Summary
The VFX supervisor forStand by Meexplains how filming for the project led to an unusual set accident.Stand by Meis a 1986 film about a group of boys who go on a search to find the body of a missing boy.Stand by Meis based on the 1982 Stephen King novellaThe Body, which was in turninspired by King’s own childhood.Stand by Me’sfeatured ayoung cast including Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, and Kiefer Sutherland.
Speaking withCorridor Crew,Stand by MeVFX supervisor William Mesa recalls one major accident on the set of the film. Watch their exchange in the video, below:
In order to “make the audience feel like they were in serious jeopardy,” director Rob Reiner did not want to use heavy VFX in the film. For the iconic train scene, Mesa was told to “bleedthe brakes,” which essentially means that the brakes were taken off the train. The train was sent barreling towards the camera without full brake control. As a result, they"totally crushedthe lens and the front mount."
Why Stand By Me May Be One Of The Best Stephen King Adaptations
Stand By Me Has Withstood The Test Of Time
Mesa continued on by explaining how the part wherein the main characters jump from the train tracks was filmed. Mesa revealed that there was amatted platform built right below where they jump off of the tracks, allowing the group of boys to land safely. Also included in theStand by Meanalysis clip was commentary from Corridor Crew noting the extant prevalence of this obsession with going without heavy VFX, which has continued today as numerous major films, includingthe Mission: Impossiblemoviesand more, tout their use of practical effects.
The grandiose action moment of the train sequence is only one of the reasons whyStand by Mehas a lasting impact today. Through Mesa and the rest of the team’s attention to detail when it came to visually capturing the film’s most dramatic scenes, the film holds up fairly well visually today. Audiences are catapulted into adventure with the overwhelming sensation that the central characters feel.
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Stand by Me’s reviews have also held up in the nearly four decades since its release. The film’sTomatometer is a 92%, with an audience approval rating of an even higher 94%. Existing outside the horror genre,Stand by Meis far from the typicalKing adaptationfare. Replete with great performances, impressive cinematography and visuals, and a compelling coming-of-age narrative,Stand by Meis one of the better King-based films and has stood the test of time.
Stand by Me
Cast
Stand by Me is a coming-of-age film directed by Rob Reiner, based on Stephen King’s novella The Body. Set in the 1950s, it follows four boys from Oregon—Gordie, Vern, Chris, and Teddy—on a journey to find a deceased boy’s body, confronting personal challenges and deepening their friendships.
