1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: Guess what, mango? What's that? Well, al right, over the weekend, 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: I was doing a little reading up on Peter Segal, 3 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:08,480 Speaker 1: because you know, I think you know this about me, 4 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: but that's what I do every Saturday night. I don't 5 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: know how people have spend their Saturday nights. But one 6 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: of the facts that I saw this week, and I 7 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 1: had actually not seen this before, was that he wrote 8 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:22,119 Speaker 1: a screenplay. Did you know this? I had no idea. Yeah. 9 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: It's called Cuba Mine, and it's based on a real 10 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: story about a fifteen year old American who moves to Cuba. 11 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: And this is right before the revolution. So he writes 12 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 1: this serious script and it's in the nineteen nineties when 13 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,559 Speaker 1: he's writing this, and it's got executions in it and 14 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 1: real politics, but it's also kind of a romance too. 15 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 1: So he writes it and it just sits on the 16 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 1: shelf for over a decade, like so many scripts do. 17 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:49,240 Speaker 1: But two thousand four somebody finds it dusted off and 18 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 1: finally the movie gets made. Now, the movie's title Dirty 19 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: Dancing to Havannah Nights. So you're saying, Peter Sagel wrote 20 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: Dirty Dancing too, I know, but the it is true. 21 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: I mean, it's kind of like one of those things 22 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: in Hollywood where even though Peter Segel wrote the movie, 23 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: they cut out all the words he wrote. In fact, 24 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:10,319 Speaker 1: he was quoted as basically saying this, like he claims, 25 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:13,759 Speaker 1: there isn't a single line of dialogue left from the original. 26 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 1: They also stripped out all the political stuff, but you know, 27 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:18,959 Speaker 1: they had to put something there, so instead they just 28 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:21,959 Speaker 1: filled it all with dancing, which you know, because stays 29 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: true to the name, and so it makes sense. That's 30 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 1: pretty funny, you know. It does remind me of those 31 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: poor writers in Hollywood who make like two hundred or 32 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: three hundred thousand dollars and they live in fancy houses 33 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: and and dry fancy cars, but their parents are super 34 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: suspicious of what they do because they only work on 35 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: the fourth or fifth draft of bad movies, and these 36 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:43,120 Speaker 1: movies never ever get made. It's crazy. Yeah, it is 37 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: very very strange. But anyway, thinking about Peter Segel made 38 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: me wonder, like, why are movie economics so weird? How 39 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 1: does so many terrible movies get made? And of course 40 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: why is it so hard to make a movie with lions? 41 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 1: I know we both wondered this for a year, so 42 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:24,359 Speaker 1: I only going to answer that today, so let's dive in. Hey, 43 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:26,959 Speaker 1: their podcast listeners, Welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm Will 44 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: Pearson and as always I'm joined by my good friend 45 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 1: Mangesh Ticketer and sitting on the other side of the 46 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 1: soundproof glass. This is one of my favorites. Mango dressed 47 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: today as Dwayne the Rock Johnson from his favorite movie, 48 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: The Tooth Theory and such a good movie, such a 49 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:46,639 Speaker 1: great actor. But that's our friend and producer Tristan McNeil, 50 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 1: So Mango, I know, we wanted to talk about movies today, 51 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: like little secrets about how they get made and kind 52 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,239 Speaker 1: of what makes a one star movie a masterpiece, and 53 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 1: other funny stories from movie sets. But before we get started, 54 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: you know, one of the things I love to tell 55 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: people is that used to work in a video store, 56 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: because especially for the younger generations today, it kind of 57 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 1: feels like nobody knows what a movie store is anymore. 58 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: I know, it's from like a different era and and 59 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: I honestly loved video store so much. Like going there 60 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: as a kid, you'd spent so much time looking at 61 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 1: movie covers and deliberating over which movie you'd want to 62 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 1: watch because you don't only get to pick one and 63 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 1: and then finally picking it out like and as a clerk, 64 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: I actually really loved recommending movies that I thought people 65 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: would dig. But you know that this is in the side. 66 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 1: The best part of the video store I worked at, 67 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: which is called Vizar and Durham, it was that it 68 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:38,839 Speaker 1: was this really fun and welcoming place. But everyone who 69 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: worked there except for me, was a lesbian. And it 70 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 1: was perfect because, like, I didn't know how to date 71 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 1: or talk to girls, and and this woman joy Like 72 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 1: she'd give me great advice on that my car broke 73 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 1: down all the time. She'd helped me fix it all 74 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: the time. And when she wasn't solving all of my 75 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: life problems, we were just watching movies and talking about 76 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 1: movies and it was so good. It's a good thing here, 77 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: part time genius. We never deal stereotype. That's great, that 78 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: worked out for you. But you know, the funny thing 79 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: to me was that even at like an arts movie 80 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: store like that one, like and it was one of 81 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: those places where movies were organized by director by country 82 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 1: of origin, you'd still find so many terrible movies on 83 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 1: the shelf. And you know, Jerry and I would would 84 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:21,720 Speaker 1: often flag them with these little post its that they 85 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,479 Speaker 1: had around. Uh so, I think there was a terrible 86 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 1: one of Pam Anderson and this really horrible movie and 87 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: we put like scn on pps on the cover. Or 88 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 1: there's this like horrible low budget adaptation of the Bible 89 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,119 Speaker 1: and it just looked so bad and we put better 90 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: than the book on the cover, you know, just really 91 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:42,840 Speaker 1: super helpful stuff. I'm guessing you probably had at least 92 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: a couple of frustrated customers over the years, but it 93 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 1: was such a great store. I remember it really well 94 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 1: and love spending time there. But just to be clear 95 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 1: for all of our listeners, we're not snobby movie watchers, 96 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: like we love terrible movies. And in fact, I know 97 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 1: you want to talk at some point about why tomb 98 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 1: Raters considered such a master piece. But before we do 99 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:04,040 Speaker 1: that that there was something I've been collecting, just some 100 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,839 Speaker 1: quotes here. I wanted to read you a few of 101 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 1: these quotes from Roger Ebert, and specifically about movies he hated. 102 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 1: So I've got a few of them written down. But 103 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: here are a couple examples of just how brutal Roger 104 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:20,039 Speaker 1: Ebert could be when he talked about these quote alleged comedies, 105 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: so trying to decide which ones to share here. So 106 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:26,479 Speaker 1: here's one from Freddie got fingered. So here's what he says. 107 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 1: This movie doesn't scrape the bottom of the barrel. This 108 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 1: movie isn't the bottom of the barrel. This movie doesn't 109 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence with barrels. 110 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:38,480 Speaker 1: I don't really know exactly what that means, but it's 111 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 1: still just such a great quote. All right, And here's 112 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: one about Spice World. Here's what he has to say 113 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: about it. Spice World is obviously intended as a rip 114 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,239 Speaker 1: off of A Hard Day's Night, which gave the Beatles 115 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: to the movies. The huge difference, of course, is that 116 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 1: the Beatles were talented, while let's face it, the Spice 117 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: Girls could be duplicated by any five women under the 118 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: age of thirties standing in line at dunkin Donuts. I 119 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 1: love that dunkin Donuts is the players that you need 120 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 1: to find talent. Wap that that's obviously where you find it. 121 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 1: But man, he could be brutal when he didn't like 122 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 1: a movie. Yeah, so, so obviously being a movie critic 123 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: comes with its downsides. And being forced to review movies 124 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 1: you might not want to watch. But you know what, 125 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 1: one of the things I think is funny is that 126 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 1: Roger Ebert loved Laura croft Tomb Raider. He gave it 127 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: three stars, and and that's despite the fact that it 128 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 1: was almost universally panned. So I also found some quotes 129 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,040 Speaker 1: like that, This is from the Washington Post and they 130 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: called it quote remarkably joyless. The Wall Street Journal called 131 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: it quote flavorless, drab, violent and a bloodless way, and 132 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: sexy in a sexless way. And the Austin Chronicle said 133 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: the game is great fun, but the movie should be 134 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:47,359 Speaker 1: taken out back and shot. So obviously people had some 135 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 1: pretty strong opinions of it. But whether you loved or 136 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:53,359 Speaker 1: hated this movie, what's fascinating is that it's considered a 137 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 1: total masterpiece in Hollywood. And that's purely because of how 138 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 1: the movie was financed. So I got this from the 139 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:02,719 Speaker 1: writer Edward j Epstein, who discussed why and and basically 140 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:05,599 Speaker 1: he showed that executives at Paramount only spent nine million 141 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: dollars to finance the movie. Like this was a massive production. 142 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: It's a total popcorn movie, a cost around million dollars 143 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 1: to make, but before the camera started rolling, Paramount actually 144 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 1: signed away the distribution rights to six European countries for 145 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 1: sixty five million dollars, and then it decided to shoot 146 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 1: part of the film in Britain, which I guess allowed 147 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: it to qualify for some sort of tax relief. So 148 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 1: there was this complicated scheme where they sold the film 149 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: to British investors who got this massive tax break, it 150 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: was like multimillion dollars, and then they sold it back 151 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: to Paramount, so Paramount actually got another twelve million dollars 152 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 1: that way, and then they did the same thing in 153 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: Germany and before shooting a single frame, Paramount had already 154 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: collected ninety million dollars I know. And once they sold 155 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: the TV rights to paramount sister company, they actually netted 156 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: money before tomb Rader hit theaters, like it was actually 157 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 1: profitable before they released it, which is just so insane 158 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 1: to me, and it also kind of makes me wonder like, 159 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: why was Laura Croft spending so much time rating tumbs 160 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: when the real treasure was just finding a good accountant. 161 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: That is pretty incredible. So for all you British investors 162 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 1: out there interested in helping part time genius. Find some 163 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: tax breaks. You know, we could use twelve million dollars. Yeah, yeah, 164 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: let's let's look into that. Well. You know, actually, every 165 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 1: time we talk about tax shelters, it actually reminds me 166 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: of the episode we did a while back. I think 167 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: we titled it Where the Sunniest Places to Hide Your Taxes? 168 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 1: And in doing that episode, we realized that basically every 169 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: James Bond movie takes place in a tax shelter. You 170 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:41,439 Speaker 1: think about Panama, Switzerland, Monico, the Cayman Island. It's it's 171 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:43,559 Speaker 1: pretty funny when you come up with the list of these, 172 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 1: But I know you learned a few more unusual things 173 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 1: about the economics of movies. So do you want to 174 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: share just a few of those. Yeah. So one of 175 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 1: the things I love is that product placement hasn't always 176 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,320 Speaker 1: been worth the money. So this is an extreme example 177 00:08:57,360 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: of it. But in Natural Born Killers, there's a story 178 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 1: that Abilene Boots actually offered to give free boots to 179 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: the entire cast if Oliver Stone put the name on 180 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 1: a truck. So there's this one scene where Juliet Lewis's 181 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 1: character is driving in a convertible and she's driving towards 182 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 1: the truck, and to get the shot of the logo, 183 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:16,200 Speaker 1: they had to get the car and the truck passing 184 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: each other at the exact same time. But you know, 185 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: Oliver Stones and artist, he wanted in one take. So 186 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:23,959 Speaker 1: they started the shot a half mile away from each 187 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: other and then drove and use these walkie talkies and 188 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:28,319 Speaker 1: and they were trying to get the pace of the 189 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 1: vehicles just right. And it didn't work out for all 190 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 1: of our stones I it was just a disaster. So 191 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 1: they try it again. They tried it again. They basically 192 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,960 Speaker 1: lost a whole day or two of shooting, and it 193 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: cost them about three thousand dollars a day. It was 194 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:45,080 Speaker 1: all just to get a free pair of boots. Isn't 195 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: that the same thing was just related to this product placement. 196 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 1: I still don't fully understand the the starting half a 197 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 1: mile away thing. What what what would that achieve? I 198 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: think you just want to get a long shot of it, 199 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 1: like you want to get a beautiful long crane shot 200 00:09:58,559 --> 00:10:00,959 Speaker 1: of it. But M yeah, I mean, and now I 201 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 1: guess there's digital stuff that you could figure out and 202 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: slip in. But at the time, dollars a day for 203 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:09,079 Speaker 1: a pair of Boots is definitely not worth that. I've 204 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 1: never spent that much on Boots. The other thing that's 205 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: totally crazy to me, and and this might answer a 206 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:17,040 Speaker 1: little bit of the like why do terrible movies get made? Question, 207 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: is that director has actually claimed that they have to 208 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: water down their movies just to make them suitable for teenagers. 209 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: And according to Epstein, who's you know, the Hollywood Economists, 210 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 1: that there are a few reasons why you want to 211 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: market two teens. So some of them are obvious, like 212 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 1: if you have product tie ins or merchandise or fast 213 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:36,239 Speaker 1: food mentions or whatever, teens are just much more susceptible 214 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:40,200 Speaker 1: and likely to buy that stuff. They're also predictably clustering 215 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:42,960 Speaker 1: around the same shows, like it's a less fragmented group, 216 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 1: so you can buy ads and kind of reliably know 217 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 1: where they are to build awareness. But the big reason 218 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 1: movie studios make movies that are PG thirteen and targeted 219 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: teens is that they're the only demographic that's desperate to 220 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 1: get out of the house, Like they're looking for any 221 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 1: excuse to get away from their parents or their kids siblings. 222 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 1: So they're the group that needs the least convincing to 223 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: go out on opening day and buy tickets. And apparently 224 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 1: there's this whole marketing formula. I think marketers try to 225 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 1: hit you up with seven ads before a movie comes out, 226 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 1: like you need that much exposure to build awareness. And 227 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 1: and I don't know, it's really crazy to me, but 228 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:19,839 Speaker 1: but it also makes sense. Yeah, it does make sense. 229 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: And and I had a feeling that you were going 230 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 1: to talk about teenagers and the movies, and so, you know, 231 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:27,679 Speaker 1: I keep hearing this thing from classic directors saying that 232 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: they'd never be able to make their artsy movies today 233 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:33,400 Speaker 1: because they have to cater to teens so much. In 234 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: looking around at this there's actually some pretty funny stuff online. 235 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:38,719 Speaker 1: But here's a little clip. I just wanted to share it. 236 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 1: Someone cutting up the Ten Commandments to play like a 237 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 1: teen movie. So just take a quick listen to this 238 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:51,320 Speaker 1: fair high Ramsey's was the biggest player around, no doubt. 239 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: But when the new kid in school I am a 240 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 1: stranger in a strange land, realized hanging with the in 241 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 1: ground wasn't so easy, he took a stand. Man shall 242 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: be ruled by law, not by the will of other men, 243 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 1: Moses mos. Now the battle is on to see who 244 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,439 Speaker 1: can get the girl who will rule the school and 245 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 1: if a zero can become a hero, so let the 246 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 1: games begins. So that was a little mash up trailer 247 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 1: called ten Things I Hate about the Commandments and it 248 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:27,199 Speaker 1: was by Mike Dow. I definitely go see that. And 249 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:29,319 Speaker 1: will I know you've got some great facts you want 250 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,680 Speaker 1: to share about animals at the movies. But before we 251 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 1: get into that, let's take a quick break. Welcome back 252 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: to Part Time Genius where we're talking terrible movies. So 253 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:53,560 Speaker 1: will I know you wanted to tell some animal stories, 254 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:56,440 Speaker 1: which is usually my domain, but I like that you're 255 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: tackling it today. But before that, can I just read 256 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: you a little list of things that you used to 257 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:03,880 Speaker 1: see that the movies and you no longer see. Just 258 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 1: comes from our old pal caricaval Chick. But here a 259 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:09,600 Speaker 1: few things you no longer see it the movie. So 260 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 1: some of these are obvious, like ash trays. There used 261 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: to be signs that read ladies, please take off your 262 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:18,959 Speaker 1: hats everywhere, you know, just as a reminder, because that's 263 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:21,320 Speaker 1: when people used to get super dressed up for shows. 264 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:24,080 Speaker 1: But theater is also used to come with cry rooms, 265 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: which were these glass enclosures and soundproof rooms in the 266 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: back of the theater, and that's so that parents could 267 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:31,680 Speaker 1: take their crying babies and still watch the movie without 268 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 1: disturbing anyone. I didn't know what you're gonna where you're 269 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 1: gonna go with that. I was just assuming like if 270 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: people just got too emotional, that could go somewhere without 271 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: out being heard. So this was for the babies. Yeah, 272 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 1: for the babies who also get very emotional. Um. This 273 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 1: one's also interesting to me. Theaters used to be much grander, 274 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 1: so you think about those like red curtains that used 275 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 1: to open up for the screens, and and just how 276 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 1: elaborate ornate theaters used to be. But all that change 277 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: in with this Americans with Disabilities Act. They actually required 278 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:06,440 Speaker 1: that newer renovated theaters with more than two seats needed 279 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: wheelchair access to all rows. So suddenly theaters started splitting 280 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 1: up their bigger theaters or just started making smaller theaters 281 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 1: to counter that. And it's crazy, but that's also why 282 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 1: you started seeing three or four theaters at a place 283 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:22,440 Speaker 1: showing the same movie at similar showtimes. Yeah, I've never 284 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: thought about that. So my favorite old thing about these 285 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 1: old theaters was that, especially during the depression, it was 286 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:31,400 Speaker 1: hard to get people to come to movies, so to 287 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 1: get people to spend their money, they'd have these collectible 288 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: dish nights. And the whole idea was that movies where luxury, 289 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 1: but husbands and wives could both agree that they could 290 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 1: spend for a ticket or splurge for a ticket if 291 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: they could also come home with a gravy boat or 292 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 1: a coffee cup and saucer, and suddenly it made it 293 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: more worth it. So these have been all across the nation. 294 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 1: And uh, speaking of the depression, this is the last 295 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 1: one that's actually part of what lifted popcorn sales. And 296 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 1: I didn't realize this, but initially popcorn vendors would actually 297 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 1: stand outside of theaters and they were independent sellers and 298 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 1: it sell to the public who were coming in. But 299 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 1: then theater's got greedy realized they can sell the stuff themselves, 300 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 1: and now popcorn is obviously this hugely valuable thing and 301 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 1: keeps theaters alive. But you know, apparently ounce for ounce 302 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 1: movie theater popcorn actually costs more than filet mignon. Oh wow, yeah, 303 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 1: and they sell a ton of it. Yeah. I've actually 304 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: read that theaters put things in the popcorn to make 305 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,120 Speaker 1: the smell waft more in that that's not that surprising, 306 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 1: but I mean it does explain why when you're sitting there, 307 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 1: it just fills up the theater makes people more hungry 308 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 1: for it. So anyway, all right, Well, on a different 309 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 1: topic related to just weird things and movies and funny 310 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 1: things about movies, I know, one of our favorite facts 311 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 1: is is how the Cohen Brothers complained that the cat 312 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 1: that they used in Inside Lewin Davis was so awful 313 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 1: to work with. Of course, this comes as no surprise 314 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:54,280 Speaker 1: to me. They kind of just had to wait for 315 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,080 Speaker 1: the cat to do what they wanted. Like you'd find 316 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 1: a cat that liked to jump, and then you'd put 317 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 1: it in a scene, start rolling, and then you just 318 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: have to wait for it to jump. And it drove 319 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 1: them crazy, and something I haven't thought a ton about, 320 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 1: but I can only imagine how difficult that is when 321 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 1: you've got animals and you're trying to get them to 322 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:14,360 Speaker 1: do like a very specific thing, and especially with cats, 323 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 1: I know him with tight budgets and directors wanting to 324 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 1: play god, you know, not having an animal act to 325 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 1: your will as I'm sure difficult. And I actually love 326 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 1: stories of animals ruining scenes. There's this story from Raiders 327 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:29,119 Speaker 1: at the Lost Arc where Steven Spielberg was really irritated 328 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 1: because instead of fleeing from a fire, the snakes kept 329 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: going closer and closer to it to warm themselves, And 330 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 1: at one point he was so frustrated that he picked 331 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: up a snake, looked in the face and told him 332 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 1: something like, you're supposed to hate fires. You're ruining my movie. Well, 333 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 1: I hope they listened to him. You know, I do 334 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 1: love the care that animal handlers use on set, and 335 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:55,359 Speaker 1: it even extends to the smallest of creatures like insects 336 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 1: for examples. There was a few examples of this. But 337 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 1: of course, you know the old movie Shaw Shankra such 338 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 1: a terrific movie, and you know the old prisoner Brooks. 339 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 1: In the film, he fed a live maggot to his 340 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: pet crow, and it went against all animal regulations when 341 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,879 Speaker 1: he did this. So the crew actually found a grub 342 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:16,160 Speaker 1: that had quote died of natural causes and used that 343 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:19,680 Speaker 1: for the film. But that's actually not even the craziest 344 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 1: case that I came across here. I think the best 345 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: story might be from Silence of the Lambs, where they 346 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 1: had over three hundred tomato hornworm moths on set, and 347 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 1: and they were all treated like these little divas. So first, 348 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:34,200 Speaker 1: when they traveled, the moss all flew first class. I'm 349 00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:36,439 Speaker 1: sure this was in all of their contract riders and 350 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 1: I don't know why we know this detail, but we do. 351 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:41,119 Speaker 1: And then they were put up in a room with 352 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 1: perfect climate for them, so exact humidity, temperature conditions, everything 353 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 1: that was ideal for them. But the craziest part when 354 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:52,119 Speaker 1: they were on set, they were all put in these 355 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:55,760 Speaker 1: tiny little harnesses for those high speed stunts. And it 356 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:57,800 Speaker 1: almost makes me surprised they didn't outfit them in these 357 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:01,200 Speaker 1: tiny little helmets as well, But it's just pretty great. 358 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,399 Speaker 1: Like Silence and the Lamps is still held up as 359 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:06,160 Speaker 1: the prime example of how to care for animals on set, 360 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:08,879 Speaker 1: because not one of those three D plus moss was 361 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 1: hurt on set. Plus the producers even found a retirement 362 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 1: home for all the malls, and that they know that 363 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:17,600 Speaker 1: became roommates with the animal wrangler on set and lived 364 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 1: out the rest of their natural lives with them. So 365 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 1: I love that tiny harness fact. And I never would 366 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: have imagined that there were three moths involved in the filming. 367 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:29,400 Speaker 1: But you know, I am curious, what is the life 368 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:32,199 Speaker 1: band of a tomato moth? Well, I think it's like 369 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:34,399 Speaker 1: two to three weeks, But but don't pay attention to that. 370 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:37,840 Speaker 1: The key part is that they were comfortable, manga comfortable 371 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 1: for the rest of their lives. I do like that. 372 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,719 Speaker 1: So what else have you got? All right? Well, I 373 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:45,560 Speaker 1: wanted to talk for a minute about the movie Roar, 374 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 1: which is, you know, the craziest and possibly worst movie 375 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 1: that involves animals. Actually, there's some photos of the making 376 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:55,200 Speaker 1: of this movie from Life magazine that are just bizarre 377 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:57,360 Speaker 1: to look at. You should you should look them up online. 378 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 1: They're photos of Tippy Hedren looking into her ridge and 379 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 1: a lion peeking in two there's one of a lion 380 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 1: asleep at her feet, which just makes lion looks like 381 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 1: these giant house cats. But then there's another one of 382 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 1: a lion with its jaws and its paused, just kind 383 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 1: of gently placed around the kid's head at the swimming pool. 384 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 1: You've seen this before, just pulled us up. It's ridiculous. 385 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 1: How is the savy's name terrifying? I have no idea, 386 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:24,639 Speaker 1: but this it actually kind of ties back to the 387 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 1: economics here because roors considered one of the biggest disasters 388 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:32,680 Speaker 1: of indie filmmaking. Basically, Tippy Hedron, who was terrified of birds. 389 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:35,440 Speaker 1: Of course, if you remember that's Alfred Hitchcock, took advantage 390 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:37,480 Speaker 1: of this by throwing live birds at her in the 391 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 1: movie Birds. But she was not at all afraid of lions, 392 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:44,480 Speaker 1: like she'd somehow fallen in love with these creatures. On 393 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 1: a trip to Africa, she and her husband at the time, 394 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:50,200 Speaker 1: his name's Noel Marshall, they dreamed up this idea of 395 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 1: doing a movie with real lions, and the plot was 396 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 1: about a family of conservationists who go to a home 397 00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:59,160 Speaker 1: in Africa. They're told that the lions at the place 398 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 1: won't harm you if you just don't act scared or 399 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:03,880 Speaker 1: something like that. I mean, the movie doesn't really make 400 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 1: sense and the plot isn't important to this story. But 401 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: to make the movie, Tippy and her husband actually asked 402 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:14,399 Speaker 1: this animal wrangler to get them fifty tame lions to 403 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:18,160 Speaker 1: work with. I mean, just an absurd request, and obviously 404 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 1: this wasn't possible. But what he did do was he 405 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:24,399 Speaker 1: started introducing young lions to them so that they could 406 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 1: foster these lions and then they would be growing up 407 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:30,679 Speaker 1: with humans. So for eleven years, and this was on 408 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,800 Speaker 1: and off, but Tippy Headron and her family actually had 409 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:37,400 Speaker 1: live lions at their home and then they shoot here 410 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:40,200 Speaker 1: and there, and they put their children in the film too. 411 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 1: And of course I don't know if everybody knows this, 412 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:45,399 Speaker 1: but Melanie Griffith, whose Tippy Headron's daughter, she quit the 413 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,200 Speaker 1: movie at one point because she saw two lions hustling 414 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,360 Speaker 1: in the front yard. And she then told her mom 415 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 1: that she didn't want to lose her face to a line, 416 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: which seem reasonable. I gotta be honest, Yeah, that seems 417 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 1: reasonable to me. So I don't understand why that maybe 418 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 1: wasn't a little bit of a wake up call. But 419 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:05,120 Speaker 1: you know, the filming was a disaster. Not only did 420 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:07,960 Speaker 1: Tippy and her husband keep running out of money for filming, 421 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:11,480 Speaker 1: people also kept getting hurt along the way. I mean, 422 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 1: not the animals. I in fact, I think no animals 423 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:16,919 Speaker 1: were hurt in the process of this, but something like 424 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: eighty cast members were, which I think is probably a 425 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:23,399 Speaker 1: record at least was a record at that point. And 426 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:26,560 Speaker 1: the movie cost I think it was like eighteen million 427 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 1: dollars and then only made two million dollars. Now, I'm 428 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:32,639 Speaker 1: not an economist and I don't know a ton about 429 00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:39,640 Speaker 1: movie making, but that feels like maybe that was a failure. 430 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, but it just goes on and on like 431 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:44,480 Speaker 1: not surprisingly, it ruined their marriage. They end up getting 432 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:47,880 Speaker 1: divorced soon after. But there is one good thing that 433 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 1: came out of it. So while Tippi Hedren did come 434 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:53,680 Speaker 1: out of this experience believing that lions don't make great 435 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:57,120 Speaker 1: house pets, her love for them only grew and so 436 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:01,200 Speaker 1: she started the Shambala Animal Sanctuary. This is in California, 437 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 1: and many big animals end up there. So when Michael 438 00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:08,000 Speaker 1: Jackson's home zoo was shut down, for example, Shambala adopted 439 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 1: his tigers. That's insane, you know. I I heard you 440 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:13,399 Speaker 1: wanted to talk about animals, and I just assumed you 441 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:15,520 Speaker 1: were going to talk about Rentintin And you know this 442 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:18,200 Speaker 1: whole story about how he should have won the first 443 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:21,680 Speaker 1: Oscar like Susan or Lean wrote this in her book 444 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:25,639 Speaker 1: about Rentinton, that he got more votes for Best Actor 445 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:28,440 Speaker 1: in the first award ceremony, but the Academy thought it 446 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:31,119 Speaker 1: would set a bad precedent, said they rigged the awards 447 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:33,399 Speaker 1: for a human to win and uh, you know, the 448 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:35,679 Speaker 1: New York Times report this, Susan or Lean said it 449 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 1: was true, and everyone you know acknowledged that Rentintin was 450 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 1: the biggest movie star at the time. But what's funny 451 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:45,240 Speaker 1: is that the Academy actually disputes this history and says 452 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 1: Rentintin was never on the ballot at all, which you know, 453 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 1: adds a little intrigue to this wonderful fact that everyone 454 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 1: keeps talking about. Yeah, and it's still still a nice 455 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:56,240 Speaker 1: story either way. But all right, Well, how about we 456 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:58,120 Speaker 1: take a little break then come back with a few 457 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:01,160 Speaker 1: of the strangest, most influence chill movies of all time. 458 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: Welcome back to Part time Genius. So before we get 459 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:20,679 Speaker 1: to a fact off mango, why don't we do a 460 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:23,399 Speaker 1: little back and forth on you know, some of the 461 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 1: strangest movies that have I guess what you consider surprising 462 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 1: impacts on the world. And there's some easy ones that 463 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:34,320 Speaker 1: people might already know about. I'm not sure, but for example, 464 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:37,640 Speaker 1: I think before the movie Amally came out, they were 465 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:40,879 Speaker 1: like a dozen kids named Emily and England and Wells. 466 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 1: And then after the film came out, there were over 467 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:46,800 Speaker 1: a thousand kids a year who got the name Amalie. 468 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:50,920 Speaker 1: And you see this trend also with things like haircuts, 469 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:52,679 Speaker 1: Like this is one of my favorite facts as it 470 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 1: relates to movies. But all right, there's this famous story 471 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,920 Speaker 1: about how after Titanic came out, the Taliban shut down 472 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 1: any barber shop that was giving out Leonardo DiCaprio haircuts 473 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 1: because boys were just going crazy for them. Now, there 474 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 1: is not much funny about the Taliban, but I can't 475 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 1: help it. That is just a funny and bizarre fact. 476 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,000 Speaker 1: I don't think about The Titanic that much, and I 477 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: certainly don't think about Leonardo DiCaprio's haircut that much. Yeah, 478 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 1: it's pretty great. All right, Well, what's your favorite story 479 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,359 Speaker 1: about a movie that had a surprising impact on the world. 480 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 1: So I guess for a quick one, maybe something like Bandy. 481 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 1: And I know the animation style was completely different from 482 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: everything else, but I like that it might have actually 483 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:35,880 Speaker 1: launched Stephen King's career. He often refers to Bandy as 484 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: the first horror movie he ever saw, but in a 485 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 1: bigger way, I actually think Borat might have had one 486 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 1: of the most surprising impacts on the country. And um, 487 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 1: obviously in the movie We've Got Sasha Baron Cohen, he's 488 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,080 Speaker 1: making fun of kazakh Stan. Some people saw it as 489 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 1: harmless and nonsensical and and you know, just as a joke, 490 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:58,600 Speaker 1: but that's not at all how the Kazak people saw it. 491 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:02,280 Speaker 1: Like when the movie came out, Kazakhstan's president actually forced 492 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:05,439 Speaker 1: President Bush into a meeting just to discuss how the 493 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 1: film was negatively depicting the country, and he actually did 494 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:11,400 Speaker 1: the same thing with European leaders. But the interesting thing 495 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:14,200 Speaker 1: is that the film kind of had a point. So 496 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:16,879 Speaker 1: the country had at that time just fallen into corruption, 497 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,119 Speaker 1: and it was kind of easy to pick on the 498 00:25:19,119 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 1: country because it hadn't formed much of a national identity 499 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:26,560 Speaker 1: post leaving the USSR. But after the film, they started 500 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:29,840 Speaker 1: working to bring in European businessmen. They started showcasing how 501 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:33,199 Speaker 1: business friendly and progressive the country was. They worked on 502 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 1: tourism campaigns and oddly the film actually made people want 503 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 1: to visit. And then they even invested in their first 504 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:42,680 Speaker 1: state produced film about Genghis Khan. It was called Mongol. 505 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:44,359 Speaker 1: I don't know if you remember that. It was actually 506 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 1: nominated for an Oscar But it was all away for 507 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 1: the country to try to reclaim and celebrate its history 508 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 1: while showing there's a thriving and beautiful modern industry there. 509 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:56,640 Speaker 1: And and I think it's kind of amazing that Borat 510 00:25:56,880 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 1: is really the thing that spurred all of this, and 511 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: I'm sure that was his goal from the very beginning. 512 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:06,040 Speaker 1: All Right, well, I've got a couple more that I 513 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:08,159 Speaker 1: wanted to share, you know. Of course, you know, I 514 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:10,679 Speaker 1: love the movie The Big Lebowski, and it brought the 515 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:13,280 Speaker 1: word dude back to the world, and I don't know 516 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:15,200 Speaker 1: whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, but 517 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:18,639 Speaker 1: it also spawned a little cult or religion that was 518 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 1: called the Church of the Latter Day Dude. And I 519 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:23,760 Speaker 1: mean mostly, of course, this was a joke, but you know, 520 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:26,439 Speaker 1: it was based on things like taking long baths and 521 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:30,119 Speaker 1: bowling and of course drinking white Russians and I guess 522 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:32,480 Speaker 1: a little bit of Taoism. But you know, back in 523 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:36,400 Speaker 1: two thousand ten, the church had over eighty thousand Judas priests, 524 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 1: which I think is no small feat. But actually I 525 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:41,800 Speaker 1: didn't want to end on that one. I kind of 526 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:44,480 Speaker 1: wanted to end on a sweeter story, and that's about 527 00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:47,560 Speaker 1: the movie Do the Right Thing, which of course wonderful 528 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:50,199 Speaker 1: and important in its own right, but it has this 529 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:53,200 Speaker 1: second legacy that it's actually the first movie the Obama 530 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:56,200 Speaker 1: saw together when they were a young couple. In fact, 531 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:59,600 Speaker 1: according to Brock, it kind of sealed their dating status 532 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:02,320 Speaker 1: and it the first time Michelle allowed him to touch 533 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 1: her net. And as the former president told Spike Lee 534 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:07,560 Speaker 1: when he met him for the first time, I owe 535 00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:09,800 Speaker 1: you a lot. Oh I love that. So why don't 536 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:12,160 Speaker 1: we end up that note and kick off the fact off? 537 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 1: Did you know that Steven Spielberg opted not to direct 538 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,920 Speaker 1: Harry Potter movies because it was too easy for him. 539 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 1: Here's what he actually said about it. Directing those movies 540 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:32,680 Speaker 1: is quote just like withdrawing a billion dollars and putting 541 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:37,119 Speaker 1: it into your own personal bank accounts. There's no challenge. Wow. 542 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 1: Let's say you're in a pretty good position when you're like, 543 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:42,920 Speaker 1: you know, the millions and millions or hundreds of millions 544 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:44,760 Speaker 1: of dollars I could make from that, I'm just not 545 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:48,919 Speaker 1: that interested in that. Too easy. Wow. Actually, there was 546 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 1: this This American Life a month or so back about 547 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:55,040 Speaker 1: him and how high school inspired him to direct amis Thought, 548 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 1: and it was so good. Did you listen to this episode? 549 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:00,600 Speaker 1: I haven't heard that, Yeah, but you should definitely listened 550 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:02,920 Speaker 1: to it for for all our listeners if you haven't already. 551 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:05,720 Speaker 1: All right, Well, on a completely different note, I don't 552 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:08,919 Speaker 1: think I even remembered broccoli playing a big role in 553 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:12,400 Speaker 1: the movie Inside Out, but apparently kids felt that it did, 554 00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 1: and so in the Japanese version of the movie, the 555 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:18,679 Speaker 1: vegetable was changed to bell peppers because quote, they are 556 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:24,440 Speaker 1: more universally hated by Japanese children. That's crazy. So here's 557 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 1: a fun one British filmmaker named Charles Lyne raised nine 558 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:31,119 Speaker 1: thousand dollars to make a ten hour movie about paint drying. 559 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 1: And you might wonder why why would you make a 560 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:36,280 Speaker 1: ten hour movie of just paint drying? And it was 561 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:39,960 Speaker 1: basically an f you to the British Censorship Board. He 562 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 1: did it just to force a couple of sensors to 563 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 1: have to watch ten hours of paint drying. That's actually 564 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 1: pretty funny, even if it is evil. At the same time, 565 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 1: I love that it cost nine thousand dollars to do that. 566 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 1: But al right, well, did you know that the only 567 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:57,520 Speaker 1: time White Castle has made a vegetarian burger was for 568 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:01,760 Speaker 1: Harold and Kumar, So apparently pen is vegetarian. So White 569 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:05,960 Speaker 1: Castle obliged, but only that one time, which isn't that shocking, 570 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 1: But it is pretty funny to imagine what this vegetarian 571 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:11,360 Speaker 1: burger looked and tasted like. I can't even imagine. I 572 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:13,360 Speaker 1: know now that I know they can make a vegete burger, 573 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:17,120 Speaker 1: I want to try it. You should demand it. So 574 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:19,160 Speaker 1: here's a little fact I love about the movie Drive. 575 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 1: A woman in two thousand eleven sued the movie's distributors 576 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:26,440 Speaker 1: for false advertising because quote, it had very little driving. 577 00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:32,080 Speaker 1: I mean, she's got a point. So yeah, all right, 578 00:29:32,120 --> 00:29:34,080 Speaker 1: Well here's a fun When I learned about the movie 579 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:37,160 Speaker 1: Sleepless in Seattle, there's a writer pitching a story in 580 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:40,040 Speaker 1: Meg Ryan's office about this guy who sells quote the 581 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 1: greatest soup You've ever eaten while also being the meanest 582 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:46,800 Speaker 1: man in America. And if you listen closely to this part, 583 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:49,160 Speaker 1: you know they're talking about doing a story on the 584 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,880 Speaker 1: Soup Nazi. And the greatest thing about this is it 585 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 1: was actually a few years before the Soup Nazi became that, 586 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 1: you know, big plot point on Seinfeld. That's pretty amazing. 587 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:01,920 Speaker 1: I've never heard that. It's here's one about Quentin Tarantino 588 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 1: when he was still starting out. At the time, he 589 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:07,000 Speaker 1: was living on his friend Linda Chen's couch, and she 590 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:09,000 Speaker 1: was a typist, and she had actually agreed to do 591 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:10,960 Speaker 1: some typing for him if he just house s at 592 00:30:11,040 --> 00:30:14,480 Speaker 1: her pet rabbit. And of course Tarantino is a great scriptwriter, 593 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:17,560 Speaker 1: but not a good bunny sitter, and the rabbit sadly 594 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 1: died under his watch. But to make up for it, 595 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 1: he named one of the characters in the film for 596 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:24,320 Speaker 1: the pet. But if you remember in the beginning of 597 00:30:24,320 --> 00:30:26,640 Speaker 1: pulp fiction, there's this robber who goes by the name 598 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:30,720 Speaker 1: Honey Bunny, and that's actually named for Chen's rabbit. I've 599 00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:33,080 Speaker 1: never heard that. All right, Well, I know we've done 600 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:36,360 Speaker 1: a few Steven Spillberg facts here, but this one's gotta 601 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 1: be tough to be. So, he was filming Schindler's List, 602 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:43,200 Speaker 1: and obviously this is a very heavy and difficult topic, 603 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 1: and the cast would not surprisingly get pretty depressed while 604 00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:49,640 Speaker 1: they were filming this. So every once in a while 605 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:51,920 Speaker 1: he would try to change the mood for the cast. 606 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:54,520 Speaker 1: He just call up his friend Robin Williams, put him 607 00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:57,760 Speaker 1: on the speakerphone, and the comedian would immediately start reeling 608 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 1: off jokes, and that, of course helped chair everybod audi up. Oh, 609 00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:03,400 Speaker 1: I love that. I actoually miss Robin Williams, and I 610 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:06,320 Speaker 1: had a different story about him. During the filming of 611 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:09,720 Speaker 1: Mrs Doubtfire. He wasn't sure if the costume was believable enough, 612 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:13,000 Speaker 1: so he wore it to an adult bookstore and just 613 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:16,880 Speaker 1: made all these ridiculous purchases and when no one recognized 614 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:20,640 Speaker 1: him in character, he decided the costume was believable enough. 615 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 1: But that's pretty great. But I do think your fact 616 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:27,800 Speaker 1: is too good and you definitely went today's fact off. Wow. 617 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:30,000 Speaker 1: I don't know that's pretty good fact, Mango, but you 618 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:32,160 Speaker 1: know what, You've already given it, so I'm gonna take it. 619 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:35,479 Speaker 1: But thank you very much, and thank you guys for listening. 620 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:37,840 Speaker 1: We always love hearing facts from you, and I know 621 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:40,640 Speaker 1: there's so many great movie facts out there we'd love 622 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:42,400 Speaker 1: to hear those from. You can always email us part 623 00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:45,120 Speaker 1: Time Genius at how stuff Works dot com, where you 624 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:47,080 Speaker 1: can hit us up on Facebook or Twitter. But thanks 625 00:31:47,120 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 1: so much for listening, Thanks again for listening. 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If you like what you heard, 635 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 1: we hope you'll subscribe, And if you really really like 636 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:31,720 Speaker 1: what you've heard, maybe you could leave a good review 637 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 1: for us. Do we do? We forget Jason Jason who