10 Film Scenes That Broke The Camera

These movie scenes all left the crew with a busted camera.

Oppenheimer Florence Pugh
Universal

Film sets are majorly complex operations in which hundreds, even thousands of people come together in an attempt to get actors in front of a camera lens and capturing compelling images to be later released to a paying public.

A lot can go wrong during shooting, but there's little worse than a camera getting broken. As the device with which the film's images are created, it's surely the single most important thing on any film set.

And yet, filmmakers have still found ways to damage, wreck, even outright destroy cameras, lenses, and crucial associated equipment, creating major technical and logistical headaches in the process.

These 10 movie scenes all came to fruition while causing major damage to a camera, while audiences en masse are blissfully unaware of all the behind-the-scenes turmoil.

You can expect to see a lot of Christopher Nolan on this list because, well, the man's laudable commitment to practical filmmaking has some drawbacks - for his insurance companies, at least.

Indeed, one of these incidents ended up costing almost $1 million in damages, while on the lower-end of the scale they simply left the camera crew feeling red-faced...

10. Catwoman Rides The Batpod - The Dark Knight Rises

Oppenheimer Florence Pugh
Warner Bros.

And so begins our chronicle of Christopher Nolan's historic abuse of those incredibly expensive IMAX camera he's so lovingly advocated for throughout his career.

For the gonzo climax of The Dark Knight Rises, Anne Hathaway's stunt double filmed a shot where she rides the Batpod out of the courthouse and down the steps, seemingly after killing Bane (Tom Hardy).

And yet, the stunt double ended up crashing head-on into a bulky IMAX camera, sending it hurtling out of the operator's hands and smashing to the floor.

Unlike most of the other entries on this list, there's even video footage of the accident in question, though as it confirms, there were thankfully no injuries sustained as a result.

All the same, given that IMAX cameras cost around $500,000 each and there are just a handful of them in circulation at any one time, that's quite the expensive mistake, regardless of whose feet you lie the blame at.

To make it even worse, this shot doesn't even appear in the final film, as after Catwoman kills Bane, we don't see her drive down the courthouse steps at all.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.