July 04, 2021
'Independence Day'
The Ringer's Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Shea Serrano don't smoke cigars until the fat lady sings. And until after they rewatch the 1996 hit 'Independence Day' starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman, and Jeff Goldblum.
Cast
Will Smith as Captain Steven Hiller
Jeff Goldblum as David Levinson
Bill Pullman as President Thomas Whitmore
Vivica A. Fox as Jasmine Dubrow
Judd Hirsch as Julius Levinson
Randy Quaid as Russell Casse
Margaret Colin as Constance Spano
Robert Loggia as General William Grey
James Rebhorn as Secretary of Defense Albert Nimzicki
Harry Connick Jr. as Captain Jimmy Wilder
Adam Baldwin as Major Mitchell
Mary McDonnell as First Lady Marilyn Whitmore
Harvey Fierstein as Marty Gilbert
Brent Spiner as Dr. Brackish Okun
Directed by: Roland Emmerich
Written by: Roland Emmerich, Dean Devlin
Notes
- $75 million budget, made $817 million at the box office – second highest-grossing movie ever at the time (behind 'Jurassic Park').
- Won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects; nominated for Best Sound. Won a Grammy for its score.
- The idea came when Emmerich was promoting Stargate and a reporter asked about aliens – he turned to Devlin and said 'I think I have an idea for our next movie.'
- U.S. military was originally involved but bowed out because of the Area 51 storyline.
- 3,000+ special effects shots; they built physical models (e.g., a 10x5 foot White House model that they blew up).
- The White House interior set had already been built for 'The American President' and also used for Nixon.
- Six Oscar nominees in the cast.
- Pullman's speech was largely from the first take; the reactions of extras were genuine because they were impressed watching Pullman perform.
- The line 'Today we celebrate our Independence Day' was added last minute because the studio threatened to change the title to 'Doomsday.'
- Most scenes with Goldblum/Hirsch and Will Smith were improvised.
- Robert Loggia was told to watch 'Airplane' (instead of 'Airport') for inspiration, thought they were making a spoof, refused to leave his trailer.
- VHS marketing: $30 million campaign; 22 million copies sold – best-selling live-action video ever at the time.
- Spent $1.3 million on a Super Bowl 30 commercial – blamed for starting the trend of buying Super Bowl airtime for blockbusters.
- Screened at the White House for Bill Clinton, who loved it.
Categories
Roger Ebert's review
Quote from Rog's review:
“The special effects are elaborate and pervasive, but they aren't outstanding.”
Most re-watchable scene
- Bill and Chris: President Whitmore's speech – 'we will not go quietly into the night.'
- Shea: the Will Smith desert sequence – the air fight, punching the alien ('Welcome to Earth'), and dragging the alien through the desert.
- Also discussed: spaceships arriving over the cities, the 'Time's up' destruction sequence, the Area 51 sequence, Will Smith and Goldblum flying to the mothership, the victory landing/cigar walk.
What aged the best?
- Area 51 and UFOs – now 60 Minutes does UFO pieces.
- Will Smith dragging the concussed alien.
- The loaded supporting cast (Goldblum, Hirsch, Loggia, Pullman, Rebhorn, Quaid, Colin, Fox, Connick, Baldwin, Smith).
- 1990s practical special effects.
- James Rebhorn as Secretary of Defense Nimzicki – the subtle villain.
- The Goldblum/Smith improvised banter.
- Great title + release date alignment.
What aged the worst?
- Bad 'Independence Day' ripoffs (Volcano, Godzilla, etc.) – its negative influence on culture.
- Randy Quaid's career / personal life going off the rails.
- 'Independence Day' 2 (Resurgence) – made without Will Smith, was bad.
- Super Bowl blockbuster ad trend started by this movie's $1.3M Super Bowl 30 ad.
Casting what-ifs
- Kevin Spacey was supposed to be the president; Fox refused to cast him.
- Jada Pinkett was supposed to play Vivica Fox's role but had a scheduling conflict with The Nutty Professor.
- Matthew Perry originally offered Harry Connick Jr.'s role (Captain Jimmy Wilder).
- Ally Walker was supposed to play Margaret Colin's character.
Best "that guy"
- Harvey Fierstein – consensus pick, awesome in his limited screen time.
- Dan Lauria (dad from The Wonder Years) also mentioned.
- Leland Orser (also from 'Se7en') mentioned by Chris.
Over-acting award
- Judd Hirsch – seems like he's in a romcom, doesn't realize there are bigger stakes.
- Harry Connick Jr. – 'a loud nine minutes.' Does a Jesse Jackson impersonation, then dies.
Re-casting couch
- Bill: replace Mary McDonnell as First Lady with Demi Moore (or Sharon Stone per Chris) – would make the death scene more shocking.
- Bill: replace Brent Spiner as the Area 51 doctor with Christopher Lloyd, Dennis Hopper, or Al Pacino.
- Shea: replace Harry Connick Jr. with Martin Lawrence.
Half-assed (internet) research
- The Emmerich/Stargate origin story for the movie's concept.
- Military bowed out over Area 51 storyline.
- Built a 10x5 foot model White House that they blew up.
- Oscar nominees game – six in the cast.
- VHS campaign: $30M marketing, 22M copies sold.
- Loggia/Airplane mix-up.
- Pullman's speech was largely from the first take.
Apex Mountain
- Will Smith – discussed as either this, Men in Black, or 'Bad Boys' 2. Bill says Men in Black because after that he was 3-for-3.
- Bill Pullman – yes, has to be.
- Harry Connick Jr. – yes (married a supermodel, music career, 'When Harry Met Sally' connection).
- Vivica Fox – debated (Set It Off may beat it).
- Alien invasion movies – yes, apex mountain.
- Movie president speeches – strong case for apex mountain.
- Computer viruses – yes.
Picking nits
- Strip joint staying open during alien invasion.
- Everyone reacting too happily to the alien arrival.
- Nobody questioning orders to fly up to the 15-mile spaceship.
- Judd Hirsch and Goldblum driving from Manhattan to DC in 6 hours during apocalyptic traffic.
- The 'squeezing through at the last minute' escape from the mothership.
Sequel, prequel, prestige TV or untouchable?
All three agreed yes – could be a 10-episode Netflix show.
(Probably) unanswerable questions
- Should Margaret Colin have ended up with Bill Pullman instead of Goldblum?
- Did Randy Quaid method-act this role and it snapped something in him?
- What does the post-invasion world look like? What city becomes the alpha dog?
What memorabilia would you want (or not want!) from the movie?
- Shea: the spaceship.
- Chris: Jeff Goldblum's laptop, or the victory dance cigar.
- Bill: the 10x5 foot replica of the White House they blew up.
Who won the movie?
Will Smith – unanimous. Chris notes Pullman has the best scene (speech) but Will Smith makes the movie what it is.