9 Classic Movie Scenes That Were Awful To Film

James Cameron is known as a demanding director, but he took the biscuit with The Abyss. The science fiction classic sees a team of submariners travel to the depths of the ocean to investigate unusual activity. The film is full of tense moments and dramatic confrontations, which were no doubt heightened by the horrendous working conditions.

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio had it worst of all. The scene in which she drowns and is resuscitated required a gruelling sequence of retakes and is difficult to watch, but must have been way harder to perform in. Mastrantonio is basically comatose for much of it, but is screamed at, bashed, and slapped as Ed Harris’ character tries to bring her round.

This was traumatising for the actress, and the stress of the shoot got to her. She understandably stormed off set, leading to Harris acting against an empty space when he was on camera. The shoot stretched to six months, and Cameron encouraged the actors to use their costumes as portable toilets - something was always going to give.

The film was a moderate hit and a critical success, but the cast and crew prefer not to talk about it anymore. Even Cameron knows he went too far - perhaps the reason he now eschews practical effects where possible.