Renowned filmmaker James Cameron has recently shared a gripping story from the set of his 1989 masterpiece, “The Abyss,” where a life-threatening incident almost cost him his life.
During a panel discussion at Beyond Fest in Los Angeles, following a screening of “The Abyss: Special Edition,” Cameron disclosed that his survival was in jeopardy due to an underwater mishap. according to Variety.
Cameron, now 69, described how the movie was filmed 30 feet underwater, requiring him to wear heavy weights to stay submerged while operating the camera.
However, one day on set, a horrifying incident unfolded.
The director experienced a lack of air, desperately trying to alert the underwater director of photography, Al Giddings, through the PA system. Unfortunately, Giddings could not hear Cameron’s warnings as he had become deaf after a previous diving accident.
Panicking, Cameron removed his equipment to rise to the surface and breathe, but another unexpected problem arose. The safety divers, commonly referred to as “angels,” attempted to aid him but mistakenly inserted a faulty breathing mask into his mouth.
As Cameron explained, “He sticks a regulator in my mouth that he didn’t check. It had been banging around the bottom of the tank for three weeks and had a rip through the diaphragm, so I purged carefully and took a deep breath… of water. And then I purged it again, and I took another deep breath… of water.”
The situation became critical, with the safety divers holding Cameron down to prevent damage caused by rapid ascension. Despite his extensive diving experience, Cameron was unable to communicate the malfunctioning regulator, leaving him with no choice but to resort to physical violence. He punched the diving assistant in the face and made his way to the surface, ultimately surviving the ordeal.
“The Abyss,” upon its release, was initially considered a box-office disappointment, only earning around $9 million nationally. However, over time, it gained a devoted following and transformed into a cult classic.
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