‘Slap Shot’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan
June 4, 2024 · Slap Shot (1977) · Comedy · Drama · Sport · 1:46:54 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsThe opening scene with Jim Carr fixing the mic with his toupee and Dennis the goalie explaining penalties▶ 37:41
Great Shot Gordo Award
Bill SimmonsThe three Hansons hitting the guy and then the shot from behind the boards of the guy slowly sinking▶ 44:08
Sean FennesseyThe National Anthem shot when it's on the ref's face and you can see the three Hansons behind him▶ 44:23
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsMultiple picks: Newman's leather fur jacket, brown leather leisure suit, awkward local sports interviews, Lindsay Crouse and Newman pairing, classic 70s milf character Francine, the threatening to expose himself scene, Deep Throat/Meatball double feature marquee, McCracken insult scene, bad 70s daytime TV shows, Schmitt's beer, super horny teammate Mo, the guy who won't fight▶ 49:16
Chris RyanCalling arenas 'war memorial' instead of corporate names; the scrappy 'us versus the owners' sports trope▶ 48:27
Sean FennesseyThe cast ensemble - many actors' early career performances that people would see repeatedly▶ 48:57
Den of Thieves Benihana Award
Bill SimmonsDowntown (not really Charlestown) and the hyena sport with rotary during the moons scene▶ 59:57
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsThe sudden forfeit - it's always bothered me for 47 years, tough way to lose the finals▶ 1:01:44
Sean FennesseyThe forfeit - it feels like you get cheated out of a great sports movie moment, might even hold it back from being the sports movie▶ 1:02:03
What's Aged the Worst
Sean FennesseyReferences some type of dialogue/language that 'you don't talk like that anymore' but acknowledges it's realistic for locker room talk▶ 1:09:19
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsThe movie would be better if Ned fought McCracken and they had a traditional sports movie ending instead of the striptease▶ 1:09:28
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsDave Schultz — Should have had a real life NHL enforcer from the mid 70s on the Syracuse team, suggests Dave Schultz (most famous Broad Street bully), John Winsink, or Gary Howitt▶ 1:15:01
Sean FennesseyClark Gillies — Mentions there was an Islanders enforcer in the Mike Bossy era, agrees with Bill's suggestion of Clark Gillies▶ 1:15:17
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsExtensive trivia including Quebec French translation making it 'the godfather for French-speaking Canadians', filming locations, Reggie Dunlop based on John Brophy, Johnstown Jets history, Carlson brothers birth timing and penalty minutes, Jim Carr's toupee modeled after Bill Wilson, real-life incidents inspiring movie scenes▶ 1:17:35
Chris RyanOntario Reign as LA area minor league team, comparison to Ron Shelton's real-life research methods, and Nancy Dowd career facts including her work on Coming Home, SNL, and other films plus her brother playing Ogie Oglethorpe▶ 1:18:54
Sean FennesseyBrief responses about Long Island Ducks now being a baseball team, minor league hockey teams in LA area, and personal anecdotes about hockey starting age▶ 1:17:23
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsPaul Newman — Newman: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid or The Sting; Keane: yes for this movie; George Roy Hill: no; Sports movies: yes, this could be apex mountain; Hockey movies: definitely yes; Hockey fighting in general: yes; Minor league hockey: yes▶ 1:22:38
Chris RyanKerry Von Erich — Keane: most people think of him as the guy from Twin Peaks; Sports movies: 1977 has a shout for best sports movie year; Movie brothers: yes for the Carlson/Corleone brothers; Minor league hockey: this or Major League for apex mountain▶ 1:23:56
Sean FennesseyPaul Newman — Newman: The Sting winning Best Picture in '74 and Towering Inferno being biggest movie of the year - tough to match; Keane: Twin Peaks in 1990 when it was the biggest show on TV; Sports movies: maybe not the center in terms of quality, late 80s era was more important; Lindsay Crouse: The Verdict▶ 1:22:45
Is This Movie Better With
Bill SimmonsTom Cruise — Tom Cruise in the Ankeen role with Al Pacino (for height compatibility) - describes Cruz's method acting preparation▶ 1:27:50
Chris RyanTom Cruise — Agrees with Cruz casting and discusses various nitpicks about hockey logistics rather than specific casting suggestions▶ 1:28:01
Sean FennesseyTom Cruise — Tom Cruise in the Ankeen role - discusses the subtext implications▶ 1:27:46
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsHanrahan hockey scene issues - he just stands in place and skates over and stops unrealistically; Lindsay Crouse's unclear accent; sudden crowd appearance for Hansons first game despite previous empty games; team has no practice scenes; can't really hide minor league team ownership in 1977▶ 1:31:00
Chris RyanDefends some plot points as realistic for the 1970s small town setting and communication limitations of the era, but doesn't offer specific nits of his own▶ 1:29:48
Sean FennesseyDoesn't understand Anita Cambridge's tax write-off reasoning for not selling the team instead of getting cash; doubts McGrath's claim about NHL scouts with contracts in their pockets; finds Reg and Lily's relationship plan unclear▶ 1:29:42
Who Won the Movie
Bill SimmonsPaul Newman — Paul Newman, but also makes a case for hockey as the sport benefiting from the film▶ 1:43:27
Chris RyanDiscusses how hockey maintained its culture longer than other sports, implicitly agreeing the sport benefited▶ 1:44:03
Sean FennesseyPaul Newman — Agrees with Paul Newman but questions whether hockey would be any different without the movie▶ 1:43:41
Movies Referenced (53)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inferno (2016) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 13:05 |
| The Sting (1973) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 13:04 |
| Field of Dreams (1989) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:25:10 |
| The Shining (1980) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 57:03 |
| All the Right Moves (1983) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 23:31 |
| Cool Hand Luke (1967) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 17:42 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 48:35 |
| Pulp Fiction (1994) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:46:05 |
| The Godfather (1972) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 57:42 |
| The Longest Yard (2005) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 14:34 |
| Boogie Nights (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:45:23 |
| Cast Away (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 14:32 |
Directors Referenced (13)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Roy Hill | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Slap Shot | ▶ 5:01 |
| Eddie Shore | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Boyhood | ▶ 23:47 |
| Anthony D. Syracuse | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 29:00 | |
| Robert Altman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Gosford Park | ▶ 13:13 |
| Sidney Lumet | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | 12 Angry Men | ▶ 20:37 |
| David Lean | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Lawrence of Arabia | ▶ 28:42 |
| Hal Ashby | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | In the Heat of the Night, Harold and Maude | ▶ 31:31 |
| James D. Tittle | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Independence Day | ▶ 47:02 |
| John Frankenheimer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Seven Days in May | ▶ 30:38 |
| Peter Howitt | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:15:13 | |
| Robert Benton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Kramer vs. Kramer, Bonnie and Clyde | ▶ 15:43 |
| Tom Brady | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Hot Chick | ▶ 50:57 |
Actors Referenced (62)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Newman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 44 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Road to Perdition, The Verdict | ▶ 2:17 |
| Butch Cassidy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 7:49 | |
| Jim Carrey | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Bruce Almighty, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind | ▶ 1:39:52 |
| Kaiser Chiefs | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:55 | |
| Melinda Dillon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Magnolia, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, A Christmas Story | ▶ 10:32 |
| Nick Nolte | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Warrior | ▶ 1:10:05 |
| Tom Hanks | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Cast Away, Big, Forrest Gump | ▶ 14:25 |
| Jeff Carlson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | Slap Shot | ▶ 1:03:58 |
| Luke Wilson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Old School, The Royal Tenenbaums | ▶ 17:42 |
| Phoebe Cates | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Gremlins | ▶ 20:54 |
| Robin Williams | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Mrs. Doubtfire | ▶ 1:39:13 |
| Al Pacino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather | ▶ 1:10:45 |
Writers Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nancy Dowd | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Slap Shot | ▶ 25:09 |
| William Goldman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride | ▶ 28:12 |
| Ron Shelton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | White Men Can't Jump | ▶ 26:06 |
| Dave Schultz | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:15:08 |
Cinematographers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivan Strasburg | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 35:14 | |
| Robert Barcelona | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Elysium, Venom, Jurassic World | ▶ 1:30:17 |