, which they did not have in the first film. On the [[Terminator 2: Judgment Day (film)|Terminator 2: Judgment Day]] commentary track, Cameron jokingly defended the film, tongue firmly in cheek, as "the finest flying killer fish horror/comedy ever made." He would later employ some of the same mechanisms used to make the piranhas fly in the [[facehugger]] animatronics for ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]''. |
As in the first film, which was one of many horror films inspired by the success of [[Steven Spielberg]]'s 1975 film ''[[Jaws (film)|Jaws]]'', [[piranha]]s act as the antagonist monsters harming human life, and have developed the ability to fly, which they did not have in the first film. On the ''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day (film)|Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]'' commentary track, Cameron jokingly defended the film, tongue firmly in cheek, as "the finest flying killer fish horror/comedy ever made." He would later employ some of the same mechanisms used to make the piranhas fly in the [[facehugger]] animatronics for ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]''. |
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Most of the underwater scenes were filmed off Grand Cayman Island, and the stand-in for the Club Elysium is the Mallard Beach Hyatt. Interior scenes were filmed on a soundstage in Rome.<ref name="towson.edu">[http://www.towson.edu/%7Eflynn/piranha.htm Dr. John L. Flynn's essay on Piranna II]</ref> |
Most of the underwater scenes were filmed off Grand Cayman Island, and the stand-in for the Club Elysium is the Mallard Beach Hyatt. Interior scenes were filmed on a soundstage in Rome.<ref name="towson.edu">[http://www.towson.edu/%7Eflynn/piranha.htm Dr. John L. Flynn's essay on Piranna II]</ref> |
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Revision as of 18:03, 28 August 2009
| Piranha II: The Spawning | |
|---|---|
| File:Piranha2.jpg Spanish film poster. | |
| Directed by | James Cameron |
| Written by | James Cameron |
| Starring | Tricia O'Neil Steve Marachuk Lance Henriksen Ricky G. Paull Ted Richert Leslie Graves |
| Cinematography | Roberto D'Ettorre Piazzoli |
| Edited by | Roberto Silvi |
| Music by | Stelvio Cipriani (as Steve Powder) |
Release date | 1981 |
Running time | 94 min. |
| Countries |  United States Italy |
| Language | English |
Piranha II: The Spawning is a 1981 horror movie, the sequel to the 1978 low-budget movie Piranha, and the feature-film directorial debut of James Cameron. The film is also known as Piranha II: Flying Killers.
Plot
In a Caribbean island, a couple is found dead inside a sunken ship. The scuba diving instructor of the local resort Anne Kimbrough breaks in the morgue with her acquaintance Tyler Sherman and finds that the bodies have been eaten in many parts. Anne explains that she studied marine biology, this let her know right away that something was very, very wrong. While studying the photographs of the damage, she and Tyler have a one night stand. Anne goes to get a picture of the piranha to prove they exist, and she is rescued by Tyler. Tyler tells her that he is a biochemist that has developed a specimen of genetically modified piranha capable of flying to be the ultimate weapon. Unfortunately they had lost a cylinder full of the new breed in the water. During the fishing party promoted by the resort, the piranhas attack the guests. Anne and Tyler decide to blow up the ship to destroy the nest of the predators.
Production history
James Cameron was originally hired as the special effects director for this film and took over the direction when the original director left (his hand in story-writing can be suspected under the H. A. Milton pseudonym on the original script). Due to budget limitations the crew was composed essentially by Italians, none of whom spoke English. Some however did have prior experience on horror/fantasy movies so they were, to some extent, able to satisfy Cameron's requirements.
After the first week of shooting, the set harmony was disturbed by some discussions about the work between the director and the producers (the executive producer, Ovidio G. Assonitis, asked to verify the day-to-day activities, arguing most of Cameron's choices), so whilst Cameron was just responsible for the shooting, most of the decisions are under Assonitis' authority. According to Dreaming Aloud, a biography of James Cameron by Christopher Heard, Cameron was not allowed to see his footage and was not involved in editing. He broke into the editing room in Rome and cut his own version while the film's producers were at Cannes, but was caught and Assonitis re-cut it again.
In a 2008 interview on The Hour, Cameron jokingly denied breaking into the editing room, then recounted the story as a "hypothetical scenario", and told host George Stroumboulopoulos how he "would've broken into the office" if he actually did it.
As in the first film, which was one of many horror films inspired by the success of Steven Spielberg's 1975 film Jaws, piranhas act as the antagonist monsters harming human life, and have developed the ability to fly, which they did not have in the first film. On the Terminator 2: Judgment Day commentary track, Cameron jokingly defended the film, tongue firmly in cheek, as "the finest flying killer fish horror/comedy ever made." He would later employ some of the same mechanisms used to make the piranhas fly in the facehugger animatronics for Aliens.
Most of the underwater scenes were filmed off Grand Cayman Island, and the stand-in for the Club Elysium is the Mallard Beach Hyatt. Interior scenes were filmed on a soundstage in Rome.[1]
Reviews
Some critics called the film "abject". Others opined that "the piranhas...look as though they had been remaindered from a joke shop" and that they resembled "haddock with dentures".[2] According to Tim Healey in The World's Worst Movies (1986) the film is "a strong contender...for anyone's list of all-time horror turkeys.[3]
James Cameron consistently refers to The Terminator as his first feature length film, despite the fact that it was made in 1984, after Piranha II: The Spawning.
Cast
- Tricia O'Neil - Anne Kimbrough
- Steve Marachuk - Tyler
- Lance Henriksen - Steve Kimbrough
- Ricky G. Paull - Chris Kimbrough
- Ted Richert - Raoul
- Leslie Graves - Allison
- Captain Kidd Brewer Jr. - Lou
- Jan Eisner Mannon - Lisa
- Carole Davis - Jai
- Arnie Ross - Mal the Cook
- Tracy Berg - Beverly
- Albert Sanders - Leo Bell, D.D.S.
- Anne Pollack - Mrs. Wilson
- Dorothy Cunningham - Nurse April
Credits
- James Cameron - Director
- James Cameron - Screenwriter
- Ovidio G. Assonitis - Executive Producer
- Giovanni Corridori - Special Effects
- Giannetto De Rossi - Makeup Special Effects
- Giannetto De Rossi - Special Effects
- Roberto D'Ettorre Piazzoli - Cinematographer
- Lee Reynolds - Screenwriter
- Roberto Silvi - Editor
- Antonio Corridori - Special Effects
- Chako van Leuwen - Producer
- Jeff Schechtman - Producer
- H.A. Milton - Screenwriter
- Steve Powder - Composer (Music Score)
- Medusa Paltrinieri - Art Director
- Carbonaro - Special Effects
- Chako VanLeeuwen - Producer
Trivia
 | This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. (June 2007) |
- Piranha II features some well-known Cameron hallmarks, such as the dangers presented by an alien environment, a nemesis or conflict instigated by man's technological hubris, and the presence at the center of the story of a seemingly average woman who finds herself thrown into a situation utterly outside of her experience, yet who shows great courage and resourcefulness in coping with it.[1]
- The 2002 DVD release adds some additional scenes that were cut out of the theatrical and VHS releases. The beginning of the film, for example, restores a scene of the doomed scuba couple Lou and Lisa conversing aboard their small boat prior to their fatal dive to the Dwight Fitzgerald. It endeavors to put their attempt at underwater lovemaking in some sort of context.
- Cameron became ill during the making of Piranha II, and in a fever-nightmare conceived of his trademark film, The Terminator.
- This film became the first of four collaborations between Cameron and actor Lance Henriksen who later went onto co-starring in Cameron's The Terminator, Aliens and narrated Expedition: Bismarck.
References
- ^ a b Dr. John L. Flynn's essay on Piranna II
- ^ Tim Healey (1986) The World's Worst Movies. London, Octopus Books: 6-7
- ^ Tim Healey (1986) The World's Worst Movies. London, Octopus Books: 7
