Behind The "Worst" Movie Of All Time
Few films have built a legacy quite like The Room, Tommy Wiseau’s 2003 independent drama. It's not necessarily positive, but at the very least, it won't be forgotten. Its behind-the-scenes history is almost as memorable as the film itself, which is quite an achievement for a movie like this, so here are five fun BTS facts about this cult classic.
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1. Tommy Wiseau Did Almost Everything
Despite getting a bad rap for the movie, Tommy Wiseau wrote, directed, produced, executive-produced, and starred in The Room. This gave him extraordinary creative control over the project. Unfortunately, it also meant that many of the film’s most unusual choices came directly from this one person.
2. The Budget Was Surprisingly Large
It might not have looked or felt like it, but The Room reportedly cost about $6 million to make, which is remarkable for an independent cult film. For a film now celebrated for its eccentricity, the budget remains one of its most surprising details.
3. It Was Shot in Two Formats at Once
Wiseau wanted to shoot the movie using both 35 mm film and high-definition video, so to do this, the production used a custom rig that held two cameras side by side. In the end, only the 35 mm footage was used in the final version. It's interesting seeing how much work and effort was put into the film, though.
4. The Rooftop Scenes Were Not Really in San Francisco
Although The Room is set in San Francisco, many rooftop scenes were filmed on a Los Angeles soundstage. The San Francisco backgrounds were added with green screen effects. It's not surprising for most films, but it's still a fun little tid bit.
5. The Cast Helped Shape the Script on Set
The original script was reportedly much longer and included dialogue that was difficult for the actors to perform. As a result, some lines were adjusted during filming, even though Wiseau preferred that the script be followed closely. A little improvising doesn't hurt anyone!
