John Hughes was a huge deal in the ’80s. As a director and screenwriter, he made some of the most iconic films of the decade and became known as the king of teen comedies. His movies, like Home Alone, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, totally defined that era.
But despite his impressive track record, one of his films showed a different side that Hughes might have been experimenting with. Robert Downey Jr., as part of the cast, ended up in one of the wildest scenes they ever made. The public only got to see something about it years after the film was released.
Robert Downey Jr. As A Pig In Weird Science
Weird Science, released in 1985, stands as one of the classic films of the decade, even if it wasn’t one of John Hughes’ biggest hits. The film earned almost $40 million on a $7.5 million budget. It felt like a departure from Hughes’ usual work, hinting that he might have been experimenting with adding a bit of fantasy and science fiction to his resume.
The movie follows two geeky teens who are great with computers but completely clueless with girls. They end up using a computer program to create their perfect woman.
The story is packed with details, largely because it leans heavily on visual effects. But that’s not all, the original script took things even further. In one scene, the bullies, Ian and Max, were supposed to be transformed into animals as a consequence of their villainous actions throughout the film (via CheatSheet)
The plan was to make sure the characters couldn’t escape and would be gone for good. The sky was supposed to open up with multicolored clouds that would surround them before they transformed. Robert Downey Jr., who was already a rising star at the time, played Ian, who would turn into a pig, while his co-star, Robert Rusler, would become a donkey.
However, the scene never made it into the movie and was cut.
Why Was The Scene Cut From Weird Science?
Even though the scene might seem a bit odd, it was mainly cut because it added too much information and visual effects. It also didn’t fit well with the narrative flow. Producer Joel Silver convinced Hughes to eliminate it because it could have overshadowed another key moment in the film — a similar transformation caused by a storm. (via Screen Rant)
Still according to CheatSheet, even though it was cut and isn’t included in the DVD extras, a new Blu-ray version has just come out. This special edition restores the film with all the grainy effects typical of movies from that era. It also features interviews with crew members and even some of the cast.
As a result, SFX makeup creator Craig Reardon thrilled fans by sharing photos of the pig and donkey heads he sculpted for Downey and Rusler. He also released backstage images of both actors wearing the costumes.
This was one of the early roles for one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Before Robert Downey Jr. became known as Iron Man, he had to go through a few unusual experiences, including wearing a pig’s head, before finally slipping into the Marvel hero’s iconic suit and helmet.
Weird Science is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
