He could not describe what a brake pad does. — Bill Simmons
'Holy schnikes' is suggested and liked; Farley reportedly took it from John Candy in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, which the movie resembles; 'son of a' is used about a dozen times. — Cousin Sal
Ajax's language and sexual assault (disputed); what is said to Mercy; Cleon's death; Fox's stunt double being thrown onto the tracks and never mentioned again
Ajax is simultaneously a great character and badly aged for his language and being a sexual assaulter.
The counterargument is that a movie about gangs who stalk the streets needs a bad guy, and Ajax contrasts with Swan's King Arthur moral code; a bad guy in a 1979 New York gang is plausible, though some of his words are hard to hear now, and what is said to Mercy is not great.
Cleon dying has aged terribly and hurts every time; the stunt double thrown onto the tracks and the character never being mentioned again is one host's vote.
The story recited: Michael Beck as Swan and Thomas Waits (as transcribed) as Fox were to be the two stars, but Fox's actor feuded with Walter Hill, who killed the character off midway, rewrote the last 45 minutes, and used a crew member with the same hair as a stunt double, seen from behind with Mercy before a cop throws him into the train; nobody later asks what happened to Fox the way they ask about Ajax.
The actor told the story at a 2015 reunion where the cast rode the subway to Coney; another host disliked his face in the zoom-in and was glad he died.
The death should have established the stakes of the all-night journey and made the arrival a relief, but it is so quick and so hamstrung together that it has no emotional payoff.
Today a studio would recast as with Eric Stoltz and Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future rather than concoct a stunt death; it also creates a hole when Swan returns to an empty station with no ambulances or police after a man was thrown in front of a train.
Why the Warriors run from police is debated: they are a gang in colors where they should not be, and the fire, the assassination and the DJ keep police on alert; starting the fire five stops down is called a smart move by the other gangs, and Masai is said to have been pulling the strings like Masai Uhiri (as transcribed).
A 2006 sequel script, Old School Dos (transcribed 'Dose'), by Scott Armstrong was turned down by Ferrell and Vaughn; Luke Wilson said in 2016 he would do it; Todd Phillips plays the man at the door; Ferrell streaked for real near a 24-hour gym and shot it in two parts; Patrick Cranshaw (transcribed 'Crenshaw') acted for fifty years, played the sheriff in the Air Bud films and died about four years later; the frat house is a real Pasadena house on Bushnell Avenue used in Back to the Future, Back to the Future 2 and Teen Wolf
In 2006 Scott Armstrong wrote a sequel, Old School Dose (as transcribed), about the aging fraternity going to spring break, turned down by Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn; Ferrell's 2008 explanation was that it had funny set pieces but felt like repeating the fraternity setting; one host would still have seen it, another does not need it after The Hangover 2 and 3.
Of the era's comedies, Old School 2 is the sequel one host would most want; great comedy sequels are rare, Austin Powers aside, Caddyshack 2 was a tragedy, Wayne's World 2 is defended as genius after it came up with McKay, Anchorman 2 will have a life once off Epix, and both Anchorman films have hours of alternate footage.
Luke Wilson was ready in 2016, saying he would do it at the drop of a hat; Todd Phillips plays the man in the curly wig who knocks on Luke Wilson's door for the gangbang, a role he reprises in most of his films including The Hangover.
Will Ferrell ran naked for real, horrifying locals at a 24-hour gym; the streak was filmed in two parts, the second in front of everyone during the Snoop Dogg performance, and he needed to get a little drunk first.
Patrick Crenshaw (as transcribed), who played Blue, had acted in films for fifty years before this role made him famous, played the sheriff in all the Air Bud films, and died about four years after the film.
The fraternity house is a real residential house in Pasadena on Bushnell Avenue, obviously LA, used in three Michael J. Fox films; the hosts guess Doc Hollywood and The Secret of My Success before landing on Back to the Future, Back to the Future 2 and Teen Wolf, and joke about Redfinning it as more attainable than the Boogie Nights house, though it may be a two-block stretch rather than one house.
Goldman’s novel and rights, Reiner and Lear’s support, Wright and Elwes’s careers, exact casting, Andre’s wrestling schedule and physical limits, and Goldman writing Fezzik with Andre in mind
Rob Reiner directed the film from William Goldman’s 1973 novel, and the grandfather framing preserves the book’s asides and genre commentary. — Juliet Litman
20th Century Fox paid Goldman $500,000 for the rights in 1973 but did not make the movie; Goldman later bought the rights back. — Juliet Litman
Norman Lear produced the film and is credited with signing off after Rob Reiner selected the lead actor. — Juliet Litman
Reiner wanted Carrie Elways after Lady Jane, while Robin Wright’s late audition is described through the story of her appearing backlit at Goldman’s door. — Juliet Litman
Andre the Giant was the first choice, but an apparent Tokyo wrestling commitment initially made him unavailable. — Juliet Litman
Andre’s back surgery required the production to rig Robin Wright, use a masked double for impact, and put Carrie Always on a box for close shots. — David Shoemaker
Kareem Abdul-Jibar, Lou Forigno, a Scottish strongman, and the actor known from Twin Peaks were considered while Andre was unavailable. — Juliet Litman
Robin Wright’s post-film career discussion highlights Forrest Gump, House of Cards, She’s So Lovely, the film rendered “white old Leander,” and Wonder Woman. — Juliet Litman
The actor rendered Carrie Always is described as an ideal fairy-tale lead whose later career moved through spoofs and villain roles. — David Shoemaker
