Profit participation, production shorthand, Tunisia, animal work, reused footage and sets, props, stunts, costume origins, and the physical cost to Ford
Lucas reportedly received between one and four million dollars plus gross participation, while Spielberg received $1.5 million plus participation.
The script described the Ark opening only as “all hell breaks loose,” leaving the effects team to invent the sequence. — Bill Simmons
Tunisia stood in for Egypt in extreme heat; widespread dysentery spared Spielberg because he ate imported canned food. — Bill Simmons
The monkey salute reportedly required about 50 takes and a grape on fishing line; depleted stunt staffing led producer Frank Marshall to pilot the airplane for days in severe cockpit heat. — Bill Simmons
Stock footage came from Lost Horizon and The Hindenburg, while the canyon location and hieroglyphs connect visually to Star Wars. — Bill Simmons
Indy’s bullwhip sold for about $43,000 in 1999, and the Well of Souls occupied the same soundstage set footprint as the writing room in The Shining.
Vivian Kubrick reportedly halted production over snake handling until additional protections were provided. — Chris Ryan
Ford performed many stunts, bruising ribs, tearing a knee ligament, and narrowly avoiding worse injury under the airplane. — Bill Simmons
The German-mechanic fight was largely improvised as Spielberg kept adding ideas, and Indy’s clothing was based on Charlton Heston in Secret of the Incas. — Bill Simmons
Kathleen Turner is the primary Marion recast for greater sexual energy with Ford, though others object that Romancing the Stone later supplies exactly that pairing.
Philip Kaufman was initially to direct, while Deborah Winger declined Marion, Amy Irving was unavailable, Barbara Hershey was considered, and Sean Young screen-tested opposite Indy candidates. — Bill Simmons
Jeff Bridges was liked and auditioned but apparently was not formally offered Indy; the hosts think he would be good but less physically hard-nosed than Ford.
Tom Selleck was fitted and nearly cast until CBS retained him for Magnum P.I.; a strike later would have freed him, but Ford had already been chosen.
Lucas resisted overusing Ford, Spielberg pushed for him, and Ford accepted salary, gross participation, and dialogue-rewrite rights while actively questioning production choices.
Danny DeVito could not play Sallah because of Taxi, Klaus Kinski rejected Toht for better pay on Venom, and Jonathan Pryce was considered for Belloq.
The Selleck/Ford choice is ranked among the most consequential movie sliding doors because it affects both Indiana Jones and Ford’s later career. — Bill Simmons
Williams’s score is the first and strongest nomination, with the march, map-room cue, and several distinct themes singled out.
Nazi villains, the sub-two-hour runtime, and the uniquely wearable-by-Ford fedora are praised as durable choices. — Bill Simmons
A very young Alfred Molina, the poisoned-date gag, and the movie’s practical sets and stunts remain vivid. — Bill Simmons
Paramount’s comparatively cheap $39.95 VHS release is credited with selling a million copies within two years and helping unlock home video. — Bill Simmons
The fly that appears to enter Belloq’s mouth and the anonymous male student leaving Indy an apple exemplify accidental and deliberate details that reward rewatches.
Karen Allen’s 1980–81 run and the isolated Nepal bar’s appeal round out the category.
The segment says Ben Affleck was originally sought to play Wahlberg's character and said no, and Nick Cage signed on but backed out because of other commitments. — Bill Simmons
Cage is suggested as a good Billy or a Captain Ahab, or as the old guy at the bar. — Bill Simmons
Julia Roberts is rumored to have passed; one of the writers is quoted saying lots of big actresses passed, which a host believes he told BuzzFeed UK in 2015. A host thinks it is described as one of her most regrettable decisions, but the hosts doubt she was ever seriously considered. — Juliet Litman
The hosts say the Vanity Fair article reports Demi Moore was wanted, which would have been her first rom-com; she would have made it more serious and anxious. — Juliet Litman
The Washington Post oral history is cited for Davis passing, funny because she and Pullman were married in A League of Their Own; when the director signed on, Harrison Ford and Davis were attached and both backed out. — Amanda Dobbins
Harrison Ford would have been great, if more of a jerk and less believable as the spare brother. — Juliet Litman
The hosts cite the Washington Post as saying Dennis Quaid was rumored for Jack; a host speculates he and Meg Ryan shared representation. — Juliet Litman
Patrick Swayze, also mentioned for Jack, is a no: too much charisma for a reticent role, leading into a tangent about Dirty Dancing and Ghost. — Amanda Dobbins
Matthew McConaughey was reportedly a top choice for Jack until his Texas accent got in the way; a host calls it a hard yes and invents a Texas-family fix, noting the grandmother's British accent goes unexplained. — Amanda Dobbins
The hosts report Pierce Brosnan was rumored for Peter; his accent hardly matters since Peter is asleep, and Peter Gallagher plays a yuppie better than almost anyone. — Juliet Litman
James Spater (as transcribed) was mentioned somewhere on the list, probably for Jack, but a host thinks he should have been Peter. — Amanda Dobbins
The Jack role could have worked with several actors, which is a testament to the writing; Jack is probably the best-written character even if Bullock sells hers best. — Juliet Litman
The hosts say Verhoeven went for Demi Moore, Amanda Donohoe was considered, and Douglas was talked into Sharon Stone, who made $500,000. — Bill Simmons
The Nick Curran role was said to be originally a lesbian cop written with Kathleen Turner in mind. — Bill Simmons
The hosts say Verhoeven was slated to direct Black Rain but left for Total Recall, and that he wanted Tom Berenger for RoboCop and for Nick and was turned down. — Bill Simmons
Per the hosts, Milos Forman was the first choice to direct and many leading men were allegedly considered, including Swayze, Costner, De Niro, Willis, Gibson and Harrison Ford, but the role is iconic Douglas. — Bill Simmons
A replacement for Altobello would need an Italian-American actor of the era with Sinatra-like charisma; Paul Sorvino is unavailable because of Goodfellas. — Bill Simmons
Casting Wallach may echo the Lee Strasberg gamble, but it telegraphs the villain because he has played so many heavies.
The winner for Hamilton's part is William Hurt, called a no-brainer who looks like Duvall and could be Hagen's Harvard son as the new consigliere.
Recasting Hagen himself with Hurt is rejected as anti-recasting, and a Hagen son working for Michael is questioned given Michael's record. — Chris Ryan
Tom Hanks was offered Andy but could not accept because of Forrest Gump; the panel prefers Tim Robbins because the role became inseparable from him.
Kevin Costner was offered Andy and is considered a credible alternate, although the panel thinks Robbins better preserves doubt about Andy.
Tom Cruise attended table readings but declined over the director's inexperience; the panel thinks his intensity would distort Andy.
Brad Pitt was intended for Tommy before Thelma & Louise created other opportunities; the panel thinks his presence would make Tommy disproportionately prominent.
The lister calls this possibly the longest aged-best list ever.
The Beverly Wilshire Hotel: it offers a Pretty Woman package, feels like the most important hotel in LA, still has the OG feel, and NBA teams stay there. — Bill Simmons
The necklace-case scene: he snaps the case on her finger and her laugh was improvised and genuine, and they left it in. — Bill Simmons
The soundtrack: King of Wishful Thinking, Real Wild Child, Fame 90, Wild Women Do, Must Have Been Love, Show Me Your Soul and Fallen; it was huge when soundtracks were not yet a thing and each song is tied to a scene. — Bill Simmons
The film has a music-video movement from the last vestiges of the MTV era, and montages recall Beverly Hills, 90210. — Bill Simmons
Beverly Hills as a pop-culture character for years: Beverly Hills Cop and its sequel, 90210, "True Beverly Hills," Clueless, and Down and Out in Beverly Hills; the real place is that absurd, though with fewer pedestrians on weekdays. — Bill Simmons
The escargot scene: one participant makes the Pretty Woman reference whenever someone orders escargot; the speaker's son, Ben Simmons, double-orders it.
Polo: getting dressed up and replacing divots; Craig is asked if it made him want to go and says not really. — Bill Simmons
Edward's "because it's the best" philosophy; he plays a tasteful rich guy and the rules of being rich have not changed since 1990.
Aside on Gere versus Harrison Ford in Working Girl: Ford wins for charisma and fun, though Gere wins if marrying for money; Mallory called Ford in Witness the most attractive man in movies last week. — Amanda Dobbins
The couple's fights, such as "I've never treated you like a prostitute" / "You just did," engage uncomfortable aspects of the setup more than the movie gets credit for. — Bill Simmons
Kit in the hotel, the "sphincter police" and "for 75 the wife can watch" lines. — Bill Simmons
Edward telling the old man "I find it hard to say this without sounding condescending, but I'm proud of you," a male line used in sports columns. — Bill Simmons
"It must be difficult to let go of something so beautiful" with the necklace parallels Edward letting her go; Hector Elizondo is praised.
The rom-com chase mechanism is efficient here; an unpopular opinion calls the ending rushed.
The final list item: the movie paved the way for The Bachelor, with over-the-top dates, the limo exit to Must Have Been Love, and one-on-one shopping dates; Mike Fleiss is said to have ripped it off. — Bill Simmons
Given the list, she gives escargot an honorable mention and picks the necklace scene with the Julia Roberts reaction. — Amanda Dobbins
Another participant goes with the necklace scene as well, calling it the money shot of the movie.
Another participant picks Beverly Hills: contention for the best LA movie, maybe the best Beverly Hills movie, setting the tone for 90s opulence. — Juliet Litman
