King Solomon's Mines (1985) is a Cannon Films adventure film starring Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone that was heavily inspired by Indiana Jones, particularly Temple of Doom. The film, based on H. Rider Haggard's 1885 novel about Allan Quartermain, was directed by Jay Lee Thompson and produced by Cannon Films, a company known for low-budget, high-concept productions. Despite its derivative nature and mixed critical reception, the film opened number one at the box office in November 1985, capitalizing on the Indiana Jones phenomenon. The movie features notable cameos from John Rhys-Davies (who played Salah in Raiders of the Lost Ark) and showcases the era's practical effects, including rear projection and animatronics. The film's tone oscillates between serious adventure and campy humor, with a score by Jerry Goldsmith that was ironically nominated for a Razzie Award for worst score.
Episode 38 - "King Solomon's Mines" with Russell Treloar - ABY:1985Añadido:
Hello everyone. Welcome to a blockbuster year 1985. Tonight we are talking Indiana Jones. No, we're not talking Indiana Jones. We're talking Indiana clones. We're doing King Solomon's Minds from Canon [laughter] films. Let's pop in the ticket. [music] That was amazing.
>> Welcome to the show.
>> That was amazing. Brandon, >> I realized earned today, [laughter] my friend.
>> I normally I normally hold up the movie, but I don't actually own tonight's movie. Uh, hi Jay. How are you?
>> Same. Hi. Oh, I'm happy to be here, buddy. It's been It's been a It's been a crazy week. It's been It's been one of those weeks. It's just been a roller coaster, and this might be the high point of it. So >> Oh, that's great. Well, I'm excited to be here as well.
>> Great to see you both. [snorts] >> Uh, welcome to the show, uh, our guest tonight, uh, Russell Trailer. He is an artist. Um, I only recently, uh, became aware of your art. We were both at the same screening of a film that we're going to talk about a little bit. Uh, but as soon as I saw the art that you were putting out, I was like, "Oh, I like this guy." I followed him. We've been messaging back and forth a little bit. And then uh I noticed you're a pretty big cophile. We followed each other on Letterbox uh recently and uh Yeah. So I was like, "Oh, we got to have >> So you know it's official.
>> Yes, we Oh, look. And and Russell's got a letter box shirt on." So, I was like, "Oh, we got to have Russell on the show." And uh I put the list out to you and uh this is your choice. So, I cannot wait to [laughter] talk about it. Uh welcome to the show, Russell.
>> Thanks so much for inviting me. Yeah.
Really been looking forward to uh chatting Indiana clones with you both.
So, [laughter] yeah.
>> I know it's going to go on all night.
>> Yeah. Um Yeah. Uh well uh I have uh uh so Russell and I are big fans of this Canadian television show uh that recently got a movie made. Uh the the film people may have heard about it. It's called Nirvana the Band the show the movie. Uh it is an incredible uh incredible film. Uh, it's an incredible TV series if you can find it.
It's not really available anywhere and there is an original web series which you can still find online. Um, but the the way I found out about Russell is we were both at the touring screening of this film with the uh writer and director and lead actors and and um composer of the film. They were both there, Matt and Jay. Uh, two absolute heroes of mine. I think uh Russell, you feel the same way. Big big fan of of Matt and Jay, right?
>> Absolutely. Canadian icons for sure.
>> Canadian icons for sure. And actually uh Russell lives a ferry ride away from Vancouver. So Russell had to get on a ferry to come across to the mainland uh to to see this screening. And at this screening, um, Matt Johnson, he comes out, I don't remember exactly how it happened, but he comes out with this painting, and it is, um, well, I guess I should say Nirvana, the band, the show, the movie has a Back to the Future element to it. It is a time travel movie. Um, if I I implore anybody who hasn't seen it and would consider themselves a Back to the Future fan, Jay Ryan, um, to to watch this movie. It's available on streaming. It eventually it's about to come out on Blu-ray, I think, at the end of this month. I have my Blu-ray pre-ordered. Um, but it is an amazing film. It's [snorts] so unbelievable. I I don't even know how a lot of this stuff was made. Uh, but it's all shot up in here in Canada. So Matt comes out with this giant painting. Um I actually have an art print of it here. I don't know if people will be able to people will be able to see it. Um >> Oh wow.
>> I have another easier version for people to see.
>> Oh wow. There you go.
>> So this is uh a painting of Matt and Jay looking at another version of Matt and Jay coming out of a uh RV time machine.
Uh, [laughter] and so the writer director, uh, Matt Johnson is the one in the fedora there. He's holding this amazing painting and the audience, we're just like blown away. We can't believe how cool this piece of art was. Um, and then he goes and says, "The artist is here tonight." And he points to you out in the back.
>> And you know, everybody applauds. Um, and then I I think it must have been right after that moment somehow I found out who the artist was and followed you and and all that kind of stuff. Then you released these prints and I bought the print and we've been talking ever since that. But, uh, yeah, that's sort of how you came on my radar.
Now, I'd like to hear maybe your side of the story on how you how you got that artwork to, uh, Matt and Jay that night.
>> Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I did not know that Matt was going to do that, so I was completely surprised. Uh, but >> yeah, so I was kind of put on the spot there, but like it kind of dates back earlier in the fall. Like I'd heard them on CBC. I'd been big fans of the show.
Um, they were kind of giving hints as to what the movie might be, but there was no no trailer, nothing. you know, I just knew it was based on Back to the Future, like or loosely based on Back to the Future, uh, or had a time travel element. I knew that the CN Tower would be a big big piece of it. Um, so I thought, you know, it's time for me to do like a little tribute piece and and because I knew I was going to go to >> the touring show and I thought maybe I'll try and get something done before then.
>> Uh, so before the show, I kind of posted on Instagram saying that I'd done this piece. I showed the piece and I get this DM from Jay McCarol.
>> Yeah.
>> You know, just out of the blue saying, "Oh man, we love this piece. Uh, we want to meet you in Vancouver." Uh, and so I was like, "Oh, this is amazing." Uh, so I literally haul this like 30 by 40 painting on the ferry. I walked on >> the original painting, right?
>> Oh my god. I just like >> I'm going to take my shot and just take it over there to show Jay. Um, and so I dropped it off of the theater in the green room beforehand. And just with a note saying like, "Hey, this is the original art. Just let me know what you think." And sitting in the audience is what what you kind of described, like Matt just like, "I've got this prop to show you."
>> And he runs out with it and uh and it kind of went from there. One of my favorite things was that like after he finished the steel and we did a little back and forth, he's like, "And we could just throw that right in the garbage."
Yes. Yeah. I thought [laughter] >> Yeah. It was such a funny joke.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. It was it such a cool movie to watch together with a bunch of fans in that theater with Matt and Jay there for their Q&A. Like I I I honestly can't stress enough how crazy and cool and funny uh this movie is. It's it's astounding. So, uh, Nirvana, the band, the show, the movie. Um, [laughter] only a select few people appreciate this. And I think you, Russell, might be, but I went and I had to >> Oh, nice.
>> These are uh screen accurate uh cutters, wire cutters, and these are a very important part of the of the film. But these are these are Canadian Walmart brand pliers or cutters, I mean. And what's funny, and only maybe the Canadian people will get this, but they go and they pretend to buy these at a Canadian Tire, which is a completely different chain of stores. So, there's no way that this brand of wire cutters would appear in the Canadian Tire store.
So, they brought these in. And I think I have a theory [laughter] that they picked these because they're they're yellow and they show up on camera because uh the the type of film making that Matt and Jay do for Nirvana the band is more like handheld documentary style and so it's kind of hidden camera sometimes and sometimes at stage it's so I I just I have a feeling that this bright yellow packaging just showed up better so they that's why they chose to use that but then shot in Canadian Tire. So when you see the film, Jay, the these will make sense.
[clears throat] >> Oh, I I I'm excited. Can't wait.
>> Um yeah, I just the any opportunity I get to talk Nirvana, the band, the show, the movie [laughter] with someone who understands the references or the the the fandom. I I I get quite excited.
>> I'll tell you, that's not the first time those cutters have come out on this show. Whenever they were first preserved, they showed up as well.
[laughter] >> So it's it's definitely a good prop.
I mean, Nirvana, the band fans are passionate. Um, yes, they are. I thought of you. Thought of you, Brandon. Like, I wondered if the time machine would ever make an appearance in the garage, you know, like that's such an amazing vehicle. Um, you know, >> like their time machine, their RV.
>> Their time machine. The RV. Yeah.
>> Well, they still own it, >> right?
>> Right. Yeah. Yeah.
>> They have it out parked out in Toronto somewhere.
I I had to do some research into what that >> model RV was to to paint it properly.
Um, and the only clues I had were, you know, the premiere in Toronto. I had some pictures of just some video and so I had to like, you know, Google >> pulled up they actually pulled up to their own premiere in Toronto in that in the RV that they used in the movie.
>> I I love this detail, too. I think it might show up on camera. Let's see. The shoes that Matt is wearing.
[laughter] >> Yeah. A little little Easter egg. Oh, the the Air Mags. Nice.
>> Yeah, he's got some f some future Nikes on.
>> Um anyway, big fan of the film, big fan of your uh artwork. Um but uh that's not what we're here to talk [laughter] about tonight. We are here to talk um Oh, before I get to that, let's say hi to the chat before I get too carried away. Um uh Bitter Troll is here. Video Power Gaming is here. Who else do we got here?
Uh, >> yeah, the funny comments already.
>> Brian Stidum is here. Ganon Applebee and Oh, and JR Brian Stid's funny. He goes, "Evening, gentlemen. I told you you were going to be laughing at this one." [laughter] >> Yes, that is very true. Um, yeah. So, uh, you chose King Solomon's minds, Russell. Um, but you when you chose it, you uh you explained to me that when you were younger, you were sort of a fan of Indiana Jones and you were kind of just seeking out movies like Indiana Jones, trying to find that experience. So, so this particular film, um, I I assume that means that you saw it when you were younger, uh, maybe around 1985.
Yeah, I mean I can trace it right back.
It was actually a little later than that. Um, you know, ' 89 was probably my big year for movies, but you know, ' 85 is amazing as well, but I saw Last Crusade in theaters in ' 89 and like after that, I basically had an insatiable appetite for this type of adventure film. So >> yeah, >> uh you know, scouring VHS at the video store looking for any poster art that was even >> loosely reminiscent of Raiders or or any of the indie indie films. So, >> you know, is is a very big proponent of video store cover art is that's exactly what they're trying to do with, you know, the poster for King Solomon's minds or um you know, a lot of especially straight to home video. uh at the at the rental store, at the video store, they're trying to get kids like you to go, I like this thing. Oh, this kind of looks like that. The art style is the same. The guy's wearing brown and he's got a hat and a gun and there's a lady. Like, it must be the same type of movie, [laughter] right?
>> They got me. They got me.
>> Yeah, they got me too today. [laughter] >> Yeah, >> it does. Better than never. it starts and you like the film the the the score um the the even like that that big like I'm going to call it the Cairo set cuz that's that's what it was in my notes but like that that first scene in the big public marketplace all of this feels exactly like Indiana Jones so um you know >> oh big time >> you were right yeah um but so when you watched it when you were younger? Were you Were you a fan? Did it work on you?
>> Uh, well, you know, truth be told, I actually saw the sequel first. I saw uh Lost City of Gold first.
>> Yeah. Alan Quartermain and The Lost City of Gold.
>> Yeah. And and something about the, you know, the title again, >> by the way, couldn't be more excited about that.
>> Yeah. [laughter] Yeah. It's a great double bill. Um, but yeah. No, I I I just had to compare it against Indiana Jones and it just, you know, it just wasn't the same. Uh it had like the elements, but like um it didn't like satisfy me in that way that sort of indie did. Um >> yeah, >> but you know, I had a cousin. We used to rent films all the time. We were kind of like young cinnaphiles and um you know, we'd be humming the theme theme song to King Solomon's minds, you know, like we're kind of nerdy that way.
But it's good. Like like the theme is catchy and good.
>> Uh >> yeah.
>> Uh Jerry Goldsmith. Uh yeah, Jerry Goldsmith did the score for this. And you know, he's not >> he's not a knockoff composer, right? No. Like he's Alien. He's Gremlins. Um one of the majors Ramos, >> uh Total Recall, Basic Instinct, Small Soldiers, a personal favorite of mine.
Um, >> yep.
>> The BBS. Did you do the BBS?
>> Yes, BBS. Yes, that's Jerry Goldmith.
Goldmith.
>> That to me is very catchy. Always think of >> One of the things I did learn actually about Jerry Goldsmith uh is he wrote the current Universal fanfare that appears before every single Universal title.
>> Yes. Uh in 19 1997, the first film to uh have it was Jurassic Park: The Lost World. Uh that that version of of uh the Universal Fanfare was Jerry Goldsmith and then has been re-recorded um you know by by other musicians to to modernize it. Um but yeah, like the score primarily was one element in this film that I was like, "No, like it's perfect." like they they nailed it.
He nailed the catchy Indiana Jones type adventure music.
>> Oh, absolutely. They they literally scored like pun intended there with Derry Goldsmith and you know it's kind of you might have read this too, Brandon, but it's kind of unbelievable >> that this his score was nominated for a Rzzy that that year for like worst score.
>> Yeah. And that's just like unbelievable to me because it is so good. Um like must have been a really good year for movie scores if this is nominated for Rzzy.
>> Well, and I also think that it's like in >> Well, it was all real back then, right?
>> Yeah. And like >> the score with the movie, right? Like, you know, I don't think the Razies are really separating, you know, the Jerry of it all.
>> It's more about the movie.
>> Yeah, exactly. He took the hit on that one. [laughter] >> Yeah, I know. How how unfair that just >> But like his his credit list is is unbelievable. Like there is so many other, you know, films that we're not even mentioning that are just like absolute classics and just um uh >> and they're all memorable. Like you could pull them all out of your head right now. Gremlins and pick one.
>> Oh yeah.
>> You know them immediately.
>> Gremlins. The Gremlins.
I will like >> I will walk around.
>> It's like my It's like my internal walking music sometimes.
[laughter] Um All right. So, uh King Solomon's Minds. It's an interesting thing for 1985. Um uh you might know this, Russell. I don't know if you know this, Jay, but it's actually based off of a novel that was written in uh 1885, a Back to the Future year. Uh which, you know, ends up being for the movie that we're covering tonight, a hundred years since the original novel King Solomon's Mind was published. So, it's it's a it's a real old property. uh novels written by H Ryder Haggard. He ends up writing 14 novels based on the Allen Quartermain character. Um and he is he's credited as one of the sort of first lost city genres for novels, you know, back in the the late 1800s. Um, you know, setting the setting the way for an adventure, going out and finding uh uh a lost civiliz civilization or, you know, a other worldly Yeah. level with with inhabitants, right? Um, this is not the first time that King Solomon's minds has even been uh made into a film. their earliest.
>> I didn't know that till today either.
>> Yeah. 1919 was the first version, but that film has been lost.
>> Uh and then there is a >> I saw 1950.
>> Yeah. So there's a 1937 as well.
>> So there's a a 1937 that uh uh ended up winning two Oscars for uh oh wait, no, maybe sorry, the 1950, not the 1937. The 1937 came out and then the 1950 ends up winning two Oscars for best cinematography and best editing. And the 1950 was nominated for best picture. Um, >> wow.
>> I I will say uh I was like, "Oh, I'll I'll watch the other versions, too." I started watching the 1950 King Solomon's minds, and within the first five minutes of the film, they shoot and kill an elephant. and it is real hunting footage.
>> And I was like, you know what? I don't really care that much. [laughter] >> After seeing an >> This one went about as far back as I'm willing to go.
>> Yeah. [laughter] Yeah. So, I >> Even this had a lot of discomfort in it for me. [laughter] >> I decided that instead of watching the the earlier versions, I was going to watch uh the sequel. I'll I'll I'll I'll spend some more time with Richard Chamberlain and uh Sharon Stone. Um, and then there is >> and then Red Face is a death for dessert. No big deal.
>> Yeah. [laughter] Um, and then we have this 80 1985 version which has its sequel as I mentioned 1987. Then there's a 2004 TV miniseries with Patrick sees that is the Alan Quartermain character and King Solomon's minds. And then the the last version of it, 2006, was a TV movie and it stars uh somebody who's very popular right now if you're watching The Pit. Uh Noah Wy plays Alan Quartermain >> in that 2006 uh TV movie. And I also had to note here that it is writed by Jonathan Frank's uh Riker from Star Trek. He directed the the last version of King Solomon's Minds >> number one.
>> Yes. So >> cool.
>> I I I think it's interesting that this Indiana Jones knockoff from 1985 has such a rich history in all the film adaptations, but also at that at in time of 1985 is a hundredyear-old book.
Uh so it just it just sort of makes sense to me that with the popularity of uh Raiders of the Lost Ark, which is 1981, and uh Temple of Doom 84, the previous year, people are just scrging for what other sort of adventure characters can we adapt and trick Young Russell at the video store to [laughter] to rent the movie. Right. I'd throw romanceing the stone too. I can't remember what year that was, but I feel like that uh played a role too in these >> inventions. Romancing the stone is >> treasure hunting seeking.
>> I think romancing the stone is 84 or 83 because Jewel of the Nile is 85.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Oh, it is. Okay. Yeah.
>> Yeah. So, we're going to cover Jewel.
>> Just John Wilder. [laughter] >> Just Oh, man. I I I I pulled out the uh the single stone jewel feature because it is definitely one of the two pack.
Very nice.
>> Yeah. On Blu-ray.
>> Um uh >> that's uh what it's Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner.
>> Kathleen Turner who >> and Devito too.
>> There there's two stories uh related to Kathleen Turner for King Solomon's minds. There is one story which is she was offered the part of Jesse uh Sharon Stone's role in the film uh and turned it down. The other story is uh so um King Solomon's Minds is a canon film. Uh canon films are very famous for being terrible. Uh but giving us a lot of Chuck Norris, a lot of Charles Bronson, a lot of schllock, a lot of nudity. Uh that is what can >> I think my favorite Firewalker. I think that's a canon film. Yeah.
>> Yes.
>> Typically shot out of this country.
They're very low budget, but they deliver a lot of production value on that low budget in my opinion.
>> Yes. So, Canon films at this time was purchased by two Israeli cousins, uh, Manam Golan and Yoram Globus. And apparently the other story related to Kathleen Turner is one of the cousins said, "Get me the stone woman. I want the stone woman for King Solomon's minds." And so they got Sharon stone.
Apparently what he actually meant was the get the romancing the stone [laughter] Kathleen Turner uh is is who he meant. So I don't know what story is fully true. I can't really corroborate both of them. Um one was told in the uh canon films documentary and one is what I saw uh online in a Kathleen um Turner interview. So you know both maybe have a little bit of merit. I don't know. Uh but yeah, I I mean uh >> I was amazed Sharon Stone was working this early. I didn't realize in ' 85 she was already in movies.
>> Well, >> I don't remember when Basic Instinct was, but like Total Recall or Basic Instinct would have been the >> Whoa.
>> Yeah, Basic Instinct. Basic >> Well, sorry. What was Total Recall? That was >> 1990.
>> Okay, so that's >> Yeah, Total Recall is 90. Basic instincts 92. But Jay, Sharon Stone is in Police Academy 4.
>> Oh, I haven't gotten there yet. That's right. That's right. I forgot.
[laughter] I got to go back to training before I get the Citizens on Patrol.
>> Yes. Yes. She's in Citizens on Patrol.
What uh uh uh uh what year is that? Oh, yeah. 80.
>> Oh, no. That's Sorry, that's after. My bad. That's 87 is is Citizens on Patrol.
>> Okay.
>> But yes, this is this is >> for what it's worth. I've worked with Miss Sharon Stone and she is an absolutely lovely lovely person. Uh I have many many lovely stories. We don't need to get to the mud. I I she's >> really really big fan.
>> What What did you work uh with her on?
>> She was a guest cast on um the practice David E. Kelly Law drama show that I used to work on and she was there for a couple weeks and um uh but because she was a big star and does her research it was like there was advance like the moment she was cast in this role that was like I was sending her tapes of the shows and it was you know it was like a like a three or four week relationship and she was actually going through some really heavy stuff at the time because uh well it doesn't matter but somebody on her staff that we all got to know really well too turned out she was really really sick and it was just weird how like this little click of people who didn't know each other that well well kind of like the Adam the Woo thing honestly. Yeah. Where everybody just kind of like, "Oh [ __ ] can't believe we're going through this."
>> Uh but she was incredibly lovely. Um um and then so she would send a thank you note for everything, like a handwritten thank you note. I actually have one pulled up here just because. But um what I what I wanted to say was uh the the story that makes me the happiest about her is um because she I didn't usually do this and you know Bren and I'm not normally the type to do this but because she had won an Oscar or at least been nominated for an Oscar for Casino whatever and she was such a big deal and like a huge guest for the practice I I asked her and because I was already friends with the team right. Yeah. So, I asked one of the members of her team like, "Would it be cool if I brought in my casino DVD >> and you know, she could sign it to me.
That would be like awesome. If it's a thing at all, no, but like if this is no big deal, let me know and I'll, you know, >> um, and she's like, "Oh my god, no problem. Of course, bring it." I bring it in the next day and um she doesn't give it back to me the next day and then there's the weekend and then it's the new week and Monday comes rolls like nothing and then sometime in the middle of the week probably Tuesday the team member comes up to my desk and she goes okay here you go and she gives me the team she goes have I got a story for you I [laughter] was like okay uh apparently as the u as the I guess it maybe her assistant at the time. Uh, as the person told it, she said, um, that Sharon knew who I was. It was no problem. She was happy to do it. Uh, and she left it in there with a note and whatever, like, and Sharon was doing it.
And then the assistant went into the other room and heard Sharon screaming expletives from the signing space. Yeah.
>> And she runs back in. She's like, "What the hell is the matter?" And she goes, "I wrote J A Y. I wrote J A Y. God damn it. I wrote J A Y. My name is just the letter J. And Sharon knew that. She wrote J A Y.
>> And she sent her assistant out to buy another copy of the DVD [laughter] >> so that she could have a fresh jacket to sign.
>> Wow.
>> She gave She gave me the fresh DVD and jacket and the old DVD with no jacket.
[laughter] >> And that lovely story.
>> I can't believe that that happened though. She literally sent someone out to go buy another or maybe they had another but whatever. Had to go get another one.
because she screwed it up and knew she screwed it up and she knew she screwed it up, which to me is like, "Holy crap, that's pretty impressive."
>> So, I I have nothing but nice things to say about her.
>> And then here was one of those handwritten notes that I got afterwards and it just literally says, "Jay Ryan, thank you for sending me the tapes. I really appreciate it. Best regards, Sharon Stone." But and it's it doesn't mean anything but or it doesn't you know what I mean? There's nothing special about that. But the fact that she's the type of person >> to do a handwritten note because of that.
>> That's awesome. And we actually talked about that quite a bit and she said she wasn't always that way. It wasn't until she went through her she had a brain aneurysm and like a whole different change of what's important in life >> and we worked with her after that.
>> So I have nothing but amazing things to say about Sharon Stone. Sorry that went so long, but I I love her. I think she's great.
>> That's very cool. Cool personal story for someone we're going to talk about tonight.
>> Um uh >> although in this I don't know if I could This is not an Oscar [laughter] winning performance here.
>> No, no, no. I mean, like you said, this is this is early in her career. She maybe not was she maybe wasn't even supposed to be in this movie. They wanted Kathleen Turner. Um uh but uh canon films. Uh Jay, you had sort of mentioned um uh Fire Walker. That's the Chuck Norris.
>> Fire Walker is the Chuck Norris Lewis Gosset one that I love. And I'm pretty sure that's canon, too.
>> What about you, Russell? Canon films, you know, is there's a bit of >> Okay. Um, is there any sort of particular films or are you aware of canon film corporation in in general?
>> Yeah, I mean it definitely marks an era when I was kind of discovering film. Um, so like Cobra would be one that I watched a lot.
>> Oh yeah, that's I forgot that.
>> Um, and you know that has some like >> it's a good LA one canonisms.
>> Yeah, totally. Yeah, it's >> I didn't pull Cobra, but but I did pull Over the Top, which is another Stallone Canon Films >> uh movie, but um sorry, I didn't >> I'm waiting for that one to go on sale.
I I've never seen it. Can't wait.
>> Me neither.
>> I love truckers. I I've never seen Over the Top, but to tell another Adam story on on this uh show, uh one day when we were driving around LA at the Back to the Future events, uh Robbie Retro and Adam Lu were sitting in the back seat and all they were doing was quoting over the top. And then Robbie showing me this scene on his phone and I was like, I I need to like I need to see this movie.
This movie seems insane and hilarious and so entertaining. And they were just they were just having the time of their lives laughing and quoting the same thing over and over and over again. They were having so much fun back there.
>> Um so as soon as I got home after that trip, I I [snorts] ordered a copy of uh Over the Top. And so I still haven't watched it, but I I will I will I am looking forward to it. But >> uh yeah. So, so >> Brandon, I've seen them do that same thing. So, they must have really loved that. Like, that must be a thing that they love over the top.
>> They really really do.
>> Like, they love that movie. Yeah. Cool.
I can't wait.
>> Any other uh canon films or canon history, Russell, that uh from childhood?
>> I mean, I' I've watched a handful of them. Uh you know, like uh you know, Masters of the Universe is a timely one maybe with the release of the new film coming. Um >> I pulled pulled that one, too. Dolph Lungren.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Terrible, terrible movie, but also a lot of freaking fun.
>> Yeah. Yeah, it's true.
>> Would you call tonight's movie a terrible movie?
>> Yes.
>> When you say also, would you call >> not to bury not to bury the lead here, but uh Yeah. [laughter] Ultimately, I think this is what Canon Films does is [laughter] they make they make terrible movies that are so freaking fun.
>> Oh, okay. Okay. Yep, I got it.
>> Um, >> that may be my genre. [laughter] >> Yeah, >> that may be what I >> very a couple of very famous ones. Break >> Okay, I've heard of those.
>> And Breaken 2, Electric Booaloo.
>> Um, >> congrats to MGM for getting the distribution rights on those.
Look at like I I these are just some of the the craziest cannon films I pulled.
Look at Blood Sport, Vanam. Uh Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is a cannon film.
>> Oh, yeah.
>> That's a good one.
>> What else do we got here?
>> Lou Farerigno Hercules.
Uh oh, >> and this one here.
>> Oh, I don't even know if >> Superman 4: Quest for Peace is a canon film. They purchased the rights to Superman >> late into the franchise and ended up making Quest for Peace a terrible film.
Um, so Canon Films, as I had mentioned, uh, was purchased [snorts] in 1979 by two Israeli cousins. They came to America and they started just making movies. They were making movie movies over in Israel. Uh they they came they purchased the Canon company and uh they just went cra they they are what [sighs and gasps] when people make fun of like straight to home video like um you know selling a movie based strictly off of a poster, right? No script, no actual idea. It's just what looks good on the poster.
Chuck Norris with two Uzi machine guns, a flaming building behind him, and like a stealth bomber jet flying.
>> Didn't need guns.
>> Yeah, they they they would >> Norris, he wasn't shooting guy.
>> Create these posters or just have these wild ideas and then make uh make those movies. Um uh the in 1985 alone they released 22 films whether it be you know >> jeez >> kind of re-releases um straight to to to video.
>> Are they just finance years or are they actually overseeing production?
>> They are overseeing >> that's a lot.
>> Yeah.
>> Whoa. Huge. Um, there is a wonderful documentary called Electric Bugaloo, the story of Canon Films. Uh, I learned so much about it. It it there's so many great stories in there. Um, one of the funniest parts about that documentary is at the very very end, uh, they sort of shoot up a credit that's like the, um, the cousins were asked to be interviewed for this documentary. They turned it down to then make their own documentary about canon films and release the documentary [laughter] three months early.
>> Of course. Yeah.
>> Um >> Yeah, that sounds right.
>> I see what these guys are.
>> Yeah. [gasps] Yeah.
>> Like they had spies on every executive's desk. So be like, "What are they what are they about to greenlight? Oh, a thing about a helicopter and whatever."
Okay, let's do our thing with the helicopter on the winter.
>> I don't even think they I don't think they were at the level to have spies. I think that they were just after it comes out they go okay that was popular let's make our own version right >> got it >> there is a quote in the documentary from Richard Craft he was a music supervisor and he he puts it as the canon way is simply uh reassembling something else minus good taste that's what canon [laughter] films did >> it's That's hilarious. You reverse it.
>> Take out the quality. [snorts] >> Where did I put it?
Uh, part of the reason why I I brought Over the Top out is because one of the things I learned is that at the time, uh, they paid Stallone $12 million to appear in this film, which for 1985, that was like the highest paid an actor had ever been to appear in a film. But they were so set on making Yeah. Go ahead, Jay.
>> Is that also 1985?
>> No. Oh, no. This is not 1985.
>> Oh, [ __ ] I'm so excited to do that on the show.
>> 1987.
>> Um, yeah. So, they basically they kept this up. They would make so many movies.
None of them would really make a ton of money. They would hit every once in a while with, you know, a Chuck Norris or a Stallone, right? But it just wasn't they would always be losing money. In 198586 year alone, Canon films lost $90 million >> and they they were starting to like >> it was back then >> film libraries and movie theater chains.
Uh >> all the way up until 1994 I believe was the end of of canon films.
Uh they declared bankruptcy.
Um, but you know, for the8s it was like pure entertainment. I like there is such a love for all of these canon films.
Whether you're into the I keep using Chuck Norris as the example, but Chuck Norris or the Death Wish, the Death Wish franchise, right, the Charles Bronson.
>> All of the sequels to Death Wish are canon films. The first Death Wish is not a canon film. So, they just were like, "Okay, we have Char, we got Charles Bronson. Uh, Death Wish is his franchise. Let's just make them." And they made two, three, and four, uh, all with with Bronson.
>> Um, >> was that like a model they're copying from like Dirty Harry or something like that? Cuz there was a handful of those chain, you know, those series in the >> 80s. think I think it's just like the they were thinking in in the documentary they allude to the old Hollywood system used to have actors on contracts. Yes.
>> You know, uh back in the we're going back to that the 30s, you know, uh an actor would be sort of on contract and they would just put them in their movies.
>> Wasn't really like casting. It wasn't like auditioning. It was just like who's available, right?
>> I think um >> uh a really great example of that, I just rewatched it. Uh Hail Caesar, a film I know you like, Jay.
>> Um >> I was going to bring that up right now.
Go on. It's a perfect example.
[laughter] That's how the young kid gets in the movie.
>> Yes, I It's Han. It's young Han Solo.
What is What is his name? I can't remember his um uh he's he's got a hard to pronounce name. Anyway, young Han Solo. Um, he uh >> I can't believe that's Han Solo. I had no idea.
>> Yeah, that's that's the the Han Solo prequel.
>> He's just the little kid who can't act to me from >> Exactly. He's like the the cowboy he's the cowboy stunt rider guy who does like uh >> But they're trying to make Jean Kelly.
>> Yes. And then he just gets put it what it was. [laughter] >> Um and uh it was terrible, but that's how the studio system works. So canon was >> what was the line Brandon? Were it not?
Were it not or was it was it was >> Yeah, something like that. Something he couldn't what it what it was. I I can't remember.
>> Um there is there is a pretty significant delay, Jay. [laughter] >> Okay. I don't know where it is cuz you guys are perfect 1080 over here.
Everything looks >> Oh, really?
>> H >> Yeah. And then it seems to come and go because now we're live. So it sync up and >> I don't know >> some something's going on. Oh. Uh oh no.
I think we're good. Anyway, um yeah. So that's how the the old system used to work. So, I think the Canon cousins were trying to they wanted to have actors in their repertoire that they could just put into movies and someone like Charles Bronson and Chuck Norris and Chuck Norris were kind of those people for them. Um, >> Brian Stim says, "I've never heard can films describe better. They they also had Chuck Norris performing a side power sidekick in every trailer he was [laughter] in."
>> Brian totally agrees with your assessment. Yeah. Um, so obviously, uh, as we've said, 1981, Raiders of the Lost Arc comes out. 1984, the year prior to this, Temple of Doom comes out. So, Indiana Jones is, you know, in the ether. So, somebody at canon is thinking, what what can we get, right?
You know what?
>> This makes so much sense now. What can we Is it Is it coming up with something original or is it taking this hundred-year-old book that's been adapted multiple times and redoing it?
The funny thing is uh the the movie our 85 Solomon Mines is not really based on the book other than the Allen quarter main character.
The 1950 1937 and you know the original book they're they're kind of a different story. The Allan Quarter main character is actually a much older man. He is a longtime uh white uh adventurer in Africa who has lived there for many many years. He's sort of a grizzled old man.
Um an expert in the uh you know the the outback.
This 85 version is really much more inspired directly by Indiana Jones.
>> He's modeled right after him.
>> And you're like, "Well, we can't copy it too much." Well, oh, we give him a bandelier of shotgun shells. That'll change it. Like, oh, that's just different. And a little scarf around his around, >> which is a thing that appears in the other.
>> And I'll tell you what, Sharon Stone did an excellent job.
>> Oh, that's Oh, okay. So, maybe. Okay.
Well, that is kind of I guess the Safari adventurer guys.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Exactly.
>> I honestly thought Sharon Stone did a great job of being Billy from Temple of Doom. Like exactly like her.
>> Yeah. Willie Scott.
>> Yet absolutely nothing like her at all.
I [laughter] >> is that >> I was thinking I was thinking like, oh, she's doing a little bit of Karen Allen and uh um um Willie Scott.
>> Maybe that's it. Mixing, >> right? And and maybe not specifically Sharon Stone, but I I had the feeling like that's how the character was written because there is times when she >> You're right. the father. Oh my gosh, you're right. And she she's obviously Willie Scott when she's getting in the plane and doing, you know, doing donuts in the in [laughter] the field. That's that's Willie Scott. But she's also Karen Allen at at times when she's like walking through the jungle. Even the first time we see her, she's kind of confidently walking through the jungle.
Um she's she's on a mission. She needs to find her her father. Um, she does get kid like kidnapped in this the marketplace which is so Raiders like she gets rolled up in a carpet. It's so it's not a wicker basket but she gets rolled up in a carpet like you can't get more Raiders [laughter] >> and the town square already feels the same.
>> Yes. Yeah.
>> As Cairo as you said.
>> Exactly. Um, yeah. So, I I I just felt it was kind of like maybe a bit of uh both types of of the Indiana Jones classic uh female characters.
>> I think you're probably right. Yeah, it's astute.
>> Uh, okay.
>> I also, you know, this this movie wasn't cheap to produce. It's not like they just cranked it out real quick. I bet they shot it quickly down in Batswana or whatever part of Africa they were. Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Zimbabwe, >> but they did an awful lot of very big and challenging and stunty dangerous things in this movie.
>> None of it was cheap.
>> Yeah, I I think that's that's that's the again that's the canon way is like [clears throat] canon canon films don't necessarily look cheap. Like they it's hard to put they don't look cheap. I just think they're shot very quickly like you said Jay which doesn't allow them to like finetune things or get the >> perfect effect shot the the perfect performance right it's kind of like we got we have to make these pages we have to make these days um what whatever we get is good enough >> okay >> but they're putting money into those effects and they're putting money into the stunts and to the sets so I I think that's what's funny and like that's kind of what's magical about the Canon films is that they're like they like sort of sit in this place between >> uh cheap lowbudget you know straight to home video you know films and then you know our our big budget theatrical blockbusters. They kind of are are right in the middle. They're just >> just not quite there.
>> Yeah. They just could never make that movie in America because they couldn't afford to do it.
>> Yeah.
>> But but you go to Zimbabwe and it's like, "Oh, well, we could totally afford to do all that. There's absolutely zero oversight whatsoever. No insurance."
>> Go ahead, Russell.
>> I I was going to say, I was just looking at my notes. Uh, it looks like they filmed from January to May in ' 85. It was supposed to be finished in March.
>> That's plenty of time.
>> So, [laughter] yeah, but I agree with you. really >> big set big big set pieces for that compressed the schedule. Um >> well and then the film comes out November of 1985.
>> November. Yeah.
>> So they're shooting January to May. Film comes out in November. The other thing that they were doing is they went to Africa with full intentions to shoot both movies. So they shot the sequel >> back to back. So uh you're right, Russell. January 6th to May 29th is the uh S King Solomon's Minds shoot and then they're back in production for the sequel June 10th to September of 1985.
Um, so you know, Sharon Stone and Richard Chamberlain, they basically spent a year over in in Africa, >> uh, because, uh, the director doesn't return for the sequel. Uh, John Ree Davies, um, who we'll definitely talk about, doesn't return for the sequel.
There is a new cast of characters. Uh, really, I'm pretty sure it's just Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone that returned for the sequel, if I remember correctly. That would that would make sense. I mean, unless Salah is the villain again. I don't >> Yeah. No, >> don't like evil Salah. I I like I like Monarch of the Sea. Happy Salah.
>> Yeah, exactly. [laughter] >> Yeah.
>> Um, >> bad dates. Like you always say, bad dates.
>> Bad dates. [laughter] >> Um, all right. So, so, uh, King Solomon's Minds, uh, is directed by Jay Lee Thompson, kind of a director for hire.
Um, you know, he had done uh a popular film 1961 called The Guns of Navaro. Uh >> oh, that's a good movie.
>> Yeah, I love it.
>> He did uh Conquest and Battle for the Planet of the Apes 72 and 73.
>> Ended up doing Death Wish 4 with Bronson. Um but he also directed the original Fear 1962, which Scorsese ends up uh remaking. um does not return for the sequel as I mentioned. Um I don't know. Not not much else to I think say I >> I don't know like >> I mean that's a that had to be a contractual thing versus a we didn't like what you did because that's like a those are different >> you know.
>> I think I think Jaye Thompson decided and left not to he did not want to do the sequel.
>> Oh, excuse me. So, he was maybe scheduled to do it and then they had to find Oh, wow. Okay. Gotcha.
>> Yeah. Whether he left on his own accord or or he was let go. I I I don't know that information.
>> Um.
>> Gotcha. Gotcha.
>> But, you know, I I will say I I think that's maybe the direction of this film is definitely something that is lacking.
You know, I I think there is [clears throat] there is parts as we've saying that that score are great. Sharon Stone, she does a wonderful job with what she's given, but I think if I'm pinpointing parts of the movie that's maybe bring it down, something like the direction is is maybe where it's it's weak.
>> Damn.
>> And he was he was over 70 at the time.
>> True. That's that's true. Yeah, that that >> a lot of work.
>> I didn't even consider that. It's a lot of work >> and you're over in Africa and it's it's probably hot as [ __ ] you know. It's just like >> well and how many of these tribes are are extras casting and how many of them were going actually into the into the Kalahari and we're going to, you know, work with real acting tribes.
>> From from what I know, it's it's a lot of extras. I I nothing that I was reading was primarily like and then we went and hired this real tribe. Now, these people may be involved in like >> because that's a lot of numbers, too.
Now, we're talking thousands of people.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. I read I read 4,000 4,000 extras.
I read >> extras. Yeah.
>> Like that's a lot.
>> Wow.
>> Uh $6 a day is what they were paying them.
>> Oh my god.
>> Yeah.
>> Wow. Uh the main uh their uh helper assistant guy uh uh >> he comes back at the end. Wampoo.
>> Bobo.
>> Yes. So, I know him from uh he's from Gods Must Be Crazy, which is one of my all-time favorite movies, also shot in the same part of the world around the same time.
>> The Gods Must Be Crazy.
>> I don't know if either of you have ever seen that.
>> I have. I have seen it. And I was like I think I need to revisit this film. I I I don't know. I don't remember [clears throat] enough about this film to uh [sighs] >> know whether it's a bonus. Good or bad.
[laughter] >> Oh, it's spectacular. Great film. It's one of my all-time favorite movies.
>> Yeah. And there's a sequel, God's Misty Crazy.
>> And what it says about people and Yeah.
The second one is you could take that or leave it. That's not really It doesn't have the same the same wow effect.
>> Yes.
>> But I the reason my point was they did use a lot of uh real uh local >> real African tribes native culture. Yes. Exactly. Yes. Yes.
And including even the Bushman, the lead guy, Key was was an actual Bushman who turned actor for the movie.
>> Yeah.
Um yeah, so uh uh King Solomon's Mine is uh written by Jean Quintano. Uh a weird connection, but he is also the screenwriter for Police Academy 3 and Police Academy 4. Uh you know, we we covered Police Academy 2 last week. Um, he's also he also wrote uh and directed Loaded Weapon, the Alu Estz, Sam Jackson. I think it's a is it a National Ampoon movie? National Ampoon's Loaded Weapon, I believe.
>> Above the title.
>> Straight up. Yep. Just bought the Yep.
>> And Operation Dumbo Drop, which is a strange Disney film.
>> Um, also written by James R.
>> Speaking of elephants. [laughter] >> Yeah, exactly. Speaking of Elkins, yeah, uh James James R. Psych uh wrote a film uh wrote primarily for canon. Um two of note, Revenge of the Ninja, and then one that I have to see. I hadn't heard of it until I watched the canon documentary, and it's the third film in their Ninja franchise. It's called Ninja 3: The Domination.
And their big idea for Ninja 3 was let's have a female ninja. So the the the main character, this woman, she is possessed by the spirit of a ninja >> and she goes on all these uh these you know you know uh big fights and the clips in the documentary. I was like I need to see this [ __ ] movie because uh [laughter] Ninja 3: The Domination looks awesome. So, I'm definitely going to seek out the ninja franchise.
Either of you see >> all female ninjas should be ninjas.
>> I I echo you, Brandon. I saw it in the documentary and I added it to my watch list [laughter] immediately. Uh >> yeah, >> it looked awesome, didn't it?
>> What's it called?
>> It did.
>> Ninja 3: The Domination. [laughter] >> Even that title.
>> No, no. What's the documentary though?
>> Oh, the documentary is called Electric Booaloo. Uh the story.
>> Oh, that's right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Got it.
>> Yeah. A reference >> a reference to Break into Electric Bugaloo.
>> Yes. Yes. Of course. Of course.
>> The the famous [snorts] joke any any sequel that you say uh you know you add Electric Bugaloo. What is the there's a um the not Dawn of the Dead. Um, I'm blanking on the the the vampire movie, the Tarantino. Um, why the heck am I >> Oh, From Dust Till Dawn.
>> From Dust Till Dawn. Yes.
>> Whoa. Sorry.
>> Robert Rodriguez.
>> Thank you, Russell. Uh, Robert Rodriguez is from Dust to Dawn. There is a um a making of documentary that I think has like an electric booaloo reference. Or is it No. Was it Full Tilt Boogie?
>> Full Tilt Boogie. Yeah, that's it.
>> Full Full Tilt Boogie. Maybe as an Electric Booaloo reference. I'm realizing now, but I thought it I thought it was >> It feels like it's tied in there. Yeah, I feel like it.
>> Somebody else though has made the same joke.
>> Yeah, the Electric Booaloo is the is the sequel joke. Everything is something something to Electric Booaloo, >> right?
>> Um Yeah. So, uh, the film stars Richard Chamberlain as our, uh, Allan Quartermain. Um, I don't think I don't know if it's Richard's fault or if it is purely script. I don't I don't think anything he does or says is funny. Maybe in like a like a like a laugh at the movie. And I don't know if it's his performance or something, [laughter] but like everything falls flat to me. Every quip, every oneliner.
>> Yeah.
>> I went the other route. I ate it all up.
I go, "Man, I'm just going to go along for the ride and I enjoyed the [ __ ] out of it.
You >> You didn't like the trumpet scene in the in the train car, Brandon? Like where he plays the trumpet?" Uh, [laughter] like >> we were on that train a long time.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> That was a long train ride. The I think the [laughter] only thing the only thing from the train that I was like, "Oh my god, that's incredible." is when he he puts the shotgun through the floorboards and he blasts that guy in the balls.
>> What?
>> But it's nonviolent. This movie is violent as hell, >> but it but that particular it's like >> the movie is so weird because it goes from being super violent like the guy getting uh spiked against the door in the in the opening scene. Um the shopkeeper holding the dynamite in his hand and exploding and we see some sort of dummy explode. There [laughter] is that >> uh that motorcycle crash uh and that dummy that's in the motorcycle is like >> car. Yeah, that was brutal.
>> Like it's like it's like visceral and brutal. Yeah, it's like hard.
>> I hope it was a dummy.
>> Yeah.
>> And then made me feel like Mad Max.
>> Yes. Ex Yeah, it's exactly like Mad Max.
And then we have this scene where Quartermain shoots this guy in the crotch through the floorboards and he he flies up in the air like a Looney Tunes character. There's no like blood or gore or anything. It's speed ramped. It is such a weird moment. That being said, absolutely loved it.
>> I said, "Who is this movie for?" Dark and cartoony.
>> Yes. [laughter] What was it? Violent and dark yet hilarious and cartoony like they're making dad jokes and stuff.
>> I My note was I wrote the tone of this movie is insane with an exclamation point. [laughter] >> I like it. Once I got on board, once I understood what it was, I loved it.
>> That that shotgun.
Well, I was going to say that that shotgun sequence like comes right after this this, you know, Nazi soldier is telling Jesse's elderly father that he finds him attractive.
>> Yeah.
>> And um >> Yeah.
>> And and and so Sharon Stone pipes up thinking he's talking to her and he's like, "I'm not talking to you, but I'm not picky." You know, like [laughter] >> Yeah. It's like crazy. Like who comes up with this stuff?
>> So weird. Like every decision in this movie is so strange.
>> Um [laughter] >> Yeah. Uh >> the stunt he like somebody was really under a train for some of that stuff.
That shit's crazy.
>> Yeah, >> they were really climbing under the train under that thing. That was crazy.
>> And then he he does the one thing uh that Indiana Jones would never do. Alan Quartermain loses his hat >> and never gets it back.
>> Indie would always get his Indie would catch his hat. You're right.
>> Or somebody would give it to him.
>> Um I >> I just watched in preparation for this movie, I watched a lot of crappy treasure hunting movies to prep myself for it. And Dial [laughter] of Destiny was one of them. And literally that movie ends with him grabbing his hat.
>> That that that leopard, you know, fur on the fedora always bothered me as a kid, though. I just like I was kind of h happy the hat was gone because I just wanted the pure fedora. I wanted the indie fedora. It is. It is a It's a little goofy looking like even on the post.
>> It's feminine. The the the the print is feminine of the scarf on the thing, I think.
>> And it's like it's like quite loud, right? Like it's just [laughter] >> it's like it it draws the eye, right? If it's not Richard Chamberlain's like chiseled dyed beard drawing your eye, it's the it's the the fabric on his hat.
Um, yeah, the there was lots of things in the movie that I was having tons of fun with. I I did I I did enjoy the goofiness of it from like a like a bad movie, you know, enjoyment, a so bad it's good type vibe. Um, but I don't know, there was just something about, you know, I did not like the Allan Quartermain character. And maybe part of it is because everything he's doing, I am comparing him to Indiana Jones >> who I think >> that's that's tough cuz who That's tough. Who's going to win that one?
>> My other note.
>> Do you So do you know Richard Chamberlain from anything else? Because as a kid, I grew up not liking him and then I didn't mind today in this movie.
No, I I had to >> was in like a lot of romantic movie of the weeks when I was a kid.
>> He's in the Three Musketeers. Remember that Russell? I don't know how old you are.
>> Yeah, I'm 45. Um, >> so so we're close. Yeah.
>> I don't know.
>> Yeah, like Shogun, I guess. I didn't watch the Thornirds. Yeah.
>> Um, >> no, >> this was my introduction to Richard >> in movie of the weeks all the time.
>> Yeah. Tower of Inferno, 1974.
Um, he apparently is the original Jason.
>> I forgot he was in that.
>> Uh, he apparently is the original Jason Bourne because there was >> a Born identity show, a TV miniseries in 1988.
Um, and then he's in he's in one episode of the Twin Peaks, The Return. So, I have to note [clears throat] that >> I don't really remember him. Uh he's he's I think in like a courtroom or or something. Um but yeah, I don't know him anything.
>> I'll I'll put in a plug for uh an amazing movie of his that I discovered sort of prepping for this this podcast and it's the movie he does right before King Solomon's Minds. That's Peter Weir's The Last Wave.
>> Uh if you haven't seen it, it's it's amazing. It's it's like a hidden gem for sure. Um Just it I'd high check it out.
>> The last wave like you would not >> Yeah, I believe it's 1977 or something.
197 >> 77. Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> His performance there and his performance in King Solomon's minds. You wouldn't think it was the same guy. Uh just amazing amazing film. Y >> well that's what I was going to say back to what Brandon was saying about direction. I do feel like a lot of the performances of this were not what the actors were capable of. It's just what was drawn out of them for the purposes of this film.
>> Exactly. Right. We know what Sharon Stone is capable of. Sharon Stone becomes an icon of the '9s.
>> Now, granted, it is like the basic instinct of it all. Um, but she's a very talent. Exactly. She's a very talented actress and she she can deliver. Um, so, you know, I don't fully blame her or Richard Chamberlain for this film. Uh, which is why, you know, I if I have to blame somebody, I I maybe blaming the writers or the or the directors. Um, uh, I wanted to >> Yeah, I want the editor on the bus, too, while we're at it. [laughter] >> Yeah, there's some there's some bad edits for sure.
Um, this is what I wanted >> places that I think it could have been tightened up. Yes.
>> Yeah. This is what I wanted to uh to say. Uh my other note was I am so much more impressed by Indiana Jones now [laughter] because it it just makes you realize how tight that movie is, >> how great the writing is, how great the film making is, and how great of an actor and a movie star Harrison Ford is. Right? Everything everything has to go right for a movie to hit. There is so many different aspects to making a film that, you know, one or two things could go wrong and then you can get, you know, a King Solomon's minds. But when everything sort of kind of goes right, you get Indiana Jones. It's just like it's that like lightning in a bottle.
Like what are the elements that make Indiana Jones the classic that we love and rewatch and can't get enough of and are obsessed with and what makes King Solomon's minds kind of laughable, kind of like hokey, you know, like what what are the big differences? Because these two raiders and and King Solomon, they're like they're so similar.
So similar.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. I agree with that. I I go to Harrison Ford on that one. Obviously direct it's across the board. Obviously things are better, [laughter] but really at the end of the day, yeah, I I put Indiana Jones on her Harrison Ford. I mean, if if we didn't care about him, the rest doesn't matter.
>> Yeah. What's the the sliding doors uh Tom Celich version of of Indiana Jones?
Right.
>> Yeah. Right.
>> Have you guys ever seen those uh audition that audition footage?
Yeah, >> I've seen screen grabs of it. I don't think I've ever seen any footage. No.
>> Yeah, I think he's with >> But I do like that Chip and Dales are are dressing like both Magnum and Indiana Jones. I always thought that was cute. [laughter] >> Yeah. Yeah. Rescue Rangers. Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers. Yeah. Famously.
One is dressed as Indiana Jones and one is like Hawaiian shirt. Much more Magnum PI which is a funny, you know, Tom Celic reference. I think you can find um the Tom Celic Indiana Jones, you know, you know, test footage online and I'm if I remember correctly, I think he's with Karen Allen. I can't I can't remember [clears throat] who's in it. Um but they're re it's really interesting >> because it just doesn't it doesn't have the same presence. It doesn't have the same gravitas, you know, that that Harrison does bring to that character.
>> [snorts] >> I feel like if you're if we're going to go with the less is more mantra, uh Richard Chamberlain does not fill that box. [laughter] >> He's pretty big as a Indiana Jones. He's making dad jokes. He's dancing. Like there's a lot going on. [laughter] >> Also uses a lot of guns. Like no whip.
I'm just going to bring my shotgun.
>> Yeah. [laughter] >> Uh apparently >> apparently there's a deleted scene where they used a whip in the sequel. I learned that. Okay.
>> It doesn't [clears throat] they decided >> I can't wait to watch the sequel now.
>> The sequel is comparable. I think it's like the exact same tonewise.
>> Okay.
>> Um I mean like I said they they b they made them back to back so they barely >> Yeah.
>> They barely got to see Well, actually when did I say that they ended?
September.
>> September. Yeah. They didn't even get to see the finished product >> uh of King Solomon's mind before finishing shooting the [snorts] sequel.
>> Yeah. This sounds very much like Back to the Future 2 and three how they shot them consecutively. [clears throat] >> Yeah.
>> And and and they were editing one while they were shooting the other.
>> Yeah. Famously, uh Zamechus is filming during the day and then what's it?
helicopter to edit edit at night and then helicopter back to be there first thing in [clears throat] the morning to shoot part three.
>> He would take a flight yeah helicopter to the airport and then fly back and forth from Sonoma. I think he was doing the helicopter back and forth even here in LA just to because he couldn't afford five minutes of traffic. That that's crazier to me. Him him doing Sorry, tangent. Tangent tangent. Welcome to Zmechus doing part two and three right on >> right on the heels of Roger Rabbit to me is one of those like he had no downtime off of Roger Rabbit before going right into parts two and three >> and the way he did it is more impressive to me than Michael J. Fox with the with the family ties and the Back to the Future at night thing. Like they're both impressive, but >> yeah, but maybe there's something >> director and having to edit I [snorts] >> to be said with uh striking while the iron's hot, right? Like Back to the Future is the number one movie of 1985.
>> Uh you know, he he has Roger Rabbit, which does, you know, does well and is is very very popular. And >> you know, certain people they get to that level of, you know, writer, director, and like that's all they want to do. They just want to make this stuff and they're getting the opportunities to do it. So, you know, >> yeah, like you know, >> I'll sleep some other time.
>> Well, that's what I was just going to say is that Michael J. Fox's mentality for Back to the Future and the family ties of it all is like he didn't he didn't have a family. He hadn't met his wife yet. He hadn't had kids. This was like, >> you know, go hard to build this career.
He's got this opportunity. He's on the most popular TV show and now he's making what turns out to be the best film uh well, [laughter] my cards are showing.
Uh the number one film of 1985. Uh >> but you know, he's he's putting in the effort and the energy and the time because he's been given this opportunity and he's not going to squander it.
>> Uh >> yeah, >> and I guess that same can be said for King Solomon's minds.
>> [laughter] >> I just wanted to add like partially on the success of Romancing the Stone, which >> is another film that can fit easily into this cycle of films, right? Like a $10 million film that made 115 in the box office like >> Exactly.
>> Um he was cashing in as well. Yeah, totally.
>> Yeah, because before is uh >> is used cars.
>> Used cars. And then there was one before that I can't remember that they wrote together, but they also wrote uh 194 That's it. And they wrote 1941.
>> Oh, that's right. Yeah, they wrote 1941.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Which I love, but it's, you know, not fantastic.
>> Yeah. It's It's >> I do love used cars, though. I stand by used cars. I love used cars. [laughter] >> I like used cars. Yeah, I like used cars.
>> There's some great stuff in used cars.
1941 to me is just like too long and too like like um too bloated and too >> there's no payoff. Yeah. It's a bunch of vignettes. It's a bunch of fantastic vignettes that there's not really a payoff.
>> And a bunch of fantastic people, right?
Like it's just it's maybe that's part of it too. It's just like there's like too many good >> cavalcade of stars.
>> Yes. Yeah.
>> Dude, from John Candy to to to the wife from Jaws and Ned Bey. Like it's insane the cast in that movie.
>> Yeah.
Uh where >> now I want to watch it again just because we're talking about it.
[laughter] >> Oh yes, Richard Chamberlain.
>> This has been the Spielberg portion of the podcast.
>> Yes, exactly. Thank you for joining us on on Spielberg Hour. Uh all right, so Sharon Stone, we sort of alluded we've told uh we've heard some Sharon Stone stories. Uh Sharon Stone early in her career as I mentioned uh 1987 she's appears in police academy 4 citizens on patrol which we t you know we talked a little bit about uh last week um you had mentioned Casino 1995 uh Basic Instinct 92 Total Recall uh 1990 um a film that I love and we talk about this gentleman on the show very often, but she is the titular muse in Albert Brooks's The Muse. Uh, have you seen this film, Russell?
>> I have not seen it. No, >> this is this is a fun one. This is a this is a I mean, a lot of Albert Brooks's movies are Hollywood movies, but this is a movie about a Hollywood screenwriter. And uh, his friend Jeff Bridges is also playing a screenwriter, just won an Academy Award. Albert Brooks's character is kind of on the downswing in his writing career and Jeff Bridges sort of tells him like, well, the reason I got that, you know, the reason I was able to write that script and win the award was I have a muse. Uh, she's descendant from the original musees, the Greek gods. She sort of she sort of inspires me. And so Jeff Bridges sets uh Albert Brooks up with the Muse.
And the Muse is played by Miss Sharon Stone.
>> This movie is >> I love this movie.
>> I love this movie so much. I think it's um >> I think it's an uns.
It's like everybody uses her. She's like everybody. Robin of the industry.
>> Yes. Exactly. [laughter] Fantastic. Fantastic film. Lot of fun.
>> Great cameos.
>> Yes. Lots of great uh uh backlot uh filming as well, right? because, you know, he's going to meetings on different uh uh film lots. So, highly recommend it. Um >> uh Sharon Stone also famously is the is the voice in a familyfriendly animated insect classic that stars a cancelled actor. Uh any guesses as to what film that is?
>> Yes, you're correct. It's Ants.
>> Not to be not to be confused.
>> Oh, is that the one with Julie Lou Drifus?
>> Julie? No, not to be confused with the other familyfriendly insect animated feature starring a cancelled actor, A Bug's Life, starring Kevin Spac.
>> Who's in that one?
>> Woody Allen. [clears throat] >> Oh [ __ ] [laughter] >> Uh, sorry. That was just that was a bit that I thought of earlier today.
>> Um, >> I wish I didn't step all over.
>> It's all good. Uh Sharon Stone is a voice in Ants. Um uh and yes, Ants and A Bug's Life both come out the exact same year. Uh very famous story. Um Jeffrey Katzenberg uh leaves Disney to go and start DreamWorks Animation and he has the knowledge that the next Pixar film is going to be this ant movie, this bug related movie. And so they try to do the canon films and try to beat them to the box office.
>> Nice.
>> Uh by creating ants. Now I have not watched this movie in a very very long time. I watched it a lot when I was a kid. Patrick Warbertton is in this movie. That's kind of what I remember the [clears throat] most. I love Patrick Warbertton.
>> Uh iconic voice acting.
>> That's funny.
>> Uh yeah, Woody Allen Stone. So that's >> Hackman.
>> Um yeah, sorry. I just wanted to do that joke.
>> Wow. [laughter] >> Uh, any other uh any other Sharon Stone performances that anybody else uh loves?
>> Well, I was going to ask you guys if you've even seen Basic Instinct.
>> I I have >> I don't think I've ever actually seen it.
>> Um, I was going to rewatch it before this episode, but I didn't get a chance to. But it's it's it's going to it's going on my watch pile because I got to rewatch it. This is my ice pick edition.
>> I remember how mega that movie was.
[laughter] Like that was like just so freaking huge at the time. But I but I was a you know I was too young to like see it for what it for what it was. So I think I probably saw like you know that that clip was always on the news and they were always making fun of it and stuff, but I don't think I've ever actually seen it. Is it a is it a It doesn't matter. I guess I'll watch it.
I'm curious if is it like a fatal [laughter] attraction where she just is so [ __ ] in love with him that she can't leave him alone or is it like I guess I don't know what the hell it's about.
>> Uh I don't remember all the Yeah, I don't remember all the details. I haven't seen it for a very very long time.
>> It it it's amazing. Like it's Paul Verhovven at his the height of his powers and she's she's the sinister force. Like she >> Yes, she's amazing.
>> I remember her stabbing.
Oh, murder. Got it. Got it. Murder mystery. Got it.
>> And the You know who else is in this movie? Uh Wayne Knight, aka Dennis Nedry [laughter] because >> I only know that from the scene or Newman for me.
>> He's the one in that scene. Yes. Yes.
Newman, of course.
>> Um and then I do have to shout this out even though again it stars another cancelled person. Uh but she is in the the disaster artist.
>> Oh, I love that movie so much.
>> Me too. I love this film so much. I love The Room. Uh she plays uh >> she plays Greg Cero's agent uh in this film and she's she's wonderful. This this movie is amazing. But >> right.
>> Um >> so wait, who's canceled from that movie?
>> James Franco.
>> Oh, duh. Sorry.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Got it.
[laughter] >> I forgot. So he's so good in that movie.
I kind of forgot it was him cuz he's so that [ __ ] artist guy. It's so he's so good.
>> Yeah.
>> And then you watch the behind the scenes with the real people and you're like, "Holy [ __ ] he's so good." [laughter] >> Yeah. Uh [snorts] I've been obsessed with The Room for a very very long time.
Uh been to many many room screenings at the place where where Russell and I saw Nirvana, the band, the show, the movie, the Rio Theater.
It actually has a has a very it was much more exciting many years ago when James Franco wasn't um gross. Uh but uh James Franco was in town shooting the interview with Seth Rogan, the the the Sony League film, the [clears throat] the film that ended up being cancelled because of all the the Sony League controversy.
>> Um >> it wasn't cancelled, buddy. It came out.
>> Oh, it came out for all of that [ __ ] >> I I own it. Yeah. Um, >> I saw it in theaters at a special screening. Uh, anyway, >> uh, >> that we could do a whole episode just on that cuz the behind the scenes of that is so insane. That [ __ ] crazy.
>> Um, so >> everybody, Dear, >> uh, he was in town.
>> That's what the Sony hack was all about was because of that.
>> Exactly. Exactly. Uh, >> he was in town shooting that movie. Came to a screening of The Room. Uh I sat in the same row as him. We were in the front row together. He was at the end. I was at the uh other end. But I was like, "Oh my."
>> As James Franco. James Franco came to the screening of The Room.
>> Oh, okay.
>> Um and Greg Greg Cero, who plays Mark in the room, had written a book, The Disaster Artist, and he was there to present the screening of The Room. And as lore goes, it was at this screening of The Room that James Franco went back, met Greg Cero, optioned the book, said, "I want to make it a movie, and uh ended up making the film The Disaster Artist."
So, >> wow. So, you were pivotal in that role.
>> I was making [laughter] that all happen.
>> Exactly. I I made it all happen. Um, >> uh, he I obviously there are so many mixed things with him, but I will say that one of my favorite professional things that I ever worked on was This is the End. And it was one of Nicole's most proud she was most proud of. Um, you know, not we weren't working with him, we were with Craig and Seth and Evan and Danny and stuff, but um, it still was I'm still so proud of that thing even though he's in it. [laughter] >> Yeah. I >> And then back it up like 10 years.
>> Yeah. I I just I rewatched it last year and I had such a great time. Like [laughter] >> it's still hilarious. I know. I know.
Yeah.
>> Uh we mentioned David E. Kelly's The Practice before. Uh one of the he So one of the girls on that show was her name was Mara Sakalof from like Dude Wears My Car and stuff, but he used to date her.
So he would come to like rap parties and stuff and we're all like, "Oh, cool.
You're >> you're that guy. It's James or whatever.
That's cool."
>> And he was >> Yeah. In fact, you know what's funny, Brandon? I So, I'm not a Spider-Man guy, but where we were was in the Rotund.
This is where the rap party was was in the Rotunda at the Museum of Natural History downtown LA by USC, which is where that scene happened. That's where they're at the field trip with the big [ __ ] sculpture in the middle. It's where the kid gets bit by the spider.
>> Oh, in the first one.
>> And then that's where we were.
>> Yeah, >> that's funny.
>> But somebody got in a fight with him and uh whatever. He was He was always kind of a problem even back then.
>> All right. And that concludes all the >> I like his brother though. brother's funny >> on our [laughter] show. Yeah, I love Dave Franco. Dave Frank.
>> What do we have? Anybody got Kevin Spy?
Anything? Cosby. Yeah. Anybody want to [laughter] >> love Seven, but it's hard to watch now.
>> I love Baby Driver. Hard to watch now.
Um >> Oh, I never seen that one. Is he in that?
>> Yes. And he's really good in it. Sucks.
>> Okay. I've heard that's a great movie.
I've never seen it.
>> It's a lot of fun.
>> I'll check that. Um I uh yeah what do you do you like Baby Driver Russell?
>> Yeah. Yeah. I I like it. Uh I'm a I'm a fan of Edgar Wright mostly you know his earlier work with >> Yeah. I was just my my followup question is like what have what have you thought about the last couple Edgar Wright films?
>> Not for me. Yeah. I like the Cornetto trilogy. That that's that's the sweet spot for me. And Spaced the TV show. Um, love that show.
>> Yeah, Last Night in Soho was okay and I really did not like The Running Man.
>> I haven't seen it.
>> Oh, the remake of The Running Man.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Haven't seen that.
>> I I don't know. Like I used to be I used to be such like a huge fan of Edgar Wright and I like him as a person, you know, the way he like uh talks about film and and you know, physical media and um does all these like rep screenings and you know is always talking about other filmmakers and promoting other people's projects, but I just don't think he's making movies the same way that he was making movie like the Cornetto trilogy, you know, working with Simon Peg and Nick Frost. It's just it's just not the same.
>> Uh >> I feel like he lost he >> he lost me with Scott Pilgrim. Um and I know there's a lot of people that love that film.
>> I love that film.
>> Yeah. And and maybe I'm an outlier, but like for me that was a turning point into Yeah. a different territory.
>> Oh, interesting. Well, one day you and I will have to have a conversation about Scott Pilgrim.
>> Yeah, sure. Sure.
>> Yeah. We we'll get >> Nicole and I didn't like that one either >> really.
>> And she used to work with uh she she you know when that kid was nobody on Super Bad and whatever and Arrested Woman can't think of his name right now.
Michael Sarah. Yeah.
>> Uh and so we kind of both wanted to watch it. Yeah. And so she knew him. So we're promoting Children's Hospital while he's promoting that movie down at Comic-Con and we're like blah blah blah.
So excited to watch it and we both were like what the [ __ ] >> I I love Scott Pilgrim so much.
>> Really?
>> That's that's interesting. Yeah. Maybe I should give it another shot cuz I trust your opinion.
>> Well, we'll have a bonus episode, but usually I enjoy what you tell me to watch.
>> Yeah, we'll have a bonus episode where Russell Jay and I get get down and deep into [laughter] with Scott program uh rewatch. Um, okay.
So, anything else on Sharon Stone? Any other any other performances or anything that anybody wants to um or even moments from King Solomon?
Uh, I'm gonna ask the same question about um because I think I saw the remake, but I don't think I've ever seen the original Total Recall and I know she's the girl in that.
>> Worth it.
>> The Arnold Schwarzenegger. Oh, yeah.
>> Oh, yeah. Another >> I just don't know that I've ever watched it.
>> Oh my god, you're right.
>> Yes.
>> Oh, does he have a Sharon Stone thing?
He must >> apparently. Yeah. [laughter] Cool. A lot a lot of people do. So, another thing, Brandon, since we're both fans of >> I agree. Did you know that she used to date Gary Shanling?
>> No, I didn't know that.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> That what an interesting couple.
[laughter] >> Yeah.
you know, >> you could probably find it on YouTube, but when they first put Larry Sanders out on the Larry the talk show out on DVD, um there was all these rights issues with his former manager Brad Gray and stuff that we don't need to get into, but so he tried to pepper it with all these bonus features. And because Gary Shanley's such a like a real guy, they're not really bonus features so much as he decided to go revisit people from his life and then just bring a camera and then just sit.
>> Interesting. So there's all these little vignettes of him with different people and all his handwritten notes that of course, you know, became the Jud Appatile documentary. But one of them is him going to Sharon Stone's house and they sit in her guest house and they eat >> an omelette that their chef prepared for them and they literally awkwardly reminisce and awkwardly flirt back and forth about like what it was like and why they broke up and why they aren't dating anymore. It's awkward and awesome and totally real.
I wonder I wonder if it's on my stuff.
>> I wonder ironically my Larry Sanders uh complete collection is next to my spaced up on my shelf.
>> Oh yeah.
>> That is weird.
>> Um I wonder if I wonder if that >> So it might still be included in that.
It might be. If not, there is a just a highlights of Larry Sanders or the best of which actually came out first before they had rights to put out the entire series and it was definitely on that because that's where he peppered him in.
>> Okay. If you do, it's definitely there.
Otherwise, I bet it's on YouTube. And now I want to rewatch it, so I'll send it to you.
>> Yeah, >> because it's all of them. It's like him with Seinfeld in New York. It's him with a bunch of different people.
>> Yeah, >> it's cool.
>> Uh, all right. Uh, uh, anything else, Sharon Sone? Um, let's move on to our connecting tissue between the Indiana Jones and the King Solomon's minds. Uh, Mr. John Reese Davies. What's that, Jay?
>> Oh, perfect. Well, in the chat here, we have somebody who said, uh, Brian Steedman said, "Harrison Ford actually stapled his fedora to his head." And I said, "What?" Because I don't believe that to be true. That sounds like a weekend at Bernie's kind of a thing, right? And he said, "There's a video out there showing Harrison Ford stapling his fedora to his head with an industrial stapler.
>> It's a joke >> for a horse riding scene. It's crazy." I think that's a joke also. This wouldn't actually [laughter] happen.
>> Yes, I've seen that clip. Yeah, he's doing a bit. Yeah.
>> All right. So, Brian St. And we think that this is a joke. We think it was a put on. Thank you.
>> Yeah, I think he's doing a bit. Um, yeah. So, how interesting is it that John Reese Davies is in this movie? Like I understand from the actor's point of view, >> you know, I'm looking at I was thinking about the timeline of >> he's John Reese Davies is in Raiders of the Lost Ark, but they don't bring him back for Temple of Doom. So in his mind, he's like may I'm not coming back, right? So you know what else are we going to do? What other work is there?
Right? Got to feed my family. gotta gotta pay my mortgage.
>> Sliders doesn't come on till 92.
>> Exactly. And [laughter] you know, obviously he does come back um for Last Crusade, but that's not till 1989, so we're still a couple of years away from >> Last Crusade. I'll take the work.
>> Exactly. Like I it I >> looked like he was even brought the wardrobe with him, honestly.
>> Yeah, exactly.
>> Yeah, he does.
>> I understand why Canon Films asked him, and I completely understand why John Reese Davies said yes. Um, it is just I think it's probably >> I almost wonder if they had to make him a bad guy >> to be different.
>> Yeah.
>> Like he can't be, you know, [ __ ] Allen's helper. [snorts] >> Oh, yeah. No, totally. He can't be the guide through the city. Exactly.
>> Right.
>> Show showing him where to >> come this way. You know, like >> Yeah, exactly.
Um, I do think it's one of the most interesting things about this, you know, movie and the sort of the Indiana clones as we've been talking about. What better way to like get Young Russell invested and excited in renting this movie than to have one of the people from the Indiana Jones movie in the movie, right?
>> Yeah, for sure.
>> For me, it was instant credibility. I think that's why they put him in the first scene.
>> Yeah, you're >> before we even see Alan Quarterman, we we've got Salah.
>> We've seen Salah. Exactly. That is such a that is such a tactic. You're you're you're you're absolutely right.
[laughter] Um uh yes. So, so John Reese Davies, as we've already said, famously plays Salah in both Raiders of the Lost Dark and uh Last Crusade, as well as he does make an appearance in Dial of Destiny.
Um he's like I love Solid.
>> Great on I maintain.
>> Yes. That is a that is a show that um I haven't really seen a ton of but I have seen uh random episodes.
>> Did you ever watch Quantum Leap? It's like Team Quantum Leap.
>> Yeah, I never watched Quantum Leap. I know about Quantum Leap. Um >> Quantum Leap was rad. Yeah.
>> Is Quantum Anyway. Yeah, you're right.
It's a Back to the Future. Let's go, you know, see how we can change things.
Yeah.
>> Is Quantum Leap the Scott Bula show?
>> Yeah. And it's [ __ ] fantastic.
>> Um I think I know the >> that kind of changed television a little bit at the time. It was a very big idea.
>> Is the theme like >> that's it. Yep. That's it.
>> That's it.
>> Yep.
>> Okay. You got it. You got it.
>> Okay.
>> Oh boy. Every episode starts with oh boy.
>> Um here's here's a story here. This is why I know that theme. So um if people are following along at BC Delorean, [laughter] uh I'm building a Blockbuster video in my garage right now. I'm there's a whole section of our garage that I'm turning into a Blockbuster and it's coming along great. It's uh it's it's looking good. Um, just recently I uh from a friend, our our past and future guest Andy Owen, who was on our Commando episode, um, he has a store out in Vancouver and he found um an instore tape reel. So, it's for video stores and it's a 90inute uh MCA universal.
>> Yes. that you put in your video system at your store and it plays the trailers and it plays all the upcoming, you know, it tells you about all the movies that are that are coming out.
>> And Quantum Leap is on it and uh [laughter] they use the song multiple times on the tape. And so just for fun, while I was working in the garage the other day after I got the tape from Andy, I put it in so that I could, you know, listen to it and see what was on the tape um in on the TV that I have kind of in the Blockbuster area. And that Quantum Leap theme got stuck in my head because it plays so many times over the course of the tape. So, uh, it does.
I can't believe >> it's also like two minute song, like the opening of the show.
>> Yeah, >> dude. It's so good. It's Back to the Future, the TV series. It's really great. It's worth it.
>> Yeah. I really only know it too from >> pushing all these 40-year-old franchises.
>> Uh, [laughter] one of my favorite TV shows, it's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. There is a famous episode called The Gang Turns Black, which is a musical episode.
>> The first episode, isn't it?
>> No. No.
>> Oh, no. The Gang Goes Racist is the first one. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
I know the one you're talking about.
>> Yes. Later in the series, The Gang Turns Black is a musical episode inspired by The Whiz, >> but at one point they go and they find Scott Bcula >> and he's trapped, I think.
>> Yes. And it's actually Scott Bcula.
Yeah, >> you're 100% right. And they're referencing that show. 100%. Yes. Yes.
That's >> he sings a little song. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah.
>> That that episode is unbelievable. So funny.
>> Um Oh my god. Uh, John Reese Davies. So, uh, obviously Salah, uh, Indiana Jones and Gimley, Lord of the Rings. I think I think people are either a Indiana Jones Ree Davies fans or they they are a Lord of the Rings John Reese Davies fan. Um, >> but not both.
>> I agree with you. I don't know, you know, that maybe [laughter] that's true [sighs and gasps] because I myself >> I'm not a Lord of the Rings fan, but I I will eat up Indiana Jones.
>> I am also not the biggest Lord of the Rings fan, but that is because I just have a um a proclivity to fantasy. I I I I I just [clears throat] don't >> It just doesn't do anything for me. I'm I'm so Star Wars. I'm so sci-fi. Indiana Jones is is I guess it's an adventure film. It's not fantasy. Um yeah, I don't know. No. Uh >> what about >> the things that are happening fantasy are supposed to be real?
>> Yeah. Uh what what's your what's your Lord of the Rings uh level?
>> Yeah. I mean, I've come to appreciate it more. Like, uh, I I watched those like 4-hour documentaries about how they made that film and just like my appreciation just like >> went tfold for it. Um, >> yeah, >> you know, the budget they had, the the time they had to shoot it and what they achieved, like pretty incredible. And, you know, the Gimly performance is kind of like >> comic relief. But, you know, it kind of grown it's grown on me over the years.
But I'm definitely a Salah first. Uh G second. Um 100%.
>> Yeah.
>> I I really >> The one thing I like is that tosh the tosh me. [laughter] >> Don't tell the elf. Toss me.
>> And my ass.
>> That was the only part I thought was funny.
>> Um I I I truly appreciate the films and Peter Jackson's work and everybody wet a workshop. Like there's some really incredible effects in that movie.
groundbreaking stuff with all of the, you know, the Gollum, Andy Circus, Moat, like incredible. But it's just never I never feel the like, oh, I got to pop on uh, you know, the Lord of the Rings movies once a year. I got to I got to go there and back again with with my boys, right?
>> I'm going to spontaneously pop in 12 hours worth of [ __ ] cinema.
>> Yeah. But I will do that [laughter] with Star Wars or Indiana Jones, right? Like those are >> You're right.
>> You're right. I would do it with indie.
You're right.
>> Once a once a year I'm like, "Man, I got to I got to hit that indie trilogy at some point." Right.
>> Can I ask you guys a question >> about India as a trilogy? Have you ever done it out of uh Have you ever done it in chronological order where you start with Temple, then you watch Raiders, then you watch Last Crusade?
>> Because if you do, it is a spectacular watch. So, some people may not >> could not get better because like you're starting with the weak one. Go ahead.
>> Um, some people may not know. I wish I had >> back in the day when I used to work in Hollywood with your friends at the bar.
>> I can't One second. Let me make you big here.
>> Your friends from the bar you mentioned?
>> Oh. Oh, it's Always Sunny. You're in It's Always Sunny photos. Man, I want to [laughter] I want to visit that set so bad. I love that set. Um, I'm going to I'm going to grab something. Give me one second.
[laughter] >> Okay, we'll wait here.
>> Russell, so he said you're Western Canada. Is that right?
>> Yeah, I'm based in Victoria, so on Vancouver Island. Um, >> wow. Awesome.
>> A fairy ride. That must be very tranquil.
>> It is. Yeah, it's great. It's great.
Okay, so uh if people don't know, technically Temple of Doom is a prequel. Uh it it it canonically takes place uh before Raiders of the Lost Arc. So uh these are a series of Indiana Jones releases uh that came out around the same time as the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. You can find them at the thrift store.
They're a yellow spine.
>> Totally.
>> They're a yellow spine version. Um, but the interesting thing because they were connecting to the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, they put chapter numbers on the spines of all of the tapes. And if you look at these spines, you can see, let me make myself big here. One second.
>> We'd all love to see that.
>> [laughter] >> So, we've got >> inappropriate. Inappropriate.
>> Yep. There you go.
>> Focus.
>> Uh, >> come on.
>> Oh, maybe maybe you can read it to us.
It had it for a second.
>> Yeah, it wants to do it for maybe.
>> Oh, there you go. 23 24 25 Temple Raiders last.
>> Exactly. So the other thing that it has is it on the back of all of these tapes, it shows the it it shows the years. So if we go Temple of Doom, it says Shanghai, >> the when it takes place.
>> Yes. Shanghai in the Himalayas 1935.
>> And then we go to Raiders of the Lost Ark. We see Amazon, Egypt, >> 1936.
So, uh, you know, obviously release order is Raiders Temple Last Crusade, but story order is Temple Raiders Last Crusade. Um, and when I found that out, it completely blew my mind because it makes so much sense. Why would Indie go on this adventure with Marion and then all of a sudden be kind of with Willie Scott in the second one? Um, [laughter] it just never made sense.
>> It's the missing link.
>> Yes.
>> It's the missing link to the whole thing. Now it makes sense.
>> Yes. So now if you actually watch the Indiana Jones in story order, it it's a it's a perfect trilogy. I mean, it always was a perfect trilogy. Oh man, I love love hearing you say that. I completely agree. I tell anybody who gets a chance to to to watch him in order and then and then and then it's it's it's just enjoyable because on its own starting with Temple of Doom, it's a fine movie.
>> It's just after after one of the best movies of all time. Yeah. Not much holds up.
>> Yeah, it is just a very different tone.
It's been analyzed and discussed many many times over, but um at that time Spielberg was going through a divorce, so he was in a very different headspace.
Uh and he made a dark movie. It's a very dark film. It's it's it's my least favorite of the tril the original trilogy. Let's put it that way.
Um, >> sure.
>> But I'm curious where where you guys land actually on your Indiana Jones original trilogy. My favorite Indiana Jones is Last Crusade. Uh, hands down. I love that movie. I could watch that movie every single day. I have so much fun. Uh, what about you guys? Your favorite original trilogy indie film?
>> You go, Russell.
>> I'm the same. Last Crusade is right up there as one of my favorite movies of all time. Um, you know, I'm biased. I saw that one first. Uh, so, you know, I actually saw Temple second and Raiders last. Uh, >> interesting that I >> Wow.
>> It's probably blasph blasphemous to say, but I do have a a pretty strong affinity for for for Temple as well. But but but Last Crusade is peak peak indie for me.
>> Yeah. What about you, Jay?
Um, well, I think I probably saw them in order, but I didn't see them in the theater until last crusade. I did see Last Crusade in the theater, but this is where the couple years older might play a role here because like I was aware of Raiders and I did see it first. So, I lived in a world where Raiders was all that we had >> and there was no Last Crusade yet. So, like it's unquestionable that I do them in order now where I start with Temple and then go to Raiders and then go to Last Crusade. Like that's just the order for me, period.
>> Yeah.
>> Um and I do think that I don't know. I I got to put one and three as a tie. I got to put Raiders and and Last Crusade as a tie if that's if that if we can do that because I I feel like they're companion pieces.
>> I feel like one is a companion piece to the other because it's it's the religious artifact in the first one.
Christian religious artifact in the first one and then it's the Christian artifact in the third one. And it's it's the connection with the father. It's the full circle. I feel like one needs the other. It's like Godfather 2 is probably better than Godfather one, but it doesn't exist without Godfather one, >> you know. And I always say uh the work that the first film in a in a franchise or a trilogy, let's say, does setting all of the rules of the world, the groundwork, the characters, like it is kind of hard to compare. I I I use the example of Back to the Future a lot because the all of [clears throat] the work that Back to the Future one is doing so that they can play with the format in two and three is what makes those films great. And that's why Back to the Future is always my f I say it's my favorite of the the franchise because you can't have the success of two and three without what um uh uh Back to Future 1 did. And I guess that that can be tied to the Indiana Jones trilogy, but there's just something about Last Crusade. I don't know if it's just the the the the indie and his father thing.
They're I just love >> it's Sean Connory and Harrison Ford, too. They are perfect together.
>> Yeah.
>> LIKE WHEN THEY'RE JUST DAD, DAD.
>> I MEAN, it's amazing.
>> The chemistry is unreal.
>> Yeah, you're right. It's another perfect movie. I just because it's the second one that's like kind of a sequel to the first one. I can't I don't know. I don't know. I don't know how to play that one.
And then I used to think that the Crystal Skulls was like of the weak offering and now I watch that and consider it canon with the first three just because five is so offthe-wall.
[laughter] >> Yeah, I'm >> that Dial of Destiny is rough, man.
>> I'm a I'm a Crystal Skull Dial of Destiny defender. Um I understand it has its weak points, but I had fun watching Dial of Destiny.
Okay. I I have to I have to >> I just rewatched it, so it's fresh of mine.
>> Okay. I have to revisit it again.
There's things about it that I don't like. Um but >> okay, >> the the Mads Mickelson of it all really I really like Mads Mikkelson in it. And there's particularly one scene I believe they're on the >> the submarine the guy.
>> Yes. Yes. Matt Yad Matt Mickelson is the big bad >> from from uh from Casino Royale.
>> Yes. Yes.
>> Yeah. He's awesome.
>> There's There's >> the uh the the famous guy who's supposed to be a Nazi who launched the rockets at NASA. Who's the real guy?
>> Yeah. One of the >> supposed to be that guy.
>> Um there's a there's a scene I believe it's on Antonio Banderas's boat. You know, the they've sort of infiltrated um they're they're talking to Indie. They they they have to get the dial or >> Yeah. But there the way that Mads Mickelson plays that character being excited to talk to another person who studies archaeology and history. Like I was like those the the the nuance of that performance and particularly that scene like really stuck with me of like oh my god even though they're opposing forces Mads Mickelson realizes that Indiana Jones is his contemporary and he's kind of like excited that they're like discovering things together. I I don't know. It was just it it really really stuck with me. Um I was like this is cool. Like this is what I love about Indiana Jones is that even the even the bad guys are like history buffs and they're excited about geeking out over uh uh uh you know history with each other.
>> I I definitely agree that was but now we're talking about some of the good stuff in it. [laughter] >> Yeah. Yeah.
>> There was a lot of rough stuff, too.
>> Yeah.
Um, all right. John Reese Davies bringing us back. Um, one thing that I love about John Reese Davies is he is the narrator for Wild Boys, the Steo Chris Pontius TV show.
Did you guys know that?
>> I didn't. No, I did not know that. Came out after Jackass. I remember that.
>> Yeah. Yeah. He's He's the narrator on Wild Boys. Um, >> wow.
>> Coming up tonight. Like what does what does that mean? The narrator. [laughter] >> Uh yeah, he like he like >> watch this one get kicked in the balls.
>> Well, Wild Boys. Have [laughter] Have you guys never seen Wild Boys? Did you guys you guys never watch?
>> I can't remember what it's about.
>> Okay, so Wild Boy >> I just think of the Party Boy and I think of that.
>> Yeah. So So it is Chris Pontius Party Boy and Steo. And it is full of the most insane stunts, but it's kind of like I guess the pitch is like J what if Jackass did a nature show because they go out into nature and they're, you know, they're meeting some like real people out in the world and they're doing some some wild stuff, but it's kind of it's like with animals and like it it's crazy that I can't believe that like Jackass is already like, I can't believe that they're doing this on television, but Wild Boys is really like, oh my god, I cannot believe they got to do this on television.
>> Whole thing.
>> It's it's it's uh >> Well, that's timely, too, with the final jackass coming out soon.
>> Yeah. So, there's there's the Wild Boys.
>> Oh, look at you got the whole collection.
>> Everything's >> I did love that people bam in the beginning. I was a big fan of that one.
I I'm such a massive Jackass fan. I' I've got all the Viva band every Oh god, it's it's Jackass.
>> I love Jackass [snorts] so much. I just >> Oh, go ahead.
>> No, I was there when they shot all the A part two because they did it all at Paramount. Well, out and around Paramount uh when we were doing Everybody Hates Chris. So, I got to hang out with a lot of those guys. I got a Johnny Knoxville belt buckle >> with the skull and crutches.
>> Yeah. Uh, I just rewatched all of the films, including all the.5s, like I don't know, maybe a month or two ago.
>> 5s are where it's at.
>> Yeah, >> even loved these. She was like, "They're undeniable. They're undeniable." There.
She said, "Anytime I'm in a bad mood, just put any movie with Johnny Knoxville's face on it and I I it will change me because he just there's something about that." HI, I'M JOHNNY KNOXVILLE. WELCOME TO JACKASS. AND IT'S just like you can't and you hear, you know, you just can't you can't take life too seriously.
>> For me, it's like the obviously like the stunts are like crazy fun to watch, you know, but I've always talked about like the camaraderie that that group of people has. For me, it's about so infectious.
>> Yeah.
>> Like they really do want to be part of the gang.
>> Yes. Exactly. That's how you feel when you're watching Jackass is you feel part of the family.
>> Um, >> yeah. So, >> I got to I got to meet Steo. He came he came to Chillowak on his uh on his tour >> and >> he he has a big bus with like a you know picture of him on the side of it and I knew that the bus would be parked outside of the theater and I just wanted to go see the bus in person. I was going to the show that night and I was like, I'm just going to drive by and I'm just going to go and just see the bus and uh I park my car and as I get out of my car to like take a picture of the bus who walks out of the front door with his morning coffee is Steo. And he could not have been >> he could not have been nicer. [laughter] He he was like, "Hey, man." Or, "Hey, dude." He's like, "You want a picture?"
Took a picture. And I told him I was coming to the show. He's like, "Cool.
thanks for coming. And then he just he was just he was just so great. So I did get to meet Steo. He was super cool guy.
>> Steo's best friend was my friend who passed away last year, uh Sam Macaroni, the director who did that Delorean time machine documentary that never came out.
>> Um >> wait, >> and so he so so Steo was there, Paulie Shaw was there every day, Billy Zayn was there, and >> sorry, what was the name of your your your friend who passed away? His name is Sam Macaroni and he was an actor too, but he was a director, did a bunch of stuff, was early YouTube as well, but like he and Steo kind of >> just always made videos together.
>> Okay.
>> And so he and Steo were best friends.
>> Yeah.
>> But so anyway, so you know, 11 days in the hospital, our friend is passing away this time last year or whatever.
>> Yes.
>> Yeah. So, you know, having seen him a little bit here and there over the years at a Super Bowl party or on the lot at the Paramount or whatever was different than like, oh, [clears throat] our friend's lying here and dying. So, it was a little bit more real and you could see the real the less punky pranky jackass version where it's like, oh, here's a real dude and he's what you were talking about, like just an awesome real person.
>> Yeah. Yeah, [clears throat] man. I am amazed at the tangents we go on on this show. I I [laughter] I'm shocked sometimes. How the [ __ ] >> I have a Force Gump life, too. So, I I tend to do it. I apologize. [laughter] I really do. I tend to steer us off course.
>> It feels It always feels natural, but we get so deep into some that I'm just like, how did we Oh, Wild Boys. John Reese Davies and Wild Boys. Okay.
>> Yeah, that's right. He's [laughter] >> tonight on Wild Boys.
>> Uh yeah. So, John Reese Davies is John Reese Davies in this film. He is giving like the exact same energy to uh Dotti. Dotti is his character's name. Uh in King Solomon's as he's given to Salah, as he's given to, you know, Gimly, >> he's doing all of it.
>> It's just inverted energy, right? He's like a mean angry guy in this one instead of [clears throat] a lovable.
>> Bad date Salah.
>> [laughter] >> Um, and I don't know. He's He's good. I know.
He's He's good in the in the in the movie. Um, uh, I don't know. What do you What do you guys think? He's His death is kind of cool. like like they they he catches on.
>> Well, yeah, they got me. You know, he's got the bulletproof vest on the first time. I thought they killed him the first time, so I made a note he kind of died like Sam Jackson in Deep Blue Sea cuz it's just like, "All right, so we're in the mine and what we're GOING TO DO IS LIKE, OH [ __ ] WELL, HE'S GONE."
>> That's right.
>> I wasn't expecting that.
>> Although, isn't Sam Jackson like earlier in the film?
>> It is, but it's the same kind of thing.
It's all right, everybody. I'm going to assemble a plan here, and here's what WE'RE GOING TO DO, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A IT'S THE ENERGY OF THE SAM JACKSON DEATH, not the not >> he's just about to take charge and he's like and here's what we're going to do and oh we're going to hear the plan and then it's over and we're on our own.
>> Yeah.
Yeah. I like him I like him getting crushed by the rocks and then and then it was a surprise when he came back cuz I really I thought it he legitimately died in all of those rocks because I don't I don't know how a human being would survive that. He was already he was pre-crushed.
Uh and then the the German guy shoots the fires a cave in >> and even more rocks fall, you know, completely.
>> I'm not going to shoot you. I'm going to bury you alive.
>> And then he and then he comes back. But his his death is like spectacular. I mean, he f he's [laughter] fighting while on fire for a little bit. It's cool.
>> Yeah. They and they don't do any they don't try to hide like this the heat suit that the actor's in either. I I mean throughout the movie they don't they don't care that you see the stunt people like No.
>> You know even when >> Chamberlain's behind the train like you can literally see it's some other dude.
>> Yes. [laughter] >> Yeah. Um >> they didn't paint out any of the wires either like on the big spider and all that stuff. You can see all the cables and wires.
>> Oh my god. The big spider. [laughter] Oh my god. It's incredible.
>> What is that? The big spider was awesome.
>> It's incredible.
[snorts] >> Um, the thing that got me was all the rear projection. Every time it would switch like the train and the plane and the and the alligators, >> it's all good. Yeah.
>> All rear projection. And it just has such a different look >> that you're these are the moments that I'm directly comparing to Indiana Jones. You know, Chamberlain. Yeah.
>> Indie getting dragged behind the military vehicle, right? Like that guy really getting dragged behind that vehicle and there's doing something with the train, but there's like a platform or something on the tracks and then it switches to uh the rear projection and it just like the rear projection just does not look real. There's a reason they stopped doing rear projection uh in the 50s [laughter] and 60s, right?
>> They brought it back now with those big screens, but when she's in the plane, when they're looking at her in the plane and every time they look behind her, the they're shooting her face behind. I just look the entire tail uh the upright tail rudder is just like off to the side and they're just [laughter] on a sound stage somewhere. It's not straight. It's just off to So you can see the German sign on it. I just think to myself, okay, everything you're saying, like there's nobody on the set caught that. Geez.
>> And it's everything that you're SAYING THAT IT'S LIKE >> MOVING ON.
>> It was so quick, right? Nobody has a chance to be like, "Hey, should we do another thing before we fix the tail?"
Right. It's like, "No, we got it."
Right.
>> We got it. Moving on.
>> Sharon Stone looks great. We got it.
That's all people are going to be looking at anyway.
>> That's right. That's right. So, she must have been really young in 85. She was 45 when I worked with her in 2004.
>> When was she? Let's find out when >> she's 27. 27 in this, I think.
>> Okay.
>> Wow.
>> Wow.
>> And Chamberlain was 51. So, [laughter] >> wow.
>> I don't know. Did you guys buy the romantic chemistry?
>> Whoa. [laughter] >> Not Not for a second. I >> did not buy it, but I didn't realize that he was that much older.
>> I don't know if he looked 51 in this.
Well, his beard was done and have white hair. [laughter] >> Oh, okay. They dyed.
>> There's no way his beard is not dyed.
>> I didn't think about that. [laughter] >> I think that color only comes in a box.
That's not a natural color.
>> I gota I gotcha. Okay. I didn't think about that.
Um uh yeah, I there were certain things that were charming. Um, did you guys clock the plane crash that it was like a a miniature like RC size plane? The way it like hits the ground >> when it blew up?
>> Yes.
>> No, I didn't realize that. That's so funny.
>> Yeah, they when the plane actually like hits the ground, it's like so clear the plane crash. You're right. Oh my gosh.
>> Yeah, >> cuz they didn't probably have the money to break a bipane. That's >> hits the ground and flips over and then it cuts and it blows up. And then the other one >> I didn't know.
Go ahead.
>> Uh the other one is when after they um knock over the big the big soup bowl, the the big soup pot.
>> Yeah.
>> With all the plastic veggies in it.
>> Yes. Totally. Exactly.
>> Wax veggies. [laughter] >> Um and then it's like it's like rolling down the hill. It's clearly like a >> totally different size. [laughter] >> Yeah. It was round and now it's like more of a pancake size. Yeah. That was weird.
>> Yeah. But all of that stuff to me is like charming. I I don't know. Maybe it's just an effects thing, like my my love for for miniatures and all that kind of stuff. So, you know, and it's the same with the spider, right? They that like unrealistic spider puppet, animatronic, whatever, whatever it is. Um, again, it I'm just like I'm so like, oh, look at this thing. Like, [laughter] it's it's it's bad. It's goofy, but I'm like h I love it, you know.
>> Oh, I ate it up. Loved it, too. Yep. Me, too.
>> Um, one of the things I >> The movie overall I found very enjoyable.
>> It's [laughter] It's Yeah, it's fun, not good. You know, there's there's a there's a donation between it. Um, not so much in this film. I noticed it a lot more in the second film. And I Russell, I I I saw your letter box, but I believe you watched the second one as well for this episode.
>> I did. Yeah, I did. Yep.
>> One of the things I was noticing is um there's a couple sequences in the sequel where they're like walking on floors that eventually will move. Like there's one sequence where like >> a trap is a trap is triggered and then the floor moves. There's another uh sequence later in the film where there's like a there's like a golden disc and it's eventually will move.
>> And one thing I kept noticing is the way the floor would wiggle when people were walking on it, [laughter] right? Like it it didn't have like full structure. It was like strong enough to stand on but clearly uh wasn't strong enough to stay firm because it needed to, you know, move. And it was just so funny to me to like see the people walking on it and have it like move and and wiggle a little bit. [snorts] >> There's also >> there's one >> Go ahead. Yeah. No, no, no. Go ahead.
>> I was going to say just just on that note, there's one shot in Lost City of Gold where you can actually see the garbage garbage bags lining.
>> That's exactly what I was going to say.
Oh, >> Jay, when you watch it, the one of the sequences we're talking about where the where the floor splits >> in the first shot as the floor is splitting, look through the floor and Russell's exactly right. You can see garbage bags lining the bottom. I think they were trying to >> catch them like to pad the bottom. I think they're I think the because the bottom isn't as far as so they they cut to the character falling through and it's a big long drop but on their set the floor obviously isn't the big long drop and I think they were trying to use the garbage bags to make like a black sort of negative space that looks like a bottomless pit >> but the way it's [laughter] lit you can see all the wrinkles of the garbage bag.
So when you do watch the scenes, >> so I get your point. I was picturing garbage bags full of garbage or something like as padding material, but now I get you just to simply line the uh the [laughter] >> That's awesome. Yeah, I'll totally see that.
>> It's so funny, too, because we all know exactly the color and the way light reflects off of a black garbage bag that you [laughter] you you see it instantly.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. It's so funny.
>> Awesome.
>> Um, uh, uh, Herbert Lom plays, uh, Colonel Bachner. Um, I don't really know him other than he is in five Pink Panther films.
Um, Charles Drifus in the Pink Panther films, he's basically um, Cluso's enemy in in those films. Um, >> that's why he was familiar. I didn't realize why he was so familiar. So, the German guy is not really German. He's English >> or French. French.
>> I actually I didn't look up what Herbert >> Oh, he is really German >> background is. It could could be.
>> Um, but yeah, that's the only thing that um I sort of maybe knew him from. I think I've only seen that very first Pink Panther uh movie. I definitely have >> Oh, those ones are good. Those ones get those ones get good. Return of is good.
Revenge of is good.
>> Yeah, >> it's the same thing like you like once you once they've built the world now we're just playing around.
>> They're just playing with it.
>> Uh Herbert Lom.
>> Yeah. One that that is one of those series that like I need to I need to see them all. I just um just haven't gotten around to it.
>> Uh >> what do we >> It's worth it. Peter Sellers was freaking fantastic. Being there came up again yesterday and God, I love that movie. It's >> nice. Yeah.
>> Do you guys Do you guys do you know that one, Brandon? Being there.
>> Oh, yeah. The Hal Ashby uh being a classic. Absolutely classic.
>> Oh, you know where I saw it was uh >> back to our friend Adam Woo. Uh Jim Woo JWWW on the Move put out a video yesterday where he did what we did. He and Ryan went all over uh celebration >> and then it made me thinking about it.
But he was wearing the shirt. He was wearing the Being There shirt with the Builtmore Manor.
>> Oh. Oh, yeah. It's >> when Peter Sers is walking and he's off the ground.
>> Yes. Yeah. My dad always talks about the Builtmore. He's obsessed with it.
>> I only know it from the from Richie Rich. McColi Kulkin's Richie Rich is the Builmore. Oh, >> is that his house in that, too?
>> Yes. Yeah. They film at the Build Mansion.
>> Um, oh, I should say it's my mom's birthday today. Happy birthday, Mom.
Happy birthday. [laughter] >> Happy birthday.
>> Two hours in. Hope you're watching, Mom.
Um, >> Lisa, right, Lisa?
>> Yes. Yes. My mother, Lisa. It's her birthday today. Uh, yeah. Got to get on the uh Pink Panther.
Uh, and then uh we we sort of talked about uh Ken uh Guampoo, who plays Umbopo, God Must Be Crazy. And then basically everybody after that is like, you know, either local hires or just, you know, working actors trying to get a gig working on a cheap canon film.
>> That guy must be local cuz like I said, I only know him from uh from the other >> Yeah. Must be crazy. But it was shot in the exact same >> in Africa. South Africa right on the Yeah.
>> Yeah. Zimbabwe and South Africa. Those were that's where they uh that's where they shot King Solomon's minds. Um we've we've talked a lot about I think [snorts] the the best parts of the plot.
Is there anything else? Um what do I got highlighted here? Train sequence. We sort of talked about um the biplane.
>> There's a fair amount of racism. Fair amount of racism.
>> Yeah.
>> Alan Quarterman's joke when they talk about the what are they what's going on here? Slaves. Yeah.
>> And he goes, "Oh, hundred all that for $100." Thinking like, "Man, that's so cheap." And she's like, "$100?" Thinking that's so cheap. And he's like, "Well, YOU COULD BARGAIN." LIKE, >> WHOA.
>> BRUTAL.
>> Gee whiz.
>> Yeah. Cringe. The kids would say cringe.
>> Yeah. Total. Total cringe. [laughter] >> Uh, camel jockey towel head. No irony to any of this. It's just what we were saying back then.
>> Yep. Yep.
>> Good lord.
>> Um, I had to ask myself, is this a comedy? because it started out I thought it would be a little heavier than it was and then it was all these dad jokes and everything and I was like I think this is a little [laughter] lighter than I'm thinking it's going to be.
>> Here's here's an interesting thing. Uh they talk a little bit about King Solomon's minds in the Canon Films documentary. They have Richard Chamberlain and I was reading I was reading this quote from Chamberlain. You know I saw it a couple times while I was reading things about uh the movie. Um, I don't know if this is exactly true, but he says that they were making this movie as a spoof of Indiana Jones.
That's where the the tone is. I think that that is a defense mechanism coming, you know, after the release of the film.
This is crazy, but I'm going to tie it back into Tommy Wizo in the Room because Tommy Wizo made The Room as a serious film and only after it [clears throat] was released and sort of caught on as the so bad it's good is when he started twisting it as a dark comedy. He was saying he was making a comedy film in the style of Tennessee Williams. Now, I think this sort of Richard Chamberlain saying it in the documentary and the spoof nature of uh King Solomon's mind, I think it's a similar thing to the the room spin in like, okay, the the tone didn't work. It wasn't, you know, conceived well. Um it wasn't accepted by audiences. Yeah, we were making fun of Indiana Jones. We were doing a send a spoof, a parody, right?
>> Satire, of course. Yes.
>> Yeah. Um, here's another one.
>> And it actually feels like a pretty legitimate swing. [laughter] >> Yes.
>> Yeah.
>> It does not feel like a check swing at all.
>> Uh, so uh the night that I watched this, I put it on and uh my lovely wife Renee was sitting next to me. She did not watch very much of it. Uh but she watched maybe about 10 minutes or so of it. And then before she left, uh, she asked me, she said, "Is this serious or is it supposed to be a parody?"
[laughter] >> You, how do you answer the question? How did you answer? It's both.
>> I said I said this clearly trying to be this is supposed to be a a a serious adventure film.
>> Like, they're they're trying the jokes, but Richard Chamberlain's idea of it being a spoof of Indiana Jones, there's no way in hell >> that that's what the intentions were.
Uh, >> maybe that's what he thought he was doing. I don't think that's what the filmmakers thought they were doing.
>> And again, maybe that's something now he's sort of convinced himself that that was his thought process behind it.
That's what he was doing. What do you mean? That's why I delivered all those lines in such a weird way and told all those bad things.
>> Yeah. Tongue and cheek. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah.
>> That's the other Sorry, that's the other phrase that was used multiple times is this tongue and cheek. Tongue and cheek.
But I just don't I >> They did it so much it's almost breaking the fourth wall if they meant it that way.
>> Tongue and cheek.
>> It's almost like we're making a movie here. Ah, [laughter] >> I'm trying to think of like a successful tongue and cheek.
>> Well, like any of the airplanes or hot shots or any of those kind of parodies, you know, where they kind of let you let you know that they know what they're doing.
>> Oh, I guess that's what tongue andcheek means, right? Is like I'm aware of what's going on.
I'm aware.
>> Yes, it's the wink.
Yeah, >> that does seem pretty ear earnest to me like um >> yeah, >> but like I think I think that's the difference between say Harrison Ford and Richard Chamberlain is >> when Harrison Ford delivered those comedic lines that felt convincing like the character might actually say that in in a real situation where Chamberlain it just came across as like campy and like like put on. Um Hammy, >> somebody wrote me this line so I'm delivering it.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Yeah, that's a really good point.
is a good word because everything that he's saying is super hammy.
[laughter] >> Yeah.
>> You know, that is kind of tongue and cheek then. So maybe he was doing it that way on purpose.
>> Like I I've read that he >> or he's just not a good actor.
>> Yeah, maybe. I don't know.
>> Yeah, go ahead.
>> Like he purposely wanted to take a comedic like go away from the indie and try something a bit more comedic and goofy like but I think Brandon, you're right. I think it's like some a retrospective view of it. Um like a defense mechanism. But one of the things I found interesting was like in the in the spike room scene uh which is obvious temple ripoff.
>> He he's he he makes a few almost like fourthwall comments like they got to be kidding. He says they got to be kidding like or they think >> they really thought of everything stuff like that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Totally. As if he's referring to the filmmakers or the the writers or whatever.
Yeah, it's it's a weird tone. Like off off the top, my first note is this tone is insane because I just the whole movie >> it's all over the place >> was who is this for? [laughter] >> Yeah. Yeah.
>> What what fraction of the audience are you directing this at? Because [laughter] >> you know [snorts] obviously movies are sort of meant to be universally enjoyed.
Um, you know, there is targeted audiences, but when you try to like broaden it too obviously, it it comes it comes out bad, right? And there's just something about this movie. And it's even just like little things like the the the the way the audio is recorded, whether it is all ADR lines, there's just something about it does not sound like those words are coming out of their mouth [snorts] [laughter] at the location that they're at, right?
Like it's just >> Yeah.
>> Well, so that's another way to shoot quickly is to do that. I think the gods must be crazy. I think the whole thing is looped >> for the same exact reason. I think they just got the visuals as they could just shoot MOS >> everything move and then maybe they just ADR the whole [ __ ] thing.
>> Yeah, >> could be. It feels that way. Like >> you move quicker.
>> It's >> and then you don't need to worry about what the hell they say.
>> It's kind of like they just they play it back and okay, repeat that. It's one thing that like really takes me out of a of a movie is like a an obvious looped line.
>> And I think it it's one of those things that really shows like a >> Come on, show a little backbone [laughter] >> or uh >> that's in the that's in the best one that we're talking about. And even that has some of the worst ADR in the history of ADR.
>> Yeah.
>> Oh, it's just my pet snake Reggie. Come on, show a little backbone. Same dude.
Really? Unbelievable.
>> Yeah, [laughter] that Oh, yeah. That's Yeah, you're Yeah, you're doing jock.
Yeah. Um, >> so can we Yeah. Sorry. Can we point Can we just It's 2 hours and 15 minutes into this and I'm just noticing that [laughter] behind Russell is of course a beautiful painting of Indie reaching for the Holy Grail. Did anyone else notice that? [laughter] >> Oh my goodness.
>> Russell, I'm going to make you big here.
>> Isn't that great? What a beautiful piece of art. That is lovely. Oh, >> I don't know.
>> Yeah. Thanks so much.
>> You're not moving. Oh, there you go.
Now, now we'll see it. One second. make Russ and he's reaching back, you know, he's he's the dad's telling him to let it go right now and he's looking at his dad.
>> Indiana.
>> Indiana. Indiana.
>> Yeah.
>> Beautiful.
>> Yeah, that's awesome.
>> Thanks so much. Yeah, >> I want that.
>> Painted that a while back.
>> Yeah. [laughter] >> Well, you can check out at the link in the description below.
>> Russell.com.
>> What's on the other >> It's a It's a Heat. Oh, was that your heat one?
>> That's my heat.
>> Oh, no way.
>> Yeah.
>> Sort of the the vehicles of heat.
>> Cool. Tied to each character. Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Danny Tjo. Wow.
>> I was looking at uh Well, since we're since we're talking about Russell's art, let's do this tangent because I was going to do it at the end of the show, but >> uh >> there we go.
>> That is so good.
>> So, there's the the Look at this one.
>> This is a recent one you did. What's that for?
>> This is Eyes Wide Shut.
>> Oh, of course. Oh my god.
>> God, I love this movie so much. We're at the gates.
>> And then look at this. Look at these ones. There's your Return of the Jedi, which I had seen around >> before before I knew who you were. I had definitely seen that Return of the Jedi around.
>> Oh, nice. Yeah. Yeah. I just reposted it for Star Wars day.
>> New I'm a new uh fan of Lost Highway.
So, this is very cool.
>> Yeah.
>> And I'm I'm blocks from the house right now, by the way. Uh Russell, >> the compound. Lynch's compound.
>> The Lost the Lost Highway house. Yeah.
>> Amazing.
>> I wonder if they'll turn it into like a museum or if they're just going to sell it.
>> I don't know. But I've got I've got to fix yellow cars transmission so I can take it up there and take a picture before anything happens to it because like apparently it still looks exactly the same currently.
>> Yeah. the the lost the lost highway steps.
>> Yeah.
>> And then >> [ __ ] now we're talking.
>> Yeah. I brought these two up because Commando [laughter] we've already covered on the show.
>> Yeah. That's the Commando >> which I ended up loving. Loved it.
>> Yes. And then the Nightmare on Elm Street is great. Has a whole stack of tapes there and we covered Nightmare.
>> Yes. I just know.
>> But he's that's the new Nightmare Freddy at the end at the the guy there. But there's the stack of everything with the first Oh, man. There's so much going on here. This is >> That's right.
>> Yeah. [laughter] So, >> theory. Good job, dude.
>> All all this. So, >> I ripped all these off for the show for uh on Russeller.com. [laughter] The link's in the description. You can check out >> all of Russell's artwork. And >> so, these these are available for purchase.
Uh the originals are I I have a lot of the originals available. Um you know I can always do on demand prints as well.
Um some of them are available through uh Hero Complex Gallery in LA. Um >> you can they do they run prints of them as well like Commando one. Um >> that's you can get that through them.
>> Uh >> cool. Say it again. Where is it in LA?
>> Hero Hero Complex Gallery.
>> Hero Complex Gallery. Got it.
>> Yeah. Yeah. It's a cool It's a cool cool shop.
>> One of the uh LA Galleries is closing.
They just announced the other day. One of the ones that did a lot of vintage over >> was it 1984 or8.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> So, that was a bummer. Shrin, whatever his name was.
>> Yeah.
>> We did a Delorean event there way back the day when he did a Back to the Future thing. We had our Delorean there.
>> I have two gallery 1988 art books. Uh, I love them so much because it's all just like Russell's art. It's like it's all pop culture movie art by done by talented people who are such fans of movies and pop culture that they're like just the the the nuance the I've always appreciated like the the weirdness of some of the choices to like paint to spend hours painting an obscure reference to a movie that only a handful of people love and it just like it makes me so happy as like a fan of that obscure thing to be like, "Oh my god, there's some some incredibly talented person who's also loves it as much that they want to, you know, spend all that time painting it."
So, yeah, it is it is sad that they're closing down.
>> You're describing the scene you like in the movie so much where Indiana Jones and the bad guy are relating about how much they love this thing and they're bonding over their mutual appreciation of this thing. I agree. That's why I think we could eventually get Tarantino on this show if we wanted to because I think he'll like the this nitty-gritty that we go to.
>> Yeah. He'll put me to shame though. All his freaking knowledge.
>> Yeah. What would you expect? I hope you let him. [laughter] I hope you're like, "No, that's not true, Quentyn."
>> Yeah. Shut up, Quinton.
>> Actually, it says here on letter box.
>> Uh, this is my show, Quinton. I'm sorry.
[laughter] Uh, all right. Uh, we've talked about the gator pit, the dinner pot. Oh, the quicksand scene. I love the quicksand scene. Uh, >> me too.
>> Primarily >> Salah. More brutality from Salah. Good lord.
>> It's honestly a really great bit in sort of any in any movie like the [laughter] the the the Yeah, the the brutal nature of just like gunning down the people on your team to like walk across them like stepping stones. [laughter] I I did enjoy that.
>> Um, >> and they weren't Nazis yet, right?
They're just Germans in World War I. But still, he just like they were different.
So, he just mows down all these germs.
[laughter] >> Yeah.
>> Um, breasts of Sheba is is a funny weird like >> Oh, >> worst matte painting in the history of matte paintings. [laughter] >> Yeah.
>> It looks like a kid sketched the toque.
Oh my god, >> that's true.
>> So good.
Um, what what were they doing to Jesse in that cavern with like the red hot >> Is it like a hot helmet?
>> That's what I wrote down. Hot hot helmet >> cuz they've got like the >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> I have no idea what >> the physics of that. The physics of that didn't even seem possible. Like what they were doing like I was like what are they doing?
>> And I remember thinking like did I miss something? Did Did I miss some sort of setup to what this thing is? No, it's just like they just like have it above her head and they're like holding her and threatening to put it on her head like what the heck.
>> So, the whole movie moves at that pace though. Did you notice that? Cuz it's kind of starts in the beginning and it really never lets up and it kind of just it doesn't really stay anywhere too long except for on that train for a really long.
>> You're right.
>> It kind of just keeps going whether you're with them or not. It just kind of like keeps on chucking >> like the the the opening scene with Salah and um uh uh inter he's interrogating. Wait, >> is Salah in the scene at the very beginning?
>> It's her dad.
>> Yep.
>> Oh, with her dad. Yes. Sorry.
>> It's her dad.
>> Yeah, that makes you know that makes sense. We open up on that scene. We're setting up the map. We're setting up the, you know, the the the King Solomon's minds, right? the the McGuffin, >> but like no credits or anything. It's just it's it's [ __ ] cannon and boom, we're in this room. [laughter] >> But I remember when it when we cut to um Quartermain and Jesse walking in the in the in the jungle, I remember thinking like like, okay, who are these people?
Like what is going on? What's their relationship? How do they know each other? Like >> no exposition. I wrote, is this a sequel? It feels like a sequel. Like we're supposed to know all this already.
Yeah, that [laughter] that's true. I mean, and maybe there's some sort of like uh you know, people people have read the book, you know, granted it's 100 years old.
>> It's a 100-y old story. Get with it.
Yeah. Yeah.
>> But it did feel weird. I remember having this like, okay, I just need am I missing did I miss something? Am I missing some information? And then ex it slowly comes out that I guess she's hired quarter mane to help find the father and that's why they're on this this journey. But it just it it comes out in such a weird way and it's just it's it's very strange storytelling up at up at the top. Kind of put puts you on the back foot.
I think it's an interesting another line you could draw to the the indie films where you know Spielberg can handle that sort of thing way way better you know cuz you're kind of catching up to India in the start of all three films as well.
Uh but in this film it just feels like >> you're just left shaking >> I don't agree with you there.
>> Okay agree with you because in the indie ones there's an opening segment and we don't know what's going on but then there's a break where we catch up and find out what's going on. This never really provided that. It's just we're on the adventure. Hang on.
>> You know what I mean? Like in Raiders, like, oh, we get the idol, but then all of a sudden we're at school and we can talk to uh, you know, Denim Elliot and you figure out what's going on and then we get our exposition.
>> Yeah. But to Russell's point, I I see what you're saying because the very first the opening credits to Raiders.
Granted, there's no real dialogue, but we are getting such a clear image of what this character is that >> they take the time to do it. You're right.
>> Yes.
>> Yeah.
>> Whereas >> this movie, we open up inside the temple already and we're like, how do we get here? Why are we here? Who the [ __ ] is that guy? Well, and what's funny, I'm just realizing now is that it's almost like King Solomon's minds is relying on the fact that, you know, the fedora khakiwearing [clears throat] character is our lead. He's our hero.
He's our adventurer.
>> Like, they don't they don't >> they don't set that up whatsoever. We're just as the audience because of what we've seen and loved a few years prior, we're supposed to just go, "Okay, that's the good guy. That's the hero, right?
Because of how he's dressed >> and because he was on the poster of the >> uh before we walked into the theater, >> like it's they're not doing any work setting up that character. It's all relying on the success of Indiana Jones."
>> And then Russell's point comes into play and now I understand it a little bit more. Yeah, I tend to agree there too.
Like we're using the familiarity of somebody somebody else's work. We're standing on the shoulders of great and Yeah. Okay.
>> Yeah. Exactly.
Um, do not step on this stone is such a funny [laughter] like such a funny setup. As soon as >> the one with the red mark on it.
>> Yeah.
>> It may as well have had an X on it, you know, like it may as well have do do not step, you know, a circle with a line through it.
>> Exactly. [laughter] Oh my god. Do not step on this stone.
>> Uh, >> and then nothing really happens to that guy. Does he just boil up? I thought he was going to get like eaten by piranha or something the way it started bubbling, but I think >> Well, is that what happened?
>> The first people they fall into the water, but when um when the general later he steps on the stone, there's like a weird sea monster.
[laughter] >> Yeah.
Oh, when the general's leaving when he's when he's left Salah in the in the pit.
Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. But the general doesn't show up the first time when all those guys fall into the water.
>> And also it is like not >> but you're helping me. It's implied that that's what happened to that guy that the sea monster came out native.
>> I guess so.
>> The first guy and we just didn't see that yet. Okay, that makes >> why why don't we get to see the sea monster twice, you know? It's such Yeah, >> it it's such a great effect. Great.
>> You never see the sea monster twice.
[laughter] >> It's so weird. Like they don't I don't even know what it is. It's like just the mouth. It it reminded me of um a Never- Ending Story, like a wet sort of falore [laughter] in the water.
>> It's like a big a big dog mouth.
[laughter] >> Uh >> you want to sit throw a giant tennis ball. [snorts] >> Giant spider we've talked about. Um [snorts] yeah, they get locked into the spike room.
>> I'm sure it wasn't what's his face, but somebody really climbed under that train. That was impressive to me. I don't mean when they were under the train. Obviously, that was the But somebody really climbed under and their gun scraped the ground and everything and I was like, "Fuck, they're really doing that. That's crazy."
>> Uh, I couldn't take any more Vagner. I don't know how you guys are with that.
It's like there's enough in the in the [ __ ] you know, the other movie, the Vietnam.
>> Yeah. I was with Salah on that. Like, I can't take any more Vagner.
>> Yeah. [laughter] >> But German composer. I guess they were selling the German of it all. Yeah. And I I do like the bit when he's when the when the gramophone guy is sinking in the >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. In the quicksand. [laughter] He's like, "Save my gramophone."
>> Um >> Yeah. Uh Spike Ceiling we sort of talked about. Such a obvious ripoff to Temple of Doom. Um >> it did. It was kind of funny how they kept thinking they were catching their breath and then it WAS JUST LIKE A [ __ ] YOU KNOW. [laughter] >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. YEAH. YEAH, they thought they had it a couple times AND THEY'RE LIKE, "A SHIT." NO, >> I like I like Salah making the guy eat the stones.
>> That's like That's like That's [ __ ] [laughter] >> That was dark. Just basically to help him mule the the stuff out. He's like, "I'm going to cut you open later."
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Um >> that was brutal.
>> Yeah. Uh >> oh. Pot completely changes shape. That was the downhill.
>> John catches a fire.
>> Yeah. I mean, like there's there's lots going on, but not a lot happens. Does that make sense to you guys? Like >> I don't know. I would have said the opposite. Well, you're right. Does anything important happening? No. I don't know. Themselves in so many predicaments that it seems like they're not going to get out of. It happened like seven or eight times.
>> There's a couple of really big set pieces. Um, but I, you know, it's just like I don't know. They're looking for they're looking for the breasts of Sheba. They There's the the uh agi or agla um tribe leader that's, you know, I don't know. It's fine, I guess.
[laughter] >> I mean, I I think if you compare you compare it to the sequel, the sequel just drags. Um the sequel really I agree with Jay Jay like this one like keeps going like they just go for it. Uh and that the pace is really good. Um but like >> Yeah.
>> I don't care if you're with them or not.
They're like we're moving along.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Totally.
>> I think the the sequel it's like the last [snorts] I would say like the last maybe 30 minutes. It re it really like it's it like halts >> and then and then you know it has a cl it has a climax.
>> It's f like yeah I don't know. Uh is there anything else like >> none of these are going to win an Oscar?
>> Yeah, they're going to win Razies.
That's for sure. Um >> the pl the plot is surprisingly small in this movie. It really is surprisingly [laughter] small.
>> That's that's what I'm saying. It's like, it's like map. Um, got to find dad. Uh, breasts of Sheba. We're in the King Solomon's mines. We found the diamonds. Final battle.
>> John reav all the enemies get killed away until there's only the two big baddies and then one kills the other one. Now we've got one baddy and then he kills the other one. It's kind of like >> also normally there's Nazis everywhere.
>> Sa kills all the Nazis.
>> The Agla tribe leader character. She like jumps into the molten lava herself like [laughter] >> suicide. What was that at the end?
>> I guess so. I don't know. It just >> Yeah, [laughter] >> that's a weird moment.
>> It doesn't make any sense.
>> Um >> she [ __ ] jumps.
>> We didn't talk about the tree people sequence.
>> That is a weird bit.
>> Oh, that was cool. Weird. Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Also, they weren't protecting [ __ ] They just brought them to the other side to be captured.
>> Yeah. And then they bring her this like tiara. It's just like so giant.
>> Yeah. I don't know if it's from the >> I liked the movements. The movements were really neat how they did all that.
>> Yeah. It's a it's visually it's an interesting thing. I I don't make think it makes a lick of sense, but um hey, >> I liked it better than uh Shy Boof doing it in uh Crystal Skulls.
>> Yeah, [laughter] that's true. That was my least >> favorite. The big the big difference is that those people are actually hanging and swinging from the trees whereas Shia Labou is uh uh you know 3 feet in the air in front of a green screen and it's the most obvious >> uh visual effects I've uh seen in a long time.
[laughter] >> 2008 we were better than that. We've I've saw Iron Man.
>> Okay.
Did Did you guys find that >> uh Well, I was just going to say like did you guys find that they didn't really get you excited about the lore of King Solomon's minds? Like I feel like that was one of the big things where >> he would make you excited about the McGuffin, you know, and this they almost assume that you know what King Solomon's minds is. Like >> that's a really good point.
>> The first one they build it up with the government guy. It's all secretive.
What's going on? You're the only guy who knows about this. You like, oh my gosh.
And we're all together.
>> The You're totally right, Russell. There is no excitement for the mines or the lore or the map, which they break at the beginning of this film.
>> Yeah, that's right.
>> You compare that to the scene where those two guys come to the college and and Marcus and Indie are in that auditorium and he's got the big book and he's flipping the chalkboard. Like how exciting are and invested are you in the Ark of the Covenant in that moment, right?
>> Huge.
>> That scene is like a masterclass of of directing and acting. The way that like all the the way they they like step over each other's lines in that scene. Um, fun fact, I don't know the actor's name, but he's Porkins from Star Wars is one of the the government guys in that scene. I always >> Oh, yeah. Oh, right.
>> Yeah. Really?
>> Yeah. Jet uh Jet Porkins uh from uh from Star Wars is in that scene. But that Yeah, you you're totally right. Just in that one scene alone in Raiders, you are so in on whatever adventure India is about to take us on because we know the lore. We know the story throughout the entirety of King Solomon.
>> There's wait there's weight to it. The government's there, you know, there's weight to it. Hitler's after this thing.
>> I'm like, "Ooh, they found the breasts of Sheba. I can't wait [laughter] till they get to the mine. THE FIND THE DIAMOND AND THE TREASURE."
>> You're right. There's no payoff when we get there. You're right.
Well, didn't you find the treasure chamber like kind of a little It wasn't very impressive at all. Like, >> no. And they basically nothing there.
>> Yeah. It's like a little room with some gold and some diamonds. And they basically like walked into it. Like, what were the >> It felt more like a torture trap. Yeah.
>> Yeah. the the real >> uh I mean I guess technically the the crystallized women particularly Sheba is I guess like I don't know the the the treasure or whatever. I don't even know what point they were making with that. The energy force cuz Embopo is like a represent a representative of that tribe or something. I don't know.
It it it doesn't make any sense to me.
the rightful leader of that tribe or something.
>> Yeah. The the fact that they like go on this journey and really the only >> trap is the stone pathway with the one marked stone. Do not step on this stone.
[laughter] The threat is not even the the the King Solomon's minds. The threat is the the tribe that is chasing them and fighting them.
You know, they've kidnapped Jesse at this point, but like there's nothing else in there. They happen to walk into that um the spike room, but the German guy closes the door on them, right? He the German guy is the one who who actually hits the button to >> No, no, she she the the witch who jumps in the red thing does. She pulls the knob out and the door comes down.
>> Closes. Okay.
The dynamite is what lets them out with the water and all that.
>> Yes. Okay. Yeah.
>> From the German guy.
>> But even that spiked room, they they didn't need to go in there.
It's like it's not what led to the treasure room, right? Like it >> No, >> no, it was the treasure room. It was the same room, wasn't it?
>> Cuz they were putting the treasure chest lids up on the It's the same little round >> You're right. Okay. That's That's my bad. That's my bad.
>> And it was the treasure chests that were stopping the ceiling from coming all the way down.
>> You're right. Okay. It was the treasure room. Okay. All right. I'll give King Solomon's end. It had two traps. It had some [laughter] >> um >> but none of them were automatic. The red face lady had to do.
>> Exactly. Yeah. Some [laughter] prune prune face or whatever he calls her.
>> Yeah. Um, but yeah, all that being said, like I don't give a [ __ ] about the lore of King Solomon's minds and and the the treasure hidden within it.
>> Um, >> no.
>> Okay. Is there anything >> go deep on backstory this one?
>> Um, [laughter] gator pit. We sort of talked about the rear projection. It's like so it's so lame like when he's dangling in front of the rear projected alligators. I mean, the real shots of the alligators where there clearly is, you know, 15 alligators in a pit with like a little wooden fence >> and then all of those uh extras standing 5t away from those gators.
>> That stuff is cool.
>> I looked and thought about that. I was like, they they must have really Yeah, that set was pretty awesome. That that there was some cool stuff going on there. There was some cool set pieces throughout, honestly. He just >> there clearly was there was clearly a stunt person hanging above the water of Gators because there was a shot but obviously when it gets close enough and when it needs to be Richard Chamberlain they switch to that rear projection >> and I just want if people don't know what rear projection is really quick if you've seen any sort of Alfred Hitchcock movie any film uh you know from the from the you know 40s or even up until the 60s characters would be driving a car and the footage behind them, you know, the car isn't moving. It's it's in a it's in a studio, actors are acting and the the image is moving behind them.
Well, they would go out and they would actually film, you know, driving along the road or, you know, film moving and then project that film behind the actors in the studio and then shoot the scene.
And so the actors is now looks like the you know the background is moving behind them but it's a rear projected film behind the actors in the space. And that's what they're doing here. It's not green screen. It's not image replacement. It's they've actually shot these alligators jumping up and snapping. And now they're projecting it on a screen behind Richard Chamberlain hanging in front of it. And it just doesn't read as real whatsoever. It didn't even read as real.
>> No.
>> In the 40s.
>> So, that's what I was gonna say.
Nowadays, they it's used as like a choice. Like like Dave Dave, you mentioned just a second ago, David Lynch, like uh it's Mahaland Drive, I think, where he uses it a lot when they're in the car driving, and that's clearly done, but it's intentional to be like Exactly. going back to film noir and all of that stuff. So, it's like an intentional thing, but you're right.
It's not very sellable as realistic. But even going so I mean we don't have to go back to the 60s. You can go to any television show from the 80s that we all grew up loving or even 70s you know like Dukes of Hazard and A Team and all that.
Anytime they're driving in a car you just you often they're just like you said sitting in a sound stage and the rest of that is >> now the the other side of it. It kind of Jay [snorts] had already alluded to this earlier in the show, but it kind of is coming back with the volume um primarily like you know popularized by the Mandalorian Star Wars TV show and it is a giant curved wall of high quality video screens. But the difference is is they are using motion tracking technology to track where the camera is and they are actually shifting the background to >> to mess with that the parallax view.
>> So now it's like it's it's kind of hard to wrap your brain around. If if you're in if people are interested in it, just look up like, you know, volume uh behind the scenes. And when you watch another camera >> that is filming the camera and the actors, the way the actor is stationary and when the camera moves, the background moves to stay in line with the camera. It's it's it's incredible.
>> The illusion is broken the moment you take it from another angle.
>> Exactly.
>> Because it's all happening from the camera's point, the first camera's point of view. Yeah.
>> Exactly. But I personally don't like it at all, but it is so impressive. It's so impressive from a technological standpoint. I just say I'd rather build a set set or do it at a practical >> and to me it looks different and then the tone and the feel are different.
>> There is >> I think the performance you get is different too. Therea there is examples of it that is effective and then there is examples of it that are so obvious that they are shooting >> well said I think using it as a tool is is excellent but using it as a this is how we're going to do it is not for me >> um >> but I'm an old guy >> I like the old build me a miniature you know [laughter] I'm in >> paint me a map painting I'm in >> and [snorts] I think that that has always been you know the the case is Like a lot of a lot of uh you know companies don't want to spend the money, but if they do spend the money on a on an animatronic, on a puppet, on a miniature, people appreciate it. you know, maybe not the general public, >> but you know, the the fans, they they give >> they give a lot of credit to a production that puts the money, the time and and money and energy into a puppet >> or into a practical effect. Especially nowadays, >> physical practical effect. Yes. Yes.
>> Especially because we don't >> I love hearing you say that. Keep preaching.
>> Oh, yeah. Of course.
>> Like like the spider. Like the spider.
>> Like the spider. Exactly. Spider.
>> Yes. Yes.
>> Sort of connecting it to The Mandalorian. I love the story of the first season of the Mandalorian um with Little Grou, uh Baby Yoda on Disney Plus, you know, Star Wars.
They had built this animatronic puppet and their intention was to use it as actor reference and they were going to make it so that you know people could have it and act with it and it would react back. But they were like this isn't going to be the final version.
We'll put a CGI version over top of all of the the puppet that we've actually filmed. And it was Verer Herszog, famous director and actor who was uh playing a character in that uh Mandalorian show that that said you use the puppet you cowards or you know in in his Verzog way. It's use the puppet you cowards.
[laughter] >> That's pretty good.
>> Thank you. Um >> wow.
And they and it was Vera Herszog who convinced them that the puppet is the right choice. And that is the best part of the Mandalorian franchise is the fact that everything is is done with these puppets, these little Grou Baby Yoda puppets. And yeah, it looks like a puppet, but if you're tracing the lineage of Baby Yoda to the character that we love from the original franchise of Yoda, Yoda is a puppet. So, it's it's a no-brainer to have it be a a a radiocontrolled puppet. Now, it the technology is advancing. like it it's incredible the the amount of uh movement and and acting that they get from this uh animatronic robot puppet. But yeah, I I just absolutely love that it was Vera Herszog who was who told them to just use the puppet.
>> That's amazing.
>> Yeah, >> that's awesome.
>> Love.
>> Also, I agree that's a good move in a world where there's too much CGI, especially in the Star Wars world. I definitely agree that's a move. Good move.
>> Yeah.
Well, and you know, Star Wars was not opposed to visual effects, right? All of the even the original trilogy is all optical effects, which are visual effects. They're just not, you know, computer, you know? So, they there's like there's two sides of the technology, right? It's like pushing the technology, but how can the technology help us?
Uh um >> yeah, >> you know, I I I always talk about the I think the person who uses CGI the best is David Fincher because David Fincher uses CGI in such a unique and interesting way that it's like it's like imperceptible >> only.
>> Yes. But I always use the example >> do in real life. I was just talking about this with my friend Austin the other night because I just am so blown away. Um, have you guys seen the girl with the dragon tattoo?
>> The the >> aware of it.
>> Okay.
>> I love it. David David Finch is one of my favorite movies.
>> This movie um is supposed to take place in like the dead of winter uh up in um uh like Sweden, I believe. And uh there is a very there's a there's a shot where like the vehicle um is approaching this house and it's so blistery, wintry, and snowy, but they shot it and the grass is green and all of the snow and all of the the snow on the ground and all the snow blowing around is all digital.
>> But it's stuff like that that you're like, nobody would think to do all the snow digitally, right? Obviously, it makes shooting a lot easier.
>> So, you're not looking for it. So, you're not poking holes in it. That's interesting.
>> Exactly. Exactly. Uh it's just one of those things that that he does. He just he just uses it in such a unique way that Exactly. He he finds these ways where you're not >> poking hole. You're not thinking about, oh, that could be CGI. So, it just it just you just buy it as real.
>> I love that.
>> Uh like I said, I've watched a lot of crappy treasure movies for this. So, I've seen a lot of [laughter] various of CGI attempts.
>> I watched that Lost City, the Sandra Bulock >> Channing Tatum one.
>> Oh, I love that movie.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. I didn't mind it either this time around. I actually enjoyed it. But the one I liked even maybe more or as much.
I hadn't seen till it had uh the guy from The Office in it. John Krinski and uh >> Oh, Jungle Cru. Wait, no. I'm thinking Emily.
>> No, not Jungle Cruz.
>> The his wife, >> right? cuz it's his wife in real life.
No, no, this one was called uh Oh, Fountain of Youth and it's him and Natalie as his sister and it was also enjoyable, but but same thing kind of like, you know, [clears throat] >> uh I would be more choosy with where I put it personally.
>> Fountain [snorts] of Youth. I I don't even know what that is.
>> Yeah, that's new. It's an Apple TV movie and it just came out and and I I if you like The Lost City, you'll enjoy it.
It's this it's the same kind of tone.
Also, I find I I didn't never watch The Office, so I don't know much about John Krinski. He's very funny, very charming.
>> Oh, yeah. I >> know he was like a PA at Conan when I was there or an intern or a Paige or something >> before, you know, years before The Office.
>> Yeah, I'm sure he's charming. He's married.
>> Knew everybody from the office.
[laughter] >> Yeah, good point. Love her, too.
>> Yeah, she's she's wonderful. Uh, all right. Tangent seven concluded. Um, >> we're not even at hour three. We got plenty of time. [laughter] >> All right. So, uh, where is my thing here? Okay, >> I have my star rating if we're there.
>> We're almost there. [laughter] Uh, so King Solomon's Minds was released November 22nd, 1985.
Um, it opened number one at the box office. Uh, impressive. Um, so King Solomon's Minds, number one. Number two, >> yeah, based on the poster, by the way.
Of course, everyone's like, "Oh, another Indie. Got to go check it out."
>> Yeah, totally.
>> That reminds me.
>> This is the scene. This is the scene in the school with the government guys.
>> I wanted to find who was the poster artist, but I cannot find any information anywhere about who did these posters. And and this particular artist is only identified by the initials J D or J O. It kind I think it's J D. That's as far as um some internet poster forums I was reading. Um uh I don't know if you did you go down the same rabbit hole, Russell?
>> I did. Yeah, I did. Yeah. Did you find that one that one poster form that was like all like poster history or poster >> and they were talking about how it was they could not find they did not know who this person was and all they can do is identify JD and some of the other posters that this particular artist has done. So, um, >> yeah, >> it's a it's a good poster. [snorts] >> Very very Drew Strruzanne, right? Like that they they're evoking >> that sort of that that style, the the the airbrush, the characters off to the side. You know what's funny is that >> indie the [ __ ] out of this thing. Yeah, those [laughter] those three three or four characters in boxes on the side are kind of what Last Crusade does because that poster for Last Crusade is the side characters in boxes on the side be behind your your main Connory and and Ford uh in the middle. But yeah, unfortunately uh I I don't know if any other information came up on your end, Russell, but I could not find who this artist was uh and to credit them other than the JD initial.
>> Yeah. Like I I was on a bit of a art history mystery uh as well. Um like there's a few clues out there as to who it might be. Um, and I I even reached out to a few people with no reply uh because I was hoping it solved the mystery, but um it's kind of cool. Uh it sure did a lot of posters for canon. Um >> yes, >> which you know, >> very zenesque as you said.
>> Yeah. I believe this JD individual also did the Firewalker poster.
>> Yeah. Yeah. It's a great poster.
>> Oh, and that also has the same kind of tone. You're right. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
Um, yeah. The other thing that was hard is >> not a good movie. I can't wait to watch that again, too. I gota >> The only other thing I tried to Google was JD Cannon.
>> And turns out there is there is there is a professional in the film industry with the name JD Cannon. So, you [laughter] can't even you can't even find it that way.
>> Um, all right.
Uh, King Solomon's Mind, November 2nd, 1985, opened number one at the box office that week. The top five films, King Solomon's Minds, number one. Number two, also new this week, a film we've covered on the show already. One, Magic Christmas. Uh, have you seen that film, Russell?
>> I have seen it. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Yes. Incredibly dark film. Uh, [laughter] incredibly dark and heartwarming.
>> Um, >> that's the one where they kill Santa in the first like three minutes, right?
>> No, no, that was uh Santa Claus the movie, which I actually have.
>> Oh, [ __ ] You're right.
>> Right behind me. Santa Claus movie, too.
That's right.
>> That's right.
>> Uh, one Magic Christmas was One Tragic Christmas with Mary Steenberg.
>> Oh, that's right.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Um, number three, uh, a film I cannot wait to cover on this show. Uh, an early Jim Carrey, Once [snorts] Bitten, the vampire.
>> Oh, yeah.
>> Jim Carrey film. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Has a has an incredible uh original theme song. Once bitten.
>> It's an amazing I I must be the credit song. I can't remember if it's the opening credits or if it's the end credits. Hell, it might be both. Uh, but it's I have the soundtrack.
>> I have seen this one on cable late at night. I have never actually watched this movie. So, we're going to do [laughter] one spin. Okay.
>> A little Jim Carrey. Uh, number four, Jagged Edge has been in theaters for 8 weeks. Uh, and then number five, Holding Strong. Still at top five. 21 weeks been in the box office since July. Back to the Future. Um, >> Power of Love.
>> Yep. Still still going strong.
[clears throat] goes on to be the number one grossing film of 1985.
Uh, King Solomon's Minded for eight weeks. Uh, was made for now.
>> I could not um find out if this budget was for just the first film or if it was for both films. The way they talk about it is it kind of seems like it was for both films. The Okay. So, 12.6 million is the budget for King Solomon's mines, but I but that's what I'm saying. I don't know if it was if it was for just King Solomon's or if it was for Lost City of Gold as well because the budget listed for Lost City of Gold was 13 million. The only reason I sort of say that it might be the same budget is because Canon Films famously did not spend that much money on a single movie. Also, considering they have 22 films coming out in 1985, they they paid >> and if we're going to go all the way to Zimbabwe for one of them, it's like we may as well make that two budgeted out.
I agree with this, Brandon. I agree.
>> Yeah. I have a feeling that the 12.6 six or the [clears throat] 13 million was the budget for both films. Um, but I I again [laughter] I got to say this movie costs this movie cost money looking like as a producer looking at this movie there is a tremendous amount of cash on the screen. So it actually all of a sudden 123 million doesn't sound very much to me.
>> Well and when you watch the >> train [ __ ] alone >> there there is there is sets there's like full big sets in the sequel.
>> A couple of them. Mhm.
>> Um, so yeah, I don't >> it is could be >> um ends up making only $15 million at the box office. Uh, so if the if the 12.6 is for both films and we, you know, split that in half as, you know, 6.3 for each film, okay, you know, an okay success. Um, don't know how much they spent on marketing. Don't know how it was how well it was marketed at the time. Um the >> probably not that much I'm guessing if we're capitalizing on the familiarity of the other Yeah. [snorts] >> Uh the sequel only >> $3 million. So King Solomon made makes 15. Uh Lost City of Gold only makes 3 million. So if >> But they're getting that 2B money now.
>> Yeah. If the 12.6 [laughter] the actual budget for both of them um uh uh you know a a combined $18 million.
>> Okay. You know, not great, but maybe that is being in the positive for Canon films is probably their goal, right?
Regardless of as long as we make more than what we spent on it, you know, it it's positive for us.
>> We can make another movie. You're right.
As long as we got our money back. Yeah, you're right. Yeah. Um, and I really could not I really could not find >> many reviews of the film at the time.
Our buddies Cisco and Eert did not uh talk about or review King Solomon's Minds.
>> Um, there's one review like credited on the Wikipedia page that is like, you know, middling at best. It's, you know, it talks about the tongue tongue-in-cheek nature of it. So I'm like I don't really I don't really I don't know. So there's not a lot of coverage.
>> I tend to agree with you guys. Yeah. I think it was played seriously now at this point.
>> Um the uh only other interesting thing and I don't there's no real reason why but uh as I mentioned earlier uh the sequel was shot directly after June 10th to September but for some reason did not come out until 1987.
So they I maybe they just didn't want to put them out too quickly to make it look like they had shot them back to back, you know, that they the same way Indiana Jones had a three-year gap between Raiders and uh Temple and then a five-year gap between Temple and and Last Crusade.
>> Yeah. I mean, it makes sense to spend the money to shoot them together because it's cheaper than going there twice. So that part all makes sense to me. And then the releasing kind of just it's almost like if we had 22 movies this year, it's like it just fits into the schedule, you know?
>> Yeah. Where Yeah.
>> Also, if it was a big hit, I bet they would have rushed it out in '86. But the fact that it wasn't a big hit, they're kind of like, well, we'll get to it.
>> Yeah. Let let it get discovered at the uh by the Russells at the video store.
You know, [laughter] >> time's not going to hurt us at this point. Exactly.
>> Exactly. Once once we know Russell is a fan from renting it and is going to go see it in the theater, then then we'll release it. Couple years later, >> first we get Russell, then we get everybody. [laughter] >> That was the marketing plan. Y >> Yeah, exactly.
>> I I hope that somehow this podcast inspires you, Russell, to do a piece somehow from something from King Solomon's mind. [snorts] >> Yeah, that crappy spider or something something >> really.
>> Oh, awesome.
>> Yeah, I thought about it for sure. Have you ever done like a a a poster re-imagined? Uh like not like obviously you've done like your like the Commando poster we were looking at is but one of the things I saw recently was um do you know Jason Edmonston the artist?
>> Oh yeah. Yep.
>> Yeah. He redid the Jaws poster which you know he just he just painted it but it was more maybe it was an exercise for him or something like that. Have you ever thought of just like or have you done sort of just like repainted a a poster just to you know get into the Drew Strruan style or or the John Alvin style?
>> Yeah. Do your take on something. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Your take on that style.
>> Yeah. I haven't done a straight like copy like uh as an exercise, but it might be interesting to see what what comes out of it. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Well, I can't wait till we get the King Solomon's Mind print. [laughter] >> Me, too.
>> Yeah. Yeah, for the for the 4K release.
>> Yes, exactly.
>> For that.
>> That's right. Exclusive limited.
>> They're working on it. [laughter] >> Um, I will say the the the transfers on Prime Video, that's how I watched both uh the the movies.
>> Yes, I watched it too.
>> Pretty pretty good. Uh, you know, >> you know, sometimes those those digital streaming transfers are like some old DVD rip >> that has just been the digital copy of the of the movie available, you know, that that's that's released by um, you know, the the distributors, but uh, I was I was surprised.
>> Do you I'm always surprised the other way. Do you find that like the ones I think are going to be so gonna be some great copy is kind of like crappy and then I'll put some crappy movie on like this and I go, "Wow, it looks amazing."
>> Yeah.
>> You guys find it seems like they're 4K digitizing crap before [laughter] >> I'm not calling this crap.
>> I enjoyed this >> there. To that point, [laughter] I I think that you're you're kind of right because the restoration and the 4K, you know, re-releases are all of these boutique labels that are kind of prioritizing the crap as to because that's what they have access to.
>> Classics instead of >> Yes. Whereas the big [clears throat] studios who are who are holding on to their their classics, you know, of cinema or the things that make them money, they're sort of in charge of it.
And, you know, maybe they're not, >> you know, they don't have their finger on the pulse of what the physical media collectors or the you are looking for.
Whereas all like the Vinegar Syndromes, the Arrow videos, the even the Criterion Collection, they kind of are using their their pull to get weird stuff into their video vaults. Um, so there might be something to that that like a thing that you expect to have a nice 4K transfer available on streaming or or digital download. Um, may be just held up in the vaults of Warner Brothers because they don't have time to get to it. Whereas all the crap, Vinegar Syndrome is hard at work, you know, restoring and and putting out a 4K version.
>> So, you can't even buy like a good version on Apple TV, but you can watch it for free on Hooie or Tube or Mooby or whatever and and it and it looks great, but you got to sit through commercials.
>> Speaking of which, I was so close. I did not do it. Uh, Vinegar Syndrome is putting out a new 4K release of Explorers, and it looks incredible. It looks really, really good.
>> And I was like, "Oh my god, >> see that rose bud sled?
>> Am I going to buy am I going to buy this 4K?" And I was like, "Ah, I I I ended up not doing >> Here's the problem. If you do it, I was going to say if you do it, the problem is the last 20 minutes are also going to have been converted into 4K. You're going to have to watch." [laughter] >> And for and for the you know, not just for the show, but also for my [snorts] collection. I did buy the Blu-ray, the Shout Factory Blu-ray, and I was like, "You know what? Yeah, >> in this particular case, I'm happy enough with my Shout Factory Blu-ray of Explorers, which is a film I pro I might watch it again, but it might be, you know, years down the road if I'm showing it to somebody. So, I >> You hate it. So, it's that bad. It was >> It's not that bad.
>> The best movie ever until it's the worst movie ever.
>> Yes. If I can just like I'll turn it off. Maybe that's what I'll do. I'll I'll I'll turn it off before the before the end.
>> Russell, uh you sound like you've seen Explorers.
>> I have. Yeah. You know, it it starts really well to be honest.
>> Uh exactly. One of my favorite starting movies ever.
>> Yeah. In fact, >> the adventure those kids are on, dude.
>> On on our episode of Explorers, >> performances.
>> Exactly. I all the same thing. But on our episode of on explorers >> when I started watching the movie I was like how have I not seen this before?
This is incredible. This like these performances are great. Joe Dante >> and then it just fell apart so fast.
[laughter] >> Well, you gave it one of the biggest compliments. You're like, "This is like Goonies in Space." Or you said something like that and I was LIKE, "OH MY GOD, IT totally is." And then it's not.
>> Yeah. And it Yeah. It's just the end of it. it just loses it for me. Um, yeah. So, there is a new 4K of explorers out and it looks incredible the the footage that they released.
>> Same company that did a 4K which is still available of Daryl.
>> So, if you're looking for Daryl and you're looking for explorers >> Yeah, there's 4K from Vine Vinegar Syndrome.
>> Okay. Uh, so the last thing we do on the show, Russell, is like you, I love Letterbox. I'm obsessed with Letterbox.
Love logging my movies. Love writing reviews. I love reading reviews. Uh, so when I like to pull people's reviews uh from Letterbox. So, here are some Letterbox user reviews for King Solomon's Minds.
Uh, Jimka says, "If you didn't really know how good Harrison Ford was as a movie star, watch this for comparison."
Two and a half stars.
Uh, Presto says, "And then, and then and then, and then."
>> He's right.
>> And then >> he's right. [laughter] I found that, too.
>> I totally found that. Yep. Um, I pulled that one because one of my favorite uh um thought processes on writing comes from uh Matt Stone and Trey Parker of South Park Faint. They have a very succinct way of putting the how they successfully write is if you have moments in your screenplay and it's this happens and then this happens and then this happens.
It's better to do it as this happens but this happens therefore this happens. And that's how they break down and write week after week after week of South Park. And it's been so successful for them. So >> as soon as I saw the somebody writing and then and then and then I was like, "Yeah, that's exactly what this movie is." It's an and then and then and then and then.
>> Um uh Ben, >> it's funny that we brought up Dude's Where's My Car earlier, too.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> And then no more.
>> Uh Ben Affleck says, "This might be the best Indiana Jones ripoff, even if it's not the great one at all. Two stars."
Oh, sorry. Even if it's not great at all. This might be the best Indiana Jones ripoff, even if it's not great at all. Two stars.
>> I probably agree with that.
>> Uh Josh says, >> think of another one.
Canon Films financing an Indiana Jones ripoff based off of a hundred-year-old IP by a Brit set in Africa. What could go wrong? One and a half stars.
[laughter] >> Oh, he had me. I thought he was going to make it. It was good.
>> And then the last one here is Niches says, "If you've ever thought how bad could this be? It's just a little worse than that. Two star. [laughter] Feel like a lot of those people have never watched some of the other movies we've watched on this show.
>> Yeah, >> there are [laughter] this movie was sign. This movie I enjoyed this movie. Nothing about this was painful.
>> It was humorous. It was humorous.
>> I enjoyed my time with it, but uh it's not a good movie, you know.
>> Um >> Oh, no. I would not say it was a good movie.
>> Uh here's a couple >> No, I agree with you, >> Jay. you'd mentioned some adventure films and and Russell, you had talked about the initial sort of idea for this being the Indiana Clones.
>> Um, any other films that you can think of that are the adventure Indiana Jones knockoff type uh films that you would uh it doesn't necessarily have to be recommend, but you know, just worth worth letting people know about.
I mean, I I definitely have one that I can recommend that I discovered prepping for this show. Um, I mean, I watched a lot of bad ones, but I'll tell you about one good one.
>> Uh, it's called M it's called Motherload.
>> Uh, L O D E. Uh, it's a 1982 film direct directed by Charlton H.
>> Uh, and it's it's set and filmed entirely in BC. Um, so Brandon and I's home province.
>> Uh, and it's trying to be like the story revolves around BC and it's basically about this couple. One, uh, the woman is played by Kim Basinger. Um, a young Kim Basinger.
>> Uh, so they're couple of adventurers that go into the wilderness of BC looking for a lost colleague and they come across like a grizzled miner played by Charlton H who's looking for some lost gold. Um, but it's actually really pretty good.
>> Guz Jiggins.
>> Yeah. [laughter] And and to top it off, uh, Drew Strusen did the poster, which I just found out >> yesterday. Uh, so it's it's pretty cool and very atmospheric. Some good mindsets.
>> Uh, uh, yeah, it's like a hidden gem.
>> That's a cool poster.
>> Yeah, it's cool.
>> It's like a a hand reaching up grabbing like a nugget of gold.
Yep. Oh sh Oh, L.
>> Yeah. Yeah. L O D E.
>> L. Yeah. Yeah.
>> So, it it's you, you know, it's got like uh some float plane sequences that might tie it to Raiders. It's got um you know, treasure hunting, but it kind of stands on its own. Um >> uh Yeah.
>> Wow. I definitely will check that out.
That looks cool. Oh, and Charlton Essen has a huge beard.
>> Yeah. Yeah. And a terrible Scottish accent.
>> Let me see if I can >> Oh, no. Can't wait. Like groundskeeper Willie uh level, but it kind of works in a weird way. I >> just saw him. What the [ __ ] did I just see him in? Oh, he's in one of the airport movies. He's one of the pilots in the airport movie.
>> There's Charlton.
>> Oh, wow. Right on.
>> Big big old >> like he's wearing one of the ape, but he's he looks like he's got the the apes beard on.
>> Yeah.
>> From the play of the apes. That was a little blurry. Couldn't quite tell.
That's funny.
>> Yeah, this movie looks cool. I'm definitely going to check that out. Um, >> uh, I watched Laura Croft Tomb Raider as well in preparation for the 2002 or whatever the first one.
>> Is there a check back into the tomb?
Well, I mean, >> yeah, I didn't see the second one, Cradle of Life. And then there's a reboot, too, with a new girl completely.
I didn't see Alicia, but I did watch the original one.
>> Yeah, I've never I didn't see the uh I didn't see the the reboot.
No. Have you heard anything about it? I don't think I heard I bought it, but I don't think I heard anything about it either.
>> No, I haven't heard anybody.
>> It was nice to go back to the first one.
The first one was better than I remembered except that um the funny thing is Daniel Craig's in it, but it was before he was Bond and before most of us really knew Daniel Craig.
>> So, we talked about looping and bad ADR before.
>> I feel like half of his dialogue is ADR because you know what Daniel Craig sounds like. But in this movie, anytime he's shouting, HE'S LIKE, "HEY, LARA.
COME ON, LARA. Go over there, Lara." It [laughter] doesn't sound anything like It's like, "What the [ __ ] Are you kidding me?" It's not even close.
>> He's pretty good at voices. I mean, Ben Blanc.
>> It could be.
>> Could be.
>> Well, but okay. So, no, you're right.
That's a very good point. That's the That's the Onions. The wild out or the whatever the [ __ ] >> Yeah, the onions.
>> Is that the wild onion?
>> Thank you. You know, >> glass onion. Wild [laughter] onion.
>> Thank you.
>> Yeah.
>> Old guy coming through. Uh, >> yeah. No, you're right. But I But his regular voice when he's just talking to her sounds like Daniel Craig.
>> Yeah.
>> I don't know.
>> Yeah.
>> Anyway, it was more enjoyable than I remembered it being. Also, cuz you know, John Voit plays her dad in it and he is her dad.
>> I forgot about that.
>> Yeah. Just >> Oh, I just I just rewatched Heat and I I forgot John Voit was [snorts] >> Yeah.
>> What? What? Oh, I forgot, too.
>> Yeah. He's he's like their uh I don't know what he is what it would be called, but he's like their getaway guy. Like he like sets he like sets it.
>> Does he get out of prison in the beginning and he's looking for work? Is that the deal?
>> No. No, he's not the He's not that guy.
>> He's like one of their like connection guys, but he does have long hair in it.
>> Yep.
>> Oh, okay. Okay.
>> I I just got the heat 4K, so I had I had to I had to get hot again, if you know what I'm saying.
>> [laughter] >> I did I did a drawing of a drawing of uh John Void from Heat in in character talking to Dairo. It's on my website.
It's like a a drawing on paper. Yeah.
>> You know that movie is loosely based on North Hollywood shootout.
>> Oh, sorry.
>> Oh, I didn't know. I didn't know. I actually didn't know. Yeah, it's loosely based. Well, that's where all of these assault rifle. It was like the first bank heist that went down like that, but it was blocks from here in North Hollywood and Laurel Canyon at the Bank of America right up the street. And it's like they made movies about it and everything.
>> Yeah.
>> It's a crazy thing.
>> Yeah. Movie still rules. Uh it's awesome.
>> Long as [ __ ] but uh it's awesome.
>> Aluccino's girlfriend and that whole side thing. I I didn't I don't know. But I like that he was taking care of the daughter. [laughter] >> Yeah.
Can't beat it. It's the best. [laughter] It's the best. [gasps] >> That was a killer killer impression, too.
>> That was awesome.
>> Um, my recommendation, uh, a film that I love and I do always think of like it's not directly Indiana Jones, but it's sort of adventure. Um, is The Armor of the Gods, the Jackiechan film. Now, in North America, it's released as Operation Condor 2, which is a prequel to Operation Condor.
>> Uh, but this is like a cool like um, you know, uh, relic hunter type uh, character for Ind Indiana for Jackie Chan. But lot of lot of great stunts in here because this film is directed by Jackie Chan. And I always tell people if you're looking to get into Jackie Chan films, look for films >> directed by Jackie Chan or even produced by Jackie Chan. But if you can if you can find a film that's directed by Jackie Chan, you are going to be absolutely blown away because he spends so much time and energy to get all of the stunts perfect because it's his film.
>> His choreography is excellent.
>> Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, these movies these movies are great. The Operation Condor or the Armor of God series, uh, if you haven't seen them.
>> Well, then can we throw Firewalker in there, too, then? Because that's a Tomb Raider treasure hunter movie, even though it's >> of course >> more comedic.
>> Um, I haven't seen this, but I I did see it on a couple lists, so I wanted to uh shout it out. Um, we talked about it recently and uh there's a couple of films from this particular actor that I that I need to see primarily some of his non-comdic work, but this is Eddie Murphy's The Golden Child.
>> Yeah. With a passion.
>> Yeah.
>> So good.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Have you not You said you haven't seen it.
>> No, I we talked about it cuz I haven't seen this and I haven't seen Boomerang.
Those are two um >> Oh, that's right. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Those are two like primarily non-comdic e Murphy, >> you know, classics that I haven't seen.
So, >> Uhhuh. Watch this one first.
>> Yeah, I do one. And then the last one I wanted to uh is this one again. I haven't seen this, but it it came up on a couple of lists. It's called Jake Speed. And uh >> um Jake Speed is a real hero. The kind of guy who's always there to fight for justice when the case is hopeless. sort of John Wayne, Robin Hood, and Lone Ranger all rolled into one slightly flawed and cocky package. And uh who else? Michael York, I think, is in this.
Is that Michael York? Oh, John Hurt.
>> Basel Expedition.
>> John No, John Hurt. I was thinking uh the Elephant Man. John Hurt is in >> Even better.
>> Um but yeah, those were just a couple.
>> Wait.
>> Oh, is John Herds the elephant man? Not William. Oh, yeah. You're right. Yeah, you're right.
>> Yeah.
God, that movie.
>> Any any other uh Indiana clones that we want to toss off? I'm sorry. [laughter] >> Well, I mean, I I'm guessing you're going to have another episode on Jewel of the Nile, but I did watch.
>> Yes, we Oh, yeah. We Yeah, we we mentioned that, but yeah, >> those two.
>> Yeah, >> National Treasure I throw in there, too.
>> Even though it's contemporary, it's not period.
>> Yeah, that I mean that's that's true.
>> I watched both of those, too. and enjoyed the hell out of both of them this time.
>> Uh yeah, those are uh top tier perfect films. Um I don't care what anybody says, those movies are I I love the National Treasure movies so much.
>> Oh wow. I'm so happy to hear you say that. I totally agree with you. It's could be more fun.
>> Totally. Th those are watchable movies, you know, like [clears throat] just like so much fun to watch. Um, I've again back to like I'm invested in the lore. I like the story, the adventure, the um all of the little like secrets, you know, left behind.
>> None of it's preposterous for me. I believe all of it, every single [laughter] bit of it, cuz they show the backstory and the history through it all.
>> Yes. The heist in the Declaration of Independence or even just like breaking into the Oval Office in two or I think Congress or >> um whatever like Book of Secrets. Y is is great. I I've never thought of it as a contemporary like Indiana Jones, but it really is.
>> Well, because maybe more so than anything else because the gates the gates the gates are not t they're not grave robbers. Like he wants to put this [ __ ] in a museum. He wants to get it, win the thing, and then put it out so everybody can see it.
>> And that's very indie to me versus like, you know, fortune and glory, kid.
Fortune and glory, you know.
>> Yeah. Huh. Wow. You've just you've just unlocked a new uh appreciation [laughter] for the national.
>> No, I love those movies. I can't believe that you I thought for sure you were going to shoot me down on this one. I'm so happy that you like them, too.
>> Oh, I love those movies so much. Now, I have not watched the TV show, but there's no Nicholas Cage, so I'm like less interested.
>> Yeah, there's a Disney Plus TV show.
Yeah.
>> With Justin Bara. He he he reprises um Oh, I just I Riley.
>> Oh, is that Riley? Is that the guy from Hangover?
>> Oh, wow.
>> Yes, Justin. Yeah.
>> Um he's in it, but no. Nicholas Cage >> and maybe the >> Diane Krueger. I liked her in it, too.
>> Yeah. Is the angry declaration lady.
[laughter] >> Yes. And >> and then Shan is the bad guy. It's great.
>> Yeah. I think I'm I'm going to watch National uh Treasure after this. I'm [laughter] excited for that. Awesome.
Awesome.
Um, okay. Well, we did it. We crushed King Solomon's mind. We buried [laughter] John Reese Davies.
>> Um, I think we've we've analyzed this film. Uh, Russell, thank you so much for joining us. Pleasure to to have you actually get to to get to What's that?
Oh [ __ ] Oh my god. We didn't rate the [laughter] film.
>> Uh, okay.
>> It's your favorite part.
>> Yeah. Um, one of the things we do on this show is, uh, we rate these films.
Um, Jay, would you like to go first with your rating?
>> I'd be happy to. I'll be short and sweet. I found this movie very enjoyable. There's no secret. I told you why. Three stars.
>> Because >> wonderful >> of I think it I it was an enjoyable ride to me. I don't think it was a good movie. I agree with everybody there, but it kept my attention. and I'm talking about it with a smile on my face and I and I would watch if we were in the days of television where oh this was on on a Saturday afternoon I would totally leave it on and I was doing other things around the house and it was in the background I would totally leave it on.
>> Yeah, that's fair. Um >> not if anyone else was here though because there's a lot of racist and tribal and Zulu like there's a lot of other things going on.
>> Yeah. Yep. That's that's the time. Uh >> but three stars. Three stars. Confident.
Three stars.
>> Wonderful. Enjoyed it. Uh Russell, your star rating out of five stars like that.
>> Well, I I watched the film twice uh and it uh it landed at [laughter] about two two and a half both times, but at any given moment it could go up half star with for nostalgia uh purposes. But I'm going to I'm going to officially it's on the record as two and a half. So, >> perfect.
>> Yeah. I think if I did half stars, that's where I'd put it, too, because that's like dead in the middle. I just don't do halves.
And you know that is exactly the same sentiment I have. Um I'm going to give King Solomon's Mine a two star. Uh but much like Jay just said, if I did do half stars, uh I would give it a two and a half.
>> Two and a half.
>> It's so close to three.
>> That's where it belongs >> for the >> um for the like the fun that I had.
while watching it, but the fun that I had is not what the movie's intention of fun is, if that makes sense.
>> Ah, you got me there. Yeah. Well, >> yeah.
>> Yep.
>> And >> you're right. You are right. had a really great time talking about aspects of this movie with you guys tonight, which is always the case because we talk about this a lot, Russell, that like uh we'll come in, we'll watch a movie and give it a rating and then we'll have this conversation and be like, "Oh man, was it better than I actually thought it was?"
>> Yeah. [laughter] Awesome. Awesome. One of the things I love about Letterboxed is that it does hold me to my what was my what was my initial thought finishing the film, right? Um, so that that was two stars. I'm going to stick to my two stars, but I do think like it could that that half star for the enjoyment or the nostalgia as you said like there's just another level to it. Um, but yeah, I'm going to stick with the with the two stars.
>> You know what? My half star might come from my love of Sharon Stone.
>> Yeah.
>> Sorry, Brandon. Again, the delay, but I I think I realize that I'm picking up on your point, and that's where my half a star came from. My love for Sharon Stone and my nostalgic for her. And I think you're right. I painted it with that.
>> I mean, >> you guys are probably right. It's a two and a half star. Yeah, >> the the guy blows up is awesome. The uh motorcycle flip is awesome. The spider is awesome. John Reese Davies Catching Fire is awesome. Like there is things in this movie that are great, but the connective tissue between those moments is a little grading, is a little hard, but I'm laughing at the movie, which is in turn enjoyment in a way um akin to The Room that was so bad it's good. And this kind of is >> is in that camp like it's not >> it's not quite so bad that you're just like I can't believe this is crazy. This is how did this you know get made all this kind of stuff.
>> It's got it's got some juice as they say. But it's just it's just you know it's stumbling the the whole movie is like stumbling to get to the the breasts of the Sheba right.
[sighs and gasps] >> Um >> Yes. Yeah. I can't believe I almost forgot the rating part of this show.
What's the point? That's what we do [laughter] this show for.
>> Um, all right. Well, now we've rated it.
Uh, as I said, Russell, thank you for being here. It was an absolute pleasure to get to spend some time with you, talk to you about movies. Um, this is great.
I hope we get Yes, exactly. Check out link in the description. I hope we get to spend some time together. Uh, next time you're coming to the mainland, hit me up. We'll hang out. Uh, it'd be awesome.
>> That'd be awesome. Well, thanks so much for inviting me. Had a had a great time with you both and appreciate the show.
Um, yeah, this is great. So, thanks again.
>> I want to thank you for your choice because this is not a movie I probably ever would have seen in my life on my own. And I'm glad I've seen it. So, thank you.
>> That's that's awesome. Yeah. kind of a conversation starter as opposed to, you know, >> quality film. But >> yeah, [laughter] >> well, >> I just was prepared for it to be so much worse than it was and there was so much good in it that I wasn't expecting that I was like pleasantly surprised, hence my rating.
>> I I have I I love I love when people pick the weird ones. like, you know, obviously you you had your connection to it, which is why you you chose it. But, you know, I just think again, like just like you, Jake, I hadn't seen this movie, and who know I I probably would have never seen it, but I love when somebody comes in with with with the the non obvious choice or or and I, you know, we we'll get to those obvious ones later, but yeah, this was an absolute blast to to dissect. Uh, >> nice. Nice. [gasps] >> Yeah. Hang out. So, >> and our second 1985 movie with mine in the title. So, tada. There you go.
>> Oh, yeah. Enemy mine.
>> Enemy mine.
>> King Solomon's enemy minds. Um, [laughter] >> oh, that was the other thing. There's really one mine. I don't know about this. Multiple mines. King Solomon.
>> Yeah, it [laughter] was it was like one multiple caves in that mine, but it's one mine.
Well, there must have been another bunch of crystal ladies buried in another part of the the >> Didn't even occur to me. Of course.
>> Smell a sequel.
>> Uh, well, uh, Russell, where can people find you online?
>> Uh, well, you can find me on Instagram.
Uh, Russell Treor. Um, on Instagram Russell.
>> Yeah. Or, um, Russellor.ca is my website. And that has all my links there as well. So it's probably the easiest >> I've been saying trailer all night.
Trore.
>> It's okay. No, no, no. It's a weird name. So, um, we didn't want to correct you, Brandon.
>> Yeah. [laughter] >> No, no, >> it's all good. All good.
>> Okay. Well, now I'm embarrassed.
>> Dude, your art's amazing, man. Your art's fantastic. I'm super excited to check out more of it. I love it. I love it.
>> Yeah, it's As soon as I found Russell Treor, I was like, "This guy rules." Uh, yeah. [laughter] >> And I, like I said, >> I had to own this pie.
>> You said Instagram, too.
>> Yeah. Russell, >> I love it.
>> Russell. Trellor on Instagram. Um, again, website's in the description below. Your Instagram handle's in the description below.
>> Uh, Jay, where can people find you online?
>> Thank you, Brandon. Uh, Porsche Life11 is where most things are. Uh, I haven't been too active on social media lately.
been doing real life stuff, you know, trying to get back into the working world and everything, but Porsche Life 111 for most things. Uh, we do a late night talk show podcast called Late Night playset from the original David Letterman set in our dining room. That's late night playset. Uh, if you like cars in Los Angeles, good vibes breakfast club. And uh, if you like this show, please follow it everywhere. Comment, like it, share it. A blockbuster year pretty much most places, but I love doing the show with Brandon and we need you to watch it to keep doing it. So, um, get to meet cool people like Russell and fellow creatives throughout the world. And I don't know, I just love doing the show with you, man. It's it's it, like I told you, this week was a little rough week. This was the highlight of my week. So, thank you guys both and to the audience.
>> Yes. [snorts] Um, well, I like like you, I love doing this show. Love digging deep and talking movies with you and and our guests. Uh, it's so much fun. Um, so much.
>> Yeah. Uh follow uh A Blockbuster Year on Instagram. Subscribe to the channel.
We're here live every Wednesday at 6 o'clock Pacific Standard Time. Um if you're into movie cars or want to follow along on me building my blockbuster, uh follow BC Delorean.
>> Um I I'm almost >> The other day when you brought the tapes in Oh, >> yeah. I'm almost at the point where I'm ready to show the next process. I'm waiting for a couple signs to get made.
Um, but it's it's it's coming along great. So, I'm very excited to share that process and progress with everybody.
>> Awesome.
>> Um, next week we are, uh, covering St. Elmo's Fire with our guest, uh, Scott on Tape. He'll be with us, another Canadian, East Coaster Canadian. Um, very excited. I've never seen this film.
Uh looking forward to it. Um big breakfast club fans. So uh um lot of uh connective >> breakfast club. Yeah. Brat pack. All that all that stuff. So uh >> it's on sale this week if anybody wants to buy it.
>> It's on I think $7.99 $6.99 something like that. I just bought it on Apple TV.
Yeah.
>> Well, I've got a digital video disc right here >> with special features.
>> That's sir. You of all people should know the the correct name for that. That is not what DVD stands for.
>> What is it?
>> Digital versatile disc, believe it or not.
>> Versatile.
>> Believe it or not, >> I've never heard stands for >> really, huh? [snorts] >> Yeah, believe it or not.
>> Well, I have the digital versatile [laughter] digital versatile disc here.
>> Nice.
>> Nice.
>> Does >> directed by Joel Shoeacher. Can't wait to talk about that next week. Uh, >> whoa.
>> Yeah, man. Uh, thank you everybody for being here with us. Thank you for personal disc. Whoa.
>> But it does say right underneath it. It also stands for digital video disc. So, it looks like you've you've broken the nomenclature.
>> We're both right. And that's that's how that sh this show is exactly that. We are both right. Um, >> that's right.
>> Thank [snorts] you.
>> What's a man but his opinions?
[laughter] >> Thank you for watching. Thank you for being here. Thank you for listening and watching the replay. Uh we will see you next week. Uh good night everybody.
>> Thank you everybody. Love you Russell.
Thank you so much.
>> Love you at home.
>> Thanks again guys.
>> Bye >> bye.
>> [music]
Videos Relacionados
Fouchon is Defeated | Hard Target
ActionPicks
4K views•2026-05-28
It Takes Two 💞
barefootandindependent
1K views•2026-05-31
Supply and demand, my friend. #movie #edit #shorts
gaskinpenton
11K views•2026-05-28
Dark Shadows | Victoria Arrives at Collinwood to Apply as a Governess
EthanVortex-u2x
318 views•2026-05-28
🎬 Across the Line (2000) 4K | Brad Johnson Neo-Western Thriller 🔥 | Crime & Border Justice
BabelWestern
734 views•2026-05-30
An Anime For Every Letter In LGBTQIA
KrisPNatz
2K views•2026-05-31
Mark Kermode reviews Tuner
kermodeandmayostake
2K views•2026-05-28
Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) - 20 Hidden Facts Nobody Knows
AmazingMovieRewind
111 views•2026-05-28
