Warner Bros. 'too cheap' to hire qualified crew for 'Blood Diamond'?

By M&C News Oct 25, 2006, 16:29 GMT

Warner Bros. brass is facing heavy allegations regarding the new Leonardo DiCaprio movie Blood Diamond, and are under renewed fire from critics with evidence that improper safety precautions on set cost a special-effects man his hand.

The controversial film, which has already been slammed by the DeBeers diamond industry, faces serious charges of amputee exploitation from a South African extra, and an unnamed movie source reported to PageSix.com special-effects man Edward Visage lost his hand while handling an explosive device called a squib.

The source says, "Warner Brothers was too cheap to bring in a special-effects guy from the US. They used a local guy, and there was an accident and the guy lost his hand.

"It's ironic because they also brought in orphans for extras who had lost their limbs from machete-wielding rebel soldiers in the war - and this guy lost a hand on set."

Warner's spokespeople responded: "Warner Brothers takes the safety of its cast and crew very seriously. That is why we have comprehensive procedures in place during production and provide necessary assistance and compensation when accidents do happen. We regret that this incident took place."

The movie depicts the horrors of the 1990s Sierra Leone civil war over control of lucrative diamond mines.

Earlier this week, a movie extra told PageSix.com that he and 27 other amputees who appear on the film are still awaiting the prosthetic limbs promised by the studio.