TRIVIA TIDBITS
Welcome back to Trivia Tidbits. For those of you out of the loop, this is a little compilation of 10 movie related facts that I always find interesting. So without further ado, this weeks are…
1: Although widely known as “Rocky“, this isn’t, in fact, the character’s actual name. His real name is Robert Balboa – this was seen in a rough script from the second film. He took the nickname from real-life boxer Rocky Marciano.
2: At the time the movie “The ‘Burbs” was being filmed Corey Feldman and Michael Jackson were close friends. While the King of Pop did not visit the set, his famed chimpanzee Bubbles was a frequent guest, but had to be confined to Feldman’s trailer while he was filming. After shooting Corey would return to his trailer to find that the chimp had shat everywhere and spread the mess around the interior. This problem repeated itself and became such a distraction that director Joe Dante eventually banned Bubbles from the set.
3: In “The Wolf of Wall Street“, Martin Scorsese claimed that the sequence of Jordan Belfort attempting to get in his car while overdosed on Quaaludes was improvised on the day of filming, and that it was Leonardo DiCaprio’s idea to open the car door with his foot. DiCaprio strained his back during the scene, and was only able to perform the stunt once.
4: Before Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels were cast as Harry and Lloyd in “Dumb & Dumber“, the original choices were, in fact, Nicolas Cage and Gary Oldman.
5: The story “A Bronx Tale“, written by Chazz Palminteri, is adapted from his autobiographical one-man play. His real name is Calogero Lorenzo Palminteri. When Robert DeNiro offered to purchase the film rights, Palminteri refused to sell them unless he could write the screenplay and play the role of Sonny. DeNiro would, of course, oblige.
6: A promotional poster for David Gordon Green’s “The Sitter” includes the personal phone number of Jonah Hill. It is listed as (917) 409-7838. Hill had set an automatic message or would speak to the caller either in character or as himself.
7: Funds earned by Pink Floyd’s album “Dark Side of the Moon“, went towards funding “Monty Python and the Holy Grail“. The band were such fans of the show “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” that they would halt recording sessions just to watch it.
8: During an early scene in “Twister” when Philip Seymour Hoffman is sitting on a lawn chair, he lifts his leg in the air while laughing. His genitals were fully visible for a split second; this was edited out for DVD and VHS releases, but was leaked from VHS screeners sent to industry professionals.
9: Director Harold Ramis originally wanted Tom Hanks for the lead role in “Groundhog Day” but decided against it, saying that Hanks was “too nice”.
10: Marlon Brando was paid $1 million in advance for “Apocalypse Now“. He threatened to quit and keep the advance. Francis Ford Coppola told his agent that he didn’t care, and if they couldn’t get Brando, they would try Jack Nicholson, Robert Redford, and then Al Pacino. Brando eventually turned up late, drunk, about 88lbs overweight, and admitted he hadn’t read the script or even “Heart of Darkness“, the book it was based on. He read Coppola’s script, and refused to do it. After days of arguments over single lines of dialogue, an ad-lib style script was agreed upon, and this was shot according to Brando’s stipulations that he be filmed mostly in shadows.
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…
(For earlier editions of Trivia Tidbits click here.)
MARKED MOVIES 
June 19, 2014 at 6:10 pm
#2 is fooping hilarious!
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 6:21 pm
Haha! How did I know you’d like that one 😉
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 6:23 pm
HAHAHA!!
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 6:34 pm
hahahaha. yeah, goddamn Michael Jackson.
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 6:22 pm
The dumb and dumber one is shocking. I simply cannot imagine that movie with anyone else in the titular roles.
And wow, I never knew what an unprofessional dick Brando was!
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 6:24 pm
Yeah, it’s hard to imagine Cage and Oldman Dumb & Dumber. Personally, I didn’t like the film but I doubt they’d have worked either.
Brando eh? The guy acted like a right tit on numerous occasions!
Thanks Smash!
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 6:25 pm
I never tire of hearing that Brando anecdote. Nice work, Mark.
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 6:28 pm
Thanks Vic. Brando certainly has a few like this kicking around.
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 6:43 pm
Once again some fascinating stuff. That stuff about Bubbles the monkey is good, but I’m a personal fan of PSH’s balls getting some screen time. That’s too funny man.
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 7:15 pm
Haha! PSH’s balls indeed. Glad you found some amusement here Tom. I don’t know what it says about me but I’ve got a sudden urge to watch Twister again. 😉
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 7:01 pm
Fun, fun list! Bubbles was quite the distraction! LOL. That was hilarious.
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 7:16 pm
Haha! He seemed like quite a cheeky little monkey.
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 7:03 pm
#2 Very funny.
#3 Ouch.
#5 I did not know.
#7. Cool. Love both PF and MP
#8. Some things are left better unseen.
#9. I agree.
#10. I believe it. I have an upcoming post on Apocolypse Now forthcoming. I hope you will swing by.
BTW, this is my favorite series. Well done, Mark.
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 7:18 pm
Your favourite series? Thank you Cindy. It’s compliments like that that keep me doing these. I can’t believe I wasn’t even nominated for this feature in last years Lammy awards. Hopefully this year, though.
I’ll definitely swing on your Apocalypse now piece, Cindy. I’m intrigued about that and it’s a film I’m considering giving another visit soon myself.
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 9:17 pm
I don’t get the Lammy’s. I thought they were in the spring, but I didn’t hear anyone promoting themselves. I would nominate your series. I am a Lammy, too.
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 9:18 pm
Apparently the Lammy’s are happening in the fall this year. I got an email confirming it. It’s been a bit quiet though. I didn’t think it was happening this year.
LikeLike
June 20, 2014 at 2:23 am
Well, you can count on me nominating/voting you for best series. You have a definite shot. Everyone loves it. 🙂
LikeLike
June 21, 2014 at 3:05 pm
Much obliged Cindy. I appreciate all your support! 🙂
LikeLike
June 23, 2014 at 10:32 pm
Hi Mark, I just posted about Apocalypse Now…Would like to know what you think! 🙂
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 7:31 pm
No 4 is just like whaaaaat?
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 7:42 pm
Haha! Exactly my thoughts on that one, Abbi.
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 10:00 pm
You know, I don’t doubt that at all about The Wolf of Wall Street, haha. And as for Dumb and Dumber, man, that woulda been something else entirely!
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 11:45 pm
Great to see you stop by again, Chris. I wasn’t a fan of Dumb & Dumber but I still don’t reckon that Oldman or Cage could have saved that film for me. Interesting, yes, but not really my bag.
LikeLike
June 20, 2014 at 12:06 am
I haven’t seen Dumb and Dumber, but while I can sort of picture Nicolas Cage in it, Gary Oldman is more difficult…
I knew about the Groundhog Day casting trivia, of course. Hanks himself agreed with the decision, stating that if he had been playing Phil, everybody would have automatically expected him to turn out to be a nice guy underneath all the bluster, and “with Bill you’re never quite sure.”
LikeLike
June 21, 2014 at 3:05 pm
I can see Cage possibly doing it as well, Morgan. He does have that wacky side to him but Oldman just wouldn’t have worked at all.
LikeLike
June 20, 2014 at 4:31 am
Just thinking about that scene with Dicaprio on Quaaludes makes me laugh out loud. Great tidbit on Brando, I think that’s my favorite one.
LikeLike
June 21, 2014 at 3:07 pm
That quaaludes was great wasn’t it. I was absolutely creasing myself with that. I didn’t realise Dicaprio could be so physically hilarious.
LikeLike
June 21, 2014 at 9:00 pm
That was a surprise to me too seeing how funny he could be with just his physical actions, cool trivia that was improvised. When Dicaprio accepted his Golden Globe, he said he’d never thought he’d get an award for comedic actor. 🙂
LikeLike
June 25, 2014 at 2:36 pm
I never thought he’d get one for comedy either but it was a well deserved award for him.
LikeLike
June 20, 2014 at 9:48 am
As always, fabulous selection. I am so glad Oldman didn’t do Dumb and Dumber… oh gosh.
And that Quaaludes scene remains one of the most hilarious scenes ever!
LikeLike
June 21, 2014 at 3:09 pm
Yeah, it was a wise decision to leave Oldman out of Dumb & Dumber. I’m actually not that much of a fan of the film but the casting choices wouldn’t have changed that either.
LikeLike
June 21, 2014 at 5:57 pm
I don’t like the film either (at all), hence it pleases me he just didn’t get into that!
LikeLike
June 20, 2014 at 2:39 pm
Oh man, can we please, please have a Dumb and Dumber remake starring Nicolas Cage and Gary Oldman.
LikeLike
June 21, 2014 at 3:10 pm
Haha! I doubt it would work, man, but it would certainly be interesting to see.
LikeLike
June 20, 2014 at 3:09 pm
Nic Cage and Gary Oldman for Dumb & Dumber??! Oh my, glad that didn’t happen!
Happy Friday Mark, hope to see you around FC sometime 🙂
LikeLike
June 21, 2014 at 3:13 pm
It looks like many are glad that didn’t happen. Cage maybe but not Oldman.
I hope to get around to your site and many others at some point, Ruth. I’ve been slacking off recently and haven’t been doing much reading. I’ve only been dipping in and out but I’ll soon Gary back into the swing of things.
LikeLike
June 20, 2014 at 3:23 pm
The Sitter thing is great, such a neat promotional tool in theory. That Marlon Brando chap was a bit of a diva, eh? Top work Mark!
Adam.
LikeLike
June 24, 2014 at 9:59 am
Yeah, I’m still tempted to give that Sitter number a call. Don’t fancy getting charged on it, though. Great little promotion all the same. Cheers mate!
LikeLike
June 20, 2014 at 3:44 pm
I didn’t known #7, that’s a really cool fact. Groundhog Day would look so much different if Hanks was in it, but I agree with Ramis he’s too charismatic of an actor to play the part. Great trivia as always.
LikeLike
June 24, 2014 at 10:00 am
Thanks man! I can see why Hanks would be considered but it’s Murray’s deadpan approach that makes Groundhog Day so enjoyable. Glad Ramis changed his mind.
LikeLike
June 20, 2014 at 10:02 pm
Cage and Oldman in Dumb and Dumber?! That might just work. Actually no it won’t. More splendid trivia; I know where I need to come if I get stuck in a pub quiz.
LikeLike
June 24, 2014 at 10:03 am
I can see Cage maybe doing it, as he was hilarious in Raising Arizona but Oldman is entirely a different story. As much as I love Oldman, I just can’t picture it.
LikeLike
June 20, 2014 at 11:41 pm
Great choices and humorous back stories.
Not at all surprised by Pink Floyd and Monty Python. Imagine what their band and voices could have done for the ‘Camelot’ scene in “The Holy Grail’!
Chazz Palmenteri has always been an under appreciated talent. As a good guy. Or bad.
Never fully bought into Brando being Col. Kurtz in ‘Apocalypse Now!’. Wrong build. Wrong voice. More of a vanity role than anything else.
Would have loved to see Coppola take a page from John Huston in his direction of Robert Mitchum in ‘Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison’. Where Huston got Mitchum drunk and dumped him in the rubber raft that creates the opening scene of the film. Mitchum came to. With a tremendous hangover and got it done. Arm paddling close to shore of the island. Losing the raft and starting from scratch.
LikeLike
June 24, 2014 at 10:05 am
Haha! Great little piece of trivia on Mitchum, Jack. I didn’t know that at all and it would have been great to see Coppola put it to Brando in that way. By the sounds of it, he deserved it.
LikeLike
June 21, 2014 at 12:33 pm
Interesting as always. Already knew the Bronx Tale Tidbit 🙂 You can always count on Leo for dedication and a bit of creativity.
LikeLike
June 24, 2014 at 10:07 am
Cheers Chris! DiCaprio absolutely nailed that scene. Quite possibly the best part of the film. I was gutting myself!
LikeLike
June 22, 2014 at 4:28 am
Great tidbits as always. #3 was my favorite because I just loved that scene. Had me in stitches.
And whoa, Dumb and Dumber could’ve been a much different film!
10 is pretty good, too. Man, that Brando was a douche. Super talented but insufferable.
LikeLike
June 22, 2014 at 9:24 am
Never knew that about Rocky.
LikeLike
June 24, 2014 at 7:35 pm
Number 4 cannot be true!
LikeLike
July 29, 2014 at 2:53 am
The Apocalypse Now story never ceases to amaze, does it?
LikeLike