Russell reportedly stayed in character but removed the eye patch between takes because it damaged his depth perception. — Bill Simmons
East St. Louis was selected for its old buildings, river, bridge, and blocks of fire-damaged rubble. — Bill Simmons
The Chain of Rocks Bridge was reportedly purchased for one dollar, and the city darkened ten blocks nightly for filming. — Bill Simmons
An eleven-year-old J. J. Abrams reportedly prompted the insert proving Maggie died, which Carpenter shot with Adrian Barbeau in their garage. — Bill Simmons
James Cameron worked on visual effects and cinematography before The Terminator and was considered the set genius. — Bill Simmons
The performer whose name is transcribed as Season Hubbly was married to Kurt Russell, which is offered as the reason she joined the cast. — Bill Simmons
Denzel going from the Rock in Fast 7 to Viola Davis in Fences is joked about; it is called a great movie what-if that the speaker only learned of the what-if that week. — Bill Simmons
Called a favorite casting what-if ever: one host says Denzel Washington turned down Mr. Nobody before Kurt Russell, per "the internet," even with a promised bigger Fast 8 part; the reply is stunned. — Bill Simmons
The hosts guess Denzel was in Oscar mode before Fences and would only do an action movie as its star, citing The Equalizer. — Bill Simmons
Taylor Lautner and "Hallie Berry" (as transcribed) are said to have also been considered; Mr. Nobody had to be older, though Lautner's old-guy face is joked about. — Shea Serrano
Kurt Russell is a great pick as a throwback to late-80s and early-90s action, with an internet theory that he is channeling his 1988 Tequila Sunrise character. — Bill Simmons
Statham is said to have been offered the Owen Shaw role in Fast Six but to have been making Parker and "Wildcard" (as transcribed); he is agreed to be better as the big brother. — Bill Simmons
Lucas Black's return is welcomed; used sparingly, his roughly two-minute scene with a single look works, and it is good to see him with Dom. — Shea Serrano
The facial-recognition technology of the time is called primitive but still holding up, though it would be easier in 2020. — Bill Simmons
Kurt Russell as Mr. Nobody really delivers; a casting what-if is teased that might require paramedics. — Bill Simmons
Jokes note Ramsey being swapped from car to car twice and two head-on Vin Diesel-Statham collisions both men walk away from, cracking their necks. — Bill Simmons
A championship belt of sad songs runs from The Way We Were through Wind Beneath My Wings, Tears in Heaven, Candle in the Wind, I'll Be Missing You, Hallelujah and I Will Remember You, until See You Again took the belt. — Bill Simmons
The reply adds Master P's "I Miss My Homies," recalling a fraternity brother in Omega Delta Phi who died in a car crash after graduation, and says See You Again would make any farewell sad, even Boggs in Shawshank; the Jeff Buckley Hallelujah has a similar effect. — Shea Serrano
Asked for any other pick, the reply names Paul Walker and the other participant agrees, citing the bright, peaceful final shot of him. — Shea Serrano
Walker's earlier films are recalled: the Varsity Blues patio entrance as an introduction for many viewers, She's All That, Joy Ride and Into the Blue; he pulled off the handsome blond guy who is not a jerk, unlike a Johnny Lawrence. — Shea Serrano
1969 Hollywood recreation; music and constant soundtrack; Rick Dalton's house; Brandy the dog; Playboy Mansion; extended cast; the title's misdirection; three-day structure
Rick Dalton's house was for sale and was looked at on Zillow, leading to jokes about moving The Ringer into the Boogie Nights house.
Brandy the dog has aged the best, with a proposed Oscar for best performance by a pet and an Aaron Sorkin War Horse joke. — Bill Simmons
The recreation of 1969 Hollywood is praised, including reconstructed neon signage on Sunset and Hollywood Boulevard, production design and costumes. — Bill Simmons
A story told by Tarantino to a host: scouting Lee Van Cleef's house, he found a giant painting of Van Cleef in the garage, which inspired Rick's portrait in the driveway. — Sean Fennessey
Rick's story of almost getting the McQueen movie and the accumulated fictional works of Rick Dalton are inventive; Tarantino has plotted Rick's 1970s in an interview with Kim Morgan.
The real Playboy Mansion, Polanski dressed like Austin Powers, and two-floor 1960s airplanes with cigarettes are enjoyed. — Bill Simmons
Asked whether he has ever danced on an airplane, the answer is every time he flies. — Bill Simmons
El Coyote has not changed, but its food has not aged the best. — Bill Simmons
The extended cast is a strength, including Madsen, Luke Perry, Pacino, Kurt Russell, Emil Hirsch and Oliphant, with Manson family members played by daughters of famous people.
The title's trick sets the viewer up for nobody dying; on first viewing everyone was expected to be murdered.
The constant radio and TV in the background is relatable; Tarantino is said to have listened to about 16 hours of KHJ broadcasts. The three-day structure is also praised. — Chris Ryan
The closing picks are how the film recreated 1969 Hollywood, and the music and constant soundtrack. — Bill Simmons
The first case is Kurt Russell: the star in one of his best movies, who in the aftermath gets to take ownership of making it so good; a respectful disagreement holds that Russell (transcribed 'Caruso') is the reason it got made and finished but Kilmer is the reason we remember it.
Both cases are called great and it is a tough one; those who did not win are George Cosmatos and Kevin Jarr (as transcribed), though Cosmatos's son Panos Cosmatos is called a great director for this year's Mandy with Nicolas Cage, which is wild.
The closing view: Kurt Russell wins it spiritually for keeping it alive, but Val Kilmer wins the movie as the best one in it; if you know the whole backstory Russell wins, if you are just watching the movie it is Kilmer, and that framing is agreed to.
Does Kevin Costner make this movie better or worse? Would a Kurt Russell reconstruction of Tombstone as the Western Godfather be worth watching? Why does this always happen to Westerns?
Does Kevin Costner make this movie better or worse? In a sense he did make the movie; it cannot be made without Russell, since Costner at that point was in his own head about being an auteur and was too famous, while Russell is the right level of famous; Wyatt Earp is so long because it details his romantic relationships from his teens through law enforcement to Tombstone.
Russell has said he was given all the footage to reconstruct the movie, that the real film is a Western Godfather quite different from what was released, and that he has not done it because he has a life, though while moving he found the hospital scene between Wyatt and Doc that he wrote; whether anyone would want to watch a reconstructed Tombstone is the question.
Interest in director's cuts and reconstructions, like the chronological Godfather and the Apocalypse Now cut, has faded with the home-entertainment market, so it would probably not make money and might be a Netflix eight-episode miniseries instead, though there may not be enough footage; The Other Side of the Wind, reassembled from film found in Slovenia and Paris, is an amazing document but not an amazing movie, and a reconstruction risks feeling like what they wanted without being it; the hosts like Tombstone's messy flaws.
Why does this always happen to Westerns? They are expensive and tough to manage, you easily fall behind with horses, weather and the elements, and nobody makes a fast Western; it always has to be sprawling.
