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: The fictional nation in the film “The Hunger Games” is called Panem. This is derived from “Panem et Circenses” or “Bread and Circuses” which comes from the latter days of the Roman Empire, in which the government would keep the masses satisfied not by performing their public services well, but by providing violent and deadly entertainments for the people to watch, which is rather fitting for the subject matter of the film.
2: Before George Clooney was cast in “From Dusk Till Dawn“, Tim Roth, John Travolta, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, and Christopher Walken were offered the role of Seth Gecko. They all passed because of scheduling conflicts.
3: “Dirty Harry” is the slang term for a photographer with a single lens reflex (SLR) camera. The slang term for an SLR camera is a .44 Magnum.
4: In the novel of “No Country For Old Men“, Sheriff Bell (Tommy Lee Jones’ character) says of the dope-dealers, “Here a while back in San Antonio they shot and killed a federal judge.” Cormac McCarthy set the story in 1980. In 1979, Federal Judge John Howland Wood was shot and killed in San Antonio by Texas free-lance contract killer Charles Harrelson, father of actor Woody Harrelson who plays Carson Wells in the film.
5: Before Audrey Tautou got the part of “Amélie“, it was written specifically for Emily Watson. She wanted the part but had to decline because she didn’t speak French and had already agreed to be in “Gosford Park“.
6: There are only four films, based on a comic, that have been nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award. They are Al Pacino for “Dick Tracy“, Paul Newman for “Road to Perdition“, William Hurt for “A History of Violence” and Heath Ledger for “The Dark Knight“. Ledger is the only winner.
7: In “Lost In Translation“, the inspiration for having Bob Harris (Bill Murray) do a Suntory whisky commercial was partially inspired by the fact that Sofia Coppola’s father, Francis Ford Coppola, made a real Suntory commercial with Akira Kurosawa in the 1970s.
8: Tom Cruise, Jim Carrey and Robert Downey Jr. were all considered for the role of “Edward Scissorhands” before Johnny Depp got the role. Drew Barrymore was also considered for the role of Kim Boggs that eventually went to Winona Ryder.
9: Director Quentin Tarantino revealed at Comic-Con that Jamie Foxx and Kerry Washington’s Characters are meant to be the great great great grandparents of the character John Shaft from the “Shaft” movies. An overt reference to this connection can be found in Kerry Washington’s character’s full name: Broomhilda Von Shaft.
10: Anthony Burgess originally sold the movie rights of “A Clockwork Orange” to Mick Jagger for $500 when he needed quick cash. Jagger intended to make it with The Rolling Stones as the droogs, but then re-sold the rights for a much larger amount. Ken Russell was then nominated to direct because his style was considered well-suited for the material. He would have cast Oliver Reed as Alex. At some point, someone suggested rewriting the droogs to be girls in miniskirts or old-age pensioners. Tim Curry and Jeremy Irons turned down the role of Alex. Stanley Kubrick once said “If Malcolm McDowell hadn’t been available I probably wouldn’t have made the film.” Author Anthony Burgess initially distrusted Kubrick as a director, but was happy with the results. He felt the film later made the book, one of his least favorite books he had written, overshadow his other work.
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 
December 18, 2012 at 12:09 pm
Interesting fact that the Rolling Stones bought the rights to A Clockwork Orange. I can’t imagine what that movie would look like…
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December 18, 2012 at 6:58 pm
Yeah, this was new to me also man. It’s crazy to think of it being done with them. I doubt it would have be taken seriously though.
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December 18, 2012 at 12:10 pm
I would have loved seeing Jom Carrey as Edward Scissorhands. That would have been epic!! Lol
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December 18, 2012 at 7:00 pm
Haha. Personally I think he’d have been too tempted to overplay it. It’s an intriguing thought though. 🙂
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December 18, 2012 at 1:28 pm
Interesting as always Mark. Love how Tarantino always links his characters, in his own world 🙂
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December 18, 2012 at 7:01 pm
Thanks bro. I love that about Tarantino as well. He creates his own little world of boys own Fantasy stuff. I don’t think he’s ever really grown up but I love that about him.
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December 18, 2012 at 4:27 pm
Great stuff as always. I always love it that Clooney plays Taraninto’s BROTHER. They look so much alike!
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December 18, 2012 at 7:08 pm
Thanks Nick. Yeah, apparently Tarantino said that to Clooney (that they could play brothers) when they worked on E.R. together. Wishful thinking on Quentin’s part methinks. Lol
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December 18, 2012 at 4:51 pm
Tom Cruise as Edward… Jesus.
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December 18, 2012 at 7:11 pm
Haha. Can you imagine? Depp was perfect for that role. It’s hard to think of anyone else.
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December 18, 2012 at 5:36 pm
LIKE!!
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December 18, 2012 at 7:12 pm
😀
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December 18, 2012 at 6:24 pm
I really like Emily Watson, but I’m so happy Audrey was Amelie 🙂
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December 18, 2012 at 7:12 pm
Same here Sati. I really like Watson but I’m so glad Tautou got the part. She was superb in that film.
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December 18, 2012 at 6:28 pm
Crazy series, man. Every week I get to see good stuff that I had no idea about. 😀
That “No Country” fact is amazing… what a freaking coincidence! LOL
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December 18, 2012 at 7:18 pm
Cheers Fogs. I’m glad to hear that. That’s what this series was created for in the first place.
Thought you might like that No Country one. It’s a beauty isn’t it?
By the way, I used your Blue Velvet one last week and gave you another mention. That’s twice you’ve made your Mark on this series now 😉
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December 18, 2012 at 7:26 pm
Adds meaning to Harrelsons’ role in “Natural Born Killer”. Charles Harrelson claimed to have been detained on the “grassy knoll” the day of JFK’s assassination. There’s a movie there somewhere!
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December 18, 2012 at 9:18 pm
It does add new meaning to Natural Born Killers Ray, I never thought of that. That info about JFK is news to me also. The man seemed to get around didn’t he? Can you imagine Woody playing him in a film? Now that I’d like to see.
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December 19, 2012 at 9:08 pm
Oh man, so glad that whole Rolling Stones Clockwork Orange thing didn’t happen. That sounds ridiculous! Also it seems odd that Amelie was written for Emily Watson but she couldn’t take the part as she doesn’t seem French. Great selection of facts this week Mark.
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December 19, 2012 at 9:33 pm
I’m a big fan of the Stones Chris but really can’t see that working out at all. For a start, jagger is a terrible actor and I’ve no idea how the rest of them would have coped. Let’s just leave it as it is eh? 😉
Yeah, Emily Watson. I can totally see her as Amelie but it does seem strange that a French character would be written for an English actress. Anyway, it worked out for the better. Tautou was sublime.
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December 20, 2012 at 9:08 am
Agreed, so glad Tautou got the role, she’s perfect in it.
I just don’t think I could have taken Clock Orange seriously with Jagger mincing around the place. Also I’m not sure showing them as rapists and thugs would have been too good for the band’s reputation.
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December 20, 2012 at 9:28 am
Absolutely man. I know the Stones had a bit of a hellraising reputation but I doubt it would has extended to that. Interesting but I’m glad it never happened.
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December 19, 2012 at 11:12 pm
Interesting bit about Dirty Harry. If you ask me, it sounds more like some kind of foul sex act. 😛
Great trivia as always, man!
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December 20, 2012 at 9:22 am
I liked the Dirty Harry one as well Eric but you’re right. It sounds a bit seedy and perverted doesn’t it? 😉
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December 20, 2012 at 7:31 am
Great tidbits, as always. Really liked #1, 4, 9 and 10.
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December 20, 2012 at 9:27 am
Thanks man. The Woody Harrelson one was a real surprise to me. The Rolling Stones one was interesting as well.
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December 20, 2012 at 4:14 pm
He sold the movie rights to Clockwork Orange for $500? That is just sad. The thing that’s really got my mind whirling, though, is the fact that Woody Harrelson’s father was a contract killer. Excellent post!
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December 20, 2012 at 4:27 pm
Yeah, apparently the Stones got it dirt cheap. Glad it never went ahead with them though.
The Woody Harrelson is probably my favourite of this weeks. It had my head reeling when I heard it also. Let’s hope we get a biography of his father hitting the screen with Woody playing him. Now that, I’d be interested in seeing. Thanks for commenting as always.
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December 27, 2012 at 10:32 am
Very cool Hunger Games map! Also Rolling Stones as droogs? Very glad he sold the rights!
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December 28, 2012 at 5:48 pm
Yeah, I love the Stones man but can’t see that happening at all. Thanks for dropping by 🙂
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February 4, 2014 at 12:32 pm
3 and 4 are especially incredible.
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February 4, 2014 at 3:22 pm
Yeah, that Woody Harrelson one blew me away, man.
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