Now on Amazon Prime: 5 facts about the cult film
1. Everything real?
Since real snakes proved to be too lethargic, digital reptiles were largely used. 450 specimens were created in this way, only around 60 live animals were used.
2. Anaconda, or what?
The striking film title is an essential part of the legend, but the working title can also be seen and heard in terms of “simple and trashy to the point”: “Anaconda 4”. Ultimately, the naming was not that easy. New Line Cinema meanwhile planned to rename the film “Pacific Air 121”. Only after Samuel L. Jackson was furious about it and pushed the title through to the press beforehand did they leave it at “Snakes On A Plane”.
3. Enough!
“Enough is enough!” is Neville Flynn’s legendary catchphrase. A Las Vegas booking agency at the time was taking bets on how many times Flynn/Jackson would say that phrase during the film. Unlike most films, there were no press screenings, another circumstance that fueled the cult surrounding this film.
4. Distance please!
During filming, Samuel L. Jackson did not touch a single snake. His agency even included a note in the contract: none of the animals may come closer than eight meters to the actor.
5. Where did she go?
A snake was lost during the recording of a scene. However, the crew kept the incident a secret so as not to scare the actors. In the end, the animal reappeared, nobody was harmed.
This article first appeared on TVSPIELFILM.de.