“Totally Crushed The Lens”: Classic Stephen King Adaptation Led To Unique Accident, Recalls VFX Supervisor

Summary VFX supervisor William Mesa shares on-set accident during filming of Stand by Me train scene with Corridor Crew.

Director Rob Reiner opted for minimal VFX to enhance the feeling of jeopardy for the characters in Stand by Me.

Stand by Me's lasting impact can be attributed to attention to detail in visually capturing the film's dramatic scenes.

The VFX supervisor for Stand by Me explains how filming for the project led to an unusual set accident. Stand by Me is a 1986 film about a group of boys who goes on a search to find the body of a missing boy. Stand by Me is based on the 1982 Stephen King novella The Body, which was in turn inspired by King's own childhood. Stand by Me featured a main cast including Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell, and Kiefer Sutherland.

Speaking with Corridor Crew, Stand by Me VFX supervisor William Mesa recalls one major accident on the set of the film.

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 "bleed the 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 crushed the 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 unveiled that there was a matted platform built right below where they jump off of the tracks, allowing the group of boys to land safely. Also included in the Stand by Me analysis 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, including Star Wars and more, tout their use of practical effects.

The grandiose action moment of the train sequence is only one of the reasons why Stand by Me has 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, Stand by Me holds up fairly well visually today. Audiences are catapulted into adventure and the same sensation of overwhelm that the central characters feel.

Related Stand By Me: 10 Best Quotes About Youth & Friendship Rob Reiner's classic Stephen King adaptation Stand by Me captures the feeling of youth and friendship through its many poignant quotes.

Stand by Me's reviews have held up in the nearly four decades since its release. The film's Tomatometer is a 92%, with an audience approval rating of an even higher 94%. Existing outside the horror genre, Stand by Me is far from the typical King adaptation fare. Replete with great performances, impressive cinematography and visuals, and a compelling coming-of-age narrative, however, Stand by Me is one of the better King-based films and has stood the test of time.

Source: Corridor Crew / YouTube