Filmmaker Robert Zemeckis Retrospect

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1:00No! No! Alright, I'll kill the sound. Yeah, there's a lot of work. Yeah, there's a lot of work. I hadn't seen that movie a long time but I forgot a lot of it. It's really funny. I think it's his best comedy. Yeah, anything you know would agree with you. Yeah, it's amazing. I know that one lady that directed, I can see that. Directed was a Brady Bunch. I think she had she started the film where she was topless yeah, yeah, I think her name she was in the hill street blues I think yes, yes, the comedian gal who's gone on to do other stuff like private parts in dr. Do little Uh, I know who you're talking about. Yeah, any Thomas. Yes. Yeah. Yeah, she's amazing She directed a bunch of episodes of dream on and probably one of the most successful actor-turned-directors Oh, welcome everybody. Uh, so More swab than Rico's swapping himself. Tom is here. Hey, who well?

2:00Never gonna break his stride. Mike is here. Yes Then I got to pick my step and he asked for a courtesy. Not a favorite. Gil is also present. I'd be here I'm here now So long behold. I was just like yeah I'm not Mike wanted to talk about some other obscure comedies and I'm like well a lot of these are right Robert's amicus Let's talk about Robert's amicus You want to talk ensemble varieties Yeah, spectacles. He he's the one from the late 70s to Most of the 90s. We got plenty of hits. We got plenty of duds, but let's focus on the good first So he has frequently collaborated with music composer Ellen Sylvestery cinematographer Dean Kundi And uh his film school buddy turned co-writer Bob Gale. There's done a lot of comic books Okay, yeah, it's so wild. It's like how I want to hold your hand to this apps like 1941 Then he's slowly deviaged from Spillberg

3:03Just even when it's a movie. I don't want to see. I'm like I can understand why He's interested in doing this even if it misfires. He is he used to be married to the late actress Miriel and trainer, you know, from various joule silver productions. He's the That is first wife for yeah, that was his first wife then he married uh Skinnemax actress Leslie Zemekas, who is uh very catch eye catching He has collaborated many times also with Robin Wright pen and Tom Hanks But yeah, it's just so wild like whenever I assume an interview is he always kind of Looks like a doppeldanger of like Pixar's John Lasseter and just some other kind of film school guys I'm like, yeah, he looks like one of us He looks like every day, you know average Joe, but he has those classes and you know and listening to this These tells from the Crimson podcast. It's great hearing Alcats do a funny Impression of them and it often goes like hey guys. Yeah Zemekas here. What we're making a movie? What what you got for me and

4:04He cited in these various podcasts how he Zemekas is always positive minded and he make which makes for good leadership But what what do you guys kind of just make of them is it's like how he's kind of One minute he does effects stuff then the next minute. He does kind of retro throwback movies I realize one thing he tends to have a lot of nymphomaniac women in his films Yeah, there is a proof that there is a proof from Jenny including Jenny. Yeah, from Forest Gump Dan Knight. Yeah, and Marty but flies mother Yeah, exactly and then Oh, in the 1941 or twice with um, who's the actress? She's in the Beatles Hotel room going. Not sound like it tires and Oh That's see is that Nancy something Nancy Alan And my name is that's the movies. I think it might be. Yeah, I think it was I think you're right

5:06Well, they called her McGill. They should call herself a little bit everyone. Yeah, Nancy Don't you love how This could have got his career could have gone south. He could have just been the guy who Spielberg helped out and then disappeared You know, and fortunately Spielberg was had a conscience and didn't exploit the guy But it is always wild is like it's pretty hard to watch all of his movies. Oh, I couldn't come up with a top 10 list for him But he's done just so much that I can totally understand why He's kind of critic proof and at the same time people are like. Yeah, I didn't need to Know anything else. He he did he came and saw and did what he wanted to do Did he direct flight with Denzel? Yeah, he did I promise I'll do I think I see you know, I think I've seen all his movies then Really? Okay. Yeah, so I like disanimated bail wolf Yeah, I didn't see that. I didn't see that. We saw that in Theators it was very eye-catching 3D and we were kind of joking about

6:07It was like of course Anthony Hoffman. This is gonna play the king. You know, I'm passing it on the torches of the next guy Yeah, of course Angelina Jolie's gonna be the snake woman. Yeah, this is so fun. Yeah, it was a British guy playing bail Ray Woodstone and he also he's a heavy guy and he also played the monster that that's how what they did is The double-end question capture. Yeah, I should know the guy's name Marty McFly's dad's and the two is but is a clever Grendel. Yeah, that's right. Oh good catch I so there you go. There's another constant collaborator um Dick Miller shows up a few times Yes, he does the Corbin regular. He does use a lot of Corbin guys um And it's kind of so fun is like what when he does something is like well of course he did that like he just He kind of just has that fearlessness He just wants to make a fun kind of party movie Yeah, the thing about it for me is that he it's a subject matter. It's so diverse It's not yeah, he's not just doing science fiction or he's not just doing the beam movie

7:08He's doing a little bit of everything I can't really have a vlog bill Performer because you could you can always count on them them to be able to do more than just one thing It's it became he's multifaceted Which I think helps the longevity and his popularity Yes, that's the best way to put it. He kind of I think because he has imagination even if you're underwhelmed by it, you're not going. Oh, he's a sell-out. Oh, you know Seen better days man Not never to the point where you're like oh, yeah overrated and I'm like no he's had some bad movies But he's had some good movies and the good ones really shine those are like five movies stacked together Well, I'm trying to remember when Polar Express came out and he was pushing that motion capture for his animation Which they used for bail wolf basically, yeah, he kind of experimented with a lot. I didn't see I think I've seen part of it. I remember I had the family members who saw it and they were like

8:11We didn't think it was good, but it was kind of entertaining Yeah, I haven't seen Polar Express yet, but I did like bailable. I've never seen Polar Express I've also heard that a lot of the downtown scenes are based on Grand Rapids Christmas In the 60s and 70s Sounds about right The display windows and stuff. I mean a lot of places have that. I couldn't keep up. I think there's there's a connection there I've yet to see that movie a little bit It's definitely Feels like these guys are all in these different inner cities just traveling around, but um Yeah, I didn't keep up with a Christmas Carol which had Jim Carrey in motion capture a Scrooge and I would see that one either Uh, but yeah, flight was kind of a cool comeback because it just didn't you never would have known that's so back is what what the hell Did he do the terminal with Tom Hanks? Uh, that never spilled word, but see so there you go I think that's just it if he does something Insider it's easy to because he uses Tom Hanks so much have the time

9:13You're like is this a run hour to spill productions like no, it's as a Vegas production I forgot I was Spielberg. I did I saw it too. I was so let down by the walk though because that was such an amazing real-life story and then I got the the walk About the one acrobatic guy who Uh, why are artists two towers that walk that the world trade center and yeah, it had an amazing cast I also Gordon James vegdale been Kingsley and I saw it and I was just like Hmm, I didn't really quite take off dead But this is it like he had the idea regardless of his execution when I saw allied I was like so that's basically his love letter to Casablanca kind of Uh romantic war movies I have not seen all his films definitely there Uh, and lately he's been doing a lot of HBO Max stuff I know he did the fantasy comedy the witches which got mixed reviews then he did Uh, Pinocchio Yeah live action that I never saw that either how long ago that came out

10:17I came out in 2022 and they came out around the same time Del Toro did his jupato so I was like I can't keep up with these Fairytale reimagining movies Well, they mentioned in the commentary and use cars that open the same weekend as airplane Is that why it didn't do well? Yeah, and uh Kurt Russell said there was a critic said airplane is twice as many laps But use cars has better laps and then he goes well who wants who cares you you want to get more laughs, you know Right But uh, I agree with that surmise I love airplane, but uh use cars is just so much It has way more detail put into it. Yeah, it's it's not a airplane is kind of a farce compared to use cars You use cars has a good story and everything you know and wild how it keeps getting like rediscovered like But it's still it's in some they're both their own animals. I'm trying to say Yeah, you're doing it cut down airplane at all. Yeah, no, you're being respectful of both But it's just interesting how it's it's like it is kind of funny is like why does one do better than the others? Yeah

11:21Uh, but it is kind of a funny satire on again. Yeah Car salesman industry Use cars is our rate of that may have heard it a bit of it. Some of it's pretty out there I was surprised that death that comes are growing up was PG-13 because I would watch that and be like man that is Diabolical and risque use cars is no, uh, death becomes her Death becomes her with um And that was a movie it was on stream. That's becomes okay Okay, okay, that was on TV all the time and my my screenwriting professor was obsessed with that movie is like here's how you write something That Just where everything keeps hitting the fan Yeah, I was gonna say I didn't care for that movie very much. Yeah. I found it funny growing up It hasn't really dated well, but I understand why it's Kind of it feels more like a Tim Burton movie that he kind of Directed it. I don't that's the other thing too. It's easy to mistake him for Some of these other effects heavy guys who do wacky comedies

12:23um a movie I think you guys would like that's kind of his love letter To Trisha the serial moderate and was so popular that studios were like this was gonna be the next diehard Was a trespass. Yeah, I had even heard of that one. So yeah, that was by 48 hours and warriors director Walter Hill And Zamekis and his partner Bob Gill wrote it and basically it's where two firefighters have their Morality tested played by Will Sadler and Bill Paxton and they end up stilling this uh money Uh that belongs to a street gang led by iced tea and ice cube. Yeah, and I know go go ahead and laugh But it's actually a lot of fun like there's so many Practical stunts and effects and you're just like man. What a crazy formula If it comes up as a five-dollar movie by I'll probably buy it. I'll give you the blu-ray Um, but it's well too how any of his movies that feel like throwbacks is kind of like He has all these other guys is they basically have all given him hit their blessings

13:24So he never felt like a knockoff artist to me. He basically just like One day you want Raiders of the Lost Ark the other day. He want romancing the stone I forgot he wrote that he did he did he write it or directed it was a bit of both but Uh, well actually no my bad so Diane Thomas wrote that but yeah, he held it in That it's so wild how That was kind of a mini franchise and He had the movies. Yeah, he had to figure out how can I do physical comedy and mix it in with all this other stuff Make the girls happy make the guys happy It was two movies. What was it on cold? A little bit. Yeah, I can't remember I saw that one or not. Yeah, the first one I have them both, but I haven't watched them in probably five or six years I have to admit in retrospect castaways kind of a one-time watch because man, it's a heavy movie Was that him too? Yeah So that's what we're kind of go back, you know at the time you see him and run out he was a dumb ex Are you like this is a stubborn joint? Yeah

14:26It was made for dream work so I'm sure he just names on it somewhere, but yeah I had a lot of friends who loved contact and for me that was kind of one of those I liked it But I didn't love it. I was just like yeah, it's fine I thought it ended weird. I just I didn't quite get it It was me in that last half. I'm like, okay, you just made my brain explode What do you think is the most divisive movie on his resume? Who was the first one you say you did that was wasn't a smash hit or anything is first one I want to hold your hand hold your hand. Yeah, that's just a fun movie. I mean, yeah, it's a legal movie I haven't seen that yeah, but use cars was the second one. Yeah. Yeah That's what's kind of interesting. He talked enough to the studios and Spubert was Helping him out. So he was able to survive not getting you know, just say you're really didn't do well, you know Was he about with Roger Rabbit? He was involved with that. Yes. Yep, directed or yeah, director. Yep. Okay. Okay. And there's another one

15:30Where it's like I like the premise. I like it a lot of fun I don't really go back to it all that much because it is a very dark movie Yeah, Roger Rabbit. Yeah Oh, and it has docking it too. Um, yeah I It's really cool. Yeah, definitely the first movie I saw him in if I wasn't watching taxes. It was definitely It's a little odd because it's very adult in the got all these Classic kids cartoons. All these horny cartoons. Again, Zameka is kind of he apes that style You know after that movie that that movie becomes kind of the basis of his existence in Hollywood and then You know, then you get to Marwan Which is a kind of a forest gum Roger Rabbit retread, you know, I've been trying. I was gonna see that I haven't seen it yet That's the one with the office guy Yeah, that's the girl and not boy howdy. I didn't think it was as bad as everyone else made out of to be but boy howdy It was a misfire. Oh Tom Hanks did a perfect impression of Zameka's uncone in Back in fall of 2024. He was on there and

16:32Emerson's so funny. He did an impression of Spielberg as well. I'm like man How long it take you to do an impression of that filmmaker that everyone knows the name, but not everyone Like him and can imitate how he speaks There's a villain that's character and I want to hold your hand like kind of like buff too that He winds up getting zapped at while I'm no spoilers, but it did kind of have an outsider's kind of feel where the greasers man You know They were saying on the use cars commentary track that Zameka's always Has to have lightning in his film at some point And it shows up in use cars. That's his trademark. Yeah, it's the it's it's it's very big and back to the future Obviously, how about forest gump You might never see it. Yeah, there's a thunderstorm. It's not a problem. Oh, he meets Jenny at the At the strip club. I think there's that, but then there's the rain storm when they're numb. Yeah, but all on down rain

17:32I like rain moat Dianne night Gentlemen, I feel like we have we swept the leg We waxed on we waxed off. I think we were as I when I first heard it sweep the lick That's what I kept hearing every time I know Zameka's to karate kid too Sorry, maybe in that that's in the alternate timeline I got one more thing. I love the dog and use cars too. That's a great dog. Oh, yeah, he's really Yeah, kill my dog. Yeah, and but they got apparently they actually dope the dog up But they did say on the commentary that they had the he made society there to make sure the dog was cool and everything That's the other thing to it like he I've never seen Zameka's get in any trouble or legal Stuff he never what made his actors go too far. He just And everybody I've heard talk with him pretty much we're like whatever you want to do

18:33Even if that's not how I would do is like that's your vision like you clearly They see the machinery working in his head. And so again, you know They do have a couple get all out of the back of a car no mud puddle and use cars. Oh my god I don't think they did that today. Hey, Jens, this was fun Yeah Yeah, it was fun revisiting use cars. It's a again. I think it's I I didn't really look into This is a mexico's thing. I was focused more on back to the future trilogy. No, it's fine But then I'm like oh He did use cars. I've got used cars. I haven't I'm thinking about He's interesting. He's the barrel monkeys. You never know what you're gonna get this and bail well Now I want to rewatch bail well. Yeah, I had fun with that I saw that with the whole family and my sister ate it. It was too boring for it. Like it's bail well What do you say it was still like it was a PG-13? Yeah A net but it was animated so that it was frustrating me with all that near nudity stuff. They kept throwing it. I was like

19:38Yeah, use cars as a handful of that so it was our it was fine But I think that's the other thing too. I was he's never limited by his rating. He even worked with anything instead of filling I can't wait right. I just said a handful of nudity For you fantastic, baby Anyway, I even see Kurt Russell's butt for a split second to and that scenes on right now. I'm watching all parties are open Yeah We're talking on the commentary for use cars too that Albert Hitchcock said if A person is good at his job in a movie you liked that person and you like Kurt Russell's character You know, he's a he's a corrupt use car dealer you still like him because then he's good at his job We can turn what Russell's like If you like small town mystery crazy news and wild history then the Florida men on Florida man podcast is for you

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