[money shot from Scanners]
When I was a kid, I used to ponder in math class, “What if Summer School’s Mr. Shoop starred in a dark dorktastic action comedy with a lot of cocaine.” And then I saw True Romance, probably my favorite Hollywood-Hollywood film of all time, and I didn’t ask any more questions for a long time. And now here I am linking to Maxim (no rickroll), because the lad mag did the definitive 15-years-later retrospective with director Tony Scott, screenwriter Quentin Tarantino, and pretty much everyone in that blitzed golden wand of a cast, including Tom Sizemore (!), Pitt, Gandolfini, Val Kilmer/Elvis, Hopper and Balki. The end result equals quotes and Tinsel Town mythos for years. Not exactly SFW but it’s a Friday, oh, yes it is…
Patricia Arquette (Alabama) actually named Tony Scott’s right hand because he slapped her around so much to get ready for certain scenes. WTF…
Scott: When she couldn’t get herself there emotionally, Patricia used to call my right hand “the Persuader.” She’d say, “Bring on the Persuader,” and I’d have to slap her. She’d say, “Hit me harder!” I’d stand there on the set giving Patricia right-handers. That does not happen a lot with me and actors.
As much as I love the ending of the film, I’m fond of contemplating whether it would have worked even better if Christian Slater’s Clarence Worley had died. Scott persuaded Tarantino to go with his director’s vision for a fairy tale survivor ending, but QT seems to have a lil’ egging dissonance to this day…
Tarantino: When I watched the movie, I realÂized that Tony was right. He always saw it as a fairy tale love story, and in that capacity it works magnifÂicently. But in my world Clarence is dead and Alabama is on her own. If she ever shows up in another one of my scripts, Clarence will still be dead.
If I was a bastard, I’d paste the entire thing, but this back-and-forth is too delicious to pass up…
Scott: Gary called me out of the blue and said, “I’ve got it. I know exactly who this guy is: He’s my drug dealer.”
Gary Oldman: My drug dealer? Tony would fucking get me arrested, wouldn’t he? I’ve never had a drug dealer! I organized Drexl’s dreadlocks under my own steam. Then I went to a dentist who made the teeth. Then I thought about giving him a weird eye. I’m only in the film for about 10 minutes-I wanted to make my mark. I heard this gang of black kids outside my trailer and thought, That’s Drexl. I showed this kid my lines and said, “Does this seem authentic?” He changed some words. He said, “That don’t fly. Drexl wouldn’t say ‘titties’; he’d say ‘breasteses.’ ”
Tarantino: Those kids were clowning him, and he believed them because he didn’t know any better. Because he’s British.
I thought this quote from Sizemore (evidently on the loose!) was the perfect summation, but definitely read the entire thing…
Tom Sizemore: Tony started every take like this: “Rock’n'roll, motherfuckers! Action!”
As the players point out, this movie made under $12 million at the box office when it was released in 1993. If you go out tonight, pour out a sip for Chris Penn. And yeah, the Joel Silver resemblance is discussed if you’re wondering. ;) And so are the words “eggplant” and “cantaloupe.”
Discuss: Can someone translate this: “I organized Drexl’s dreadlocks under my own steam.”Â
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Great post Hunter,
I love how vivid it’s still for these guys after al these years. Brad Pitt’s commentary on the anniversary edition of the DVD is still my favorite. Especially when he spoke about how he “found” the hat he wears in the movie.
He thought it was White Boy Day.
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:33 pm
He didn’t wash his hair to get the dreads going.
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:48 pm
outstanding, great post and that article was an awesome read. I still rememeber first time i watched that movie, totally blown away
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:57 pm
True Romance is hands down my favorite movie ever. I often say that I want my life to be exactly like it with maybe a little less guns. So I really enjoyed this post.
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Fuck fuck fuck
1st post guys, what do you expect
i sort of like this movie or film or flick
i’m out…………………………………………….
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:20 pm
By the way Hunter, the Maxim link leads to the second page of the article.
Unless you meant to that that?
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:53 pm
In Britain to do something under your own steam means to do it yourself. Oldman’s saying he organised the dreadlocks himself, that it had nothing to do with anybody else.
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Tarantino’s best writing ever. This is the movie I always ask new friends (girlfriends) if they’ve seen before. If not, we’re gonna watch it. Favorite Line - Bronson Pinchot “You want me to suck his dick? Oh! Who the fuck is Dick?”
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Great movie, great post. Thanks a lot. I can’t believe they rounded up just about every actor who was in that classic film. I’ve had many friends who have never heard of this film, but once they see it they’re hooked.
I still say it’s better than Jackie Brown.
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:44 pm
It’s probably my favorite Tarantino movie. Even if you hate the guy it’s hard not to love this movie. AWESOME post, Hunter.
May 3rd, 2008 at 10:22 am
the most underrated film at that time. im glad there was a cult following after the release on vhs. before then, i never knew tarantino even wrote this film.
May 3rd, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Favorite. Film. Ever.
May 3rd, 2008 at 8:33 pm
One of the most underrated movies of all time in my opinion. Tarantino is the man.
May 4th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
LOVE this movie. Great article. Patricia Arquette is my favorite actress ever and she rocks this movie. Love the bit about “The Persuader”. Amazing how many fantastic actors they got for this movie! But Patricia owns it! Tarantino is a freakin’ radical, man!! The dialogue in this movie is CLASSIC!!
My favorite line-
“I think what you did ,..I think what you did was so-. romantic!”