Podchaser Logo Rate on Podchaser

Episode 51

Career Opportunities | S2E9

Welcome back to Retromade! Today, we’re flashing back to 1991 to discuss a lesser known Hughes flick—Career Opportunities.

Returning to the show is Sean Malloy formerly of “I Must Break This Podcast” covering one of my favorite action stars, Dolph Lundgren Check him out on The Last of the Action Heroes Podcast Network.

We also get a special bonus guest, Anson Kessinger, talking about his chat with Frank Whaley and some surprising feelings John Hughes had about this film. Check out Anson's work:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybvIMZtxlJo

First Pages

Please get in touch to tell me what you think - RetromadePodcast@gmail.com

Follow or Listen: https://retromade.captivate.fm

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RetromadePodcast

Join the fun: https://www.facebook.com/retromadepodcast

Want to offer a tip in support of the show: https://retromade.captivate.fm/support

Transcript
Katie:

Hello.

2

:

Hello, I'm Katie and

welcome to Retro Made.

3

:

You Are Pop Culture.

4

:

Rewind.

5

:

Today we are flashing back to 1991

to discuss a little lesser known John

6

:

Hughes flick career opportunities.

7

:

Returning to the show

is Sean Malloy formally.

8

:

Of formally question mark.

9

:

I don't know of, I must break this podcast

covering one of my favorite action stars.

10

:

Dolf L Grin.

11

:

Sean, welcome back.

12

:

What's new with you?

13

:

Are we gonna get any more episodes?

14

:

What's going on with?

15

:

I must break this.

16

:

Sean: Yeah.

17

:

Yeah.

18

:

I closed out, the journey , of the

episode just because it seems like I.

19

:

His career has kind of run its course, you

know, he seems to have kind of, slipped

20

:

into kind of a semi-retirement of sorts.

21

:

And so I felt like ending it the

way I did felt like a good step.

22

:

But I have had a few people who've reached

out and have said like, are you gonna put

23

:

any of the old episodes up on YouTube or

put them back on the feed and everything?

24

:

I'm considering bringing it back.

25

:

You know, like you, Frank

can probably attest.

26

:

Podcasting is that itch.

27

:

You gotta scratch every now and again.

28

:

So I've been kicking around with

a couple buddies, some ideas of,

29

:

some, some shows, but I don't know.

30

:

I have to admit, I mean, podcasting,

like you can attest at the

31

:

hobbyist level is a lot of work.

32

:

And so, so it's one of those

things where it's been kind of nice

33

:

having the year off and to be a

guest on, on shows like this here.

34

:

Katie: Awesome.

35

:

We're gonna spin the

retro made wheel for:

36

:

So let's open the time capsule.

37

:

Sean, I'm gonna share my screen.

38

:

Let me know if you can see it.

39

:

Okay.

40

:

Are you ready to spin?

41

:

I'm gonna spin on your behalf, but

let's see what category we come up with.

42

:

Let's see if we can test

your knowledge for:

43

:

We've come to totally tasty.

44

:

Alright.

45

:

Which chip brand launched.

46

:

It's now iconic.

47

:

Once you pop, you can't

stop campaign in:

48

:

Cementing.

49

:

Its stackable chips in the

cultural snack lexicon.

50

:

Sean: Pringles, right?

51

:

Yeah.

52

:

Pringles.

53

:

Katie: Definitely.

54

:

Good job.

55

:

Good job.

56

:

Which lunchbox drink saw a spike in

popularity in:

57

:

flashy silver pouch and extreme sports

themed commercials targeting kids.

58

:

Sean: Capri Sun.

59

:

Capri Sun.

60

:

It's amazing you

61

:

Katie: Very good.

62

:

' Sean: cause

63

:

Katie: Sean.

64

:

Sean: yeah, these are these are staples

of my kids' lunches even to this day.

65

:

Katie: I love that.

66

:

That's awesome.

67

:

All right, let's do another category.

68

:

Let's see what we come up with here.

69

:

Perfect for a teacher, pages of the past,

70

:

which Scholastic published

mystery book series.

71

:

Already well established by 1991

remained a Book, fair favorite thanks

72

:

to titles like Who Killed Harlow

Trombe and the case of the Silk King

73

:

letting readers choose the path.

74

:

What were these series called, or

what was this type of book called?

75

:

Sean: two.

76

:

Choose your own adventure.

77

:

Those, those were amazing, weren't they?

78

:

Yeah.

79

:

In fact, I can still remember my very

first choose your own adventure book.

80

:

It was something about the Space

Vampires or something like that.

81

:

It was something space vampires, but the

covers of those books were so electric.

82

:

The paintings were just amazing.

83

:

So, yes.

84

:

Katie: Choose your own adventure.

85

:

Great, great, great.

86

:

Now this one is a magazine, which Monthly

Teen magazine featured cover stories

87

:

like Crush Confessions and How to Flirt

Without Freaking Out, and was known

88

:

for its iconic trauma rama section.

89

:

Sean: Was that Tiger Bee?

90

:

Katie: Good guess it's for, I

would say a little bit older.

91

:

Teens.

92

:

Sean: I'm gonna guess 17.

93

:

Katie: Very good.

94

:

Sean?

95

:

17.

96

:

I loved this magazine.

97

:

Let's, let's do another category.

98

:

This category is, can

Sean come out to play?

99

:

Released by Nintendo.

100

:

A few years earlier, this handheld

console dominated 90 ones gaming

101

:

scene with titles like Super

Mario, land two Six Golden Coins.

102

:

What was this device

103

:

Sean: The Game Boy.

104

:

The Game Boy.

105

:

Katie: Yep.

106

:

Very good.

107

:

Game Boy was correct.

108

:

This tabletop game became

hugely popular in:

109

:

Inviting players to assume the rules

of adventurers in a fantasy world.

110

:

Rolling dice to determine outcomes.

111

:

What was the name of this game?

112

:

Sean: Dungeons and Dragons.

113

:

Katie: Yes.

114

:

Very good.

115

:

Very good.

116

:

Yep.

117

:

Dungeons and Dragons.

118

:

All right.

119

:

Let's do one more category before

we get into the meat of the episode.

120

:

Oh, these are always fun.

121

:

Big screen time machine.

122

:

I.

123

:

You are on fire.

124

:

You're doing very well.

125

:

Well, they're kind of easy

questions, but let's see.

126

:

These are the Top Five

Box office hits for:

127

:

Do you have any guesses before

I start giving you clues what

128

:

the top five movies were for?

129

:

91?

130

:

Sean: 1991 I mean, I was going to

the movie movies regularly then.

131

:

I'm going to guess that

one of 'em was Hook.

132

:

Katie: Good guess, but No.

133

:

Sean: Okay.

134

:

Is Beauty and the Beast one.

135

:

Katie: It is not, but I do

think that's in the top 10.

136

:

Sean: Oh boy.

137

:

Then, gosh 1991, oh T two, T two

has gotta be one of 'em, right?

138

:

Terminator two.

139

:

That was one.

140

:

Katie: Yep,

141

:

Sean: that was one of 'em.

142

:

And

143

:

Katie: number one.

144

:

That's the number one.

145

:

I.

146

:

Sean: And I'm trying to think of

what else came out around that time.

147

:

I'm gonna kick myself because home

Alone was:

148

:

Oh boy.

149

:

And are you sure it wasn't hook?

150

:

Okay, I'm throwing in the towel.

151

:

What were they?

152

:

Katie: well you got the number one.

153

:

Okay.

154

:

Number two, a legendary outlaw

gets an American accent.

155

:

Morgan Freeman Sidekick and one killer.

156

:

Brian Adams Ballad.

157

:

Sean: Robinhood, prince of Thieves.

158

:

Yeah.

159

:

Katie: Yes.

160

:

Very good.

161

:

Yep.

162

:

Sean: Great movie.

163

:

It

164

:

Katie: The number, the number

three movie, your hint is, I

165

:

haven't seen it in a while.

166

:

Maybe I'll have to give it a rewatch.

167

:

Sean: Yeah, it's a lot of fun.

168

:

Katie: The number three movie.

169

:

Your Hint is an FBI trainee seeks help

from a charming cannibal to catch a

170

:

killer who loves his sewing machine.

171

:

Sean: Yeah.

172

:

Silence of the Lambs.

173

:

Katie: Yes, see sometimes the

hints are just a little too easy.

174

:

Sean: Yeah.

175

:

Yeah.

176

:

Silence of Lambs is an

177

:

Katie: Number four.

178

:

Sean: because if you break it down, if you

really break it down, it's a horror movie.

179

:

I mean, it is the most grotesque.

180

:

Horror movie imaginable, but it

was never really labeled as much.

181

:

It was more a thriller, which is kind of

the more prestigious version of horror.

182

:

So it's always kind of amazing to me

that, that, that went on to win all of

183

:

these awards, including best picture.

184

:

When you really strip it down, it is the

most basic of of slasher films imaginable.

185

:

You know what I mean?

186

:

But we don't want to call it that.

187

:

'cause then that makes it

look trashy and tasteless.

188

:

No, it is a thriller.

189

:

Katie though though that that

makes it more acceptable.

190

:

Katie: Indeed, you're right.

191

:

It was really good though.

192

:

I think it, you know, it's it's

elevated from some of the others.

193

:

Number four, we have a midlife crisis

meets cattle drives when three urbanites

194

:

trade briefcases for cowboy hats.

195

:

Sean: Oh boy.

196

:

Hey, that clue may have stumped me.

197

:

I'm gonna give up.

198

:

What is that one?

199

:

Katie: City slickers.

200

:

Sean: Yep.

201

:

Okay.

202

:

Another

203

:

Katie: I know.

204

:

I, I haven't seen that in so long.

205

:

Sean: yeah, but it's one of those ones

that you know, because it was such a

206

:

monster hit, they made it a sequel.

207

:

When you look at it and you're like, did

the story really need to be told again?

208

:

Like, did it need to be continued?

209

:

But hey, money talks in Hollywood, so.

210

:

Katie: Oh indeed, indeed.

211

:

Okay.

212

:

I think you'll get the last one.

213

:

They're creepy, kooky,

mysterious, and spooky.

214

:

Sean: The

215

:

Katie: They made a snappy

comeback in this ghoulish comedy.

216

:

Yes.

217

:

Oh my God.

218

:

I loved the Adams family.

219

:

Sean: Mm-hmm.

220

:

Which trivia, if I could please pose

a, pose, a fun trivia question at you.

221

:

Do you by chance, know or

remember the teaser that was put

222

:

in front of the Adams family?

223

:

In theaters that got a

lot of people excited.

224

:

They hadn't even shot the movie

or finished it yet, but they put

225

:

a teaser in front of Adam's family

to get people talking and excited,

226

:

Katie: What,

227

:

Sean: Wayne's World.

228

:

Katie: what?

229

:

Sean: Yeah, look it up on YouTube.

230

:

It's quite funny, it's Wayne

and Garth, you know, doing the,

231

:

the snapping to Adam's family.

232

:

'cause they were both Paramount movies.

233

:

So Paramount was,

234

:

Katie: Oh, awesome.

235

:

Okay.

236

:

Sean: it's, it's

237

:

Katie: Got it.

238

:

Sean: to to look at.

239

:

Katie: Oh my God.

240

:

Yeah.

241

:

I'll have to check that out.

242

:

I totally forgot about that.

243

:

But now this, this is

bringing back a memory.

244

:

Yeah.

245

:

Okay.

246

:

I.

247

:

Well, I think you did pretty good.

248

:

In the time machine, I would

say I would give that Mr.

249

:

Teacher an a minus.

250

:

Maybe you didn't get all

the movies, so a minus.

251

:

Sean: it is

252

:

Katie: Yeah,

253

:

Sean: It is summertime, so you're

gonna have to gimme a break

254

:

Katie: that's true.

255

:

Sean: on.

256

:

Katie: Shall we get into the

movie career opportunities?

257

:

Sean: Yes.

258

:

Katie: This came out March 29th, 1991.

259

:

It's PG 13.

260

:

It's very short even watching it last

night, I was like, wow, it's over already.

261

:

Okay.

262

:

It's got a 5.8,

263

:

which is not very good on IMDB.

264

:

the director here is not John Hughes.

265

:

It is Brian Gordon who if that

doesn't sound familiar to you, he's

266

:

done a lot of TV directing and has

been nominated for an Emmy twice.

267

:

It looks like for Curb Your

Enthusiasm so that's Brian Gordon.

268

:

John Hughes is our writer here.

269

:

And this is an interesting movie because.

270

:

Hughes said that the film was a

disappointment because he didn't

271

:

have his usual creative controls

and he later stated that the film

272

:

was cheap and vulgar and that his

suggestions for the movie were ignored.

273

:

Therefore, he was so unhappy how this

movie turned out that he asked Universal

274

:

to remove his name from it, but they

refused because he was kind of a hot name

275

:

at this time, coming off of home along.

276

:

What do you think, Sean?

277

:

Sean: Well, I was hoping

you'd bring that up actually.

278

:

'cause I, you know, just found that out

myself about a year or two ago it's really

279

:

interesting to hear that because Yeah, I,

I vividly remember seeing this I didn't

280

:

see it in theaters, but I did rent it

when it came to VHS and i, I don't know.

281

:

I don't know how you feel, but I've always

felt it was a delightful little movie.

282

:

You know what I mean?

283

:

Like, it's not, it's

not amazing or anything.

284

:

Is it one of John Hughes's best?

285

:

Probably not.

286

:

No.

287

:

But I think it is just

a, a fun little movie.

288

:

If you, if you look at it compared to I.

289

:

His other movies that that he's known for.

290

:

Okay.

291

:

So if you look at it, compared

to his high school movies, right?

292

:

Breakfast Club weird Science and

16 Candles, all of those, right.

293

:

I think it can be viewed almost as a as

an interesting continuation of those.

294

:

Okay.

295

:

What does, what happens to the teenager

that we've focused on in high school that

296

:

we spent this time with in high school?

297

:

What happens to that individual once they

graduate and go out into the real world?

298

:

And don't really know their place,

don't really know where they're going or

299

:

what their, what their true purpose is.

300

:

And I think that is something that every,

I, I mean, for the most part, I don't

301

:

know about you, but definitely me, anybody

in their early twenties who's, who's

302

:

kind of lost and is kind of figuring,

okay, now what, what's the next step?

303

:

I, I think, you know, it's

certainly relatable on that end.

304

:

So when I hear, when I read that

Hughes was not a fan of it and was

305

:

disappointed with how it turned out,

that always kind of surprised me because.

306

:

I don't know if you felt this way, but

it does feel like a John Hughes movie.

307

:

It does kind of have that, that small

town, you know, kind of Midwestern kind

308

:

of look and feel and flavor about it.

309

:

It does have great characters.

310

:

I feel that the characters

are all, for the most part,

311

:

fairly, fairly well defined.

312

:

And so, yeah, I've never

really understood that.

313

:

I don't know really where.

314

:

What Hughes was expecting.

315

:

I'd love to take a look at the original

script to see kind of what he was hoping

316

:

Katie: Yeah.

317

:

Sean: In my opinion, I think it,

it looks and feels like a, like

318

:

a John Hughes movie, percent.

319

:

So I, I've never really understood or

agreed with his with his sentiment.

320

:

Katie: You know, that's

interesting you say that.

321

:

Here's something that might surprise you.

322

:

I had never seen this before.

323

:

Sean: Mm-hmm.

324

:

Katie: it's, it's lesser

known, I think, for a reason.

325

:

But so last night was my first watch

and because of the IMDB rating,

326

:

because I had read that I had a pretty

low bar and I was kind of surprised.

327

:

I liked it way more than I

thought I was going to like it.

328

:

It does have a lot of beats of John Hughes

movies, but there's something a little.

329

:

His point about he thought

it was cheap and vulgar.

330

:

I, I could see why he said that.

331

:

Like, it is different in that way.

332

:

Like he tended to shy away from,

the cheap nature of teen movies that

333

:

are just like boobs and, you know,

fart jokes and stuff like that.

334

:

And so this very clearly was

trying to capitalize on Jennifer

335

:

Connolly's looks that was very

clear to me watching it last night.

336

:

I.

337

:

So maybe that's kind of

what he, what he meant.

338

:

And I too would really like to

know what, what his suggestions

339

:

were that were ignored.

340

:

Well, listeners of Retro Made,

we have a bonus guest today

341

:

for career opportunities.

342

:

I actually, having not seen career

opportunities before this episode was

343

:

really surprised to learn a lot about it.

344

:

And one of the things that came up is that

while John Hughes did write and produce.

345

:

This movie, he was not a super

big fan of how it turned out.

346

:

And so he wanted to disown it.

347

:

And that got me in conversation with our

special guest today, Anson Kessinger.

348

:

Did I pronounce that correctly?

349

:

Anson Kessinger: correct.

350

:

Yes.

351

:

Katie: Perfect.

352

:

Now, Anson, you seem to be a man of many

talents, writing, directing pinball,

353

:

pet putt, a little bit of everything.

354

:

Tell tell us about yourself.

355

:

Yeah.

356

:

Tell us about you.

357

:

Anson Kessinger: no, I'm

a, I'm, I'm a screenwriter.

358

:

Have won a few competitions just, you

know, love, love, just love the craft.

359

:

That's kind of what got me into this

whole deep dive career opportunities

360

:

because I, I had heard about the

drama and how much John Hughes

361

:

wanted to distance himself from it.

362

:

Then to find out that so much had

been changed about the screenplay.

363

:

Like my, my Holy Grail right now, my, my

white whale is to find an original script

364

:

just to see what, what was changed.

365

:

Katie: I'd be very curious

about that as well.

366

:

Yeah.

367

:

John didn't get his, his usual

license to do what he wanted on this.

368

:

Did he?

369

:

Is that accurate?

370

:

Anson Kessinger: As far as I can tell I, I

371

:

watched back

372

:

Katie: I.

373

:

Anson Kessinger: night.

374

:

Imprint films.

375

:

Put out a Blu-ray copy of it

with a commentary with Brian

376

:

Gordon, the director, and Jillian

Wallace Horvat who was fantastic

377

:

in moderating the commentary.

378

:

And yeah, they said that yeah, the

studio really didn't like the opening.

379

:

They didn't like the ending.

380

:

Had both of those rewritten and reshot.

381

:

Katie: Hmm.

382

:

Anson Kessinger: So I think he was

probably fairly annoyed by that.

383

:

But, but I mean, really tonally,

it's all over the place, isn't it?

384

:

'cause it opens with the whole, like

this is a gangland murder, really rough,

385

:

but then it's like not threatening.

386

:

And I, tonally it's all over the place

387

:

for, for

388

:

Katie: Mm-hmm.

389

:

Anson Kessinger: Both Brian Gordon or

yeah, Brian Gordon, the director and Frank

390

:

Whaley, who I, I, because I'm insane.

391

:

And I actually got a cameo from Frank

392

:

Whaley to

393

:

Katie: Oh.

394

:

Anson Kessinger: just,

just give, gimme the dirt.

395

:

Like, I, I wanted to

know what, what happened.

396

:

and he mentioned that Hughes probably

wasn't so much of a fan of both.

397

:

He and Brian Gordon just

played around with the script.

398

:

They did not stick

399

:

to dialogue.

400

:

Katie: Mm-hmm.

401

:

Anson Kessinger: thought that they would

punch up dialogue and make it in, in frank

402

:

with's words, they would make it better.

403

:

So the fact that they were playing around,

I think so much with the script, and

404

:

then you had the drama from the studio

saying like, yeah, we, we wanna do this.

405

:

He, he said that John Hughes wanted

one for his name to be taken off of it.

406

:

Tried to distance himself from it and

also tried just to not have it released.

407

:

Katie: Question about that.

408

:

Do you know at what point

he determined that he didn't

409

:

want his name on it anymore?

410

:

Anson Kessinger: I I that, I don't know.

411

:

Katie: Okay.

412

:

Anson Kessinger: it

could have been when they

413

:

started with reshoots or when

he may, maybe he saw a rough

414

:

cut.

415

:

I

416

:

Katie: Mm-hmm.

417

:

Anson Kessinger: know.

418

:

I do know though that through, through

the commentary they said that the only day

419

:

he came to set was the John Candy shop.

420

:

Katie: Okay.

421

:

That's very interesting and unusual.

422

:

Now I.

423

:

Because I'm doing a whole

season of John Hughes movies.

424

:

You know, I'm, I'm learning more about

him and his style big fan growing up.

425

:

But some movies that he, you know,

maybe not quite as proud of he has

426

:

used the pseudonym, Edmond, Dante.

427

:

But that didn't come until, I wanna say.

428

:

Was it 92?

429

:

So maybe like a year later.

430

:

So I was just curious maybe why he didn't,

maybe he came to that realization that

431

:

that's something that he could do later.

432

:

But he used the pseudonym.

433

:

I mean, it seems like everybody

knows that that's John Hughes, but,

434

:

Anson Kessinger: Right.

435

:

Katie: yeah, so I, I'm curious

why he didn't on this movie,

436

:

Anson Kessinger: do you

437

:

think?

438

:

I mean, were were,

439

:

Katie: maybe.

440

:

Anson Kessinger: pseudonym

titles, did they come

441

:

after 91?

442

:

Katie: Yeah.

443

:

Yeah.

444

:

Beethoven.

445

:

I think the first movie and that came out

in 92 that he wrote under a pseudonym.

446

:

Mm-hmm.

447

:

Anson Kessinger: this must have

been the, the, the title that

448

:

gave him a plan.

449

:

Katie: Maybe That's interesting.

450

:

So, so it sounds like

Frank Whaley didn't have

451

:

I don't wanna put words in his

mouth, but maybe butted ha.

452

:

Anson Kessinger: I,

453

:

Katie: yeah,

454

:

yeah,

455

:

Anson Kessinger: me.

456

:

Katie: yeah.

457

:

Please do.

458

:

Anson Kessinger: I mean, he was

young, young, Connolly, of course,

459

:

and Brian Gordon was a first

460

:

time director on this, so I think

they were just kind, you know,

461

:

they were just getting their legs.

462

:

They were really just, you know,

trying to have fun with it.

463

:

And I think maybe John Hughes was

maybe a little more rigid and like,

464

:

no, this is the way I, I want it to go.

465

:

But Frank Wiley also said

that , he's proud of it.

466

:

He thinks it stands up.

467

:

And he is like, it's not Susan Kane.

468

:

It's not, he said it's, it's,

469

:

not the Godfather,

470

:

Katie: Nope.

471

:

Anson Kessinger: you know, he is like,

yeah, I, I think it stands up and, I

472

:

saw it originally in the theater in 91.

473

:

It's kind of nostalgic for me.

474

:

My grandmother took me to see it.

475

:

You know, and, you know, a young boy of

16, Jennifer Connolly, she was fantastic.

476

:

So yeah, I mean, it, it, it's

not a great movie, but it.

477

:

I, I, I, I can still see

them, you know, being

478

:

proud of it.

479

:

Katie: Interesting.

480

:

Okay.

481

:

Thank you for that story.

482

:

That's really interesting insight.

483

:

Do you mind my asking how

much his cameo cost, how much

484

:

he, you know, I find those, I

485

:

Anson Kessinger: it was.

486

:

50

487

:

American dollars.

488

:

Katie: Okay.

489

:

All right.

490

:

Anson Kessinger: and I also, I, I

also made sure to make the most of my

491

:

money, I actually asked him a second

question, which was screenwriting advice.

492

:

Katie: What do you recall what he said?

493

:

Anson Kessinger: Just keep writing,

keep at it, your craft in a

494

:

nutshell.

495

:

Yeah, that, that, that was it.

496

:

Katie: Okay, so, so

nothing new for you there?

497

:

No.

498

:

Anson Kessinger: I mean, but you know,

I, I guess there's a way to kind of

499

:

press, you know, just, keep pressing

500

:

you on, you know,

501

:

Katie: Mm-hmm.

502

:

Anson Kessinger: path.

503

:

Katie: Okay.

504

:

Are you a fan of John Hughes or not?

505

:

Do you have thoughts about

John as a writer or director

506

:

Generally?

507

:

Anson Kessinger: He's a, he's a,

508

:

he's a product of his time.

509

:

I

510

:

Katie: Mm-hmm.

511

:

Anson Kessinger: know, a lot, a lot

of stuff, I think so socially doesn't

512

:

really work today.

513

:

Katie: Right?

514

:

Anson Kessinger: Like I said, you know,

I, I like career opportunities, but

515

:

there there are, there are some icky

516

:

parts,

517

:

Katie: I.

518

:

Anson Kessinger: For sure.

519

:

Katie: In a lot of his movies

as we're rewatching them.

520

:

I'm like, Ooh, yikes.

521

:

yeah.

522

:

Anson Kessinger: Yeah.

523

:

But this will bring me to, i, I

wanna put my wife over real quick.

524

:

I introduced her to

525

:

weird science,

526

:

Katie: Oh,

527

:

Anson Kessinger: probably just about

528

:

five, 10 years ago.

529

:

Katie: I love it.

530

:

Anson Kessinger: and it

was her first time ever

531

:

seeing it.

532

:

Katie: Oh, wow.

533

:

Anson Kessinger: we, we get to

the end and we get to the end

534

:

credits and she blows my mind.

535

:

She says, I get it.

536

:

Mary Poppins for Teenage Boys.

537

:

Katie: Oh wow.

538

:

Anson Kessinger: like, I, I cannot.

539

:

That is amazing.

540

:

Katie: It is, isn't it?

541

:

That's great.

542

:

I've not heard anyone use

that comparison before.

543

:

I.

544

:

I love that.

545

:

Yeah.

546

:

Kudos to your wife.

547

:

Anson Kessinger: nailed it.

548

:

Katie: Yes, she did.

549

:

This has been awesome.

550

:

Thank you.

551

:

First of all, it's great meeting you.

552

:

What kind of stuff do you work on?

553

:

You said you're a screenwriter?

554

:

Anson Kessinger: I do some contests.

555

:

I'm just writing my own stuff,

trying to get myself out.

556

:

I do 48 hour phone projects.

557

:

If you're familiar with

558

:

Katie: No.

559

:

Anson Kessinger: It's where teams assemble

and within the timeframe of 48 hours, they

560

:

write, shoot, edit, and submit a four to

561

:

seven minute film.

562

:

Katie: Oh, yes.

563

:

Now this, I have heard

of this, but I, okay.

564

:

Yep, yep.

565

:

Okay.

566

:

Anson Kessinger: giving the prompt

of a required character, required

567

:

line of dialogue, and a prop, and

all of those must be included.

568

:

Katie-1: You have some very fascinating

experience and so I wondered if there

569

:

was anywhere that you wanted to send

people to learn about you or your work

570

:

Anson Kessinger-2: I actually won the 48

hour film project for Richmond last year.

571

:

if anybody would like to check

that film out it's on YouTube.

572

:

It's called Modern Love.

573

:

if you just search Modern Love 48

574

:

Katie-1: Awesome.

575

:

I'm excited to check it out.

576

:

And everybody, listeners, we have to

support our independent filmmakers

577

:

and people trying to break in.

578

:

So please check out the link Anson's.

579

:

Film will be in the show

notes, so check that out.

580

:

And it was great to meet you.

581

:

Katie: It, it does feel

a little off to me.

582

:

It doesn't feel like a typical, it it,

so we'll get to the plot in a second,

583

:

but here's how I, it's set in a target

and you know, the way that I looked

584

:

at it, I was like, well, it's sort of

like a Ferris Fueler meets mannequin,

585

:

but the Target brand version of it.

586

:

Sean: Mm-hmm.

587

:

Katie: It's not quite John Hughes.

588

:

It's like the generic version of a John

Hughes movie maybe is how I would put it.

589

:

Sean: Well, it's really interesting you

mentioned that because I mean, look, the

590

:

guy, is one of the most famous directors

I think we can agree of all time.

591

:

His scripts really captured a

particular gen generation we'll say

592

:

about, about him and his script.

593

:

I don't wanna mitigate his talents

or anything like that in terms of

594

:

in terms of writing or whatever.

595

:

But it seems to me, especially as

he got later on in his career, as we

596

:

approached the nineties, he was more.

597

:

Of, of, of a gimmick.

598

:

Writer, you know what I mean?

599

:

Like he was more,

600

:

Katie: Mm-hmm.

601

:

Sean: into recycling some of

his previous scripts and redoing

602

:

them and swapping them out.

603

:

I mean, the best example I can do

is look as, as I love the movies.

604

:

I love Pretty and Pink and I love some

kind of wonderful, you and I have talked

605

:

about them, but if you look at those

movies, they are the exact same movie.

606

:

I mean, when he wrote some kind

of wonderful, he wrote that.

607

:

Purely out of spite because he was

pissed off that they went with the ending

608

:

that he didn't that he didn't intend.

609

:

So if you look at some kind of

wonderful, it's the exact same, it's

610

:

the exact same thing as pretty in pink.

611

:

He just swapped out instead of making

the the lead a female, he made it a male

612

:

and the a tomboy as the best friend.

613

:

You know what I mean?

614

:

But it's the same thing.

615

:

And so if you look at career

opportunities, you know, you always

616

:

hear, I've always read in interviews

that like he would write a script

617

:

over the course of a weekend.

618

:

You know what I mean?

619

:

And so if you look at a, at a

620

:

Katie: Right.

621

:

Sean: Career Opportunities, it's,

it's very evident because all he's

622

:

doing is he's taking home alone.

623

:

Okay.

624

:

Which he had written, you know,

about a year or two prior.

625

:

Alright?

626

:

He's taking home alone and he's

saying, okay, well wait a minute.

627

:

What about instead of a boy being

trapped alone in a in, in his house.

628

:

It's in a department store.

629

:

And what if instead of a little kid, it

is a grown man just out of high school.

630

:

You know what I mean?

631

:

And so that's, what he's done.

632

:

You know,

633

:

I'm gonna get stones thrown at me for

saying this, so please don't be mad at me.

634

:

But I've never found Christmas

vacation to be that wonderful.

635

:

It, it's amazing to me that, to me,

that, that that film has gone down as

636

:

being such a classic, when in the end

there's really not much of a plot per se.

637

:

It's just a collection of, of

gags and various set pieces.

638

:

It, it feels like an, an

extended sitcom in a lot of ways.

639

:

I don't look at that film as, as being

like amazing writing by any means.

640

:

I mean, I don't know.

641

:

I, like I said, I can certainly

see, you know, there are some

642

:

John Hughes ingredients in it.

643

:

But all he's really doing with

his scripts at this point is

644

:

just, okay, I'm taking this one.

645

:

It's kinda like Mad Libs, right?

646

:

Okay, let's take the

script for home alone.

647

:

Let's take the script for

648

:

you, you know what I mean?

649

:

Whatever.

650

:

And then I'm just gonna kind

of swap out these characters.

651

:

Boom.

652

:

A new movie.

653

:

So if he's mad that it didn't turn

out that way, it's like, maybe don't

654

:

write a script over the course of

a weekend and collect the check.

655

:

John,

656

:

Katie: it is very templated.

657

:

Yeah, you're absolutely right there.

658

:

It's interesting doing

this John Hughes season.

659

:

I'm learning a lot more about

him as a person and he's.

660

:

Got a personality that not everyone

loves and not everyone gets along with.

661

:

And he butts heads a lot.

662

:

And yeah, I, it's just really interesting

'cause I didn't know any of that.

663

:

But now revisiting the movies,

you can see so many of the

664

:

same

665

:

beats.

666

:

Sean: Mm-hmm.

667

:

Katie: so it'll be interesting to

see the rest of the nineties movies.

668

:

But yeah, like this is 91.

669

:

And if you guys haven't seen this movie.

670

:

Or you know, if it's been

over 30 years for you.

671

:

have Jim, and he is the dorky son

of a local cement contractor who

672

:

lives at home and has no direction.

673

:

Josie is the gorgeous daughter

of a wealthy businessman who

674

:

dreams of leaving town when Jim

is locked inside a target store.

675

:

On his first night as an overnight

janitor, he discovers Josie who fell

676

:

asleep while contemplating shoplifting.

677

:

locked in together.

678

:

The pair learns that they

have a lot in common.

679

:

Little do they know that two

petty criminals are on the

680

:

lamb and looking for a place to

681

:

hide.

682

:

Sean: And there's the home alone,

683

:

Katie: is career

684

:

Sean: the,

685

:

sorry,

686

:

Katie: The

687

:

Sean: there.

688

:

Katie: the the incompetent.

689

:

No, you're

690

:

absolutely right.

691

:

Sean: Yeah.

692

:

I mean,

693

:

Katie: thieves.

694

:

Sean: He took the home alone template

695

:

Katie: com.

696

:

He did take the, yep.

697

:

Yep.

698

:

And instead of I guess like the, a lot

of the adventures is really more like out

699

:

of boredom at first throughout the movie.

700

:

He's skating and he's cleaning and just

having fun and costumes and, really do

701

:

the booby traps to catch the criminals.

702

:

I guess that's how it's slightly

different is it's just like that's

703

:

the Ferris Bueller of it all.

704

:

What would you do if you were

stuck in a target, you know,

705

:

overnight kind of a thing.

706

:

I loved Target growing up, so I can't

believe I hadn't seen the smoothie before.

707

:

Sean: And that's one thing that's actually

kind of cool about this film in a lot

708

:

of ways is that target still exists.

709

:

You know what I mean?

710

:

I mean, that, that's one thing in

a weird way that kind of makes this

711

:

film, I don't wanna say timeless,

but where it can still play nowadays

712

:

I mean, and talk about some crazy product

placement for Target, because if John

713

:

Hughes and the production company wanted,

they could have just made this some.

714

:

Regular department store that was

kind of target adjacent, if you will.

715

:

But, you know, they could have

called it bullseye for that matter.

716

:

But the fact that it is an actual

target that every state has

717

:

makes this film a lot, very much

relatable in, in a lot of ways.

718

:

And so that's one thing that I

think is so cool is, I mean, this

719

:

movie came out how many years

ago, and Target is still around.

720

:

It's still, it still exists.

721

:

Katie: I'm kind of surprised that they

used Target instead of just some random,

722

:

you know, bullseye, like you mentioned.

723

:

But yeah,

724

:

so that was

725

:

kind of

726

:

Sean: Mm-hmm.

727

:

Katie: again, I can't believe I hadn't

seen this movie before it might be in

728

:

part due to, I don't know if our lead

character here Frank Whaley, plays Jim

729

:

Dodge, and he's not a household name,

but he has been in a lot of well-known

730

:

movies, including Pulp Fiction.

731

:

He has been working consistently and

has a lot of credits, but he's not

732

:

your, your Rob Lowe, he's not your

Matthew Broderick Anthony Michael Hall.

733

:

And so I think he even said, I think

I saw somewhere that he was sort of

734

:

like, yeah, they took a gamble on me.

735

:

And kind of took a little bit of blame

for maybe why the movie didn't do so well.

736

:

Sean: Which is unfortunate.

737

:

I think he's a wonderful character actor.

738

:

Anytime Frank Whaley pops up.

739

:

You know that you're gonna have a, a

character on screen that gives a little

740

:

bit more than the average, actor.

741

:

I always love seeing him pop up.

742

:

He plays you know, he plays

kind of the, the nerdy awkward

743

:

fellow like he does in this film.

744

:

But he also plays mean

and sadistic real well.

745

:

I don't know if you ever saw the

film from:

746

:

With Luke Wilson and Kate Kinal, but

he plays the proprietor of a motel that

747

:

is making snuff films and he is just

nasty mean in, in that particular film.

748

:

So yeah, I always love seeing him pop up.

749

:

I think, you know, you mentioned

that the production did take

750

:

a gamble on casting him.

751

:

However, I think if they had

cast anyone else at the time,

752

:

especially a known actor.

753

:

It would've cheapened

the film a little bit.

754

:

You buy him as, as Jim

Dodge, you know what I mean?

755

:

You buy him as being this

this fast talking liar.

756

:

You know what I mean?

757

:

Much more so than you

would've if they had cast.

758

:

Any other,

759

:

yeah, yeah.

760

:

Any other name at the time?

761

:

I'm trying to think , of a.

762

:

You know, 20 something

year old name in:

763

:

You know, I mean, can you imagine

if Christian Slater was in this

764

:

film, for example, it, it wouldn't

play as well, you know what I mean?

765

:

He, he would be much more cool.

766

:

Katie: We have Jennifer Connolly

playing Josie McClellan, and I think

767

:

they used her maybe after the fact.

768

:

Like they, they really, really leaned

on her looks, I think, in this movie.

769

:

I mean, she was gorgeous.

770

:

She looked just like

breathtakingly beautiful.

771

:

But yeah, that White Tank top was, was

doing a lot of the work for this movie.

772

:

What do you think, Sean?

773

:

Sean: I mean, I would agree.

774

:

I would agree.

775

:

But I mean, you look at a

film like Weird Science.

776

:

Is Kelly Lerock doing, I mean, Kelly

Brock in that film is, is a mentor too.

777

:

We can say she's a mentor figure,

but I mean, her entire role in weird

778

:

science was was sex appeal as well.

779

:

I mean, I don't know, I, I hear some of

these statements from, from Hughes and

780

:

it's kinda like, you know what I mean?

781

:

I mean, because again, if you break

the film down, the, the film is pretty

782

:

much based on the gimmick of what

would you do if you were locked in?

783

:

I honestly think if, if I could go back

real quick, I honestly think that Hughes

784

:

wrote this over the course of a weekend,

purely under the idea of what would you do

785

:

if you were locked in the department store

overnight with the grill of your dreams?

786

:

I.

787

:

And that's what the movie is.

788

:

You know what I mean?

789

:

I, I think that he, he, and

that's what a lot of writers do.

790

:

They, they write a script, you know,

on the fly based off a single idea.

791

:

I think that's what Hughes did, only

he added in probably about maybe 60%

792

:

home alone in there as well to kind

of sell it and, and make it work.

793

:

But but yeah, no, I mean, and I

think all of the characters in this

794

:

film, the, the, the two characters

that I will say, I don't think.

795

:

Are flushed out that to be

perfectly honest, are the thieves.

796

:

I don't think the thieves are

are, are really that strong.

797

:

But if you look at Jim Dodge's dad in the

film, I think he's doing an amazing job.

798

:

The actor who is playing

Jennifer Connolly's dad as well.

799

:

I mean, you buy him as being

this this millionaire who's

800

:

essentially running the town.

801

:

And then can we say William Forsyth?

802

:

Oh my god, William Forsyth as the as

the manager of the night cleaning crew.

803

:

In his one scene that he is in.

804

:

He is.

805

:

He's awesome as well.

806

:

I mean, for 86 minutes, I

think this is a fun movie.

807

:

It really is.

808

:

Katie: Yeah, I, I agree.

809

:

And yeah, will I, I knew William

Forsyth was in this, but then I

810

:

didn't even catch him like, 'cause

he was, it was so brief that he's

811

:

like the custodian that locks Jim

812

:

in

813

:

Sean: Mm-hmm.

814

:

Katie: 7:00 AM the next day.

815

:

We also get a.

816

:

Per John Hughes movies usual,

we get a John Candy cameo.

817

:

He was uncredited in this, but he plays

the manager of the target store that

818

:

hires Jim so that like you can't go

wrong with John Candy in your movie.

819

:

Sean: No, no.

820

:

I mean, I think it goes without saying

that he and John Hughes were like

821

:

really, really, really good friends.

822

:

I.

823

:

In in, throughout, throughout

the eighties and everything.

824

:

And you know, and there are various

reports that one of the reasons that

825

:

caused John Hughes to kind of quit

writing and directing throughout the

826

:

nineties was he was really, really

hit hard by John Candy's death.

827

:

And I think if you look at a lot

of the films that that he had done,

828

:

especially like Curly Sue for example,

which was his last directorial

829

:

effort, you can see that the magic.

830

:

Really wasn't there too

much anymore with Hughes.

831

:

However, I would also argue too, I

think when he approached the nineties,

832

:

he was kind of in a, in an awkward

space because all of the muses that

833

:

he had used throughout the eighties

had grown up and were adults now too.

834

:

So I wonder if he kind of felt like a

man at a time to where he didn't really

835

:

like, okay, I can no longer keep, continue

with the whole high school sub genre.

836

:

But all of the.

837

:

All of the, the ingredients that I

built this relationship with have

838

:

have grown up and moved on without me.

839

:

So I wonder if he was in a weird way, in

this transitional phase where he didn't

840

:

really know what to do in some ways.

841

:

And I realize that sounds like I'm,

I'm throwing shade at Hughes, and I

842

:

don't mean to do that at any means,

but I think that could kind of

843

:

explain the disconnect that we saw him

experience in that nineties period.

844

:

Katie: 100%.

845

:

He very clearly, there was a clear

separation and there was a falling

846

:

out with Molly Ringwald and Anthony

Michael Hall, because they didn't

847

:

wanna keep doing the same thing and,

and I think you're absolutely right.

848

:

then he started doing kid fair.

849

:

And this one is kind of like a middle of

the road one, but, you know, home Alone

850

:

and Beethoven and Dennis, the Menace and

Curly Sue, like those are, that's all

851

:

like his nineties movies and Home Alone

two, you know, seem to be more kid fair.

852

:

But, but this one is, is still

kind of trying to lean into that.

853

:

I think you brought up a good point about.

854

:

They're not teenagers.

855

:

These two are, you know,

a few years removed.

856

:

They're 21 I wanna say.

857

:

And yeah, it is like you're

stuck in a target at night.

858

:

It's, it's a fun premise.

859

:

And it is a fun movie.

860

:

Very short though.

861

:

I, it went by

862

:

very

863

:

quickly.

864

:

Sean: Mm-hmm.

865

:

Katie: I do wanna also quickly

talk about some of the other cast,

866

:

including our incompetent robbers we

have Nestor Pyle and Gil Kinney were

867

:

the characters' names, which I don't

even know if that ever came up in

868

:

the movie, they're played by brothers

869

:

in real

870

:

life,

871

:

Sean: Mm-hmm.

872

:

Katie: and Kiran Mulroney.

873

:

And this was wild to me to see.

874

:

I, I'm unfamiliar with Kieran but but

Dermot, everybody knows Dermo and he

875

:

was doing something I'm not sure what

it was exactly, but he was definitely

876

:

going for something in this movie.

877

:

What did you think of

the, our robbers here?

878

:

Sean: I, I honestly think, I

think they're the weakest link.

879

:

I really do.

880

:

I.

881

:

I think that I think Germa Morone is,

like you said, he's doing something, he's

882

:

kind of adding, adding something there.

883

:

I, I think the partner that they have

partnered him up with his brother actually

884

:

kind of hurts the dynamic a bit because

that guy really adds absolutely nothing.

885

:

So in the end, it's kind of derma who's,

you know, pretty much carrying most of

886

:

the weight there in that relationship.

887

:

Katie: Yep.

888

:

Sean: But but yeah, I, I, like I

said, I think they're, I, I think

889

:

they're kind of a weak element.

890

:

They, they don't really pose much

of a threat, to be perfectly honest,

891

:

because they seem so inept that you

don't really buy them as, giving Jim

892

:

Dodge and and Jennifer Connolly run for

their money in, in any kind of ways.

893

:

You know what I mean?

894

:

They're just kind of there,

they're kind of dopey.

895

:

You can almost tell how we talk

about how this script was templated.

896

:

I would not be surprised if the

whole robber element was added in

897

:

at the very 11th hour before it

went in production because they

898

:

figured, oh, home alone was a hit.

899

:

Let's add more of the home alone stew

to, to this particular concoction.

900

:

I don't really think they work.

901

:

They don't completely derail

the film, I don't think.

902

:

But but yeah.

903

:

Katie: Yeah, I think there

was something missing there.

904

:

They needed to be flushed

out a little more.

905

:

It was just sort of

like two movies in one.

906

:

There didn't need to be robbers

involved in this situation, but if

907

:

you're gonna introduce it, like you

said, because of home Alone yeah.

908

:

There, there needed to be more

of a reason why they were there.

909

:

They were just, bumbling idiots.

910

:

But, you know, it was fun to see Dermot

Mulroney doing something very strange.

911

:

He also had an incredible unibrow.

912

:

this movie, a couple of the

other characters, so Frank's

913

:

parents, we we have Bud and Dotie

Dodge Bud is played by John M.

914

:

Jackson.

915

:

He looked familiar to me, but

I, I didn't really know why.

916

:

And he, but he's best known for playing

rear Admiral AJ Chegg Whitten on the

917

:

CBS series, JAG, and also guest star

on its spinoff, NCIS recurring cast

918

:

to its spinoff, NCIS, Los Angeles.

919

:

He didn't regularly use his middle

initial M, but there was already.

920

:

A a John Jackson in the

Screen Actor's Guild.

921

:

So he had to use his middle initial.

922

:

That's who he is.

923

:

And then did you recognize the mom,

Dottie Dodge is played by Jenny O'Hara.

924

:

She's a very familiar face.

925

:

Did you recognize

926

:

her?

927

:

Sean: I did, I did.

928

:

Who's, who's still around, thank God.

929

:

But I rec, I, I recognized her as she

played Doug's mom on king of Queens.

930

:

Katie: Yes.

931

:

Sean: I remember her in the TV spots

that they would play for this film.

932

:

You know, the, those, those quick,

you know, 30 seconds TV spots.

933

:

She would always get the scene where

she's at the dinner table with her

934

:

mouth full as they're eating dinner

and she says, that's not true, or

935

:

whatever, you know what I mean?

936

:

For whatever reason, the

TV spots always played.

937

:

Her moment when she said that, which

I always thought was kind of a, an

938

:

interesting part to play, but yeah.

939

:

Katie: It took me a minute to remember

where I was like, God, she's familiar.

940

:

But yeah, Doug's mom and also she

was in the Mindy Project, big Love.

941

:

My sister Sam transparent was a

TV series, but that I've not seen.

942

:

And also Esther Harris and Mystic River.

943

:

So she's a super familiar face.

944

:

Then we have Noble Willingham,

that is quite a name.

945

:

He plays Roger Roy McClellan Josie's dad.

946

:

speaking of City s Slickers as one

of the top five movies in 91, he

947

:

played Clay Stone in City S Slickers,

I think he is most known for playing

948

:

CD Parker on Walker, Texas Ranger.

949

:

I have not seen that.

950

:

I dunno.

951

:

Sean: Okay.

952

:

Katie: plays or is played by Barry Corbin.

953

:

He's best known for his starring role

as Maurice Minifield in the TV series,

954

:

Northern Exposure that ran from 90 to 95.

955

:

So smack dab right now.

956

:

And he actually earned two Emmy awards.

957

:

No nominated.

958

:

I don't think you won,

but two noms for that.

959

:

So yeah, that rounds out our cast.

960

:

we have a very familiar

here for our music.

961

:

We talked about him in the Great

Outdoors episode, Thomas Newman, who

962

:

is a composer, conductor, orchestrator.

963

:

And in addition to being a frequent

John Hughes collaborator, he's really

964

:

best known for his film scores Earning

six Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award,

965

:

two BAFTAs and 15 Oscar nominations.

966

:

So that is Thomas Newman.

967

:

I think the, the the music in

this seemed very John Hughey, so

968

:

that, that kind of tracks with

your typical John Hughes movie.

969

:

Sean: You know, you mentioned music and

what's also interesting, I remember in the

970

:

in the TV spots and trailers that aired

on Network TV at the time, but fine young

971

:

cannibals, their song she drives me crazy.

972

:

Accompanied this film in the trailers.

973

:

I don't know if you've seen the trailers,

but they picked a a catchy tune for the

974

:

time to, to accompany the the TV spots.

975

:

Katie: It wasn't super clear, but I

found a $6 million budget, is pretty low.

976

:

A lot of John Hughes movies have

really low budgets, but $6 million

977

:

it, it grossed worldwide 11.3

978

:

million.

979

:

So it was a pretty big disappointment

in terms of box office as we

980

:

kind of already talked about.

981

:

As you said, you found this movie

982

:

fun, as

983

:

did

984

:

Sean: Mm-hmm.

985

:

Katie: Like I had said, I'd not seen

it before, but you clearly have.

986

:

What is your history with

career opportunities?

987

:

Sean: I remember vi vividly seeing the

TV spots when I was when I was in school.

988

:

So I was, I'm trying to think at the

time I was eight or nine years old,

989

:

I wanna say something like that.

990

:

And so I remember seeing

the TV spots and I was, I.

991

:

I was kind of infatuated

with the gimmick of it.

992

:

You know, what, what would I

do if I was, you know, stuck

993

:

in a target overnight and okay.

994

:

With the girl in my dreams.

995

:

I didn't really think of that at

the time as I was too young, but

996

:

the gimmick of it really sold it.

997

:

And yeah, when it came to when

it came to rental I rented

998

:

the VHS from my grocery store.

999

:

Actually, if you remember those days

when grocery stores rented VHS tapes?

:

00:44:35,808 --> 00:44:37,038

Katie: Yes.

:

00:44:37,203 --> 00:44:38,493

Sean: yeah, I, I rented it.

:

00:44:38,533 --> 00:44:38,803

Yeah.

:

00:44:38,803 --> 00:44:41,793

On a school night, and it's not like

any of the other ones that resonated

:

00:44:41,793 --> 00:44:43,383

with me around that time, you know?

:

00:44:43,433 --> 00:44:45,713

That I would come back to multiple times.

:

00:44:45,813 --> 00:44:50,043

I think Dylan, Ted's bogus journey was

one that I came back to way more often

:

00:44:50,283 --> 00:44:54,543

than, than this particular film, but it

is one, it is in my collection and it is

:

00:44:54,543 --> 00:44:59,903

one that I, I do watch every few years

because it is, a pretty harmless movie.

:

00:44:59,933 --> 00:45:01,073

And again, I wanna stress.

:

00:45:01,853 --> 00:45:06,053

If you look at it in the context of,

you know, compared with the, the 16

:

00:45:06,053 --> 00:45:09,773

candles, the Breakfast Club, the, the,

some kind of wonderful, you know, if you

:

00:45:09,773 --> 00:45:14,443

look at it as a continuation of those

movies, I think it does have a a linear

:

00:45:14,443 --> 00:45:16,843

narrative because it does follow that.

:

00:45:17,123 --> 00:45:20,823

That kid who maybe as awkward and

unsure about his future, and it

:

00:45:20,823 --> 00:45:22,203

seems like everybody else has.

:

00:45:22,533 --> 00:45:26,703

Has their plan, their, their, you know,

five year plan in place except for him.

:

00:45:26,793 --> 00:45:27,303

You know what I mean?

:

00:45:27,303 --> 00:45:30,913

And there are a lot of young

adults who are in that situation.

:

00:45:31,013 --> 00:45:34,763

And yeah, I, one, one thing I will

say, every time I watch this movie

:

00:45:34,813 --> 00:45:39,313

it's one thing that always bothers

me, but he's the night cleanup crew in

:

00:45:39,313 --> 00:45:46,273

the movie, and I don't know about you,

but he's making way more messes than,

:

00:45:46,723 --> 00:45:47,953

than there were in the first place.

:

00:45:47,953 --> 00:45:49,873

So every time I watch this,

I'm always kinda like.

:

00:45:50,188 --> 00:45:51,538

Dude, you're gonna have to clean that up.

:

00:45:51,778 --> 00:45:52,393

Like, what are you doing?

:

00:45:53,103 --> 00:45:54,833

That always gonna bother me, but.

:

00:45:55,066 --> 00:45:59,026

Katie: As an adult, because I

hadn't seen this as a kid, I very

:

00:45:59,026 --> 00:46:01,456

much, that was bothering me too.

:

00:46:01,516 --> 00:46:06,066

Like my My OCD or, or my

just anal retentive nature.

:

00:46:06,066 --> 00:46:07,266

I was like, oh my God.

:

00:46:07,266 --> 00:46:07,476

Yeah.

:

00:46:07,526 --> 00:46:11,936

Also, he's just like things, playing

with things, trying on clothes, and

:

00:46:11,936 --> 00:46:12,896

it's like, you're gonna have to put all

:

00:46:12,896 --> 00:46:13,526

that back.

:

00:46:13,526 --> 00:46:13,766

And

:

00:46:14,021 --> 00:46:14,441

Sean: Yeah.

:

00:46:14,456 --> 00:46:16,736

Katie: It was a little

bit driving me crazy also.

:

00:46:16,836 --> 00:46:18,876

But I don't know.

:

00:46:18,876 --> 00:46:22,686

I feel like they could have elevated

some of the, the adventures.

:

00:46:22,686 --> 00:46:24,036

It was just sort of like.

:

00:46:24,861 --> 00:46:27,021

roller, they roller skated a lot.

:

00:46:27,471 --> 00:46:30,081

But I feel like they could have

done a little bit more like the

:

00:46:30,081 --> 00:46:31,761

adventures, the things he does.

:

00:46:31,761 --> 00:46:33,681

I, they could have gotten

a little more creative,

:

00:46:33,681 --> 00:46:34,041

I feel

:

00:46:34,041 --> 00:46:34,401

like,

:

00:46:34,711 --> 00:46:35,131

Sean: Mm-hmm.

:

00:46:35,241 --> 00:46:38,661

Katie: you know, the, what would you do

if you got stuck in a target overnight?

:

00:46:38,938 --> 00:46:42,828

So I was maybe hoping for a little

more excitement or entertainment in

:

00:46:42,828 --> 00:46:43,728

that area.

:

00:46:44,043 --> 00:46:44,463

Sean: Mm-hmm.

:

00:46:44,853 --> 00:46:47,913

Katie: and maybe that's why they

brought in the robbers to, add another

:

00:46:47,913 --> 00:46:49,983

element , of surprise and intrigue.

:

00:46:50,524 --> 00:46:52,774

Sean: And I'm trying to

think, but security cameras

:

00:46:52,774 --> 00:46:55,564

existed back in:

:

00:46:55,614 --> 00:46:58,584

I would like to think that he

had to know that everything

:

00:46:58,584 --> 00:47:00,474

was was on camera or maybe not.

:

00:47:00,684 --> 00:47:01,194

You know what I mean?

:

00:47:01,344 --> 00:47:05,994

But as I watched it again I, I kind of

thought to myself, you know, he's making

:

00:47:05,994 --> 00:47:07,644

this mess and he is rollerskating around.

:

00:47:07,794 --> 00:47:10,524

I feel like this is a guy who's

just trying to get through the

:

00:47:10,524 --> 00:47:13,794

night because he doesn't plan on

keeping that job past the night.

:

00:47:14,214 --> 00:47:14,724

You know what I mean?

:

00:47:14,844 --> 00:47:18,084

And I, I see this quite a bit with, with

young adults, they'll try a job out.

:

00:47:18,414 --> 00:47:20,634

They ha they do work at a few

shifts and they're like, Hmm.

:

00:47:21,024 --> 00:47:21,924

This isn't for me.

:

00:47:22,074 --> 00:47:22,734

See you later.

:

00:47:22,764 --> 00:47:25,474

And I kind of wonder if maybe that's

where he was like, you know what?

:

00:47:25,474 --> 00:47:28,654

Look, they didn't gimme the

management job that I thought I

:

00:47:28,654 --> 00:47:30,034

was gonna get from John Candy.

:

00:47:30,184 --> 00:47:32,554

They gave me this cleanup

crew, they locked me in.

:

00:47:32,624 --> 00:47:35,714

Now I'm gonna ride it out until

sunrise, and then I'm gone.

:

00:47:36,044 --> 00:47:37,994

And if I don't even get my

paycheck, then I don't care.

:

00:47:38,324 --> 00:47:42,749

I almost kind of wonder if that was

his mentality, which again is something

:

00:47:42,764 --> 00:47:47,714

that I think a lot of, let's be honest,

fairly irresponsible young adults.

:

00:47:47,954 --> 00:47:49,994

Can certainly relate to,

you know what I mean?

:

00:47:50,714 --> 00:47:53,354

Not looking, not looking beyond

:

00:47:54,014 --> 00:47:55,454

6:00 PM that night.

:

00:47:55,484 --> 00:47:56,174

You know what I mean?

:

00:47:56,174 --> 00:47:58,364

It's just living in the moment

:

00:47:58,414 --> 00:47:59,344

Katie: yeah, I think so.

:

00:47:59,344 --> 00:48:02,434

I mean, he's 21, he's living at

home and he can't keep a job.

:

00:48:02,434 --> 00:48:04,984

So to your point, maybe he doesn't

care if he gets fired because

:

00:48:04,984 --> 00:48:07,594

this is one, one of so many.

:

00:48:08,644 --> 00:48:12,244

String of jobs where he gets fired

from he's aimless and his dad is like,

:

00:48:12,244 --> 00:48:15,964

listen, you gotta get a job, or we're

gonna ship you to your work for your

:

00:48:15,964 --> 00:48:17,764

uncle in some other state or something.

:

00:48:17,764 --> 00:48:22,444

They're like, you, they keep pointing this

out, and I think this was a thing more

:

00:48:22,444 --> 00:48:25,954

so in the eighties and nineties, because

now it seems like a lot of adults live

:

00:48:25,954 --> 00:48:29,974

with their parents, but they're like,

once you're outta school, you either

:

00:48:29,974 --> 00:48:30,634

pay rent or you

:

00:48:30,634 --> 00:48:30,994

leave.

:

00:48:31,169 --> 00:48:31,589

Sean: Mm-hmm.

:

00:48:31,954 --> 00:48:33,004

Katie: that's, the story here.

:

00:48:33,641 --> 00:48:33,941

Sean: Yeah.

:

00:48:33,971 --> 00:48:36,431

No, I mean, and I, and in a lot

of ways, you know, could, could

:

00:48:36,431 --> 00:48:37,721

his dad be a little more loving?

:

00:48:37,721 --> 00:48:38,201

Sure.

:

00:48:38,531 --> 00:48:41,291

But his dad is also a

hundred percent justified.

:

00:48:41,651 --> 00:48:42,191

You know what I mean?

:

00:48:42,341 --> 00:48:44,381

If you're not going to school,

you're not working well, you

:

00:48:44,381 --> 00:48:45,461

need to be doing something.

:

00:48:45,711 --> 00:48:47,271

I've seen this quite a bit,

:

00:48:47,301 --> 00:48:48,201

it's like, dude, like I.

:

00:48:48,531 --> 00:48:49,431

You need to pick a lane.

:

00:48:49,581 --> 00:48:50,721

College isn't for everyone.

:

00:48:50,721 --> 00:48:53,361

I, and I tell this all the time to

my students, I totally get that.

:

00:48:53,361 --> 00:48:53,961

Find something.

:

00:48:53,961 --> 00:48:57,351

If you could find a trade, you're probably

be better off, to be perfectly honest.

:

00:48:57,351 --> 00:49:00,321

But I mean, man, just sitting in existing.

:

00:49:00,711 --> 00:49:06,291

You until you find something that's

not, you know, benefiting anybody.

:

00:49:06,441 --> 00:49:12,151

And so I think that's kind of what

Dodge is, is golly for being:

:

00:49:12,361 --> 00:49:17,671

It's amazing how that type of

individual still very much exists

:

00:49:18,061 --> 00:49:20,411

today, post, post high school, you know.

:

00:49:20,816 --> 00:49:21,536

Katie: Great point.

:

00:49:21,536 --> 00:49:22,916

I mean, he's 21.

:

00:49:22,946 --> 00:49:27,056

I would say nowadays you find people

in their late twenties or early

:

00:49:27,056 --> 00:49:32,126

thirties, I think partially well to

get to a financial element here in a

:

00:49:32,126 --> 00:49:35,216

minute, but are very expensive now.

:

00:49:35,216 --> 00:49:38,686

So I know that's a part of why a lot of

young people have a hard time moving out.

:

00:49:39,436 --> 00:49:45,016

to that point, Josie says, so she's

this like spoiled rich girl and she's

:

00:49:45,016 --> 00:49:48,316

sick of, living under her father's

thumb and she dreams of, she wants

:

00:49:48,316 --> 00:49:49,996

to go to la they get this plan.

:

00:49:50,206 --> 00:49:51,966

They're like, when we leave here, once we.

:

00:49:52,396 --> 00:49:53,716

Ditch these robbers.

:

00:49:53,716 --> 00:49:55,126

We're gonna go to LA together.

:

00:49:55,126 --> 00:50:02,686

I have $52,000 in my purse, is wild.

:

00:50:02,686 --> 00:50:07,576

And then he says, that's

more than my house cost.

:

00:50:07,846 --> 00:50:12,976

So it just goes to show were much

more affordable back in the day.

:

00:50:14,811 --> 00:50:15,141

Sean: Yeah.

:

00:50:15,201 --> 00:50:15,981

No, no.

:

00:50:16,161 --> 00:50:18,201

To be fair, no, you're

exactly right there.

:

00:50:18,301 --> 00:50:18,991

So yeah.

:

00:50:18,991 --> 00:50:23,191

Isn't it funny when you talk to, you

know, parents and, and family members,

:

00:50:23,191 --> 00:50:26,101

who bought houses back in like the

eighties and early nineties, what they

:

00:50:26,101 --> 00:50:28,381

got 'em for, and you're like, oh my gosh

:

00:50:29,768 --> 00:50:30,548

Katie: that's how much a car

:

00:50:30,548 --> 00:50:31,088

costs,

:

00:50:31,088 --> 00:50:31,478

like what's

:

00:50:31,658 --> 00:50:33,278

Sean: mm-hmm.

:

00:50:33,518 --> 00:50:33,608

Mm-hmm.

:

00:50:34,293 --> 00:50:34,583

Yeah.

:

00:50:35,528 --> 00:50:37,058

Katie: a question for you.

:

00:50:37,178 --> 00:50:39,028

They call Jim, the town liar.

:

00:50:39,028 --> 00:50:40,788

Everybody kind of knows how he is.

:

00:50:40,788 --> 00:50:44,598

He, he lies, he goes from one

shitty job to the, to the next.

:

00:50:45,198 --> 00:50:49,848

But we see him over and over

again trying to impress the

:

00:50:49,848 --> 00:50:52,458

neighborhood kids, like little kids.

:

00:50:52,773 --> 00:50:53,193

Sean: Mm-hmm.

:

00:50:53,898 --> 00:50:54,798

Katie: He's 21 years old.

:

00:50:54,798 --> 00:50:57,018

Why is he trying to impress

the neighborhood kid?

:

00:50:58,098 --> 00:51:00,228

Sean: Because he can't

impress anyone else's own h.

:

00:51:00,813 --> 00:51:02,643

That, that's, it's, it's simple as that.

:

00:51:02,703 --> 00:51:03,303

You know what I mean?

:

00:51:03,303 --> 00:51:04,443

They, they look up to him.

:

00:51:04,713 --> 00:51:07,413

People his own age, people who he's

graduated with, people he is gone to

:

00:51:07,413 --> 00:51:09,513

high school with, they're onto his grift.

:

00:51:09,573 --> 00:51:11,933

They know, what is true and what isn't.

:

00:51:11,933 --> 00:51:12,413

You know what I mean?

:

00:51:12,413 --> 00:51:15,653

But a little kid that's a little

impressionable and doesn't really know.

:

00:51:16,223 --> 00:51:16,553

Yeah.

:

00:51:16,763 --> 00:51:17,213

Heck yeah.

:

00:51:17,218 --> 00:51:21,293

And, and what a great, you know, what a

great final scene though too, where the

:

00:51:21,293 --> 00:51:26,003

kids get to see that, you know, maybe

not everything out of his mouth was.

:

00:51:26,453 --> 00:51:28,043

Was complete crap.

:

00:51:28,263 --> 00:51:30,963

I always loved the ending where,

he's in the car with Jennifer

:

00:51:30,963 --> 00:51:34,093

Connolly and he drives away and

they're like, oh man, he's so cool.

:

00:51:34,183 --> 00:51:38,203

Because in the end Does he, does he

have a career at the end of the film?

:

00:51:38,263 --> 00:51:41,053

No, but he does get to leave the film.

:

00:51:41,153 --> 00:51:45,713

More respected, I think, than he was

when the film where, where we see

:

00:51:45,713 --> 00:51:46,523

him at the beginning of the film.

:

00:51:46,523 --> 00:51:47,078

You know what I'm saying?

:

00:51:47,644 --> 00:51:47,794

Katie: Good

:

00:51:47,794 --> 00:51:48,214

point.

:

00:51:48,609 --> 00:51:52,819

Yeah, so they do end up like jumping

around here, but the, the movie ended.

:

00:51:53,299 --> 00:51:58,039

I, I can't determine whether I think

it was abrupt or not because the,

:

00:51:58,039 --> 00:52:03,859

the final scene essentially is they

escaped the robbers and cut to these

:

00:52:03,859 --> 00:52:06,799

two are at a pool in LA in Hollywood.

:

00:52:07,009 --> 00:52:10,069

So they, they did what they

wanted to do, but then that's it.

:

00:52:10,069 --> 00:52:13,789

It ends like, so I was like, did

we need more than that or not?

:

00:52:13,789 --> 00:52:14,689

I can't decide.

:

00:52:14,749 --> 00:52:15,649

What do you think, Sean?

:

00:52:16,319 --> 00:52:19,169

Sean: I don't know if it's a

matter of, can't deciding, I

:

00:52:19,169 --> 00:52:20,579

think, you know what I mean?

:

00:52:20,679 --> 00:52:24,909

It's one of those things where, look,

does he have to have his five-year

:

00:52:24,909 --> 00:52:27,279

plan, you know, immediately laid out.

:

00:52:27,459 --> 00:52:31,539

No, but we, at least, like I said,

I think it was, it's, it's kind

:

00:52:31,539 --> 00:52:32,799

of the hero's journey archetype.

:

00:52:32,799 --> 00:52:33,159

You know what I mean?

:

00:52:33,219 --> 00:52:34,359

He comes back.

:

00:52:34,689 --> 00:52:38,919

To where he started in the film being

his hometown, being his house, but he is

:

00:52:38,919 --> 00:52:41,499

leaving with a newfound sense of respect.

:

00:52:41,649 --> 00:52:42,759

Maybe not so much about himself.

:

00:52:42,789 --> 00:52:46,429

'cause he is pretty cocky, but

I think he the people around him

:

00:52:46,529 --> 00:52:48,179

certainly know that he can do more.

:

00:52:48,329 --> 00:52:49,499

It would've been nice.

:

00:52:49,499 --> 00:52:51,209

I do think it would've been nice if we.

:

00:52:52,139 --> 00:52:55,079

Did get to see a little bit more closure

between him and his dad at the end

:

00:52:55,079 --> 00:52:58,919

of the movie because there are a few

scenes in the film that almost come

:

00:52:58,944 --> 00:53:00,719

across, across as kind of pointless.

:

00:53:00,839 --> 00:53:01,199

You know what I mean?

:

00:53:01,199 --> 00:53:02,519

There's the scene where his dad

:

00:53:02,929 --> 00:53:03,349

Katie: Mm-hmm.

:

00:53:03,419 --> 00:53:07,259

Sean: sleep through the night and is

raiding the kitchen and eating chicken and

:

00:53:07,259 --> 00:53:11,819

peanut butter, and you're kind of like,

okay, obviously we have that scene because

:

00:53:11,819 --> 00:53:16,309

he feels a little, he, he doesn't like

the way he left things with Jim, you know?

:

00:53:16,309 --> 00:53:18,289

And as a father I

certainly get that as well.

:

00:53:18,289 --> 00:53:18,619

You know what I mean?

:

00:53:18,769 --> 00:53:20,629

Wake up in the middle of the night

and you're thinking, ah, crap.

:

00:53:20,679 --> 00:53:21,549

I screwed up there.

:

00:53:21,549 --> 00:53:22,449

I should have been better.

:

00:53:22,839 --> 00:53:26,929

But we don't get that, that scene,

at the end where he and his dad

:

00:53:26,929 --> 00:53:29,989

kind of embrace and his dad's like,

look, I don't expect you to have

:

00:53:29,989 --> 00:53:31,519

it figured out, but I love you.

:

00:53:31,519 --> 00:53:33,709

And I said for you, we

could have gotten that.

:

00:53:33,919 --> 00:53:34,759

Unfortunately, we didn't.

:

00:53:34,759 --> 00:53:35,689

The film was short enough,

:

00:53:35,959 --> 00:53:36,589

I don't think.

:

00:53:36,604 --> 00:53:39,034

If they would've lost anything, I

probably would've gained something if

:

00:53:39,034 --> 00:53:40,354

they, they added that a little bit.

:

00:53:40,354 --> 00:53:42,814

But Did you feel that way though

about those scenes with his

:

00:53:42,814 --> 00:53:44,284

dad in the middle of the night

:

00:53:44,734 --> 00:53:47,224

Katie: yeah, it's not like they

had to cut for time because

:

00:53:47,224 --> 00:53:48,934

this movie was extremely short.

:

00:53:48,934 --> 00:53:49,174

So I agree.

:

00:53:50,329 --> 00:53:53,059

That would've been a perfect

way to make us feel, 'cause it

:

00:53:53,059 --> 00:53:54,889

did feel a little abrupt to me.

:

00:53:55,259 --> 00:53:56,444

Yeah, they, they should have.

:

00:53:57,119 --> 00:53:59,909

Reconciled the parent

relationship a little bit more.

:

00:54:00,239 --> 00:54:05,009

But i'm so glad you brought up that scene

though, Sean, because granted, I don't

:

00:54:05,009 --> 00:54:07,709

eat chicken, but he's raiding the fridge.

:

00:54:08,129 --> 00:54:16,559

He sticks a chicken leg in the peanut

butter jar and I was like, oh my God.

:

00:54:16,559 --> 00:54:17,654

That's disgusting on so many

:

00:54:17,654 --> 00:54:17,894

levels.

:

00:54:18,614 --> 00:54:18,854

I mean

:

00:54:18,854 --> 00:54:19,534

like, wow.

:

00:54:20,129 --> 00:54:24,539

Sean: Yeah, no not a not very

appetizing, but hey, he's a dad

:

00:54:24,539 --> 00:54:25,829

who's having a sleepless night.

:

00:54:26,489 --> 00:54:27,059

You know what I mean?

:

00:54:27,109 --> 00:54:30,159

, I guess it works to

that end, but but yeah.

:

00:54:30,159 --> 00:54:32,379

You know, you mentioned

spring this came out.

:

00:54:32,379 --> 00:54:34,539

Can I just say real quick too,

the other thing too that I think

:

00:54:34,539 --> 00:54:38,169

is important to, to note about

this particular film is just that.

:

00:54:38,484 --> 00:54:41,824

A movie like this went to theaters,

and I've been saying this numerous

:

00:54:41,824 --> 00:54:45,064

times, I think I've echoed it on my

show when I was going, but I've said it

:

00:54:45,064 --> 00:54:46,504

to, friends and everything like that.

:

00:54:46,714 --> 00:54:50,764

But a movie like, like this

nowadays would not go to theaters.

:

00:54:51,034 --> 00:54:51,724

At best.

:

00:54:51,724 --> 00:54:54,274

It would be premiered on

like a Netflix or a Hulu,

:

00:54:54,764 --> 00:54:55,634

like any, any more.

:

00:54:55,634 --> 00:54:59,964

It seems like the only thing that comes

to theaters are ips and franchises, comic

:

00:54:59,964 --> 00:55:01,494

book, movies, things of that nature.

:

00:55:01,674 --> 00:55:05,334

So it's really kind of cool

that in the spring of:

:

00:55:05,814 --> 00:55:10,584

This little movie, managed to go

to theaters and boy, oh boy, would

:

00:55:10,584 --> 00:55:12,414

I love to go back to those days.

:

00:55:12,524 --> 00:55:19,484

Because we got so much more eclectic,

weird, diverse content that occupied

:

00:55:19,484 --> 00:55:21,194

the multiplexes than we get nowadays.

:

00:55:21,644 --> 00:55:23,649

Katie: The nineties were all about that.

:

00:55:23,699 --> 00:55:25,379

So this is the perfect, opening.

:

00:55:26,084 --> 00:55:28,414

For, a trend that would

continue in the nineties.

:

00:55:28,894 --> 00:55:32,074

While this wasn't like an independent

film, it was like a, a little

:

00:55:32,074 --> 00:55:34,864

film, you know, so I, I agree.

:

00:55:34,864 --> 00:55:40,044

And I also long for the days

of, the nineties, you know,

:

00:55:40,044 --> 00:55:41,124

I wish we could go back.

:

00:55:41,214 --> 00:55:41,904

Speaking of which.

:

00:55:43,014 --> 00:55:47,024

There is a a shot where they're,

they're showing all the items that

:

00:55:47,024 --> 00:55:49,634

the robbers, they're like filling up

their carts, that they're gonna steal

:

00:55:49,634 --> 00:55:51,824

all this stuff from, from Target.

:

00:55:51,854 --> 00:56:00,224

And they, they take this red phone

and I had that exact red phone.

:

00:56:00,224 --> 00:56:02,534

It's got a black handle on a red base.

:

00:56:03,044 --> 00:56:04,364

Do you know what I'm talking about?

:

00:56:04,664 --> 00:56:05,654

Do you remember that scene?

:

00:56:05,684 --> 00:56:06,134

I had that

:

00:56:06,134 --> 00:56:06,314

phone.

:

00:56:06,314 --> 00:56:06,674

I loved

:

00:56:06,674 --> 00:56:06,854

it.

:

00:56:07,274 --> 00:56:08,234

Sean: I remember that scene.

:

00:56:08,234 --> 00:56:10,394

You know, the other scene that I

remember, if we're gonna go back, you

:

00:56:10,394 --> 00:56:14,404

know, looking at Target, but the wall

of tapes, the wall of cassette tapes.

:

00:56:15,109 --> 00:56:18,329

I don't know if you noticed that

either, but that was an area

:

00:56:18,329 --> 00:56:22,679

that I loved perusing, cassette

tapes were replaced by CDs.

:

00:56:22,679 --> 00:56:25,559

CDs were eventually replaced by

MP three and everything like that.

:

00:56:25,739 --> 00:56:29,399

But you know, it's just wild to think

that there was a time where a Target

:

00:56:29,609 --> 00:56:35,009

had a music section, and the music

section was one, maybe two walls

:

00:56:35,249 --> 00:56:37,259

that from ceiling to the ground.

:

00:56:37,649 --> 00:56:42,059

Were stacked with tapes in

alphabetical order by genre.

:

00:56:42,059 --> 00:56:42,449

You know what I mean?

:

00:56:42,449 --> 00:56:44,699

It was almost, it was, it was

kind of fun in a weird way,

:

00:56:44,699 --> 00:56:45,899

you know, if we could go back.

:

00:56:46,079 --> 00:56:47,429

But it was, it was always kind of fun.

:

00:56:47,579 --> 00:56:50,879

You always, I mean, this is before the

age of Amazon too, so if there was a song

:

00:56:50,879 --> 00:56:54,479

that you wanted, if there was a band that

you wanted, whatever it may be, going

:

00:56:54,479 --> 00:56:58,919

to the store and running down, going

alphabetical or to trying to find it.

:

00:56:58,919 --> 00:57:02,099

It almost felt like a fun

scavenger hunt in a lot of ways.

:

00:57:02,616 --> 00:57:03,546

Katie: Great point.

:

00:57:03,546 --> 00:57:07,806

And that scene with the wall of

tapes when Josie's looking through

:

00:57:07,806 --> 00:57:12,786

them, one of the visible titles is

the soundtrack for the Breakfast

:

00:57:12,786 --> 00:57:13,146

Club.

:

00:57:13,626 --> 00:57:13,926

So of

:

00:57:14,061 --> 00:57:14,181

Sean: Oh,

:

00:57:14,316 --> 00:57:17,776

Katie: you know, there's always all these

little John Hughes is notorious for that.

:

00:57:17,776 --> 00:57:19,336

So doing things like that.

:

00:57:19,336 --> 00:57:19,936

So that was kind of

:

00:57:19,936 --> 00:57:20,296

fun.

:

00:57:21,211 --> 00:57:23,431

Sean: yeah, yeah, I did not notice that.

:

00:57:23,431 --> 00:57:25,521

But but yeah, no, it wouldn't,

it wouldn't surprise me.

:

00:57:26,251 --> 00:57:28,771

Katie: Not very much trivia, but

I have a few pieces of trivia.

:

00:57:28,771 --> 00:57:30,961

I'm curious to see what you think.

:

00:57:31,261 --> 00:57:38,101

In the uk this movie was called,

it was released as One Wild night,

:

00:57:38,941 --> 00:57:41,911

which I think is a far better title.

:

00:57:42,271 --> 00:57:45,181

For what this movie is

than career opportunities.

:

00:57:45,181 --> 00:57:45,871

What do you think?

:

00:57:46,728 --> 00:57:48,683

Sean: I, I think I'm gonna

have to kind of disagree there.

:

00:57:48,683 --> 00:57:53,603

I think one wild night is, is much

more, is too much more on the nose.

:

00:57:53,903 --> 00:57:54,503

You know what I mean?

:

00:57:54,503 --> 00:57:56,903

I like the idea of career

opportunities because I.

:

00:57:57,828 --> 00:58:01,998

Again, if you're going along with the idea

of kind of the, the wayward 21-year-old

:

00:58:02,178 --> 00:58:07,338

not knowing his place and needing to

have a career, I think it, it kind

:

00:58:07,338 --> 00:58:09,138

of lends itself well, one wild night.

:

00:58:09,138 --> 00:58:09,408

Yeah.

:

00:58:09,408 --> 00:58:13,958

Maybe that, that particular title

would gotten this maybe a little

:

00:58:13,958 --> 00:58:16,928

bit more recognized to where

more people are talking about it.

:

00:58:16,958 --> 00:58:17,853

Maybe nowadays.

:

00:58:17,933 --> 00:58:19,858

I, I guess I would

assume, but I don't know.

:

00:58:19,858 --> 00:58:21,898

I think the title career

opportunities is pretty apt.

:

00:58:22,318 --> 00:58:22,798

I feel.

:

00:58:22,889 --> 00:58:23,669

Katie: Interesting.

:

00:58:24,003 --> 00:58:25,053

That's fair.

:

00:58:25,053 --> 00:58:28,053

I guess maybe that's why like

I was unfamiliar with this

:

00:58:28,053 --> 00:58:28,593

movie

:

00:58:28,628 --> 00:58:29,048

Sean: Mm-hmm.

:

00:58:29,673 --> 00:58:34,083

Katie: and based on the title, I sort

of thought it would be like a workplace.

:

00:58:34,968 --> 00:58:36,378

Comedy or something.

:

00:58:36,468 --> 00:58:39,858

So I was kind of surprised to

realize what it was actually about.

:

00:58:39,858 --> 00:58:44,028

But you, you bringing up the, the,

his like state of mind kind of makes

:

00:58:44,028 --> 00:58:44,538

sense as

:

00:58:44,538 --> 00:58:44,928

well.

:

00:58:45,183 --> 00:58:45,573

Sean: Yeah.

:

00:58:45,918 --> 00:58:46,308

Yeah.

:

00:58:46,548 --> 00:58:47,298

Yeah, definitely.

:

00:58:47,298 --> 00:58:50,248

But but yeah, it's funny that you

mentioned Jennifer Connolly and

:

00:58:50,248 --> 00:58:51,688

how she is presented in the film.

:

00:58:51,838 --> 00:58:55,698

It's funny, the last time I watched this

my wife was watching it with me and she

:

00:58:55,698 --> 00:58:58,188

was just like, oh my God, her eyebrows.

:

00:58:58,548 --> 00:58:59,988

It's so funny that she mentioned that.

:

00:58:59,988 --> 00:59:02,898

I don't know if you picked up on that

or not, but she was like, you know, her

:

00:59:02,898 --> 00:59:07,158

eyebrows are outta control, you know,

so May, maybe that was a:

:

00:59:07,158 --> 00:59:07,578

I don't know.

:

00:59:07,878 --> 00:59:09,828

But she, she is, she's

beautiful in the film.

:

00:59:09,973 --> 00:59:11,293

Katie: She really is.

:

00:59:11,343 --> 00:59:12,153

So two things.

:

00:59:12,153 --> 00:59:12,783

Yes.

:

00:59:12,863 --> 00:59:15,953

Eyebrows, like that style of

eyebrows was much more of a

:

00:59:15,953 --> 00:59:17,183

thing in the early nineties.

:

00:59:17,573 --> 00:59:21,593

But b Jennifer Connolly,

it's kind of her trademark.

:

00:59:22,253 --> 00:59:25,883

Like her eyebrows are kind of

what she's, she's always had those

:

00:59:25,883 --> 00:59:26,123

kind of

:

00:59:26,123 --> 00:59:26,603

eyebrows,

:

00:59:26,653 --> 00:59:27,043

Sean: Okay.

:

00:59:27,148 --> 00:59:27,268

Katie: for

:

00:59:27,268 --> 00:59:27,628

that.

:

00:59:28,483 --> 00:59:28,693

Sean: Yeah.

:

00:59:28,693 --> 00:59:29,383

Interesting.

:

00:59:29,493 --> 00:59:34,143

Katie: There were a few other people

considered for our, for Jim and Josie

:

00:59:34,173 --> 00:59:37,983

Terry Polo screen tested for Josie.

:

00:59:38,763 --> 00:59:40,593

That would've been a very different movie.

:

00:59:41,433 --> 00:59:41,463

I.

:

00:59:42,438 --> 00:59:42,978

Sean: Yeah.

:

00:59:43,038 --> 00:59:43,398

Yeah.

:

00:59:43,403 --> 00:59:47,503

And it's, interesting that she

really didn't get her big role until

:

00:59:48,043 --> 00:59:51,423

exactly 10 years later nine years

later, and meet the parents, huh?

:

00:59:52,053 --> 00:59:52,443

Yeah.

:

00:59:52,443 --> 00:59:54,003

And then she also kind of.

:

00:59:54,483 --> 00:59:56,673

Slowly disappeared again, didn't she?

:

00:59:57,193 --> 00:59:59,623

But I, I think Jennifer

Connolly, I mean, she nails it.

:

00:59:59,653 --> 01:00:03,153

I mean, just like Frank, Frank

Whaley nails the role of Jim Dodge.

:

01:00:03,153 --> 01:00:07,063

I think, Jennifer Connolly

really does nail the role of

:

01:00:07,063 --> 01:00:11,373

that bombshell that is that is

sexualized by everybody around her.

:

01:00:11,373 --> 01:00:15,603

Even like her, her dad's, business

partners, which was really gross.

:

01:00:15,873 --> 01:00:17,853

But who, who wants to, break free of that?

:

01:00:18,156 --> 01:00:18,626

Katie: I agree.

:

01:00:18,626 --> 01:00:21,746

Jennifer Connolly was

pretty perfect for this.

:

01:00:21,746 --> 01:00:25,136

She's got that mysterious nature

to her really beautiful kind of

:

01:00:25,256 --> 01:00:31,076

that quietness and, yeah, like a

seductiveness to her that even adults are.

:

01:00:31,661 --> 01:00:34,741

Grossly into I guess

she was 21, but still.

:

01:00:34,811 --> 01:00:40,961

And then I did read that Josh,

Charles and Polly Shore were

:

01:00:40,961 --> 01:00:43,361

both considered for Jim Dodge.

:

01:00:44,231 --> 01:00:45,281

Now Josh Charles.

:

01:00:46,356 --> 01:00:50,436

Was Christina Applegate's love, interest

in Don't Tell Mom, the Babysitter's dead.

:

01:00:50,496 --> 01:00:50,946

And

:

01:00:50,946 --> 01:00:51,306

I never

:

01:00:51,306 --> 01:00:51,966

really loved

:

01:00:51,971 --> 01:00:52,391

Sean: Mm-hmm.

:

01:00:52,996 --> 01:00:54,646

Katie: I, so I don't know.

:

01:00:54,946 --> 01:00:56,836

I guess he would've been

more or less the same.

:

01:00:56,836 --> 01:00:58,786

They're both kind of like, eh to me,

:

01:00:59,776 --> 01:00:59,986

as

:

01:01:00,196 --> 01:01:00,616

Sean: Mm-hmm.

:

01:01:01,156 --> 01:01:05,849

Katie: Pauly sure that

takes it to a goofy level.

:

01:01:05,939 --> 01:01:06,239

And I

:

01:01:06,239 --> 01:01:08,459

almost think that would've been funnier.

:

01:01:09,119 --> 01:01:09,629

I don't know.

:

01:01:10,889 --> 01:01:12,269

I guess I'm just not a big,

:

01:01:14,279 --> 01:01:15,894

Frank Whaley person, I guess.

:

01:01:17,514 --> 01:01:20,874

Sean: I mean, I, I think it, you know,

look, I, I think it would've worked if it

:

01:01:20,874 --> 01:01:22,953

was Poly Shore, I can certainly see that.

:

01:01:22,953 --> 01:01:27,013

But it also would've become a poly

shore movie, it would've, you know, had

:

01:01:27,013 --> 01:01:28,963

that same type of humor that we saw.

:

01:01:29,183 --> 01:01:30,893

Actually maybe not:

:

01:01:31,073 --> 01:01:35,543

'cause he really didn't develop the

weasel persona until about a year

:

01:01:35,543 --> 01:01:37,673

later, really, when he was doing MTV.

:

01:01:37,883 --> 01:01:40,943

So maybe he would've been a

little bit more normalized.

:

01:01:41,183 --> 01:01:44,833

I could certainly have seen that

maybe working, but I don't know.

:

01:01:44,878 --> 01:01:47,098

I think Frank Whaley is fun.

:

01:01:47,158 --> 01:01:49,438

I love what they give, you know,

the little characteristic with his

:

01:01:49,438 --> 01:01:53,578

hair, how he kind of has this, Elvis

style hair, he almost feels like

:

01:01:53,578 --> 01:01:55,078

a man at a time in a lot of ways.

:

01:01:55,078 --> 01:01:57,238

You know, like he's from the

fifties, but in the nineties,

:

01:01:57,263 --> 01:01:57,553

Katie: Yeah.

:

01:01:57,658 --> 01:02:00,168

Sean: Even like his clothing that

he is wearing, you know, you know,

:

01:02:00,258 --> 01:02:02,898

I love the scene too, where he's at

the coffee shop at the beginning.

:

01:02:02,928 --> 01:02:03,918

That, that's the other thing too.

:

01:02:05,028 --> 01:02:08,058

The, the scene at the beginning where

he's at the coffee shop, you know, sitting

:

01:02:08,058 --> 01:02:11,208

by himself telling these stories, you

know, trying to get people impressed.

:

01:02:11,508 --> 01:02:13,578

And he's saying, you know,

what are you gonna get?

:

01:02:13,758 --> 01:02:15,588

Is it shashimi or something like that?

:

01:02:15,588 --> 01:02:19,298

This dish, you know, he, he

reminds me of the what's the term?

:

01:02:19,358 --> 01:02:23,108

My daughter taught me, it actually about

a week, a week ago, a pick me girl.

:

01:02:23,378 --> 01:02:23,768

You know what I mean?

:

01:02:24,493 --> 01:02:26,108

He, he kinda reminds me of.

:

01:02:26,888 --> 01:02:30,848

Someone who's purposely just saying

something, thrown it out in the ether

:

01:02:30,938 --> 01:02:33,428

so that someone could turn their

head and be like, oh, wait a minute.

:

01:02:33,788 --> 01:02:37,418

You've had that particular dish

from, from this other continent.

:

01:02:37,468 --> 01:02:40,848

Just so he can get the it's

so cloying, but in a weird

:

01:02:40,848 --> 01:02:42,108

way that that's his character.

:

01:02:42,208 --> 01:02:43,288

Katie: Yeah, you bring up good point.

:

01:02:43,288 --> 01:02:46,018

I don't, I don't hate Frank

Whaley for this, and Yeah, he

:

01:02:46,018 --> 01:02:48,238

plays that like desperation.

:

01:02:48,238 --> 01:02:48,388

It's

:

01:02:48,503 --> 01:02:48,923

Sean: Mm-hmm.

:

01:02:48,988 --> 01:02:53,048

Katie: character has this desperation

for attention but he's like dorky and

:

01:02:53,358 --> 01:02:54,888

he gets his dream girl in the end.

:

01:02:54,888 --> 01:02:58,293

And so it's, every boy's dream,

I guess the end of this movie.

:

01:02:58,633 --> 01:03:00,403

You guys tell me, tell me what you think.

:

01:03:00,403 --> 01:03:02,713

Have you guys seen career opportunities?

:

01:03:02,983 --> 01:03:04,063

Did you like it more?

:

01:03:05,248 --> 01:03:06,478

Then John Hughes did.

:

01:03:07,208 --> 01:03:09,758

I did, I think I liked it

more than John Hughes did.

:

01:03:10,038 --> 01:03:13,968

It's a weird little ride through

target that it won me over

:

01:03:14,118 --> 01:03:15,528

definitely more than I thought.

:

01:03:15,958 --> 01:03:19,498

Sean, do you have any closing

thoughts about career opportunities?

:

01:03:19,798 --> 01:03:24,768

And then tell us where we can find more

of you if you've got anything to plug.

:

01:03:25,638 --> 01:03:25,848

Sean: Yeah.

:

01:03:25,848 --> 01:03:26,298

Thank you.

:

01:03:26,408 --> 01:03:29,138

Yeah, like I said, I don't think

it's John Hughes's best film.

:

01:03:29,438 --> 01:03:34,208

However, I would say, you know, his final

film was Curly Sue with jim Belushi.

:

01:03:34,258 --> 01:03:36,058

That was his final film, I would say.

:

01:03:36,058 --> 01:03:41,668

I think this particular film is

a much better, cap to his career,

:

01:03:41,668 --> 01:03:44,248

he's known for those

eighties films, so well.

:

01:03:44,468 --> 01:03:49,308

I think if you were on a marathon and

you started with what was it, 16 candles,

:

01:03:49,308 --> 01:03:52,188

then Breakfast Club, or excuse me, I

think it was Weird Science First, right?

:

01:03:52,428 --> 01:03:54,618

Weird Science 16 Candles, breakfast Club.

:

01:03:54,953 --> 01:03:58,433

Then pretty in pink, then some kind of

wonderful and then career opportunities.

:

01:03:58,433 --> 01:04:02,873

I think it would be a really

nice cap to that entire that

:

01:04:02,873 --> 01:04:04,763

entire series in a lot of ways.

:

01:04:04,873 --> 01:04:06,043

It's, it's not the best.

:

01:04:06,043 --> 01:04:08,443

I, you know, obviously it's for

good reason that it's not as

:

01:04:08,493 --> 01:04:11,553

as quotable and iconic, I think

as some of those other ones.

:

01:04:11,553 --> 01:04:14,433

But I do think it has, you

know, a lot of things of merit.

:

01:04:14,433 --> 01:04:18,683

Like I said, it is a delightful little

movie that, I don't think it's terrible by

:

01:04:18,683 --> 01:04:22,933

any means, so I really do appreciate you

extending the invite and allowing me to go

:

01:04:22,933 --> 01:04:24,643

down memory lane and watch this one again.

:

01:04:24,773 --> 01:04:28,463

This, this is one that I was able

to show my, my tween at home.

:

01:04:28,623 --> 01:04:30,033

My pre-teen daughter at home.

:

01:04:30,033 --> 01:04:33,033

You know, there's a couple parts that

I maybe had to mute or something like

:

01:04:33,033 --> 01:04:35,513

that, but she did enjoy this one as well,

:

01:04:36,013 --> 01:04:39,593

as far as as far as any plugs, I really

don't have anything at the moment.

:

01:04:39,703 --> 01:04:43,273

I think continue checking out the last of

the Action Heroes podcast Network Feed.

:

01:04:43,273 --> 01:04:45,013

'cause there are some cool shows on there.

:

01:04:45,323 --> 01:04:50,943

If anyone does want to hear more

of me I think the final 22, 23

:

01:04:50,943 --> 01:04:54,873

episodes, something like that of my

show are still on that network feed.

:

01:04:55,053 --> 01:04:57,893

So you may have to go back a bit,

but it's called I Must Break This

:

01:04:57,893 --> 01:04:59,863

Podcast and they can be found on there.

:

01:04:59,943 --> 01:05:00,843

Katie: Awesome.

:

01:05:00,843 --> 01:05:01,263

Awesome.

:

01:05:01,263 --> 01:05:05,913

Yeah, I would definitely check out Sean's

catalog from I must break this podcast.

:

01:05:05,913 --> 01:05:07,143

It's, it's fun.

:

01:05:07,453 --> 01:05:08,923

We all need a little more do in our

:

01:05:08,923 --> 01:05:09,553

life is what I

:

01:05:09,553 --> 01:05:09,943

always say.

:

01:05:09,943 --> 01:05:09,973

I.

:

01:05:10,128 --> 01:05:10,548

Sean: Mm-hmm.

:

01:05:10,888 --> 01:05:13,378

Katie: If you had fun with

us on this ride with career

:

01:05:13,378 --> 01:05:15,568

opportunities, I would very much

:

01:05:15,618 --> 01:05:16,518

appreciate it.

:

01:05:16,758 --> 01:05:20,028

If you would let me know

by leaving a review.

:

01:05:20,118 --> 01:05:24,618

Pretty, pretty please and

until next time, be kind.

:

01:05:24,708 --> 01:05:25,608

Rewind.

All Episodes Previous Episode

About the Podcast

Show artwork for Retromade
Retromade
Your pop culture rewind

Listen for free

Tip Retromade

Want to provide a tip to say thank you?
TIP NOW
A
We haven’t had any Tips yet :( Maybe you could be the first!