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Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 8:01 am
by brian
Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
Director: George Armitage
Screenwriter: Tom Jankiewicz, D.V. DeVincentis, Steve Pink, John Cusack
Starring: John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Alan Arkin, Dan Aykroyd
Running Time: 107 minutes
Budget: $15 million
Box Office: $30 million
Streaming availability: Checking
On-demand/PPV: $2.99/$3.99 on cable and satellite services
Other availability: Probably the usual rental places like Amazon, Roku, etc.
Start Time: 9:00 p.m. (movie starts at 9:10 p.m.)
Random notes:
The score for the movie was composed by the one and only Joe Strummer.
Gonna flesh out the rest of the schedule for the rest of the spring here this week.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 11:01 am
by Giff
One of my all-time favorites. The Sargent Pepper line gets me every single time.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 2:15 pm
by sancarlos
I know you usually pick films that are easy to mock, but I legitimately like this one.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 2:26 pm
by Giff
We've had other truly outstanding flicks - Jackie Brown and Bottle Rocket to name a couple.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 12:17 pm
by brian
I'll post a pause point here in a little bit and will flesh out a schedule later today with the suggestions that have been made (and maybe a surprise or two!). Also we'll take the night of the first round of the NFL Draft off two weeks from tonight as we did last year.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 12:58 pm
by Giff
Popcorn!
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 2:18 pm
by DSafetyGuy
Start from the beginning, prior to the Hollywood Pictures* logo (only two logos before things start rolling)?
For a pause point, may I suggest the end of John Cusack and Minnie Driver's first meeting for drinks (around the 52-minute mark - I have it on DVR, so I can't do any better)? She drives off in her car, he stands on the sidewalk, cracks his neck, then walks off screen. Pause on the cut to his office at night.
* There used to be a saying in the movie industry about Hollywood Pictures' output based on their logo - "If it's from the sphinx, it stinks!"
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 2:27 pm
by brian
DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Thu Apr 15, 2021 2:18 pm
Start from the beginning, prior to the Hollywood Pictures* logo (only two logos before things start rolling)?
For a pause point, may I suggest the end of John Cusack and Minnie Driver's first meeting for drinks (around the 52-minute mark - I have it on DVR, so I can't do any better)? She drives off in her car, he stands on the sidewalk, cracks his neck, then walks off screen. Pause on the cut to his office at night.
* There used to be a saying in the movie industry about Hollywood Pictures' output based on their logo - "If it's from the sphinx, it stinks!"
Certainly works for me.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 2:34 pm
by rass
This is just two years removed from Minnie Driver playing as the supposedly less attractive and (again supposedly, it is a plot point) overweight member of, uh, A Circle of Friends.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 3:09 pm
by Giff
I liked her in Return to Me. That's an underrated flick.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 7:56 pm
by brian
OK, a little less than 15 minute warning. Sadly, this movie was not filmed in Grosse Pointe.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:09 pm
by DSafetyGuy
Been too long since I've watched this. About ten seconds away...
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:10 pm
by brian
I'll drop my fanfic book on you all later about Martin Blank's life if he would have accepted his Centralis Scholarship from CMU instead.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:11 pm
by brian
"Is that a niner?"
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:11 pm
by rass
Who’s better than Alan Arkin?
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:12 pm
by Johnny Carwash
Just in general, I miss opening credits sequences that took a while before showing the actual movie footage.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:13 pm
by DSafetyGuy
Odd that Grocer's exit route goes through the hotel.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:14 pm
by brian
This is seriously probably one of Ackroyd's top three performances.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:15 pm
by DSafetyGuy
brian wrote: ↑Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:14 pm
This is seriously probably one of Ackroyd's top three performances.
It's right before his performances started setting records for his top weight.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:15 pm
by brian
The breakup of the Eastern bloc really probably did result in a serious drop in prices for murder for hire.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:15 pm
by Johnny Carwash
Aykroyd's kind of underrated as an actor in stuff he wasn't involved in making.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:16 pm
by brian
These hitmen only renting Lincoln Continentals somehow also seems right to me.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:17 pm
by DSafetyGuy
This scene where Cusack and Aykroyd meet is not far from where that camp was in "They Live".
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:17 pm
by Johnny Carwash
Also great casting. If it had been someone who always plays psychopathic villians, I don't think it's as good.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:19 pm
by Johnny Carwash
The fact that he seems to have a set-up device for doing specifically this is neat.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:19 pm
by brian
And yes, that Sgt. Pepper line always kills me too.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:21 pm
by Johnny Carwash
Random thought, did Joan Cusack ever play Lucille Ball in the thousand TV movies made about her? If not, it's criminal.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:21 pm
by DSafetyGuy
Johnny Carwash wrote: ↑Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:21 pm
Random thought, did Joan Cusack ever play Lucille Ball in the thousand TV movies made about her? If not, it's criminal.
Valid point.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:21 pm
by brian
Alan Arkin? Also perfect casting.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:25 pm
by DSafetyGuy
I really enjoy the psychology behind how Cusack rationalizes his job (it's not me, you did something to deserve it, etc.).
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:27 pm
by brian
These helicopter shots were the only ones actually filmed in the Detroit area :-(
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:28 pm
by brian
So Hank Azaria and this other guy are obviously CIA, but I'm still not certain why they're after a hitman, albeit even an American one that operates overseas. Also, it's illegal for the CIA to operate on American soil, though I imagine that's still not honored.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:29 pm
by DSafetyGuy
brian wrote: ↑Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:27 pm
These helicopter shots were the only ones actually filmed in the Detroit area :-(
"Monrovia Beauty Supply". Makes me sad.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:29 pm
by brian
"Rudy Can't Fail" is probably the most underrated Clash song.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:31 pm
by brian
His "fake" jobs are all hilarious, as if the fact that everyone either believes him or realizes he's being sarcastic and never presses him on it.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:31 pm
by Johnny Carwash
Every movie high school looks like a mini Ivy League university. Waiting for one that depicts the brutalist prison-esque nightmare I went to.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:32 pm
by brian
I love the cut into the party store (Detroit term!) when "Live and Let Die" transitions to the Musak in the store.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:32 pm
by rass
One musical beat in this movie that has totally stuck with me even though most of the rest of the movie slipped away. Excited to see if I remember it correctly.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:33 pm
by DSafetyGuy
Stroh's in the cooler. Grab a sixer.
Re: Swamp Quarantine-ish Movie Night - Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Thursday, April 16, 9 PM ET
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:33 pm
by rass
Zima and ice beers.