The Gondola and Flesh Fair sequences were housed in the enormous Spruce Goose Dome facility in Long Beach, California. Since the Dome is 600 feet in diameter and 100 feet high, it provided the ultimate atmosphere for elaborate night sequences. There, Michael Lantieri’s crew built the Moon Gondola as well as the myriad robot torture devices found at Flesh Fair. “The gondola weighed 19,000 pounds and was held and moved by a 300-ton crane,” says Lantieri. “It had people in it and people below it when it flew over. It used nets and magnets to capture the robots in the film, so we had to make that all look functional. It was dangerous to operate, so we took every precaution.”

Even more dangerous was mounting the elaborate robot torture devices found in the Flesh Fair arena. With 800 screaming extras looking on, Lantieri had to find a way to shred, burn and rip apart robots in a way that wouldn’t jeopardize cast or crew. “Steven came up with an idea that we would use a cannon to shoot robots through this coliseum,” Lantieri says. “All this inside a ring with hundreds of people and a band playing on stage. So we took extra safety precautions and it all worked quite well.”

The industrial metal band Ministry was chosen to play in the sequence, as much for their legendarily dark sensibilities as their pulsing, hypnotic music. “They were suggested by my assistant, Lee Clay, who knew the type of music we wanted,” says Bonnie Curtis. “They were perfect. It turns out all of these current musicians such as Limp Bizkit and Orgy were profoundly influenced by Ministry. It all started with them. And they were happy to take part, especially when they saw the clothes.”

Pioneers of “goth” music, Ministry created an image using black leather and was therefore delighted to see the cut of wardrobe designer Bob Ringwood’s costumes for them. “I did some research on the band and found out what they do,” says Ringwood, who also designed the costumes for such films as “Batman” and “Alien: Resurrection.” “I felt if you are going to use a rock band that exists, you gotta go with their look. I dressed the lead guitarist in a skeleton outfit and he nearly died with pleasure. We had taken his look and pushed it as far as we could go. He couldn’t believe his luck.”

Ringwood collaborated with Stan Winston to create the look of the snarling Biker Hounds, who are employed by Lord Johnson-Johnson (Brendan Gleeson) to round up stray robots from atop monstrous motorcycles. To create the Hounds’ stark armor, Ringwood commissioned armourer Terry English (“Excalibur”) to design their helmets.

More subtle costuming was needed to create the looks of the film’s major characters. For David’s first appearance in the Swinton household, a loose-fitting white track suit became the robot’s first clothes. “Steven had originally conceived of David being more robotic,” says Ringwood. “But we pulled further away from that and we got more realistic with his clothes. We also used muted, comfortable clothes for Monica, with them becoming a bit brighter as her mood becomes more positive in the story. But it was Gigolo Joe’s outfit that became our biggest challenge, along with outfitting the street people of Rouge City.”

Gigolo Joe, as played by Jude Law, required a versatile wardrobe in which he could dance and sing if need be. Several designs were submitted and discarded, all in the quest of finding a functional look that would be just as striking. After all, Gigolo Joe was designed as a ‘love mecha,’ a robot programmed to attract and satisfy his human “clients.” “Steven actually had me look at romantic figures, even Dracula, from past films,” Ringwood recalls. “We wanted to instill the vision of a classic romantic, sexy hero infused with a futuristic look. I found, quite by accident, a material made of fishing line woven as a satin that looked almost like liquid metal when worn as a frock coat. We then gave him a plastic shirt as well. In the end, he’s sort of a Victorian romantic hero crossed with a futuristic Elvis Presley. I had worked with Ve Neill on the ‘Batman’ films, so we had a shorthand in integrating the makeup and wardrobe.”

For sequences taking place at a waterbound amusement park in a submerged Manhattan, real ice was shipped in to create the right atmosphere, with the production using eight tons a day to complete the illusion under hot lights. Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski collaborated closely with Spielberg, Carter and Winston to light these effects expertly, giving no technical secrets away while creating some illusions of his own. “The movie has three distinct looks,” Kaminski explains. “In terms of lighting, the first act is sterile and a bit clinical. The second act is a bit of an action adventure, and the third act is extremely emotional and innovative in terms of drama. I believe in following the screenplay closely, figuring out what the writer is saying so I can reflect that in my lighting and photography. Rick Carter tells the story in a very similar way. His sets are so magnificent and so meaningful that it is easy for Steven and I to come in and light them and create in them. Steven works from instinct, and so do I. And we do it at a very fast pace.”

Indeed, the 68-day shooting schedule was very tight for a film of this magnitude, according to producer Kathleen Kennedy. “Steven moves at an extraordinary pace,” Kennedy says of Spielberg’s directing style. “He requires that people pay close attention to the pre-production process, so that when we arrive at the shooting phase the things he asked for are there. He knows exactly what he wants.”

Assembling a top cast of talented performers was a big part of the production’s ability to move so fast, according to Bonnie Curtis. “Jude Law, for example, was one of the most conscientious people I’ve ever worked with, calling me to check in about his character even before he started working,” Curtis enthuses. “Frances O’Connor was diligent and naturally intense before the camera. She photographed beautifully and she made for a comforting mom on set, like everyone’s idea of a fantasy mom. Sam Robards is a wonderful actor and brings a lot of heart to his role.”

Robards was surprised by his role, which looked, on the surface, to be a reality touchstone for the audience. He got to drive a futuristic car through the Oregon foothills during one of the film’s rare exterior location scenes, and he was fascinated by the futuristic yet comfortable look of the Swinton home. “I even asked if I could spend one night in the bedroom on set,” said Robards. “But unfortunately I never got the chance. I was fascinated by that house, with all of its slightly futuristic furniture and gadgets.”

Set decorator Nancy Haigh worked with Rick Carter in filling the Swinton house with books, kitchen gadgets, toys and furniture that seem very close to present day reality, but perhaps a bit futuristic. Carefully chosen books, artwork and playthings populate each room, designed to blend comfortably with the characters and their environment. Haley Joel Osment and co-star Jake Thomas spent many of their lunch periods playing with the many toys in Martin’s bedroom. “It was a fun environment to be in,” Osment remembers. “I had lots of fun making the film. I learned to scuba dive for the underwater scenes. I met lots of great people. Most of all, I enjoyed watching Steven direct. I’d like to do that someday too.”

Jude Law also enjoyed his character Gigolo Joe, through whom he got to do some unexpected dancing. “I had never done much dancing professionally, just classes and the like,” says Law. “But Steven decided that Gigolo Joe should move more elegantly than humans since he is designed to attract them, so he should also be able to dance as well.”

Choreographer Francesca Jaynes worked with Jude Law for three months, perfecting and creating his dancing style. “It started out a bit more Fred Astaire, then became a little more Gene Kelly,” Law says. “He should be able to move instantly, with elegance and grace. After all, he needs to catch the eye of prospective clients. This is what he is programmed to do. Luckily, through David, Gigolo Joe learns to care about someone other than himself along their journey together.” One constant presence throughout filming was the artistic vision of Stanley Kubrick, whom Steven Spielberg kept at the forefront of each day’s work.

“Steven really tried to do this film with Stanley as a guide,” says Bonnie Curtis. “Steven would constantly say on set ‘Stanley would have liked that.’ Or ‘I feel him, I feel him here.’ His presence was very prevalent through the whole production, and very wanted as well.”

“Steven embraces the audience,” Kennedy notes, “because he respects them. He tells intelligent adult fairy tales and doesn’t talk down to anyone. He’s a fantastic storyteller who takes the essence of what interests him in a story and executes that with respect, excitement and energy. He’s lucky, because what he thinks about and cares about in his stories are the same things his audience identifies with. Stanley Kubrick obviously had his own great strengths as a filmmaker and they certainly work well with Steven’s. Part of Kubrick’s vision was to create a futuristic character in David that traveled from the intellect to the heart. And I think Steven Spielberg works from the heart and goes to the intellect. It’s quite a beautiful combination.”