FILM 1783: CRIMINAL LAW

FILM 1783: CRIMINAL LAW

TRIVIA: First use of an American accent in a cinema movie by English actor Gary Oldman.

In 1992, real Canadian serial killers Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka changed their legal name to "Teale" after the serial killer in this film.

One of three cinema movies featuring Gary Oldman and Kevin Bacon. The movies are Criminal Law (1988), JFK (1991), and Murder in the First (1995).

According to the Turner Classic Movies website, the "film was released in one city [for (only) one day] in the USA (on) November 11, 1988".

FILM 1350: MURDER IN THE FIRST

TRIVIA: Blanche, the prostitute that James Stamphill brings to visit Henri Young (Kevin Bacon) in prison, is played by Kyra Sedgwick who was (and still is) Kevin Bacon's real-life wife.

The real life Henry Young was a bank robber who had taken and brutalized a hostage on at least one occasion and committed murder in 1933 - some 3 years before being incarcerated at Alcatraz. He had served time in State prisons in Montana and Washington before entering Federal prison for the first time in 1935 at the U.S. Penitentiary on McNeil Island, Washington (which is now a State prison).

The warden in the film, James Humson, is based on Warden James A. Johnston, who served as warden of Alcatraz from 1934 to 1948. Far from being a befuddled bureaucrat, Warden Johnston was very much in charge during his tenure on Alcatraz. Johnston had previously served as warden of both San Quentin and Folsom Prisons prior to his appointment to Alcatraz, but he did not (as depicted in the film) serve as warden for all three prisons simultaneously. (This would have been impossible, because Alcatraz was a federal prison, and San Quentin and Folsom are both state prisons.)

Kevin Bacon lost 20 pounds to play Henri Young.

According to an interview, film director Oliver Stone claims to have auditioned for the role of D.A. William McNeil, that was ultimately given to William H. Macy.

According to Stephen Tobolowsky, Oliver Stone was originally cast as Mr. Henkin but did not show up on the day of filming. Mark Rocco called Tobolowsky to take over the role just hours before shooting.

One of three movies featuring Kevin Bacon opposite Gary Oldman. The other movies are Criminal Law (1988) and JFK (1991).

Film 1079: Air Force One

Trivia: Harrison Ford told Gary Oldman to actually hit him during the filming of the fight scenes.

Gary Oldman's (Ivan Korshunov) chilling performance earned him the nickname "Scary Gary" during production, however he did not stay in character between the scenes. Director Wolfgang Peterson called the filming experience 'Air Force Fun' because of how comedic and genial Oldman would be off-screen. He also said that Oldman would suddenly return to the menacing film persona like a shot. Harrison Ford has since named Oldman as his favorite on-screen nemesis.

Film 860: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Trivia: Michael Fassbender was originally cast as Ricki Tarr, but he had to back out because he was busy filming X-Men: First Class and was replaced by Tom Hardy.

To prepare for the role of George Smiley, Gary Oldman ate a lot of treacle sponge and custard to "put on a bit of middle-aged tummy". Oldman also watched Sir Alec Guinness's performance in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and paid a visit to Smiley's creator John le Carré: "The way he touched his shirt, spoke and so on, I took all that and used it. I hope he won't mind, but Smiley is in his DNA."

Gary Oldman described Tomas Alfredson as taking a near-voyeuristic approach, by shooting with long lenses: "It was as if he was eavesdropping, like a peeping Tom, which is what you sort of want for a spy film."

Gary Oldman went to Old Focals, an eyeglass store in Pasadena, to search for the right glasses to fit George Smiley: "Glasses are funny things. For Smiley, they're iconic. It's like Bond's Aston Martin or vodka martini." Oldman tried on hundreds of glasses frames before he found the appropriate spectacles.

Connie Sachs' line about feeling "under-fucked" was allegedly originally spoken to John le Carré by W.H. Auden.

As this movie is about the uncovering of an infiltrator into the British Secret Service and the director's previous film was called 'Let the Right One In' [Let the Right One In], this film was jokingly referred to as 'Get the Wrong One Out'.