Warning: Some spoilers ahead for Cocaine BearElizabeth Banks reveals why she decided to cut one particular Cocaine Bear death scene. Loosely based on a true story from 1985, the film tracks the hectic aftermath of a large American black bear consuming the stimulant from a duffel bag left in the wilderness. While not much is known about what happened before the animal was found dead, Cocaine Bear depicts run-ins with different people and by the looks of it, incorporates some memorable gore.
Prior to the film’s release, the Cocaine Bear trailer emphasized a lot of its humor and potential kills, but Banks is revealing that one gory scene was ultimately cut. Speaking with Insider, the director says Olaf’s (Kristofer Hivju) death was shot, but removed because she did not want audiences to leave “freaking out.” Read Banks’ comments regarding Cocaine Bear’s cut scene below:
“Everything that I wanted in is in the movie, but I did pull out some gore toward the end. Kristofer Hivju, who plays the hiker, we show an amazing prosthetic of his ripped-off face that’s the aftermath of an attack with the bear. We also filmed his death, but I took it out. I felt by then the point had been made of what’s happening. I wanted the audience to be a little more on the emotional ride of the third act. It’s coming to a close, and I wanted people to leave happy and not be freaking out and wanting to throw up.”
How Cocaine Bear’s Gore Compares To Recent Movies
The gore in Cocaine Bear has already become a talking point, and compared to similar, successful films, it may be more memorable. Movies like M3GAN also combined elements of horror and comedy, but while the kills were creative, they were not as graphic. Some of Cocaine Bear‘s notable deaths, including a scene in which the bear attacks an ambulance, featured severed limbs and a lot of blood. Unlike M3GAN, its central antagonist is a wild animal, so it behaves differently, and the R-rating allows the film to incorporate more explicit content.
The movie shows the animal being aggressive towards humans, without necessarily getting threatened. Bears are known to be dangerous, but the actions in Cocaine Bear are frightening because they are not always instigated, and a lot of it has to do with the drugs. Another widely discussed film this year was horror movie Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, which also included a lot of violence and, like Cocaine Bear, depicted a menacing creature causing harm. The difference in gore, though, is that killer Pooh Bear behaves like a person, whereas the cocaine bear is more animalistic.
Olaf’s death scene might have been too gory to keep in the film, but Cocaine Bear still manages to give audiences a lot of intense moments worth remembering. Given the recent success of other comedic thrillers, and the particular interest in this one, it will be interesting to see how the movie performs and if a potential sequel will get made. Those eager to experience Cocaine Bear can be sure to check it out in theaters and with Banks discussing the possibility of a shark-based film, more gore could be on the way.
Source: Insider