The trick of the crush for eternity of Barcelona’92

Antonio Rebollo He launched his fire arrow and lit the cauldron to the admiration of the whole world. It is, is and will be the most iconic image of Barcelona Games’92, which has merit because it is not about any achievements of any Olympic athlete. Rebollo is the main actor, but King’s Abbots He is the architect of that filigree that is possible and a success.

Abades, who died in 2018 at the age of 68, was a global institution in special effects. won nine Goya Awards and his company is behind hundreds of films, advertisements, series and productions, from the mystique of the monumental ‘1492: The Conquest of Paradise’ of Ridley Scott in the quick action of several installments of James Bond.

Despite such a professional background, Abades is emphatic when talking about the 1992 arrow trick. “That’s the most complex effect we’ve ever done because it’s live and direct. In the cinema it’s easier. If one arrow goes past many, nothing happens, the viewer does not see it or the director repeats the shot. Not here,” explained the man from Extremadura.

In 2012, Abades opened his home in MD Madrid to show its wealth: the arrow that lit the cauldron of Barcelona’92. With infectious enthusiasm, he explained the story of that memorable episode. This is definitely the most watched live magic trick in history.

For this reason, since you cannot fail in front of a planetary audience, you have to ensure the shot. It was the climax of Barcelona’92, but it would also have remained an image of the Games’ failure if that cauldron had remained in the dark after the passing of the arrow. That’s why you won’t be disappointed.

“If I told you, I would have to kill you,” Reyes exaggerated that day. “Don’t tell me that,” the reporter replied. It seems to be the formula of Coca-Cola, a flammable liquid with a secret composition. impregnating the tip of That the fire was not extinguished when leaving the bow is the great hieroglyph.

Reyes only revealed that there were “four or five” liquids mixed together that the ideal potion came out after hiring a chemist and tireless testing.

“Putting and removing doses at the end you get a special liquid that turns into a gas and does not break. The fire is never extinguished during the flight, but only at takeoff. The arrow came from 0 to 130 km/h and this is a huge effect. If we try 16 arrows one day, but one comes out, the risk for me is 50%. Behind that success there are many failures and days you come with low morale”, Abades admitted.

Since September 1991 the idea has been in the works, but no one has been able to rekindle the fire, until Salvador Ponsproduction director, contacted Abades four months from ‘D’ day. On that day in 2012, Abades explained publicly for the first time what happens if Rebollo throws badly or the arrow goes out.

“That was agreed upon Constantine Romero the saying goes: ‘Man always has a second chance’. Me and my son Óscar are five meters from Rebollo, behind the flags, these are the things I never said. As Antonio prepares to shoot, Óscar prepares a second arrow just in case, but the use of the second arrow is yes but no, a pitcher of cold water for everyone. Everything is controlled, nothing is left to chance, but within three seconds of the arrow’s flight, those 86 meters to the cauldron, you are in the hands of the devil.”

Rebollo had three different arrows depending on the wind blowing, three of each type, nine arrows in total. Intermediate was used because there was a breeze of 9 km/h. At the bottom of the cauldron, another team member is waiting, Peter Baladin, who, in an exercise in total timing, pressed the button that triggered a sophisticated electrical system to ignite the cauldron just as the arrow passed over it. Verisimilitude is total.

The trick was perfected, but until years later the complete plan was not known. “Antonio Rebollo is a perfect actor, no one would do that kind of behavior, without being in a hurry. Special effects have such beauty. There was a trick, but the arrow had to do magic. They say we fool everyone, but we fool no one. That dare is 86 meters of pure magic. The fire has to pass through there impenetrably”. And it happened, it happened, and it created a crush for eternity.

“That can’t be solved, I don’t think there will be that much risk. You see it now and you still find it crazy. The person responsible for all this is me. My God, they would have hung me straight in the cauldron if we had failed! That same night we celebrated. I won’t do it now, I won’t be brave enough to accept the assignment. It’s a huge risk,” Abades insisted.