Wednesday 31 December 2014

Trivia Round-Up: December


You know the drill by now! Here's some fun trivia snippets from all the films we've reviewed this month. It's a festive edition too this time, thanks to our 12 Days of Christmas feature.

I was initially going to note a trivia point about Philip Seymour-Hoffman who died with one week left of filming and so the script was re-written instead of Plutarch Heavensbee being re-cast but I think a lot of people already know this so my actual bit of trivia:
Natalie Dormer ad-libbed 20-30 percent of her scenes, especially when Cressida instructs Finnick and the twins where to stand before filming his speech. When asked how she did that impromptu act, Dormer said that she drew inspiration by paying attention to how Francis Lawrence would converse with his camera crew in-between takes.  Kind of makes me love Natalie Dormer a little bit more!
The scene where Phil picks up the alarm clock and slams it onto the floor didn't go as planned. Bill Murray slammed down the clock but it barely broke, so the crew bashed it with a hammer to give it the really smashed look. The clock actually continued playing the song like in the movie.
Silly, but funny! They just don't make stuff these days like they used to...
Final film of American actress Jill Clayburgh, who died the year before release. She played Annie's mother.
Just before Clark gets locked up in the attic, he pulls out an old present from a hidden slot, and it contains a card that reads "Happy Mother's Day 1983, Love Clark". The first movie, National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) was released that same year.
I love this! Also, you may already know but Rusty in this film is played by Johnny Galecki, better known as Leonard in the Big Bang Theory.
The theater that blows up was subsequently involved in another accident when Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) in Back to the Future (1985), smashes into the front entrance at the end of the film. The theater then burned down with the rest of the buildings in the fire that happened right after the filming of Back to the Future Part II (1989).
John Candy filmed his part in only one day, albeit an extremely long 23-hour day. The story about having once forgotten his son at a funeral home was entirely improvised. His part is obviously inspired by the character he played in Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) also written by John Hughes.
42 rings are heard over the course of the film, so if Clarence is right, 42 angels have gotten their wings.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

In the untranslated dialogue with the Dutch girl, Santa Claus asks the child what she wants for Christmas the girl says she wants nothing, telling Santa she got her gift by being adopted by her new mother.
 
The outside of Gimbels is a digitally altered view of the 34th St. Macy's, a reference to Miracle on 34th Street (1947). Gimbels was Macy's main competition but it is now closed.  This just seemed too fitting to not be included!

Bad Santa (2003)

During Willies brief stay in Miami in the beginning of the film, a shot of the Dude's car (The Big Lebowski) can be seen parked outside of Willies apartment. Undoubtedly, an influence from executive producers Joel and Ethan Coen.

The first feature-length production in which Kermit the Frog's voice was not provided by Jim Henson (who had recently died). Steve Whitmire took over the role.

Die Hard (1988)
Special, extra loud blanks were made for use in the film to add to the "hyper-realism" director John McTiernan was looking for. Unfortunately for Bruce Willis, some of these blanks were used for the scene where he kills a terrorist by shooting him through the bottom of a table where the terrorist is standing. The proximity of the gun to Willis' ear during this scene caused permanent hearing loss for Willis.

Scrooged (1988)
When the Ghost Of Christmas Present (Carol Kane) grabbed Bill Murray's lip she tore his lip so badly that filming was halted for several days.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
It took a group of around 100 people three years to complete this movie. For one second of film, up to 12 stop-motion moves had to be made.

All trivia is gathered from www.imdb.co.uk

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