#108 - "InnerSpace" (1987) with Nicholas Pepin (from "Pop Culture Roulette" Podcast) and Ben Carpenter

Attendees: Ben Carpenter, nicholas pepin, Timothy Williams

This transcript of the unedited full episode recording was computer generated and might contain errors. 

Timothy Williams: Shrinking someone down in order to inject them into someone else is an absurd movie concept producer Steven Spielberg and director Joe Dante knew this. So rather than maintain the Bland seriousness of 1966's Fantastic Voyage. They decided to have some fun with it and made a better movie because of it Lieutenant took Pendleton a daring Navy pilot volunteers for a miniaturization experiment that becomes hijacked by industrial spies. The accidentally injected into the body of a hypochondriac grocery clerk named Jack butter inside Jack's body tuck must navigate through his host bloodstream to survive and eventually reverse the process with the help of Tuck's girlfriend Lydia. The tree will get tangled up and Technology the trio get tangled up and technological Espionage Senate to defeat some inept and unlikely arms dealers. So get ready to shrink down laugh it up and twist the night away as Ben Carpenter Nicholas Pepin and I discuss Innerspace from 1987 on this episode.

Timothy Williams: note of the 80s click flashback podcast to me words too many words Think I got it though.

nicholas pepin: Okay.

Timothy Williams: I did have one extra word. I'm glad I didn't. All Here We are doing Innerspace, right?

Ben Carpenter: I didn't watch Innerspace.

nicholas pepin: I sure hope that's what we're doing because that's what I want.

Timothy Williams: I welcome everybody. So glad to have you on this episode of the 80s flick flashback podcast all the time, but we've got a good one tonight. I'm looking forward to this recording. This is a great movie one. I've been wanting to rewatch for a while and glad I did it and glad I get to talk about it with two special guest host back again. They were so good on the natural. I brought them back for this one too. Welcome back to the show Nicholas Pepin and Ben Carpenter. How you guys doing? good,…

nicholas pepin: Audi

Ben Carpenter: Doing well.

Timothy Williams: of course Nicholas is from pop culture roulette podcast always good to have him on the show and Ben Carpenter's one of our newest guest hosts who I met doing a play here in our little town and he's A thespian as well as well. We try to beat the spins, but Community Theater we do weekend, but yeah.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, we get by.

Timothy Williams: But let's jump in. Let's see Nicholas. When did you see Innerspace for the very first time?

nicholas pepin: I have vague Recollections of renting this one back when it came out. And then this is one of those that I'm sure we'll say this repeatedly throughout I'm disappointed that it's not more readily available and…

Timothy Williams: Yeah. Yeah.

nicholas pepin: easier to find. it's a really fun rewatch.

Timothy Williams: Mm- Yeah, I agree. What about you Ben?

Ben Carpenter: I know I saw it in the theater. I don't have any strong memories of seeing it. I mean, I know I loved it as a kid and…

Timothy Williams: Mm-hmm

Ben Carpenter: watched it, over and over again on VHS probably. for A few years after it came out and then haven't seen it since then. So yeah, it was cool to watch it for the first time and…

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

Ben Carpenter: probably 35 years. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Yeah. Our answer that question let Nicholas how long has it been through you watched it. Has it been. Yeah.

nicholas pepin: I probably about the same and I had to cash in some points and buy it on Amazon just to watch it rather than Because I know nobody can stream it.

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

nicholas pepin: That's a shame because it I said,…

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

nicholas pepin: it's a lot of fun. I mean is it we'll get there.

Timothy Williams: so this is one that I do remember seeing in the theater pretty sure I saw it in the theater because I think I remember just being so enamored with the special effects, of course, it looks kind of cheesy now but back then that was pretty high-tech stuff. how would they make it look like he's floating through the bloodstream and the whole inside of the body stuff was really kind of Mind blowing for me as a kid, but this is one that I'm like you I think I rented this a bunch. I don't remember seeing it on cable as much but I think I'm renting it several times to rewatch it. But just like you guys I can't even tell you the last time I watched this. I don't know when it was on cable last like you said, it's not on the streaming services. I think it was on max.

00:05:00

Timothy Williams: When HBO Max first started because I think that's what kind of brought it back to my memories.

nicholas pepin: 

Timothy Williams: I want to see Innerspace again, but I didn't watch it level streaming there. But you had I went ahead and bought the copy on but Voodoo Fandango at home because it was either four books to rent or nine books to buy and I was like, I'll spend extra couple bucks to have it because I already knew was gonna be one that I'm gonna watch again even watching it for the podcast.

nicholas pepin: no plot holes as big as the eye can see.

Timothy Williams: It's like I can't wait to watch this again in a couple weeks …

Ben Carpenter: right

Timothy Williams: give us some time but it's really enjoyable and…

Ben Carpenter: Right, but just a yeah,…

Timothy Williams: maybe it's a lot of the Nostalgia of it and it is ridiculous and it's silly…

Ben Carpenter: just the quintessential popcorn flick just very fun. No.

Timothy Williams: but it's so much fun. And that's what I think I'll…

nicholas pepin: 

Timothy Williams: what I remembered about it and appreciate about it is that it was just But it was like,…

nicholas pepin: Martin Short doing what Martin Short does best

Timothy Williams: summer. Movies from the 80s that you just enjoyed for the heck of it it was just a fun movie to watch we didn't have to think too hard, logic is not part of this story,

Timothy Williams: Yeah, there are a few I was like wait a minute. Why did I not see this when I was 12, but yeah.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, exactly.

nicholas pepin: Yes. Yeah,…

Timothy Williams: Exactly exactly.

nicholas pepin: I am aware of it. It's another one that's really hard to hunt down.

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

nicholas pepin: So I didn't…

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

nicholas pepin: because I barely had time to watch this…

Timothy Williams: Yeah, and then it was yeah. All…

nicholas pepin: but man…

Timothy Williams: Let's get into it. So let's talk about story origin and pre-production. I thought something once again another movie that I did not realize was you wouldn't call this on a remake.

nicholas pepin: who was Raquel Welch and there was some relatively famous people in fantastic boys,…

Timothy Williams: It's more of a reimagining of another movie that had come out before it in 1966 Fantastic Voyage,…

nicholas pepin: it was kind of a movie ahead of its time. I'm sure now much like most of the 80s ones,…

Timothy Williams: which I had to look up because I know I've heard the name,…

nicholas pepin: would look quaint…

Timothy Williams: but do you guys know…

nicholas pepin: but I think this one actually like…

Timothy Williams: what Fantastic Voyage was Ben shaking said, okay.

nicholas pepin: because the most of it was practical kind of holds up.

Ben Carpenter: I thought some of the effects. I would be impressed by them in a movie today.

Timothy Williams: Mm-hmm

Ben Carpenter: But yeah, I think I may have watched Fantastic Voyage probably because of seeing Innerspace.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, it does you don't see that.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, I think I loved Innerspace and…

Timothy Williams: Some of the special effects don't look as dated as other special effects to an 80s movies for sure.

Ben Carpenter: wanted to see another movie like that and maybe one time at Blockbuster grabbed a copy of Fantastic Voyage and watch that.

Ben Carpenter: You're right. I didn't have to ask it encounter.

Timothy Williams: Yeah. yeah for sure. yeah.

nicholas pepin: You aren't hanging by the returns on what you got there. He just returned it.

Ben Carpenter: right

nicholas pepin: He just returned it. can you?

Timothy Williams: really? Okay.

Ben Carpenter: the real way to do it is hang out outside the store and catch the people walking up to return them. And then you ask him what they got before they even put it in the slot to go in this. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: I'm sure that one wasn't hard to catch in the store. it wasn't always read it on a Friday night. Yeah. Hey you got another copy of fantastic, which Yeah, yeah.

Timothy Williams: Can you go scan it in good scanning on first in line? Yeah. still in

Timothy Williams: the bag

Timothy Williams: That's much smarter. But yeah, so Fantastic Voyage for what I read. I haven't seen it but I think it's like a scientist or a doctor that has a blood clot. And so they shrink down a submarine to inject into his bloodstream to try to stop the blood clot is what the brief synopsis of what I read which I was like, that's I mean, 87 the sound of ludicrous and 66 it was probably even more Fantastical that was something that was possible but

Timothy Williams: All right. There's something to pre-- Let's start talking about the surgeon or pre-production. So Innerspace was originally meant to be a serious spy movie when Dante first heard about it Joe Dante the director that is but he said he wasn't interested in directing it Warner Brothers at one point even thought about making it to a movie about a crew exploring the human body and Dante said he didn't have the heart to tell the executives there was already a movie about the subject which was called Fantastic Voyage. But then a Jeffrey bollum who had later write the screenplay for Indiana Jones and Last Crusade rewrote the script and turned it into a comedy boom described his script to Dante as Dean Martin being shrunk and then put into Jerry Lewis and this got Dante interested in making the movie The only thing was Steven Spielberg's production company. Amblin entertainment was already making the movie and Spielberg wanted his Protege Roberts emekas to direct it some Mecca…

00:10:00

nicholas pepin: Yeah, I mean, that's it. I've got to imagine that's the system you want to make a film under?

Timothy Williams: however decided he didn't want to direct and Dante said it was inherited to him as a result. Dante also said Spielberg would protect him from the studio and sometimes from other producers. He said it was a very filmmaker friendly atmosphere at amblin entertainment.

nicholas pepin: because I mean I think we've done a couple episodes or…

Timothy Williams: You got all the best equipment all the best people and…

nicholas pepin: yeah, I know you've done a couple episodes where the other side of the token of just a horror show of the studio interfering and…

Timothy Williams: all the toys you wanted to play with plus you had somebody on your side who was also a filmmaker and then exactly what you were talking about when you had a problem or you had to ask a question.

Timothy Williams: 

nicholas pepin: cutting budgets and…

nicholas pepin: changing scripts and

Timothy Williams: So that was pretty cool.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, yeah. And of course Dante had worked with Spielberg previously with Gremlins. So this wasn't their first collaboration of director and producer. so

nicholas pepin: There's that whole rumor about Poltergeist

Timothy Williams: yeah interference. Yeah.

Ben Carpenter: Right. Yeah. I was just gonna say you could always tell even in the 80s like you could tell…

Timothy Williams: Yeah. We've also talked about how even when Steven Spielberg is the quote unquote producer.

Ben Carpenter: what was a Spielberg movie produced movie.

Timothy Williams: He's kind of the director he'll find his way into the set and…

Ben Carpenter: And what was and a Spielberg produced movie as opposed to directing even…

Timothy Williams: Film some things or…

Ben Carpenter: if it hadn't somebody else's name on it.

Timothy Williams: talk to the actors and stuff. So I know it's that way with Gremlins.

Ben Carpenter: I always kind of wondered was that the director trying to emulate Spielberg with the camera placements and…

Timothy Williams: Maybe he wasn't his Hands- on this one because he'd worked with Dante before but I know that's kind of his Mo in some of the things he's produced.

Ben Carpenter: the camera movement because a lot of that is this same kind of style or if it was Spielberg on the set kind of going.

Timothy Williams: Yeah. yeah. That was double.

Ben Carpenter: Hey, why don't you put the camera right here instead of there,…

Timothy Williams: Yeah good.

Ben Carpenter: yeah.

Timothy Williams: Mmm Yeah

Timothy Williams: Right right. Try this. Yeah. Yeah, I could see it being probably a little bit of both, but I could see I just think Steven Spielberg is probably one of those guys just he likes to be Hands-On. I think it's hard for him to be kind of, hands off and in the background kind of watching but also depends on if he's working with other projects as well because I think he's talking about some he's been in where he wasn't there for all the family…

Ben Carpenter: 

Ben Carpenter: The special effects…

Timothy Williams: because he was working on another project at the same time.

Ben Carpenter: where we talked more about that later or…

Timothy Williams: But his …

Ben Carpenter: is this a good time to jump in on that?

Timothy Williams: he's definitely has his feel to it for sure. All…

Ben Carpenter: Okay. What?

Timothy Williams: so anything else about the pre-production there's a whole lot.

Ben Carpenter: Okay.

Timothy Williams: I mean, I don't want to say this is a forgotten 80s flick…

Ben Carpenter: That's fine.

Timothy Williams: because I don't really consider it that way but there wasn't a whole lot of information about the making of it that I could really find so it didn't have a whole lot for me to dig into but

Ben Carpenter: One thing I did look up after we watched it. I watched it with a couple of my kids and afterwards I just looked up too to see…

Timothy Williams: I'll go ahead if you got something I would like about their families coming in.

Ben Carpenter: what I could find about it and I found an interview with Joe Dante about the special effects and…

Timothy Williams: Let me pause. Before you get going and…

Ben Carpenter: and a couple of other things about most of…

Timothy Williams: have to stop you mention it so.

Ben Carpenter: what I found was about the special effects, and I didn't realize that the Oscar for best special effects and…

Timothy Williams: Okay. Y'all good? Okay.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, like you said a lot of it is practical and…

Timothy Williams: All right,…

Ben Carpenter: a lot of it holds up really?

Timothy Williams: I go ahead then.

Ben Carpenter: I think The face transformation scenes.

Timothy Williams: mmm

Ben Carpenter: I'm was watching that and I wasn't sure how they did that. and I

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

Ben Carpenter: right

Timothy Williams: Yeah. Yep.

Ben Carpenter: yeah, yeah, but

Timothy Williams: Yes, yes.

Ben Carpenter: yeah, yeah, okay.

Timothy Williams: It was animatronics I think is what I read. it wasn't I think the initial when Martin Short's his face is blown up. I think they're just blowing air into his cheeks to make them blow up like that. But in the whole thing when he's transforming when he's coming through going from the beginning the cowboy back to utter that…

Ben Carpenter: right That's all other podcast.

00:15:00

Timothy Williams: where it's shaking back and forth. They said that was animatronics that they just sped up. So to make it look really fast. But yeah, one of my favorite scenes in the movie with an old get into But yeah, I didn't put a whole lot of about the special thing. I tend not to because I mean another maybe one or two but things that are very special effects heavy. I usually don't put a whole lot into The notes because we'll spend the whole episode talking about special effects. but anything you have. Yeah. Yeah anything that you want to add,…

Ben Carpenter: right

Timothy Williams: feel free to throw it in there something but I mean would you like said the Practical effects?

Ben Carpenter: Another challenge to remaking it today and…

Timothy Williams: I think really make it stand out once again…

Ben Carpenter: asked my kids this too after we watched it was like…

Timothy Williams: if this was a remade today, which I don't want to see this remade.

Ben Carpenter: who would play The Martin Short part today?

Ben Carpenter: I don't think we have anybody like that a really great physical comedian sort of nerdy looking.

Timothy Williams: It would be so CGI heavy that it would become. almost like a cartoon I was watching a current movie the other day with some special effects,…

Ben Carpenter: I can't think of an equivalent to him.

Timothy Williams: and I'm like just make it animated.

Ben Carpenter: That's working today,…

Timothy Williams: You have to do so much to try to make it look.

Ben Carpenter: but the other roles are pretty easy to you could think of you…

Timothy Williams: It's so CGI that it doesn't look real anymore.

Ben Carpenter: a dozen people…

Timothy Williams: So it's like just go ahead and…

Ben Carpenter: who could play the other roles, but I think Martin Short's sort of irreplaceable in this

Timothy Williams: animate it and we'll just watch animated. So

Timothy Williams: Mm-hmm

Ben Carpenter: Mm-hmm

Ben Carpenter: right

Timothy Williams: Yeah, yeah, you're right.

Timothy Williams: Yeah physical.

Timothy Williams: right Mm- Yeah, there's not a whole lot of good physical comedians.

Ben Carpenter: You'll just yell out the name for no reason, okay?

Timothy Williams: It's not so much slapstick because that's not what this is. But just the flags of the physicality. I think the last great physical comic we probably had was Jim Carrey that off the charts, of course, he's study behind Jerry Lewis, so it's evident to see that.

Timothy Williams: I know what you got Nicholas you got you kind of Journal.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, I might be the closest.

Timothy Williams: Yeah. Yeah,…

Ben Carpenter: right

Timothy Williams: that's it. Yeah. The only person I would think and…

Ben Carpenter: okay. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: I'm not. once again, why doesn't need to be remade the only person that would see probably I could see Hollywood wanted to put in that would be like Kevin Hart and…

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, I like that.

Timothy Williams: I'm only saying that because he's small he's short. He's Stout, he's not the most handsome person, he's kind of got that kind of beat off off the wall kind of personality, but he's not a physical comedian, so I don't know how if that would translate as well.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, that's not a bad idea. I could see Charlie Day in that's a good That's a good pool. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: No, I don't want to do that. Let's talk about this one first. Yeah, let's talk with this. maybe a mini episode down the line. But yeah. All right. let's jump into casting. So we're talking about somewhat casting the funny thing is the main three I've actually discussed another episode,…

Ben Carpenter: said John 3D was his Peak so that he was I guess at least on the road to recovery here.

Timothy Williams: but we'll still go to a brief talk about other movies.

Ben Carpenter: right

Timothy Williams: They've been part of being Other movies they've been involved with the first one. Of course Dennis Quaid as Lieutenant tuck Pendleton and Ben and I just talked about Dennis Quaid last month with jaws 3D another solid performance from Good Old Quaid. Hopefully, he wasn't as high on cocaine and this movie as he was in Jaws 3D, but that was a speaker.

Timothy Williams: He doesn't remember filming Jaws 3. That's how bad it was anyway. But Quaid is known for a starring roles and Breakaway and 79 The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia and 81 the right stuff and 83 jaws 3D and 83 The Big Easy and 86 Great Balls of Fire and 89 Dragonheart. 1996. The Parent Trap remake in 98 Any Given Sunday at 99 frequency in 2000 the rookie in 2002 in the day after tomorrow in 2004. Just the name a few because he's been in a ton of movies. But I said Quaid's role was originally envisioned to be played by an older character,…

nicholas pepin: Yeah, I don't. Know what to work with those two.

Timothy Williams: but then they decided to make the character younger and…

Timothy Williams: I did read somewhere that when they first started the script.

nicholas pepin: it might work with Michael J fox, but

Timothy Williams: that They wanted it.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah. right

Timothy Williams: They were trying to get Arnold Schwarzenegger and Michael J fox for the two lead roles. Like Michael J fox being inserted into sports a n*****.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, I don't…

Ben Carpenter: I've always really liked him. I can't think of what's my favorite Dennis Quaid role.

Timothy Williams: But that Schwarzenegger want to do something more straight up comedy.

Timothy Williams: Because this was action comedy he didn't want to do it and Michael J fox was just like no.

Ben Carpenter: I mean Growing up. It may have been this one. He's got that Swagger and just a cool guy.

00:20:00

Timothy Williams: Yeah, it would.

Ben Carpenter: I mean other than Being apparently a functioning alcoholic.

Timothy Williams: It would have been a very different movie for sure.

Ben Carpenter: He's just a cool guy and I don't know as a kid.

Timothy Williams: Favorite Dennis Quaid rolls.

Ben Carpenter: I like to watch him on screen a lot.

Timothy Williams: I don't know if I asked you that last episode Ben but

Ben Carpenter: Back then probably this movie was my favorite, Dennis Quaid movie.

nicholas pepin: I don't know. I mean he's just in so much stuff. It's so hard to say. What is my mean, I really like the rookie like I mean I am but I'm a huge baseball fan and…

Timothy Williams: Right, right. Yeah.

nicholas pepin: that one is really good, but he's in so much. for me to say there's no one rule that I think he's not been pigeonholed like certain other actors have been

Timothy Williams: right

Timothy Williams: Yeah, I can see that. What about you Nicholas?

Timothy Williams: Yeah good baseball movie.

Timothy Williams: 

Timothy Williams: Yeah, I'll just say that he's kind of like a lot like Kurt Russell where he's been in so many different things but you kind of forget because he doesn't always play the same character he's very like to transform himself into the character. characters he plays so sometimes it's hard to remember all the movies has been in because I just don't recognize him, but you forget of how many movies he's been in but I would say for the 80s this might have been my favorite of his but it was kind of right in his Heyday of when he was kind of like becoming the big star so

Timothy Williams: Yeah, and then we'll talk about Martin Short. He has starred in comedy films such as Three Amigos and 86 which we've covered on the podcast Three Fugitives and 89 father the bride in 91 Captain Ron and 92 Clifford and 94 Mars Attacks in 96 jungle to Jungle 97 and the Santa Claus three the Escape clause in 2006. Of course leaving out a bunch of movies as well. But yeah, we talked about him in our Three Amigos episode a few years ago.

Timothy Williams: I know was his first collaboration with I guess it would be able to following year. Yeah.

nicholas pepin: Really like him on only murders in the building. but I mean when I think Martin Short,…

Timothy Williams: Yeah, exactly. Yeah. He brought along some of his SCTV friends in this…

nicholas pepin: I think Dusty from Three Amigos

Ben Carpenter: mmm

Timothy Williams: We'll talk about that as we get down the line but

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, he was in Father the bride right as The Wedding Planner or…

Timothy Williams: Yes, he did. Yeah dancing scene for sure. Yeah. Yeah.

Ben Carpenter: something. I remember really liking that.

Timothy Williams: Yeah. Favorite Martin Short movie.

Ben Carpenter: I haven't seen that one in a long long time either though.

Timothy Williams: We'll just get these first three.

Ben Carpenter: But yeah, I think it's tough to What was his name Ned niederlander? And Three Amigos. Yeah.

nicholas pepin: yeah, Dusty was Chevy Chase. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: There's a building. Yeah, yeah.

Timothy Williams: about you Ben

Ben Carpenter: I heard the way you said the name of that movie. I was like, Jim must like Captain Ron love.

Timothy Williams: Yep. Yes, yeah.

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Three meters. Yeah, Dusty Williams Dusty bottoms. Yeah. Yeah, I have a sweet spot for Captain Ron. I don't know why that movie just makes me laugh Tim and Kurt Russell. Yeah.

nicholas pepin: So good.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, Captain Ron is just funny and it's funny because that was when I remember seeing at the theater and really liking and I watched a bunch of times on cable. I probably had it recorded on VHS and then it was on one of the streamers to maybe two or three years ago. I was like I want to watch I'll rewatch that. I laughed I enjoyed it so much. It was such a fun rewatch. So I think that's because because it still held on to being a really funny Moon. Of course, you got to give it to Kurt Russell's playing that kind of that role too, but the two of them together was just really funny. so that one's on there all I love them and Father of the Bride three Migos of course is great. But yeah, he's just one of those actors that just everything he does is great or he's great and everything he does and watching him and Steve Martin if you haven't watched their special on Netflix of their little it's awesome. they're so great together. Which is why they're so good on only murders in the building too for sure.

00:25:00

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, for sure. Yeah.

nicholas pepin: She doesn't really do the kind of movies that I enjoy watching.

nicholas pepin: 

nicholas pepin: So I guess I mean I have to put I guess Top Gun this one or I was looking through the list…

Timothy Williams: All right, and then we'll round out the lead cast with Meg Ryan as Lydia Maxwell.

nicholas pepin: because I knew this question is becoming just second ago and I saw that she did that John Candy movie armed in dangerous.

Timothy Williams: She made her acting debut in 1981 in the drama film rich and famous. She then joined the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in 1982 and the 80s. She appeared in Top Gun and 87 as well as promised land and the Rob Reiner director romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally in 89 for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination in the 90s and 2000s. She appeared in Joe Versus the Volcano in 1990 the doors in 91 Sleepless in Seattle When a Man Loves a Woman in 94 French kiss in 95 courage Under Fire and 96 and a station 97 addicted 1197. You've got male in 98 City of Angels in 98 Proof of Life in 2000 Kate and Leopold in 2001 and the women in 2008. Can do it all in one breath. I tried.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, she really hit her Heyday was the 90s. I mean was she was America's sweetheart. mean You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle movies for Even Joe Versus the Volcano. She's really good in that with Tom Hanks, but we covered her and Top Gun as well as my Harry Met Sally which is When Harry Met Sally it's one of my all-time favorite romantic comedy movies for sure.

Timothy Williams: All I guess last a favorite Meg Ryan movie. Come on. We can't just talk about the guys talk about the ladies, too.

Timothy Williams: I just give me a stretch for Nicholas.

Timothy Williams: yeah. Yeah, that's one Reverse movies, too. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: No moves with Nicholas age,…

Ben Carpenter: wow, so everybody

nicholas pepin: so big basically So either up and…

Timothy Williams: City of Angels wasn't hurting a cage.

nicholas pepin: coming or just recently established actors in that time. They thought about all right. Although I mean with Steven Spielberg and…

Timothy Williams: Yeah. right…

nicholas pepin: joeball, Joe tonti's name attached to it.

Timothy Williams: if you listen to the pop culture roulette podcast,…

nicholas pepin: I can see them very easily getting any of them.

Timothy Williams: why nicholas' cage is a theme and a subject that is often talked about so

nicholas pepin: right

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, for sure. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, you might be pleasantly Alright, so I didn't have many on this one. But this is I call the rumor section…

nicholas pepin: mmm

Timothy Williams: where we go through a list of people listed on IMDb that they claim. Were considered to play Lydia.

Ben Carpenter: I loved him.

nicholas pepin: Yeah, you and…

Timothy Williams: Here we go. Jodie Foster Michelle Pfeiffer Karen Allen Beverly D'Angelo Sigourney Weaver,…

nicholas pepin: I talked about that one.

Timothy Williams: Jamie Lee Curtis, Mary Elizabeth Master Antonio, Linda Hamilton Renee Russo, Julia Roberts Elizabeth Shoe, Claudia Wells Angelica, Houston. Amy Madigan Sean Young Ally Sheedy Molly Ringwald Demi Moore and…

nicholas pepin: Okay.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, my wife actually walked in the room and…

Timothy Williams: Madeline Stowe

Ben Carpenter: that was the question. She asked me is this the movie they met on and…

Timothy Williams: Right, like anybody that was an actress in 1987 is on this list.

Ben Carpenter: I was like, I don't know I had forgotten that they were ever married so Yeah.

00:30:00

Timothy Williams: established. right

Timothy Williams: Mm-hmm

Timothy Williams: Yeah. yeah. Or then wanting to be a part of it, I would think. so I think would have been right for the role in my opinion. none of them stand up I can see her in that I don't see anybody else's wrong. Not that she has a whole lot to do in the movie necessarily but she does have some key scenes. but another fun fact Amy Irving who was married to Steven Spielberg at the time when he showed her the script. She desperately wanted to play the role of Lydia but didn't get it. So it's probably a good thing. Maybe he learned his lesson after.

nicholas pepin: haha

Timothy Williams: Indiana Jones in the Last Crusade And how much Crusade Temple of Doom with eight capsule?

nicholas pepin: As soon as I saw was it's RJ.

Timothy Williams: And then those of you don't know Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan met on the set of this film and dated the later. They let it that they later married on February 14th 1991, but divorced in 2001 after she allegedly had an affair.

Timothy Williams: Sad sad sad. Maybe

Ben Carpenter: on Just one of the notes I took was I loved the way he told the dog to never bag.

Timothy Williams: yeah, yeah.

Timothy Williams: I couldn't remember if they did any other movies after this together. Maybe they didn't but I remembered them.

Ben Carpenter: No bag never bag.

Timothy Williams: I remember them in this and…

Timothy Williams: remember them dating,…

Ben Carpenter: Yeah. But yeah,…

Timothy Williams: the rumors with them. I was a big Entertainment Tonight you were in my high school year so our middle school and…

Ben Carpenter: he was great another kind of example of I feel like he was a serious actor at some point,…

Timothy Williams: high school years. So maybe that's where I read about it.

Ben Carpenter: right and sort of like a Leslie Nielsen kind of career Ark from serious to just being silly and…

Timothy Williams: But there we go. That's our top three. So now we're jumping to some of the supporting characters.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, that works a lot sometimes with those actors that don't look like they would be participating in all this nonsense, but they do and it's funny. yeah.

Timothy Williams: And there are a lot but I did very brief mentions here. So first we've got Kevin McCarthy as Victor scrimshaw. One of the arms dealers McCarthy is one of four actors. That's Dick Miller Belinda balaski and Robert Ricardo often cast by director. Joe Dante McCarthy's most notable role in Dante's films was in this movie. He was also in Dante's movie matinee in 1993. Are you going Nicholas in 1988? He played RJ Fletcher the antagonistic television station owner competing with Weird Al Yankovic George Newman in the film F.

Timothy Williams: this is why Nicholas want to do this movie could just so we can have a connection to F.

Ben Carpenter: It was Safeway. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: it'll get there. We're gonna get there. But yeah, Kevin McCarthy, you look familiar. I mean, of course I know in the most from this movie and UHF for sure but yeah. He's really funny.

Timothy Williams: Any thoughts on him I'll come back to Nicholas.

nicholas pepin: interesting

Timothy Williams: Right, right.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, the character names in this movie. I guess I didn't pick up on him when I was a kid, but scrimshaw canker wormwood just really putter even so just really weird names.

Timothy Williams: Yes, he was early in his career.

nicholas pepin: talk

Timothy Williams: He was more of a serious actor. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Mm-hmm

nicholas pepin: I just know I was just saying talk is there were a lot of strange names in this movie.

Timothy Williams: right

Timothy Williams: Yeah, so he's coming right up.

Timothy Williams: Yeah. it worked. All right, and then has his counterpart Dr. Margaret tanker? We have Fiona Lewis, which I thought she was in were things but she really didn't have much. She's an actress and writer known for this movie The Fearless Vampire Killers in 1967 and…

00:35:00

Ben Carpenter: Here. Yeah, that's weird.

Timothy Williams: the Fury in 78.

Timothy Williams: She actually quit acting after this movie to focus on writing.

Ben Carpenter: This China Beach wasn't like a wacky comedy with weird character names.

Timothy Williams: She did end up doing some minor voice acting work 23 lit.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah. It was dramedy kind of thing. I think my wife really liked it.

Timothy Williams: 23 years later for two animated children shows,…

Ben Carpenter: I know.

Timothy Williams: but nothing after that so Yeah. She was kind of funny. We'll move right along.

Ben Carpenter: Mmm Yeah

Timothy Williams: Another person. I recognized immediately Henry Gibson as Mr. Wormwood Jack Putters Uncle I guess and also I guess the manager of What's the name of the store? Was it a Safe Way?

Ben Carpenter: Yeah. when the cowboy First shows up,…

Timothy Williams: Yeah, I knew it was the brand name of a store.

Ben Carpenter: I think that was one of the first sort of plot holes that hit me over the head because

Timothy Williams: I was familiar with but Henry played roles in the TV sketch comedy series Rowan and Martin's In from 68 to 71. He portrayed country star Haven Hamilton and…

Ben Carpenter: Lydia is like we've got to go follow the cowboy and…

Timothy Williams: Robert Altman's film Nashville,…

Timothy Williams: 1975 and the Illinois Nazi leader in The Blues Brothers in 1980 and…

Ben Carpenter: At the time they didn't know that he had anything to do with…

Ben Carpenter: what was going on.

Timothy Williams: also appeared in The Burbs 89.

Ben Carpenter: They've already established. They have…

Timothy Williams: He was also in the premiere episode of Wonder Woman television show as a Nazi Soldier, so

Ben Carpenter: till 9:00 am the next morning and it's like what are you doing? don't you need to focus on the problem at hand first, then you can follow the cowboy later. But yeah.

Timothy Williams: right Yep putter, it's Yeah, I love when they call me the last name it's utter. so

Ben Carpenter: All right.

Timothy Williams: we're gonna say Nicholas.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, it's just something you had to have in every 80s movie. I think was just a drinking and…

Timothy Williams: yeah. Tuck. Yeah.

Ben Carpenter: dancing scene,

Timothy Williams: Yeah. Trying to keep it as the comedy speaking of strange names just known as the cowboy.

Ben Carpenter: right Yeah.

Timothy Williams: We have Robert picardo. He's best known for playing the cowboy Innerspace also as coach cutlip on The Wonder Years Captain dick, On ABC series China Beach, I don't remember writing this down the doctor on Star Trek Voyager and Richard Woolsey in the Stargate franchise. But why is your name Captain dick Richard didn't just Richard. I mean that doesn't make any sense to me.

Timothy Williams: No, it wasn't it was a drama. Yeah. that Okay. Yeah, I don't think I ever watched a full episode. That was one of my parents watched when I was younger, but it seemed like it was trying to be a new version of mash where was kind of drama and comedy were kind of a show but yeah the cowboy if there's a character from this movie outside of the three that has stuck with me.

Ben Carpenter: Right. Don't be windy.

Timothy Williams: For the you…

Ben Carpenter: Don't be windy.

Timothy Williams: 30 some years since I watched it, it's one of the, just hilarious.

Timothy Williams: yeah.

Timothy Williams: Yeah. right

Timothy Williams: mmm

nicholas pepin: He said I saw that name in the credit something. I know that name where do I know that name from and…

Timothy Williams: Right, right.

nicholas pepin: I looked it up.

nicholas pepin: I was like, that's right.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, speaking of that plot hole…

Timothy Williams: because I'll probably forget later is when putter realizes the tux inside of me the doctor's office and he's like you got to get out here. I've only got 24 hours. We got to leave right now and they rush out they go to Jack's apartment and then drinking dance and feel for 30 minutes. where's the urgency man? what

Timothy Williams: Yeah, yeah.

Timothy Williams: We've got to fit this song in somewhere. Let's just put it right here. so Alright anything else about Picardo? We want to mention any other anything. I mean I mentioned in this filmography that you

Timothy Williams: yeah, yeah. And then as windy. I guess. Checks some what want to be love interest one of my favorite scenes too is her bagging the groceries.

Timothy Williams: Is so funny. my gosh, because I like gamble a gallon of it. It's either milk or gallon of milk or orange juice or something. It was something

Timothy Williams: Yeah. Yeah, Great comedy bit right there. Yeah. I mean my first job was as a Bag Boy so that scene I would think about that when I was bagging groceries about, don't put exactly. She's known for her work and Joe Dante films such as this movie The Burbs and Small Soldiers or other film credits include starring and films such as where the boys are 84 creature going under and Munchies. She had many guest roles and TV series of the mid 80s. Most notably as Marilyn Kelsey and Airwolf. Since 2005 she was primarily worked in voice acting most notably voicing Francine Smith the animated comedy series.

00:40:00

Ben Carpenter: And which one was he?

Timothy Williams: American Dad.

nicholas pepin: no, but

Ben Carpenter: Okay, because yeah, I don't think his character.

nicholas pepin: I mean

Ben Carpenter: He never said anything. Did he?

nicholas pepin: no.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, yeah.

Timothy Williams: Yep. So yeah, she was funny. I mean She has some funny lines within at the wedding.

Ben Carpenter: No, I didn't really recognize him from anything else.

Timothy Williams: She's like I think we should date not exclusively not at first,…

nicholas pepin: He had what?

Timothy Williams: but I think we should date.

Ben Carpenter: okay.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, so How long you've been living this double life?

nicholas pepin: he had someone familiar face much like everybody who's not the main three cast members.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, she was so funny.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, she was good.

Ben Carpenter: right

Timothy Williams: All right moving right along Harold Sylvester as Pete Blanchard Sylvester is known for his role in the TV series Married with Children as Griff the co-worker and friend of Al Bundy at the shoe store is better known film roles or in supporting roles and An Officer and a Gentleman in 82, which we've covered Uncommon Valor in 83 and Karina in 1984. He was actually a contract player for Universal Studios, but he was good as the friend of Tuck that Kind of comes in a few times and helps them. but I recognize to immediately probably from

Ben Carpenter: yeah, yeah. right

nicholas pepin: But yeah, I love that. He literal handgun.

Timothy Williams: Uncommon Valor and Officer and a Gentleman And then I saw the name and I was like, I saw his face and…

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, the kids sees them shoot the guy with it and…

Timothy Williams: I was like this guy looks familiar.

Ben Carpenter: then you just blows the smoke. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Who is he and then when the credits rolled I saw the name Vernon Wells as Mr. I go ego I go. I don't know why I said He's an Australian character actor. He began appearing in Australian television shows in the mid 70s such as homicide Matlock police and all the rivers run. He's best known for his role as well as in the 1981 movie Mad Max 2 The Road Warrior and Bennett in the military action film Commando and Mad Max 2. He began appearing in Hollywood films such as science fiction comedies Weird Science and 85 or basically just plays Wes again, and of course Innerspace and the 2000 accident television series Power Rangers Time Force portraying the series. Villain Rancic.

Timothy Williams: Did you guys know that was Vernon Wells?

Timothy Williams: He was the henchman with all the different connecting pieces. Yeah. It he has no line. The only time you hear him is when he screams when he falls into the stomach acid.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, he looks different…

nicholas pepin: 

nicholas pepin: There was the Alan blumenfels the guy…

Timothy Williams: because he's got a full head of hair because everything else he's pretty much bald.

nicholas pepin: who the…

Timothy Williams: I think yeah.

nicholas pepin: who was in a kind of a blinking you missed it. He was the one who was shooting the camera. When he caught the pitcher of Martin Short being injected.

Timothy Williams: Yeah. I mean you…

Ben Carpenter: 

Timothy Williams: they haven't kind of like everything else I've ever seen him in Commando.

nicholas pepin: He is one of those guys that was in every TV show in the 80 and…

Timothy Williams: He's got on chains and he looks like a biker dude and…

nicholas pepin: 90. He's very young here.

Timothy Williams: then same thing with Road Warrior. So here he's more like the suit,…

nicholas pepin: But as soon as I saw I know this guy and…

Timothy Williams: he's got long black,…

nicholas pepin: I looked him up in his IMDB's day is super long and…

Timothy Williams: dark black hair. I was like and his eyes I seen this guy and…

nicholas pepin: it's a guest guess get I mean I don't…

Timothy Williams: something else and I saw I'm like wait, is that the same Vernon Wells from Mad Max?

nicholas pepin: if he's ever been the main and…

Timothy Williams: And so yeah,…

nicholas pepin: anything but he is in so much stuff.

Timothy Williams: that's him. So very James Bond villainesque is what I mean, all the different was a Jaws and the bought movies.

nicholas pepin: Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Yes. Nicely done Nicholas and…

nicholas pepin: Yeah,…

Timothy Williams: nicely done.

nicholas pepin: it felt that was I said everybody…

Timothy Williams: Yeah. Yeah, that was that you.

nicholas pepin: who wasn't the main three. I felt like that was just let's get all of that guys together or…

Timothy Williams: right Now if there was a character, I would like to have seen more of in the movie.

nicholas pepin: people who will become that guys.

Timothy Williams: It was probably him.

Ben Carpenter: right

Timothy Williams: I wanted I know he's just supposed to be like the muscle but how did he become that way was like a creation of the tech company or…

Ben Carpenter: No, I guess at the time when I first saw it,…

Timothy Williams: where do they get this guy? So it was you…

Ben Carpenter: I guess I was aware of SCTV.

Timothy Williams: He was just an interesting character.

Ben Carpenter: I probably didn't really go back in watch a lot of it…

Timothy Williams: All right, so to round out the cast in addition to the film's director Joe Dante,…

Ben Carpenter: until later. But I had forgotten that I remembered the scene in the waiting room.

Timothy Williams: he has an uncredited Cameo as one of the vectorscope employees.

Ben Carpenter: That's kind of one of the most memorable at least one of the funniest scenes in the movie and…

Timothy Williams: And then Stuart Martin Short's SCTV cast mates Joe flattery and…

Ben Carpenter: but I had totally forgotten that that was Joe Flaherty and…

Timothy Williams: Andrea Martin have cameos as the waiting room patients,…

Ben Carpenter: Andrea Martin sitting there with him,…

Timothy Williams: which are recognized immediately.

Ben Carpenter: .

Timothy Williams: Then Chuck Jones and The father ran Ron Howard appear briefly as grocery store shoppers in one scene. And then the one that I recognize immediately Dick Miller…

Ben Carpenter: mmm

Timothy Williams: who plays the cab driver near the beginning of the movie is a favorite actor of director godante, most knowing as the neighbor in Gremlins. It was also in Small Soldiers. But yeah, he's pretty much in every Joe Dante movie. so Anybody else I might have missed.

00:45:00

Ben Carpenter: right

Timothy Williams: Mm-hmm

nicholas pepin: .

Timothy Williams: yeah, yeah.

Ben Carpenter: I mean probably that waiting room scene would be the first thing that I remember and Martin Short standing up and proclaiming I'm possessed.

Timothy Williams: right

Ben Carpenter: but then I guess I had Kind of forgotten about…

Timothy Williams: mmm Yeah,…

Ben Carpenter: how cool in towards the end the car chase and…

Timothy Williams: yeah, he didn't even show up on the cast list like him when I pull is the castles to do my notes like he wasn't even listed.

Ben Carpenter: the 50% villains?

Timothy Williams: So that's how small that you except Lincoln you miss it, but when you said when he popped up I was like I've seen I got a million things.

Timothy Williams: Right, right. Yeah. What about you Ben anybody that you recognized or that we didn't cover?

Ben Carpenter: 

Ben Carpenter: And the special effects there again, too. Just how they Did that without any CGI?

Timothy Williams: Mm-hmm

Ben Carpenter: It was all in camera. It was all just they built a giant back seat. Basically that was 20 feet away or…

Timothy Williams: yeah. Yeah.

Ben Carpenter: whatever. And yeah, that it was very convincing looking. I mean the puppet hands that was it very convincing but,…

Timothy Williams: Yeah, I'm the same out. I wouldn't have known that that was when I watched it as a kid,…

Ben Carpenter: get cut them a little slack for it being 1987 on that…

Timothy Williams: but now…

Ben Carpenter: but the force perspective stuff,…

Timothy Williams: because I've seen so many things they've been in since then I recognize them immediately this time those are SCTV people…

Ben Carpenter: yeah. right

Timothy Williams: but I wouldn't act I don't think yeah, I didn't watch I Didn't Know A CTV existed until I was in high school when I was a big SNL fan and then, kind of seeing but there see SCTV stuff later. But yeah.

Timothy Williams: All right anybody else before we get into?

Ben Carpenter: right

Timothy Williams: iconic scenes favorite scenes moving right along. All right, let's talk iconic favorite scenes.

nicholas pepin: The you know what?

nicholas pepin: I can't remember how she put it but all the sudden she looks like would you like to or…

Timothy Williams: If someone…

Timothy Williams: if someone went to the movie Innerspace,…

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, I noticed that one too.

Timothy Williams: what's the first thing that pops into your head Ben?

Ben Carpenter: And it's very quick shot.

nicholas pepin: Good news,…

Ben Carpenter: But I remember noticing that shot and…

Timothy Williams: I'll let you go first.

nicholas pepin: there's not demon.

Ben Carpenter: thinking I guess they used Force perspective for that too.

nicholas pepin: You're not possessed. They talk through you instead of to you.

Ben Carpenter: But I'm not sure exactly…

Ben Carpenter: how they did it,

nicholas pepin: The Cowboys singing to himself.

Timothy Williams: Yes. Yeah.

nicholas pepin: That was pretty funny.

nicholas pepin: yeah, just I mean there's so much I mean Martin Short just for before he figures out what's actually happening just…

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

nicholas pepin: where he thinks he's going crazy and Now that I…

Timothy Williams: mmm Yeah.

nicholas pepin: there's a lot of really good. one liners or you don't catch them the first time you got to see it a second time and…

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

nicholas pepin: you're like, wait. Yeah.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah one example of that that I'm sure I never noticed as a…

Timothy Williams: Mm- Yeah.

Ben Carpenter: but I noticed at this time. And I don't really want to get into explaining…

Timothy Williams: Yep.

Ben Carpenter: why it was funny if it's one of those things if you get it you get it, but when Martin Short says it's from The Exorcist.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, and yeah that yeah, yeah.

Ben Carpenter: Yes.

Ben Carpenter: but right right

Timothy Williams: Yeah, yeah, you could tell when they were dolls and when they were Force perspective. Yeah, that was one that I did have on my notes about the special effects of how they did that with Force perspective which always works really well being health is probably the best example of how it's been used. But even in this one like there was I mean you watching it they was like, do they do that? how they make it look, And make it look that way. But Even the same thing with the final scene in the suitcase that the suitcase was actually twice as large,…

Ben Carpenter: Mm-hmm

nicholas pepin: Yeah, isn't cutting a hole in a blood vessel.

Timothy Williams: but the hand that closes it was real closer to the camera and sync with the closing it took about 20 takes before it was perfected.

nicholas pepin: Wouldn't that be massive problem? Yeah.

Timothy Williams: But yeah. pretty cool

Ben Carpenter: And…

Timothy Williams: Mm-hmm

Ben Carpenter: the switching bodies just by kissing twice to me as …

Timothy Williams: Yeah, lots of patience.

Ben Carpenter: I remember seeing it in the 80s and…

Ben Carpenter: never bothered me a bit. I just thought okay. that makes sense. Okay. Yeah,…

Timothy Williams: What about you Nicholas iconic scene,…

00:50:00

Timothy Williams: or did we cover it?

Ben Carpenter: now it's a little bit of a stretch. But again, it's just a fun movie. So you overlook the things when you're having fun.

nicholas pepin: It's not so much a favorite scene, but it's something we definitely need to talk about.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, yeah.

nicholas pepin: Ozzy when he escapes the lab and he's running and…

Timothy Williams: right Yeah,…

nicholas pepin: just running from the car gets on a bike and…

Timothy Williams: I love that line. That was great. Yeah.

nicholas pepin: becomes better than any Olympic level bike rider ever.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, and then he Jumps over that fence for a minute and he's clinging to the very athletic scientist.

nicholas pepin: Yeah, he was real good,…

Timothy Williams: Mm-hmm

nicholas pepin: for being a scientist.

Ben Carpenter: right

Timothy Williams: right

Timothy Williams: Yeah, I read that. Yeah. The drink me is that what and that's on the screen? Yeah. No, no, not that it's a Allison Wonderland. But why did you think it was Exorcist first? if yeah, we'll leave it We'll leave it right there. So yeah, good lines. Yeah, I think my iconic scene was gonna be the waiting room that I'm possessed is probably the one that I think of that whole inner exchange that they have there…

Ben Carpenter: practical Right. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: but I love all any of the scenes of took it's showing the Pod moving through the body like that stuff was just so those visuals are so cool. And so well done and I love how I mean once again plot holes how he gets from the other part of the body so quickly you're all that kind of stuff but

Timothy Williams: someone dangerous internal bleeding. Yeah. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Using yeah, yeah.

Timothy Williams: Nick makes perfect sense to me. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

Timothy Williams: yeah. Yeah, any other favorite scenes we want to talk about?

Ben Carpenter: Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Okay.

Ben Carpenter: Right, right.

Timothy Williams: Yeah, yeah.

Timothy Williams: Mm-hmm

Timothy Williams: let's talk about …

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, maybe. All right, the

Timothy Williams: okay, so I don't want to forget about let's talk about this one.

nicholas pepin: I mean

Timothy Williams: Go back to favorite scenes, but the use of Robotics especially at the beginning in the end like it picking up the Chip And in moving things around.

Ben Carpenter: the stomach scene may have grossed me out. I think as a kid. Watching the sort of Ocean of stomach juices. Yeah.

nicholas pepin: given what they could have done or things that they would probably do in today's day and age there wasn't really any sort of gross out body humor, which was surprising and I was even noticing when I was watching it again, when the random group of people break into the lab. And instead of shooting everybody. They're just spraying them with I'm guessing knockout gas. Yeah, it was like this is really kind of tame in comparison.

Timothy Williams: And one of my favorite things is I loved at the beginning how you're watching this slow process of it picking up the pin and…

Ben Carpenter: right

Timothy Williams: then it moving into the different places. And then at the end where there's a time crunch the one scientists just forget it. He picks it up and puts it in attracts them. Thanks for telling me, that scene. Maybe I remember making me laugh as a kid, but I appreciated him more now because why does it have to use the arm to pick it up and…

nicholas pepin: Yeah.

Timothy Williams: do it? So slow and pre slices could you do with your hands? So I don't know if that was a way for them to kind of tongue in cheek make fun of taking the modern technology it looks cool, but it's not really, as fast as effective practical as you want it to be but I think that goes back to short circuit heart already come out at this point, robotics was so big and they did of course the birthday robot and Rocky for that everybody hates, but, robots for cool in the 80s, so you had to have some of the robotics in there but My other favorite scene which I love watching a day and it's more of an action sequencer. that kind of scene, but when putt Jack Putters trying to get from the

00:55:00

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, there's definitely not it stays within the family friendly boundaries, but there's a couple parts where they sort of. Very subtly push it a little bit it's from The Exorcist line and…

Timothy Williams: The Frozen truck to the convertible when Lydia's driving like that whole sequence of him trying to step over.

Ben Carpenter: the scene where Martin Short goes into the restroom, and he's talking to Jack.

Timothy Williams: Of course, you can tell which is the stuntman what's not…

Ben Carpenter: I mean talking to tuck.

Timothy Williams: but still really well done a lot into some of those that was really Martin Short there like that wasn't us,…

Ben Carpenter: but of course the other person in the restroom doesn't know that he's talking to a little man inside his body and…

Timothy Williams: stunt double and so once again the Practical effects now one thing I did notice this time,…

Ben Carpenter: assume something else

Timothy Williams: there's one shot of kind of a close-up of him and if you look at him holding the door, he's wearing a glove but they made it a flesh covered glove it's a hand…

nicholas pepin: But only because we slammed so hard on the opening credits of Lady Hawk.

Timothy Williams: but you can tell it's like an actual glove that he's holding on to the door with not using his bare…

nicholas pepin: I feel like I have to bring up the opening credits of this movie.

Timothy Williams: which probably smart probably safe too.

nicholas pepin: I thought the opening credits for this one was really cool.

Timothy Williams: But HD you can see that stuff a little better nowadays and…

nicholas pepin: I was the zoomed in kind of almost Hinting at…

Timothy Williams: probably good in the 80s. But yeah,…

nicholas pepin: what we're about to get into …

Timothy Williams: but yeah that was still one of my favorite action scenes any gross-out thing like I mean,…

nicholas pepin: because it's doing the microscopic in the ice and coming out like it was really cool.

Timothy Williams: I don't know about you guys. I'm not a big, Anatomy, science has never my favorite, but any of the internal scenes would have grocery got as a kid or did a grocery out now. or was it just cool watching him float through the red Cheerios of the bloodstream.

Timothy Williams: Go ahead Ben. Yeah. Yeah.

nicholas pepin: It's been so long since I've watched.

Timothy Williams: Stomach acid. Yeah.

nicholas pepin: Yeah. probably. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Mm-hmm

Timothy Williams: Yeah, yeah.

Timothy Williams: this is after 13 was out at this point. And this was a PG movie. So I think they wanted to keep it in that kind of family friendly summer kind of a movie. So yes, that was probably a

nicholas pepin: Yeah. Yeah Those trucks show up to the shop every week and…

Timothy Williams: A planned decision of not having a lot of gun a lot of blood I think probably so the grossest part to me was the stomach acid and…

nicholas pepin: try to get me to spend money. I don't have

Timothy Williams: of course, once you…

nicholas pepin: On Cornwell Matco you name them?

Timothy Williams: Mr. Edo or ego gets dropped into it,…

nicholas pepin: They all show up.

Timothy Williams: then he becomes like this skeleton and the stomach acid which is even the day I was like, I'm not totally freaked out but it's still kind of gross. and then what is it when putter says it's my ulcer and then you see this looks like blood just flattering up out of the stomach acid. I was like, maybe as an adult I'm like, is that really what it looks like if I don't ever want one of those, but yeah that was pretty wild. But yeah, but I said, it is a very tame movie will be made today. But even for 87 with 13 being out at that point, they could have gone, a little bit darker if they wanted to but I think they wanted to keep it really light and more of a funny keep it on the comedy side. So they made a little lighter I think.

Timothy Williams: Mm-hmm

Timothy Williams: Yeah, yeah a little bit. Yeah. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Right, right. Yeah, yeah.

Ben Carpenter: Right. Yeah. I mean it's cool that

01:00:00

Timothy Williams: All Any other scenes we will talk to before we get into trivia?

Timothy Williams: Yes, Very well done. Yeah.

Ben Carpenter: To me. there's something about seeing that knowing.

Timothy Williams: Mm-hmm

Ben Carpenter: They I mean when I watched it,…

Timothy Williams: Yeah, yeah.

Ben Carpenter: I thought that's cool. Because I knew they didn't see GI it and I just thought I knew that that must have been…

Timothy Williams: Yeah, yeah.

Ben Carpenter: what they did is he changed real quick ran into the other room got into position as the other characters so it's impressive the stuff that they had to do to get around the limitations of the time technologically.

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

Timothy Williams: which Spielberg kind of used again for the beginning of Jurassic Park he wasn't that the inside of the mosquito that was in the

Timothy Williams: Yeah. Is yeah, it's been long for me. I was like I want to say they did something maybe not exactly the…

Ben Carpenter: 

Timothy Williams: but something very similar where it's like Or one of the Jurassic movies they did that…

Ben Carpenter: Yeah. …

Timothy Williams: where yeah. But yes,…

Ben Carpenter: I sweat that as a film school student in the early 90s.

Timothy Williams: I'm glad you brought that up because I remember going to see in the theater and…

Ben Carpenter: I spent most of my time explaining to family members.

Timothy Williams: loving it and then I think or whatever I rented it or…

Ben Carpenter: No, that's…

Timothy Williams: whatever and that opening started.

Ben Carpenter: how you want it you are seeing the whole picture that way.

Timothy Williams: I was like, I forgot all about this I remember that being couldn't remember…

Ben Carpenter: No, I'm not the top and…

Timothy Williams: what it was like I did this term like this and…

Ben Carpenter: bottom are cut off. No, that's

Timothy Williams: then when it becomes like I remember that, being really cool. But yeah it was a great opening for the movie with the score underneath to make it kind of creepy,…

nicholas pepin: I would agree. Yes, so staff of stamp of approval.

Timothy Williams: little what is it very mysterious and then glass of ice was very cool.

Timothy Williams: Private let's jump into trivia. So. The license plate on Mr. Igo's car is on snape-o-n.

Ben Carpenter: yep.

Timothy Williams: This is a reference to step Snap-on Tools automated an automotive mechanic tool that features a snap mechanism for different attachments similar to his hand. They still have Snap-On Tools.

Timothy Williams: For those that don't know Nicholas is a mechanic by trade. So I knew he would know that answer. So this was another cool scene that we didn't talk about…

nicholas pepin: I mean I get why it didn't beat one of those two movies.

Timothy Williams: but this is kind of another maybe not special effects, but just how they movie Magic. So when Jack turns into or changes his face salute the cowboy and Lydia sees him and doesn't realize him she runs into the bathroom. That's all one continuous shot. So Robert picardo had to do quite a bit of work after putter had been changed. We see Lydia asking how I got in the room. The first time Robert goes off screen. He's actually rushing behind camera tearing off his Breakaway clothes and…

Ben Carpenter: Yeah trying. yeah, it's I mean again,…

Timothy Williams: getting into the bathtub. Meanwhile a stand-in moves into frame left to a scene from the back a makeup assistant is behind a fake wall at the head of the bath having just changed the putter wig to the Cowboy wig before the scrimshaw meeting.

Ben Carpenter: I guess I didn't pay much attention to that as a kid. I just know I went to it and I liked it. so I was kind of surprised to learn that it didn't do that. in theaters,…

Timothy Williams: Ricardo's voice was overdubbed with Martin shorts during the meeting picardo used his own voice with a short-esque tilt lilt as the film workers didn't think short trying the Cowboys voice would be convincing enough to make the scene work.

Ben Carpenter: You said, I guess it was one of those that built up a little bit of reputation on at least first. Some time on VHS but you also pointed out I guess it's somehow lost that again at some point…

Timothy Williams: so It's got two little things in there didn't separate them. yeah, but that holds I wouldn't watch the day …

Ben Carpenter: since it hasn't really been available on streaming or…

Timothy Williams: how if that was one continuous shot…

Ben Carpenter: or anything like that…

Timothy Williams: if there was a break somewhere where it go,…

Ben Carpenter: since then.

Timothy Williams: you see him playing the two different roles, but that was movie Magic at its finest right there.

Ben Carpenter: This disappointing. Yeah.

Timothy Williams: He

Timothy Williams: Right, right.

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Mm-hmm

Timothy Williams: Very cool And then we will talk about renting this movie. This is one of the very rare VHS releases to be in widescreen back in the late 80s, which I can appreciate. people to get back and…

Ben Carpenter: right

Timothy Williams: say why is my screen have black bars the top and something's wrong with my video. But yeah.

Timothy Williams: right right

01:05:00

Ben Carpenter: right

Timothy Williams: No, they're not. man the good old days.

Ben Carpenter: It's the service we provide.

Timothy Williams: So I'll interview with this quote from Dennis Quaid. And I'm talking about the movie. He said it's a dumb stupid comedy, which is exactly what people need in the summertime. It's very idiotic. And I love it. We encounter every dumb stupid cliche in the book leave your brain at the door and you'll have a good accurate

Timothy Williams: So, he's one of the few actors that knew what kind of movie he was making and embraced it. I think that that was good on his part for that. So Bye. let's jump into box office in critical reception the first cut was overwhelmingly positive by the crew and…

Ben Carpenter: I mean it's It as we've said several times.

Timothy Williams: Warner Brothers Executives that were very excited to release it and…

Ben Carpenter: It's a really fun movie.

Timothy Williams: hoped it would be their biggest movie for the studio as was the case with Joe Dante and…

Ben Carpenter: It's really fun. But It certainly has flaws, you…

Timothy Williams: still Steven Spielberg's previous collaboration Gremlins in 84 So it was released in North American theaters on July 3rd.

Ben Carpenter: It's not perfect and there are some things that it's kind of one of those…

Timothy Williams: 1987 Independence Day weekend,…

Ben Carpenter: where there's a little bit of that feeling like,…

Timothy Williams: but only debuted number three.

Ben Carpenter: it's almost there.

Timothy Williams: It couldn't beat Dragnet and…

Ben Carpenter: It's almost like a real classic,…

Timothy Williams: Spaceballs in their second week,…

Ben Carpenter: it's got some elements that are so well done and…

Timothy Williams: even though it played in more theaters many felt that Warner Brothers did Market the film enough and…

Ben Carpenter: are so different from a lot of other movies at the time.

Timothy Williams: blame the poster design which didn't showcase any of the actors in the movie. It was considered a box office failure,…

Ben Carpenter: but there's a few things here and…

Timothy Williams: but thanks to VHS. It became an instant cult classic.

Ben Carpenter: there that I feel like kind of hold it back from being,…

Ben Carpenter: as great as it could have been but …

Timothy Williams: So I did.

Timothy Williams: You Spaceballs?

Ben Carpenter: I put it around a seven for me maybe a 7.5 I and…

Timothy Williams: I could see that one. Yeah, the Dragnet. Yeah.

Ben Carpenter: sort of again that's the

Ben Carpenter: Film school student in me talking the 14 year old kid that still lives somewhere inside of me loves it. So.

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

Timothy Williams: Mmm Yeah

Timothy Williams: Yeah, it was one of those things I don't think of this as a bomb. I've never heard it mentioned is a box office. Does that I think was a disaster just don't think it did as well as they had hoped. Yeah, but

Timothy Williams: I did read something where they were talking about. this was right at the time when VHS was kind of like hitting its peak and saying that because you had people that would have the video and…

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, I had that same thought …

Timothy Williams: they were like,…

Ben Carpenter: what we're in more characters.

Timothy Williams: you've got to watch this movie and would be passed from house to house and…

Ben Carpenter: We already have villains. We don't need more villains,…

Timothy Williams: that's how it became more popular based on Word of Mouth.

Ben Carpenter: But like I said,…

Timothy Williams: Once it was on video Even though,…

Ben Carpenter: I did watch it with.

Timothy Williams: Joe Dante said that he felt like this was one of those movies that had to be seen in the theater to really enjoy all the way.

Ben Carpenter: Two of my kids who are 20 and 22 and we didn't really talk much through it.

Timothy Williams: He said all the you…

Ben Carpenter: And then when it was over I said,…

Timothy Williams: any of the previews they did people laugh throughout the whole movie in a full theater and…

Ben Carpenter: what did you all think and I really honestly kind of expected both.

Timothy Williams: he felt like it wasn't gonna get that same reception and…

Ben Carpenter: I'm gonna go. Yeah, it was kind of interesting or…

Timothy Williams: at home, but it still did really well for VHS.

Ben Carpenter: kind of funny but not being enthusiastic about it and they both said they really liked it.

Timothy Williams: But yeah. Yeah, I don't know…

Ben Carpenter: So I guess that at least for them it holds up so.

Timothy Williams: it's one of those. I don't know why it's not as popular as other movies at the time, but I think it's one of those were like if you mentioned in a conversation with someone our age I'm almost certainly be like,…

Ben Carpenter: Yeah. Yeah, I

Timothy Williams: I love that movie as a kid or I forgot about that movie. It's one of those.

Ben Carpenter: I watched jaws 3D alone.

Timothy Williams: I think we all have fun memories of it just doesn't get talked about enough.

Ben Carpenter: I didn't want to force that on anyone else.

Timothy Williams: Which is…

Timothy Williams: why we're here. Thanks for listening to the podcast everybody.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah, but I did watch the natural with my other son…

Ben Carpenter: who did not watch this one with me.

Timothy Williams: Exactly exactly.

Ben Carpenter: So yeah,…

Timothy Williams: I want to remind you about the movies you forgot.

Ben Carpenter: it's really making sure I'm getting all those family connections covered being on this podcast.

Timothy Williams: so All right,…

Timothy Williams: critical reception Rotten Tomatoes 82% on the Tomato Meter and…

Ben Carpenter: You gotta pick something like that.

Ben Carpenter: My wife's interested in watching with me for next time.

Timothy Williams: a 65% audience score IMDb has it at 6.8 out of 10 with viewers and a 66 on Metacritic.

Ben Carpenter: right

Timothy Williams: which is weird because the Metacritic score is close to the Rotten Tomatoes audience score, but even it's close to the IMDb score. But yeah 6.8 it's low for me. Where would it rank with you guys?

Timothy Williams: yeah.

nicholas pepin: yeah, now we're just running our Just normal nonsense talk that we do.

Timothy Williams: Mm-hmm

01:10:00

nicholas pepin: come on, we don't do that. It's only like an hour.

Timothy Williams: Yeah.

Ben Carpenter: mm-hmm, but

Ben Carpenter: we got a nice trajectory going. let's keep it going.

Timothy Williams: Right, right exactly. Yeah. What about you Nicholas?

Timothy Williams: Yeah, yeah. We know that I rank mine really strong on rewatchability. So it would be more like in the 80s for me just because it's really so rewatchable. yeah, it's not a nine or a ten of a perfect movie of it checks all the boxes for me, but it's still a lot of fun and I will say I remember as a kid we watching it as much as I enjoyed it the first time. Rewatching it. I got bored in the middle. there are parts of it that just it dragged for me as a kid today, watching it now, it's a little bit I understand the pacing a little bit better. But as a kid there were some slow spots where I was just like it. I got bored and I think

Timothy Williams: You watching it again. I think it's great. But I do think they tried to add too many Side characters like there was did you need the cowboy and Mr. I go I think some of them kind of overlap what you could have developed a little bit more one. So it gets a little funneled or can muddled in the middle or…

Ben Carpenter: Yeah. right

Timothy Williams: closer to the end. So, yeah, but

Ben Carpenter: what had Martin Short said right before that something like it's okay that you're small.

Timothy Williams: yeah, right, right. There's still a lot of fun.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah.

nicholas pepin: I like it when we do the better movies you.

Ben Carpenter: Yeah.

Timothy Williams: I'm noticing a theme Here Ben. So what other movies you want your kids to watch and I'll just make sure we do an episode about it so you can make sure they sit and watching with you.

Timothy Williams: right

Timothy Williams: here to help

Timothy Williams: All We'll try to find some romantic comedy. The Nicholas doesn't want to talk about so. All this episode's 80s flick flashback feedback. We got a great review from pax0123 who gave us five stars and said our podcast is They said so glad this is back absolutely brilliant podcast. If you love your 80s movies then get listening fun and Keep up the good work. thank you so much. Paxo one, two, three for the awesome review. I want to thank Nicholas and Ben once again for joining us today, Nicholas what's going on with pop culture roulette anything big happening the rest of May?

Timothy Williams: I will be sure to check out the pop culture with that podcast always a fun time. Listen to them, especially if it's a bracket episode or just talking about whatever they want to talk about for two hours.

Timothy Williams: Most of the time and not You're right. And Ben thanks again for being a part. It's I think we're working our way up. We went from Jaws 3D to the Natural to Innerspace. So I think we've got ourselves out of a low place. I think we're making some good Headway now.

Timothy Williams: There you go. All right folks, that's a wrap one of today's episode of the 80s flick flashback podcast. If you had as much fun as we did be like pax0123 and show us some love with some awesome reviews and a shiny five star rating on Apple podcast. Don't forget to hit that follow or subscribe button and spread the words all your 80s flick love and Pals want to chat about your favorite flicks. You could reach out to us on Facebook Instagram and tiktok and if you're feeling super cool, why not support the show over at buy me a coffee.com even as little as five bucks a month makes a big difference plus you can totally rock some of our killer 80s flick flashback gear like Nicholas did he showed us on our entire social medias you can find our official gear and official designs.

01:15:00

Timothy Williams: Start over again. You can find our gear and original designs by checking out our online store at 86 flashback.com and tpublic.com for all the nostalgic swag you could ever want. Thanks again for tuning in. I'm Tim Williams for the 80s flick flashback podcast play with it pal. Don't talk to it.