Sylvester Stallone had to deal with his fear of heights for Cliffhanger? ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )
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The Hollywood icon, Sylvester Stallone, who once confessed, “I hate heights! I hate climbing!” had to face his fears head-on while filming in Italy’s Dolomite Mountains.
Released on May 28, 1993, Cliffhanger became Stallone’s cinematic comeback. After a series of box office flops, the action star knew he needed something big. Enter producer Mario Kassar, who pitched a mountain adventure that sounded like a nightmare to Stallone. Still, he said yes. “This is a comeback,” he declared. The stakes were as high as the peaks he’d soon be scaling.
The movie blended Die Hard-style thrills with Stallone’s raw charisma. He played Gabe Walker, a guilt-ridden rescue ranger haunted by a failed mission. When a gang of thieves crash-landed in his territory, Gabe was forced back into action. Cue Bond-worthy set pieces, jaw-dropping mountain landscapes, and a classic showdown with a British baddie.
Speaking of bad guys, John Lithgow’s Eric Qualen stole scenes as the ruthless villain. Ironically, Lithgow landed the role last minute after Christopher Walken bailed. “We literally decided his nationality overnight,” Lithgow said, opting for an English accent inspired by Die Hard’s Alan Rickman. Critics may have winced at the accent, but Lithgow had no regrets: “It was the most fun movie I had ever done.”
Cliffhanger wasn’t all smooth climbs. Filming hit financial snags thanks to Carolco Pictures’ money woes. Production stopped twice when paychecks bounced, and the movie went $40 million over budget. Stallone even chipped in $2 million of his fee to keep things rolling. But the gamble paid off—literally. The movie grossed $225 million worldwide.
The action sequences became legendary. The opening scene, where a climber falls to her death, was so iconic it got spoofed in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls. And then there was the record-breaking $1 million stunt. Simon Crane, the stuntman, crossed a wire between two airplanes at 15,000 feet. Talk about high stakes!
For Stallone, conquering his fear of heights was a personal victory. “Every day … I was scared,” he admitted. But it was a “good scared,” keeping him alert during the nerve-wracking shoots. Beyond the adrenaline, Cliffhanger also marked a creative pivot for Stallone. He co-wrote the screenplay, shaping it into a tale of survival against nature and ruthless foes.
The tagline—“Hang On”—summed up both the movie and its journey to the big screen. Despite financial turbulence and production chaos, Cliffhanger emerged as a towering success. It proved Stallone could still pack a punch—and hang tough—no matter how steep the climb.
For fans of action flicks, it wasn’t just a movie. It was a reminder that sometimes, facing your fears leads to the most epic stories.
