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Pacific Heights
Pacific Heights
To Live and Die in L.A.
Working Girl
Working Girl
Working Girl
Working Girl
Body Double
Body Double
Stats
- Episodes featuring their films
- 3
- Movies in this archive
- 4
Rewatchables episodes featuring Melanie Griffith’s films
Displaying all 3 episodes
Mentioned in discussions
Half-Assed Internet Research
Carter’s 1977 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa; Joanne Woodward’s reported three life goals for teenage Melanie Griffith, with two achieved and no Oscar win
In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:35:27Read transcript
- Carter’s car is identified as a 1977 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa. — Bill Simmons
- A story about Joanne Woodward giving teenage Melanie Griffith three life goals is recounted, including that Griffith achieved two but not an Oscar win. — Bill Simmons
Most Rewatchable Scene
The hotel-room investigation
In the discussion (11)
Approx. transcript time · 00:40:32Read transcript
- The opening encounter with Mrs. Griswold is nominated for its startling entrance.
- The renovation leading into the awkward rental interview is nominated. — Bill Simmons
- Carter separately manipulating Drake and Patty during the rental pitch is nominated.
- Drake’s casual racism while discussing a prospective tenant is named as a favorite comic scene. — Bill Simmons
- Carter gaining access and immediately changing the locks is nominated.
- Carter smoking in the dark garage and revealing the razor blades is nominated. — Bill Simmons
- The cockroach attack and Drake crawling beneath the apartment are nominated, with praise for Matthew Modine taking live cockroaches to the face.
- Carter’s flowers, preemptive police call, and successful provocation of Drake are nominated; the hosts debate how Carter would have forced an attack if Drake resisted.
- Patty’s reaction to the destroyed apartment is praised as Melanie Griffith’s best work. — Bill Simmons
- Patty following Carter and invading his hotel room is selected as the best and most rewatchable scene.
- The final fight, nail-gun callback, and Carter’s fall are discussed, though the ending is criticized as badly staged.
Recasting Couch
Melanie Griffith as Bianca; multiple Vukovich alternatives
In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:26:53Read transcript
- Gary Sinise’s reported audition and recommendation of Petersen inform recasting alternatives: Sinise, Andy Garcia and John Malkovich, with Garcia considered too handsome and Pankow’s chase acting defended. — Bill Simmons
- Further Vukovich alternatives include Kelsey Grammer, Jeff Goldblum, Stanley Tucci, Will Patton, Michael Biehn and Bill Paxton, with age, height and attractiveness qualifications; Malkovich remains favored by one participant.
- Bianca recasting candidates include Melanie Griffith, Rosanna Arquette, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kelly McGillis and Daryl Hannah; dance credibility matters and Griffith is favored.
- More Vukovich recasts are David Patrick Kelly, Michael Madsen, James Remar, J. T. Walsh and John Heard, with Madsen considered too handsome.
In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 02:06:18Read transcript
- Melanie Griffith is selected twice and receives agreement. — Bill Simmons
- Roger Ebert’s comparison of Griffith’s ownership of the movie to Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate is cited in support. — Bill Simmons
Podcast choices
- Speaker not identified
- Melanie Griffith
- Speaker not identified
- Melanie Griffith
Just One Oscar
Melanie Griffith; Joan Cusack defended; Carly Simon already won.
In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:52:02Read transcript
- Joan Cusack is defended as a supporting-actress choice. — Amanda Dobbins
- Melanie Griffith is selected by another voice. — Bill Simmons
- Carly Simon’s actual award is acknowledged. — Amanda Dobbins
Apex Mountain
Melanie Griffith: yes; Sigourney Weaver: near peak; Harrison Ford: no.
In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 01:37:17Read transcript
- Melanie Griffith is at Apex Mountain. — Bill Simmons
- Harrison Ford is not. — Bill Simmons
- Sigourney Weaver is at or near her peak between Aliens and this film. — Bill Simmons
- Female workplace-struggle movies are rejected as an apex because they are evergreen. — Amanda Dobbins
- Carly Simon is discussed. — Bill Simmons
- The Staten Island Ferry is proposed. — Bill Simmons
- Massive hairstyles and repeated disparaging terms are proposed. — Bill Simmons
Half-Assed Internet Research
Griffith–Baldwin history; Mike Nichols; World Trade Center lobby; White House screening.
In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:35:50Read transcript
- A reported interview says Melanie Griffith made passes at Alec Baldwin and was rejected. — Bill Simmons
- Mike Nichols and the Seven World Trade Center lobby are research topics. — Amanda Dobbins
- A New York Times account reports a first-week White House screening hosted by George H. W. Bush. — Amanda Dobbins
Casting What-Ifs
Demi Moore, plus many alternate Tess candidates.
In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:29:21Read transcript
- A Jim Bridges version starring Demi Moore is reported. — Amanda Dobbins
- Molly Ringwald was reportedly considered too young; Michelle Pfeiffer, Madonna, and Shelley Long were considered. — Bill Simmons
- Lorraine Bracco reported auditioning unsuccessfully. — Bill Simmons
- Mike Nichols reportedly threatened to leave unless Melanie Griffith was hired. — Bill Simmons
- Whoopi Goldberg, Goldie Hawn, Meg Ryan, and Cher are discussed as other possibilities. — Bill Simmons
In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:47:55Read transcript
- Griffith receives two explicit winner utterances because the film leads into major stardom; De Palma is rejected as still unhappy with its commercial failure. — Bill Simmons
Podcast choices
- Speaker not identified
- Melanie Griffith
- Speaker not identified
- Melanie Griffith
In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:40:53Read transcript
- Griffith for supporting actress and Stephen H. Burum for cinematography are choices; De Palma is also floated amid an uncertain discussion of the year’s competition.
Apex Mountain
Craig Wasson; Gregg Henry; Frankie Goes to Hollywood; 1980s adult films; telescopes; explicit body-double scenes
In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:26:30Read transcript
- Wasson is emphatically accepted, with later audiobook work noted. — Bill Simmons
- Griffith loses to Working Girl; De Palma is debated among Scarface, Blow Out, The Untouchables and Carrie, with Scarface’s resulting deal favored.
- 1980s adult films in mainstream movies, Gregg Henry and Frankie Goes to Hollywood are accepted; the band’s 1984 momentum and later soundtrack use are recalled. — Bill Simmons
- Telescopes and explicit demonstrations of body doubling are accepted; rotating beds are considered but Austin Powers is an alternative, and Barry challenges acting-class scenes.
- Characterful Los Angeles houses are considered but Heat and Greenberg become competing examples, leaving the category unsettled.
What’s Aged the Best?
Griffith; Los Angeles; music; Peter Meter; enduring influence
In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 00:27:38Read transcript
- Recognizable Los Angeles locations make repeat viewing richer; the city’s filming history prompts frustration about current production incentives. — Bill Simmons
- Long Beach doubles for the coast nearer Los Angeles, while backlots, auditions and deliberately artificial locations reinforce the film’s interest in constructed appearances.
- Young Griffith and the enduring Barney’s Beanery are praised; Wasson’s Maher/Meyer resemblance is a running joke.
- Linda Shaw receives overdue praise through joking basketball-star comparisons. — Bill Simmons
- A relapse at the bar and the horrified bartender’s questions are enjoyed, leading to a tangent about knowing regular bartenders.
- The neighbor’s stripping music and Holly’s Peter Meter dance routine hold up; the score’s later use in Air is noted.
- Sam claiming creative differences with the Seattle repertory company is enjoyed as an obviously convenient excuse.
- The fake Vampire’s Kiss title reportedly inspired the later film; American Psycho’s Bateman obsessively rents Body Double, and an adult performer takes Holly Body as her name.
- The Griffith–Dakota Johnson–Tippi Hedren lineage and the film’s influence after its flop are praised. — Sean Fennessey
- Sam applying elaborate disguise makeup himself is briefly admired, though the stereotyped identity is immediately challenged as having aged badly. — Sean Fennessey
Displaying discussions 1 - 12 of 20 in total
