100 Things we learned from film

This week we’re heading into the wilderness with John Candy and Dan Aykroyd in the 1988 comedy classic The Great Outdoors.

From the legendary “Old 96er” steak challenge and disastrous water skiing lessons to wisecracking raccoons and one unforgettable bald-headed bear, this lakeside family holiday has become a cult favourite of the 1980s. Written by John Hughes and directed by Howard Deutch, The Great Outdoors is a movie that proves family vacations are never peaceful: especially when Bart the Bear crashes the party.

In this episode, we uncover 50 of the best facts behind the film. Discover how Bass Lake in California doubled for Wisconsin, how Annette Benning made her film debut, and what really went into wrangling raccoons, leeches, and one very patient grizzly. Whether you rented it on VHS, caught it on TV, or are revisiting it for the first time in years, this is the perfect summer throwback.

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The Great Outdoors is a 1988 American comedy film directed by Howard Deutch, written and produced by John Hughes, and starring Dan Aykroyd and John Candy with supporting roles by Stephanie Faracy, Annette Bening (in her film debut), Chris Young, Lucy Deakins, and Robert Prosky. The film is about two families spending a vacation at a fictional resort town in northern Wisconsin.

In this episode of 100 Things We Learned From Film, we’re joined by award winning actress and creator Candice Palladino to dive deep into the 1992 comedy classic Sister Act, starring Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith, and Harvey Keitel. Together we uncover 100 fascinating facts about the film, from behind-the-scenes stories and casting choices to filming locations, production trivia, and the unforgettable music that turned this movie into a worldwide hit. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or revisiting the convent for the first time in years, this episode is packed with insights and laughs.

Candice brings her unique perspective as a performer and creative to help us explore the legacy of Sister Act and why it remains one of the most beloved comedies of the ’90s. Expect trivia you didn’t know, behind-the-scenes secrets you’ll love, and plenty of fun along the way as we celebrate one of cinema’s most joyful films. If you’re passionate about movie facts, film history, and laughs, this is the episode for you.

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All of Candice's links and Socials can be found on her website at: www.candicepalladino.com so get on that because she's a brilliant follow!

But we seriously recommend checking out the short horror film BLINK created by Fraught Productions and starring Candice and Penelope Yeulet. It's the scariest 3 minutes you'll watch today!

Also Candice's Comedy Musical Web series IT'S DAISY MAY:

https://youtu.be/FTXxfYe2Jv4?si=ZULS8jeyPIf-AW9F

Just a sweet southern gal that wants be friends and nothing creepy at all... We promise!

The picture used on the Thumbnail is credited to photographer Richard Wakefield... the one of Candice. not the Whoppi one. That was knicked off a google image search, innit?

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Sister Act is a 1992 American musical crime comedy film directed by Emile Ardolino and written by Paul Rudnick (billed as Joseph Howard). It stars Whoopi Goldberg as a lounge singer forced to hide in a convent after being placed in a witness protection program. It also features Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy, Wendy Makkena, Mary Wickes, and Harvey Keitel.

Sister Act was one of the most financially successful comedies of the early 1990s, grossing $231 million worldwide against a $31 million budget. Its success extended to the home video market, and it was the most rented film of 1993 in the United States. The film spawned a franchise, which consists of the 1993 sequel Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit and a musical adaptation, which premiered in 2006

This week we’re kicking down doors and arguing over steering wheels as we dive into Rush Hour; the action-comedy classic that teamed up Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker for the first time.

We’ve got behind-the-scenes stories, casting chaos, mad stunts, and why Jackie nearly turned the whole thing down. Plus: a whole lot of facts about bloopers, rewrites and the number two song of the 90's apparently.

So grab your badge, grab your nunchucks, and don’t ever touch a black man’s radio.

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Rush Hour is a 1998 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Brett Ratner from a screenplay by Jim Kouf and Ross LaManna and a story by LaManna. It stars Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Tom Wilkinson, Chris Penn, and Elizabeth Peña. In the film, Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) Chief Inspector Lee (Chan) and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Detective James Carter (Tucker) are forced to work together to rescue a Chinese diplomat's abducted daughter.

Development on Rush Hour began in 1995, after LaManna wrote a spec script, which was first initially sold to Hollywood Pictures with Ratner and Chan both attached to the project. The film was eventually shelved until being acquired by New Line Cinema, who had an established relationship with Ratner and Tucker following Money Talks (1997). Several actors were considered prior to Tucker signing onto the project, with the rest of the cast rounded out by early 1997. Principal photography began that November and lasted until January 1998, with filming locations including Los Angeles and Hong Kong.

Rush Hour was theatrically released in the United States on September 18, 1998, by New Line Cinema. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for Tucker and Chan's chemistry and performances. It also grossed $245.3 million worldwide and was followed by two sequels: Rush Hour 2 (2001) and Rush Hour 3 (2007).

This week, we’re hitting the road with Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical love letter to 1970s rock and roll, Almost Famous. We’ve got facts about the music, the madness, and the moments that made this one of the greatest rock movies ever made.

From Robert Plant’s “golden god” moment to Kate Hudson’s iconic coat, from near-fatal plane rides to the true story behind “Tiny Dancer,” we dig into the real history, the on-set chaos, and the rock-solid trivia you didn’t know you needed.

It’s all happening.

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Almost Famous is a 2000 American comedy drama film written and directed by Cameron Crowe, starring Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Patrick Fugit, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. It tells the story of a teenage journalist, played by Fugit, writing for Rolling Stone magazine in the early 1970s, touring with the fictitious rock band Stillwater, and writing his first cover story on the band. The film is semi-autobiographical, as Crowe himself was a teenage writer for Rolling Stone.

The film performed poorly in theatres, grossing $47.4 million against a $60 million budget.[3] It was widely acclaimed by critics and earned four Academy Award nominations, including a win for Best Original Screenplay. It also won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media. Roger Ebert hailed it as the best film of the year and the ninth-best film of the 2000s. The film also won two Golden Globe Awards, one for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and another for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for Hudson.

The film is regarded by some as a cult classic and in a 2016 international poll conducted by the BBC, Almost Famous was ranked the 79th greatest film since 2000, while it was ranked as the 47th best film of the 21st century in a 2025 poll by The New York Times. In a Hollywood Reporter 2014 list voted on by "studio chiefs, Oscar winners and TV royalty", Almost Famous was ranked the 71st greatest film of all time

#AlmostFamous #MovieTrivia #RockAndRoll

We travel back to 1984 to break down James Cameron’s sci-fi masterpiece The Terminator. From on-set chaos to behind-the-scenes genius, from the film’s tiny budget to its massive cultural impact, we’ve crammed in facts, stories, and surprises about the film.

Expect:

🦾 Arnold’s 14 lines of dialogue.

🎥 Guerrilla filmmaking in the streets of LA.

💻 The pixelated “future war” of early gaming.

💥 Explosions you could feel through your Walkman.

No sequels. No reboots. Just the original killer robot movie that changed cinema forever.

💡 If you love movie trivia, ’80s sci-fi, or just want to know how one film rewrote the rules of action cinema, you’re in the right place.

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What happens when cutting-edge science meets ancient ghosts in a crumbling British mansion? This week, John & Planty dive deep into the BBC’s cult classic The Stone Tape Nigel Kneale’s chilling fusion of tech and the supernatural.

We’re unpacking every shocking sound cue, reel-to-reel moment, and experimental psychic theory. You’ll learn about ghostly geology, failed Doctor Whos, and how a 1972 Christmas horror became a timeless slice of sci-fi TV history.

This one’s a proper hauntological rabbit hole.

search 100 Things We Learned From Film wherever you get your podcasts

Title: The Stone Tape

Air Date: 25 December 1972 (BBC Two)

Written by: Nigel Kneale

Directed by: Peter Sasdy

Produced by: Innes Lloyd

Runtime: 90 minutes

Country: United Kingdom

Genre: Techno-horror / Ghost Story / Sci-Fi

Original Broadcast Format: PAL colour (shot on 2” videotape and 16mm film)

Michael Bryant as Peter Brock

Jane Asher as Jill Greeley

Iain Cuthbertson as Roy Collinson

Michael Bates as Eddie Holmes

Reginald Marsh as Hargrave

Tom Chadbon as Stewart

James Cosmo as Maudsley (yes, that James Cosmo)

Philip Trewinnard as Crawshaw

Neil Wilson as Clegg

Why The Stone Tape still haunts horror fans

Nigel Kneale’s influence on sci-fi and supernatural TV

What’s “stone tape theory” and how it shaped ghost hunting

cast members from Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, and beyond

The wild production process and location secrets

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This week, we strap on the sequins, fluff up our ruffled shirts, and step into the glitter-soaked world of Strictly Ballroom — the 1992 debut feature from Baz Luhrmann that kicked off his Red Curtain Trilogy.

From Federation dance politics to flaming Galahs and the power of self-expression, we pull apart every sparkly frame to bring you circa 100 weird, wonderful, and deeply daft things we learned along the way. Expect mullets, Paso Dobles, and more than one mention of the word "strictly."

We also look at Baz’s background in theatre, how the film was made on a shoestring budget, and why ballroom dancing became big in the early ’90s — all with our usual mix of facts, nonsense, and affectionate ridicule.

This episode is especially for Mrs Planty's Birthday. 21 and a bit you absolute legend.

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Strictly Ballroom is a 1992 Australian romantic comedy film directed and co-written by Baz Luhrmann in his feature directorial debut. The film is the first in his Red Curtain Trilogy of theatre-motif-related films; it was followed by 1996's Romeo + Juliet and 2001's Moulin Rouge!

Strictly Ballroom is based on a critically acclaimed stage play, originally set up in 1984 by Luhrmann and fellow students during his studies at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts in Sydney. An expanded version of the play became a success at the Czechoslovakian Youth Drama Festival in Bratislava in 1986. In 1988, it had a successful season at Sydney's Wharf Theatre, where it was seen by Australian music executive Ted Albert and his wife Antoinette. They both loved it, and, when Albert, soon after, set up the film production company M&A Productions with ex-Film Australia producer Tristram Miall, they offered Luhrmann their plan to transform his play into a film. He agreed on the condition that he would also get to direct it.

Welcome to another glittering deep dive from 100 Things We Learned From Film! This week, we're panning for cinematic gold with Charlie Chaplin’s silent comedy classic, The Gold Rush.

💡 We unearth fascinating facts about Chaplin’s Little Tramp, the madness of frozen boot dinners, real bear encounters, United Artists’ rebellious spirit, and how a silent film managed to speak volumes nearly 100 years later.

👢 Expect frozen shoes, fork-dancing, starving prospectors, and the world’s worst cabin share.

🎭 Was Chaplin really hanging off a cliff?

🍽️ Did people actually eat boiled shoes?

📽️ Why did United Artists nearly break Hollywood?

PLUS: Planty goes full Tramp mode and uncovers what else was going on in 1925 (spoiler: it gets wild).

🔎 Featured Topics:

– Charlie Chaplin’s genius and ego

– The history of United Artists

– Bear wrangling in the silent era

– Iconic scenes & how they were shot

– Cold weather filmmaking madness

– Gold Rush trivia that isn’t in the film

🎧 Listen now and strike trivia gold with us!

👉 100thingswelearnedfromfilm.co.uk

🎙️ Support us for £1/month & pick an episode!

#CharlieChaplin #TheGoldRush #SilentFilmTrivia #MoviePodcast #FilmHistory #ChaplinFacts #100ThingsPodcast #BehindTheScenes #ClassicCinema

Surf's up, and the crime wave is gnarly.

This week on 100 Things We Learned From Film, we’re grabbing our boards, slipping on our Nixon masks, and catching waves (and feelings) with the 1991 cult classic Point Break. Planty and John ride through the most extreme FBI training montage ever committed to film, debate how many meatball subs is too many, and discover just how wet Keanu Reeves got making this movie.

We’re talking skydiving stunts, behind-the-scenes beefcakes, surfing facts, FBI realness from Quantico, and the legacy of director Kathryn Bigelow’s wild action masterpiece.

This episode was picked by our radical patron Maria – who supports the show for just £1 a month and gets a shoutout! Want yours? Hit up:

👉 100thingswelearnedfromfilm.co.uk

🧠 In this episode you’ll learn:

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• Why Patrick Swayze did most of his own stunts
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• How Keanu became Johnny Utah (and why Johnny Unitas should be honoured)
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• Which surfer inspired Bodhi
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• What the FBI really teaches you (spoiler: not surfing)
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• The surprising link between Point Break and The Fast and the Furious
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Point Break podcast, Point Break facts, Keanu Reeves FBI, Patrick Swayze surfing, Kathryn Bigelow movies, Point Break trivia, 100 Things We Learned From Film, best film podcasts UK, cult movie podcast, action movie podcast, surfing movies, skydiving stunts

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This week we're doing the most Mid Rap, Taking the Turnpike to Jersey and putting on the last ray bans we'll ever wear with 1997's Men in Black.

We're doing the comic and shadowy government departments.

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Want to support the podcast?

It'll only cost you a quid and we'll shout you out every episode!

It's nowt to you but it means the world to us.

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www.100thingswelearnedfromfilm.co.uk

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Men in Black (abbreviated as MIB) is a 1997 American alien/UFO science fiction action comedy film[2] starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith as "men in black", secret agents who monitor and police extraterrestrials. The film is directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, based on a script by Ed Solomon, that adapts the Aircel Comics series The Men in Black by Lowell Cunningham. In the film, Agent K (Jones) and Agent J (Smith) investigate a series of seemingly unrelated criminal incidents related to the extraterrestrials who live in secret on Earth. Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Rip Torn also appear in supporting roles.

Development for the film began in 1992, after producers Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald optioned the rights to the comic book series. Solomon was soon hired to write the screenplay; Sonnenfeld was the preferred directorial choice, which resulted in delays due to his commitments to other film projects and a failure to secure any alternative directors. Principal photography began in March 1996 and lasted until that June, with filming primarily taking place in New York City. The film's visual effects were helmed by Industrial Light & Magic. The film's soundtrack contains the theme song of the same name, performed by Smith, as well as the score, composed by Danny Elfman.

Men in Black premiered at Pacific's Cinerama Dome in Hollywood on June 25, 1997, and was theatrically released in the United States on July 2. It received critical acclaim for its screenplay, humour, action sequences, and the performances and chemistry between Jones and Smith. The film was a box-office success, grossing more than $589.4 million worldwide and becoming the third-highest-grossing film of 1997 as well as the ninth-highest-grossing film of the decade. It won for Best Makeup and was also nominated for Best Art Direction and Best Original Score at the 70th Academy Awards, among numerous other accolades. A sequel was released in 2002, a third film was released in 2012, and a stand-alone sequel was released in 2019, with Jones and Smith absent.

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Tommy Lee Jones as Kevin Brown / Agent K: J's grizzled and humorless mentor.

Will Smith as James Darrell Edwards III / Agent J: A former NYPD detective, newly recruited to the MIB.

Linda Fiorentino as Dr. Laurel Weaver / Agent L: A deputy medical examiner, and later J's partner.

Vincent D'Onofrio as Edgar / The Bug: An abusive farmer who is killed and eaten by a giant alien insect, which then wears his skin in order to search for the Galaxy and incite a war from the Arquillians.

Rip Torn as Chief Zed: The head of the MIB.

Tony Shalhoub as Jack Jeebs: An alien arms dealer who runs a pawn shop as a front.

Siobhan Fallon Hogan as Beatrice: Edgar's abused wife.

Mike Nussbaum as Gentle Rosenberg: An Arquillian royal family member, posing as a jeweler, who is the guardian of "the Galaxy".

Jon Gries as Nick the van driver: the American smuggler who unknowingly carries a literal alien among his posse.

Sergio Calderón as Jose

John Alexander as Mikey: An alien who poses as a Mexican being smuggled across the border.

Patrick Breen as Mr. Redgick

Becky Ann Baker as Mrs. Redgick

Carel Struycken as Arquillian

Fredric Lehne as Agent Janus

Kent Faulcon as 2nd Lieutenant Jake Jensen

Richard Hamilton as Agent D: K's former partner who retires after deciding he is too old for the job.

Ken Thorley as Zap-Em Man, an Exterminator who is killed by Edgar the Bug

David Cross as Newton, Morgue Attendant

Sean Whalen as Passport Officer

Verne Troyer as the Alien son

Harsh Nayyar as News Vendor

Bernard Gilkey as himself (New York Mets outfielder)

Voices/Puppeteers

Tim Blaney as Frank the Pug: A smart-talking pug-like alien.

Mark Setrakian as Rosenberg Alien

Brad Abrell, Thom Fountain, Carl J. Johnson, and Drew Massey as the Worm Guys: A quartet of worm-like aliens that work for Men in Black.