Harrison Ford Could Have Died In Star Wars Set Incident, Court Hears (theguardian.com) 153
An anonymous reader writes: While filming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Harrison Ford almost died when he was crushed by a hydraulic door on the set of the Millennium Falcon. He was reportedly knocked to the ground and crushed beneath the heavy door when he walked on to the set not believing it to be live. The 71-year-old actor suffered a broken left leg. Prosecutor Andrew Marshall said the door "could have killed somebody. The fact that it didn't was because an emergency stop was activated," he said. The company responsible, Foodles Production, pleaded guilty to two breaches under health and safety legislation, one count under section two of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which related to a breach of duty in relation to employees, and a second under section three, a breach over people not employed by the company. The lawyer for Foodles Production, which is owned by Disney, said the company would contest the level of risk involved on August 22nd at Aylesbury crown court.
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Spare a thought for the families of countless unnamed stormtroopers that the Millennium Falcon vanquished in battle, whose children now grow up without a dad. Now some old veteran escapes with a broken leg? Spare me.
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I would rather see Star Peace: The Empire Kicks Back. It's the story of a galactic empire that is well run and all of the people are happy and get along.
HAPPY TO BE OF SERVICE! (Score:2)
Share and enjoy!
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It can be!
Star Trek showed how to make it safe in a studio long ago: use stage-hands to operate the doors, and add the sound effects later.
Also: falling polystyrene boulders are much safer than real ones.
could have died != almost died (Score:2)
Not even the linked article claimed this.
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"Andrew Marshall, prosecuting, said the breaches had caused a “risk of death” and that if the emergency stop had not been pressed in time, it could have been a very different outcome for Ford. “It could have killed somebody. The fact that it didn’t was because an emergency stop was activated,”
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Why was there only a manual E-stop on it? Something that big and heavy should also have had hidden light curtains or other automated means of stopping it.
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Something that big and heavy should also have had hidden light curtains or other automated means
Gosh, you think? Maybe they should face criminal charges for not doing just that. Oh wait...they are.
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At least they didn't say he was 'mostly dead' and Mark Hamil brought him back with the Force and magic chocolate pill. Or am I mixing my movies!?!?! ;-)
Re: could have died != almost died (Score:2)
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I do not think that word means what you think it means.
Re:could have died != almost died (Score:5, Insightful)
When a hydraulic actuator breaks your leg, it's entirely fair to say your life was in danger.
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If the R2 had wanted to kill him, he'd be dead. This was just a friendly little chat about... respect.
And he still has his other kneecap. Just saying.
Re:could have died != almost died (Score:4, Interesting)
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One can die of a broken leg, in fact it's not that unusual. One can die of a tiny cut but it is still very unusual - antibiotics still works in most cases.
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Am I the only who is struck by this wording in the article?
the door "could have killed somebody. The fact that it didn't was because an emergency stop was activated,"
So, the door could have killed Deckard, but there was an "emergency stop" which apparently prevented his death, even though he was still injured.
It sounds to me that although imperfect, the prop had safety features which prevented him from being killed.
based on what little I know of the actual details, I'm going to say the prop company did their due diligence. Sometimes things can be dangerous, but there was an "emergency stop" which prevented his
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I came to say something like the above, but the AC has summed it up pretty well. I am sorry Harrison Ford was injured but sometimes it takes extreme circumstances to save the rest of humanity from Ford killing any more of our childhood dreams.
Lockouts have you heard of them? (Score:2, Informative)
I assume Mr. Ford has not been around enough heavy equipment to that you consider it live unless you can see the lockout.
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I'm sure the defense will raise this. All this article talks about is what the prosecution alleges.
The defence probably didn't say a lot more than to enter a formal guilty plea. The prosecution just had to outline the severity of the case enough for the magistrate to refer it to a higher court for sentencing.
Re:Lockouts have you heard of them? (Score:5, Informative)
I assume Mr. Ford has not been around enough heavy equipment to that you consider it live unless you can see the lockout.
This was a movie set. There's basically 2 overriding rules about safety on a movie set:
* Don't depend on the actors to be smart enough, or paying enough attention, to get anything right.
* There's no excuse for injuring an actor. That's just about the worst thing you can be responsible for.
Everything potentially dangerous on a big-budget movie set is supposed to have a minder - both because the actors' full attention should be on their roles, and because it's a movie set, and dangerous-looking things are often props.
From the (one-sided) summary, this was a massive fuckup, on the order of having a real gun mixed in with prop guns, or carelessness with pyro.
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From the (one-sided) summary, this was a massive fuckup, on the order of having a real gun mixed in with prop guns, or carelessness with pyro.
I hear that was a major problem when filming the X Men movies.
I'll see myself out.
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I assume Mr. Ford has not been around enough heavy equipment to that you consider it live unless you can see the lockout.
This was a movie set. There's basically 2 overriding rules about safety on a movie set: * Don't depend on the actors to be smart enough, or paying enough attention, to get anything right. * There's no excuse for injuring an actor. That's just about the worst thing you can be responsible for.
Everything potentially dangerous on a big-budget movie set is supposed to have a minder - both because the actors' full attention should be on their roles, and because it's a movie set, and dangerous-looking things are often props.
From the (one-sided) summary, this was a massive fuckup, on the order of having a real gun mixed in with prop guns, or carelessness with pyro.
Movie sets generally have a lot more accidents than "normal" industries. The deck is stacked with contributing factors such as-
The work location changes often
Safety-responsible crews often have a set building / movie background, rather than an industrial one
Some OSHA regulations applicable to Construction/General Industry may not apply. Others are specifically excluded.
Reliance on contractors and/or temp workers
Most persons on the set do not have much industrial safety experience
The primary purpos
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Not one OSHA regulation applies. this isn't America. We have standards which I- having worked with a number of American safety-responsible personnel - think are generally tighter. Those standards are designed by the Health And Safety Executuve and are enforced with the power of the criminal law. Directors of companies do get jailed for breaches on occasion, and HSE inspectors who achieve that are very happy to have achieved it.
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I assume Mr. Ford has not been around enough heavy equipment to that you consider it live unless you can see the lockout.
Harrison Ford was self-taught professional carpenter. [wikipedia.org] This was probably his best paying, consistent job as he was trying to make it in Hollywood as an actor. So you would think he would know about the potential dangers of machinery, but maybe he mostly used hand tools. Maybe he's gotten soft and careless.
As a side note, it seems that with its emphasis on practical effects, real sets, and locations, that The Force Awakens was a dangerous film to work on. Mark Hamill almost fell to his death [dailymail.co.uk] off of the is
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Most people lose situational awareness as they age. It's a common cause of serious injury.
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The thing is that this isn't something anyone would ordinarily call 'heavy equipment.' How many elevators have you gone through? Automated doors? Drop-arm turnstiles? (The kind like saloon doors.) How many times have you once thought "I better make sure this has proper signage, clearance, procedure, and make sure I filled out a ISO 9000 before operating this equipment?"
I bet this approaches zero.
The problem here is that one has a reasonable expectation that an automated door will behave like every other aut
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heh (Score:5, Funny)
The door shot first!
Rookie mistake (Score:2)
when he walked on to the set not believing it to be live
You would think someone that's been around as long as he has would be aware that all systems should be treated as live until verified otherwise. You don't just pick up a wire. You don't just walk into a confined space. You don't just push a button.
I don't imagine a movie set is any different than any other potentially dangerous work space. You have to know your environment, even if it is constantly changing, and your safety is ultimately your responsibility.
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the hydraulic spaceship door was operated by another person and that as the actor passed beneath it, he was hit hard in the pelvis and pinned to the floor.
So, two rookie mistakes. The actor for entering an unsafe situation, and the operator not making the area safe.
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So, two rookie mistakes. The actor for entering an unsafe situation, and the operator not making the area safe.
At least two additional mistakes:
3. The rookie engineer who didn't include mechanical interlocks.
4. The safety supervisor for not enforcing proper procedures.
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Three mistakes. Whoever designed the door obviously doesn't have any experience with production automation, and didn't have an automated stop to prevent the door from closing if someone wasn't where they were supposed to be. Light curtains, pressure mats, whatever.
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Re:Rookie mistake (Score:5, Funny)
So, two rookie mistakes.
Two Wookiee mistakes.
Thank you, thank you.
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Ford might not have been at fault: "he walked on to the set not believing it to be live." Film production actually has very specific procedures (signs, human "minders") for keeping people safe, and ensuring continuity, i.e. a hot set: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki... [wiktionary.org]
Re:Rookie mistake (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't imagine a movie set is any different than any other potentially dangerous work space.
You'd be wrong about that. Actors are special - anything dangerous on set is supposed to have a minder specifically to keep it from hurting an actor, no matter how careless the actor.
all systems should be treated as live until verified otherwise
Remember: movie set. Dangerous items are usually props. The technical guys, sure, it's their job to know, but it's also their job to keep the coked-up airhead starlet safe (and the guy who plays her husband).
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Let's not forget the healing capacity of a 71 year old is a lot different from a 30 year old (for example). An injury like that needs a minimum of 6 months recovery and ongoing physio therapy.
The fire in his eyes was probably Ford not wanting to have anything to do with Star Wars anymore and he had had enough. The look was probably "If you don't write me out of this fucking movie I am going to sue you into oblivion".
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Reminder: Brandon Lee (Bruce Lee's son) was killed on a movie set by a strange mishap with a handgun. [wikipedia.org] Accidents happen no matter how many precautions are taken. Negligence or misuse just ups the odds.
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Putting a hydraulic press with enough power to crush bone and no safety interlocks in the middle of a walkway in any other work space would get you sued, too.
Could have been killt or worse.... (Score:3)
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if it hadn't been for the emergency stop.... Hey, kids THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY STOP BUTTON!
There's (almost) always an e-stop. But my the time you can reach it someone is probably already as injured as they were going to get. I've been working in industrial automation for more than 20 years and I have prevented an impending injury with an e-stop precisely once. Even then it was because I had specifically told that person not to be where they were and I was moving to the e-stop at the moment the machine ran away (because someone shorted out a motor controller feedback circuit). Even then in the
Meh (Score:3)
On the one hand, a danger on many sets is like a slight danger at summer camp--yes, sometimes people throw things together that work and sometimes people can get hurt. If this were a small budget community theater set that was otherwise safe and an isolated incident it might be understandable.
On the other hand, the Star Wars budget can afford one of those sensors like you have in every modern elevator that stops when someone is still in the door, as well as the guy who knows how to install it. So there is no question that they should be both liable for the medical expenses and fined. (This is how you encourage other people to install the sensor in the future.)
After the lawyers are done... (Score:1)
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What a coincidence! (Score:1, Offtopic)
My enthusiasm for the Star Wars universe almost died when my hopes for a good Star Wars movie were crushed by The Force Awakens!
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My enthusiasm for the Star Wars universe almost died when my hopes for a good Star Wars movie were crushed by The Force Awakens!
The first one gets a pass - its job was to prove the franchise can make money, and bring in a new generation of fans. They at least had a hand-off from the old guard, which I certainly appreciated.
Disney is pretty sharp about such things. Rogue One is the first real shot at a "real Star Wars movie".
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The villains in Force Awakens are depressingly dumb, though.
To be sure. We have a new Disney Princess - way to challenge gender norms!
But I hold out hope that our thoroughly unimpressive Darth Meh will have an actual character arc. Growing from here to being as impressive as Vader would be a heck of a story, a story I'd love to see.
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Darth Vader would have been depressingly dumb if James Earl Jones hadn't done the voiceover. Imagine Vader with a thin English accent.
Your lack of faith disturbs me, old chap.
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The actor who played Vader (David Prowse) has a very strong south-west English accent, something that most definitely can not be described as "thin".
when approached about safety he said: (Score:5, Funny)
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Making a movie ain't like dusting crops, boy!
In a galaxy far, far away... (Score:5, Funny)
"New Republic Prosecutor Andrew Marshall said the rail-less walkway over the nearly bottomless pit 'could have killed somebody.' The fact that it didn't was because the writers 'pulled a deus ex machina out of their nether regions.' The engineering firm responsible for the Starkiller's power control station, Foodles Production, pleaded guilty to two breaches under health and safety legislation, one count under section two of the Health and Safety at Work Act of 9624, which related to a breach of duty in relation to employees, a second under section three, a breach over people not employed by the company. The lawyer for Foodles Production, which is owned by Disney, said "AARGHHHH" as he was force-stangled by Disney's newly-revealed CEO, the aforementioned Kylo Ren."
Really? (Score:1)
I'm truly tired of such statements. Here's the response I always give:
"I might not finish this sentence".
And now, be free!
No chance (Score:1)
I've seen enough of Harrison Ford's films to know that although he was in danger of imminent death, he could have escaped easily without a scratch.
No user serviceable parts inside. (Score:1)
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IF he did get crushed... (Score:2)
Mt Ford's lawyer (Score:2)
Ms Ally McBeal said that the injury was caused by gross negligence and irresponsible use of a lightsaber.
Use the Chewbacca Defense! (Score:2)
Use the Chewbacca Defense!
May the force be with the jury to rule the right way!
What are the odds? (Score:2)
Sir, the odds of this hydraulic door being live and crushing your leg are 60000 to 1.
That damn hat! (Score:2)
He had to grab it ;)
It's a good job he recovered (Score:2)
Were they filming? (Score:2)
A bit anti-climatic for a main character's fate, but could be useful in an alternate ending re-release.
He DID die! (Score:2)
It wasn't a door, but I'm positive that he died. I saw it happen and there were many other eyewitnesses.
He did it wrong (Score:2)
He could have died if (Score:1)
Insult to injury (Score:2)
Would be being killed by Foodles Production. Am I the only one that found it hard to read such a serious thing with such a ridiculous name?
Re:could have (Score:4, Funny)
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I don't know what you're eating, but I've never felt my life was in danger while taking a shit.
T Rex Eats Lawyer on Toilet [youtube.com].
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That reminds me of an old joke ...
Q. Why do sharks not attack lawyers? :-)
A. Professional courtesy.
ba-dum-tsh
--
TIL: ba dum tsh is called a sting [wikipedia.org]
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Bizzarely (and I know you were making a joke, but sometimes facts are funny too), a surprising large number of people die every year while taking shits. Apparently, pushing out a log puts quite a strain on your heart.
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I never thought about the diarrhea thing. Damned if you do, damned if you don't, I guess.
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because you've never tried Marty's Burritos. Risky, but worth it.
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I realize you are joking but people do "die while taking a shit" - and it have nothing to do with food intake. Here's a basic layman's description: http://www.menshealth.com/heal... [menshealth.com]
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A strange game. The only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game of chess?
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Yes, East Timor is such a great example of the Indonesian peace.
It's nice to have an idyllic view of Muslim countries when you never lived there as a non-Muslim.
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Does Israel not count?
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...takes an active role in seeking out and quelling extremism ... Saudi Arabia does.
Saudi Arabia itself is Sunni Islam extremism. If it quells non-government extremism, it's either anti- ruling family, Shia, or some differing other Sunni sect.
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