 The film went over budget from the orignal $1,5 million to $2  million (the highest budget for a Mexican movie at the time). del  Toro himself got the half million through loans and bank debts. In  order to complete the film, changes had to be made, among those  changes were Ron Perlman (qv), who agreed to a heavy salary cut.  Perlman and del Toro has been good friends ever since, working  together frequently.