``Lawrence of Arabia'' The overwhelming visual world that made Spielberg decide to become a director

Cast members survived the heat and rode camels

The cast members are also the cast members who gleefully throw themselves into these situations. There's no arrogance like, ``I'm a big star.'' Looking into the casting process, it seems that Marlon Brando and Albert Finney were initially considered as candidates for the lead role, but in the end, the big choice was Peter O'Toole, a stage actor known for his Shakespeare plays. Become.

Furthermore, Omar Sharif, who was already a popular actor in the Middle East, was appointed to play the role of Ali (Alain Delon and others were also considered). Alec Guinness, who led the success of `` Bridges to Earth '', plays the role of Prince Faisal, wearing exotic make-up that makes it hard to tell who he is at first glance. He later gained worldwide popularity for his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars series, but when audiences at the time saw the combination of him and the desert of the planet Tatooine, they immediately thought, ``Lawrence''. There must have been many people who had revived memories of ``.

It wasn't just the harsh natural environment that awaited the cast. What was even more difficult was that he had to put his life on the line by riding a camel.

"Lawrence of Arabia" (c)1962, renewed 1990, (c)1988 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

A particularly big challenge was the scene where he and several hundred extras formed a large army and ran through the desert. If you accidentally fall to the ground while running, you will be trampled mercilessly by the camels and horses following you, instantly resulting in serious injury or death. This should never have happened, but O'Toole made a mistake during this important photo shoot that made him want to cover his eyes. He fell from the camel and was thrown onto the dusty ground.

Everyone involved turned pale, but the next moment something miraculous happened. The camel he was riding immediately offered itself to protect him. The following herd narrowly avoided them, and O'Toole was not injured.

Could this be the result of long-term training? We often talk about the chemistry between the actors, but in this work, the relationship of trust with the animals was also essential. It was only then that we were able to see such realistic, powerful footage of Lawrence and his gang running wild, and the vivid image of Lawrence's fearless features as he dedicates his life to the desert and pulls the reins with all his might.

"Lawrence of Arabia" (c)1962, renewed 1990, (c)1988 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Whenever I hear this episode, I can't help but think of the motorcycle riding scene at the beginning. The main character, who died unexpectedly at the age of 46, seems to be smiling as he accelerates and feels the wind.

Perhaps it was because the days when I was burning with ideals and galloping astride a camel in the desert suddenly came back to mind. In other words, I can't help but think that at the moment of his death, his body and mind were drawn back to the desert.

Gifts from Scorsese and Spielberg