‘The Vanishing’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan
February 7, 2023 · The Vanishing (1993) · Drama · Horror · Mystery · 1:11:15 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes including the opening 25 minutes (gas station fight and Diane's disappearance), Rita cracking the password, Jeff beating up Barney after the answering machine message, and Jeff and Barney's car ride▶ 23:36
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsIf you're going to die in the coffin like Jeff, don't use the lighter and set the coffin on fire - you should try to kick your way out instead▶ 34:58
Chris RyanAgrees that using fire would kill you via smoke inhalation, suggests doing the Kill Bill approach and punching through, but acknowledges the coffin is under six feet of dirt making escape difficult▶ 35:11
Big Kahuna Burger Award
Bill SimmonsCoffee - specifically the black coffee and how hot it was in the mug at 140 degrees▶ 38:49
Den of Thieves Benihana Award
Chris RyanThe boathouse scene where Barney has a meltdown drinking black coffee and smoking cigarettes▶ 39:06
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsRita staying with Jeff after discovering his lies - that she wouldn't realistically stick around after finding out about his fake Army Reserve story and terrible novel▶ 41:01
Chris RyanRita's perma-sloshed friend from the diner who's always hanging out with her and getting drunk in the middle of the day▶ 41:05
What's Aged the Worst
Chris RyanJeff's poor emergency preparedness and the implausibility of someone disappearing at a gas station in the modern surveillance age, plus drinking and driving being normalized▶ 43:09
Is There a Better Title?
Bill SimmonsNo better title, but suggests 'Your obsession was my weapon' would be pretty good▶ 46:41
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsLynn Hamilton (Lucky Charms Lady) was Fred Sanford's girlfriend on Sanford and Son; filmed around Seattle with cabin in Monroe, Washington and gas station at Mountainside Shell Station in North Bend; Jeff Bridges fake arm casting was from Ted Bundy movie; Stanley Kubrick thought original 1988 Vanishing was most terrifying film he'd ever seen▶ 48:43
Chris RyanFound IMDb message board thread of guys discussing what they'd do if buried alive; the 24-hour missing person rule is a complete movie myth - you can report someone missing immediately (confirmed by texting his police officer father)▶ 48:26
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsNancy Travis — Nancy Travis possibly (early 90s range with Internal Affairs and So I Married an Axe Murderer), Full Service Awesome Gas Stations yes, Seattle yes (citing Singles, Sonics, Say Anything)▶ 51:42
Coach Finstock Life Lesson
Chris RyanIf a cop asks you if you've fought with their recently vanished spouse, just say no▶ 58:18
Best Double Feature
Bill SimmonsJagged Edge — Suggests the original film (tough four hours) or Jagged Edge with Jeff Bridges as another thriller option▶ 1:02:42
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsHow did Jeff's book do? What's it about - how they killed this guy and got away with it?▶ 1:04:11
Chris RyanHow did Jeff and Rita explain Barney's death? Wouldn't Barney's kid be like, where's my dad? Wouldn't there be an investigation?▶ 1:02:58
Movies Referenced (30)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Fear (1991) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 13:23 |
| From Hell (2001) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:09:37 |
| Proof of Life (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 17:05 |
| Open Your Eyes (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 47:19 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 53:34 |
| Psycho (1960) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 13:34 |
| So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 51:42 |
| The Killer (2023) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 10:37 |
| The Menu (2022) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:10:09 |
| The Shining (1980) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 50:12 |
| Vanilla Sky (2001) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 47:03 |
| A Few Good Men (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:00:58 |
Directors Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Fearless | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Lost in Space, Mission: Impossible - Fallout | ▶ 11:59 |
| Brian Johnson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Aliens, Alien | ▶ 1:09:07 |
| Joe Roth | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Maleficent | ▶ 8:37 |
| Paul Bellany | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Stardust | ▶ 0:00 | |
| Stanley Kubrick | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon | ▶ 50:05 |
Actors Referenced (39)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nancy Travis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 18 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | So I Married an Axe Murderer, The Vanishing, Three Men and a Little Lady | ▶ 2:30 |
| Jeff Bridges | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Big Lebowski, True Grit | ▶ 2:30 |
| Kiefer Sutherland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 15 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Phone Booth | ▶ 2:30 |
| Sandra Bullock | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Proposal, Miss Congeniality, Speed | ▶ 3:07 |
| Julia Roberts | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | Pretty Woman, My Best Friend's Wedding | ▶ 3:57 |
| Matt Damon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Good Will Hunting, The Martian, The Departed | ▶ 0:00 |
| Angela Bend | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Office Christmas Party | ▶ 49:45 |
| Daniel Missing | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:10:28 | |
| Florence Pugh | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 11:01 | |
| Gerard Butler | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Law Abiding Citizen, The Phantom of the Opera | ▶ 11:21 |
| Kurt Russell | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Escape from New York, The Hateful Eight | ▶ 9:43 |
| Billy Barty | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Masters of the Universe | ▶ 45:28 |
Writers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Todd Graff | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | The Abyss, The Vanishing | ▶ 9:09 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilfredo Cancel | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | 22 Jump Street | ▶ 55:44 |