10 Classic Dying Lines in Movies

 

The only thing better than a good death in a movie, is a good line immediately before it. Some lines have achieved immortality in their own right. Here is a brief sample, in reverse chronological order.

#10 - Jack Dawson

Leonardo di Caprio, Titanic (1997)

The Line: Never let go.

After the ship sinks (uh – you did know that, didn’t you), Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) scrambles onto a door which can only support one person and Jack remains in the freezing ocean. He assures her that she is going to survive, and die an old lady in her bed, before he succumbs to hypothermia.

 

#9 - William Wallace

Mel Gibson, Braveheart (1995)

The Line: Freeeedom!!!

After the deaths of his father and brother, and later his wife, at the hands of the English, William Wallace becomes involved in the Scottish uprising against King Edward I of England. After some military successes, he is betrayed to the English, taken to London, tried and convicted of high treason. As he is undergoing public execution by torture, the magistrate offers him a quick death in exchange for a plea for mercy.

 

#8 - Thelma and Louise

Thelma and Louise (1991)

The Lines: Thelma: Go!
Louise: You sure?
Thelma: Yeah … yeah.

Two girl-friends’ weekend out turns into a nightmare after one of them shoots and kills a man attempting to rape the other. On the run from the police, led by the gruffly sympathetic Detective Hal Slocumb (Harvey Keitel), the pair are cornered near a large cliff. The final scene is well-known to most movie fans. The lines may be less familiar.

 

#7 - Hans Gruber

Alan Rickman, Die Hard (1988)

The Line: What was it you said to me before? “Yippie-ki-yay, motherfucker!”

Not quite as classic as Detective John McClane’s (Bruce Willis) line in the first place. McClane is a New York cop who has been caught up in an “exceptional” robbery disguised as a terrorist attack in Los Angeles. He has survived everything that the suave criminal mastermind and his gang have thrown at him. He confronts Gruber and a henchman with just two bullets left in his gun. They hesitate just long enough to give him a chance.

 

#6 - Roy Batty

Rutger Hauer, Blade Runner (1982)

The Line: I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time… like tears in rain… Time to die.

Batty is the leader of a group of replicants (bioengineered or biorobotic beings who serve as soldiers and slaves in off-world colonies) illegally on Earth. Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a jaded ex-police officer who once specialized in “retiring” replicants, is coerced into tracking and killing them. After dispatching three of them, he confronts Batty in a cat-and-mouse chase. Batty saves Deckard’s life just before his pre-programmed four-year lifespan runs out.

 

 

#5 - Colonel Kurtz

Marlon Brando, Apocalypse Now (1979)

The Line: The horror… the horror…

Colonel Walter E Kurtz, a member of the US Army Special Forces in Vietman, has gone insane and is commanding a native army deep in the Cambodian jungle. Captain Benjamin L Willard (Martin Sheen), a deeply troubled special operations veteran, is dispatched to find Kurtz and to “terminate [him] with extreme prejudice”. After a hazardous journey, Willard and his last remaining crew member arrive at Kurtz’ camp. Willard attacks Kurtz with a machete, and he dies whispering words taken from Joseph Conrad’s novella, Heart of Darkness, on which the movie is based.

 

#4 - Rabbi

John Cleese, Life of Brian (1979)

The Line: STOP IT STOP IT! Now look! No one is to stone anyone until I blow this whistle, understand? Even, and I want to make this absolutely clear, even if they do say “Jehovah”.

Brian Cohen (Graham Chapman) and his mother Mandy (Terry Jones) are attending the stoning of a man condemned for blasphemy. In attempting to explain himself, he utters (not) the divine name again, and the crowd begins throwing stones. The rabbi attempts to restore order and is himself set upon by the crowd.

 

#3 - Obi-Wan Kenobi

Sir Alec Guinness, Star Wars [IV: A New Hope] (1977)

The Line: You can’t win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.

Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) joins forces with Obi-wan Kenobi to rescue a beautiful princess, who turns out to be his long-lost sister, and battle an evil warlord, who turns out to be their long-lost father and Obi-wan’s long-lost protegee.

 

#2 - HAL 9000

Douglas Rain, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

The Lines: I’m afraid. I’m afraid, Dave. Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it. I can feel it. My mind is going. There is no question about it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I’m a…fraid. Good afternoon, gentlemen. I am a HAL 9000 computer. I became operational at the HAL plant in Urbana, Illinois on the 12th of January, 1992. My instructor was Mr Langley, and he taught me to sing a song. If you’d like to hear it I can sing it for you.
[Dave: Yes, I'd like to hear it, HAL. Sing it for me.]
Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do. I’m half crazy all for the love of you. It won’t be a stylish marriage, I can’t afford a carriage. But you’ll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two.

HAL is the controlling brain of the Discovery One spaceship, bound for Jupiter on a top-secret mission. Due to a conflict in his programming, HAL becomes erratic and kills four of the ship’s crew. The remaining crew member, David Bowman (Keir Dullea), disconnects HAL’s circuitry.

 

#1 - Charles Foster Kane

Orson Welles, Citizen Kane (1941)

The Line: Rosebud…

This is the first line of the movie, and the film proceeds in two directions, one tracing Kane’s life and the other showing a reporter’s search for the meaning of the enigmatic utterance. The intriguing thing is that Kane is alone when he dies, so no-one hears his dying word.

 

Bonus

Michael Corleone

Al Pacino, The Godfather: Part II (1974)

The Line: I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart!

Not a dying line, but the heartbreaking moment which seals the character’s fate.

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Top 10 Fictional Male Charmers

 

It’s not uncommon to find a fictional character, whether in literature, television or film, that has that certain alluring spark in his smile. He’s smooth, sophisticated, and always knows the right thing to say. And sadly, for many of us, we’ve fallen victim to his charisma. What is it about these guys that make men jealous and women weak at the knees? We’re exploring that today in our list of the top ten fictional charming men.

 

#10 - Sir Lancelot

Who is He: Sir Lancelot is one of the most celebrated knights of King Arthur’s Round Table. Now, it’s still unclear whether Lancelot was a real man or simply based on someone, but he does live abundantly through literature as a valiant and athletic hero in Arthurian legends. He and his fellow knights traveled across the lands on adventures that tested their courage, strengths and wits. Did we mention many of those stories involved damsels in distress?

How Charming is He: Most famously, Lancelot had an affair with Queen Guinevere, who was said to be one of the most beautiful women. His appeal was just too much for the married queen to handle. However, she wasn’t the only one that caught his attention. Young virgin damsels were often depicted fawning for him because he was dashing, youthful and, in many ways, perfect. Everything about him attracted women and kept his peers riddled with jealousy and admiration. In the famous poem “The Lady of Shalott” by Alfred Tennyson, she was so taken back by Lancelot that she brings on her own curse to follow him to Camelot, resulting in her death.

 

#9 - Han Solo

Who is He: If you don’t already know, you’ve been living under a rock in a galaxy far, far away. Han Solo is a mercenary from the film trilogy Star Wars. He was played by Harrison Ford, portrayed as a polar opposite of protagonist, Luke Skywalker. Han lives by his own rules, looks out for his own interests, and doesn’t give a damn if Chewbacca is shedding all over your seat. He’s Han Solo, baby and he shot first!

How Charming is He: As a rogue, Han’s charm isn’t similar to the rest of the men in our list. He’s in your face, challenging and self-serving for a good portion of the films. It’s only under the rugged exterior that the audience see the sweet, cool and bewitching aspect of the once lone wolf smuggler. In the ultimate example of his aloof slickness, Princess Leia professes her love for him and all Han has to say in response is, “I know,” and yet we still love him.

Similar Charmers: Action-adventure heroes Indiana Jones (also played by Harrison Ford) and Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean film trilogy, played by Johnny Depp.

 

#8 - Dorian Gray

Who is He: He was the protagonist of Oscar Wilde’s novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. He’s a man whose beauty was breathtaking, and one of the most famous examples of Adonis-like perfection in all of literature. The novel itself is a study of man’s quest for beauty and his desire for superficial excellence, demonstrated through Dorian’s wish to keep his physical appearance untainted while his portrait ages and deteriorates. Thus, his sins and transgressions never blemish his perfection, in exchange for his soul.

How Charming is He: While Dorian’s plan fails him in the end, he is still a famous charmer. Men became infatuated with his handsomeness, if only curious as to how Dorian seemed ageless, and women were unable to resist succumbing to his charms. In fact, he got every lady he desired, and broke their heart soon after. That’s just one of the perk of being the most beautiful man in literature.

Similar Charmer: Tom Jones from The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by novelist Henry Fielding.

 

#7 - Ferris Bueller

Who is He: Ferris is the lead in the 1986 film, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. This fourth-wall breaking character takes the day off from school to spend time in the city with his friends, while avoiding all chances of getting caught. This leads them through fun, exciting adventures as they push their luck with every new and surprising situation. Ferris, the leader and the brains behind their rowdy antics, barely keeps them out of trouble, but managed to pull off the perfect day without suffering any parental repercussions.

How Charming is He: One of the big reasons Ferris gets away with his victimless crime is his charm. He’s the cool kid in school, the kind that always seems to have a good time. He knows how to get in trouble, and how to get out of it in style. As said in the film, “Oh, he’s very popular, Ed. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads – they all adore him. They think he’s a righteous dude.”

 

#6 -Count Dracula

Who is He: Count Dracula was the protagonist of Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula. The character was based on Romanian general Vlad the Impaler, notably remembered for the cruel punishments he ordered on his enemies. Count Dracula’s notoriety surpassed the written word when he was adapted into films and television, making him one of the most famous villains, and the greatest vampire of all time (you heard me, Twihards). This powerful, enigmatic figure has been the subject of many interpretations, and still captures the interests of audiences today.

How Charming is He: For a second, look past the fact that he’s undead, he’s creepy and that he likes to drink your blood. When you study the rest of Dracula, you come to realize he’s actually a charmer (though some of you might argue he’s as charming as a snake). He possesses hypnotic eyes and mind controlling abilities, but more than that, he’s charismatic and worldly. Here’s this sophisticated being that lives like royalty, and treats his guest as such… until it’s dinner time, of course.

Similar Charmer: Patrick Bateman, from Bret Easton Ellis’s novel, American Psycho. Patrick is another dangerous and creepy character who might not traditionally be seen as a charmer, but he is when you look beyond the murder. And necrophilia. And cannibalism. No, really. He’s charming.

 

#5 - Jay Gatsby

Who is He: Jay Gatsby is a literary character from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby. He’s a self made man living in the U.S. during the Jazz Age. It’s through the course of the novel that readers learn Jay earned his money through bootlegging during Prohibition, when alcohol was banned. The once former poor man is now one of the most beloved socialites of his time. He hopes his wealth and power would win the heart of Daisy, a married rich woman he has loved for years.

How Charming is He: Though his heart is set on Daisy, Jay takes all opportunities to be a good host to every one of his guests (particularly the women). He is a neat dresser, polite, fun and equipped with natural good looks. Jay is the hit of every party, and the talk of the town among the rich and powerful. Both envied and desired, Jay is often thought to be the quintessential American icon.

 

#4 - Rhett Butler

Who is He: Rhett is one of the main protagonists in Margaret Mitchell’s novel, Gone with the Wind. Clark Gable’s film portrayal brought the character to life in the 1939 movie by the same name. Rhett was considered a pariah amongst the Confederate South during the U.S.’s Civil War years. He ends up falling in love with protagonist Scarlett O’Hara, despite the fact that her heart belongs to someone else.

How Charming is He: What made Rhett different from the men around him was his experience, and sophisticated understanding of human nature. He was one of the few that appeared to be involved with the Confederate South, but still able to see it from an outsider’s perspective (ultimately keeping his distance at all times). Even as a black sheep, he was accepted by his associates for his charming ways and educated ideas. There’s just something about the mustache and smile they couldn’t seem to ignore.

Similar Charmer: Bugs Bunny. The animated rabbit is actually based on Clark Gable.

 

#3 - Mr. Darcy

Who is He: From Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is not, at first, a charming man. He was respected by his peers for his fortune and demeanor, even if he believed himself superior to them, and acted with feigned modesty. It wasn’t until the woman he’s attracted to denied his marriage proposal that Mr. Darcy changed for the better. He saved her family from social disgrace, and redeemed himself by proving his arrogance was merely a facade.

How Charming is He: Mr. Darcy is a fangirl’s dream. He’s handsome, rich and English (it’s the accent). Most of all, he’s not just a good-looking guy. Once his perspective was changed, he became a gentleman who truly cared about others, especially Elizabeth, and who goes out of his way to validate his sincerity. There are many female readers that would openly admit to crushing on Mr. Darcy for these reasons.

 

#2 - Don Juan

Who is He: This fictional character is mostly known as a libertine, a person who disregards social norms and embodies what’s understood as loathsome and undesirable. Don Juan has been written about in a variety of stories, plays and poems but is consistently portrayed as a womanizer.

How Charming is He: There isn’t much explanation needed here. The name Don Juan itself has become a term meaning “ladies’ man.” Some of the stories glorify his actions, personifying him as a hero and revolutionary for embracing his sexuality, while other stories condemn him and his behavior as a warning to future and potential Don Juans. Either way, his charm can’t be matched easily by just any other man.

 

#1 - James Bond

Who is He: Secret Agent 007 was created by journalist Ian Fleming, and was featured in several of his novels. The character became a household name when he made the transition in to films (22 in total). These action movies were filled with dangerous car chases, explosions and beautiful women. Does any of that phase James Bond? Not likely.

How Charming is He: Bond can charm the pants off you. He is the epitome of cool, too. 007 only drives the most luxurious of cars, wears the sleekest of suits, and packs the kind of weapons and secret agent tools that make our most valued piece of technology look like a plaything. Villains hate him for his skill, women love him for his attitude and audiences adore him for his charms.

Similar Charmer: Movie character Austin Powers, who was based on James Bond.

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10 Often Misclassified Animated Characters

 

The animal world is filled with inspiration for animators and cartoon character designers, and often they look at little known species to avoid being cliche. Often the result is a popular character, and a lot of fans left wondering “what kind of animal is he supposed to be?” This list looks at ten examples of characters from animated movies, and it shows that there is often confusion as to their intended species. If your favorite animal character from animation is not here and you want to know the species, ask in the comments section!

#10 - Rufus

Naked Mole Rat

In the popular animated series Kim Possible, Kim’s sidekick Ron Stoppable has a small, super-smart, super-cute hairless pink rodent named Rufus as a pet. It was the only pet he could have as his father was allergic to anything furry (and he probably didn’t like reptiles either). At least in this case, the show did mention to which species Rufus belonged. He is a Naked Mole Rat (Heterocephalus glaber). These rodents are found in Africa, live in underground colonies ruled by a queen (just like termites!) and are nowhere near as cute as their animated counterpart.

Many fans become disappointed when they see the actual animal that inspired adorable Rufus; it has actually made it into many lists of ugly animals, even though it is a fascinating creature. Just to mention one of its remarkable traits: it has teeth that grow through the lips so it doesn’t need to open its mouth to use them (very useful if you live underground where dirt would go into your mouth all the time if you spent the day digging tunnels with your teeth). They are also cold blooded, like reptiles, and seem to be invulnerable to pain caused by acid and burning. And they have been known to dig their tunnels in concrete when put in zoo enclosures! Zoos keeping Naked Mole Rats keep them in special, reinforced enclosures. But not even these awesome traits will be enough for disappointed fans who wanted to have a cute, talking and singing Rufus of their own. In reality, Naked Mole Rats can’t survive out of their colony, which is why they are not available as pets.

 

#9 - Timon

Meerkat

Being possibly the most successful animated movie of all time, characters from The Lion King are known to almost everyone. Nowadays, most people knows what kind of animal Timon was, since he (and his warthog mate Pumbaa) got to appear in the two sequels to the movie and got a TV series of their own. His species has been mentioned many times since. But when the movie came out for the first time, most people was left wondering what kind of animal Timon was. Some said it was a weasel, a ferret, and when I first saw the movie, I was convinced it was a Banded Mongoose. Turns out I was close; Timon is a meerkat (Suricata suricatta), a small mongoose species found in the Kalahari Desert of Africa.

Meerkats feed on insects and larvae (just like Timon), and even on scorpions and lizards sometimes. They live in groups where there is always a sentry watching for predators while the others feed; if the sentry gives an alarm call, the other meerkats run into their burrows immediately. This behavior was portrayed in The Lion King 1/2, the second sequel to The Lion King. It must be noted that, even though Timon seems to walk on two legs most of the time, meerkats are quadrupedal and only adopt a standing posture to watch their surroundings.

 

#8 - Tai Lung

Snow Leopard

The immensely powerful villain in Kung Fu Panda has been called “a tiger”, “a jaguar”, and even “white cheetah” by both misinformed fans and the press.
In reality, he was a Snow Leopard. Snow Leopards are among the least known large predators in the world; they may look like leopards due to their spotted fur, but they are actually the closest living relatives to Tigers, according to recent genetic studies.

They live in the snowy mountains of Central Asia, and are seldom seen in the wild. Unlike other big cats, they don’t seem prone to attacking people, although they are still feared in their native lands. Being one of the few natural predators of the Giant Panda (they have been known to hunt panda cubs, especially when they wander away from their mother), it was only natural that this beautiful cat ended up being the antagonist in this successful film.

 

#7 - Kaa

Indian Python

Kaa the snake is one of the most famous characters from both Rudyard Kipling’s novel, The Jungle Book, and the numerous film adaptations that have followed. Probably, most people remember him best after his 1967 appearance in Disney’s animated version of the story. Kaa was depicted in this movie as a villain, instead of a friend as in Kipling’s novel, and was given the ability to hypnotize prey by simply making eye contact with them. (It didn’t seem to work on tigers, though). But even though the character may be well known, many people still refer to Kaa as a “boa constrictor” or “anaconda”. The fact that Kaa was portrayed by an actual anaconda in one of the live action film versions didn’t help either.

In reality, Kaa is an Indian Python (Python molurus), also known as an Asian Rock Python or Burmese Python. Kipling stated that Kaa was around 9 meters long, which makes him an exceptionally large specimen, since most Indian Pythons usually don’t grow over 6 meters long. Often seen in zoos, private collections and in the movies (since they are large and spectacular but relatively docile compared to other large pythons), Indian pythons are sadly becoming rare in their native territories due to hunting, excessive collecting for the pet market, and habitat destruction.

 

#6 - Rafiki

Baboon-Mandrill Hybrid?

Yet another Lion King character, Rafiki (whose name means “friend” in Swahilli) does not actually belong to any real species. He is officially referred to as a baboon, and at some point of the movie he implies that himself. However, he seems to be a mix between a baboon and a mandrill (having the long tail and large mane of a baboon, but the colorful nose, cheeks and buttocks of a mandrill). In reality, Mandrills are not found in open plains and are native to the jungles of western Africa, far away from the Lion King’s “Pridelands” which are supposed to be located in the Serengeti.

Interestingly, in a later Disney movie, Tarzan, a huge troop of Rafiki-like monkeys, with mandrill-like faces but baboon-like manes and tails, are among the dangerous fauna faced by the film’s hero. Why Disney animators end up using these baboon-mandrill hybrids as replacements for actual baboons and mandrills, is anyone’s guess, but we have to recognize that the result looks kinda cool.

 

#5 - Shifu

Red Panda

The wise and strict martial arts trainer to the Furious Five, in Kung Fu Panda, has been misidentified by fans as a fox, a raccoon, and even a mouse!
In reality, he is a Red Panda. Red Pandas (Ailurus fulgens) are raccoon-like animals with bright orange-red fur, found in the mountains of China, India, Nepal and some other Asian countries. They feed on bamboo, just like the more famous Giant Panda. There was a time in which both animals were thought to be closely related; today, thanks to genetic studies, we know that the Red Panda is more related to raccoons, while Giant Pandas were actual bears (and not a bear-like, gigantic raccoon relative as was believed).

#4 - Arthur Read

Aardvark

Arthur from the famous children’s show Arthur, has been ranked as one of the most popular animated characters of all times… and still, there are lots of people who don’t know what animal is he supposed to be. Some believe he is a bear, or a capybara (a giant South American rodent). In reality, he is supposed to be an Aardvark. In the Arthur books upon which the TV show is based, he actually does look like one; he has huge ears and a long, trunk-like snout. But the show creators decided to mess with the animal’s anatomy to make it “cuter”; they reduced his ears and made them rounder, and they got rid of his snout completely. The result looks like a weird, spectacle-wearing bear thing. It is kind of sad, since the Aardvark is a very interesting animal that doesn’t get much attention in animation these days. Aardvarks are found in Africa and feed mostly on termites; they are the last living members of a once abundant group of prehistoric mammals.

 

 

#3 - Mort (Madagascar)

Mouse lemur

It is quite obvious that Mort, the small, fluffy, huge-eyed character in the Madagascar films, was designed to make the audiences go “Aaaaaw!” even though King Julien, the ring-tailed lemur, thought he was utterly annoying. But even though audiences did go “Aaaaaw!”, they were also left wondering what kind of animal Mort was. Most people thought it was a squirrel, while others referred to him as a mouse or a tarsier. In reality, Mort is meant to be a Mouse Lemur, specifically a Pygmy Mouse Lemur (Microcebus myoxinus), one of the smallest primates in the world. These nocturnal animals use their huge eyes to find prey (insects and small vertebrates, although they also eat fruit and tree sap) at night. They are only found in Madagascar and are probably endangered due to habitat destruction.

#2 -Pete

Cat

The Mickey Mouse Universe is really weird and disturbing if you think about it. It is populated mainly by dog-human hybrids; Goofy is obviously based on a dog, and his pal Mickey Mouse is freakishly big for a rodent and keeps an actual dog as a pet. Therefore, it shouldn’t be that surprising that Mickey’s arch-nemesis is not a bulldog, or a hippopotamus, or a bear, or whatever people usually (and understandably) think he is. He is actually a cat.

It was only natural for Disney to have a cat as a foe to Mickey Mouse. In some early cartoons, such as Steamboat Willie (1928) you can even see his pointy ears and long feline tail (the cartoon also depicts a normal cat which is tormented by Mickey!). Eventually, however, Pete became bigger and rounder, lost almost all of his feline traits (except for his pointy ears), and now many people has no idea of what animal is (although most seem to think of him as a dog). But since he actually acts like a human, as do Mickey and all his freaky friends, it would probably be just the same if he really was a bulldog or a hippopotamus…

#1 - Scrat

“Saber toothed squirrel” (Fictional)

Although officially described as a “Saber toothed squirrel”, this incredibly popular creature from the Ice Age movies doesn’t belong to any known species, living or prehistoric. His obsessive love for acorns has helped define him as “some sort of squirrel” to most people, but look a little closer and you will realize he is obviously no squirrel.

According to some, Scrat was invented by a cartoon designer, inspired by a rat-squirrel hybrid she saw in New York’s Central Park (hence the original name Sqrat). However, some have suggested that he may have been inspired by a prehistoric animal named Leptictidium, which was bipedal, like Scrat, and had a long snout (but no saberteeth). Some have also stated that his physical appearance is suspiciously reminiscent of Wile E. Coyote, another obsessive cartoon mammal with a long record of painful accidents. Whatever his origins were, one thing is for sure; Scrat may very well be the most successful silent comedian of the last decades. Does it really matter what species he belongs to?

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Top 10 Movie Recasts You Don’t Know

 

What if your favorite character had been portrayed by a completely different actor than the one you’re familiar with? Would you still feel the same way about the movie? Most movie productions go through a long casting process before they’re able to find the right person for the lead. In some cases, recasts take place just before, or sometimes during filming. Whether because of differences of opinion with the director, poor acting skills, or prior obligations, some actors just don’t work out. These are ten of the most surprising could-have-been stars of popular movies that you might not know about.

 

#10 - Lance Henriksen as The Terminator

When James Cameron first wrote the script, he wanted a regular looking guy who didn’t stand out in a crowd. Henriksen, who was a long time friend of Cameron’s, was his first choice. When Schwarzenegger came in to read for the role of Kyle Reese, it was decided that he would be better suited in the lead role. Henriksen would eventually be cast as Detective Vukovich, a relatively small role. Afterwards he would also star in Cameron’s Aliens in the role of Bishop. O.J. Simpson had also been considered as the Terminator but Cameron felt he was “too nice” to play a killing machine.

 

#9 - Dougray Scott as Wolverine

X-Men

Little known Scottish actor, Dougray Scott, had originally been cast in the role of Wolverine. Unfortunately for Scott, the filming of Mission Impossible 2 had been delayed for several weeks and caused him to miss out on the role of a life time. Director Bryan Singer had to make a last minute recast and chose, then unknown, Hugh Jackman; who has since reprised the role 3 more times with plans for yet another sequel. Jackman has gone on to have a highly successful career. Dougray Scott, on the other hand, went on to play some guy on Desperate Housewives.

 

#8 - Sylvester Stallone as Axel Foley

Beverly Hills Cop

Jerry Bruckheimer originally wanted Mickey Rourke in the lead role, but when he pulled out, it was offered to Stallone. Stallone personally rewrote the script. He removed all the elements of humor and had plans on turning the film into an action packed blockbuster. Due to budgetary constraints, Stallone and the producers went their separate ways. Stallone took his ideas from his rewrite and made the film Cobra. After Eddie Murphy was cast, script rewrites were made to repair the damage done by Stallone. In Beverly Hills Cop 2, there is a brief scene in which Axel Foley is looking at a poster from Cobra while talking on the phone.

 

#7 - Leonardo DiCaprio as Patrick Bateman

American Psycho

From the start, director Mary Harron had wanted Christian Bale to star, but when the production company offered the role to DiCaprio, she backed out. Oliver Stone was hired on to direct, with DiCaprio starring as Patrick Bateman. However, before filming started, several women’s rights activists, including Gloria Steinem, protested the film being made due to what they felt was misogynistic content, and how it would affect DiCaprio’s young female fanbase. DiCaprio left the project due to several issues with the script, Stone followed shortly after. Mary Harron and Bale returned. Coincidentally, Gloria Steinem married Christian Bale’s father, John, shortly afterwards.

 

#6 - Jean-Claude Van Damme as Predator

Producers cast van Damme as the title role in the hopes that his martial arts abilities would make the predator seem agile, despite the costume; which, at the time, was a completely different design from the one seen in the movie. Van Damme found the suit uncomfortable and clumsy, about which he was quite vocal on set. He quit after two days of filming, allegedly because he was upset about playing an “uncredited special effect”. A new, more agile costume design and 7’2″ actor Kevin Peter Hall made for a much more imposing villain.

 

 

#5 - Stuart Townsend as Aragorn

the Lord of the Rings trilogy

Irish actor Stuart Townsend spent two months rehearsing and training for the role of Aragorn, only to be fired the day before filming began. At the last minute, Peter Jackson decided that he needed someone older than Townsend, who was only 29 at the time. There were also rumors that the two did not get along well on set. Viggo Mortensen, who was 14 years older than Townsend, accepted the role after being convinced by his son, who was a fan of the novels. Townsend never received compensation for his time on set, yet he was apparently happy to be moving on.

 

#4 - Chris Farley as Shrek

Chris Farley was originally signed on to voice the ogre, Shrek, and had recorded the majority of the dialogue for it. Tragically, Farley died from a heart attack, induced by a drug overdose, before he could finish. The script that Farley read from was vastly different from the version completed with Mike Myers. Originally, Shrek was written as a kind hearted, teenaged ogre who wanted to become a knight. After Farley’s death, Dreamwork’s decided to start fresh. As a tribute, Shrek is seen using finger quotes throughout the movie in reference to one of Farley’s famous SNL characters.

 

#3 - Harvey Keitel as Willard

Apocalypse Now

Francis Ford Coppola’s epic film was plagued with problems from the start: Sets were destroyed by typhoons, Marlon Brando was uncooperative and overweight, and he was forced to settle on Harvey Keitel in the lead. Steve McQueen, Robert Redford, Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino had all turned down the role. After a few days of shooting, Coppola reviewed some of his footage and decided that Keitel was not well suited for the role. Martin Sheen, who had impressed Coppola when he had read for the part of Michael Corleone in the Godfather, stepped in as Keitel’s replacement. A few months into shooting Sheen had a heart attack, delaying the film, yet again. What was to be a 5 month shoot ended up taking over a year to complete.

 

#2 - Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones

Little known actor Tom Selleck auditioned for Indiana Jones as well as Magnum P.I. in the same year, and was cast in both roles. Unfortunately for Selleck, he had signed the contract for Magnum P.I. first and CBS wouldn’t let him out of it. Selleck had no choice but to turn down what could have been the biggest role of his career. Spielberg convinced Lucas to give Harrison Ford the part. Ford went on to become one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood, while Selleck is now starring in a series of TV movies. As it turned out, shooting for Magnum P.I. was delayed until after Raiders had commenced, which would have given Selleck time to do both.

 

#1 - Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly

Back to the Future

Robert Zemeckis’s first choice for the part of Marty McFly, Michael J. Fox, was unavailable due to his contract with Family Ties. Zemeckis then settled on Eric Stoltz and began filming. According to some rumours, the entire film was shot before the casting change was made. Stoltz’s portrayal of McFly came off as “humorless and dramatic”, which wasn’t what producers had in mind. Zemeckis decided the film wasn’t going to turn out the way he had intended and, despite costing an extra three million dollars, he decided to sack Stoltz and start from scratch. Fortunately for Zemeckis, Michael J. Fox had since become available, and the Marty McFly we know and love was born.

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10 little known facts about the Simpsons

1. Every Simpson family member’s middle name begins with “J”

2. On the opening of every episode Maggie is listed to cost $847.63 at the cash register. It’s the same amount that raising a baby costs in a year in the US.

3. It takes 6 – 8 months to make each episode.

4. Even the Simpsons have email, apparently. Lisa has said her email address is “smartgirl63_\@yahoo.com”, and Homer’s is “chunkylover53@aol.com”.

5. There are 121 Springfields in the US. – Matt Groening picked the name for the city because it was so common and well-known.

6. The “couch gag” sequence is frequently used to help show staff make the show longer or shorter, depending on the length of the episode itself. Most couch gags last only about five seconds, but the longest one on record lasted 46 seconds.

7. The aliens, Kang and Kodos, are named after characters from Star Trek. Kodos was a mass murderer, similar to Adolf Hitler, and Kang was a Klingon.

8. Comic Book Guy’s Real name is Jeff Albertson, Bumblebee guy’s real name is Pedro.

9. Lisa has celebrated her 8th birthday on two separate episodes.

10. 764-84377 is the phone number for Moe’s Tavern. It spells out SMITHERS.

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