Cliffhanger (film) - Production

Production

Carolco Pictures had originally signed Sylvester Stallone to appear opposite John Candy in a comedy directed by John Hughes about feuding neighbors. When the project was dropped, Stallone was persuaded to appear in Cliffhanger.

Carolco had also originally signed Renny Harlin to direct Gale Force, a "Die Hard-in-a-hurricane" action film. The special effects proved too difficult at the time, so he was persuaded to direct Cliffhanger. Three writers claimed that Cliffhanger was their idea. To avoid jeopardizing the film's release, they were paid $250,000 each to drop the case.

The film's most breathtaking scenes were shot in the Cortina d'Ampezzo area of the Dolomites, Italy. For example the bridge scene was shot on Monte Cristallo. Further filming took place in Durango, Colorado. The credits of the film also thank the Ute Tribe for filming in the Ute Mountain reservation.

Cliffhanger is in the Guinness Book of World Records for the costliest aerial stunt ever performed. Stuntman Simon Crane was paid $1 million to perform the aerial transfer scene, where he crossed between two planes at an altitude of 15,000 feet (4,600 m).

The parachute that the basejumper opens, on his escape from the villains, features the design of the Finnish flag, Renny Harlin's native country (he features a reference to Finland in most of his films). The Denver Mint featured in the film as the producer of the cash stolen by Qualen and his associates actually only produces coins. $100 million from the Denver Mint would weigh 2,500 kilograms (5,500 lb). All paper currency in the US is printed by the Bureau of Printing and Engraving, not the United States Mint. Wolfgang Güllich, widely regarded as one of the most skillful, daring, and popular rock-climbers of all time, performed as a climbing double of Stallone.