Emily Carter
In the 2021 Netflix comedy-action film Thunder Force, Melissa McCarthy's character Lydia must eat raw chicken to maintain her super strength. The raw chicken was actually made from thinly sliced pears treated with citric acid and food colouring, according to director Ben Falcone. The prop was so convincing that it grossed out the cast and crew, and viewers took to Twitter to express their disgust. The use of raw chicken in the film adds to its gonzo comedy and provides a bonding moment for McCarthy's character and The Crab, played by Jason Bateman.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main ingredient | Pears |
| Treatment | Citric acid |
| Treatment | Food colouring |
| Consistency | Thinly sliced |
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What You'll Learn
The chicken was made of thinly sliced pears
In the 2021 Netflix comedy-action film "Thunder Force," Melissa McCarthy's character Lydia gains superpowers and must eat raw chicken to maintain her super-strength. The raw chicken prop was actually made from thinly sliced pears treated with citric acid and food coloring.
Director Ben Falcone, who is also McCarthy's husband, revealed that the prop was incredibly convincing. He shared that everyone on set, including McCarthy, got completely grossed out every time they saw it. McCarthy herself commented that even though she knew it was a pear, it was hard not to imagine it as raw chicken, making it challenging for her to get through filming those scenes.
The process of creating a realistic substitute for raw chicken was not an easy task. Melissa McCarthy revealed that the crew spent a significant amount of time experimenting with different options. At one point, they considered using mung beans, but it was tricky for her to consume.
The use of thinly sliced pears treated with citric acid and food coloring showcases the creativity and attention to detail of the props department. Despite the challenge of finding a suitable substitute, the final result was a convincing replication of raw chicken that added to the impact of the film's comedic and intimate moments.
The "Thunder Force" crew's dedication to crafting believable props, even for unusual elements like raw chicken, contributes to the overall immersive experience for viewers and showcases the talent and ingenuity behind the scenes.
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The pears were treated with citric acid and food colouring
In the 2021 Netflix comedy-action film "Thunder Force," Melissa McCarthy's character Lydia must eat raw chicken to maintain her superpowers. However, McCarthy did not actually eat raw chicken in the film. Instead, the food was simulated using thinly sliced pears treated with citric acid and food colouring. This substitute was crafted by the props department and was so convincing that it grossed out the cast and crew, including McCarthy, who found it difficult to eat the prop.
The process of creating the raw chicken substitute was not an easy one. In an interview, McCarthy revealed that it took a month and a half to find the perfect alternative to raw chicken. The props team first attempted to use mung beans, but this option was challenging for McCarthy to consume.
The final prop made from pears was incredibly realistic, even jiggling and wiggling like real raw chicken despite being made from fruit. This realism extended beyond the appearance of the food, as the citric acid and food colouring treatment apparently could not disguise the taste of pear entirely. McCarthy noted that knowing the prop was a pear made it hard not to imagine it as raw chicken, making it challenging for her to get through filming those scenes.
The use of thinly sliced pears treated with citric acid and food colouring allowed the filmmakers to avoid the use of actual raw chicken, which would have been unappetizing and potentially unsafe for the cast to consume. This substitute is a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of the props department in creating believable and safe alternatives to unpalatable foods for film productions.
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The prop was difficult for Melissa McCarthy to get through
In the 2021 Netflix comedy-action film *Thunder Force*, Melissa McCarthy's character Lydia gains superpowers and, as a result, must eat raw chicken to maintain her super-strength. The raw chicken prop was created using thinly sliced pears treated with citric acid and food colouring.
> "I know it's a pear, but it's just hard not to imagine it as raw chicken. So that was difficult for her to get through."
The prop was so believable that the cast and crew were "completely grossed out" every time they saw it. The process of creating a realistic raw chicken substitute was also challenging, with one crew member spending a month and a half experimenting with different options. The final product was crafted from pears, but other substitutes, such as mung beans, were also considered. Despite the challenges, the prop's convincing appearance and jiggle contributed to the film's comedy and provided a bonding moment between McCarthy's character and The Crab, played by Jason Bateman.
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The raw chicken features in the final scene
The raw chicken in the final scene was not real, however. Director Ben Falcone revealed that the prop was made from "thinly sliced pears treated with citric acid and food colouring". The effect was incredibly convincing, with the pear slices jiggling and wiggling like uncooked chicken. The prop was so realistic that the cast and crew were "completely grossed out" every time they saw it.
Creating the raw chicken prop was a painstaking process for the props department. Melissa McCarthy revealed that a lot of effort went into simulating the raw chicken for the camera:
> "This poor woman had to spend a month and a half just trying to figure out -- first of all just explaining to her why we needed something to look like raw chicken that I was going to consume. At first, she made something out of mung bean that did look good, but it was very tricky to get down."
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The scene has been described as revolting and gag-worthy
The final scene of the 2021 Netflix comedy-action film "Thunder Force" has been described as revolting and gag-worthy. The scene involves the two lead characters, Lydia (Melissa McCarthy) and The Crab (Jason Bateman), sharing a plate of what appears to be raw chicken. This is particularly nasty due to how realistic the raw chicken looks. The raw chicken was, in fact, a substitute made from thinly sliced pears treated with citric acid and food colouring.
The scene has been described as "icky" and intimate and has received a wave of harsh criticism. Top Critic Alison Willmore wrote in Variety:
> "There’s one involving Lydia’s powers making her crave raw chicken, and the movie returns to it repeatedly without ever making the bit look gross enough for it actually [to] rise to the level of funny."
Twitter users also expressed their disgust, with one user, Lewis Nico, tweeting a gif of someone gagging with the caption, "The scene in Thunder Force when she eats the raw chicken." Another user wrote, "No, I just had to pause Thunder Force cause there’s multiple scenes of her eating raw chicken and I couldn’t stop gagging?".
Despite the criticism, some viewers found the scene adorable and praised the diverse representation in the film. The director of "Thunder Force", Ben Falcone, who is also McCarthy's husband, commented on the reactions to the scene, saying:
> "It was so believable that we all got completely grossed out every time we saw it, as did everybody who had to eat it. Melissa was like, 'I know it's a pear, but it's just hard not to imagine it as raw chicken. So that was difficult for her to get through.'"
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Frequently asked questions
The raw chicken in Thunder Force was made of thinly sliced pears treated with citric acid and food colouring.
Melissa McCarthy's character Lydia ate the chicken.
Lydia develops superpowers and, as a side effect, raw chicken is one of the few things her stomach can handle.
