New on Netflix: The Movies that Made Us
From the makers of The Toys that made Us comes a docuseries that is presented in pretty much the same way as the one about 80's toys.
While the two series have a great deal in common about their presentation and editing / directing, so far I feel as though this is a much better program.
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I think a bit part of the reason why I have already been hooked on this series is because they started out with Die Hard, which is a film that I think is one of the best Christmas movies ever made (and yes, it is a Christmas movie - hasn't that debate been settled?) and then it moves on to Dirty Dancing, Home Alone, and the Ghostbusters - which is also one of the best movies ever made.
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Now I don't know if they chose these movies for this specific reason, but i was surprised to find out that both Die Hard and Dirty Dancing, arguably two of the most iconic movies of the 80's were both nearly thrown out because producers and studios didn't believe they were worth a crap. I guess it just goes to show that producers don't always know what TF they are talking about because they both broke records with their eventual box-office take.
Dirty Dancing actually had to be made by a studio that specialized in making soft porn because all the major studios gave a flat answer of "NO" when proposed with the idea.
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The series takes us behind the scenes and gives us what i consider to be very interesting information about the making of these films such as the fact that Die Hard was originally offered to almost everyone in Hollywood except Bruce Willis and for contractual reasons it had to first be offered to Frank Siantra who was nearly 70 years old at the time. Thankfully, Ol' Blue Eyes had zero interest in doing the film. It was later offered to Clint Eastwood, Arnold, Stallone, Robert Redford, and Burt Reynolds - just to name a few and all of them turned it down. Bruce Willis didn't want it either but was offered such a massive sum of money that he couldn't refuse.
Now just think for a second... can you really imagine any of the above names as John McClane other than Bruce?
Anyway, that is the sort of information that is portrayed in the series and it is inter-spliced with audition footage and also background information on all the major characters in the various films. For instance: I had no idea that Alan Rickman was p a classically trained Shakespearean actor and focused mostly on stage acting. Nor did i know that that Karl Vreski, the tall blonde dude in the Die Hard was an accomplished ballet dancer who had very little interest in doing films at all.
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Just like with The Toys that Made Us, the makers of the series don't seem to have enough clout to get interviews with the top stars in the films but they do get some access and this provides for really fun commentary from people that were there when it happened.
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I wasn't really impressed with The Toys that Made Us and was actually pretty hesitant to watch this because of it... but they piqued my interest when I saw there was going to be a feature on Die Hard so i gave it a shot. I don't regret it at all and think you should give this one a go as well, particularly if you were alive when these films were released.
My overall rating!
@tipu curate
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There is a series on I think AMC where they take a decade at a time and talk about the most influential movies of that decade. It has been pretty interesting to watch so far. This show sounds like it is a bit like "Pop up video". I used to love that show. There was a network that incorporate the little bubbles into movies for a time with all kinds of cool tidbits and facts. That is the kind of pop culture stuff I love.
Can't relate to most of the movies bar Home alone and Die hard because I watched them when they were already old. Also, I think Homealone was in the 90s and dirty dancing well was dirty dancing, the title alone rules it out of my childhood lol.
It would be interesting to watch the documentary though, its not unthinkable to have Stallone or Arnold playing that role but I also doubt it would have gone on for as long as it did.
Bruce might not even have a career if it weren't for Die Hard. Prior to that he was more focused on comedy than on anything else really. Arnold or Stallone would have been less convincing in the role because both of them are difficult to understand when they talk.
Comedy? Bruce? Okay thats comedy in its own right 😂. I mean Bruce is funny but not comedian funny. Man I'm glad it all worked out the way it did
It is amazing how something that isn't wanted by anyone becomes a hit and a classic. Not only production companies but actors have also rejected movies and why we had Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. Can't remember who was meant to be cast but glad he gave up the chance. Netflix has definitely got some decent stuff if you look. Curious to what you think about The Irishmen.
funny you would say what do i think about the Irishman because i am doing that right now.
A lot of films were passed on by everyone and personally, i love it EVEN MORE when those succeed because i worked in the film industry for a little bit and while there is so much money going around this is surpassed only by the attitude and arrogance of the people that are running the show. When they are wrong, i rejoice immensely.
Ok great. I will wait patiently lol. I was caught a little off guard by it as I thought it was a regular length film and starting late thought I would be in bed by about 2.30 am, but was still up at nearly 5. Only when I paused it to make coffee did I realise it is bloody long.