FILM 1976: THE BIG SICK

FILM 1976: THE BIG SICK

TRIVIA: The film was released in the United States on Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon's tenth wedding anniversary.

While writing the script, Kumail Nanjiani wanted his on-screen family to reflect the jokey and humorous traits of his real-life family. He bemoaned that so many Muslim characters were so frequently depicted as overly serious, and he aimed to avoid that stereotype.

The decision to add the real-life photos of Emily and Kumail in the credits was suggested by actress Leslie Mann after seeing an early cut of the film.

Producer Judd Apatow reached out to Ray Romano for the part of Terry, after briefly working with him in the movie Funny People (2009). He was also a huge fan of Romano's sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond (1996).

In an interview on The Late Show, Zoe Kazan admitted that while filming the scenes where she was in a coma she often fell asleep and inevitably ruined takes by waking up in the middle of them.

The film was the only non-Best Picture nominee for the year to be nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars.

Mary's stand-up routine with the flip-chart easel is based on Aidy Bryant's real stand-up routine.

FILM 1227: ANNIE HALL

TRIVIA: Diane Keaton's real name is Diane Hall and her nickname is Annie.

The passerby Alvy refers to as "the winner of the Truman Capote look-alike contest" is in fact Truman Capote, who appears uncredited.

The scene where Alvy and Annie are at their psychiatrists, which looks like a split screen scene, was actually shot simultaneously on one set with an adjoining wall.

Annie's outfits, which caused a brief fashion rage, were Diane Keaton's own clothes.

Sigourney Weaver's screen debut, in a non-speaking part as Alvy's date near the end of the movie.

At 93 minutes, it is the second shortest film to win the Best Picture Oscar. The shortest film to win the Best Picture Oscar is Marty (1955) at 91 minutes.

The film's working title was "Anhedonia" - the inability to feel pleasure. United Artists fought against it (among other things, they were unable to come up with an ad campaign that explained the meaning of the word) and Woody Allen compromised on naming the film after the central character three weeks before the film's premiere. Other titles suggested were "It Had to Be Jew", "A Rollercoaster Named Desire", and "Me and My Goy".