The discussions around our dinner table are never dull. We are constantly trying to stump each other with questions. Sometimes we play "Twenty Questions" or "World’s Worst." But we always get back to movies.
We love movies.
We (by choice) don’t have cable, so we don’t watch tv. (although, I admit we do have some tv on dvds)
But we love movies.
Old movies. New movies. Animated. (and yes, I do admit to bowing down to the Animation Gods of Pixar. =D) Action-Adventure. Drama. Sci-Fi. Musicals. Comedy. (pretty much anything but Horror, unless it involves Boris Karloff or Bela Lugosi -who are, to me, the most deeply terrifying actors of all time, but that’s not important right now – in fact, I should really save that discussion for my therapist).
By default to all this movie love, we also seem to talk a lot in movie lines, or at least whenever we are witty enough to do so.
One of our many favorites, when one of us makes the "uh-oh" sound:
"What did you do, Ray?" (Ghostbusters)
We love playing movie trivia games, too. Like Celebrity Taboo.
But our very favorite movie-related pastime is The Kevin Bacon Game. Or Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.
The premise is that Kevin Bacon is at the center of the entertainment universe and you can link actors from movie to movie and always get back to Kevin Bacon.
For example: I was quite proud of linking Marilyn Monroe back to Kevin Bacon.
It goes like this:
Marilyn Monroe was in "Some Like it Hot" with Jack Lemmon (1) ,
who was in "Grumpy Old Men" with Darryl Hannah (2),
who was in "Splash" with Tom Hanks (3)
who was in "Apollo 13" with Kevin Bacon (4).
Pretty good considering we started in the 1930’s. But then I remembered Eli Wallach. Marilyn Monroe was in "The Misfits" with Eli Wallach (1), who was in "Mystic River" with Kevin Bacon (2). Bringing the Kevin Bacon rating on that one down to a two. I RULE THIS GAME! – (Partly because I have seen tons of movies, but partly because of my age.) =D
So that’s the game. I get phone calls from some of Adam’s friends randomly. I answer the phone: "hello?" The voice at the other end says: "Johnny Depp" and I’m off…
"Johnny Depp was in "Edward Scissorhands" with Dianne Wiest (1),
who was in "Footloose" with Kevin Bacon (2). Oooh – 2 points!
And then, because he has been on my mind….. I wonder about Andy Garcia.
Andy Garcia…
was in "The Air I Breath" WITH KEVIN BACON (1!!)
It is just as I suspected…. it is actually Andy Garcia who is at the center of the entertainment universe.
Hmm… so that means that to get from Marilyn Monroe – "The Misfits" , you could still go through Eli Wallach (1) (bless his character actor’s heart), who was in "Godfather III" with Andy Garcia (2).
That’s it! I am so inspired now.
A Cuban at the very center of the entertainment universe.
It is as God intended. 😉
You’re welcome to play with me if you like.
Try these:
1) John Lithgow
2) Robin Williams
3) Rene Russo
4) Pierce Brosnan
5) Mary Stuart Masterson
6) Gene Hackman
7) Dolph Lundgren
8) Michael Keaton
9) Will Smith
10) Chevy Chase
(hint – www.imdb.com has all the information you need and want)
We’re having some fun now, aren’t we? =D
Gene Hackman was in “The Firm” with Ed Harris, who was in “Glengarry Glen Ross” with Al Pacino, who was in “Godfather III” with Andy Garcia.Michael Keaton was in “Batman” with Kim Basinger, who was in “LA Confidential” with Kevin Spacey, who was in “Glengarry Glen Ross with Al Pacino, who was in “Ocean’s 13” with Andy Garcia.
Robin Williams was in “Good Morning Vietnam” with Forrest Whittaker, who was in “Phenomenon” with Robert Duvall, who was in “Godfather” with Al Pacino, who was in “Ocean’s 13” with Andy Garcia
Also, Gene Hackman was in “Reds” with Diane Keaton, who was in “Godfather III” with Andy Garcia.
you’ve benn holding out on me! I didn’y know you played movie games. :>
Marta, Andy Garcia is going to see all these Web referrals from your site and he’s going to think he has found his Numero Uno Fanatica…Wouldn’t it be nice if e-mailed you, because you know…because he’s nice.
“Cats and dogs, sleeping together!” I love Ghostbusters:)
Marc -You ROCK at this game!!
(admit it… you play all the time, don’t you? A natural. =D)
Carrie –
From your comment to God’s ears! =D
Gene Hackman in “Runaway Jury,” with Dustin Hoffman, in “Hero” with Andy GarciaDolph Lundren in “Rocky IV” with Talia Shire, in “Godfather III” with Andy Garcia
John Lithgow in “Terms of Endearment” with Danny DeVito, in “Rainmaker” with Matt Damon, in “Ocean’s 11” with Andy Garcia
Michael Keaton in “The Paper,” with Robert Duvall, in “Godfather” with Al Pacino, in “Ocean’s 13” with Andy Garcia
Will Smith with Gene Hackman in “Enemy of the State” … (see first one)
Johnny Depp in “Who’s Eating Gilbert Grape” with Leo DeCaprio, in “The Departed” with Matt Damon, in “Ocean’s 11” with Andy Garcia
And back to Kevin Bacon …..
Jack Lemmon with Kevin Bacon in “JFK” (“JFK” should probably not be allowed, considering the large diverse cast.)
Forget Andy Garcia….I can link YOU to Kevin Bacon:Marti Darby to Me, Pam. Pam to her wonderful son Gene. Gene to Alice Cooper, who he met at a church concert he did in college. Alice Cooper to Tony Shalhoub in the Monk episode “Mr. Monk and the Garbage Strike”. Tony Shalhoub to Meg Ryan in “Against the Ropes”. Meg Ryan to Kevin Bacon in “In The Cut”! There you have it!
Oh yes…and while I’m posting….the reason why Cubans are the center of the universe is because “God invented liquor so the Irish wouldn’t rule the world”! Guess what movie…..Kisses!
Okay, I didn’t cheat at all. And I didn’t read the other comments until now. But here are my answers (stricly from my own movie memory, with my husband yelling some options in the background):John Lithgow in “The Pelican Brief” with Julia Roberts who was in “Ocean’s 11” with Andy Garcia.
Robin Williams in “Good Will Hunting” with Matt Damon who was in “Ocean’s 11” with Andy Garcia.
Rene Russo in “Lethal Weapon 3” with Mel Gibson who was in “Conspiracy Theory” with Julia Roberts who was in “Ocean’s 11” with Andy Garcia.
Pierce Brosnan in “Mrs. Doubtfire” with Robin Williams who was in “Good Will Hunting” with Matt Damon who was in “Ocean’s 11” with Andy Garcia.
Mary Stuart Masterson in “Benny and Joon” with Aiden Quinn who was in “Legends of the Fall” with Brad Pitt who was in “Ocean’s 11” with Andy Garcia.
Gene Hackman in “The Firm” with Tom Cruise who was in “Top Gun” with Meg Ryan who was in “When a Man Loves a Woman” with Andy Garcia.
Dolph Lundgren in “Rocky 4” with Sylvestor Stallone who was in “Victory” with Michael Caine who was in “A Bridge Too Far” with Sean Connery who was in “The Untouchables” with Andy Garcia.
Michael Keaton who was in “My Life” with Nicole Kidman who was in “Far and Away” with Tom Cruise who was in “Top Gun” with Meg Ryan who was in “When a Man Loves a Woman” with Andy Garcia.
Will Smith in “Enemy of the State” with Gene Hackman who was in “The Firm” with Tom Cruise who was in “Top Gun” with Meg Ryan who was in “When a Man Loves a Woman” with Andy Garcia.
Chevy Chase in “Fletch” with Geena Davis who was in “A League of their Own” with Tom Hanks who was in “Sleepless in Seattle” with Meg Ryan who was in “When a Man Loves a Woman” with Andy Garcia.
How did I do? 🙂
Annie -It’s obvious that you can really hold your own with movie trivia.WOW! (I was especially impressed with the Pierce Brosnan link – you did that so effortlessly!)
You are welcome at our dinner table ANYTIME. =D
Pam -The Irish quote is from “The Ghost and The Darkness” with Michael Douglas and Val Kilmer (sigh).
And how cool that by knowing you and Geno, I am linked to Andy!
Although, as you can see from the other comments, Meg Ryan was in “When a Man Loves a Woman” with Andy Garcia, which puts me ONE DEGREE closer to him. (be still my foolish heart =D)
I forgot about Julia Robersts in O11….I can link me to Andy Garcia:
My uncle Henry, an actor (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0324096/), was in “The Package” with Gene Hackman, who was in “A Bridge To Far” with Sean Connery, who was in “The Untouchables” with Andy Garcia.
My uncle can also link me to Steven Seagal, but we don’t talk about that ….
Marc -Okay. You are superior.
Is there anyone you are NOT related to?
However, I’d keep the Steven Seagal thing quiet. I’m not really sure he counts as an “actor” anyway. =D
Oh Marta, thank you!I am obviously a big fan of “Ocean’s 11” and “When a Man Loves a Woman” (although to a much lesser extreme).
My husband and I played late into the night. I am obsessed!
Are these like metalfours, or whatever you call them, or real movies? is like knowing kevin bacon like a metalfour for nirvana?
No. It’s just because “Kevin Bacon” rhymes with “separation.”As in “Six Degrees of Separation,” which is the theory that anyone on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries. Hence “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.” I just wanted to play using Andy Garcia because he’s so cool. =D
hi. will u b able to list out the various pastime games of cuban you have played when u were young?