In 1994, the emergence of a classic film, let us feel in its excellent story and camera language, the deep excavation of the good and evil of the human heart. The film has won numerous awards since its release and is still loved by everyone today. It is Luc Besson’s The Killer Is Not Too Cold.
1, with “The killer is not too cold” of the “curve to save the country” road
Luc Besson, the famous director of the film The Killer is not Too Cold, has always had a sci-fi dream. He began writing The Fifth Element at the age of 16, but it took 22 years for the film to be released.
In the 1990s, no film company was willing to invest in this “money burning” science fiction film with a cost of nearly 100 million dollars, and Bruce Willis, who was afraid of the risk, once hesitated to make the film.
The filming of the Fifth Element had to be interrupted, and during the break, Luc Besson spent only one month writing the script for The Killer is Not Too Cold, and then only spent three months shooting and producing it.
Columbia Pictures, which had invested in the film, decided to invest $90 million in Luc Besson’s next project.
It’s fair to say that “The Man Who’s Not Too Cold” made enough money for “The Fifth Element” to allow us to see this classic sci-fi film.
2. Male and female main casting
Jean Reno’s Leon is definitely one of the most classic roles, but with MEL Gibson and Keanu Reeves both initially interested in the role, it seems the big names have a good eye.
Natalie Portman was also not the first choice, and Liv Tyler was initially considered for the role, but was rejected due to her tall stature.
Fortunately, Natalie Portman, who was eliminated, did not give up, when she was only 11 years old, she read the script and began to cry, she thought it was the best script she had ever seen, so despite her parents’ objections, she went to director Luc Besson for a performance, and finally let her get the role.
3. Natalie Portman’s tears
Natalie Portman, who has never acted before, couldn’t cry in the early scenes when she asked Leon for help opening the door.
An employee then smeared the mint-scented essential oil under Portman’s eyelids, which brought her to tears.
Portman later said in an interview, “They only did it once, and then I was like, okay, I can cry now.” Because it was really painful, and after that I was completely focused when I was shooting, and I could cry at any time because I didn’t want them to put mint in my eyes anymore.”
4. Smoking is harmful to health
Portman was only 11 years old at the time of filming, so her parents were concerned about the smoking scene in the film, and they signed very specific treaties with the cast, such as:
There are only five smoking scenes in the film, and there are no smoking or smoking scenes.
In the plot, Leon must scold Matilda for smoking, and when Matilda is alone, she must voluntarily throw away the cigarette.
5. Every movie has some cuts
There’s a scene in the original script where Matilda is in the bathroom and Leon pops in to hand her a bath towel.
Matilda didn’t hide it. She was like, “I don’t care.”
The scene was removed at the urging of Portman’s parents.
In the first test version, Leon and Matilda became lovers, but the audience unanimously did not accept this 30-year difference in love and felt that it ruined the tone of the film, so the director cut this part from the final version.
6. Improvisation is good enough
Gary Oldman, who plays a drug cop in the film, successfully portrays Stanfield as a fierce and brutal villain, but his acting in the film is said to be mostly improvised.
In a classic scene, Stanfield explodes “Everyone” because actor Gary Oldman, who is impatient with filming the same scene more than once, pours his stored dissatisfaction into the phrase “Everyone” by gesturing to the director to remove his headphones.
7. A little detail
Leon and Matilda checked into the hotel under the name “MacGuffin.”
“MacGuffin” is derived from the film technique of suspense film master Hitchcock, referring to the object, character or target that can advance the plot in the film, it is usually the focus of attention to attract the audience, and the audience will know that things are not so simple when they see here.
8. Uncle, girl and potted plant
In the film, Leon cherishes his potted plant, because for a long time, only this potted plant accompanied lonely and insecure himself.
At the end of the film, Matilda plants a potted plant in the field in front of the school, hoping that Leon will also take root, but in fact, it will soon wither.
This plant is a silver queen native to South America, and is also cultivated in tropical cities such as Guangdong and Fujian in China.
The difference between it and evergreen is that evergreen leaves are green all the year round, while its leaves are slightly lighter in color, and it likes a warm and humid semi-shade environment, not cold, afraid of strong light exposure.
Therefore, in the four seasons of New York, the average summer temperature of 27.5 degrees Celsius, winter can even drop to below zero, the plant is unlikely to survive.
But perhaps as the silver queen’s flower phrase “admiration” expresses, for the people you really care about and admire, no matter how the surrounding environment changes, he will take root in your heart.
9. Chelsea Hotel
The film was filmed at the Chelsea Hotel in New York, USA.
Built in 1884, this hotel is located on 23rd Street in New York, between 7th and 8th Avenues, and is famous for having been inhabited by many famous people.
Famous writers Mark Twain, O. Henry, Nabokov, famous poet Dylan Thomas, famous director Stanley Kubrick, and “2001: A Space Odyssey” author Arthur C. Clarke all lived here, and even Madonna’s portrait was shot here.
George Mitchell wrote the famous song “Chelsea Morning” here, and former US President Bill Clinton loved the song so much that he named his daughter Chelsea.
Now the hotel’s legend has been added, that it has become the film history of the classic “The Killer is not too cold” set.
In fact, the more classic the movie, the more small stories like this, I don’t know what else you want to share?
