14 Fascinating Facts About “Slingblade”

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Roger Cormier and Mental_Floss present 14 Fascinating Facts About Slingblade.  Here are three of my favorites…

2. BEFORE THE FEATURE, THERE WAS A SHORT FILM TITLED SOME FOLKS CALL IT A SLING BLADE FEATURING MOLLY RINGWALD.
The 29-minute movie was released in 1994, written by Thornton and directed by George Hickenlooper. Molly Ringwald portrayed the newspaper reporter in Hickenlooper’s version; she was replaced by Sarah Boss in the feature. Thornton did not mention the short during theSling Blade Oscar press tour because he had a falling out with Hickenlooper, who was claiming the movie was based on the short, while Thornton said it was based on his one-man show. At the time, Thornton said he “would have been glad to have talked about the short if George hadn’t bad-mouthed me all over town. This whole thing is based on the character, and I created that before I ever knew George Hickenlooper existed.”

5. RITTER GAVE VAUGHAN THE LAST NAME “CUNNINGHAM” AS A REFERENCE TO HAPPY DAYS.
The former Three’s Company star revealed as much on Late Night with Conan O’Brien in 1997. As an in-joke to some of his friends who were on the cast of Happy Days, Ritter made his character a Cunningham to open up the possibility that Vaughan was actually Chuck, Richie and Joanie’s older brother from season one of Happy Days, who was written out of the show and never spoken of by any of the characters again after he disappeared. In Ritter’s mind, Chuck had a “different alternative lifestyle” that he was too ashamed to reveal to his parents. Thornton had no idea this was the reasoning behind the surname choice.

13. HARVEY WEINSTEIN PAID $10 MILLION FOR THE DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS AFTER WATCHING THE FIRST 30 MINUTES.
The head of Miramax initially agreed to give Thornton the final say on editing. Weinstein then saw the rest of the movie and wanted Thornton to cut 20 minutes. Martin Scorsese told Thornton not to change his edit, before Weinstein went ahead and edited it without Thornton’s knowledge. For what it’s worth, Sling Blade producer Larry Meistrich later admitted that Weinstein’s edit was better than Thornton’s.

Z-View: “The Cat and the Canary”

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The Cat and the Canary  [1939]
Director: Elliott Nugent
Screenplay: Walter DeLeon and Lynn Starling based on the stage play by John Willard
Starring: Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard.

The Pitch: ”Hey, let’s team Bob Hope in a film with Paulette Goddard.  We could do a remake of the 1927 silent film The Cat and the Canary which is based on the 1922 stage play of the same name.”

The Tagline: “A Chill-and-Chuckle Chase!… A Fortune at Stake and a Monster at Large!”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Ten years after the death of an eccentric millionaire, Cyrus Norman, his remaining family members are brought to his spooky-looking mansion deep in the bayou.  Before the will is read, his former caretaker informs the group that the spirits have said one of them will die that night. Sadly there is no way to leave the mansion until the next day.

Norman left two wills: The first leaves everything to Paulette Goddard [much to the disappointment of all except Bob Hope]; the second will is to be opened only if Goddard dies or goes insane before the month is out.  The second will leaves everything to one of the others [although who is unknown until Goddard dies] which of course puts Goddard’s life in danger.  To make matters worse, the group learns that a homicidal maniac known as the Cat has escaped from a nearby insane asylum and is in the area.

As the night wears on things get progressively worse – lights go on and off, people disappear, real eyes in paintings are watching, secret passages are found and what? Someone has been murdered!

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17 Facts About “Misery”

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Roger Cormier and Mental_Floss present 17 Facts About Misery.  Here are three of my favorites…

3. BETTE MIDLER TURNED DOWN THE ROLE OF ANNIE WILKES.
Midler thought it was too violent. She later called herself “stupid” for her decision. The Princess Bride, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and All the President’s Menscreenwriter William Goldman wrote Misery with then unknown but respected theater actress Kathy Bates in mind.

4. JAMES CAAN WAS FAR FROM THE FIRST CHOICE TO PLAY PAUL SHELDON.
Kevin Kline, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Richard Dreyfuss, Gene Hackman, and Robert Redford all said no to the role of Paul Sheldon. William Hurt said no twice. Warren Beatty showed a lot of interest and gave Reiner and Goldman ideas for the character before having to turn them down, too, because he had to keep working on Dick Tracy.

14. CAAN AND BATES CLASHED OVER THEIR ACTING METHODS.
Caan believed in as little rehearsal as possible. Bates, with her theater background, was used to practicing a lot. When Bates commented to Reiner that Caan wasn’t attempting to relate or listen to her, Reiner told her to use that frustration toward her character.

9 Little Known Facts About Mark Twain

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Hayley Igarashi and Good Reads present 9 Little Known Facts About Mark Twain.  Here are three of my favorites…

1. At the peak of his fame, a letter addressed to “Mark Twain, God Knows Where” was actually delivered.
This was not an isolated occurrence. Other successfully delivered letters were addressed to “Mark Twain, Somewhere,” “Mark Twain, c/o President Roosevelt. The White House,” and “Mark Twain, Somewhere, (Try Satan).”

3. In another world, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer might’ve been written by Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass.
Most people know Mark Twain is the pen name of Samuel Clemens, but did you know about the author’s other pseudonyms? He also tried out the pen names W. Epaminondas Adrastus Perkins, Sergeant Fathom, John Snooks, and Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass.

6. Nikola Tesla and Twain became friends because of a very effective electrical charge.
Few friendships have been forged under more unusual circumstances. Desperate to find a cure for his constipation, Twain visited one of Nikola Tesla’s salons, where the scientist conducted some of his more outlandish experiments. One electrical charge and a few x-rays later, Twain was cured. The two men remained friends for the rest of their lives.

Z-View: “Creed”

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Creed  [2015]
Director:  Ryan Coogler
Screenplay: Ryan Coogler and Aaron Covington
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone and Tessa Thompson.

The Pitch: ”Hey Sly, my name is Ryan Coogler and I have an idea to continue the Rocky legacy…”

The Tagline:  “Your legacy is more than a name.”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Sylvester Stallone was content that after six feature-length films Rocky’s story had been told.  Ryan Coogler had a different outlook and movie fans are better for it.

Creed  isn’t a sequel as much as an expansion of the Rocky Balboa universe.  In the past films, Rocky was the center of attention and Rocky’s struggle was the reason for the movie.  Now the focus shifts to Adonis Creed, Apollo’s illegitimate son.

In less adept hands Creed could have been a straight-to-video attempt to squeeze out the last few dollars from a series that many (including Stallone) thought was over.  Instead we’re treated to one of the most satisfying, emotional and uplifting movies that I can remember ever seeing.

Michael B. Jordan is an amazing actor.  He is required to go through a gauntlet of emotions throughout the film but they are never overstated or hammy.  He and Stallone share a couple of scenes where the actor talking isn’t the most important part of the scene.  The range of emotions that they go through is subtle and all the more powerful because they pull us into the scenes.

Sly has never been better.  Never.  An Oscar nomination should be in the bag.  Don’t believe me? Rewatch the scene with the doctor when she tells Rocky his diagnosis.  Or when Rocky returns to the gym.  Or when Rocky talks to Adonis about Adrian, what she went through and what he would go through for one more day with her.  Heck, think about the scene with Rocky and Adonis in the holding cell.

Ryan Coogler deserves special mention for making Creed happen.  Not only can Coogler write, but his direction is spot-on.  Coogler creates a world where all of the characters are believable.

There are so many cool touches Coogler puts in the film – Adonis watching the second fight between Rocky and Apollo with Adonis mimicking Rocky’s punches – Rocky talking about how everything he cared for has moved on [Adrian and Paulie have died, his son lives in Vancouver, even his turtle tank now only contains one turtle] – the fact that Rocky is still recognized as a celebrity “When were you going to tell me your uncle was Rocky Balboa” is just one example] but that time has moved on as well..

Coogler made what could have been a simple boxing movie into a drama about so much more than boxing… yeah, I guess you could call Creed a modern day Rocky.  And you know for me, there is no higher compliment.

Rating:

30 Facts About Your Favorite Steven Spielberg Movies

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Mental_Floss presents 30 Facts About Your Favorite Steven Spielberg Movies.  Here are three of my favorites…

7. TOM SELLECK WAS SUPPOSED TO PLAY INDIANA JONES.
Prior to the production’s start date in May 1980, George Lucas and Spielberg set up shop in the old Lucasfilm corporate headquarters to begin the casting process. Actors and actresses in consideration for the lead roles of Indiana Jones and his tough but beautiful companion Marion Ravenwood included Jane Seymour, Debra Winger, Mark Harmon, Mary Steenburgen, Michael Biehn, Sam Shepard, Valerie Bertinelli, Bruce Boxleitner, Sean Young, Don Johnson, Dee Wallace (who would later go on to star as the mother in Spielberg’s E.T.), Barbara Hershey, and even David Hasselhoff.

For Indy, Lucas and Spielberg eventually settled on actor Tom Selleck. But when CBS got wind of what the two were up to, the network legally barred Selleck—the lead of the hit show Magnum, P.I.—from appearing in the film. Spielberg then suggested Harrison Ford as a quick replacement, but Lucas was reluctant to cast Ford because he was already Han Solo in hisStar Wars films. But Spielberg’s quick thinking prevailed, and Ford was added to the cast just two weeks before principal photography began. (A similar snafu happened with Danny DeVito, the first choice to play Indy’s jovial companion Sallah, who couldn’t take the part due to his contractual obligation to appear on the popular ABC show Taxi.)

12. SPIELBERG REFUSED TO ACCEPT A SALARY FOR SCHINDLER’S LIST.
Though Spielberg is already an extremely wealthy man as a result of the many big-budget movies that have made him one of Hollywood’s most successful directors, he decided that a story as important as Schindler’s List shouldn’t be made with an eye toward financial reward. The director relinquished his salary for the movie and any proceeds he would stand to make in perpetuity, calling any such personal gains “blood money.” Instead, Spielberg used the film’s profits to found the Shoah Foundation, which was established to honor and remember the survivors of the Holocaust by collecting personal recollections and audio visual interviews.

20. GARTH BROOKS NEARLY PLAYED PRIVATE JACKSON IN SAVING PRIVATE RYAN.
Frank Darabont was hired to do uncredited rewrites on Saving Private Ryan, and created the role of the Bible-quoting sniper, Private Jackson, to be played by country singer Garth Brooks. Brooks dropped out of the movie after Spielberg came onboard and cast Tom Hanks in the lead role. Apparently Brooks didn’t want to play second fiddle to Hanks, but Spielberg offered him a chance to play another role of his choosing. Instead of a specific role, Brooks allegedly said he wanted to play the “bad guy,” but in Saving Private Ryan there is no real bad guy other than the entire Wehrmacht, so Spielberg ultimately decided to drop Brooks from the movie.

“The Big Heat” Needs a Poster with Some

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The Big Heat is one of my all-time favorite movies.  It was directed by Fritz Lang.  The screenplay was by Sydney Boehm based on the Saturday Evening Post serial and 1953 novel by William P. McGivern.  The film stars Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Jocelyn Brando (Marlon’s sister) and Lee Marvin.  Carolyn Jones even has a small role.

It’s a great film.  I just wish it had a great poster to match.

10 Back-And-Forth Facts About Abbott and Costello

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Mark Mancini and Mental_Floss present 10 Back-And-Forth Facts About Abbott and Costello.  Here are three of my favorites…

1. LOU COSTELLO WAS ONCE AN AMATEUR BOXER.
As a young competitor, Louis Cristillo fought in 12 matches under the alias “Lou King.” With 11 victories and one draw, Cristillo’s boxing career was off to an impressive start—until his father abruptly forced him into an early retirement. A multi-sport athlete, Cristillo could also light up a basketball court, despite his below-average height of 5’ 5”. In fact, he was once reportedly crowned Paterson, New Jersey’s foul shot champion.

Athleticism would help Cristillo earn his first few Hollywood gigs. While struggling to become an actor during the late 1920s, he appeared as a stunt double in a handful of films, most notably The Trail of ’98 (1928). Unfortunately, Cristillo was seriously injured during that shoot and decided to move back east, where he planned on taking voice lessons. Since “talkies” were rising in popularity, this seemed like a smart move but Cristillo’s modest personal fortune only got him as far as St. Joseph, Missouri. It was there that he got his first taste of live theater and developed the bumbling persona he retained throughout his career. During this time, Cristillo chose yet another stage name: Lou Costello (a nod to silent film actress Helene Costello).

5. IN 1942, THEY RAISED $85 MILLION FOR AMERICA’S WAR EFFORT.
On their own dime, Abbott and Costello toured 78 cities in 34 days, with the proceeds funding Uncle Sam’s war bonds and stamps. En route, they were treated like national heroes—the good people of Lincoln even made them both honorary admirals in the fictitious Nebraska Navy.

6. COSTELLO HATED THE SCRIPT FOR ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN.
Between 1940 and 1956, Abbott and Costello made nearly 40 movies together. By 1948, sheer overexposure weakened their popularity with filmgoers, who began to tire of their antics. Then along came this blockbuster horror-comedy, which rejuvenated the duo’s cinematic career and launched several genre-mixing follow-ups, including Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951), Abbott snf Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde(1953), and Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy (1955).

However, Costello almost derailed Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein during pre-production. At one point, he barged into producer Robert Arthur’s office and claimed “My [five-year-old] daughter could write a better script than this. You’re not serious about making it, are you?” Arthur eventually calmed Costello by promising to hire the star’s favorite director, Charles Barton.

14 Moving Facts About “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”

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Roger Cormier and Mental_Floss present 14 Moving Facts About Planes, Trains and Automobiles.   Here are three of my favorites…

1. JOHN HUGHES ONCE HAD A HELLISH TRIP TRYING TO GET FROM NEW YORK CITY TO CHICAGO.
Before he became a screenwriter, Hughes used to work as a copywriter for the Leo Burnett advertising agency in Chicago. One day he had an 11 a.m. presentation scheduled in New York City on a Wednesday, and planned to return home on a 5 p.m. flight. Winter winds forced all flights to Chicago to be canceled that night, so he stayed in a hotel. A snowstorm in Chicago the next day continued the delays. The plane he eventually got on ended up being diverted to Denver. Then Phoenix. Hughes didn’t make it back until Monday. Experiencing such a hellish trip might explain how Hughes managed to write the first 60 pages of Planes, Trains and Automobiles in just six hours.

13. IN THE ORIGINAL ENDING, DEL FOLLOWED NEAL ALL THE WAY HOME.
Hughes decided during the editing process that instead, John Candy’s character would be “a noble person” and finally take the hint from Martin’s character, and let Neal return home alone, before Neal has a change of heart and finds Del again.

14. IN THE SCENE WHERE NEAL THINKS ABOUT DEL ON THE TRAIN, MARTIN DIDN’T KNOW THE CAMERA WAS ON.
In order to get the new ending he wanted, Hughes and editor Paul Hirsch went back to look for footage they previously didn’t think would be used. Hughes had kept the cameras rolling in between takes on the Chicago train, without his lead’s knowledge, while Martin was thinking about his next lines. Hughes thought Martin had a “beautiful expression” on his face in that unguarded moment.

8 Reasons Sylvester Stallone Should Win an Oscar for “Creed”

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What a week Sly Stallone is having!  I know we’re covering him quite a bit this week, and I hope you’re enjoying the ride.  If not, things will get back to normal [well, as normal as ever around here] soon enough.

This morning we have 8 Reasons Sylvester Stallone Should Win an Oscar for Creed by Ben Travers at Indiewire.  Normally, I would list my top three favorite reasons from the article.

Not today… because I agree with every single one.

The Top Ten Action Movie Stars of All-Time

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Alex Maidy and JoBlo.com present the Top Ten Action Movie Stars of All Time.

Using just their list, here are my top five [and where they placed at JoBlo]…

  1. Sly Stallone [1st at JoBlo]
  2. Bruce Lee [4th at JoBlo]
  3. Arnold Schwarzenegger [3rd at JoBlo]
  4. Jackie Chan [9th at JoBlo]
  5. Clint Eastwood [2nd at JoBlo]

Overall, their list wasn’t bad.  They definitely got #1 right, but are there others who should have made the Top 10 but didn’t?

Off the top of my head I’m thinking of Charles Bronson, Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson [perhaps it is too early in Diesel and Johnson’s career], Harold Lloyd, Jean Claude Van Damme… others?

 

Robert Rodriguez Talks Up Sly Stallone in “The Director’s Chair”

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Robert Rodriguez is a true Sylvester Stallone fan.  Recently Sly sat down with Rodriguez for an episode of The Director’s Chair and…

Rodriguez was so impressed with Stallone’s insight and honestly that he wanted to make the episode available for free to everyone. You can watch it on the …

Capone from Ain’t It Cool News had a chance to interview Rodriguez about Sly’s appearance on The Director’s Chair and their interview should be required reading for anyone who checks in here.

16 Hard-Hitting Facts About the Rocky Movies

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Roger Cormier and Mental_Floss present 16 Hard-Hitting Facts About the Rocky Movies.  Here are three of my favorites…

3. ADRIAN WAS ALMOST PLAYED BY SUSAN SARANDON.
Stallone and the producers decided that she was “too sexy.” Cher was also considered. Bette Midler was offered the role but turned it down. Carrie Snodgress had in fact won the part, until her agent asked for too much money. Talia Shire auditioned at the last minute to save the day.

7. CHARLIE CHAPLIN AND ELVIS PRESLEY WERE FANS OF THE FIRST MOVIE.
Chaplin wrote to Stallone that Rocky reminded the silent film star of a character he used to play. Stallone regretted turning down Chaplin’s invitation to visit him in Switzerland after the director died a few months later. Similarly, Stallone turned down Elvis’ offer to watch Rocky with him in Memphis months before The King passed away.

16. ROCKY’S TURTLES CUFF AND LINK OUTLIVED A COUPLE OF THE CHARACTERS.
The female red-eared sliders that appeared in 2006’s Rocky Balboa are the same turtles from the original 1976 picture.