COUNT IT UP
Movies From 0 to 50 in Less Than 5 Minutes – ROUND THREE!
Article by Matteo Molinari
0: Question marks in the title WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (USA 1988).
1: Shooting days in New York for the New York-set thriller PHONE BOOTH (USA 2003). [NOTE: The rest of the movie was shot in downtown Los Angeles]
2: Bee stings actor Tony Todd suffered while holding 200 bees in his mouth for the seduction scene in CANDYMAN (USA 1992).
3: Times stuntman Bob Simmons performed his walk in the “gun-barrel shot” at the beginning of 007’s movies before Sean Connery decided to do that with no stunt double.
4: Trained snow owls who played Hedwig in HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (USA 2004).
5: Release dates set and then moved for John McTiernan’s ROLLERBALL (USA 2002): May 18, July 13, August 1, August 17 of 2001; finally, the movie opened on February 8, 2002. [NOTE: reportedly the budget was $70 million; the movie’s gross was $18.99 million]
6: White rats with black eyes trained by Animal Stunt Coordinator Boone Narr to play Socrates in WILLARD (USA 2003).
7: James Bond’s movies where 007 walks into the gun-barrel logo wearing a hat (the hat was dropped with the arrival of Roger Moore).
8: Technicians who were hiding underneath a desk and were blowing the five “furballs” – representing new Mogwais – during one of the most memorable scenes of GREMLINS (USA 1984).
9: Days director Don Siegel worked to complete DEATH OF A GUNFIGHTER (USA 1969) after star Richard Widmark complained about the director, Robert Totten – and consequent removal of Totten from the project. [NOTE: This “lost paternity incident” was the sparkle that triggered the creation of fictional director Alan Smithee]
10: Hours make-up artist Gordon Bau and his eight assistants needed to paint Rod Steiger’s torso for THE ILLUSTRATED MAN (USA 1969). They needed another day to complete the job (legs, arms, hands…).
11: Months spent editing NATURAL BORN KILLERS (USA 1994), to tone it down to get an “R” rating rather than an “NC-17.”
12: Years of difference between Sean Connery and Harrison Ford – they played father and son in INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (USA 1989).
13: Chimes the clock strikes at midnight in the opening of Mel Brooks’ YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (USA 1973).
14: Width and depth of the set built and used for CUBE (Can 1997).
15: Actual locations where THE WOMAN IN BLACK (UK/Canada/Sweden 2012) was shot. They all portray one single place.
16: Hours of material taped by Robin Williams as the Genie for Disney’s ALADDIN (USA 1993).
17: Judy Garland’s age when she was cast as 9-year-old Dorothy in THE WIZARD OF OZ (USA 1939)
18: Years between THE BLUES BROTHERS (USA 1980) and its sequel, BLUES BROTHERS 2000 (USA 1998). [NOTE: with the sole exception of John Belushi, Cab Calloway and John Candy, all the main roles feature the same actors in both movies]
19: Takes required to perfectly time the opening of an umbrella and the removal of a towel by Jennifer Garner and Samuel Ball in 13 GOING ON 30 (USA 2004).
20: “Car thumpers” built to lift and drop cars along the streets to simulate the arrival of GODZILLA (USA 1998).
21: Different costumes worn by Melanie Hamilton in GONE WITH THE WIND (USA 1939).
22: Years between George Romero’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (USA 1968) and its remake, Tom Savini’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (USA 1990). Bill Cardille plays a reporter in both movies.
23: Year-gap between two on-screen collaborations of actress Sigourney Weaver and director James Cameron: they worked together in ALIENS (USA / UK 1986) and then again in AVATAR (USA / UK 2009).
24: Suits created for the character title in SPIDER-MAN (USA 2002).
25: Years between the first UK ban of Tobe Hooper’s THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE (USA 1974) and its actual first “uncut” theatrical release, in 1999. [NOTE: the movie has been banned by the British censors in 1975, in 1977, and in 1984]
26: Takes required by Woody Allen on the set of RADIO DAYS (USA 1987) for the scene where Mia Farrow (Sally White) explains how she became an actress. [NOTE: 19 of the takes were printed]
27: Years of “vacation” Mae West took between THE HEAT’S ON (USA 1943) and MYRA BRECKINRIDGE (USA 1970). [NOTE: In totally unrelated news, Myra Breckinridge marks Tom Selleck’s movie debut]
28: Squibs actor Kane Hodder (Jason Voorhees) wore for one scene in JASON X (USA 2002) where he gets riddled by bullets. He had almost 150 pounds of gunpowder strapped to his body.
29: Years between Michael Caine’s GET CARTER (UK 1971) and its remake, Sylvester Stallone’s GET CARTER (USA 2000), in which Michael Caine has a cameo.
30: Weight in pounds of the battery John Candy had to wear to supply the power for his canine ears in Mel Brooks’ SPACEBALLS (USA 1987). The ears were moved by two technicians.
31: Products placed in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s TOTAL RECALL (USA 1989).
32: Different shots (filmed separately) composed into one for the last shot of Alfred Hitchcock’s THE BIRDS (USA 1963).
33: Minutes after the beginning that the Titanic hits the iceberg in A NIGHT TO REMEMBER (UK 1958).
34: Times Bill Murray (Phil Connors) relives February the 2nd in GROUNDHOG DAY (USA 1993).
35: Red-and-blue suits made for SPIDER-MAN 2 (USA 2004).
36: Thousands of extras in METROPOLIS (Ger 1927).
37: Years between the Walt Disney production THE PARENT TRAP (USA 1961) and its remake, still from Disney Studios, THE PARENT TRAP (USA 1998). Joanna Barnes appears in both version, first as Vicky, the wicked girl, then as Vicky, the mother of the wicked girl. Also the song “Let’s Get Together” appears in both movies.
38: Times you hear “I do believe in fairies! I do! I do!” in PETER PAN (USA 2003).
39: Attempted killings perpetrated in INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (USA 1984), according to the America’s National Coalition on Television Violence.
40: Dancers and gymnasts made into werewolves by Michael McCracen, Jr., for the hallucination in Stephen King’s SILVER BULLET (USA 1985). To date, it’s the largest assembly of lycanthropes ever seen on screen – and it starts as a funeral congregation.
41: Swearwords that are not “fu*k” in GOODFELLAS (USA 1990).
42: Years of George Burns’ “temporary retirement” from the big screen. His leave of absence started with MANY HAPPY RETURNS (USA 1934) and ended with THE SUNSHINE BOYS (USA 1976).
43: Years between Universal Studios’ victory for an Oscar for Best Picture, for ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (USA 1930), and its next Oscar for Best Picture victory, for THE STING (USA 1973).
44: Rooms of the mansion silent film comedian Harold Lloyd’s estate donated to be used as a museum. The museum was never made, but you can see the Beverly Hills mansion (as Roman World) in WESTWORLD (USA 1973).
45: Pairs of shoes worn by Madonna in EVITA (USA 1996).
46: Cossock coats made for Neo and sent to Australia for the back-to-back shooting of THE MATRIX: RELOADED (USA 2003) and THE MATRIX: REVOLUTIONS (USA 2003).
47: Millions of dollars earned by the first release of Mel Brooks’ BLAZING SADDLES (USA 1974), which added to the $60+ millions earned in subsequent releases, made it one of the most profitable Western movies ever.
48: Length in hours of THE LONGEST MOST MEANINGLESS MOVIE IN THE WORLD (UK 1970). It premiered at its intended length, but was quickly re-released in a more suitable 1 1/2 hour version.
49: Years between Walt Disney’s PETER PAN (USA 1953) and its sequel (originally planned as a direct-to-video film, but actually released theatrically), RETURN TO NEVER LAND (USA 2002).
50: Thousand of dollars Mad Magazine’s Bill Gaines paid to have all the references of his magazine deleted from the dreadful Robert Downey Sr.’s movie UP THE ACADEMY (USA 1980) — formerly MAD MAGAZINE PRESENTS UP THE ACADEMY.
[…it shall go on…]
