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Tuesday 26 November 2013

Supernova Production Timeline - Theory

Geoffrey Wright set to direct. Preps film, including costume design, set design etc
Casts Vincent D'Onofrio as computer tech
Casts James Spader
Geoffrey Wright walks out of the project two months before principle photography due to "creative differences."
Vincent D'Onofrio drops out.

Walter Hill agrees to direct
Walter Hill casts Peter Facinelli, Wilson Cruz, Robin Tunney, Lou Diamond Phillips, Robert Forster.
Walter Hill completes principle photography.
Walter Hill completes a workprint. (see deleted scenes on the DVD)
Walter Hill requests time / money for re-shoots, but the studio disagreed with the direction the film was going and ordered different re-shoots as well as test screenings, which Hill doesn't want to do until after his re-shoots.
Major falling out between Hill and the studio.
Walter Hill abandons film prior to post production.

Jack Sholder takes over as director for re-shoots.
Jack Sholder scraps the Hill footage seen in the DVD deleted scenes section.
Jack Sholder chucks out original score and has the film re-scored.
Adds 'emotion' to Sweety.
Adds scene of Spader piloting ship to safety after they jump into the Supernova high gravity field (Apparently Hill had the auto pilot do this in his cut and Jack Sholder thought it was a waste of Spaders character)
Re-shoots unspecified scenes to add 'humor'.
MGM still not happy with Jack Sholder's cut, so they 'shelve it'.

Francis Ford Coppola takes footage back to his American Zoetrope facility to re-edit it.
Francis Ford Coppola adds Spader and Bassett sex scene by using Tunney and Facinelli sex scene out take footage and digitally darkening Tunney's skin.

Film released as a 'Thomas Lee' film.


Notes:
• I have no evidence that the deleted scenes on the DVD are from Walter Hills original cut. This is an assumption on my part.
• Im sure there is way more to the story than the above. I suspect Francis Ford Coppola added a lot through voice over or re-dubbing. The whole Bassett is pregnant at the end piece I suspect is his, but I cannot prove this.
• The trailer contains even more deleted footage, alternative takes etc
• Many photos exist of even more deleted footage - Tunney and Bassett dressing up Flyboy, Spader finding an ID card on a cocooned miner etc etc

Sources:
http://www.mania.com/supernova-emerges-from-black-hole_article_18603.html
http://www.thepinksmoke.com/frustratingsupernova1.htm
http://www.movie-page.com/1999/Supernova.htm
http://movie-memorabilia-emporium.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/supernova-200001-publicity-photos.html