That Thing You Do! Director's Cut question (1 Viewer)

[Derek Miner]

If those of you who bought this DVD haven't watched the special feature "The Story of the Wonders" yet, make sure to check it out. At first glance, it looks like one of those boring featurettes made up of old EPK interviews, but in this case, those interviews were actually really good. Tom Hanks' bits are very in-depth with the mythology of the period he invented in the script and there's further background on a lot of the characters. And even better, they actually slipped in MORE footage from the movie than was put back in to the extended cut. There's not a whole lot, but it's fun to spot the extra stuff.

There's one particular inside joke that didn't make either cut that had me cracking up:
After Troy Chesterfield (Peter Scolari) is introduced as host of the Hollywood Television Showcase, we cut back to the Pattersons' home and Guy's dad says, "Troy Chesterfield, he's funny! Remember we saw him in that picture... it was an all-girls hotel and they had those two guys staying in it?"

 

[Mike Frezon]

Derek: Excellent! I'm still waiting for our big family viewing (just a week from today!). That spoiler is the kind of inside joke I just love to find.

 

[Shalanna]

I couldn't find the DVD at Circuit City. Guess I'll go to Amazon.

Does anyone know where I could get the instrumental "I am Spartacus" as played in the film as an MP3 or .wav file? I know there are ways people capture sound bites from soundtracks of films, but I am not too techie. I saw that on the soundtrack CD, that track is missing. It's listed on the IMDB as one of the tracks, but it isn't really on the CD. Is there a fan site? I like that instrumental. The cymbals in the opening remind me of the "Pink Panther Theme."

I always thought that Peter Scolari was as talented as Tom Hanks. I wonder why he didn't catch on? He was on "Newhart" and in some minor roles, but is not (yet) a major star. . . .

 

[Jon Martin]

I watched the extended cut tonight, after only seeing the film once on video ten years ago. I have to say, it worked really well. I liked this cut a lot better.

 

[Mike Frezon]

We finally had our "family night" viewing of the extended cut. We all agreed that most of the extended stuff was unnecessary. We did, however, prefer to have left included some of the really short cuts which explained just a little more about Giovanni Ribisi's character "Chad".

The scene where he shows up in the diner after the boys have achieved some success and Steve Zahn just keeps looking at him as if he doesn't know him. And, the scene where he goes into Patterson's Appliance Store and asks for Guy's old job explains why the heck he's in the Patterson's living room during the Hollywood Television Showcase viewing!

 

[Derek Miner]

Mike,

I'm very surprised! You mentioned how your family knew this movie very thoroughly. You should remember that...
The Giovanni Ribisi scene where he comes in to take the job at the Pattersons' store was originally in the "success" montage. It was moved when they put in the bit with The Bass Player and the girl from the Chantrellines.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I guess I just think having it as a stand-alone scene...that must add less than 10 seconds to the film...is worth it for the exposition. Not just to explain his presence in the Pattersons...but to give a sense of "whatever happened to" the guy who used-to-be in the band.

BTW, call us crazy...but I suppose we think the scene where Chad and The Bass Player are playing hopscotch with the parking meters with the other cast members in the foreground continuing the discussion of band names...capped with the final line, "Guys, Chad fell down"...is one of the great movie scenes of our generation!

 

[Derek Miner]

While I agree that scene is artfully done, I would instead nominate the scene where they run down the street and into the store when "That Thing You Do" first plays on the radio. PERFECTION!

 

[Mike Frezon]

Derek: Couldn't agree more. I thought I was already on record in this thread of saying exactly that same thing...but I guess not. Must be in some other thread.

The scene you described is my absolute favorite. The other one just always makes us laugh.

 

[Jeff_CusBlues]

I"m not sure if this was mentioned, but one thing I noticed was that the actor playing Gus Grissom (interviewed during the variety show) is Bryan Cranston who is the same actor who played Buzz Aldrin in the From the Earth to the Moon series on HBO.