‘Misery’ With Bill Simmons and Brian Koppelman
July 5, 2022 · Misery (1990) · Drama · Thriller · 1:32:25
Categories
Best Quote
Brian KoppelmanThe 'Dago line' - 'What's the name of that Dago who painted the ceiling?' referring to Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel▶ 33:29
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes: opening credits/car accident, tomato soup scene (first time seeing she's crazy), when she reveals she never called anyone, wrong typewriter paper scene, Paul's escape sequence, hobbling scene, Farnsworth's death, and the final fight scene▶ 43:57
Brian KoppelmanThe dinner scene, particularly debating whether Annie spilled the wine intentionally (believes she did)▶ 44:35
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsPaul Sheldon book jacket photo, Dom Perignon line, the 'N' key not working on typewriter (writer PTSD), Goldman homage with Paul Sheldon having four Knicks seats, and the hobbling scene change from book▶ 56:22
Slow Ride Award
Brian KoppelmanAgrees with the opening credits song with trumpets, also praises Mark Shiman's score work▶ 1:00:59
Den of Thieves Benihana Award
Bill SimmonsThe basement - described as psycho-esque with long staircase down to dark, dungeon-y basement▶ 1:02:13
Brian KoppelmanThe fancy Four Seasons restaurant at the end where he's living it up with desserts▶ 1:02:28
Great Shot Gordo Award
Bill SimmonsWhen Paul wakes up after falling asleep and pulling the knife - Annie's face appears with lightning going off, camera going up▶ 1:02:50
What's Aged the Worst
Bill SimmonsThe hobbling scene being too painful to watch, writing on a typewriter looking amazingly primitive, and the movie being a little slow especially in the first hour▶ 1:04:37
Brian KoppelmanThe implausible police investigation - how cops couldn't connect the dots between Paul's disappearance route and Annie Wilkes' known murderous history, even with 1990 technology▶ 1:03:39
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsKathy Bates in Misery is the best actress performance of the 90s, 2000s, 2010s or this decade, better than Frances McDormand in Fargo, Halle Berry in Monster's Ball, Emma Stone in La La Land, and others▶ 1:07:11
Brian KoppelmanSuggests Charlize Theron in Monster as another contender but acknowledges not loving that movie, seems to generally agree with the Kathy Bates assessment▶ 1:08:09
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsWilliam Hurt — Lists extensive casting alternatives for Paul Sheldon role including William Hurt (offered twice), Kevin Kline, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, Dustin Hoffman, De Niro, Pacino, Richard Dreyfuss, Gene Hackman, and Robert Redford - all turned it down. Notes Dreyfuss and Bette Midler expressed regret.▶ 1:08:41
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsMultiple trivia facts including James Caan showing up hungover requiring reshoots, Stephen King's Annie Wilkes being his favorite character, acting clash between Caan and Bates over rehearsal styles, Broadway adaptation details, forensic analysis of Annie's mental illness, fake legs production details, and King's admission that the story represented his drug dependency▶ 1:11:03
Brian KoppelmanSome scenes appear to have been looped/ADR'd in post-production due to questionable performances, possibly related to the James Caan hungover shooting issue▶ 1:11:40
Racehorse Name Award
Bill SimmonsSuggested multiple options: Misery, Annie Wilkes, Dragon Nurse, and Sheldon's Misery▶ 1:15:51
Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake
Bill SimmonsPrestige TV limited series with gender flip - two women, set in period or modern 2022 all-female Misery▶ 1:20:44
Brian KoppelmanAgrees gender flip would be compelling but expresses concerns about modern setting due to technology making characters too findable▶ 1:21:00
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsHas one unanswerable question but says it ties into another category, doesn't specify what it is▶ 1:22:34
Brian KoppelmanHad unanswerable questions about her nursing time but says they were already covered▶ 1:22:38
Best Double Feature
Bill SimmonsThe King of Comedy — Initially suggested Stand By Me and Misery (Double Rob Reiner), then Dead Zone and Misery (Stephen King double feature), but ultimately settled on King of Comedy and Misery as the best pairing▶ 1:24:05
Brian KoppelmanSomething Wild — Something Wild and Misery - pairing Ray Liotta films where his role flips from being the crazed stalker to the victim▶ 1:23:49
Coach Finstock Life Lesson
Bill SimmonsDon't have fans, don't drive a 66 Mustang during a blizzard, and if you're successful like Paul Sheldon, buy your own place instead of staying at lodges▶ 1:28:21
Brian KoppelmanCheck the weather before you leave, avoid driving Mustangs in bad weather, and have a routine where you check in with people before and after you leave someplace▶ 1:28:38
Movies Referenced (27)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stand by Me (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Brian Koppelman, Bill Simmons | ▶ 5:27 |
| The Shining (1980) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Brian Koppelman, Bill Simmons | ▶ 5:44 |
| Pretty Woman (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Brian Koppelman | ▶ 40:47 |
| A Few Good Men (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Brian Koppelman, Bill Simmons | ▶ 44:21 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 55:01 |
| Hannibal (2001) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 30:49 |
| Carrie (1976) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 10:23 |
| Dracula (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:01:07 |
| Good Time (2017) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 38:40 |
| The Prestige (2006) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | ▶ 0:15 | |
| Before We Go (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:31:33 |
| Den of Thieves (2018) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:02:08 |
Directors Referenced (6)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rob Reiner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 17 | Bill Simmons, Brian Koppelman | This Is Spinal Tap, The Wolf of Wall Street | ▶ 2:32 |
| Warren Beatty | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Brian Koppelman, Bill Simmons | Heaven Can Wait | ▶ 18:33 |
| John Colorado | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Brian Koppelman | Hancock | ▶ 1:03:26 |
| George Roy Hill | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Slap Shot | ▶ 17:46 |
| John Dahl | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Brian Koppelman | ▶ 22:52 | |
| Tony Scott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Unstoppable, True Romance | ▶ 1:13:40 |
Actors Referenced (61)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kathy Bates | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 33 | Bill Simmons, Brian Koppelman | Misery, Titanic | ▶ 3:24 |
| Paul Newman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 23 | Bill Simmons, Brian Koppelman | Road to Perdition, The Verdict | ▶ 2:02 |
| James Caan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Bill Simmons, Brian Koppelman | Thief, Rollerball, Misery | ▶ 3:24 |
| Richard Farnsworth | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons | The Straight Story, Misery, The Natural | ▶ 51:30 |
| Anthony Hopkins | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | The Silence of the Lambs | ▶ 30:49 |
| Michael Douglas | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Brian Koppelman, Bill Simmons | Wall Street, Romancing the Stone | ▶ 38:30 |
| Richard Gere | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | Pretty Woman, An Officer and a Gentleman | ▶ 42:15 |
| Charlie Ward | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Brian Koppelman | Tombstone | ▶ 1:00:03 |
| Donald Sutherland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Brian Koppelman | ▶ 39:51 | |
| Mark Jackson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Brian Koppelman, Bill Simmons | ▶ 59:37 | |
| Bette Midler | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 29:51 | |
| Danny Trejo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Machete, From Dusk Till Dawn, Predators | ▶ 0:12 |
Writers Referenced (6)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen King | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 32 | Brian Koppelman, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:39 | |
| John Grisham | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Brian Koppelman, Bill Simmons | Runaway Jury, A Time to Kill | ▶ 5:01 |
| James Kahn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Brian Koppelman | ▶ 52:20 | |
| Brian Koppelman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Runaway Jury, Michael Clayton | ▶ 1:16:08 |
| J.K. Rowling | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Brian Koppelman | ▶ 4:24 | |
| Peter Straub | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Brian Koppelman | ▶ 6:45 |