Tuesday, Nov. 20th, 1979 —

I’m not exactly sure it’s either Tuesday or the 20th, but it doesn’t really matter. Today was spent at The Old Bridge location about 45 miles from here. Scenes of styrofoam “It’s Murder” boards falling onto the camera below and the car wheel dropping through the planking were shot and both looked terrific. And then the welder and the wrecker showed up to tear the metal structure of the bridge apart and make it look like a clawing hand. It’s almost finished (which took all day and night) and looks amazing.

Upon arriving at the bridge in Bruce’s car, Sam realized he had the keys to his Olds with him, so I had to drive 45 miles back home, then back again.

Walking on the rotting planks totally freaked me out. It was something like a 35 foot drop into fast-moving water, however Dart bounded around on the beams like a ballerina.

During tonight’s construction, the winch was drawn around the left side of the bridge to bend the little finger to the left. Unbeknownst to anyone the cable was also around a large tree-branch that snapped when tension was applied to the cable and landed on Sam. The limb must have been 50 lbs., but didn’t knock him over. He merely staggered back and sat on the wrecker. Everyone thought he was okay, however I went over to him and found him pale, his eyes completely bloodshot, his lips white and crusty and a small amount of blood dripping from his left nostril. I offered my assistance and he shook slightly declining. About ten minutes later he was functional but seemed groggy and passed out on the way home.

The footage comes back tomorrow.

It’s 1:15 A.M. and I’ve been up since 4:30 A.M. and I have to be up at 7:00 A.M.

Wednesday, Nov. 21st, 1979 —

So far today has been a fiasco — not for me actually, but… I drove Rob around today as he checked on, and had done, all that needed doing for tonight’s shooting of the bridge/claw scene.

We went out to the bridge and found that the end knuckle of the ring-finger had been amputated at Dart’s decree. It doesn’t ruin the claw effect, but it is a definite detraction.

The electrician arrived drunk and in the midst of consuming a beer to rig the cable from the 5000 watt light to the generator and said he couldn’t do it today. I listened to him mumble 75% incoherently, then left assured of his complete and total stupidity.

Goody drove to Atlanta, GA. to pick up the new film from Kodak and his truck broke down, and although I’m not certain, it seems quite serious. His truck was the only vehicle equipped with a trailer hitch to pull the generator, so now they’re considering rending a U-haul van to put the generator in.

A moment ago Bruce and I heard a crash, went into the garage and found that Sam had just broken a 5000 watt bulb which cost $75.00. So, we don’t have a truck, the use of the 5K, new film, several knuckles on the bridge fingers or Goody.

We leave for the bridge very soon.