During the filming of tornado scenes, a real storm struck, devastating the set. After rebuilding, another storm blew everything away again. This is a true story from the set of the disaster blockbuster “Twisters,” directed by Lee Isaac Chung of “Minari.”
Following its late last month release in North America, “Twisters” has generated a box office storm, grossing $277.8 million globally. The film’s key players held a screening and press conference on August 7 at CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall in Seoul.
“Twisters” is a new iteration of the 1996 hit film “Twister,” starring Helen Hunt. It depicts the struggle and love of those chasing the persistent natural disaster, tornadoes, in the Midwestern United States. It is produced by Hollywood maestro Steven Spielberg.
The protagonist, Kate (played by Daisy Edgar-Jones), faces a harrowing disaster in college when she recklessly confronts a tornado and loses her friends. The film grippingly portrays Kate’s journey as she overcomes her trauma and confronts the merciless tornadoes that swallow people’s lives for 122 minutes.
Director Chung, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (Youn Yuh-jung) and the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film for “Minari,” met with Korean press along with lead actress Daisy Edgar-Jones and producer Ashley Jay Sandberg. Director Chung expressed his joy, saying, “It feels like a dream to have directed a blockbuster film. I was heavily influenced by Spielberg.”
He added, “I grew up on a farm in Arkansas (a tornado-prone area). Just 2-3 weeks after moving to Arkansas, the first tornado of my life passed by our house. This inspired me to capture the real natural phenomenon, and I wanted the audience to experience the tornado firsthand.”
He also mentioned, “My hometown folks rarely go to theaters, but many friends from Oklahoma and Arkansas told me they watched this film in theaters. It means a lot to me.”
Producer Sandberg stated that the most important quality for the “Twisters” director was understanding and experiencing the region. Sandberg, who is also a fan of “Minari,” said, “Friends at Lucasfilm told me that Director Chung excelled in special effects and large-scale productions in the ‘Star Wars’ series ‘The Mandalorian.’ He was the perfect fit to fill in the gaps of the ‘Twisters’ script.”
The lead performances are as compelling as the original. Daisy Edgar-Jones, noted for her role in Netflix’s “Where the Crawdads Sing,” plays Kate, while Glen Powell, who rose to fame as a pilot in “Top Gun: Maverick,” adds wit and romance to Kate’s story as Tyler, a YouTuber popular for his tornado videos.
The true star of the film is the tornado itself. Filmed in rural Oklahoma, the special effects for the tornado were captured using Panavision XL cameras, handheld ARRI 435 cameras, and 35mm film.
Director Chung designed ten types of tornadoes and weather environments based on real weather events and observations for the film. The most complex and realistic weather simulation and tornado work ever created in movie history came to life, according to the film’s computer graphics supervisor.
The movie also meticulously portrays the collapsed lives in the disaster-hit areas. Residents band together to save each other while fleeing to a theater to escape the final tornado.
This scene was Director Chung’s favorite when he first read the script. “I thought a theater would be a good metaphor for the story of people overcoming fear and trauma,” Chung said. Edgar-Jones, who studied real climate camps and tornado chasers and practiced local accents, interpreted, “In this film, the tornado symbolizes the inner monster that Kate is trying to overcome.”
Director Chung, who confessed, “At first, I was afraid of how I would make such a move,” said, “If I didn’t do it out of fear, I would regret it for life. In a way, fear brings inspiration and opportunities for growth.”
He added, “Tornadoes are grand and awe-inspiring. You’ll feel more immersed if you experience it in a theater with a big screen.”
BY WONJEONG NA, YOUNGNAM KIM [na.wonjeong@joongang.co.kr]
