TUESDAY’S TRIVIA TIDBITS.
Welcome back to Tuesday’s Trivia Tidbits. For those of you out of the loop, this is a little compilation of 10 movie related facts that I will be posting weekly and info that I always find interesting. So without further ado, this weeks are…
1: In “Angel Heart“, Alan Parker claimed that Robert De Niro’s performance as Louis Cypher was so eerie and realistic that he generally avoided him during his scenes, letting him just direct himself. De Niro’s performance was apparently an impersonation of his long-time friend and collaborator Martin Scorsese.
2: This might not mean much to many but it does to me; John Byrne is a cult and eccentric Scottish playwright/artist who wrote the play “The Slab Boys“. It was first performed as a Broadway production in 1983 starring Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon and Val Kilmer in early acting roles.
3: Steven Spielberg’s original concept for “E.T.” was a much darker movie in which a family was terrorized in their house by aliens. When Spielberg decided to go with a more benevolent alien, the family-in-jeopardy concept was recycled as “Poltergeist“.
4: In “The Third Man“, Cary Grant was considered for the part of Harry Lime (played by Orson Welles). Coincidentally, Grant was a regular lunchtime visitor to the set of the film when the shooting returned to London sound-stages.
5: Sidney Lumet was the first choice to direct the film “Scarface” in 1983 but he backed out and Brian De Palma took over. It was Lumet’s idea to make the characters Cuban and to include the 1980 Mariel harbor boat lift in the story.
6: In “A Few Good Men“, Jack Nicholson repeated his famous courtroom monologue as Col. Jessep off-camera several times so director Rob Reiner could film the reactions of other actors from various angles. Nicholson’s memorable on-camera performance was filmed last, but according to Reiner and the other cast members, Nicholson gave it his all every take as if he was on camera.
7: Nick Nolte has surprisingly been considered for many major roles in film that would probably have changed the films considerably had he been cast. They include: Indiana Jones in “Raiders of The Lost Ark“, Han Solo in “Star Wars“, John Rambo in “First Blood“, Clark Kent in “Superman“, Snake Plissken in “Escape From New York” and Rick Deckard in “Blade Runner” to name a few.
8: There are only five actors to be nominated for acting honors by the Academy Awards over five decades: Paul Newman, Laurence Olivier, Katharine Hepburn, Jack Nicholson and Michael Caine. Only Olivier (1930s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s), Caine (1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s) and Nicholson (1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s) have done it consecutively over 5 decades.
9: John Turturro took classes at a secretarial school to learn how to use a typewriter for his role in the Coen brothers’ “Barton Fink“. Between takes, he wrote a rough outline for his future directorial outing “Romance & Cigarettes” on the typewriter he used in the film. The Coens would later produce that movie for Turturro and it also featured Steve Buscemi who plays Chet the bellhop in “Barton Fink”.
10: The boots that Clint Eastwood wore in “Unforgiven” are the same ones he wore in the TV series “Rawhide” where, essentially, he made his name. In essence these boots have book-ended his career in the Western genre.
So there you have it. 10 esoteric Tidbits to masticate on. Some you may know. Some you may not. If you have any thoughts, stick your donations in the comment box.
See you next Tuesday…
(For earlier editions of Trivia Tidbits click here.)
MARKED MOVIES 
November 6, 2012 at 11:01 am
Ha, Nick Nolte! He must hate Harrison Ford by now!
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November 6, 2012 at 12:26 pm
Haha! Yeah, at least three of Ford’s jobs he was up for. Three of Ford’s very best as well. Poor Nolte!
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November 6, 2012 at 11:58 am
It would be really cool to see how Sidney Lumet would direct Scarface, but Brian De Palma did do a great job. Nice trivia.
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November 6, 2012 at 12:28 pm
It would certainly have been interesting to see Lumet do it. He’s a smashing director but yeah, I’d have to agree. De Palma done superb. (Apart from the over the top ending)
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November 6, 2012 at 2:24 pm
As always, this continues to be a favorite feature of mine. The one that stands out the most is Nolte. Nothing in the world against him, but can you imagine how different some of those films (and his career) would be if he were cast!?!?
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November 6, 2012 at 3:27 pm
Thanks Keith! If this is one of your favourite features then hopefully you’ll remember me come Lammy awards season 😉
Yeah, the Nolte one was quite something and these are just a few. He has been in the run for loads of film roles.
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November 6, 2012 at 2:37 pm
God damn ET is a creepy little bastard in that photo! Great read as always Mark
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November 6, 2012 at 3:28 pm
Haha Thanks man. I was looking for an evil little fucker to tie it in.
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November 6, 2012 at 3:07 pm
My lord. I cant imagine Nick Nolte in ANY of those roles. LOL. Eeesh. 🙂
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November 6, 2012 at 3:29 pm
Neither can I Fogs. I really like Nolte but I just can’t picture it. Like Chris said earlier, he must be raging with Harrison Ford. That’s three times he beat him to it.
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November 6, 2012 at 3:19 pm
Great stuff once again!! If number 7 had come true… well… shudder…. my eyes!!!
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November 6, 2012 at 3:30 pm
Thanks you sir. Yeah, it’s hard to imagine isn’t it? Poor Nolte though. It’s no wonder he took to the alcohol a little too much on his days off. 😉
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November 6, 2012 at 3:36 pm
I actually like Nolte – just NOT in any of those roles…
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November 6, 2012 at 3:52 pm
I totally agree. Nolte’s cool man. I’m a big fan.
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November 6, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Cool trivia there about John Byrne, Mark! I wonder if Tilda Swinton ever starred in one of his plays?
As for Nolte, man I can’t imagine him as Indiana Jones, though he’s good actor of course. His work in Warrior was certainly Oscar worthy!
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November 6, 2012 at 4:47 pm
I might be wrong but I don’t think Byrne has written a play in a while. Certainly nothing I’ve heard of. I also don’t think Swinton has ever appeared in any. They were married for a while and have two children together but I think they’re separated now.
Nolte was superb in Warrior and I totally agree Ruth. He could easily have taken an Oscar for that but like yourself and many others, it’s hard to imagine him in any of those roles.
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November 6, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Nick Nolte…lol! Great post and very interesting.
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November 6, 2012 at 4:49 pm
Thanks man! The Nolte one seems to be a favourite among many today. 🙂
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November 6, 2012 at 4:52 pm
Nice post brotha! Back in the day, it seems like Nolte was the go-to guy for any movie, and it’s a shame that he never amounted to anything like Ford did, because he’s a great actor and probably better than Ford in my opinion.
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November 6, 2012 at 5:11 pm
Thank you brotha! Yeah, I totally agree man. I like Ford a lot but Nolte is definitely a more all round, accomplished actor. Still, despite not getting these roles, he’s done some great work over the years.
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November 6, 2012 at 6:03 pm
Great post, love the Angel Heart bit, De Niro was so menacing in that film.
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November 6, 2012 at 7:38 pm
Thanks Vinnie. I love the Angel Heart one as well. I’d known this for ages yet that’s it just featuring. It’s actually quite hard to remember stuff when these lists are put together. My mind draws a blank sometimes.
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November 6, 2012 at 7:09 pm
I love this Angel Heart trivia, sounds a bit odd though that Parker who made such a creepy movie was scared of DeNiro 🙂
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November 6, 2012 at 7:11 pm
I totally agree with you.
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November 6, 2012 at 7:13 pm
You should check out my review of Angel Heart.
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November 6, 2012 at 8:54 pm
I’ll do that Vinnie. I’ll swing by very soon! Thanks for the reminder my man. I’d still like an email notification button on your site. It’d make a damn site easier for me to follow your recent posts. 😉
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November 6, 2012 at 8:53 pm
Thanks Sati. I suppose it just goes to show how much DeNiro can bring to a role. Maybe not so much now but around that time he was still a force to be reckoned with.
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November 7, 2012 at 9:59 am
Another fun facts post. Thanks Mark!
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November 7, 2012 at 10:34 am
Thanks Nostra. If truth be told, this one was a little rushed. I hadn’t been doing my homework beforehand 😉
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November 7, 2012 at 10:38 am
No problem, still a lot of interesting stuff I didn’t know 🙂
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November 7, 2012 at 12:59 pm
Some real gems this week. Would loved to have seen a Lumet version of Scarface and Nick nolte as superman might have been just odd enough to interest me in the franchise. But it was the first entry that got me: who would have thought that everyone’s favourite bushy eyebrowed film fan could be a template for the devil?! Good stuff.
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November 7, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Thanks Henry. Yeah, the Angel Heart one was a cracker. It’s funny though, I can’t stop thinking of Marty when I see Angel Heart now. Still, it’s a great performance from DeNiro.
As for Lumet’s doing Scarface. That would have been something. I love it the way it is but seeing it his way does make you wonder.
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November 8, 2012 at 3:38 pm
#10 is awesome
I’m kind of surprised that Nick Nolte was up for so many of Harrison Ford’s roles – I don’t think the actors are anything alike
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November 8, 2012 at 3:38 pm
Oh, and Angel Heart is going in my queue now…
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November 8, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Glad to hear it Andy. Nice One. It’s a great film and it used to be my personal favourite many moons ago.
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November 8, 2012 at 3:49 pm
I liked #10 as well Andy. Such a fitting little piece of info.
As for Nolte, it does seem strange that he was considered for all these roles. I can’t really see him in any of them. Maybe Plissken but I’m still glad that was Russell instead.
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November 8, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Plissken was the only one I could see as well. Maybe even Deckard…
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November 8, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Yeah possibly Deckard but I love Ford in that role though.
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November 8, 2012 at 8:53 pm
LOVE number 6. Ol’ Jack, bringing it with every go.
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November 8, 2012 at 10:46 pm
Haha. That’s an actor for you! Giving it his all, every time. “YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH” 😉
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November 10, 2012 at 4:26 am
I love these — especially the Barton Fink tidbit. 🙂
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November 10, 2012 at 8:29 am
Thanks again Steph. Glad you liked the Fink one. I found that quite interesting too. 😀
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November 10, 2012 at 8:00 am
Awesome tidbits as always. Sorry I’m reading the Tuesday tidbits on Friday, though! haha
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November 10, 2012 at 8:30 am
Haha. No worries Fernando. It’s always good to see you stop by, no matter what day it is. 😀
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November 12, 2012 at 2:51 am
Cary Grant in The Third Man? That would have been interesting, but I can’t imagine anyone other than Welles in that role. Great stuff as always, Mark.
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November 12, 2012 at 10:18 am
For me, Welles IS that role Eric. Added to which, I’m not all that fussed about Grant. I’m glad it’s the way it is. Thanks man.
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December 31, 2012 at 5:33 pm
I managed to see Slab Boys back in the day; you left out the fourth lead of the play: Jackie Earle Haley (who was about to leave the biz for a while then), who was great as the tragic “bad guy.”
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December 31, 2012 at 5:55 pm
Aww man! Now that I’d love to have seen. I read John Byrnes plays but have never seen it on stage. Can you remember if they done it in Scottish accents or not? I doubt it but curious anyway. Don’t know why I never mentioned Haley but I knew he was part of it all. Thanks for stopping by Ivan. It’s always nice to hear from more people. 🙂
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January 30, 2014 at 11:40 pm
I already knew it but still the idea of Grant in the role instead of Welles is almost of another universe.
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January 31, 2014 at 7:26 am
I’m not Grant’s biggest fan so needless to say, I’m very happy about that. Welles is just perfect.
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January 31, 2014 at 11:45 am
I do like Grant a lot but would not have worked in this role. The book is good too if you get the chance.
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January 31, 2014 at 12:00 pm
Graham Greene? Yeah, I’ve never got around it. I did read Brighton Rock many moons ago though.
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