Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
'Twilight Zone: The Movie' may serve as warning for Warner Bros
Listen
• 1:07
A still from the classic Twilight Zone episode "Eye of the Beholder."
(
Kollage Kid/Flickr
)
A fatal incident on a movie set 30 years ago Monday set off the kinds of arguments in Hollywood that have swirled around the opening weekend of “The Dark Knight Rises.”
“Twilight Zone: the Movie” was supposed to be an edgy update of the popular anthology TV series that inspired it. In one segment, veteran actor Vic Morrow played a character who traveled back in time in the shoes of people he despised, including villagers escaping a bombing during the Vietnam War.
On the last day of production, Morrow and two child performers, Renee Shinn Chen and Myca Dinh Le, died in a convergence of special-effects explosives and a low-flying helicopter. Warner Brothers — the same studio behind the latest Batman film — released “Twilight Zone” the summer after the incident.
At the time, some observers questioned whether that was a good idea. The movie met with mixed reviews, and with mixed feelings among people attracted or repulsed by its notoriety.
Support for LAist comes from
The families of the three actors killed sued the studio, claiming negligence. Prosecutors charged segment director Jon Landis, the helicopter pilot, the special effects coordinator and two other crew members with involuntary manslaughter. It may have been the first time a movie director faced criminal charges for occurrences on the set.
Five years after the fatal day, a jury acquitted all the defendants. But the episode led to revised laws regulating child labor, nighttime production and the use of special effects on movie sets.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Wasteland Weekend is all about souped-up rust buckets, spikey costumes and an ‘ideal apocalypse.’ -
The Shadow the Scientists initiative at UC Santa Cruz strives to demystify astronomical research. -
Some submissions to the Pasadena Humane Society were made by extremely talented artists. The others … tried their best. -
Isolated showers can still hit the L.A. area until Friday as remnants from the tropical storm move out. -
First aspiring spectators must register online, then later in 2026 there will be a series of drawings. -
It's thanks to Tropical Storm Mario, so also be ready for heat and humidity, and possibly thunder and lightning.
Best of LAist