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: Woody Harrelson, Demi Moore and Robert Redford were the cast of “Indecent Proposal” but it was originally designed as a star vehicle for Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, with Warren Beatty taking the part of the millionaire.
2: After “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade“, Harrison Ford and Sean Connery passed up three subsequent opportunities to work together. Connery accepted a role in “The Hunt for Red October“, while Ford declined the role of Jack Ryan, which went to Alec Baldwin instead. (Ford later took over the role in “Patriot Games“). Ford and Connery both declined the roles of Alan Grant and John Hammond, respectively, in “Jurassic Park” and Connery declined to return to the role of Henry Jones in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull“.
3: After playing Al Capone in “The Untouchables“, Robert DeNiro was looking for some lighter material to do next. Initially, he wanted to play the lead in Penny Marshall’s “Big“, but the studio wasn’t interested in having DeNiro play the role, and it ultimately went to Tom Hanks. He then became involved in “Midnight Run“.
4: For the Spike Jonze film “Adaptation“, Donald Kaufman was nominated for a Golden Globe with writer Charlie Kaufman, despite being a fictional character. They were also both nominated for an Academy Award and the Academy made it known that, in the event of a victory, the two brothers would have to share one statue.
5: After she just won her Oscar for “Kramer vs. Kramer” in 1979, during the festivities, Meryl Streep left the statuette on the back of a toilet.
6: At one point, George Lucas had planned the character of Han Solo to be a huge green-skinned monster with no nose and gills. Then Lucas changed the idea of Han Solo to a black human. He auditioned several black actors and even musicians (including Billy Dee Williams) until finally settling on Glynn Turman. But after this he decided to make the role white. Kurt Russell, Nick Nolte, Christopher Walken, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Robert Englund, Sylvester Stallone, John Travolta and Perry King were all candidates for the role of Han Solo. George Lucas also wanted to stay away from any actors he had previously used in his films. James Caan, Jack Nicholson, Robert DeNiro and Burt Reynolds turned down the role. Harrison Ford (who had played Bob Falfa in Lucas’s “American Graffiti“) read the part of Han Solo for screen tests of other characters but wasn’t originally considered for the part. During these tests Lucas realized Ford was perfect for the role.
7: Before becoming an actor Russell Crowe tried a music career as a rockabilly singer sporting a large pompadour hairdo, playing under the name Russ Le Roq. He titled his first single “I Want to Be Like Marlon Brando” but later admitted that he had never even seen a Brando movie when he wrote and recorded the song.
8: When Steven Spielberg first showed composer John Williams a cut of the film “Schindler’s List“, Williams was so moved he had to take a walk outside for several minutes to collect himself. Upon his return, Williams told Spielberg he deserved a better composer. Spielberg replied, “I know, but they’re all dead.”
9: In 1969, Martin Scorsese and screenwriter Jay Cocks met author Philip K. Dick to discuss the possibility of adapting his novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” into a film, but they never optioned the novel, and the project fell through. Ridley Scott would, of course, turn it into “Blade Runner” in 1982.
10: There have been many speculations as to the nature of the mysterious glowing contents of the briefcase in “Pulp Fiction” – The most persistent theory is that it is Marcellus Wallace’s soul. The story goes that when the Devil takes a person’s soul, it is removed through the back of the head (this isn’t part of any known religion, though). When we see the back of Marcellus’s head he has a Band-Aid covering the precise spot indicated by his soul removal. Perhaps Marcellus sold his soul to the devil which would also explain why the combination to open the briefcase is 666.
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 
January 22, 2013 at 10:29 am
Love that Pulp Fiction fact. From now on I’m taking that as the truth 🙂
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January 22, 2013 at 10:33 am
Haha! I love that one too. It just dawned on me the other day but I remember hearing about it when the film was released. Tarantino refutes it but I don’t care. 😉
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January 22, 2013 at 10:35 am
Nah me neither, I like how that all adds up and how weird and twisted it is. I reckon Tarantino just wants to keep the myth rumbling on but knows he’s been rumbled! 🙂
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January 22, 2013 at 10:39 am
Apparently Rhames has a scar on the back of his neck that Tarantino wanted to cover but I still stand by that scar being the extraction of his soul. LOL 😉
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January 22, 2013 at 12:08 pm
I’m wondering what Big would be like with Robert De Niro…
Great trivia as always.
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January 22, 2013 at 12:54 pm
I can’t really imagine DeNiro pulling that one off but it is an intriguing thought. Hanks was great in that role, though.
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January 22, 2013 at 12:42 pm
Really enjoyed Spielberg’s reply to John Williams. Funny stuff.
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January 22, 2013 at 12:54 pm
Yeah, I liked that one too. At least there was an honesty between them. Cheers Chris!
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January 22, 2013 at 1:17 pm
Love the pulp fiction one.
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January 22, 2013 at 2:26 pm
That’s a real favourite of mine as well Vinnie.
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January 22, 2013 at 2:08 pm
Always a fun post every week Mark. That Spielberg comeback to John Williams is classic. These posts are always full of “Dodged Bullets”… Big would not have been the right flick for DeNiro, and I’m glad nothing prevented him from Midnight Run!!!
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January 22, 2013 at 2:29 pm
Thanks a lot Fogs. I’ve not been doing my homework on time these days though. I had to rush this out at the last minute but still dug up a few good ones. It’s actually getting harder to keep going like most features do, I’d imagine.
Totally agree on Big. Hanks was perfect for that role and, like you say, it would have prevented us from getting the classic Midnight Run. It all worked out for the best. 🙂
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January 22, 2013 at 2:33 pm
GREAT stuff!!! Can you imagine Chevy Chase as Solo??? SHUDDERS….
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January 22, 2013 at 2:39 pm
Haha! There’s so many I can’t imagine as Solo. Nicholson? DeNiro? etc. I think it’s safe to say the correct choice was made.
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January 22, 2013 at 2:40 pm
Barbara Streisand!! LOL
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January 22, 2013 at 2:44 pm
LOL. The Millenium NoseJob! 😉
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January 22, 2013 at 2:45 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHA “Starring Barry Manilow as Luke Skywalker”!!
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January 22, 2013 at 3:13 pm
Manillow singing his classic number… “Solo! He was a dancer…”
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January 22, 2013 at 3:19 pm
HAHAHAHAHA
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January 22, 2013 at 3:02 pm
Interesting facts (especially Star Wars) . Mark, I’d be interested to see how you would rate and review American Beauty and Magnolia. Two films of which posses a high position on my top ten.
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January 22, 2013 at 3:15 pm
Cheers Chris. Two fantastic films. American Beauty was in my top ten when it was released. I must get around to reviewing them. Off the top of my head it’d be 5 stars each. Maybe 4.5 for Magnolia but I’d have to revisit to find out.
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January 22, 2013 at 3:24 pm
Interesting stuff. I’m trying to picture Bill Murray (among others) as Han Solo now. Totally bizarre!
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January 22, 2013 at 3:57 pm
It is bizarre. Some could maybe have done it but Ford was so fitting, it’s hard to imagine anyone else. Thanks man.
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January 22, 2013 at 3:44 pm
Great tidbits.
Though I have heard of the Marcellus’ soul idea for the contents of the briefcase, I did not know about all the supporting information.
I loved Spielberg’s comment to Williams.
And though I was not a fan of the Indy #4, I would have loved if Connery was in it so the last film he acted in is not “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”.
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January 22, 2013 at 4:03 pm
Thanks Victor. I too would have liked Connery in Indy 4 but I doubt even he could have saved the film from a dire script. The League of Extraordinary Gentleman should not stand as his last movie man. He deserves to go out on a higher note than that.
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January 22, 2013 at 3:45 pm
Nice tidbits! I would have much rather liked to see Ford in the Hunt for Red October now that I think about it.
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January 22, 2013 at 4:04 pm
I wasn’t all that keen on The Hunt for Red October (or any Jack Ryan film for that matter) but if Ford was in it, it could have elevated it a bit. Thanks for dropping in Dan.
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January 22, 2013 at 4:46 pm
Wait, wait, wait….DeNiro in “Big”?!?!? That is one mental picture I just can’t establish!!!! Wow!
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January 22, 2013 at 6:55 pm
Haha. Yes indeed. I doubt he could have slotted into that role but he did also give an outstanding “childlike” performance in Penny Marshall’s “Awakenings” so who knows? Hanks captured the role well and received and Oscar non for his work. It would have been good to see Bob challenge it. At first, I didn’t like the idea but the more I think about it, the more I’m warming to it.
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January 23, 2013 at 2:30 am
I don’t know bro. But it would forever change the dance on the piano keyboard scene!
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January 23, 2013 at 11:54 am
True! True! Such a good scene man.
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January 22, 2013 at 4:59 pm
What an odd, mixed up twisted world we would have lived in if Chevy Chase was cast as Han Solo. Great work again Mark, love it.
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January 22, 2013 at 6:57 pm
What an odd mixed up Galaxy Far, Far Away! 😉 It just wouldn’t have worked man. I can’t picture it.
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January 22, 2013 at 5:29 pm
I think Glynn Turman might have made a great Han Solo.
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January 22, 2013 at 7:15 pm
I’m not that familiar with Glynn Turman but he looks oddly like Billy Dee Williams to me. He could have been cast as Lando Calrissian instead. 😉
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January 22, 2013 at 8:41 pm
Good fun as always Marky Mark. 😉
I had head the De Niro/Big bit, never stops being funny. I love the guy as you know, but no way could I see that working. 🙂
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January 23, 2013 at 11:46 am
Cheers Ty Ty 😉
I felt the same about the DeNiro big scenario until I remembered his childlike performance in “Awakenings”. He might have been able to do it.
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January 22, 2013 at 8:59 pm
“I know, but they’re all dead.“ Is it just me or does that sound a bit smug?
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January 23, 2013 at 11:47 am
It does sound smug but strangely like a compliment as well. Either way it worked though, Spielberg managed to get a fantastic score from Williams.
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January 23, 2013 at 12:12 pm
I get the nice meaning but it really sounds smug thinking about it 😀
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January 22, 2013 at 9:40 pm
Another awesome set yet again, Mark!
I quite like Indecent Proposals, it was quite poignant. I’d rather see Woody Harrelson & Demi Moore in that role than Cruise/Kidman.
Wow, De Niro in BIG? I’d love to see how that turned out!
Schindler’s List is certainly heartbreaking. I think John Williams did it justice as I always teared up listening to that score.
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January 23, 2013 at 11:51 am
Thanks Ruth. I suppose Cruise/Kidman eventually got there ‘sex movie’ in Eyes Wide Shut that led to them splitting up. Kidman probably wishes she’d done Indecent Proposal so they’d have split up earlier though 😉
Glad to to hear of another fan of the Schindler’s List score. It’s beautiful man.
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January 22, 2013 at 11:17 pm
Great trivia as always, Mark. It’s funny, I can picture DeNiro in Big being good, but I can’t picture it being nearly as good as Tom Hanks. It would have been different though.
I mentioned the alternate-Solos when I did my big Star Wars write-up… the one that would have been most curious to see might have been Bill Murray. If there’s an audition tape of that, I’d love to watch it. Unlike some of the people above, I don’t think Chevy Chase would have done a bad job… I know we picture him as the “athletic klutz” from Vacation now (or, sadly, as a has-been from Snow Day and the like), but at that stage in his career he was still looking for leading-man type roles quite a bit. He just didn’t get them, due to the expectation that he was pure slapstick comedy. I don’t remember who said it, but there’s a quote about him from that era that says “he had the potential to be his generation’s Cary Grant, but his generation wasn’t looking for a Cary Grant.”
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January 23, 2013 at 11:53 am
In hindsight, I can see DeNiro working in Big as well man. Hanks was great though.
Very nice info on Chevy Chase there. I had no idea that’s how he was considered at the time. A man of many talents it would seem? Thanks for that Morgan, you’ve given me something to ponder over. 🙂
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January 23, 2013 at 5:30 am
Wow…as is your style, some great tidbits today here, Mark.
Where to start? I’ll just say this, I love BIG and would not be such a fan if it weren’t for Tom Hanks.
had no idea about all of those candidates for Han Solo. ha
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January 23, 2013 at 11:55 am
Thanks for stopping by T. Yeah, I love Big as well and Hanks was fantastic in it. It’s an interesting thought on DeNiro though.
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January 24, 2013 at 12:54 pm
Some great trivia once again Mark. Love the Christopher Walken Han Solo pic, cracks me up almost as much as Spielberg’s response to John Williams.
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January 24, 2013 at 4:36 pm
Cheers Henry. That’s a great pic isn’t it? Glad you stopped by again for your little trivia fix 😉
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January 24, 2013 at 8:20 pm
1. I love Redford in Indecent Proposal, but man, Beatty could’ve done wonders with that.
3. Oh, I think the studio may have been right there. But who knows.
8. Ha, that’s priceless.
Great work!
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January 24, 2013 at 8:23 pm
I enjoyed Redford’a performance as well Alex but Beatty would certainly have been a great alternative. Thanks again for stopping in man. 🙂
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January 26, 2013 at 7:31 am
Great tidbits as always. De Niro in Big would’ve been so weird! #4 is very strange. Love 6 and 8. 7 is just embarrassing, lol.
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January 27, 2013 at 4:58 pm
Thanks again Fernando. Glad to hear you’re still getting something from these posts. 🙂
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January 28, 2013 at 6:58 pm
always like this feature. Burt Reynolds as Han Solo would have been awesome. Good call by Connery Passing on Crystal Skull. If only Harrison Ford had also taken a pass. That film is terrible.
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January 28, 2013 at 7:10 pm
Cheers Adam. Reynolds might just have worked for Solo. He has that same Tongue-in-cheek delivery that Ford can provide. Totally agree on Crystal Skull. What a massive disappointment that film was.
There will be a fresh post of these tidbits again tomorrow man. Thanks for dropping in. 🙂
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January 28, 2013 at 7:13 pm
is it gonna be Tuesday again already lol
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January 28, 2013 at 7:16 pm
Lol. Well… for me it is. 😉
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January 28, 2013 at 7:18 pm
that is true but I meant more in general as the weekend flew by 🙂
I did however get the chance to watch Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty, Hitchcock and Point Break this weekend.
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January 28, 2013 at 7:24 pm
Nice! I watched Point Break myself a few weeks back. It still stands up. I’ve seen Zero Dark Thirty and all I can is that I wish Bigelow would go back to her aforementioned style. I wasn’t impressed with Zero Dark Thirty.
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January 28, 2013 at 7:28 pm
meh I felt it was all right certainly not great. Also frightened myself a bit by thinking I would make an excellent torturer.
I think Point Break was the best of the bunch i watched lol
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January 28, 2013 at 7:36 pm
You’re the first I’ve heard except from myself that hasn’t praised it. I think it’s vastly overrated. I wasn’t a fan of The Hurt Locker either. Point break is still her best film, in my eyes. Should have a review up of ZDT in the next few days hopefully.
So you fancy yourself as an ace torturer then? LOL. at least you took something from the film 😉
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February 4, 2014 at 12:39 pm
8 is something else in another wonderful set.
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February 4, 2014 at 3:25 pm
Much obliged my man. Glad your enjoying them.
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