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‘Tombstone’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan

December 24, 2018 · Tombstone (1993) · Biography · Drama · History · 1:15:40 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill SimmonsThe Hell's Coming With Me scene followed by the killing montage▶ 25:31
Chris RyanLikes the 'I'm going to turn your head into a canoe' scene with Kurt Russell pistol whipping and Val Kilmer's 'I got two guns, one for each of you'▶ 22:50

Casting What-Ifs

Bill SimmonsRichard GereDiscusses Richard Gere as Wyatt Earp and Willem Dafoe as Doc Holliday - says 'No way not' and 'Thank God he was not Doc Holliday'. Also mentions Mickey Rourke almost cast as Johnny Ringo▶ 41:24
Chris RyanMickey RourkeAgrees the Dafoe casting would have been bad due to Disney/Buena Vista rejecting him over Last Temptation of Christ. Says Mickey Rourke as Ringo would have been 'one too many cooks in the kitchen'▶ 41:38
Sean FennesseyWillem DafoeAgrees Willem Dafoe would have been wrong for Doc Holliday, saying 'Thank God he was not Doc Holliday'▶ 41:46

Apex Mountain

Bill SimmonsJason PriestleyKurt Russell: Tango and Cash (1989) - established him as A-list star at end of 80s; Val Kilmer: Heat (1995) - biggest mid-90s movie where he was De Niro's wingman; Jason Priestley: Tombstone - 1000% Apex Mountain, never bigger during 90210 peak▶ 46:49
Chris RyanJason PriestleyKurt Russell: Tombstone era due to his ability to finance the movie coming off Backdraft; Val Kilmer: Top Gun era when people saw him as neck-and-neck with Tom Cruise; agreed on Priestley's Apex being Tombstone▶ 46:32
Sean FennesseyKurt RussellKurt Russell: The Thing/Silkwood era (1982-83) - he got Oscar nomination for Silkwood and had great run including Escape from New York; Bill Paxton: Tombstone era as sweet spot when he was figuring out how to be Bill Paxton▶ 48:08

Joey Pants Award

Chris RyanDana Wheeler-NicholsonSupports Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, appreciates her performance and defends her against criticism▶ 56:16
Sean FennesseyDana Wheeler-NicholsonDiscusses Dana Wheeler-Nicholson favorably, mentions her other roles including Bye Bye Love▶ 56:21

Best Quote

Bill SimmonsMultiple quotes including 'I never saw a rich man that didn't have a guilty conscience...', 'I don't think I'll let you arrest us today, B-Han', 'Make no mistake, it's not revenge he's after. It's a reckoning', and Kilmer's 'I don't' response▶ 1:04:19
Chris RyanI'm your Huckleberry▶ 1:05:17
Sean FennesseyJohnny, I apologize. I forgot you were there. You may go now.▶ 1:05:08

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill SimmonsAsks whether Kevin Costner would make Tombstone better or worse, argues Russell was the right level of famous while Costner was too famous and too focused on being an auteur. Also discusses whether anyone would want to see Kurt Russell's reconstructed 'Western Godfather' version of Tombstone.▶ 1:05:20
Chris RyanAgrees you can't make the movie without Russell, notes Costner was in his own head about being an auteur and focused on different character aspects like romantic relationships in Wyatt Earp. Discusses challenges of Western filmmaking and director's cuts.▶ 1:05:28
Sean FennesseyUses The Other Side of the Wind as example of why film reconstructions often result in amazing documents but not amazing movies, argues he likes Tombstone's flaws and messiness as is.▶ 1:07:44

Who Won the Movie

Bill SimmonsVal KilmerVal Kilmer wins the movie from a performance perspective, Kurt Russell wins it spiritually for keeping it alive▶ 1:13:15
Chris RyanVal KilmerVal Kilmer - he's the reason we remember the movie▶ 1:12:49
Sean FennesseyKurt RussellKurt Russell - he's the star, it's one of his best movies, and he gets ownership of making it so good▶ 1:12:32

Movies Referenced (54)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
Aliens (1986)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 24:53
Batman (1989)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 11:27
Deep Impact (1998)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Sean Fennessey▶ 6:11
Rambo (2008)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 3:08
The Abyss (1989)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 25:07
The Godfather (1972)IMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 3:39
Armageddon (1998)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Sean Fennessey▶ 6:01
Escape from New York (1981)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 46:07
Public Enemies (2009)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 1:10:14
Rocky IV (1985)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 50:51
Top Gun (1986)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 49:17
Twister (1996)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 52:40

Directors Referenced (6)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Kevin CostnerIMDb ↗Lb ↗13Bill Simmons, Chris RyanDances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 4:14
Panos CosmatosIMDb ↗Lb ↗9Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean FennesseyTombstone▶ 8:34
Michael MannIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons, Sean FennesseyThe Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans▶ 49:47
Anson JewIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsWonder Woman▶ 45:26
John FordIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Chris Ryan▶ 34:30
Oliver StoneIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Sean FennesseyBorn on the Fourth of July, Platoon, JFK▶ 50:34

Actors Referenced (71)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Kurt RussellIMDb ↗Lb ↗51Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean FennesseyEscape from New York, The Hateful Eight▶ 3:39
Val KilmerIMDb ↗Lb ↗43Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean FennesseyThe Doors, The Saint, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang▶ 10:33
Wyatt EarpIMDb ↗Lb ↗25Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean FennesseyTombstone▶ 2:47
Doc HollidayIMDb ↗Lb ↗16Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 12:16
Michael BeanIMDb ↗Lb ↗16Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 16:56
Bill PaxtonIMDb ↗Lb ↗14Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris RyanAliens, Apollo 13▶ 17:15
Carla GuginoIMDb ↗Lb ↗12Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris RyanWatchmen, Sucker Punch▶ 31:40
Jason PriestleyIMDb ↗Lb ↗10Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 17:43
Barbara StanwyckIMDb ↗Lb ↗9Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean FennesseyDouble Indemnity▶ 57:30
Mutya BuenaIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Chris Ryan, Bill SimmonsAbout Time, Love Actually▶ 7:32
Billy Bob ThorntonIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Bill Simmons, Chris RyanSling Blade▶ 17:15
Billy ZaneIMDb ↗Lb ↗5Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean FennesseyTitanic▶ 16:56

Writers Referenced (7)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Lawrence KasdanIMDb ↗Lb ↗4Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris RyanThe Big Chill▶ 4:30
James CameronIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Chris Ryan, Bill SimmonsAvatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day▶ 25:01
Oscar WildeIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris RyanThe Importance of Being Earnest▶ 40:41
Roger EbertIMDb ↗Lb ↗3Bill Simmons▶ 15:17
Robert TowneIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Bill Simmons, Sean FennesseyChinatown, Mission: Impossible▶ 6:51
Jackie FilesIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill Simmons▶ 56:37
Kevin JarreIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Sean FennesseyRambo: First Blood Part II, The Mummy▶ 2:38

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Michael GrantlandIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Bill SimmonsThe Other Guys▶ 1:04:38