Latest news with #MichaelBiehn
Daily Mail
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Disney+ removes blockbuster Hollywood movie after sparking complaints with 'abusive scene which causes real terror'
Disney+ has removed a blockbuster Hollywood movie after sparking complaints with an 'abusive scene which causes real terror'. The Abyss, released in 1989 and directed by James Cameron, is about a top secret mission to recover a nuclear submarine that sunk in mysterious circumstances. The sci-fi thriller is a lesser-known title among the award-winning director's filmography, which also includes Titanic and Avatar. The Truman Show's Ed Harris, Scarface's Mary Mastrantonio and Aliens ' Michael Biehn are among some of the talented cast members. It was nominated for four Academy Awards in 1990: Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Sound, while it won Best Visual Effects. But it has now been removed from Disney+ amid long-running controversy over one scene which sees a real rat submerged and held down in fluorocarbon liquid. The sci-fi thriller is a lesser known title among the award-winning director's filmography, which also includes Titanic and Avatar Rich in oxygen and able to absorb carbon dioxide, fluorocarbon liquids are often used to facilitate the process of so-called liquid breathing. Indeed, the animals used in the shoot reportedly survived - but the scene has long been banned from the cinema and any DVDs or other physical media in the UK. When the film was first set to be screened in the cinema when it came out in the eighties, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) took advice from the RSPCA. The animal cruelty prevention charity made clear its opposition to the scene at the time: 'The forcible immersion of the rat... caused terror.' The BBFC, as the film regulator, therefore put in place the ban on the scene, under the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937 and the Video Recordings Act 1984. This automatically meant the scene could not be shown in terrestrial television reruns either. The Ofcom Broadcasting Code, the regulations all British channels are bound by, states any material banned by the BBFC must also not be shown on TV. But the RSPCA recently spoke out again on the issue, calling the scene an 'infliction of terror', after a completely unedited version of The Abyss was added to Disney+ in April. It pointed out streaming platforms are not bound by these same standards - and the organisation feared 'this provides a loophole to broadcasting animal abuse long considered unacceptable on other medium'. David Bowles, the charity's head of public affairs, has said: 'This isn't about cancel culture. 'We'd welcome Disney+ reinstating the film to their platform, just with this troubling scene removed - as is already the case in cinemas, on TV and on DVD. 'This was instead about highlighting a loophole that currently exists allowing animal abuse scenes deemed unacceptable elsewhere to be streamed freely and legally into our homes - and protecting the public from having to see this animal abuse content. 'The Abyss's controversial rat scene has long concerned the RSPCA and has always been deemed unacceptable by BBFC. 'So, it was hard to fathom why Disney+ decided to broadcast it. 'People deserve to be assured they will not be inadvertently exposed to content which promotes or showcases cruelty to animals. 'And as the way most households consume entertainment changes, regulations must be agile to that and continue to robustly protect animals.' The RSPCA pointed out the Media Act, which came in just over a year ago, enhances Ofcom's regulation of streaming platform. The broadcaster regulator is soon to publish a new set of rules for video-on-demand services, due to be finalised later this year. David said: 'We hope a new code of conduct under the Media Act will help close this loophole. 'But we need to see a degree of consistency between streaming platforms and other forms of more traditional entertainment so people can have confidence when watching films and other shows. 'It doesn't make sense that we have robust safeguards for animal-related content shown in cinemas, on DVDs or on traditional television channels - yet those protections could go out the window when you turn on a major streaming service. 'We can't backtrack now on what society deems is acceptable in terms of how we treat animals.' Dr Charlotte C. Burn, associate professor of behaviour science at the Royal Veterinary College, has previously analysed the scene, for which five different rats were used. She said: 'They defecated in the liquid, which is a common response to intense panic. 'It was clear that the rats experienced terror because they struggled desperately, their extremities turned blue-ish white and they were shown gasping 12 times with their mouths stretched open the widest they could possibly go.' The academic continued: 'To add insult to injury, a rat was then lifted out of the liquid by the tail and dangled for a full six seconds, during which time she exerts great effort as she struggles and her ears are laid flat against her head. 'Being lifted by the tail is highly distressing and painful for rodents.' A BBFC spokesperson has previously said: 'Through our trusted age ratings and content advice, the BBFC works to empower audiences to make informed viewing decisions. 'All our age ratings are informed by our published Classification Guidelines, which are based on wide-scale public consultation. 'We also take into account UK legislation, and we will not classify any material that is in breach of the criminal law. 'The Abyss was originally submitted to the BBFC in 1989, containing a scene in which a character submerges a live rat in liquid. 'We sought expert legal and veterinary advice - from the RSPCA - at the time which confirmed the scene constituted the cruel infliction of terror on an animal, and its exhibition would contravene the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937. 'As a result, the scene was edited from the film in order to be legally exhibited in the UK. 'The scene remains cut from all BBFC-classified versions for cinema and home entertainment release.' It comes after the film, which won director James a Saturn Award for Best Director, was praised by viewers earlier this year, when it also landed on Netflix. The movie's impressive visual effects were produced by filming underwater in tanks inside an disused power plant in South Carolina, USA. Many have taken to Rotten Tomatoes, where the film has an impressive 89 per cent score, to leave their verdicts, raving about it as 'the most intense movie'. One posted: 'One of Cameron's best films. Amazing use of practical effects as well as groundbreaking CGI that still (mostly) holds up today.'; 'Move over Avatar and Aliens - The Abyss is James Cameron's unsung action adventure masterpiece. 'Complete with the archetypal characters typical of a Cameron film, this submersible tale of aliens and the deep blue ocean is an unforgettable thrill ride. 'Packaged with relatable and interesting people, the stakes are always high and the action never stops, as Cameron takes you deep underwater in this claustrophobic epic. This is a blockbuster film and a classic, mark my words!'; 'James Cameron's best film IMO. A work of art that was very difficult to make, but it was worth it. 'The performances, set design, storyline and special effects are beyond amazing. This is top of the line film at the highest level of all time. Perfection!' While another added: 'Back in the nineties, I had the pleasure of experiencing this mind-blowing sci-fi film and even to this day, it continues to captivate me. 'Undoubtedly, it has secured its place as one of my all-time favourites in the genre. They commented on the difference between edited and unedited versions: 'However, let me tell you, the uncut version takes the brilliance to a whole new level.'
Geek Tyrant
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
First Reactions Drop for PREDATOR: KILLER OF KILLERS and It Sounds Like a Winner! — GeekTyrant
There was recently an early screening of director Dan Trachtenberg's new animated Predator anthology series Predator: Killer of Killers , and those who attended loved what it delivered! The animated series was described as 'Compelling,' 'Violent,' 'Full of vicious kills,' 'Badass incarnate,' and it's said to be 'made by Predator fans for Predator fans.' I can't wait to see the series for myself! I'm excited about this thing! Predator: Killer of Killers is a three-part anthology that puts the focus in Yautja warriors hunting human prey across world history. The anthology story follows 'three of the fiercest warriors in human history: a Viking raider guiding her young son on a bloody quest for revenge, a ninja in feudal Japan who turns against his Samurai brother in a brutal battle for succession, and a WWII pilot who takes to the sky to investigate an otherworldly threat to the Allied cause. 'But while all these warriors are killers in their own right, they are merely prey for their new opponent – the ultimate killer of killers.' The voice cast includes Lindsay LaVanchy, Louis Ozawa, Rick Gonzalez, and Michael Biehn. Trachtenberg co-directed this project alongside Josh Wassung while on location for Predator: Badlands . He said: 'We were writing the script for [ Killer of Killers ] while we were prevising stuff on [ Badlands ], and then [once on location] in New Zealand, on the way to shoot [ Badlands ], we would remote with everyone back here and [watch footage] thanks to Starlink.' It's set to premiere as a Hulu exclusive on June 6th, 2025. Check out the reactions below!
Daily Mirror
05-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Mirror
Terrifying moment robot 'wakes up' and attacks humans while 'trying to escape'
Footage taken inside a factory in China has shown the moment a humanoid robot seemed to gained consciousness and began thrashing its arms around trying to escape its restraints Chilling CCTV footage has shown the moment a robot appeared to wake up in a factory - before violently thrashing its arms about in a bid to break free from its restraints. The android was being transferred via a crane when it seemed to suddenly become aware of its surroundings. In scenes reminiscent of sci-fi movies, it reacts with fury and then attempts to free itself as nearby human workers move away and cower in fear. Its wild thrashing sees it knock an expensive computer to the floor and other nearby items are also sent flying with the sheer force. The footage ends with the handlers attempting to reach towards the robot, presumably in an attempt to shut it off before it manages to escape its surroundings in a Chinese factory. One person said online of the footage: 'We are cooked. No wires pulling just pure chaos. Another added: 'This stuff right here is why robots freak me out. This is one technology I think we have taken it too far.' Another said: 'I've seen this film, it doesn't end well for mankind and, frankly, I don't see Michael Biehn around to save us this time. Seriously, what the heck was going on there?' One more joked: 'It's like I'm the only person in the world who saw Terminator.' It comes after an official US study last month claimed China could be building an army of soldiers as hard to kill as Arnold Schwarzenegger 's Terminator. The US National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) predicts China could produce legions of "genetically enhanced PLA super-soldiers' which would fuse human and artificial intelligence, making them next to impossible to destroy. The 'human machine team' could be ready as early as the 2040s. The idea was the brainchild of a rogue Chinese scientist who created genetically modified babies and was jailed - but is now back at work, as the report warns the time to act is now. A new report by the The Charting the Future of Biotechnology document says: 'At the outset of the First World War, the United States did not yet fully appreciate how airplanes would rapidly change the nature of war. 'But once we understood the significance of aviation for force projection, reconnaissance, logistical support, and beyond, we dominated the skies. Similarly, the full impact of the biotechnology revolution will not be clear until it arrives. 'One thing is certain: it is coming. There will be a ChatGPT moment for biotechnology, and if China gets there first, no matter how fast we run, we will never catch up.'
Buzz Feed
13-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
27 Actors Who Were Supposed To Be Hollywood's Next Big Star, But Faded Away Instead
Recently, Reddit user CreepyYogurtcloset39 posed the question, "Who was supposed to be Hollywood's next big star but faded away?" to the people of r/moviecritic. Here are their top responses: 1. "Carl Weathers should have been what Sly and Arnold were. He oozed charisma and had an amazing presence on the big screen." — Bubzszs "Carl was so good they specifically cast him in Predator to mentor Arnold in his first actual acting role (the Conan stuff required no acting)" — PrimalNumber 2. "Michael Biehn. To be fair, not many actors have such an iconic resume — Aliens, The Terminator, The Abyss, Tombstone, Navy Seals, The Rock. Not only are they all great films, he's great in them." — ohnofluffy "I didn't know much about Michael Biehn but I def remember him as Johnny Ringo. His Wiki page says: James Cameron suggested that 'what held Michael back was that he didn't like playing the Hollywood game — schmoozing people and all that. For him it was all about the work.' Biehn has never hired a publicist and was reportedly never interested in the 'fame aspect of the business, even though his agent — and Cameron — both believed he had what it took to be a major star.' I prefer this version of why he didn't become a 'superstar.'" — CriscoMelon 3. "Stuart Townsend. He was replaced by Viggo Mortensen in The Lord of the Rings trilogy." 4. "Biggest star that never became a star? I'd say Aaron Eckhart. The guy has it all, just never became a big headliner." 5. " Hayden Christensen. He co-starred in Life is a House with Kevin Kline years ago, but that's kind of it (other than playing Anakin again in the Obi-Wan Kenobi show). He actually can act, but he was just never going to escape that role." — Nearby-Cod6310 "It's a shame because Star Wars fans (most of them at least) have really come to love him and his portrayal of Anakin. It's just sad that he had to endure so much hate for his acting and the dialogue to the point it tanked his career." — ReservedRainbow 6. "Mickey Rourke had immense talent, but his off-screen antics overshadowed his performances." 7. "Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Bro was rolling off The Tudors and an acclaimed performance in Match Point. Then addiction got him, and now he's doing B-movies with Bruce Willis and John Travolta." 8. "Casper van Dien. He didn't need to do anything else. He peaked with Starship Troopers and has never come off that throne." 9. "Chris O'Donnell. I remember he did Scent of a Woman, The Three Musketeers, and Batman Forever, and thinking he was going to be huge." 10. "Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, he's got it all but never really launched into stardom after Game of Thrones." 11. "Taylor Kitsch. I mean, don't get me wrong, he has a very respectable career and is a talented actor. I just mean that his career hasn't lived up to the early trade hype about him, blame for which I don't attribute to the actors themselves." 12. "Skeet Ulrich. He was so good in Scream. Like hybrid Johnny Depp/Jack Nicolson, that is good. Then nothing..." 13. "I like Anna Farris, and I feel like she never got a big-time shot at her moments because of her involvement with the Scary Movie series. She's in a lot of B movies, and they're okay, but the writing is bad in most of them since she's cast as the ditzy blonde in 99% of things she was in." 14. "Shia LaBeouf. I mean, he did Disturbia and then the Transformers movie, which I absolutely loved — that movie made me feel like a kid again for a few hours. Then Spielberg made him Indy's son and hinted at a future with him in that role. And then he faded away, I know he had issues, but so many were able to come back. Wonder what was different about him." 15. "Sam Worthington. He's set for life with his Avatar gigs. But back in 2009, people, especially people in Australia, were expecting him to become the next Heath Ledger." 16. "Rutger Hauer. He's my fave; I love his movies, even the cheesiest of them, but after Blade Runner, it seemed like he'd be one to watch out for but ended up fading into cult status." 17. "Deep cut from the women's side: Alison Lohman. Big Fish and Matchstick Men in the same year. She was so good in both." 18. "Nick Stahl comes to mind. I'm still salty about Carnivale 's cancellation." 19. "Jason Patric. Although, let's be honest, Speed 2 was never going to launch him... I mean, it's kind of hard to follow Keanu in a franchise, and even more so when the movie is just plain awful." 20. "Bruce Campbell. Ash vs Evil Dead is hands down a hidden gem of a show and Bruce gets to go full ham in it as Ash. I wish it had been more popular." 21. "Ron Livingston had such a great shot after Office Space, but he kinda faded back into obscurity." 22. "Dougray Scott. Was originally cast as Wolverine, but he was filming Mission: Impossible 2, and filming ran long. So he had to back out of X-Men." 23. "Gretchen Mol. She had a 'New IT Girl' Vanity Fair cover and did a few things here and there, but she didn't want to play the game. Apparently, she refused to travel away from NYC because of her young kids, etc. She said in Cookie Magazine, 'I told my agent I didn't want to work in L.A., even if it was the greatest job in the world. I didn't want to compromise.' You gotta strike while the iron is hot. I was happy to see her in Broadwalk Empire and Yellowstone, though." 24. "Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I am 100% still waiting for a Robin movie!" 25. "David Duchovny. He didn't fade away after leaving the X-Files, but every industry rag predicted he'd be the next Hollywood leading man following his departure. He obviously found success in TV again, and he's had a few film roles, including Return to Me with Minnie Driver, which I really liked. His career isn't a failure, but he's not the 'George Clooney Version 2' many were expecting." 26. "Edward Furlong. Typical child actor story. I think Cameron had more to do with Furlong's success in T2 than Eddie himself did, and he probably wasn't playing a role that was deeply different from himself, so he didn't need to do a lot of real character work." 27. Finally, "Djimon Hounsou. LOVE HIM! I definitely think this is a case of Hollywood not writing interesting and compelling roles for an actor like him. Hollywood has a very narrow view of Black actors (which is stupid and shameful and hopefully something audiences can change), and he's not a Will Smith or Denzel Washington-type." What do you think? Do you agree with what the people above said, or is there anyone you'd add to the list? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below or via the anonymous form here: Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
