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 the graveyard scene in “Seven Psychopaths“, the grave that the Jack of Diamonds killer is hiding behind is named “Rourke”. Mickey Rourke was initially cast in the movie as Charlie (eventually played by Woody Harrelson) but dropped out after disagreements with the director.
2: Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro were Michael Mann’s first choices for the roles Hanna and McCauley in “Heat” but Nick Nolte and Jeff Bridges were discussed as a possible alternative for the two leads.
3: Terrence Malick wrote a ‘treatment’ for the Clint Eastwood classic “Dirty Harry” but none of his material was used for the final film.
4: Both Warren Beatty and Kevin Costner were considered for the role of Bill in “Kill Bill“. Both turned it down and it was Beatty who suggested that Tarantino use David Carradine instead.
5: The “You think I’m funny?” scene in “Goodfellas” was based on a story that Joe Pesci acted out for Martin Scorsese. While working in a restaurant as a young man, Pesci once told a mobster that he was funny and the mobster became very angry. Scorsese allowed Pesci and Ray Liotta to improvise the scene. He did not tell the other actors in the scene what would happen because he wanted their genuine surprised reactions.
6: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito and Hulk Hogan have all revealed in interviews that Schwarzenegger and DeVito were given the option of doing “Twins” or “Suburban Commando“; had the two chosen Suburban Commando, Hogan and Christopher Lloyd would have done Twins.
7: John Travolta, Tom Hanks, and Tom Cruise where among the actors that were considered for the role of Sheriff Freddy Heflin in “Copland“. Sylvester Stallone eventually got the role and gained 40 pounds for it by sticking to a diet of giant pancakes.
8: As roommates, Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman would often go to their apartment rooftop and play the drums. Hoffman played the bongo drums while Hackman played the conga drums. They did it out of their love for Marlon Brando, who they had heard played music in clubs. They wanted to be like Brando and were big fans of his.
9: Director Darren Aronofsky originally envisioned telling the story of “Black Swan” as part of the plot of “The Wrestler” and was actually developing a project that was about a love affair between a ballet dancer and a wrestler, but he realized pretty quickly that taking two worlds like wrestling and ballet was much too much for one movie.
10: In an interview with ‘Entertainment Weekly‘, Christopher Nolan explained that he based roles of the “Inception” team similar to roles that are used in filmmaking – Cobb (DiCaprio) is the director, Arthur (Gordon-Levitt) is the producer, Ariadne (Page) is the production designer, Eames (Hardy) is the actor, Saito (Watanabe) is the studio, and Fischer (Murphy) is the audience. “In trying to write a team-based creative process, I wrote the one I know,” said Nolan.
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 29, 2013 at 10:47 am
Happy that Black Swan was a separate movie!
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January 29, 2013 at 8:54 pm
I enjoyed them both Nostra but yeah, I think it’s best that they’re separate films.
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January 29, 2013 at 11:59 am
I could imagine that Pesci improved the “You think I’m funny” speech. That’s one of my favorite scenes. Nice trivia.
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January 29, 2013 at 8:55 pm
Thanks man. Yeah, Pesci nailed that scene perfectly. It’s or of those iconic moments in cinema.
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January 29, 2013 at 12:18 pm
Nice collection.
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January 29, 2013 at 8:56 pm
Thanks Lara. Always nice to see new faces stopping by. 🙂
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January 29, 2013 at 1:03 pm
Good stuff as always dude!
On a side note – Next month Glasgow is hosting the Frightfest (or something along those lines, horror festival) and Im so gutted I cant make it. Eli Roth will be there with his new film, and loads of other good stuff over the weekend! Get yourself there man! 🙂
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January 29, 2013 at 8:57 pm
Cheers man!
I hadn’t even heard anything about a horror festival. It’s not my favourite genre but I’ll definitely look into that. That might be worth a look. Eli Roth no less? Nice one!
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January 29, 2013 at 1:08 pm
Really, really like the “Goodfellas” bit. That’s one of the movies most memorable scenes for me. Great stuff as always!
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January 29, 2013 at 8:58 pm
Thanks man! I hadn’t heard of this info myself until recently. Great scene.
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January 29, 2013 at 1:28 pm
Fantastic. I have no idea what an hour long ‘drum odyssey’ featuring Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman would sound like though. Never knew the latter two were roommates – that’s cool!
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January 29, 2013 at 8:59 pm
Yeah, I mentioned in an earlier edition of this series that they were room mates. They were also voted ‘most likely NOT to succeed’ from their acting classes. Can you believe that?
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January 29, 2013 at 2:20 pm
Great post, never knew that Hoffman and Hackman were roomates.
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January 29, 2013 at 9:00 pm
They were indeed. It was Hackman that put Hoffman up and helped him find an apartment of his own.
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January 29, 2013 at 2:20 pm
Love Black Swan and love The Wrestler. The thought of the two combining is just horrendous. Also, laughing at the thought of an Arnie/DeVito Suburban Commando 🙂
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January 29, 2013 at 9:01 pm
Totally agree on both Swan and Wrestler. I can definitely see similarities in their story and structure but two great movies in their own right.
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January 29, 2013 at 2:27 pm
A Terrence Malick – Dirty Harry might have been interesting.
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January 29, 2013 at 9:02 pm
It certainly would have been. A completely different film methinks.
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January 29, 2013 at 3:30 pm
Glad Rourke dropped out of Pyschopaths. I can’t see him offering any humor with that part, the way Harrelson did.
Knew that about Pesci, supposedly, he directed that scene, too.
Fun stuff as always in this eseries Mark!
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January 29, 2013 at 9:04 pm
As much as I love Rourke, I’d agree with you here Fogs. Harrelson has more of a comic ability.
Didn’t know Pesci, supposedly, directed the scene as well. With your knowledge on tidbits, we should collaborate more. 😉 It’d make my job a lot easier LOL.
Thanks as always man.
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January 29, 2013 at 6:40 pm
Cop Land underrated IMO
I wish Malick had written/directed Twins
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January 29, 2013 at 9:05 pm
I think Copland is underrated as well Adam. It has Flaws but overall a very decent film.
Malick and Twins? Now there’s a movie I’d pay to see. 😉
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January 29, 2013 at 7:17 pm
Great tidbits as always. Those about casting are my favorite ones. Oh, and I loved #10.
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January 29, 2013 at 9:06 pm
I know you like those types of info Fernando. I always at least try to include a couple. (Just for you man) 😉
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January 29, 2013 at 9:16 pm
Aww man, thanks!
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January 29, 2013 at 9:26 pm
Well… Top commenters also have a lot of say around my establishment. They deserve a little something in return. 🙂
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January 29, 2013 at 8:57 pm
Nice collection Mark! I realize a recurring theme in your trivia, either it has De Niro trivia or gangster/mob-related, or both. Am I right? 😀
Malick doing a treatment for Dirty Harry? Ahah, now that I gotta see! #10 is very cool, I read about that a while back, that Nolan is so creative!
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January 29, 2013 at 9:10 pm
Your right Ruth. It does regularly have DeNiro at some point. That because, he’s the man! 😉 (and I also said to my good friend Tyson that I’d do my best to include him whenever the chance arises). The gangsters one is not really intentional. It always seems that they have a lot of backstory to them so they tend to make the cut. 😀
Yeah, Malick and Dirty Harry. That’s an odd one isn’t it?
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January 29, 2013 at 10:11 pm
He..he.. that’s cool Mark, I actually searched for the De Niro trivia as I knew you’d have one on the man 😀 You’re right that mob movies seem to have a lot of interesting back story. Malick and Dirty Harry is such an odd combo that I actually want to see it!
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January 31, 2013 at 8:55 am
Can’t get enough of DeNiro Ruth. In fact, I just watched Silver Linings Playbook and I was very impressed. Finally, my man Bobby gets a good role. 🙂
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January 30, 2013 at 2:12 am
Fun stuff, Mark. I’m having a hard time picturing Twins with Hulk Hogan and Christopher Lloyd. I don’t think that would have worked.
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January 31, 2013 at 8:56 am
Cheers Morgan. I can’t see Twins working with them either. The whole premise I that the actors are completely mismatched. Arnie and DeVito were a good pair.
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January 30, 2013 at 4:53 am
I didn’t know that Hackman and Hoffman were roommates. Makes me enjoy Runaway Jury even more now! ha.
can you imagine Hulk Hogan in Twins? no thanks! ha
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January 31, 2013 at 8:58 am
Yeah, Hackman and Hoffman have been friends for a very long time. Apparently they studied together and were voted “least likely to succeed” as actors. Lol.
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January 30, 2013 at 3:53 pm
Love the Goodfellas one, that scene has so much tension in the film! Poor Pesci having that happen to him, he must have been terrified!!
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January 31, 2013 at 9:04 am
Well, they do say that actors should draw from their experiences and it would seem that that’s what Pesci has done here. It’s a fantastic scene and one of his best moments in the film.
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January 30, 2013 at 4:25 pm
Great stuff as always, my man!! THANK YOU!!
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January 31, 2013 at 9:05 am
THANK YOU sir! Glad you’re still enjoying them.
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January 30, 2013 at 8:47 pm
Love that Goodfellas tidbit. About time I give that another watch, too!
Hulk Hogan in Twins would have been a funny sight.
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January 31, 2013 at 9:07 am
Cheers Eric. Goodfellas is always due a rewatch at some point. Casino is one I’ve not seen in a while.
Hulk Hogan in Twins? No thanks man 😉
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January 31, 2013 at 1:42 pm
There was a time I’d have been excited as hell at the thought of a pacino/de niro match up and in fairness Heat was a decent film: but i have to admit, the idea of Nolte and Bridges battling it out intrigues me far more. Nice trivia man.
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January 31, 2013 at 5:15 pm
So you’re more into a Bridges/Nolte match-up then. I wouldn’t be adverse that myself but not in place of Pacino and DeNiro. It’s an intriguing thought but if it turned out like the film Simpatico did, then I’d leave it alone. 😉 Cheers Henry!
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February 1, 2013 at 8:47 pm
2. I think that would have worked.
4. I always thought Tarantino always had Carradine in mind for that role; with his love affair of the 70s and “Kung Fu” fitting perfectly well into that.
8. Lucky for them they weren’t high as a kite like Matthew McConaughey a few years a go and performed in the nude.
By the way, I did not purposely comment on the powers of 2, it just happened that way.
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February 1, 2013 at 9:27 pm
Nolte and Bridges are very fine actors. The latter happens to be one of my personal favourites. I still can’t see past a DeNiro and Pacino combo though.
Yeah, it would seem that Carradine is the perfect choice for Kill Bill but I do remember hearing that Beatty was the original. Costner was a surprise though, I only found that out myself.
McConaughey could get away with naked drumming but Hackman and Hoffman in the buff would scar you for life. 😉
Thanks Victor!
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February 2, 2013 at 3:34 am
#1 cracks me up. That’ll teach Rourke to screw around with a film director! 😛
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February 3, 2013 at 9:53 am
Yeah, Rourke certainly seems to know how to piss people off doesn’t he? I admire that about him though.
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