The Road to Independence Isn't Free

July 07, 2024

Issue 012

Hello Tipsy Reelz Community,

Happy 4th of July!

Tipsy Reelz is a monthly email, sent on the first Thursday of each month.  It will include three movies from different genres, fun facts about the movies and some drinking game rules to go with them. We will also include where these movies are currently available for streaming. Please feel free to share these with your friends.

Independence Day (1996) Fun Facts

  • According to producer/co-writer Dean Devlin, the U.S. military had agreed to support the film by allowing the crew to film at military bases, consulting the actors who have military roles, etc. However, after learning of the Area 51 references in the script, they withdrew their support.

  • The scene in which Will Smith drags the unconscious alien across the desert was filmed on the salt flats near Great Salt Lake in Utah. Smith's line, "And what the hell is that smell?" was unscripted. Great Salt Lake is home to tiny crustaceans called brine shrimp. When they die, the bodies sink to the bottom of the lake (which isn't very deep) and decompose. When the wind kicks up just right, the bottom mud is disturbed and the smell of millions of decaying brine shrimp can be very, very bad. Apparently, nobody warned Will.

  • Holds the record for most miniature model work to appear in one film. Model shop supervisor Michael Joyce estimated that more miniatures were used for this film than in any other two films combined. Due to the advances in digital technology since this film's release, most experts believe this record may stand forever.

GAME RULES!

  • Drink when someone says “checkmate” or “Mr. President”.

  • Drink when the American flag is on screen.

  • Drink when there is an explosion.

  • Drink when someone is smoking or holding a cigar.

  • Drink when you see a big alien ship on screen.

As of publishing, Independence Day is streaming on Hulu and Fubo.

 

Road House (2024) Fun Facts

  • The film was shot in the Dominican Republic, with the only shots actually in the Florida Keys being that of Fred the Tree. Fred is an Australian pine, which is not local to the area and likely brought via bird droppings. It took root in the old abandoned bridge where it lacks soil and is exposed to the sun, salt water, and winds. Locals view it as a symbol of surviving and growing in adversity. After Hurricane Irma in 2017, locals were surprised to find it alive. Locals will even decorate it for the holidays.

  • The restaurant next to the Stephen's book store is named "The Double Deuce Restaurant," which was also the name of the bar in the Road House (1989) film.

  • Every fight in the film uses full CG body doubles due to the production using a new multi-pass method to do seamless punches and kicks instead of faking hits or cutting around the action to be believable. In every fight the doubles are stitched into the edit for a few frames before stitching back to real footage.

GAME RULES!

  • Drink when there is a fight.

  • Drink when you see or someone says “Road House”.

  • Drink when glass breaks.

  • Drink when someone is tossed out of the bar.

  • Drink when Dalton handles the situation.

As of publishing, Road House is streaming on Prime Video.

 

Live Free or Die Hard (2007) Fun Facts

  • The stunt featuring McClane driving a police car into a helicopter took three weeks to rehearse. The shot was accomplished by suspending the helicopter in the air with cables and combining two separate shots: one of the stuntman leaping from the helicopter and one of the car colliding with it. CGI was then used to delete the support cables and add rotor blades.

  • It took four months to assemble and combine archive footage of past American presidents from Franklin D. Roosevelt to George W. Bush to create the televised warning from Gabriel. The goal was to create a video representation of a ransom note.

  • When released on DVD on November 20, 2007 in the U.S. and Canada, it became the first DVD ever to be packaged with a digital copy.

GAME RULES!

  • Drink when old tech is used or shown.

  • Drink when someone fails to kill John or Matt.

  • Drink when John operates a new motor vehicle.

  • Drink when “Fire Sale” is said.

  • Drink when Matt jokes and John gives him a look.

  • Drink every time someone dies.

As of publishing, Live Free or Die Hard is streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime and Fubo.

Please play responsibly, know your limits, and don’t drink and drive. It’s ok if you cannot finish the game. Also feel free to drink a non-alcoholic drink, staying hydrated is a good time too!

Facts sourced from IMDB