Did You Know?
Lynda Stoner was apparently very demanding on the set. Due to her strong animal beliefs (she is a long term campaigner of numerous animal right causes), she refused to cut open an actual dead fish in one scene, forcing the special effects department to jerry-rig together a fake one as fast as possible for the scene. Additionally, she also refused to do a nude scene, but after a long discussion with director Brian Trenchard-Smith, she compromised to partially appearing nude (backside shot).
Share this
Olivia Hussey, apparently a shy girl on set, almost accidentally cut off Roger Ward's hands in one scene. When the director yelled cut, she took the order the wrong way during the scene and Ward just pulled his hands out of the way in the nick of time.
Share this
The film lost about $700,000 of it's $3,200,000 budget two weeks before production began when a major investor backed out at the last minute.
Share this
Due to budget constraints the first 15 pages of the initial script were removed as well as a 4 page helicopter chase scene. The shooting schedule was reduced from 44 to 30 working days.
Share this
Despite flopping critically and financially in the US and Australia, when it was finally released in the UK (amidst a major blizzard) the film broke box office records, recovering much of any losses made.
Share this
Olivia Hussey was miserable, upset and stressed throughout filming, believing Australian's dangerous wildlife would be everywhere and hurt her, making it difficult to film her on location.
Share this
Actor Michael Craig's head-of-prison-camp character Charles Thatcher was named after former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Share this
