The Game (1997)

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What a model would be handed about it, for corpus:ask.

The Rewatchables' awards

From ‘The Game’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan (2020-09-29):

Most rewatchable scene

  1. pick From Rebhorn taking Nicholas up and the 300-person cafeteria reveal through to the end
    “Basically, from the moment he brings Rebhorn up and sees basically this 300 person cafeteria scene, all the way through to the end, I'm in.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:30:06
  2. floated Nicholas and Conrad have lunch
    “Douglas and Sean Penn have lunch.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:27:10
  3. floated The TV starts talking to Nicholas
    “The, uh, the TV starts talking to Nicholas.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:27:53
  4. floated The chase with Deborah Kara Unger: dogs, walls, the dumpster
    “There's a good chase scene with Deborah Carey Unger, that includes them climbing walls to get away from dogs and jumping into a dumpster, which leads me to my question.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:28:31
  5. floated The presidential suite sequence
    “I love that entire sequence, though, the entire sequence of the presidential suite with the pickpocket moment”
    Bill Simmons · 0:29:11
  6. floated The cab driving scene when he has to jump out of the cab
    “The cab driver scene's really good when he has to jump out of the cab.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:29:58
  7. pick Coming home to the graffiti with White Rabbit blaring
    “I love when he returns back to his house and he finds the graffiti and we hear white rabbit.”
    unknown · 0:30:19
  8. pick The main chase with Deborah Kara Unger around CRS, ending with the empty office
    “Uh, yeah, the Deborah Carr Unger, the sort of main chase sequence, I think, is my most rewatchable scene”
    unknown · 0:30:46
  9. floated Both Armin Mueller-Stahl scenes: the dressing-down in Seattle and the thrown Polaroids
    “Gosh, you know, I really am a big fan of both Armin Mueller stall scenes.”
    unknown · 0:31:03
  10. pick Scenes of Nicholas asking questions about the game, at the club and with Deborah Kara Unger
    “Well, all the scenes where he's like asking questions about what the game is.”
    unknown · 0:31:46
  11. pick The first Rebhorn scene, the sales pitch for the game
    “That whole sequence is my, that is my most rewatchable scene.”
    unknown · 0:32:45
  12. pick The slow-mo of Michael Douglas playing racquetball
    “My most rewatchable scene is the slow-mo of Michael Douglas playing racquetball.”
    unknown · 0:32:48

Ebert review · Bill reads Roger Ebert's review of the film.

  1. pick The Game: Ebert gave it 3.5 of 4 stars.
    “3.5 stars out of 4 for this one.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:25:30

What aged the best · What holds up best in the movie.

  1. pick Nicholas splits the final bill with Conrad
    “I love when Nicholas splits the final bill with Conrad.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:33:49
  2. pick The Ritz Carlton San Francisco
    “Fun to see the Ritz Carlton San Francisco in here has not changed.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:33:59
  3. pick The graffitied house
    “The uh, the graffitated house we mentioned.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:34:05
  4. pick A character whispering to another character, 'They're watching'
    “I love any movie when a character whispers to another character.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:34:09
  5. pick Somebody saying 'now you've done it': He calls it a horror-movie trope that signals things are about to go apeshit.
    “It's always pays off and I also like when somebody says, now you've done it.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:34:16
  6. pick Deborah Kara Unger: Long on her vibe; wonders what happened to her career.
    “Uh, I mean, another graduate from the Dana Wheeler Nicholson finishing school, another anxious blonde that I'm just incredibly into.”
    Chris Ryan · 0:35:01
  7. pick The story of Deborah Kara Unger's audition tape, a sex scene from Crash: Fincher and Douglas cast her off a clip from Crash; Bill doubted the story was true.
    “I like the story about how she came to be cast in this movie.”
    Sean Fennessey · 0:35:40
  8. pick Fincher shooting the Bay Area and his fascination with hidden societies: Hotel lobbies, phone records and bank accounts used in an orchestrated plot are 'Prime Fincher'.
    “Fincher shooting the Bay Area. Just never a bad thing.”
    unknown · 0:37:05

What aged the worst · What holds up worst or bothers them on rewatch.

  1. pick The movie drags after he wakes up in Mexico
    “I think the movie legitimately drags after he wakes up in Mexico and they could have caught a couple scenes and it just maybe don't have them in Mexico.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:38:20
  2. pick Fincher not liking the movie
    “Fincher not liking this movie.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:38:34
  3. pick Deborah Kara Unger: Her career peaked with this movie.
    “Deborah Carr Unger's, IMDb, after this movie, I think, has been on what's age the worst.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:38:36
  4. pick Super 8 footage used as flashbacks: Repeated too often and 'very unfincher'; feels like a note added to explain why Nick is a prick.
    “I'm out on super 8 footage as flashbacks.”
    Chris Ryan · 0:38:57

Casting what ifs · Almost-castings and recasts.

  1. pick The 1992 version: Jonathan Mostow directing, Kyle MacLachlan and Bridget Fonda: Chris: thank God that didn't happen.
    “This movie was originally supposed to happen in 1992 and a director named Jonathan Mostow was going to be the director with Kyle McLaughlin and Bridget Fonda as the leads.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:40:11
  2. pick Jodie Foster as Conrad: Announced for the Sean Penn part at the 1996 Cannes festival; Fincher reportedly thought she was too big a star.
    “They announced Jody Foster would be starring with Michael Douglas in the game directed by David Fincher.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:41:23
  3. pick Jeff Bridges as Conrad: Declined; Bill thinks he is too close to Douglas's age to play the younger brother.
    “Then, the role Conrad was offered to Jeff Bridges.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:41:56
  4. pick Diane Lane: Recast for Deborah Kara Unger's part: a better movie and the part Lane should have been trying to play.
    “If you put Diane Lane in this movie over Deborah Carr Unger.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:46:56
  5. pick Denzel Washington as Nicholas Van Orton: Can play a flawed guy you stay interested in.
    “I like Denzel.”
    unknown · 0:47:29
  6. pick Al Pacino as Conrad: Imagines a de-aged Pacino in the Conrad role, as Neil McCauley.
    “What if we put Pacino in the Sean Penroll?”
    Bill Simmons · 0:48:10

Best That Guy (Joey Pants Award) · Best 'that guy' supporting actor in the film.

  1. nominee Peter Donat as Dan
    “Peter Donut, as attorney Dan, who's, you could see in the Godfather, Godfather 2 commissioned hearings.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:42:30
  2. nominee Tommy Flanagan: The man with the long scar on his face.
    “It's Tommy Flanagan.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:42:43
  3. nominee Linda Manz
    “Linda Manns is in this movie randomly.”
    unknown · 0:43:00
  4. nominee Mark Boone Jr. as the private investigator
    “Private investigator in this movie is also the guy who gives, um, Somerset, all the library files in seven.”
    unknown · 0:43:08
  5. winner James Rebhorn as Jim Rebhorn
    “I think it's Rebhorn because I never knew what his name was until I had to do the research for his movie.”
    unknown · 0:43:23

Vincent Hanna Award · Best overacting, said out of love.

  1. winner Sean Penn as Conrad
    “Sean Penn dials it up 4 or 5 different times.”
    Bill Simmons · 0:43:55

Dion Waiters Award · Small role with big impact.

  1. winner Daniel Schorr as the newscaster: The newscaster; his real news-history gravitas sells the moment the movie switches on.
    “Even without Sean Penn, it's Daniel Shore.”
    unknown · 0:45:09

Apex Mountain · Where a performance or location sits on the mountain.

  1. pick Deborah Kara Unger: Peak of her career.
    “Deborah Carr, Unger.”
    unknown · 0:50:10
  2. nominee Johnny's Coffee Shop, the diner used as a movie set
    “Apex Mountain for Johnny's coffee shop or would you go with another movie?”
    unknown · 0:50:57
  3. nominee The cheeseburger James Rebhorn is about to eat for his birthday
    “That might be a cheeseburger on film Apex Mountain.”
    unknown · 0:51:43

Picking Nits · Nitpicks of a movie they love.

  1. pick Draining a multimillionaire's accounts
    “Is it that easy to drain a multimillionaire's money accounts?”
    unknown · 0:54:21
  2. pick Reading his account numbers aloud on the phone
    “What's up with what's up with him actually reading his account numbers on the phone in front of Deborah Cara Unger?”
    unknown · 0:55:10
  3. pick Getting out of Mexico with no money
    “He gets out of Mexico really, really easily.”
    unknown · 0:55:45
  4. pick What if Douglas drowns in the cab
    “What happens if Douglas just drowns in the cab?”
    unknown · 0:56:20
  5. pick What if he doesn't jump off that part of the building: Called the single biggest nitpick.
    “What happens if Douglas doesn't jump off that specific part of the building?”
    unknown · 0:57:00
  6. pick When Armin Mueller-Stahl's character becomes aware of the game as the publisher
    “At what point is Armin Mueller Stahl's character aware of what's going on?”
    unknown · 0:58:03
  7. pick The stock price fuss over a children's book company
    “I have been nitpicking about Armin Mueller Stahl's character, which is he's the publisher of a children's book company”
    unknown · 0:58:48

Remade as a Netflix show · How the movie would work as a TV series.

  1. pick Either an anthology of games or a series about the people who work at CRS
    “You do it either, anthology style, every week a character is going through the game, and it's a different one, or you do it as a series, but the series is about the people who work at CRS.”
    unknown · 0:59:32
  2. pick Each season a different elaborate game, with a finale where someone beats it
    “I think for the Netflix answer, the game would be each season would be a different elaborate game.”
    unknown · 1:03:54

Unanswered questions · Questions the movie leaves hanging.

  1. pick Did the game cause a man to jump to his death, per Unsolved Mysteries
    “Did the game cause that dude to actually jump to his death in unsolved mysteries?”
    Bill Simmons · 1:00:45
  2. pick What was the final bill for the game
    “And then finally, most importantly, what was the final bill for the game?”
    Bill Simmons · 1:01:10
  3. pick Bill's guess at the bill: about $5 million: Has to be enough to alarm Douglas's character but within what the brothers can split.
    “Uh, I'm gonna say it was like 5000000 bucks.”
    Bill Simmons · 1:02:28

Who won the movie · Who came out ahead from the movie.

  1. winner Michael Douglas as Nicholas Van Orton: In every scene, the audience avatar; the movie is not what it is without him.
    “No, but I think that this is Douglas because it is old school movie star.”
    unknown · 1:05:05
  2. winner Sean Penn as Conrad: The part has to be awesome; the movie works because of him.
    “My answer is Sean Penn.”
    unknown · 1:05:41
  3. winner David Fincher: Counter-argument that the movie earned him the Fight Club budget so he wins almost all his movies.
    “Definitely not Fincher because he disowned the movie.”
    unknown · 1:06:49

Would you play the game · Would the experience improve your life.

  1. pick Playing the game: Would be furious at a little brother who did this to him.
    “Oh, my answer is no.”
    Sean Fennessey · 1:08:46
  2. pick Playing the game: He would want to get back to his wife; Nicholas being a bachelor makes it different.
    “I think candidly, the game is not as fun if you're married.”
    Chris Ryan · 1:10:20

Picked in other episodes

Who talked about it

Blank Check — Patreon

The Big Picture

The Rewatchables

Came from

What the speakers say it drew on. Each is a speaker's account: “the maker said so” when they report the maker's own words, “the host's read” when the read is theirs.

Seven: 2 lines the host's read ×2

  1. unmapped (R-rated proof): Seven ⇒ The Game (the host's read). Se7en's hit status as an R-rated film convinced the backers to fund The Game.
    “I think convinced, um, people like, okay, like, you can make an R-rated movie a hit.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:33:16 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

A Christmas Carol: 1 line the maker said so ×1

  1. unmapped (template): A Christmas Carol ⇒ The Game (the maker said so: reading Fincher's quotes in the dossier JJ put together). Fincher's own framing, as quoted in the dossier, is that The Game is A Christmas Carol and Nick is Scrooge.
    “it's a Christmas carol.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:47:52 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)

Led to

What the speakers say drew on it, marked the same way.

Succession: 1 line the host's read ×1

  1. unmapped (looks like): The Game ⇒ Succession (the host's read). Jokes that the opening home-movie footage is ripped off by Succession.
    “ripped it right off”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:35:58 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

Connected to

Seven: 5 lines unmapped ×4 career ×1

  1. career (Fincher filmography order): Seven → The Game. Alex long believed the order was Seven then Fight Club, not realizing The Game came between.
    “I always was like, it must go 7 and then Fight Club.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Fight Club with Alex Ross Perry (Ad-Free) · 0:56:09 · Alex Ross Perry (0.55 sure it was them)

Andrew Kevin Walker: 2 lines unmapped ×2

  1. unmapped (script doctor): Andrew Kevin Walker → The Game. Fincher brought in the writer of Se7en to fix the script.
    “Andrew Kevin Walker, the writer of seven.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:44:09 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)

Jodie Foster: 2 lines what-if ×2

  1. what-if (what-if): Jodie Foster → The Game. Foster was supposed to be in The Game at some point.
    “because I know that Jody Foster was supposed to be in the game at some point.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Panic Room’ (Plus a Mini Will Smith–Oscars Recap) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 1:16:22 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)

Panic Room: 2 lines contrast ×2

  1. contrast (contrast): The Game → Panic Room. Fincher called Panic Room the experiment in keeping the audience in perfect lockstep, unlike The Game.
    “that's my experiment making a movie where you're in perfect lockstep.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:44:43 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

The Truman Show: 2 lines programming ×1 unmapped ×1

  1. unmapped (same concept): The Game → The Truman Show. Truman Show, a year later, is a different version of the same concept.
    “Truman shows a year later, which is sort of a different version of this same concept.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:52:24 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

A Christmas Carol: 1 line unmapped ×1

  1. unmapped (template): The Game → A Christmas Carol. Fincher's own framing, as quoted in the dossier, is that The Game is A Christmas Carol and Nick is Scrooge.
    “it's a Christmas carol.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:47:52 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)

Alien 3: 1 line industry ×1

  1. industry (control and budget arc): Alien 3 → The Game. Alien 3 had money but no control; The Game is where Fincher gets both.
    “Alien 3 is a lot of money, but they don't give them a lot of control.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:34:40 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

Carlito's Way: 1 line unmapped ×1

  1. unmapped (billing): The Game → Carlito's Way. Both have a legendary movie star above the title, with Penn right underneath.
    “This and Curlito's way have the same thing where it's like legendary movie star right above the title.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:59:05 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)

Conspiracy Theory: 1 line unmapped ×1

  1. unmapped (same vibes): The Game → Conspiracy Theory. Same X-Files conspiracy vibes.
    “Conspiracy theory in the game, you know? Same similar vibes, the whole world.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 2:15:24 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

David Fincher: 1 line people ×1

  1. people (people): The Game → David Fincher. Sean identifies The Game as the Fincher movie.
    “The Fincher movie.”
    The Big Picture · The Oscars Schedule Changes, and Andrew Garfield On ‘Under the Silver Lake’ | Interview · 1:01:26 · Sean Fennessey (0.90 sure it was them)

Escape Room: 1 line unmapped ×1

  1. unmapped (game-coded): The Game → Escape Room. The Escape Room films are very game coded.
    “They're very game coded”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:17:00 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)

Falling Down: 1 line theme ×1

  1. theme (Douglas persona): The Game → Falling Down. Fincher, in the dossier, lists the Falling Down fascist among Douglas's friction.
    “he stole the fascist from falling down.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:28:04 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

Fatal Attraction: 1 line theme ×1

  1. theme (Douglas persona): The Game → Fatal Attraction. Fincher, in the dossier, lists the Fatal Attraction adulterer among Douglas's friction.
    “The adulterer from Fatal Attraction.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:28:09 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

Harris Savides: 1 line people ×1

  1. people (cinematographer): Harris Savides → The Game. Savides shot The Game and also appears in the bathroom.
    “Harris Cavides shot it.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:27:28 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)

Howard Shore: 1 line people ×1

  1. people (composer): Howard Shore → The Game. The score is by Howard Shore.
    “Great Howard Short score.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:08:16 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

It's a Wonderful Life: 1 line theme ×1

  1. theme (genre mashup): The Game → It's a Wonderful Life. Calls the film Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life.
    “Kafka's it's a wonderful life.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:50:34 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

Joel Schumacher: 1 line theme ×1

  1. theme (tonal comparison): Joel Schumacher → The Game. One host says The Game feels very Joel Schumacher.
    “Because the game feels very Joel Schumacher to me.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:40:56 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)

John Brancato: 1 line unmapped ×1

  1. unmapped (wrote spec script): John Brancato → The Game. Brancato and Ferris wrote The Game on spec before Fincher took it over.
    “it was written on spec by these guys, John Brancato, Michael Ferris”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:40:59 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)

Jumanji: 1 line people ×1

  1. people (people): The Game → Jumanji. The Game's mansion is recognized as the Jumanji house.
    “That was the Jumanji's house.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Ice Storm with Emily Yoshida (Ad-Free) · 1:42:21 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

Jury Duty (TV): 1 line theme ×1

  1. theme (comparison): The Game → Jury Duty (TV). Compares the game to the Jury Duty prank.
    “It's just fucking the jury duty or whatever.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:51:53 · Griffin Newman (0.30 sure it was them)

Michael Douglas: 1 line industry ×1

  1. industry (industry): Michael Douglas → The Game. Michael Douglas wanted the character to have a brother, not a sister.
    “I think Michael Douglas wanted the character to have a brother, not a sister.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Panic Room’ (Plus a Mini Will Smith–Oscars Recap) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 0:36:28 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning: 1 line unmapped ×1

  1. unmapped (reminded of): The Game → Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning. One guest says the hotel room reminded them of Dead Reckoning.
    “this movie reminded me of dead reckoning”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:37:59 · Brendan Hines (0.30 sure it was them)

Polygram: 1 line industry ×1

  1. industry (distributor): Polygram → The Game. The Game was Polygram's main attempt at a blockbuster distributor.
    “No, this was basically their main attempt at becoming a blockbuster distributor themselves.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:33:30 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

Sean Penn: 1 line what-if ×1

  1. what-if (what-if): Sean Penn → The Game. Foster dropped out of The Game and Sean Penn went in.
    “and then they put Sean Penn in there.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Panic Room’ (Plus a Mini Will Smith–Oscars Recap) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 0:36:18 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)

Succession: 1 line unmapped ×1

  1. unmapped (looks like): The Game → Succession. Jokes that the opening home-movie footage is ripped off by Succession.
    “ripped it right off”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:35:58 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

The Most Dangerous Game: 1 line theme ×1

  1. theme (dismissed comparison): The Game → The Most Dangerous Game. Fincher first wondered if the script was a Most Dangerous Game thing, and was relieved it wasn't.
    “oh, is it like a most dangerous game kind of thing?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:43:29 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

The Net: 1 line people ×1

  1. people (same writers, lesser version): The Net → The Game. The Net, by the same spec writers as The Game, is called the bad version of it.
    “It's silly fun, but it's the bad version of this.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:41:19 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

The Player: 1 line programming ×1

  1. programming (pairing): The Game → The Player. Two 90s satirical thrillers about soulless titans of industry caught in a trap of their own design.
    “In terms of like 90s, uh, sort of vaguely satirical thrillers”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:04:58 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)

The Trial: 1 line contrast ×1

  1. contrast (contrast): The Game → The Trial. Imagines The Trial with a friendly ending, which is what The Game does.
    “What if the trial happened?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:50:38 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)

Total Recall: 1 line craft ×1

  1. craft (structure): The Game → Total Recall. The test-then-start gag is like Total Recall's malfunction.
    “It's it's the total recall thing where they tell you exactly what's going to happen right at the moment where the thing is supposed to start.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:16:12 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)

Under the Silver Lake: 1 line theme ×1

  1. theme (theme): Under the Silver Lake → The Game. Garfield says people crave mystery and decoding, citing The Game as a favorite modern film about that.
    “the game is one of my favorite like modern films of all time that deals with this issue.”
    The Big Picture · The Oscars Schedule Changes, and Andrew Garfield On ‘Under the Silver Lake’ | Interview · 1:01:20 · Andrew Garfield (0.95 sure it was them)

What Women Want: 1 line theme ×1

  1. theme (comparison): The Game → What Women Want. Compares Michael Douglas's disassembling to What Women Want's electrocution.
    “You know how what women want is like Mel Gibson has to get electrocuted to understand that women are people.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:54:17 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

You're the Worst (TV): 1 line unmapped ×1

  1. unmapped (same fetish): You're the Worst (TV) → The Game. The only other depiction of findom the speaker has seen is You're the Worst.
    “The only time I've ever seen that depicted is you're the worst has a big findom plot.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:44:18 · David Sims (0.30 sure it was them)

Zodiac: 1 line unmapped ×1

  1. unmapped (same city): The Game → Zodiac. Both are San Francisco movies.
    “I mean, obviously Zodiac is another... This is 2 SF movies.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:22:41 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

Where it came up

What was said about it, by kind

career (1)

  1. career (Fincher filmography order): Seven → The Game. Alex long believed the order was Seven then Fight Club, not realizing The Game came between.
    “I always was like, it must go 7 and then Fight Club.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Fight Club with Alex Ross Perry (Ad-Free) · 0:56:09 · Alex Ross Perry (0.55 sure it was them)

contrast (3)

  1. contrast (budget contrast): Panic Room → The Game. Panic Room cost 48 million five years later, against The Game's 70 million.
    “it is wild that 5 years later, panic room costs 48.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:35:16 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. contrast (contrast): The Game → Panic Room. Fincher called Panic Room the experiment in keeping the audience in perfect lockstep, unlike The Game.
    “that's my experiment making a movie where you're in perfect lockstep.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:44:43 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  3. contrast (contrast): The Game → The Trial. Imagines The Trial with a friendly ending, which is what The Game does.
    “What if the trial happened?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:50:38 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)

craft (1)

  1. craft (structure): The Game → Total Recall. The test-then-start gag is like Total Recall's malfunction.
    “It's it's the total recall thing where they tell you exactly what's going to happen right at the moment where the thing is supposed to start.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:16:12 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)

industry (3)

  1. industry (industry): Michael Douglas → The Game. Michael Douglas wanted the character to have a brother, not a sister.
    “I think Michael Douglas wanted the character to have a brother, not a sister.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Panic Room’ (Plus a Mini Will Smith–Oscars Recap) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 0:36:28 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. industry (distributor): Polygram → The Game. The Game was Polygram's main attempt at a blockbuster distributor.
    “No, this was basically their main attempt at becoming a blockbuster distributor themselves.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:33:30 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  3. industry (control and budget arc): Alien 3 → The Game. Alien 3 had money but no control; The Game is where Fincher gets both.
    “Alien 3 is a lot of money, but they don't give them a lot of control.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:34:40 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

people (5)

  1. people (people): The Game → David Fincher. Sean identifies The Game as the Fincher movie.
    “The Fincher movie.”
    The Big Picture · The Oscars Schedule Changes, and Andrew Garfield On ‘Under the Silver Lake’ | Interview · 1:01:26 · Sean Fennessey (0.90 sure it was them)
  2. people (same writers, lesser version): The Net → The Game. The Net, by the same spec writers as The Game, is called the bad version of it.
    “It's silly fun, but it's the bad version of this.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:41:19 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
  3. people (composer): Howard Shore → The Game. The score is by Howard Shore.
    “Great Howard Short score.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:08:16 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  4. people (cinematographer): Harris Savides → The Game. Savides shot The Game and also appears in the bathroom.
    “Harris Cavides shot it.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:27:28 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)
  5. people (people): The Game → Jumanji. The Game's mansion is recognized as the Jumanji house.
    “That was the Jumanji's house.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Ice Storm with Emily Yoshida (Ad-Free) · 1:42:21 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

programming (2)

  1. programming (programming): The Truman Show → The Game. Double feature: The Game.
    “I'd go to the game, the game.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘The Truman Show’ With Bill Simmons, Glen Powell, and Chris Ryan · 1:34:20 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. programming (pairing): The Game → The Player. Two 90s satirical thrillers about soulless titans of industry caught in a trap of their own design.
    “In terms of like 90s, uh, sort of vaguely satirical thrillers”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:04:58 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)

theme (8)

  1. theme (theme): Under the Silver Lake → The Game. Garfield says people crave mystery and decoding, citing The Game as a favorite modern film about that.
    “the game is one of my favorite like modern films of all time that deals with this issue.”
    The Big Picture · The Oscars Schedule Changes, and Andrew Garfield On ‘Under the Silver Lake’ | Interview · 1:01:20 · Andrew Garfield (0.95 sure it was them)
  2. theme (Douglas persona): The Game → Falling Down. Fincher, in the dossier, lists the Falling Down fascist among Douglas's friction.
    “he stole the fascist from falling down.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:28:04 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  3. theme (Douglas persona): The Game → Fatal Attraction. Fincher, in the dossier, lists the Fatal Attraction adulterer among Douglas's friction.
    “The adulterer from Fatal Attraction.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:28:09 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  4. theme (tonal comparison): Joel Schumacher → The Game. One host says The Game feels very Joel Schumacher.
    “Because the game feels very Joel Schumacher to me.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:40:56 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)
  5. theme (dismissed comparison): The Game → The Most Dangerous Game. Fincher first wondered if the script was a Most Dangerous Game thing, and was relieved it wasn't.
    “oh, is it like a most dangerous game kind of thing?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:43:29 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  6. theme (genre mashup): The Game → It's a Wonderful Life. Calls the film Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life.
    “Kafka's it's a wonderful life.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:50:34 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  7. theme (comparison): The Game → Jury Duty (TV). Compares the game to the Jury Duty prank.
    “It's just fucking the jury duty or whatever.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:51:53 · Griffin Newman (0.30 sure it was them)
  8. theme (comparison): The Game → What Women Want. Compares Michael Douglas's disassembling to What Women Want's electrocution.
    “You know how what women want is like Mel Gibson has to get electrocuted to understand that women are people.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:54:17 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

unmapped (16)

  1. unmapped (script polish): Andrew Kevin Walker → The Game. Walker's polish pass on Fight Club is compared to the polish he did on The Game.
    “As he did with the game.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Fight Club with Alex Ross Perry (Ad-Free) · 1:14:18 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. unmapped (sibling Fincher films): Seven → The Game. Hosts argue over whether The Game is better than, or as good as, Se7en.
    “I think this movie is not seven.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:08:16 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)
  3. unmapped (R-rated proof): Seven → The Game. Se7en's hit status as an R-rated film convinced the backers to fund The Game.
    “I think convinced, um, people like, okay, like, you can make an R-rated movie a hit.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:33:16 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  4. unmapped (looks like): The Game → Succession. Jokes that the opening home-movie footage is ripped off by Succession.
    “ripped it right off”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:35:58 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
  5. unmapped (wrote spec script): John Brancato → The Game. Brancato and Ferris wrote The Game on spec before Fincher took it over.
    “it was written on spec by these guys, John Brancato, Michael Ferris”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:40:59 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)
  6. unmapped (script doctor): Andrew Kevin Walker → The Game. Fincher brought in the writer of Se7en to fix the script.
    “Andrew Kevin Walker, the writer of seven.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:44:09 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)
  7. unmapped (commercial lead-in): Seven → The Game. Se7en's success gave Fincher an absurd budget for The Game.
    “this is better for me because now I can make this movie at an absurd budget.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:47:35 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  8. unmapped (template): The Game → A Christmas Carol. Fincher's own framing, as quoted in the dossier, is that The Game is A Christmas Carol and Nick is Scrooge.
    “it's a Christmas carol.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:47:52 · David Sims (0.50 sure it was them)
  9. unmapped (billing): The Game → Carlito's Way. Both have a legendary movie star above the title, with Penn right underneath.
    “This and Curlito's way have the same thing where it's like legendary movie star right above the title.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:59:05 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)
  10. unmapped (game-coded): The Game → Escape Room. The Escape Room films are very game coded.
    “They're very game coded”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:17:00 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)
  11. unmapped (same city): The Game → Zodiac. Both are San Francisco movies.
    “I mean, obviously Zodiac is another... This is 2 SF movies.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:22:41 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  12. unmapped (reminded of): The Game → Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning. One guest says the hotel room reminded them of Dead Reckoning.
    “this movie reminded me of dead reckoning”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:37:59 · Brendan Hines (0.30 sure it was them)
  13. unmapped (same fetish): You're the Worst (TV) → The Game. The only other depiction of findom the speaker has seen is You're the Worst.
    “The only time I've ever seen that depicted is you're the worst has a big findom plot.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:44:18 · David Sims (0.30 sure it was them)
  14. unmapped (same concept): The Game → The Truman Show. Truman Show, a year later, is a different version of the same concept.
    “Truman shows a year later, which is sort of a different version of this same concept.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:52:24 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
  15. unmapped (same vibes): The Game → Conspiracy Theory. Same X-Files conspiracy vibes.
    “Conspiracy theory in the game, you know? Same similar vibes, the whole world.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 2:15:24 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  16. unmapped (tonal kin): The Game → Seven. The Game and Panic Room feel like movies chasing Se7en.
    “the game and panic room, feel like movies that are kind of chasing seven.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Se7en with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger (Ad-Free) · 2:41:28 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

what-if (3)

  1. what-if (what-if): Sean Penn → The Game. Foster dropped out of The Game and Sean Penn went in.
    “and then they put Sean Penn in there.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Panic Room’ (Plus a Mini Will Smith–Oscars Recap) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 0:36:18 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. what-if (what-if): Jodie Foster → The Game. Foster was supposed to be in The Game at some point.
    “because I know that Jody Foster was supposed to be in the game at some point.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Panic Room’ (Plus a Mini Will Smith–Oscars Recap) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 1:16:22 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
  3. what-if (what-if casting): Jodie Foster → The Game. Foster was supposed to be in The Game, in the part Sean Penn played.
    “She was supposed to be in the game.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Panic Room with Eva Anderson (Ad-Free) · 0:53:33 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

Fun items about it

  1. fun, about The Game: Fincher on Douglas, as read from the dossier: the story is a little prurient and sadistic because you enjoy the central character's suffering, and nobody embraces that as eagerly as Douglas.
    “You want to see him learn a lesson, and nobody embraces that quite as eagerly as Michael Douglas.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:27:42 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. fun, about The Game: Brancato and Ferris wrote the spec script that became The Game, and they also wrote The Net, Terminator 3, Terminator Salvation and Catwoman.
    “But they also are Terminator 3 and Terminator Salvation.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:41:32 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
  3. fun, about The Game: Fincher wanted the audience to have nothing to hold on to; he calls it a movie about movies, where the protagonist doesn't know how to act like a movie star.
    “It's a movie about movies.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:43:58 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  4. fun, about The Game: The original ending had Nick shoot the waitress and then kill himself; Fincher said he would feel remorse for shooting someone who tricked him, so he changed it.
    “So what I had read was that the original ending was the same thing, but he shoots Deborah Carra Unger.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:54:31 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)
  5. fun, about The Game: The Criterion disc includes a one-take alternate ending, from the clapboard to Fincher saying cut, where he looks both ways and walks off without a cab.
    “It starts with the clapboard.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:55:05 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)
  6. fun, about The Game: Hosts riff that the movie is pre-findoming, where a dominatrix drains your accounts and you get off on it.
    “I mean, this movie is pre-findoming.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:13:10 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)
  7. fun, about The Game: At the end the bill is a dense stack of papers; the film cost 70 million, and the host guesses the in-world game cost tens of millions.
    “Yes. The film costs $70 million.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:49:09 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
  8. fun, about The Game: Look for CRS initials on businesses and a van outside her place when you rewatch.
    “if you rewatch this movie also, you see CRS everywhere.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:49:25 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
  9. fun, about The Game: Not in print for a long time (a Polygram issue, per a host); the Criterion Blu-ray in 2012 carried features shot during production for Criterion.
    “This is a movie that was like not in print for a very long time.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:56:44 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  10. fun, about The Game: Shot over 100 days, mostly at night; the airbag scene was shot three weeks in.
    “It was a long shoot, 100 days, most of it at night.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 1:57:13 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  11. fun, about The Game: Opened September 12, 1997, number one with 14 million; made 109 million worldwide against Se7en's 327 million.
    “Um, the film opened September 12, 1997 Griffin.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 2:01:49 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

Who the speakers said made it

As said on the shows, not checked against the real credits.