Special Effects: Disaster at Twilight Zone - The Tragedy and the Trial, by Ron Labrecque

Special Effects: Disaster at Twilight Zone - The Tragedy and the Trial, by Ron Labrecque. 1998 hardcover. 304 pages, very nice condition.

Twilight Zone: The Movie is a 1983 sci-fi fantasy horror anthology film produced by Steven Spielberg and John Landis. During the filming of the "Time Out” segment directed by Landis, actor Vic Morrow and child actors Myca Dinh Le (age 7) and Renee Shin-Yi Chen (age 6) died in an accident involving a Bell UH-1 helicopter being used on the set. The two child actors were hired in violation of California law, which prohibits child actors from working at night or in proximity to explosions, and requires the presence of a teacher or social worker. During the subsequent trial, Landis denied culpability for the accident, but admitted that their hiring was "wrong."

In this book, an investigative reporter probes the legal proceedings following the death of three people on the set of the film, pointing to culpable individuals who escaped questioning, analyzing problems with the trial, and questioning the movie industry's recklessness.