The moves in
the chess match between the characters Emma Peel and John Steed are the same as in the match between Roy Batty and Tyrell
in Blade Runner (1982). Another Blade Runner reference is the line, "Time to die."
After terrible
test screenings, the film was hastily recut from its original 2.5-hour running time to the 89-minute version released to theaters.
This explains why there are so many continuity/narrative errors in the film.
Mel Gibson was
considered for the role of John Steed.
Nicole Kidman
was considered for the role of Emma Peel.
The original
release date was June 26th, 1998. After poor test screenings, the film was pushed back to August 14 1998 and the June spot was filled in by A Perfect Murder.
Diana Rigg was
sent the script with a view to her playing Alice. She passed on it.
Continuity Error:
Flower pot is missing as Steed continues down the street.
Factual Error:
Snowflakes on hands and face should melt.
Boom mike visible:
A boom mike with red tape wrapped around it is visible in the scene where Sean Connery shows Uma Thurman his garden, and also
in the scene where Uma Thurman plays the piano.
Audio/visual
unsynchronized: During the scene in the boardroom with the teddy bears, De Wynter (Sean Connery) says that anyone who wishes
to leave can do so, and a payment of one million dollars will await them. However, this dialogue has been overdubbed in post-production,
as De Wynter clearly mouths the word "pounds" instead of "dollars" on-screen.
Revealing Mistake:
When Steed and Mrs. Peel are drinking tea in the car, from the way the sun shines through the cups it is clear that there
is no liquid in the cups.
Continuity Error:
Towards the end of the movie, the Westminster clock (AKA Big Ben) is destroyed
by a lightning strike. The very last shot of the film shows a wide angle of Westminster,
and the clock tower is restored.
Continuity Error:
When Steed and Peel are being chased by Bailey's flying insects we see he has a control panel with red lights that correspond
to the number of insects flying. As they crash the number of red lights get fewer and fewer, but at the end when we see only
two insects still flying, the control panel clearly shows more than two.
Many scenes cut
from the final print appear in the trailer. In particular, a long sequence with "Evil Emma" infiltrating a secret base was
cut even though it was originally the opening of the movie. The trailer's "How now brown cow" phone booth sequence in the
trailer featuring Uma Thurman is taken from this sequence.
The original
cut of the film ran around 115m., according to advance reviews. Many of the scenes cut include:
* The original
opening sequence featured the "Evil Emma" infiltrating a secret base, the Prospero Project. She drives up to the base in a
blue Jaguar on a secluded London highway, and enters through a red phone booth
by uttering the words "how now brown cow? After gaining access to the base, she proceeds to kill several of the scientists
and security personnel, and destroys the base by blowing it up.
* The scene of
Sir August De Wynter playing organ was originally shown after the opening. As the base blows up, he exclaims "let our revels
begin!"
* When Emma Peel
enters the Gentlemen's club, the attendant who insists that she not enter because she is a woman continues to prevent her
from entering, and which point she Karate chops him, which sends him flying down a flight of stairs.
* A scene of
Sir August De Wynter, dressed in the teddy-bear suit, rhythmically slicing the face of a scientist to classical music while
trying to figure out the clues to the Prospero Project.
* The first meeting
between Emma Peel and John Steed was originally longer. You can see her walking through the corridors before she finally makes
her way into the sauna. The dialogue is longer, more frank, and it isn't dubbed, as it is in the theatrical release.
* A more coherent
explanation of why Emma's Jag exploded after the mechanical bee attack.
* Emma Peel drops
from De Wynter's arms as she is escorted to his room. He doesn't let go of her, and brings her back up swiftly.
* When Sir August
De Wynter has Emma Peel in his bed, he lowers the zipper on her shirt just a little more.
* More scenes
of Peel and Steed walking through the corridors of Wonderland Weather.
* Emma Peel bounces
back and forth between the walls of her padded cell.
* Sir August
De Wynter drives to the World Council meeting in a Rolls Royce snowplow after it begins snowing heavily as a result of his
weather machine.
* More shots
of Mother witnessing the worldwide destruction that the weather machine is causing.
* More scenes
of Peel and Steed walking through De Wynter's headquarters after they lower in through the telephone booth.
* An extra shot
of Big Ben exploding, shown from slightly farther away.
* During the
climactic battle between John Steed and Sir August De Wynter, De Wynter slices Steed with his sword several times. De Wynter
raises his arms as the battle nears it's end. Steed becomes enraged toward the end of the battle. Note how Steed's shirt is
inexplicably cut and bloodied after the fight begins.
* After the Prospero
Project self-detonates, a countdown clock begins to tick, nearing toward the explosion. When the explosions begins, the silver
dome in the headquarters (the one Steed and Peel pass when they enter) is shown exploding.
