1234 – Romancing the Stone | Tale of Tape
A trailer for a new movie about argyle socks brings Scooter all the way back to some 80s films he cannot quite piece together, even the obvious ones.
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Episode 1224 – Romancing the Stone | Tale of the Tape
[START OF RECORDING]
SCOOTER: Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s time for the podcaster who’s here to take you…I don't want to tease this episode too early, but the podcaster that somehow missed something so obvious…this is a Tale of the Tape episode, or Tale of the Tapes. I caught…in the sequel I realized the pun, but in the first one, I didn’t. But whether…however you view the word ‘Argyle’, whether that’s for socks or sweaters or a movie with Bruce Willis or the movie that’s about to come out that reminded me of a earlier film…and that this film I’m looking forward to seeing, Argyle, probably…maybe I’ve already seen it by the time this comes out. But this is…you say, I thought this was a sleep podcast. What am I listening to? Is this like Film Muck? I say, well, it is in this episode.
Yes, welcome to Sleep With Me. I’m glad you’re here. It is a very different show. I totally acknowledge that. I hear you. I’m here more to keep you company while you fall asleep, to barely entertain you and take your mind off of stuff. So, yeah, give this show a few tries. What we got coming up is support so the podcast can be free for everybody that likes it that way, then there’s a long, meandering intro. That’s meant to ease you into bedtime and help you wind down. I’ll keep going like this, where I can't even explain what the podcast is and…but that’s kinda…yeah, I don't know. I’m here to…it’s like a TV on in the other room, and then there will be a story later.
It’ll be a bedtime story of me trying to remember the plot of two films. Yeah, so, it’s a podcast…it does take a few tries to get used to. So, give it a try and see how it goes. You got nothing to lose. I also have a website set up; sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou, and that has other sleep podcasts and sleepy stuff on there you could check out, so check that out. But I’m glad you’re here, and…yeah, I’m already…this is just supposed to be the teaser. I’m really glad you’re here, though. I really hope I can help you fall asleep. Thanks for making it possible, my bore-friends.
INTRO: [INTRO MUSIC] Hey, are you up all night tossing, turning, mind racing? Trouble getting to sleep? Trouble staying asleep? Well, welcome. This is Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do it with a bedtime story. Alls you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press Play. I’m gonna do the rest. What I’m going to attempt to do is create a safe place where you could set aside whatever’s keeping you awake.
It could be thoughts, things on your mind about the past, the present, the future, thinking thoughts, it could be feelings related to those thoughts, any emotions that are coming up for you, it could be changes…or, oh, it could be any physical sensations you’re experiencing, it could be changes in time, temperature, routine, work schedules, travel, you could be going through something, getting over something, or anticipating something, or it could be something else. The only reason I list all that stuff is so that you know you’re not alone. Or maybe you don’t even know it, right? I don't know if…I say that as a turn…turn in phrase; is that a coin phrase or a turning phrase?
I have no idea, but it…I just say that because my experience and a lot of listeners’ experience is that it feels lonely in the deep, dark night. Not everybody feels that way. Maybe it feels that way when people don’t understand why you can't sleep. But the important thing is whatever’s keeping you awake, I may be able to relate to how it feels. Maybe I haven’t been through something similar, but deep down I might have some of the similar feelings. But even if I don’t, even if I can't relate to how you feel, even if I haven’t been through something similar, there is someone listening right now, and they are sitting up…they’re perking up before they get comfortable again because they have been through something similar. They do know how you feel. I know this.
I know that they’re kinda leaning in and they’re nodding their head for you. ‘Cause they’re saying, yeah, yeah, I’ve been through something tough that kept me awake. Or maybe it was something…I mean, some people, they can't sleep 'cause of positive anticipation or…whatever it is. There’s someone out there who can relate to how you feel. The other side of that is…the reason I work so hard on this show and I’ve been doing this over ten years, riding the ups and downs, is because I think it’s important you get the sleep you deserve. That’s how I felt about myself when I couldn’t sleep. I said, man, why can't I just get the sleep I need? I believe that for you. I believe you deserve a bedtime you don’t have to dread, especially starting on Friday dreading about going to bed on Sunday.
A bedtime you could look forward to or at least feel neutral about and the rest you need so your life is more manageable. So, that’s why I make the show. Those are the two reasons. What I’ll do here is I’m gonna send my voice across the deep, dark night. I’m gonna use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, and superfluous tangents, which means I’m gonna get mixed up, I’m gonna go off-topic, I’m gonna forget what I was talking about, then I’ll double back, then I’ll say, what was I talking about? I get mixed up…but it’s all to keep you company and take your mind off of stuff so you could fall asleep. It’s kind of different. This show is not a show you really listen to. You just kinda listen to it. Now, you could listen. Believe me, I’m gonna be here to the very end, but it’s kind of a podcast that’s just out of focus.
Some people listen to me at a mumble, some people listen to me…you can kinda see how it goes, but you don’t have to pay attention. I’m not competing…well, I am competing for barely any of your attention. I’m trying to say, hey, look over here and barely listen to me. So, it’s a podcast you don’t listen to…also doesn’t put you to sleep. I’m here to keep you company while you fall asleep, to take your mind off of stuff. The reason the shows are over an hour is so there’s no pressure to fall asleep. There are people listening who are…who need a break during the day or who just can't sleep, and…so, I’m here to the very end whether you’re awake or asleep. I really think that’s one of the strange things that makes the podcast work; I’m here so you don’t need to listen to me.
I’m here not to put you to sleep, and somehow that helps you fall asleep. I’m just here to distract you. I’m here to be your bore-friend, a friendly voice in the deep, dark night, your bore-bae, your bore-sib, your bore-bud, your bore-bestie, your neigh-bore, your Borbie, your bore-bor, your bores, your bore-cuz, your bore-sib, your bore-buh…your bore-buh; that’s a new one. That was…that’s kinda…bore-bud…bore-bruh…bore-buh. That sounds like something a toddler or a sleep podcaster would say. Who’s that? That’s my bore-buh. Oh, really? Is that…? Yeah, it’s my bore-buh. It’s like a combination of a strange uncle and a Wubbie. Okay, so…bore-buh. Hopefully I’ll remember that. I don't think I will. The funny thing is this will come out and then people will remind me, so there will be a gap.
Bore-buh…so, yeah, just see how it goes. When you first get to this podcast, if you’re new, you may be experiencing some of these feelings. They could be anywhere along strong to mild, 'cause this…of like, what did I just tune into? Skepticism, doubt, frustration, irritation, even, because this show is very different. You may have expected something different. You may have expected something reasonable and a little bit more serious or a little bit more…I don't know, like one of those triangles or a Tibetan bowl. You know, that was my last time there. They said, are you eating out of the Tibetan bowl? I just was like, you know…I realize it’s a musical…it’s like, yeah, cook…yeah, by the way, I’m cooking dinner in the kettle drum. Then I said, I realize that was…but that was the last time I was invited to many different places.
So, while I was looking for a bowl…and I knew this was a bowl. Don't worry; I rinsed it out. Then I rinsed it out…I’ll rinse it out again. Don't worry, those are…those Fruity Pebbles…I can scratch them out with my fingertips, or we’ll soak it. So, that’s how the Tibetan bowls get used around here. I mean, I like Tibetan bowls — don’t get me wrong — just not at bedtime or when I’m meditating. I do like listening to them; I’m not kidding. This is not…I’m not anti-Tibetan bowls for usage or listening. It’s just that in the traditional Tibetan bowl circumstances…if I could…I’m not kidding; I use Tibetan bowls on my timers and other things…a meditation timer…because I want to keep a positive association with Tibetan bowls, not…that it’s reminding me I’m not meditating and I’m paying…I’m thinking about the stuff I gotta do.
So, you could be mildly or stronger irritated. The thing is this podcast just takes some getting used to, so give it a few tries. I said it at the beginning; I’ll say it again. Sorry, you didn’t hear it, but I just got a call from a company about something, so now I’m distracted. But so, I think I was saying that it does take a couple tries to get used to the show 'cause it is very different. I’m different. But just see how it goes and see if the podcast helps. Most people that subscribe to the paid version of the podcast said it took two or three tries. At first I didn’t know what to expect or I didn’t like it or I didn’t listen for years and then I came back. So, see how it goes. There’s no pressure to like me or the podcast, either. There’s tons of other sleep podcasts. I have a bunch listed at sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou. So, yeah, there’s no pressure, really.
That’s the cool thing. The longer I make the show, the more I realize…it’s like, hey, this just doesn’t work for everybody. It’s just one of those things that if it works for you…even some people…they’ve been listening the whole history of the show, and some people come and go. But you say, oh, I didn’t realize I was looking for something like this, this friend, a goofy friend in the deep, dark night to keep me company. I had no idea, but I’ve been looking for it my whole life. It doesn’t have to be that version of it, right? So, just see how it goes, and if not, check out sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou. Again, if you’re a Tibetan bowl manufacturer, good job. Your bowls don’t leak. I mean, obviously…that’s one of the things that was clear.
A little tinge of something on there…I said, well, maybe I should have rinsed it twice. I think it was the essence of whatever. But so…okay, so, what else do you need to know if you’re new? Structure of the show also can throw people off, and the show is designed in a very deliberate way but it is adjustable, so let me lay out why we structure the show the way we do. It starts off with a greeting; friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Ideally I say something slightly silly after that so you feel seen and welcomed in and you get that the tone of the show…even though sleep is serious, that it’s somewhat light-hearted and friendly but a bit different, too. You say, okay, I might check that podcast out. Then there’s support, sponsor support, so the show is free, paying for it is optional.
The majority of people love listening to the show in that manner, and they listen linearly. So, I’ll lay out the linear-wise. But again, there’s a bunch of different ways if you’d prefer to listen to different versions of the show, or you could use your podcast app to adjust it. So, then there’s a long, meandering intro, which we’re in the middle of or late stages of. The long, meandering intro is separate from the greeting and from the support. But for some reason, if you’re having a strong reaction to the beginning of the show, it gets…the intro gets lumped in with that. So, I do like to point out that it is a show within a show. It is about fifteen or twenty minutes long, and it’s not intended to put you to sleep. It will put some people to sleep.
Once you become a regular listener, there’s some people that just fall asleep right away. But for most people and the way the intro is really designed is to be like a familiar friend who talks about something different every time. But the intro is fifteen to twenty minutes long to help ease you into bedtime as you’re getting ready for bed or getting comfortable or winding down. That’s just what’s been shown to work over the years, what’s worked for me personally, and what I hear from listeners. Now, there are a percentage of people…like, 2% of people start the show somewhere between twenty and thirty minutes, and then there’s a lot of people that subscribe to a story-only version of the podcast, but there’s also people that subscribe to a intro-only version of the podcast.
So, you could kinda see how it goes and adjust as you become a regular listener if this show works for you. But the intro is a slow wind down. Then there’s support after the intro, and then tonight after the intro I’ll tell a bedtime story about my trying to remember the plot of the movie Romancing the Stone and Romancing the Stone sequel, Jewel of the Nile. I’ll just give you full disclosure…I won't sing Full Disclosure, but full disclosure that…that’s from Big Fish the Musical, the…I like that song. If you like Broadway, look up Big Fish the Musical. Andrew Lippa, John August…Full Disclosure. Now I got…I’m like, please…I can…no, I know it’s…Full Disclosure’s from that, right? Hopefully. But so, now I’m totally mixed up. Full Disclosure…how did I start talking about Big Fish…?
Oh, so…because I forgot…I didn’t realize that the title ‘Romancing the Stone’ had the vehicle for the story in it. The romancing part I got, but somehow I totally mistook the plot of the movie to have nothing to do with the stone, like a jewel…the Jewel of the Nile; I realized that one was a pun or whatever. But Romancing the Stone…I don't know why. So, I talk about the movie and I’m trying to figure out what everybody’s after in the movie. I had to actually…Wikipedia had to tell me like, dude, they’re looking…Wikipedia doesn’t always do this, but it was like, dude, they’re looking for a stone. Romancing the Stone. Oh. I thought it was a briefcase or something with…you know, or other things that I speculate on in a little while.
But, no, they’re looking for…how do you find this stone? Oh, okay. So, yeah, many…that’s why I’m only qualified to make a sleep podcast, and that’s…and I can give you a spoiler of how I’ll get confused right upfront. So, if you’re new, just see how it goes. I’m really glad you checked out this podcast. I work really hard. So do a team of people, because we all yearn and strive. We all really want to help you fall asleep. Thanks again for coming by, and here’s a couple ways we’re able to be here for free twice a week.
Alright everybody, it’s Scoots here, and this is an episode…I’m wondering how it’s gonna go. This is kind of a Tale of the Tape hybrid episode, so…where I kinda talk about a movie, or in this case, two movies that I’ve seen that I have a very vague recollection of. But first we’re gonna talk about why, right? Because I’ve been…I like to go to the movies in the movie theatre and I try, even now, to find films and say, okay…whether it’s the first-run film or some sort of festival or second run or whatever it is. I love going to the movies. I’ve seen a trailer for a movie twice in the last two movies, and it really made a connection for me. The movie’s called Argyle. This is not a sponsored thing or anything. It comes out…you’re probably hearing this 'cause it comes out in February 2024.
Part of the reason I’m excited about it is has Sam Rockwell in it as well as Bryce Dallas Howard, Dua Lipa…that was how I first heard about it. But so, I saw the trailer for this movie and it looks really good. I will probably see it in the theatre, but it also reminded me…'cause at first when I heard about it, I was like, wait, what’s this movie? It’s some sort of thriller? But then when you see the trailer…for me, I said to myself, this is a bit like Romancing the Stone. Different, but similar. So, I’m gonna talk about the movie Romancing the Stone and its…what is it…sequel called…let’s see, Romancing the Stone. Oh boy, I hit the wrong button, though. Its sequel was called Jewel of the Nile. Now, I just want to see a couple things. It had Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito…were the stars of the movie.
Came out in the eighties. When did Jewel of the Nile come out? Jewel of the Nile came out what year? 1985. Same top three stars, three very talented performers, I would say, and people I loved seeing back then. The interesting thing is I was way too young to see either of these movies, but for some reason I feel like I saw…okay, so this probably…okay, so this gets into why is this important. So, Jewel of the Nile would have been when I had my paper route. It looks like I was too young to see it, but I saw it in the movie theatre because what happened was…this was during…this was where the podcast was formed. So, I had probably seen Romancing the Stone on HBO, and then Jewel of the Nile came out. Again, maybe it was PG. I don't think they had invented PG-13 yet.
But so, this was this brief time in my life’s history where I had a paper route, so I had money. I had…I’m the oldest of six kids. I was still…this would not…even as a parent, I consider myself pretty open-minded. I would have not allowed this. But it was a pretty flexible childhood I had. Well, let’s see when that movie came out, what time of year. So, I would go and…I would go to the movie theatre by myself or sometimes with a friend, and I would go to pretty much every movie that was in these theatres that I could walk to, which was a double…I think it only had two screens. It may have had…yeah, I’m pretty sure it only had two screens. Just looking through the reviews and stuff. It was around a 6.1. This one says, not abysmal, but not as good as the first one. Just trying to see…oh, see, the release date was December 11th, 1985.
So, I probably saw it during our holiday break. Its budget was $25 million and it brought in, worldwide, $96 million. So, that’s a pretty successful movie. They don’t make movies like that anymore, $25 million-budget movies. Okay, so that was…but that was the sequel, which we’ll talk about as well, because…oh, Robert Zemeckis was the director? Wow, we’re learning a lot here…of Romancing the Stone. Okay, did not know that. It was written by Diane Thomas. Let’s see who directed Jewel of the Nile; Lewis Teague. Wow, so, this is interesting stuff. Was there a third one? No, I don't think so. Okay, so…yeah, so, I saw the second movie. I definitely saw the first movie before I saw it. Let’s talk about what I remember about the movie, right? Pretty sure…why is her name…Joan popped right in my head. That rarely happens.
Let’s just see if I have that right. Joan Wilder; okay, and Jack Colton. Okay, so, in this movie…I wonder if that’s the name of her…well, we can look up facts later. So, here’s what I remember about Romancing the Stone. I guess let’s actually…let’s do some research about it on Wikipedia. Why don’t we do that first? Romancing…how’s everybody doing tonight? It’s good to have this loose format where I could take your mind off of stuff and put you to sleep. Okay, I’m not gonna read through this…the plot or anything, right. We’ll save that and then we’ll read through it afterwards. I also look up where we could watch it. Okay, so, Romancing the Stone came out in 1984…106 minutes long. It had a budget of $10 million and made $115 million.
Originally it was written by Diane Thomas in 1979, and Zemeckis was working on Cocoon but liked an offer to direct it. They turned down at first…and Zemeckis moved on from Cocoon. The initial early screening…what does that mean? Alan Silvestri would collaborate with Zemeckis on later films…composed the score. I don't know, that doesn’t make any sense, but it sounds like they made the movie. Plot and cast…we don’t need that. Production…five years earlier…oh, Diane Thomas was working in Malibu. Sylvester Stallone was originally considered to be Jack Colton. Other leads considered were Burt Reynolds, Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, Christopher Reeve…all for Jack Colton, and Debra Winger is Joan Wilder. It was filmed around the world.
Reception; they thought it was not…Studio Insiders did not think it would be successful. However, it became a surprise hit and 20th Century Fox’s only big hit in 1984. It was the sixth-highest-grossing film in 1984, and this would allow…oh wow, it really did lead into the history of podcasts. The success allowed Zemeckis to make Back to the Future. Wow, it holds 86% approval rating. So, it’s pretty well approved on the Tomato Meter. Some people…critics, though, said it was a bit like a copy of Raiders of the Lost Ark. So, there’s a lot of stuff about the reviews. Let’s just see where…let’s load up Just Watch…see where we can watch these movies here in the US at least. Can't recommend it for everybody, but…R-O-M-A-N…Romancing the Stone. Okay, 6.9 on IMDB, though.
It looks like you do have to purchase it at this time. I mean, can rent it, stream it, on any platform. Not available for streaming on TV. Now, that’s unfortunate. Then Jewel of the Nile…same thing; not available on streaming, but you could rent it. So, okay…so, that’s…so, I haven’t seen this movie, either one of these movies, in a long, long time. So, I’m gonna lay out maybe what I remember about the movie. Probably be very wrong. Now, like a lot of movies, this…I think this movie was based on a lot of presumptions about industries and ways of life and glorified New York City publishing, in a way, to start with. So, Joan Wilder, played by Kathleen Turner, was a romance writer, incredibly successful romance writer, and the main character in the movie.
She gets…I think she has…so, her normal, ordinary world…we’ll just start with the kind of basic plot…where we would start a movie. She’s a incredibly successful writer. I would bet that either in this movie or the second movie she’s late on her book, but I’m not positive about that. But I can see her doing book-signings and book-readings, and she’s beloved by the people that love her and her main character, Jack Colton, who is some strapping hero like Indiana Jones. I guess she writes Indiana Jones romances. I don't know what year Indiana Jones came out…and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Maybe ‘82, ‘84? Which is interesting, that timing. I guess we gotta look that up now. Wait, so, let’s get these dates down. This is like a anthropology class, huh? No? Okay. Some part of me just was like, that’s hilarious, dude.
Okay, we’re gonna need IMDB for that one. Okay, we gotta get back…not now…Romancing the Stone was ‘84. Okay, let’s get back. Raiders…R-I-D…’81. Okay, so that makes sense. Okay, so, in ‘81 was when Raiders came out. So, this is a romance based on an Indiana-Jones-style character. I mean, loosely; not one-to-one. Joan Wilder’s incredibly successful. I like this…for me, I say, okay, I like it. Kathleen Turner…now, of course one of the elements of these — we’ve made our own rom-com episodes — is that Kathleen Turner, of course, is unsuccessful…as a romance writer, you can't be successful in romance in a movie that has comedic elements. So, of course her character, I think, is constantly being fixed up on dates that are unsuccessful. So, that’s another plot point, is oh, when are you gonna settle?
Her outside pressures from her family and her friends; when are you gonna meet the right person? Say, can't you just let me be? Probably her thing…but also in the back of your mind when you’re asked that question…do they know something I don't know? Or little doubts creep in. I would say that she is also kinda portrayed as a well-to-do, successful, New York City-style romance author. In some sense archetypal in not a real way, but…so, that means she doesn’t go camping. Shorthand for ‘I don't go camping and I like to eat at restaurants and I live in a building with a door person.’ I think that’s pretty…that’s eighties shorthand. If you live in New York City and you have…you live in a building with a door person, you probably don’t go camping or on an adventure.
You’d be out of place…and if you eat most of your meals at a restaurant. So, that’s our main character, Joan Wilder. What do we remember? Those are the things I remember and that I’m guesstimating that she’s unlucky in romance or portrayed that way, maybe can't come up with the idea for, whatever, her…not her…she’s probably at least written…I would say six books so far, but maybe this is her sophomore slump. But I think it’s already a successful series and it’s just like, when’s the next…when are you gonna get to work or deliver the copy on the next one? Though I can also see different manuscripts changing hands. So…okay, so, there’s that going. Also at the same time, Joan is very close with her sister. This is just me…these are pieces I’m putting together.
But there’s two…the two non-heroic characters are someone and their brother’s sidekick, who is played by Danny DeVito. Somehow Joan's sister gets involved with them, and in a way where…I don't know if she’s like me…she…I don't know, in the eighties, powdered sugar was portrayed as…was a major plot point in a lot of films, use of powdered sugar, recreationally, for topping off your baking, you know, and also as the behind-the-scenes. So, this movie also takes place in Colombia which was a major source of powdered sugar. I think that even if it’s on the subtle…just building on what are not well-founded facts but that maybe Joan's sister is somehow in Colombia, maybe linked to something related to powdered sugar, but I could be wrong.
Now, and as someone that’s struggled with stuff…then she may be calling her sister and saying, hey, could you send me…? They didn’t have Venmo back then or whatever, but…hey, could you hit me up with some cash? I’m a little short this month. So, she somehow gets involved with these two gentlemen, and I’m pretty sure her sister is played by somebody that we would know. Let’s take a look here. Kathleen Turner…Zack Norman is the other…Ira is the other non-positive person. Okay, Holland Taylor plays Gloria, who’s her agent. Mary Ellen Trainor; that’s her sister, I think. Elaine…okay. Now I’m looking at the rest of the cast and I’m like, wait a second, I don't really know…I’m starting to lose who is who.
But I’m also starting to see scenes, and I can picture some of the trailer moments from one of these movies, which is like, four-wheel driving, running, and stuff like that. Okay, so, those are the elements. Then somehow Joan's sister either gets…and her involvement with Danny DeVito and his sibling or partner…they say, okay, well, we’re gonna…maybe your sister’s indebted to us, and we need you to bring us cash money to come visit us in Colombia. Now I’m already…got a point in the movie where I can't remember why it starts the way it does. So, this gets interesting. So, she first probably rejects…rejecting the call to adventure, or these other calls. She says, well, I can't bring it down there. I can't bring you cash money for powdered sugar. Can't you just…? Oh, well, they don’t take…this is…I’m getting a deal on it.
Then they say, come on, bring it down. Your sister…it’s accumulating compound interest, Joan, and it’ll be seriously compounded. So, you gotta bring it down. So, she finally agrees 'cause her sister says, please, compound interest compounds daily. So, she says, okay, I’ll come with cash money. So, at some point she departs New York and I think her agent or publisher is like, Joan, what are you doing? So, maybe she’s missing a deadline as well. So, this is out of character for her. So, then she heads out. Now, this is where I get foggy. So, I’m missing about ten minutes…maybe only…maybe it’s just a montage sequence, but somehow she flies to Colombia, and she has to get to Cartagena. I know that much just from…I don't know why. It’s just in my head.
So, I don't know if she has to change flights or she has to take…she has to hire a vehicle, but let’s go with the assumption she had to hire a vehicle. I don't think this is what actually happened in the movie, but I really can't remember. But I’m pretty sure…okay, let’s say she hires a vehicle. It breaks down. It had to travel through some serious rainforest-type jungle. Somehow during that, where they’re trying to repair it…or maybe they say, well, we have to camp for the night while we wait for a part or something. She also wanders off, and this is where she’s…the fish-out-of-water sequence is…just…they start to begin. She has the high-heels on, she doesn’t have a raincoat or if she does, it’s not a real raincoat, she has multiple suitcases which is pretty stereotypical of these things, and she’s not prepared.
Or, I don't know, maybe she’s on a bus? I can't remember. That would be very good, but then you’d say, I’m from New York City. Of course I’ve taken a bus before. But at least in film terms, she wouldn’t know how to take a bus. But I don't know. I’m gonna try to…I think I’m gonna rewatch this movie 'cause it’s been so long. Don't worry; the second movie, I will spoil the plot…very quickly because I don't remember anything about it, or almost nothing about it. But okay, so, Joan gets separated from the…from whoever she was getting a ride with, I guess. It doesn’t make…something’s not making sense of the randomness of what I remember, so I’m probably wrong in here. But I do remember one of the sequences from the trailer that is like, not that big a scene. But so, it’s pouring rain and she’s in a rainforest. It’s very muddy.
She’s in high-heels. She’s exasperated. She’s wandering around. It’s pretty dark. Then she accidentally goes down a mud…a water slide, like a mudslide, just like in Goonies or other movies where you’re like, holy cow, this is like every kid’s dream. It was my dream. I said, why can't I wander through someplace that’s raining but it’s warm and that I stumble onto a mud…a water slide that’s made of mud? So, she slides down that, which is interesting…which is even funnier because…I didn’t remember this, but this is a plot point in the second episode of multiplex, because…it’s a good device 'cause you can't ever go…you can't go back to the path you were on. I just realize that I’m using the same method.
So, it’s a handy storytelling device, I guess, apparently, because…yeah, once you go…you’re divert…you’ve diverted from the path, but then you can't go…return because you’ve slid down somewhere into a new world. So, she slid down and she’s in the mud. She’s sopping wet. Okay, but this doesn’t make sense. Okay, so, we have to jump back again. So, now more…this is why we do these Tales of the Tape. So, she was…she goes back and she…at some point she must have met Michael Douglas’ character earlier because otherwise it doesn’t make any sense, because they’re actually together on the mud slide. The only reason for that is a moment that I didn’t understand as a young boy that’s in there, but…an allusion to when your back sweats.
But so, okay, so she must have hired Michael Douglas’ character, Jack Colton, to drive her to wherever she has to go from the airport, apparently. I don't know. So, I am missing a chunk of the…a small chunk. Flies from New York, meets Michael Douglas’ character…I would presume he’s down on his luck. She asked three people and he was the last person, and he refused, she refused, but they both needed each other. He needed the money and no one else could give her a ride, or maybe she doesn’t speak enough Spanish or whatever it is. So, he finally…she takes pity on…they both think they’re taking pity on the other person. Okay, fine; you could drive me. Okay, fine; I’ll give you a ride. But don’t talk to me because you’re a New York City big shot. She’s like, and you’re a ruffian expat rogue or whatever. Knave?
I don't know. Okay, so that would make more sense. Then they would be…if, again, we’re sticking with these semi-tropey things that work, is that she’s correct…they can't agree on driving or direction. So, then the car breaks down. They’re in some sort of Jeep, I would assume. Okay, and then she’s like…then she has all this luggage, so of course, yeah, this makes more…gives it more immediacy. He’s like, I can't believe you have all this luggage, blah, blah, blah. Then they do the mud slide together because he…they’re also under the…I just remember they have…they end up together in the mud, you know? It’s like, oh boy, is this foreshadowing? Again, I was just a young lad, so I didn’t understand foreshadowing or why your back would sweat. So, I didn’t know any of that. But that’s the case.
Then…so, they’re soaking wet, right, and then they have to make camp. But they only have one box of her luggage, maybe her manuscript, hopefully, and the cash money for the powdered sugar loan or whatever. Okay, then there’s another sequence I didn’t understand, and again, it plays into these tropes, but it worked. They’re trying to find some place to make shelter for the night. They find a old plane that landed there forever and been there a while. They have to build a fire, and the plane is full of bricks of dried grass. I just did not understand this 'cause, again, I was a little kid. But so, they start making the fire from these bricks of dried grass, and Michael Douglas is breathing in the smoke. I don't know if her character was or whatever, but he is inhaling the smoke from the dried grass.
He’s been detached from our world, the way of life of Joan and the United States or whatever, for a while, so she…they’re arguing but she’s also giving him news. The biggest piece of news was that The Doobie Brothers had broken up, which, one, it was just…when I was thinking of this movie, I said, Doobie Brothers, huh…but also, as a kid, I didn’t know who The Doobie Brothers were and I still didn’t know…okay, let’s look up The Doobie Brothers, 'cause I still didn’t realize…now I do, and I like…I love the non-creaky, dulcet tones of The Doobie Brothers. But I didn’t realize that them breaking up was important enough to be mentioned in a movie and that he would be devastated. Okay, they were formed in 1970 in San Jose, California.
Vocal harmonies. Now, where’s the original lineup? Michael McDonald…the founding members…oh, this is the current lineup, but the founding members were Tom Johnson, Johnston…guitars and vocals, Patrick Simmons, Michael McDonald, and John McPhee. There’s other people that have been…yeah, and they’re still performing. But yeah, let’s see, Johnson provided the vocals for the band from ‘70 to ‘75 when they had a mainstream rock sound. Michael McDonald joined in ‘75 as a keyboard player and second lead vocalist, and that kinda gave a new sound to the band. They were co-lead vocalists on Takin’ It to the Streets. Johnson retired in ‘77 and the band broke up in ‘82. So, they had just broken up. Then ‘87, they got back together, but without Michael McDonald. What a Fool Believes, am I right?
Then he rejoined the band in 2019 for their 50th anniversary. Fourteen albums, six top-ten appearances…What a Fool Believes…The Best of The Doobies came out in ‘76? So, Listen to the Music, Jesus is Just Alright, Long Train Running, China Groove, Black Water, Takin’ It to the Streets, What a Fool Believes, and The Doctor. I’ll have to listen to The Doctor. That doesn’t really help me. I never thought there would be a five-minute Doobie Brothers tangent in there. Rosen said…okay, so this is the name. Yeah, it does have to do with that. But Hartman said he didn’t even know what ‘doobie’ meant until somebody else told him. But everybody in the band agreed that was kind of a funny name, but they thought they would only use it at…but it caught.
Okay, so, that’s The Doobie Brothers, and they broke up, but it was Michael…not to…well, I’m not trying to throw any shade, but to me, Michael McDonald’s voice is what I associate with The Doobie Brothers. But again, I’m not…I’m like, a little aged out. Okay, so, back to the movie which I don't really remember much else about. So, he says, I can't believe The Doobie Brothers broke up. By the way, we’re gonna…I think essentially we’re gonna have to hike all the way to Cartagena. Now, at some point, maybe even earlier in the movie…oh no, yeah. So, at some point, also Danny DeVito…okay, so we’re…this is like gathering moss on missing stones or something. So, at some point, Danny DeVito’s character is following them, and he’s hapless, too.
So, he must be having to follow them just in case or something, even though he’s involved in the scheme. His brother or his partner does not treat him well. So, he also gets lost in the forest and everything, but he’s trying to keep up with them. Okay, so, whatever, they talk about The Doobie Brothers, they loathe each other, Joan and Jack or whatever. Is that his name, Jack Colton? Joan and Jack? Danny DeVito’s character is following them. Then they try…this is really my other…only other memory, is they try to cross the country and at some point they encounter a guy, Zolo, who is the leader of some group and owns a bunch of land or something. But they’re also trying to get away from somebody. So, they have adventures; like, what do you call it, tests in adoration? Whatever they call it.
Allies and…he’s one of their allies, I think. Maybe he’s not. Maybe he’s the one chasing them. But I don't know, he seemed like a very flashy character, and he has a car called…he’s the one who has a truck and it has a extra nitro-boost or something, before Fast and Furious. His thing has a nickname, his truck. I just remember; he says, say hello to my…don't worry; we’ll take my burro or something. They say, but there’s three of us. How are we gonna take your burro? Then he says, this is my burro, and it’s some really cool four-by-four truck with nitro. So, they get chased and they must do something for him, so it must be part of the gathering of the things for the allies. I would assume they separate.
At different points they realize…I’m sure Danny DeVito probably…they encounter him, he probably lies to them, and then they finally get to Colombia…probably reach a point of no return…I guess they would get to the final stage and they would break up. They realize they’re in love with each other and they loathe each other, Joan and Jack. So, I would assume they get almost all the way there and then they’re like, okay…like, they’ve probably gotten…they’ve reached some peak and then they’re like, better off we just go our separate ways, huh? Then she…maybe it’s after one last…I think there’s one last action sequence at a old castle or a old fort, and Danny DeVito’s character probably changes teams and starts to work for the other side. Then they trick the other brother.
Then I would assume that Joan returns, and on the plane ride back to New York, she writes her next novel now that she’s met her character…oh, 'cause this is the thing I didn’t mention the whole…I did; Michael Douglas’ character is pretty much the same as the character in the novel. Then of course he returns, and then…so, then they make another movie called Jewel of the Nile, and I don't think Kathleen Turner is in it as much as…it’s Michael Douglas, Danny DeVito, and I think the thing there is like, they have to find the Jewel of the Nile. There’s this one guy who seems very Dalai Lama-type character, and they have to…but he’s also…he speaks in riddles, you know, and he’s very friendly.
They have to get that guy who knows where the Jewel of the Nile is, and then the opposing forces have Joan as their guest and they’re gonna exchange the Jewel of the Nile — as long as they keep this guy who knows where it is, right — for Joan. But then we realize, oh…like, just like in the…you were the Santa Claus we needed all along. That’s the only thing I remember about this movie. So, let’s see how wrong or right I was. Okay, so, plot on Wikipedia…okay, Joan Wilder; successful, lonely romance novelist. Latest novel…she meets Gloria, she gets handed a map that was sent by her brother-in-law, and some…everybody’s in her business. Oh, so, she has a secret map. Then she gets this call from her sister Elaine who says, yeah, no, that was my husband’s map.
Oh, it’s antiquities…people that are after antiquities, Ira and Ralph. Oh, so, she doesn’t need money. She just has to bring this map to Cartagena, so it doesn’t have anything to do with powdered sugar. Then Joan…wait a second. So, Joan flies there, then she meets Colonel Zolo who has been looking for the map. He gets her to board the wrong bus. Okay, so that I was right about, bus-riding. Instead of going to Cartagena, it goes deep into the interior. Ralph realizes this and starts to follow Joan, then Joan distracts the bus driver and…oh, it’s just a accident. It bumps into a Land Rover. Everybody starts walking but Joan. Joan meets Zolo, but the Land Rover’s owner is a bird…a friend of bird’s, Jack T. Colton. Okay, so, I remember this part. So, yeah, he had a bunch of birds.
She says, if you get me outta here and to a pay phone, I’ll give you $375. Okay, so, I guess Zolo is not friends with them. He’s some sort of…he’s involved with some sort of group trying to be dominant, I guess. So, they’re trying to elude Zolo. Okay, so, Juan…okay, so, yeah, that’s the person with the truck; Juan. He’s a superfan of Joan's. Okay, so, that’s the person I remember. So, somehow they find this guy, Juan. Oh, 'cause he’s also a leader of a group. Okay. He’s also a superfan of Jones and he helps them get away from Zolo. Oh, then they have a interlude, according to this. Then Jack says, why don’t we find this treasure or whatever’s on this map and then get your sister? Then everything comes together.
So, you have the Zolo group, Jack and Joan, Ralph who’s sleeping in the back of a car…they follow the clues, they find the treasure…oh, Romancing the Stone. Oh, boy. How did it take me that long to figure…forget there’s a stone in the movie? Forty-three minutes. Okay, so, that’s the stone. They find the stone, hidden. Okay, then Ralph takes the stone, then Zolo’s team shows up. Then Jack…they cause a distraction. Jack gets it back from Ralph. Then…oh, they go even on more external adventures; a river, falling water from rain…oh, Jack and Joan are separated on opposite sides of a raging river. Jack has the…Joan has the map. Jack has the emerald. Oh, Jack says, hey, I’ll keep the emerald; you keep the map, and I’ll meet you back in Cartagena. So, Ira does not know they have the stone, I guess.
So, they give the map to Ira. She meets up with her sister. Zolo’s group has Jack and Ralph and the stone. Okay, then there’s…Jack shows up to save the day, there’s…everybody’s arguing over this emerald, and Jack has a choice…all these things. Do I want the stone or Joan? Jack, of course, saves Joan, not the stone. Ira gets away, doesn’t help Ralph, so Jack also helps Ralph. But he goes off to try to get the stone after he saves everybody. So, then Joan goes back to New York. She’s written a new novel and…another bestseller. Then she finds Jack and he’s got a brand-new sailboat named The Angelina after the heroine of Joan's novels. He says, yeah, I got…sold the emerald for this boat of my dreams. They head off.
Oh yeah, 'cause I guess I remember them kissing and going on a boat together to head off into the world, you know? There was also other attempts to make other sequels, but…or even a remake. No, no…yeah, no, they considered it in 2007. It was remade as a television series? Interesting. Okay, let’s just see the plot of Jewel of the Nile. I was pretty wrong about it, but…how did I forget the plot was that it was romancing the stone? Okay, so, the next book takes…or the next movie takes place six months later. Their romance has gone stale. Joan's got writer’s block and Jack wants to sail around the world aimlessly while Joan goes back to New York. Then Joan gets hired to write somebody’s autobiography. Jack says, what are you doing? That’s when he bumps into Ralph. Ralph says, I want the stone, man. It was mine.
Okay, then that’s when they meet somebody who says…oh, they say that the guy that Joan's writing the book…the autobiography of, Omar, has the Jewel of the Nile. So, Jack and Ralph are like, let’s find Joan and the Jewel of the Nile. Joan realizes she’s not gonna write this guy’s biography 'cause he’s not an enlightened ruler, which he claimed he was. Then Joan encounters who is in fact the Jewel of the Nile, who could be an enlightened ruler. Then they realize, okay, we all have to work together, and…yeah, they all work together. This is some dated stuff, it seems like, but Joan tells Jack the jewel is not a gemstone but a person. Then they use a British rock promotion special to convince…he’s gonna…the one guy’s gonna convince him that he’s a prophet. Then there’s more actions…oh, with a scenario from Joan's book.
But then everything happens in the end…Joan and Jack get separated. They use a crane. In the end, Joan and Jack get married by the Jewel of the Nile. Ralph’s happy for them but he want…he didn’t get any money. But then he gets some money in the end and everybody’s happy. So, that’s interesting. Oh, here’s something interesting from the Jewel of the Nile; When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going by Billy Ocean, and the Jewel of the Nile by Precious Wilson were…play in the movie. Douglas, Turner, and DeVito also co-starred with Ocean in the MTV video. Soundtrack also features Whodini’s Interesting Folks Come Out at Night, and No Sheep Are Sleeping Tonight by somebody. But this song was a huge hit; When the Tough…When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going. Billy Ocean, man. Classic.
So, let’s see, description…it was Wayne Braithwaite, Barry Eastman, Mutt Lange, and Ocean…the theme song for the movie; Saxophone Special by Vernon and Jeffrey Smith. It was a hit. It climbed the charts but it got…it was outpaced by How Will I Know? by Whitney Houston. Critical reception; it was a very slick US pop number, but lacked the substance…you might say, Scoots, who’s Billy Ocean? I’d say, well, you might be missing out, then. Leslie Sebastian Charles, better known as Billy Ocean, is a singer and songwriter and sang Love Really Hurts Without You, Red Light, Caribbean Queen, No More Love on the Run, When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going, There Will Be Sad Songs To Make You Cry, Get Out of My Dreams Get Into My Car. That spans a long time. That was ‘88. A lot of movies…hits for films, actually.
Or, a lot…a couple…but I don't even know…Get Out of My Dreams Get Into My Car, was that a Driver’s License movie or was that the name of the movie? We’re really digging deep here. Yeah, it was a Billy Ocean…based on a line from Sherman Brothers’ song. Billy Ocean song…it was number one music video. It has Billy…oh yeah, it was; it was from the 1988 film License to Drive, which was a teen comedy film with the two Coreys in it. Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Heather Graham, Carol Kane…believe it or not, that came out in ‘88, I think? Yeah, it was 88 minutes, man. $8 million-budget, six…$22-million box office. It was in production in ‘87 and released in ‘88. That one’s about two…a kid that gets his license to drive. Yeah, I don't know if we need to know much more about it. Reception; $2 million, yeah.
Critical response was negative. 24% approval rating by critics. Despite a hardworking cast and a premise, it’s a silly comedy. Maybe…you seek out better films. Generally unfavorable reviews. More than passable summer entertainment. Music; Drive My Car by the Breakfast Club, Sweet Surrender by Brenda K Starr, I Feel Free by Belinda Carlisle, Time Starts Now by The Boys Club, Get Out of My Dreams, Get Into My Car by Billy Ocean, Crucial by New Edition, One More Dance by Jonathan Butler, Jazzy’s in the House by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Touch and Go by Femme Fatale, and Make Some Noise by Raiders. Then there was other films that weren’t on the soundtrack; Mercedes Boy by Pebbles. I mean, I don't know how that’s not on the soundtrack. Rush Hour by Jane Wiedlin, Wiedlin?
Strangers in the Night, Frank Sinatra. That’s Life, Frank Sinatra, Waiting for the Big One; Femme Fatale, In Trouble by Nia Peeples. Interesting. There was a reboot of this movie? Oh, they were developing a reboot in 2017. There was a unmade sequel and trilogy. License to Fly and…that could have been another…a third installment called License to Dive. But yeah, I guess I highly recommend…I’m interested to see Argyle, and I probably will watch Romancing the Stone before I see Argyle. I’m looking forward to it, and always nice to take a meandering run down these types of path. So, thanks, and goodnight, everybody.
[END OF RECORDING]
(Transcription performed by LeahTranscribes)
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Tale of the Tape
Tibetan Singing Bowls
https://www.tenthousandvillages.com/blogs/mosaic/singing-bowls
https://www.theohmstore.co/blogs/our-stories/the-wild-and-fascinating-history-of-singing-bowls
https://bestsingingbowls.com/history-singing-bowls/
Romancing the Stone
https://collider.com/romancing-the-stone-diane-thomas-legacy-the-lost-city/
https://movieweb.com/romancing-the-stone-adventure-romance/
Robert Zemeckis
https://www.slashfilm.com/577563/what-happened-to-robert-zemeckis/
https://www.fantasy-animation.org/current-posts/inventing-yourself-the-cinema-of-robert-zemeckis
The Doobie Brothers
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-doobie-brothers-still-going-strong/
DOWN TO BUSINESS
I didn’t realize the pun of this title until now
This podcast isn’t really film muck (kind of)
I’ll try to remember the plot of 2 films
Deep Dark Night United
Josie (Referral Program)
PLUGS
Hand in Hand; The Midnight Mission; Trevor Project; Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; NAPAWF; Anti-Racism Resources; Ukraine Relief; Crisis Textline; Referral Program
SPONSORS
AquaTru; Helix Sleep; Wild Health; Polysleep; Odoo; Air Doctor Pro; Zocdoc; Progressive
INTRO
Do you coin a phrase or turn a phrase?
Someone else out there can relate to how you feel
Leaning in and nodding their head for you
You deserve a bedtime you shouldn’t dread
I’m here so you don’t need to listen to me
You’re borebuh
Maybe you were expecting something more serious
I was, in fact, eating out of that tibetan bowl
A tibetan bowl is still a bowl, after all
I like tibetan bowls, just not in traditional tibetan bowl circumstances
I just got distracted from a phone call off-mic
I’m just a goofy friend
Tibetan Bowls definitely don’t leak, so that’s great
We’re in the late stages of the intro
A Slow Wind Down
I’ll try to remember Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile
Shoutout to “Full Disclosure” from the Big Fish musical
Wikipedia sarcastically set me straight
A spoiler of how I’ll get confused
STORY
Tale of the Tape
I vaguely remember these 2 movies
I like to see movies in the movie theatre
The movie Argyle has me excited
Argyle kind of has Romancing the Stone vibes
3 very talented performers in this movie
I was way too young to see these when I did
Why was this important?
I definitely saw Jewel of the Nile in theaters when I was too young
I had a paper route, so I had money
As a parent, I wouldn’t give my younger self the same freedom I had as a child
The movie theater nearby had just 2 screens
I probably saw the 2nd one during my holiday break
They don’t make movies for $25 million anymore
Wait, Robert Zemeckis directed this??
What do I remember?
I rarely remember the character names, but here I do
Let’s do some Wiki facts first
This episode is loooooooose
Came out in 1984 – just $10 million budget, got $115 million
Alan Silvestri did the score
Diane Thomas wrote this movie
Other actors considered for Jack Colton
Filmed all around the world
This was 20th Century Fox’s only big hit of 1984
This success allowed Zemeckis to make Back to the Future
It’s not available for streaming on TV at the moment
This really glorifies NYC publishing
Joan Wilder is an incredibly successful romance writer
Maybe she’s late on a book?
Jack Colton is her main character
She writes Indiana Jones-style romances
Now I have to research Indiana Jones
This is like an Anthropology class, right? No? Okay
As a romance writer, you can’t be successful in romance (at least in comedy)
Little doubts creep in
In some sense, she’s archetypal
Long story short, she doesn’t like to go camping
80’s Shorthand
I can see various manuscripts changing hands
Joan is very close with her sister
In the 80s, powdered sugar was a common plot point in films
Colombia was a main source of “powdered sugar”
Joan’s sister gets in trouble with 2 gentlemen
Holland Taylor plays the agent
I’m starting to visualize some of these scenes
They need cash money and a trip to Colombia
Cash for sister and powdered sugar
Please, this compound interest is too intense!
Joan departs New York and maybe misses some deadlines
I’m foggy on this montage sequence
She has to get to Cartagena
She has to hire a vehicle but it breaks down
She wanders off into the jungle
She’s not prepared for the jungle
She accidentally goes down a water / mud slide
Why can’t I come across a random mud waterslide?
I used this plot device in Multiplex
A mud water slide is a handy storytelling device – you can’t return the way you came
At some point, she met Michael Douglas’s character earlier
I didn’t understand the full double entendre of this as a young boy
I am missing a small chunk of this in my memory
Presumably she and Michael Douglas didn’t get along at first
A ruffian expat rogue knave
The plane is full of … bricks of dried grass
Michael has been detached from the modern world for a while
The biggest news is that the Doobie Brothers broke up
Doobie Brother facts
The band broke up in ‘82
I never thought I’d do a Doobie Brothers tangent before
To me, Michael McDonald’s voice is the Doobie Brothers
They’re gonna have to hike all the way to Cartagena
Danny DeVito is following them
DD is pretty hapless and gets lost in the forest
I know they try to cross the country
They meet a guy named Zolo who owns a bunch of land
They have adventures
His car has an extra nitro boost
His burro is a nitro-powered truck
They realize they love and loathe each other
One last action sequence at an old fort
DD’s character probably changes teams
Joan met her main character in real life
Then they make another movie
I don’t think Kathleen Turner is in Jewel of the Nile as much
She’s held hostage for the jewel of the nile
Let’s see how right or wrong I was
A secret map from her brother-in-law
Ira and Ralph are after antiquities, not powdered sugar
Zolo is looking for the map too
Zolo puts Joan on the wrong bus
Oh, I guess Zolo isn’t a friend after all
Oh, Juan has the truck
He’s a Joan Superfan
Let’s find this treasure and then save the sister
Oh, right, I forgot there’s a stone they’re all looking for
So many external adventures
Jack and Joan are separated by a river
Jack has a choice: the stone or Joan
Jack saves Joan
Jack has to also save Ralph after Ira escapes
Joan goes back to NYC and writes another bestseller
Jack has a new boat named Angelina after Joan’s novels
There were attempts to do a reboot
They made a TV show out of this??
Jewel of the Nile plot
6 months later
The romance has gone stale and Joan has writer’s block
Joan gets hired to ghost-write an autobiography
Joan encounters the real Jewel of the Nile, who could be an enlightened ruler
Jack and Raph go searching for Joan
They borrow a scenario from Joan’s book
Joan and Jack are eventually married by the Jewel of the Nile
This movie had 2 songs written for it
I love Billy Ocean
Man Billy Ocean wrote a lot of hits for movies
The song for License to Drive
Now we’re just talking movie soundtracks
Well, I can’t wait to see Argyle
SWM+ THANKS
Katherine, Suzy, Katerine, Tracy, Michaell, Jenee, Austin, Shannon, Marta, Chloe, Andrew, Scott, Wooter, Jenika, Sarah, Alex, Craig, Luke, Patty, Kurt, Tony, Dean, Craig, Stacy, Zaria, Regina, Rachel, Kelly, Alec, Bonnie
SUMMARY:
Episode: 1,234
Title: Romancing the Stone | Tale of the Tape
Deep Dark Night United: Josie (Referral Program)
Plugs: Hand in Hand; The Midnight Mission; Trevor Project; Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; NAPAWF; Anti-Racism Resources; Ukraine Relief; Crisis Textline; Referral Program
Sponsors: AquaTru; Helix Sleep; Wild Health; Polysleep; Odoo; Air Doctor Pro; Zocdoc; Progressive
SWM+Thanks: Katherine, Suzy, Katerine, Tracy, Michaell, Jenee, Austin, Shannon, Marta, Chloe, Andrew, Scott, Wooter, Jenika, Sarah, Alex, Craig, Luke, Patty, Kurt, Tony, Dean, Craig, Stacy, Zaria, Regina, Rachel, Kelly, Alec, Bonnie
Notable Language:
- Argyle
- Turning a Phrase
- Borba / Borebuh
- Tibetan Bowl Circumstances
- Indiana Jones-Style Character (IJSC)
- Non-Positive Person (NPP)
- Rainforest-Type Jungle (RTJ)
- A ruffian expat rogue knave
Notable Culture:
- Argyle movie
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- Bruce Willis
- Romancing the Stone
- Jewel of the Nile
- Big Fish, the Musical
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- Andrew Lippa
- John August
- Michael Douglas
- Kathleen Turner
- Danny DeVito
- Robert Zemeckis
- Back to the Future
- Indiana Jones
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- IMDB
- Venmo
- The Goonies
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- The Doobie Brothers
- Fast & Furious
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- Dalai Lama
- “When the Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going” – Billy Ocean
- Whitney Houston
- “Get Out Of My Dreams and Into My Car” song
- License to Drive
- Belinda Carlisle
- DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince
Notable Talking Points:
- Do you coin a phrase or turn a phrase?
- Someone else out there can relate to how you feel
- Leaning in and nodding their head for you
- You deserve a bedtime you shouldn’t dread
- I’m here so you don’t need to listen to me
- You’re borebuh
- Maybe you were expecting something more serious
- I was, in fact, eating out of that tibetan bowl
- A tibetan bowl is still a bowl, after all
- I like tibetan bowls, just not in traditional tibetan bowl circumstances
- I just got distracted from a phone call off-mic
- I’m just a goofy friend
- Tibetan Bowls definitely don’t leak, so that’s great
- We’re in the late stages of the intro
- A Slow Wind Down
- I’ll try to remember Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile
- Shoutout to “Full Disclosure” from the Big Fish musical
- Wikipedia sarcastically set me straight
- A spoiler of how I’ll get confused
- Tale of the Tape
- I vaguely remember these 2 movies
- I like to see movies in the movie theatre
- The movie Argyle has me excited
- Argyle kind of has Romancing the Stone vibes
- 3 very talented performers in this movie
- I was way too young to see these when I did
- Why was this important?
- I definitely saw Jewel of the Nile in theaters when I was too young
- I had a paper route, so I had money
- As a parent, I wouldn’t give my younger self the same freedom I had as a child
- The movie theater nearby had just 2 screens
- I probably saw the 2nd one during my holiday break
- They don’t make movies for $25 million anymore
- Wait, Robert Zemeckis directed this??
- What do I remember?
- I rarely remember the character names, but here I do
- Let’s do some Wiki facts first
- This episode is loooooooose
- Came out in 1984 – just $10 million budget, got $115 million
- Alan Silvestri did the score
- Diane Thomas wrote this movie
- Other actors considered for Jack Colton
- Filmed all around the world
- This was 20th Century Fox’s only big hit of 1984
- This success allowed Zemeckis to make Back to the Future
- It’s not available for streaming on TV at the moment
- This really glorifies NYC publishing
- Joan Wilder is an incredibly successful romance writer
- Maybe she’s late on a book?
- Jack Colton is her main character
- She writes Indiana Jones-style romances
- Now I have to research Indiana Jones
- This is like an Anthropology class, right? No? Okay
- As a romance writer, you can’t be successful in romance (at least in comedy)
- Little doubts creep in
- In some sense, she’s archetypal
- Long story short, she doesn’t like to go camping
- 80’s Shorthand
- I can see various manuscripts changing hands
- Joan is very close with her sister
- In the 80s, powdered sugar was a common plot point in films
- Colombia was a main source of “powdered sugar”
- Joan’s sister gets in trouble with 2 gentlemen
- Holland Taylor plays the agent
- I’m starting to visualize some of these scenes
- They need cash money and a trip to Colombia
- Cash for sister and powdered sugar
- Please, this compound interest is too intense!
- Joan departs New York and maybe misses some deadlines
- I’m foggy on this montage sequence
- She has to get to Cartagena
- She has to hire a vehicle but it breaks down
- She wanders off into the jungle
- She’s not prepared for the jungle
- She accidentally goes down a water / mud slide
- Why can’t I come across a random mud waterslide?
- I used this plot device in Multiplex
- A mud water slide is a handy storytelling device – you can’t return the way you came
- At some point, she met Michael Douglas’s character earlier
- I didn’t understand the full double entendre of this as a young boy
- I am missing a small chunk of this in my memory
- Presumably she and Michael Douglas didn’t get along at first
- A ruffian expat rogue knave
- The plane is full of … bricks of dried grass
- Michael has been detached from the modern world for a while
- The biggest news is that the Doobie Brothers broke up
- Doobie Brother facts
- The band broke up in ‘82
- I never thought I’d do a Doobie Brothers tangent before
- To me, Michael McDonald’s voice is the Doobie Brothers
- They’re gonna have to hike all the way to Cartagena
- Danny DeVito is following them
- DD is pretty hapless and gets lost in the forest
- I know they try to cross the country
- They meet a guy named Zolo who owns a bunch of land
- They have adventures
- His car has an extra nitro boost
- His burro is a nitro-powered truck
- They realize they love and loathe each other
- One last action sequence at an old fort
- DD’s character probably changes teams
- Joan met her main character in real life
- Then they make another movie
- I don’t think Kathleen Turner is in Jewel of the Nile as much
- She’s held hostage for the jewel of the nile
- Let’s see how right or wrong I was
- A secret map from her brother-in-law
- Ira and Ralph are after antiquities, not powdered sugar
- Zolo is looking for the map too
- Zolo puts Joan on the wrong bus
- Oh, I guess Zolo isn’t a friend after all
- Oh, Juan has the truck
- He’s a Joan Superfan
- Let’s find this treasure and then save the sister
- Oh, right, I forgot there’s a stone they’re all looking for
- So many external adventures
- Jack and Joan are separated by a river
- Jack has a choice: the stone or Joan
- Jack saves Joan
- Jack has to also save Ralph after Ira escapes
- Joan goes back to NYC and writes another bestseller
- Jack has a new boat named Angelina after Joan’s novels
- There were attempts to do a reboot
- They made a TV show out of this??
- Jewel of the Nile plot
- 6 months later
- The romance has gone stale and Joan has writer’s block
- Joan gets hired to ghost-write an autobiography
- Joan encounters the real Jewel of the Nile, who could be an enlightened ruler
- Jack and Raph go searching for Joan
- They borrow a scenario from Joan’s book
- Joan and Jack are eventually married by the Jewel of the Nile
- This movie had 2 songs written for it
- I love Billy Ocean
- Man Billy Ocean wrote a lot of hits for movies
- The song for License to Drive
- Now we’re just talking movie soundtracks
- Well, I can’t wait to see Argyle
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