Tag Archives: Days of Thunder

MOV100: ”Hey Korean Jesus”

It’s the 100th…yup, 100th…reel of COL Movies! The boys “celebrate” with an interesting variety of movies. On the pole, they start out with the Tom Cruise classic “Days of Thunder”. After burning some rubber, they head to the pit to check out the Jonah Hill remake of “21 Jump Street”. On the straight away to the checkered flag, the boys review the trailer for Johnny Depp and Tim Burton’s reimagining of “Dark Shadows”. All of this and movie news about Captain America’s sequel, Hollywood’s need for speed, and Johnny 5’s staying alive! It’s the 100th reel of COL Movies…”Hey Korean Jesus!”

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News:

The Past: Days of Thunder (1990)
Rotten Tomatoes: 40% Rotten, 59% Audience

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Director: Tony Scott

Starring: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes, Michael Rooker, Fred Dalton Thompson, John C. Reilly

Trivia:

  • Many real-life NASCAR drivers (including Rusty Wallace) appear in the film.
  • NASCAR driver Greg Sacks did most of Tom Cruise’s stunt driving. Cruise wanted to do his own stunt driving, but wasn’t allowed to for insurance reasons. The Chevrolets were prepared by Rick Hendrick’s racing team, which later used some of the movie cars in real races. 35 cars were wrecked during filming.
  • Tom Cruise received a speeding ticket for doing 85 in a 55 mph zone while working on this movie.
  • The scene where Tim approaches Harry on a tractor was filmed on NASCAR legend Junior Johnson’s farm.
  • The scene where Cole and Rowdy race rental cars on the beach shows birds scattering out of the way. The birds were lured onto the beach by birdseed, and in the first take most of them were run over.
  • During the Darlington race in which the two movie cars appeared in, Neil Bonnett, one of the drivers interviewed at Daytona before the race, was nearly killed in a serious accident. Ironically, Bonnett was killed in a practice crash at Daytona in 1994. In the beginning of the film, the announcer introduces driver Aldo Bennedetti from Reading, Pennsylvania. This character is most likely a reference to real-life driver Mario Andretti. Both are of Italian descent, Mario’s brother is named Aldo, and Mario is from Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
  • Robin Wright was first suggested for the role of Claire Lewicki but was unavailable.
  • Production began without a finished script; scenes were often written the day of filming. During one driving sequence, Tom Cruise actually had to read his lines off cue cards attached to his windshield, which resulted in a minor car accident. For subsequent driving sequences, Cruise was fitted with a special earpiece to have lines fed to him.
  • Most of the cars used in this film were actually Chevrolets outfitted with special fiberglass bodies made to resemble stock cars. The vehicles routinely broke down from the strain of the racing or had their bodies greatly damaged. At one point, half the fleet was in the repair shop.
  • Producer Don Simpson originally intended to take a supporting role as a fellow driver in this film but his role was reduced to only one line.
  • City Chevrolet, a sponsor for Cole Trickle early in the movie, is a real-life Charlotte area dealership that is owned by Rick Hendrick, who prepared most of the cars in the movie.
  • Tom Cruise and ‘Robert Duvall (I)”s characters are (very) loosely based on former driver Tim Richmond and his crew chief Harry Hyde. Richmond was known as an overnight sensation, and Hyde was the veteran crew chief. The scene where Duvall’s character teaches Cruise about tire management is based on an actual incident between Hyde and Richmond, who died of AIDS complications the year before the film was released.
  • In an effort to give a more realistic atmosphere, professional racing broadcasters were brought in to play the broadcast reporters and track announcers. Key among these were members of ESPN’s racing crew, including booth announcer Bob Jenkins and pit reporter Dr. Jerry Punch.
  • After the first days of the editorial crew looking for “Tony”, Director Tony Scott gave Apprentice Editor Tony Ciccone the nickname “TC” to avoid further confusion. He’s still known by it.
  • All cars used in the movie for the races had to pass inspection and qualify. Bobby Hamilton qualified one of the movie cars in the top ten; they removed the cameras and he was allowed to enter the race.
  • The scene where Cole Trickle leaves the pits after a race to hit Russ Wheeler is also based on ,an actual event during the 1987 all-star race at Charlotte, NC between drivers Bill Elliott and Dale Earnhardt.
  • Some footage for the movie was shot during the 1990 Daytona 500. Two additional cars, driven by Bobby Hamilton and Tommy Ellis, were added to the rear of the field for the express purpose of shooting them for this film. They were not officially scored and left the racetrack after 100 miles (40 laps) were completed. At one point in the race, leader Dale Earnhardt even lapped the movie cars.
  • Cars designed specifically for the movie officially raced at Phoenix and Darlington, with Greg Sacks driving Cole Trickle’s City Chevrolet in both races. Bobby Hamilton drove Rowdy Burns’ Exxon car at Phoenix, while Hut Stricklin drove it at Darlington. None of the cars finished their races, but Hamilton did lead his race for five laps before an engine failure.
  • According to an article in Car and Driver by Bob Zeller, Bobby Hamilton was paid $14,000-$15,000 by Rick Hendrick to drive the camera car. At the time Hamilton was making about $185 a week driving a wrecker (tow truck). He did so well that Hendrick hired him on for the next NASCAR race in Phoenix and the rest of the season.
  • When Cole wins at Darlington, the track announcer says third place goes to Geoffrey Bodine. Tim Daland, Cole’s car owner, is based on owner Rick Hendrick, whose first driver was Bodine.
  • First feature film of Margo Martindale.
  • Harold Faltermeyer turned down scoring duties on the film. FHe recommended fellow German composer Hans Zimmer to the producers. Zimmer was also recommended to director Tony Scott by his brother Ridley Scott and star Tom Cruise.
  • The movie was conceived by Tom Cruise when he and Paul Newman were allowed to test one of Rick Hendrick’s race cars. Tom’s first lap was in excess of 180mph.
  • The man who drove for Harry Hogge before Cole Trickle was called Buddy Bretherton. In the movie they mention he died hitting the wall at Daytona. Harry also mentions that Buddy heard voices while driving. Buddy Bretherton is probably based on the Nascar driver Bobby Isaac. Who drove for crew chief Harry Hyde. Issac claimed to have heard voices telling him to get out of the race car or he would die. So he pulled the car off the track and quit. Isaac died years later from a heart attack while driving in a 1977 Late Model Sportsman race at Hickory Motor Speedway with 25 laps left.
  • Reputedly Tom Cruise handpicked Nicole Kidman to be his love interest in the film after seeing her performance in Dead Calm.
  • When Cole tells Harry “when it comes to the car I’ll take your word,” he is referring to a line from a deleted scene where he states, “I’ll take your word for what a car can do but I’m not taking anybody’s word for what I can do.” The line can still be heard in the trailer.
  • Alison Doody, Sarah Jessica Parker, Molly Ringwald, Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan, Brooke Shields, Sharon Stone, Heather Locklear, Sandra Bullock, Jodie Foster and Ally Sheedy all turned down the role of Claire Lewicki.
  • In the “Making of…” documentary, Rowdy’s Winston Cup Championship trophy is for 1984. The real-life champion for that year was Terry Labonte.
  • Real-life Hendrick Motorsports pit crew member Mike Slattery served as an extra for Cole’s crew. After hearing what the stuntmen’s pay would be, he asked for the opportunity to do some of the stunts. However, when he saw how close the car came to the stuntmen, he changed his mind saying, “They can have it!”

Talking Points:

  • The Sound.
  • Top Gun in Race Cars?
  • What We Learned:
  • You can never build a driver like you can build a racecar
  • If you’re from California you’re not a Yankee, you’re not really anything
  • Despite what it says in the NASCAR rulebook there is nothing stock about a stockcar
  • The first thing you need to do to win a race, is finish.
  • Tires win a race
  • Drivers don’t go to doctors or funerals
  • Control is an illusion
  • Rubbin’ is racin’

Trailer

Recommendations:
Jeff: I had the radio controlled version of the Superflo car when I was a kid. This just brings back memories. And it’s a good movie to boot. Definitely worth the rental.
Ray: If only every NASCAR race was 5 minutes long, they might be as enjoyable as this movie. Making NASCAR as exciting as only Jerry Bruckhimer and Tom Cruise can it’s definitely worth a rental.
Steve: Top Gun in cars. Never really cared for this movie and it didn’t do much for me this time around. I do like the “new kid” becomes the “old guy” who gets owned by the “new kid” thing though.

The Present: 21 Jump Street
Rotten Tomatoes: 85% Fresh; 90% Audience

Directors: Phil Lord, Chris Miller
Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube

Trivia:

  • Jennifer Lawrence, Juno Temple, Julianne Hough and Gemma Ward auditioned for a role.
  • Emma Stone was considered for the lead female role but had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts with her other movie, The Amazing Spider-Man.
  • Channing Tatum’s character is named Jenko after Captain Richard Jenko, played by actor Frederic Forrest, on the original 21 Jump Street TV series. Jenko was the original captain of the squad before being killed off and then replaced by Captain Adam Fuller, played by Steven Williams.
  • Channing Tatum passed on the movie twice before he was convinced by Jonah Hill to take the role.
  • At one point, Dave Franco’s character says that he doesn’t trust Channing Tatum’s character because he looks like he’s 40 years old. In reality, Tatum is only five years older than Franco.
  • Jonah Hill lost over 40 pounds for his role since he and Channing Tatum are required to do a number of physically demanding stunts.
  • In one scene the bad guys are actually watching the TV series 21 Jump Street on TV. While other original cast members show up in cameos in the film, Dustin Nguyen (Officer Harry Truman Ioki) does not. But he is worked into the film here as almost all the shots on the TV are of Ioki.
  • The understudy for Peter Pan is named French Samuels. Samuel French is the name of the publishing company that manages the rights to the musical “Peter Pan”.
  • While undercover, Jonah Hill’s character’s cover is almost blown by someone he knows personally, and he avoids this by pushing her away and saying that she tried to grab his private parts. This same exact thing happened to Johnny Depp’s character in Donnie Brasco while he was undercover.
  • The trivia items below may give away important plot points.
  • Hanson (Johnny Depp) is seen in disguise as a biker eating a jar of peanut butter, based on a suggestion by Depp during his last season on the show. Penhall (Peter DeLuise), was also seen in disguise as a biker based on one of the character’s attires in the original series. The disguised characters were written specifically for Depp and DeLuise by Jonah Hill.
  • Hanson and Penhall are shot multiple times and die in the climactic shootout, marking the deaths of the television series’ original characters.
  • At the end of the film it is revealed that one of the bad guys is actually Tom Hanson, played by Johnny Depp, from the original 21 Jump Street series. He has been undercover for years with the villains using the alias D.B. Following 21 Jump Street Johnny Depp played another cop who was long term undercover with criminals whose name was Donnie Brasco … D.B.
  • Johnny Depp ad-libbed most of his lines as Tom Hanson.
  • Footage of Dustin Nguyen from the original show are shown on television screens during the shootout at the prom. Whenever Nguyen is shown, a TV screen gets shot.
  • Talking Points:
  • Ok…When they made fun of themselves for rehashing old ideas..
  • Was it what you expected?
  • The Cameo’s
  • #2 is already listed with a writer on IMDB

What We Learned:

  • Korean Jesus ain’t got time for your problems, he busy dealing with Korean Shit.
  • Drugs are bad, but they can have their place in the life of a professional actor
  • You never won’t know what you can’t achieve before you don’t achieve it.
  • Artistic does not equal Autistic
  • A extra vagina can be used as a coin purse
  • You cant run in tights or skinny jeans
  • Chickens are highly explosive
  • Everyone is a stranger till you give em a chance

Trailer:

Recommendations :
Jeff: I saw half this movie and I’m surprised that I actually kinda liked it. I really think this movie was very well done but I just can’t stand embarrassing moments. If you like that humor, you’ll like it all. If not, you’ll like half the movie.
Ray: Well, I almost hate myself for it, but I enjoyed this movie a whole heck of a lot more than I was expecting. I thought it was funny, and I think they did a good Job with the twist on what it’s like to delve back into high school. Run out and see it? Maybe on a date.
Steve: I want to smack Jeff for making me watch this. However, there was some “fun” in it, but I found it extremely difficult to suspend the belief I know about law enforcement. So not 21 Jump Street…really should have been something else.

The Future: Dark Shadows (2012)
Release: May 11, 2012

Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green

Summary:

In 1752, the Collins family sails from Liverpool, England to North America. The son, Barnabas, grows up to be a wealthy playboy in Collinsport, Maine and is the master of Collinwood Manor. He breaks the heart of a witch, Angelique Bouchard, who turns him into a vampire and buries him alive. In 1972, Barnabas is accidentally freed from his coffin and returns to find his once-magnificent mansion in ruin. The manor is currently occupied by Barnabas’ dysfunctional descendants, all of whom are hiding dark and horrifying secrets and need his protection.

Talking Points

  • Turning a melodramatic soap into a comedy?

Trailer:

Excitement:
Jeff: Okay, so I admit I really don’t know the original source for Dark Shadows but from what I seeing here, I think it’s going to be a complete disaster. If you want to see Johnny Depp, watch 21 Jump Street.
Ray: Now, this one makes me sad. I was never a big fan of the source material, but a lot of my family was. I don’t think any of them would have any interest in seeing this, and I can’t say I do either.
Steve: In the same vein as 21 Jump Street…taking a classic drama to comedy is strange. I don’t understand this trend in Hollywood. Comes off more Munsters or Addams Family than Dark Shadows source material. Not sure what I think at this point.

The Past:

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The Present:

The Future:

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