FILM 1880: APOLLO 13

FILM 1880: APOLLO 13

TRIVIA: In a commentary track, Marilyn Lovell comments that Tom Hanks exactly portrays Jim Lovell's mannerisms and style of movement.

The famous understatement was actually made twice by two astronauts. Jack Swigertsaid, "OK Houston, we've had a problem here." Mission Control said, "This is Houston. Say again, please." Then Jim Lovell said, "Ahh, Houston, we've had a problem." On the recording, Swigert is garbled at the beginning, while Lovell is clear, so the recording of Lovell is often heard, leading to the impression he said it, even though Swigert said it first. It's commonly misquoted as, "Houston, we've got a problem," or "Houston, we have a problem." Because "we've had" implies the problem has passed, Ron Howard chose to use "we have".

Jim Lovell wore his old Navy Captain's uniform in the scene where he greets the astronauts aboard the U.S.S. Iwo Jima. When Ron Howard asked Lovell if he'd like to be in the film as the ship's Admiral, Lovell agreed, but pointed out, "I retired as a Captain; a Captain I will be."

In some scenes where the Earth can be seen from the windows of Apollo 13, it is one of the photos taken by Jim Lovell and Bill Anders on the Apollo 8 mission.

Marilyn Lovell really did lose her ring down the drain, but eventually found it again.

Ron Howard's favorite of his own films.

John Cusack and Charlie Sheen were originally offered the role of Fred Haise (played by Bill Paxton), but turned it down.

The Mission Control set was nearly a carbon copy of the original one in Houston. The production crew originally wanted to film in the original Mission Control room in Houston, which is now a historic landmark. However, the original room was found to be too small to be used for a film production. The production crew took precise measurements of every part of the room and replicated it on a Hollywood set. One of the real Apollo 13 flight controllers, Jerry Bostick, left the Mission Control set one day looking for the elevator, convinced that it was the real thing (the original Mission Control is on the third floor of the building).

Many of the actors in Mission Control were being fed lines directly from technical advisers on set.

CAMEO:Jean Speegle Howard: Ron Howard's mother plays Blanche Lovell.

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 1622: PATRIOTS DAY

TRIVIA: The casting call for extras for the film resulted in a line stretching the entire quarter-mile length of Braintree Street in Allston.

First feature film scored by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross that isn't directed by David Fincher.

The films script was merged by two separate scripts. One was called "Boston Strong" and focused more on the action/thriller side of the story. Another was titled "Patriots Day" which was more of a factual drama. The final script was a mix of the two which would have the film be both factually correct and would have some tense action to keep the audience involved and entertained.

After David Ortiz's speech the Boston Red Sox went on to win the World Series that year in 2013.

FILM 1422: HOLLOW MAN

TRIVIA: An anatomically correct, totally working computer model was created of Kevin Bacon's entire body - down to the last capillary. The 3D model has since been donated to scientific researchers.

During filming, Kevin Bacon wore skin-tight costumes in green, blue, grey or black, to assist with the adding of special effects. Some of his cast mates said that the hardest part of the role was not laughing at someone painted in black, green, blue or grey, pretending to be mean.

When the crew carries a half-invisible Sebastian back to the operating table, a metal skeleton was used. It was made of metal in order to make it heavy so the actors would give the impression of carrying a human body.

Guy Pearce and Edward Norton were considered for the role of Sebastian. Kevin Bacon was chosen for his "ability to be both charming and diabolical".

Despite assumptions that Bacon would not be needed on set, except when his character Sebastian is visible, Verhoeven and the crew realized after test footage was shot, that he would need to be present to interact with the cast, as "the other actors were stranded in empty space, and the scenes looked stiff, inorganic and unconvincing" without him.

FILM 1366: WHERE THE TRUTH LIES

TRIVIA: An important plot twist, part of the reason the film was given an NC-17 rating in the US, is revealed in the documentary 'This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006)'.

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).