TRIVIA TIDBITS
It has been some time my Trivia Tidbit enthusiasts but it’s a pleasure to welcome you back for more little movie facts. For those of you out of the loop, this is a little compilation of 10 movie related factoids that I always find interesting. So without further ado, this weeks are…
1: When Richard Nixon was elected President he compiled an “Enemies List” – a list of potential political opponents, of which, actor Paul Newman found himself to be on it. He was #19 for his anti-Vietnam views. Newman said that being on Nixon’s enemies list was “…the highest single honour I’ve ever received. Who knows who’s listening to me now and what government list I’m on”.
2: Michael Madsen was initially considered for the role of Mickey Knox in “Natural Born Killers” but Warner Bros wanted somebody less intimidating, and with a softer persona, as they felt this might alleviate the brutality of the character somewhat. Woody Harrelson was eventually cast.
3: Charlie Chaplin once entered a Charlie Chaplin lookalike contest and finished third.
4: Before Laurence Fishburne was cast, Gary Oldman and Samuel L. Jackson were both at one point considered as Morpheus in “The Matrix”. Russell Crowe reportedly turned down the role saying: “I just didn’t get it. I couldn’t get past page 42. That world was just not interesting to me”.
5: In the late 1970’s, Stanley Kubrick was sorting through novels at his home trying to find one that would make a good movie, and from the other room, his wife would hear a pounding noise every half hour or so as he threw books against the wall in frustration. Finally, she didn’t hear any noise for almost two hours, and when she went to check on him she found him reading “The Shining”.
6: An American novelist named Morgan Robertson published a book called “The Wreck of the Titan” about a massive ship that struck an iceberg on it’s maiden voyage and sank on a cold April night. It was published in 1898. The Titanic sank in 1912.
7: The year after “Deliverance” was released, 31 people drowned trying to canoe down the treacherous stretch of the Chattanooga River where the movie was filmed.
8: At the end of “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”, one of the movie’s most climactic moments involves the lid sliding off of an enormous stone coffin. The sound effects guy actually made the sound for that scene by sliding the lid across the tank of his toilet… Try it…
9: Director Frank Darabont watched “Goodfellas” every Sunday while shooting “The Shawshank Redemption” and drew inspiration from it on using voice-over narration and showing the passage of time.
10: In the Japanese restaurant in “Blade Runner” when Gaff (Edward James Olmos) talks to Deckard (Harrison Ford), he says this line in Hungarian, “Azonnal kövessen engem,” which means “Follow me immediately,” and then he says, “Lófasz”. This can mean both “bullshit” and “no way,” but the literal translation is actually “horse penis.” So, in essence what Gaff says to Deckard is “Follow me now, horse dick“. Evidently, Hungarian moviegoers find this fantastically funny.
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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 
October 28, 2014 at 11:02 pm
Nice to see you, and this, back. I knew the Chaplin one but no others. That Kubrick one is so revealing.
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October 29, 2014 at 6:05 pm
Cheers Alex. I’ve read numerous trivia on The Shining but that one was new to me too. Thanks for dropping in, buddy!
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October 29, 2014 at 8:47 pm
That carpet would make a creepy gift ha.
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October 29, 2014 at 8:58 pm
Indeed it would, man. If I could get my hands on that, I’d certainly lay it my house. Dont think the missus would be too happy though. 😉
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October 29, 2014 at 8:59 pm
Ha!
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October 28, 2014 at 11:03 pm
Very good! I love number three, that’s hilarious.
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October 29, 2014 at 6:06 pm
Ha! Yeah, Chaplin himself must have got a kick out of that.
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October 28, 2014 at 11:25 pm
Speaking of Fishburne and Jackson have you seen this Mark? Sam takes him to town. LOL.
That Paul Newman quote is great. Bet Jane Fonda placed higher on Nixon’s list.
31 people died after Deliverance… really? Well I guess it beats having to “squeal like pig”. LOL.
“The Wreck of the Titan” trivia was fascinating. There’s some great stuff about it on Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futility,_or_the_Wreck_of_the_Titan
Here’s my trivia for you that I pilfered from imdb about Newman:
“Within a space of five months in 2003, he was nominated for an Oscar (for “The Road to Perdition”), a Tony (for “Our Town”) and an Emmy (for “Our Town”).” What have YOU done lately? Sadly no Grammy. However there is a Austin, Texas post rock/math rock outfit called Paul Newman named after their bassist Paul A. Newman. They have no Grammy either.
“Now let’s you just drop them pants.” It may be the scariest line ever uttered in a non horror movie.
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October 29, 2014 at 6:17 pm
Haha! Great clip Dave. I don’t know how many times I’ve hear Jackson get confused with Fishburne. He must be sick of it.
Good point on Fonda. I would imagine she would have been on Nixon’s list too. I must look into that. As for Newman, that just makes me like him all the more. 😉
“Now let’s you just drop them pants” – what a horrific scene. Apparently the guy was genuinely a bit rough with poor Ned Beatty. That’s scene that no one has ever forgotten, man. Ouch! 😉
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October 29, 2014 at 7:15 pm
Beatty famously doesn’t like to talk about that scene. Kinda like Jodie Foster with Taxi Driver.
Jackson and Fishburne have both said that they get confused so often that they just sign each others autographs rather than explain the mix up.
Looked up that Nixon list. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixon's_Enemies_List#People_listed
Turns out “Hanoi Jane” didn’t make that top 20 list although she was on a “master” list created some time later. My favorite quote from the wiki page was from Hunter S. Thompson expressing disappointment in not having been included on the list. “I would almost have preferred a vindictive tax audit to that kind of crippling exclusion.” LOL.
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October 29, 2014 at 7:26 pm
Haha! Good ol’ Hunter S. That’s a great quote man. Very surprised that Hanoi Jane didn’t make it. She was very passionate and vocal on her feelings. You beat me to the punch on that homework, man. Good work, sir!
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October 29, 2014 at 1:39 am
Good stuff, Mark. #3 is awesome. I mean, how does that even happen? 😛
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October 29, 2014 at 6:19 pm
Don’t know who the judge of that one was, Chris but I’ll bet he didn’t stay a judge for long. Still, Chaplin would have enjoyed that, I reckon.
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October 29, 2014 at 6:01 am
Great stuff, loving all these trivia tidbits.
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October 29, 2014 at 6:21 pm
Much obliged. They always seem to hit the spot somewhere. It helps that I enjoy doing the homework as well. I’m always learning along with everyone else. 🙂
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October 29, 2014 at 1:34 pm
Horse Titties and now Horse Dicks….! What a couple of classy sites we run!
Boat drinks!
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October 29, 2014 at 6:22 pm
Haha! What the fuck are we reducing the blogosphere to? Give it name, huh?! 😉
Boat Drinks!
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October 29, 2014 at 1:35 pm
#7 – I love the film Deliverence….great post as always!
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October 29, 2014 at 6:23 pm
It’s a great film, Cindy. I haven’t seen it in years but its one I wouldn’t mind going back to. Cheers my dear!
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October 29, 2014 at 7:30 pm
Me, too. The scary thing about the film is the authenticity behind it. It’s sad to know there are pockets in the hills where you would find those horrible living conditions and “quirky” personalities. The dueling banjos scene is cinematic genius. And I’ve never been more impressed with Burt Reynolds or Jon or –everyone–now you got me wanting to revisit it 😉
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October 29, 2014 at 7:34 pm
Yeah, it was so authentic that they actually used the locals to play parts and that duelling banjos…? Man, what a classic scene. The films filled with many memorable moments. Totally agree on Reynolds. I’m not normally a fan but he was good in it. Like you say, they all were. Great film!
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October 29, 2014 at 5:27 pm
Always a great read 😀
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October 29, 2014 at 6:24 pm
Cheers Tim! Always happy to hear that, man. 🙂
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October 29, 2014 at 7:55 pm
Great trivia, the Charlie Chaplin one made me chuckle.
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October 29, 2014 at 8:06 pm
Cheers Vinnie. Quite unbelievable but it made me chuckle too.
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October 30, 2014 at 2:57 am
No Leto, no Gosling, wtf has this site become?!?!
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November 2, 2014 at 6:45 pm
I know, I know! I’m giving you crumbs here. How dare I leave out your man-crush’s?? 😉
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November 1, 2014 at 4:12 pm
Great read as always mate. Russell Crowe in The Matrix? I just can’t see that whatsoever!
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November 2, 2014 at 6:51 pm
I can’t see Crowe in there either, Chris. I would liked to have seen Oldman take it on but for some reason it seems like a role that’s perfect for a black actor. Jackson could have done it well but not any better than Fishburne.
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November 2, 2014 at 8:46 pm
Hey! It’s back! Great as always Mark. That Chaplain story’s great!
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November 4, 2014 at 9:01 am
It’s back bro!!! Glad to hear you still have enthusiasm for it. Chaplin one is excellent isn’t it! 😉
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November 3, 2014 at 8:02 am
Fantastic work (as always). Lots of fun ones here. Some I knew, some I didn’t. The Shining one was new to me!
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November 4, 2014 at 9:02 am
Cheers Zoe! The Shining was new to me, too. See? We’re all learning together here 😉
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November 3, 2014 at 11:41 pm
Deliverance is one of my favorite movies of all time and I never knew about all those people drowning! That’s such an alarming but kind of fascinating bit of trivia.
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November 4, 2014 at 9:06 am
Great movie, Alex. I just got hold of a copy to give it another revisit at some point. Now, that you know this trivia, I’d gather that it’ll be hard not to remember it the next time you watch it. Cheers buddy!
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November 4, 2014 at 7:20 pm
Oooh fun stuff, there are some tidbits I didn’t know at all. Ahahahaha, that third one makes me laugh, Charlie Chaplin couldn’t even pass as himself, that’s too funny!
Y’know, has Sam Jackson & Fishburne done a movie together? They really should just to confuse the heck out of ppl 😀
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November 5, 2014 at 9:46 am
Every one seems to love that Chaplin one. Such a funny piece of info.
As for Jackson and Fishburne, I know they were both in an early Spike Lee film together called “School Daze” but it’s been years since I seen so can remember how much, if any, interaction they had. Still, they should get together again. Thanks Ruth.
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November 5, 2014 at 3:27 am
If Charlie Chaplin placed third, I wonder how good the first place winner was… 😉
Great trivia as always.
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November 5, 2014 at 9:54 am
Haha! Yeah, those first two Chaplins must have been great. 😉
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November 6, 2014 at 7:25 pm
Great, fun post!
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November 6, 2014 at 8:19 pm
Thanks my man! They are a regular deal around these parts 😉
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