Startling Realizations

[Junkyard]

Okay, to start with, I'm posting this thread simply to point out a realization that blew my mind. But the official purpose of this thread is to let you tell any stories you might have of times you discovered something while/as a result of watching a movie. Unexpected actors, connections, or insperations?

In my case, I've just been watching a thing on horror films, when they mentioned that "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" carries the name of Ray Bradbury, on who's short story, "The Fog Horn," the movie was loosely based.
Ray Bradbury is pretty much my favorite writer.
Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, which I have watched before, was more or less ripped off by Toho Studios in the form of Gojira. This even they admit.
Gojira is the Japanese name for Godzilla.
Godzilla led to Gamera, Gappa, Mothra, Rodan, and a slew of other giant Japanese monsters, or Kaiju.
Kaiju Films are my favorite single genre.

I just realized, just a few minutes ago, that my favorite author is responsible, in a large way, for some of my favorite movies, produced half a world away, in unrecognizable forms.

My mind; it is blown.

So how about you? Any startling realizations while watching movies?

[Junkyard]

By the way, watching "Return of the Killer Tomatoes" and realizing that George Clooney starred in "Return of the Killer Tomatoes" counts as a startling realization, as far as this thread goes.

....George Clooney with a mullet. The mind reels....

[mrbasehart]

James Cameron wrote Rambo II.  That surprised the hell out of me.  Oh, and Roald Dahl did You Only Live Twice. 

[Bob]

Yojimbo, A Fistful of Dollars and Last Man Standing are the same movie.

M. Night Shyamalan  was a screen writer on Stuart Little.

David Keith and Keith David are not the same person.

[Junkyard]

.... Stuart Little? Seriously?

[mrbasehart]

Yojimbo, A Fistful of Dollars and Last Man Standing are the same movie.

Based on a novel by Dashiell Hammet, Red Harvest.  I recall a story about Kurosawa being pissed at the remake of his film, but ultimately unable to do anything because his was just an adaptation.

[Bob]

Yojimbo, A Fistful of Dollars and Last Man Standing are the same movie.

Based on a novel by Dashiell Hammet, Red Harvest.  I recall a story about Kurosawa being pissed at the remake of his film, but ultimately unable to do anything because his was just an adaptation.

Huh, never knew that.   May have to check out the book.

[Sideswipe]

Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

[Charles Castle]

Yojimbo, A Fistful of Dollars and Last Man Standing are the same movie.

Based on a novel by Dashiell Hammet, Red Harvest.  I recall a story about Kurosawa being pissed at the remake of his film, but ultimately unable to do anything because his was just an adaptation.

Actually, the producers of Yojimbo sued successfully (the lawsuit delayed the release of the film for three years) and received an apology, a cut of the box office, and a sum of cash that I can not recall.

Edit: According to the trivia section on imdb: "The film's US release was delayed when Yojimbo (1961) screenwriters Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima sued the filmmakers for breach of copyright. Kurosawa and Kikushima won and as a result received 15 percent of the film's worldwide gross and exclusive distribution rights for Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. Kurosawa said later he made more money off of this project than "Yojimbo".

Oh well, I was close. I'm pretty sure there was a lump sum of cash, as well.

[mrbasehart]

Huh.  Guess I didn't recall that story well enough. 

[RoninFox]

Mario Puzo (Author of the Godfather novels) was a screenwriter on Superman and Superman II

[eclipt1c]

The Coen Brothers' masterpiece Miller's Crossing is also based on Red Harvest, though I've heard it's more closely associated with the actual story than the other movies as Fistful of Dollars is an adaptation/plagairism of an adaptation.

[mrbasehart]

The Coen Brothers' masterpiece Miller's Crossing is also based on Red Harvest, though I've heard it's more closely associated with the actual story than the other movies as Fistful of Dollars is an adaptation/plagairism of an adaptation.

Yeah, there's also a lot of The Glass Key in there as well.  The Coens tend to use a lot of one author when they pay homage to them - like The Man Who Wasn't There is not based on any James M Cain novel, but certainly retains the spirit.  Same with Big Lebowski, which is basically a hippy version of the Phillip Marlowe novels.  It's why I love them so much.   

[Bairman]

Not a huge revelation by any means... but it was during the recent viewing of RiffTrax Willy Wonka when I realized that Charlie's goofy teacher also played "Ergo the Magnificent" in Krull.

[SmilinJackRoss]

I was watching Fallen the other night.  Great flick, and it has James Gandolfini in a supporting role as a cop at the police station.  The startling thing is that Aida Turturro plays a secretary at the police station.  James Gandolfini and Aida Turturro play Tony Soprano and Janice Soprano, brother & sister, on The Sopranos. 

Fallen came out in 1998.  The Sopranos started in 1999.  I'm willing to bet that Gandolfini met her on that movie, and brought her along when they were casting the show.