And it’s time to celebrate the anniversary of another classic: “Death is good for you”.
Released in 1992, the beloved satirical fantasy comedy brought none other than Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis to the big screen in a hilarious adventure that, despite mixed reviews from international pundits, marked an era and became cult. . , especially within the LGBTQIA+ community.
In the plot, a famous egocentric actress (Streep) steals from an aspiring writer (Hawn) her fiancé (Willis), a famous plastic surgeon. The rejected bride becomes extremely complex, but after fourteen years she launches the book “Eternally Young” and, on autograph night, she is more beautiful than ever. Awakening everyone’s attention, especially the actress who, feeling older every day, ends up going to consult a sensual, beautiful and mysterious woman (Isabella Rossellini), who has a potion of youth with unimaginable results. By drinking it, she becomes young again and discovers that her rival is also a client of the witch. Initially, they start arguing over the doctor, but soon the two are worried and somehow united against a terrible side effect.
Directed by the iconic Robert Zemeckis, the film made a huge splash at the box office, grossing nearly $150 million – as well as winning the Oscar and BAFTA for Best Visual Effects.
To celebrate its 30th anniversary, we’ve prepared a short list of fun behind-the-scenes facts, which you can check out below:
Enjoy watching:
Streep accidentally hurt Hawn’s cheek with a shovel during the fight scene. A pneumatic bra was built to create the effect of Streep’s breasts looking bigger and firmer after drinking the potion, but the effect didn’t feel realistic enough. To achieve the desired effect, Streep’s costume designer stood behind her, out of camera reach, and adjusted the actress’ breasts into the correct position.
The film surpassed “Batman Returns” and “Alien 3” by winning the Oscar for Best Visual Effects in 1993. The scene in which Madeline “resurrects” and confronts Ernest required Streep to wear a blue-screen balaclava over his head as he he was riding in a wheelchair. In an interview in the UK, Streep was asked about this unexpected role, responding that it was too original to pass up.
The film underwent an extensive re-release after negative reviews during screening tests. The entire ending was changed: the character of Tracy Ullman disappeared from the story, although she remained in the promotional trailer. The film was originally intended to be a sequel to 1972’s Tales from the Beyond, a favorite Halloween classic of Zemeckis when he was younger.
Guests at the party include: Andy Warhol, Marilyn Monroe, Greta Garbo, Elvis Presley, Jim Morrison and James Dean. The box containing the potion is decorated with an ankh symbol, an Egyptian hieroglyph that symbolizes life. Originally, Helen was only supposed to take the potion in the final act of the feature film, which would culminate in her falling out with Madeline. Don’t forget to watch: