Caan as Rocky with Harvey Keitel or John Cazale as Paulie is imagined, but Caan and Reynolds are considered too established for the unknown-underdog effect. — Bill Simmons
Recasting: initial leave cast alone, then more palatable Paulie considered; John Cazale failed-brother type may repeat roles but charisma would make him likable. Imagined neglected skinny alcoholic and robe-logo hustler.
United Artists reportedly wanted Redford, Ryan O’Neal, Burt Reynolds or James Caan; this is defended as plausible studio thinking rather than ideal casting. — Bill Simmons
O’Neal is rejected as too handsome and WASPy. — Bill Simmons
A new Kyle Lowry Best Seventh Man category separates substantial supporting roles from cameos: Norton, Keitel and Goldblum are candidates. — Chris Ryan
Keitel is one choice, especially his pleased reaction to praise of his drawing.
Goldblum receives two choices for casting a large shadow with a small role.
Gustave greeting Madame D. establishes the profane humor with his refusal to accompany her to Lutz. — Chris Ryan
Gustave’s disgust at Madame D.’s nail polish interrupts her sincere fear of death and becomes a favorite comic moment.
Zero’s lobby-boy training reveals the hotel through Gustave’s rapid approvals and precise routine. — Chris Ryan
The train encounter introduces Henckels and “Keep your hands off my lobby boy.” — Chris Ryan
The will reading and Dmitri’s entrance combine the painting inheritance, insults and Gustave’s reactions. — Chris Ryan
Gustave serving prison mush and explaining his new friendships to Zero reveal his social adaptability.
Kovacs refusing Dmitri and reacting to his cat being thrown out the window are nominated. — Chris Ryan
Jopling pursuing Kovacs through transport and the museum is a major sequence. — Chris Ryan
The prison break is admired for elaborate design and practical camera ingenuity.
The Society of the Crossed Keys montage delights through Murray, Fisher Stevens, Balaban and Waris cameos. — Chris Ryan
The Alpine pursuit combines cable cars, monks, skiing and bobsledding before leading toward the hotel shootout. — Chris Ryan
The ending returns through the nested narrators, revealing loss and Zero’s preservation of the hotel as the place where he and Agatha were happy. — Chris Ryan
The post-departure hiring conversation, M. Mosher’s window appearance and shoeshine-boy detail are favored small moments. — Sean Fennessey
Keitel’s prison-break plan and drawing receive special praise for understated comedy and a Winston Wolf-like presence. — Sean Fennessey
Lobby-boy training is one final choice, favoring intimate comedy over the spectacular Alpine chase. — Sean Fennessey
The Alpine chase is another final choice as a self-contained example of the film’s virtuosity. — Andy Greenwald
The Alpine sequence’s repeated questions and intense confessional exchange add comedy to its miniature spectacle. — Andy Greenwald
A second final vote chooses the Alpine chase, making it the majority choice over lobby-boy training. — Chris Ryan
A screening reportedly paused after audience members fainted during the adrenaline sequence; whether the event was Cannes or New York is uncertain. — Bill Simmons
TriStar reportedly rejected the script as too demented before Miramax financed it. — Bill Simmons
The budget is stated as 8.5 million dollars, including 900,000 for Tarantino to write and direct. — Bill Simmons
Jersey Films reportedly signed Tarantino and Avary; Tarantino wrote in Amsterdam with a 900,000-dollar writing/directing deal. — Bill Simmons
Avary contributed the Butch/Marsellus story plus the missed gunshots and backseat killing; Curdled inspired the cleaner and supplied the cab-driver actress. — Bill Simmons
Keitel’s commitment reportedly helped secure the first 1.5 million dollars. — Bill Simmons
The screenplay/story credit division and reported purchase of Avary ideas remain complicated; their continued friendship and podcast are noted.
Travolta reportedly declined American Gigolo, An Officer and a Gentleman, Manny in Scarface, Splash and Forrest Gump, and unsuccessfully pursued First Blood, Top Gun and Pretty Woman. — Bill Simmons
Tarantino initially pitched Travolta the From Dusk Till Dawn role associated with Clooney while expecting Madsen to play Vincent. — Sean Fennessey
Their long apartment visit included Grease and Welcome Back Kotter board games and a challenge to Travolta’s poor film choices. — Bill Simmons
Madsen’s departure for Wyatt Earp opened the Vincent role. — Bill Simmons
Travolta’s slowed words and exaggerated articulation helped make the role unexpectedly funny. — Bill Simmons
A prior Tarantino interview is introduced to correct the belief that Jules was written for Jackson: Fishburne was the original intended actor. — Bill Simmons
In an archival interview, Tarantino says Fishburne’s representatives advised rejecting Jules to pursue above-title leading roles, despite Fishburne wanting the part. — Bill Simmons
The archival account identifies Bad Company, not Just Cause, as the starring film Fishburne chose instead. — Bill Simmons
Tarantino’s archival account says Die Hard 3 was intended for Fishburne, but stalled million-dollar negotiations let producers choose Jackson after seeing Pulp Fiction at Cannes. — Bill Simmons
Jackson’s initially casual reading allowed Calderón to become a serious contender, requiring a competitive return audition.
A cited oral history says Calderón faltered while Tarantino was late, whereas Jackson’s angry burger-eating audition secured Jules.
Jackson’s reading of the final shepherd speech reportedly convinced Lawrence Bender that the ending would work.
Willis reportedly wanted Vincent and was annoyed at Travolta receiving the more prominent role. — Bill Simmons
Black Mask was reportedly an early title, reflecting the pulp magazine influence. — Sean Fennessey
Individual Keitel, Jackson, Thurman and apparently Travolta character posters accompanied the main campaign, including an earlier planned release date. — Bill Simmons
The film won screenplay and received nominations for picture, director, actor, supporting actor, supporting actress and editing.
An 8.5 million-dollar budget and at least 210 million gross are stated, along with a claim that this was the first independent film to pass 100 million. — Bill Simmons
The Wolf, Gimp, Walken, Roth, Plummer, Arquette, Stoltz, Maynard, Zed and cab driver are considered; Roth and Plummer are excluded for too much screen time. — Bill Simmons
Debate narrows to Walken and Keitel, with Stoltz defended and the Gimp playfully rejected.
One response initially chooses the Wolf, but Walken’s four-and-a-half-minute impact better fits the award; the final responses settle on Walken, including Craig’s explicit choice. — Bill Simmons
The original notebook already wanted Keitel, Walken, Roth and Plummer; Fishburne was Jules before Jackson, with Murphy another listed possibility rather than a confirmed offer. — Bill Simmons
Murphy’s move toward family films makes accepting this material uncertain, although it might have been a valuable career choice. — Bill Simmons
Madsen committed to Wyatt Earp instead of Vincent, and later Vega-brothers speculation linked his Reservoir Dogs character with Vincent.
Miramax reportedly resisted Travolta and pushed Day-Lewis; the panel imagines his unusual contemporary-hitman interpretation while strongly preferring the actual casting.
Dillon reportedly asked for a day before accepting Butch, during which Willis became available; the lost role might have changed Dillon’s trajectory despite later successes. — Bill Simmons
A competing Dillon story says he wanted an onscreen boxing match rather than merely asking for time to decide. — Chris Ryan
Max Julien and Sid Haig reportedly declined Marsellus; Jackson was another backup while Fishburne remained the intended Jules. — Bill Simmons
Cusack and possibly Oldman were considered for Lance, followed by Tarantino and then Stoltz; Buscemi’s unavailability led Tarantino to Jimmie, a preferable outcome to replacing Stoltz. — Bill Simmons
Decades of imitations, especially in the mid-1990 s, are selected for aged worst. — Bill Simmons
Racial slurs, especially Jimmie’s dialogue, are considered increasingly jarring. The discussion distinguishes their uses without resolving the justification for Jimmie’s language. — Chris Ryan
Tarantino’s racial slurs are defended as his perception of how criminal characters would speak, while the language remains uncomfortable and his claimed familiarity with Black communities is discussed. — Sean Fennessey
Butch’s chair-escape slow motion looks dated and uniquely artificial within the film. — Chris Ryan
Characters are careless about forensic evidence: Butch merely wipes a gun, and the apartment killings leave a conspicuous bloodbath and early-morning gunshots. — Chris Ryan
Los Angeles diners are disappearing, and robbing diners for cash-filled wallets seems less plausible now. — Chris Ryan
Buscemi’s tiny Buddy Holly part feels wasteful; he reportedly lacked time to play Jimmie.
Roth’s predicted next-great-star trajectory is questioned despite strong work in this film, Reservoir Dogs and Rob Roy. — Bill Simmons
Marvin’s visible dummy in the trunk is criticized. — Bill Simmons
Bullet holes visible before the divine-intervention shots are criticized. — Bill Simmons
Smoking while drinking a milkshake is considered an unpleasant combination. — Bill Simmons
Craving a cheeseburger after heavy cocaine use is questioned. — Bill Simmons
Older pop-culture references may no longer register.
The cab’s rear projection is defended as a deliberate old-movie homage.
Tarantino’s acting is defended in retrospect, especially opposite Keitel over linens; his angry tone toward Jules is the specific stretch considered unsuccessful. — Sean Fennessey
Randone’s Triumph motorcycle is an early memorabilia possibility.
The pinball machine, Keitel’s white-and-pastel-blue tracksuit and remaining turkey sandwich are desired. — Chris Ryan
The sports car and Figgsy’s unidentified car are admired, while Superboy’s Honda is rejected; imagining Figgsy heading to Atlantic City rather than the Bahamas extends the car discussion.
Keitel’s high-energy scolding seems wrong for a controlled character, with his performance compared to a declining star coasting; the counterargument is that his yelling is enjoyable.
The staged bridge panic is deliberately exaggerated within the story, while Liotta and De Niro’s intensity is defended as appropriate.
