What Went Wrong
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What Went Wrong covers Hollywood’s most notoriously disastrous movie productions, digging into the behind-the-scenes insanity of everything from massive flops to record-breaking blockbusters. In each episode, hosts Lizzie Bassett and Chris Winterbauer dive into a new film to explore the mind-blowing (and sometimes numbing) reasons why making a movie is nearly impossible (especially a good one). Produced by David Boman.
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单集
Cutthroat Island
It's the film that fin(n)ished Carolco! Or so we've been led to believe... This week, Chris & Lizzie seek to uncover who really scuttled Carolco Pictures - was it Geena Davis and Renny Harlin? Or was Cutthroat Island a mere scapegoat? Plus, Matthew Modine takes his lumps (on set and after), poop tanks infect the crew, and Michael Douglas dodges a trip to Davy Jones' locker.
Raina Deerwater of GLAAD
Join Chris & Lizzie for a conversation with Raina Deerwater, GLAAD’s Associate Director, Entertainment Research & Analysis covering GLAAD's recently published Where We Are in Film Study. They'll cover the findings of GLAAD's research, the future of film for the LGBTQ community, and how an increasingly consolidated Hollywood can benefit from a diverse ecosystem of stories and storytellers. To connect with GLAAD, please use this contact form: https://glaad.org/contact
The Blues Brothers
In the summer of 1979, citizens of Chicago found themselves subject to traffic jams, random explosions, and S.W.A.T. teams invading Daley Plaza. But they weren’t frightened, they were thrilled! It was just Jake & Elwood Blues, and they were on a mission from God. This week Chris and Lizzie dive head first into John Landis’ 1980 classic ‘The Blues Brothers’. Find out why they really drove cars through downtown Chicago at over 100mph, how Dan Aykroyd’s first draft was 324 pages long, and why John Landis punched John Belushi in the face. Please note that this episode will cover substance abuse and addiction.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Who are you calling ugly? This week, Chris and Lizzie defend Eli Wallach's looks, Sergio Leone's directing style (to a point...), Clint Eastwood's acting chops and screenwriter Luciano Vincenzoni's decision to pitch a sequel to For a Few Dollars More without his director's input. Plus, why you should always let the Italian stunt men do their job, never trust the Spanish army with a detonation, and how the ecstasy of success can lead to decades of resentment. This episode is brought to you by Brami. Shop Brami at enjoybrami.com or your nearest retailer, and find their newest shape Cubetti exclusively at Whole Foods. Plus, we're giving away exclusive What Went Wrong x Brami kits! Enter at whatwentbrami.com for your chance to win.
Spaghetti Westerns! A Primer
Who do you think of when you think of Spaghetti Westerns? Because Sergio Leone thinks of... Akira Kurosawa? In this week's primer, Chris & Lizzie dive into the Eurocentric Western revival of the 60's and 70's, how it saved Clint Eastwood's career, drew the scorn of American critics, and gave birth to some of the most stylish movies ever made. This episode is brought to you by Brami. Shop Brami at enjoybrami.com or your nearest retailer, and find their newest shape Cubetti exclusively at Whole Foods. Plus, we're giving away exclusive What Went Wrong x Brami kits! Enter at whatwentbrami.com for your chance to win.
The Dark Knight
It took Christopher Nolan mere minutes to sell Warner Brothers on his vision of Batman. And while he began to change the face of superhero movies with Batman Begins he altered it forever with The Dark Knight. This week Chris and Lizzie break down which element of The Joker made the studio very nervous, why Hong Kong proved incredibly difficult to film in, and how the hell they flipped that 18 wheeler in the middle of downtown Chicago. Find out how a stunt gone wrong resulted in the on-set death of a veteran stunt technician, how Heath Ledger got his iconic role and how it impacted him, and why Harvey Weinstein may be to blame for blocking the film out of the Best Picture category at the Oscars.
Featurette: 10 Things I Hate About You (with Two Judgey Girls)
How did Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ become one of the greatest teen comedies of all time? In this Featurette bonus episode, Chris, Lizzie, and special guest Mary from Two Judgey Girls explore the movie that introduced Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles to the world. Find out why the screenwriters clashed with the director, which role Joseph Gordon Levitt really wanted to play, and how that bonkers helicopter shot came to be! Plus discover why this Seattle-based shoot was magical for the cast. Our Featurette episodes are shorter, more relaxed explorations of films we love that don't have quite as much behind-the-scenes drama as a regular What Went Wrong episode... but they’re too fun to skip!
Pan's Labyrinth
Once upon a time there lived a boy who loved monsters. This week, Chris & Lizzie head swap Jim Henson's Labyrinth for Guillermo Del Toro's, err... Pan's, err... the Faun's Labyrinth. They explore Del Toro's dark-fairy-tale of a childhood, his battles with real Hollywood monsters (the Weinsteins), and how an insult to Alfonso Cuarón's face led to arguably his most defining film.
Independence Day
‘Independence Day’ was a runaway hit in the summer of 1996, elevating Will Smith to full blown movie star status, and cementing Roland Emmerich as a major action movie director. But Emmerich and co-writer Dean Devlin had a rocky road to alien domination. This week, Chris and Lizzie discover how Tim Burton’s competing ‘Mars Attacks’ almost canceled out ‘Independence Day’, why the studio didn’t want to cast Will Smith, and how the United States Government threw a major wrench in the works. Plus we reveal how Jeff Goldblum’s most famous line from ‘Jurassic Park’ snuck into the film, and why Bill Pullman’s speech has no business being as excellent as it is.
Tank Girl
This week, Chris and Lizzie explore the mid-90's full metal misfire, Tank Girl, a movie bursting with creativity that deserved better than it got. From Ice T believing he'd be playing a stripper to Lori Petty knowing she'd gotten the part (even when she explicitly hadn't) and director Rachel Talalay fighting the studio to protect the dildo cut, this one's a doozy.
The 13th Warrior
In 1999, Touchstone thought they had a surefire hit in the works. They had source material by the author of ‘Jurassic Park’ and the director of ‘Die Hard’ behind the camera! But soon things fell apart so spectacularly that ‘The 13th Warrior’ would become one of the year’s biggest box office bombs. This week, Chris and Lizzie unpack how a power struggle between author Michael Crichton and director John McTiernan doomed the film from the start. Find out why making this movie was a battle worthy of Beowulf himself, full of injuries, near death experiences, and pure unadulterated treachery. Don’t worry, Antonio Banderas still comes out looking great! *CORRECTIONS: Chris has the chronology of the score for 'Legend' reversed - Jerry Goldsmith composed the original score (included in the European release of the 'director's cut'), Tangerine Dream was hired to re-score the film for the American release at the behest of the producers. Thanks to Brian McVickar for the correction!
War of the Worlds (2005)
This week, Chris & Lizzie try to unearth the truth behind 2005's War of the Worlds - was it an unmitigated, Cruisian PR disaster? Or was Tom Cruise's bizarre press tour merely a scapegoat? Plus, how Steven Spielberg and company put together a $135M sci-fi epic on a 10 month turn-around, how a couple of B-movie mockbusters beat it to the box office, and yet another concept album throwing a wrench in the works.
Out of Frame: Scientology and Hollywood
In preparation for Monday's episode on War of the Worlds (2005) Chris and Lizzie explore the history of Scientology, the wave of religious movements in early 20th century Los Angeles, and set the table for Tom Cruise's disastrous publicity tour leading up to the release of the film.
Giant (1956)
‘Giant’ may be remembered as James Dean’s final film, but there is so much more to the story. Chris and Lizzie dive into the making of the classic 1956 film, why James Dean and Rock Hudson couldn’t stand each other, and how Elizabeth Taylor found herself caught between the two. Find out how homophobia tore Rock Hudson’s life apart, why director George Stevens constantly fought with James Dean, and how Dean’s untimely death prior to the end of production set the film on a totally different course.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
My Big Fat... Latina Wedding? This week, Chris & Lizzie dive into the magical, seemingly impossible indie-darling that could, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Learn how Nia Vardalos turned what Hollywood perceived to be her biggest liability (her Greek heritage) into a movie so specifically hilarious, it felt universal. This is the unlikely story of how a one-woman show (and a $500 ad in the LA Times) found Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks in its audience and birthed one of the most successful indie films in the history of Hollywood.
Breakfast at Tiffany's
When Hollywood producers got their hands on Truman Capote’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, they thought they’d found the perfect RomCom. There was just one problem: there was no rom in that com because the narrator was gay. In this episode, Chris and Lizzie break down the Audrey Hepburn classic and discover why she was reluctant to take the part, which actor caused the most trouble on set, and how the cinematographer got electrocuted… at Tiffany’s! Plus we discuss the lasting impact of Mickey Rooney’s troubled performance, and discover why Truman Capote himself wanted to spit on the director.
Out of Frame: In Cold Blood | Movie vs. Book
When the town of Holcomb, Kansas opened its doors to renowned author Truman Capote in 1959, they had no idea their story would change the way True Crime was written forever. Join Chris and Lizzie as they explore the real case behind the novel ‘In Cold Blood’ and its 1967 film adaptation, plus find out where Capote may have twisted the truth, and the shocking lengths film director Richard Brooks took to recreate the murders of the Clutter Family.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
It's time for the feel bad sequel of 1984! Join Chris and Lizzie as they explore how bad breakups and broken backs contributed to George Lucas and Steven Spielberg being branded villains by People magazine. Plus, why Ke Huy Quan's "Short Round" is the real hero, Kate Capshaw paying a steep price for not reading the entire script, and why we still love Harrison Ford even though he stole Short Round's lines.
Cabaret
This week Bob Fosse is clawing his way out of director’s jail with one of the greatest movie musicals ever made: ‘Cabaret’. Join Chris and Lizzie as they discover how instrumental Liza Minelli was in creating Sally Bowles’ iconic look, why Joel Grey cried after he saw the first cut, and which role Bob Fosse might have wanted to take for himself… We also find out why Bob Fosse probably shouldn’t attempt any more backflips, and how a sordid affair in Berlin effectively ended his relationship with Gwen Verdon.
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
How does George Lucas top the most successful film of all time? He outsources the writing and directing, finances it himself, and then wonders if it could've been as successful if it had just been a little bit worse! This week, Chris & Lizzie head to Hoth to watch Irvin Kershner's cameras freeze, Dagobah to bear witness to Frank Oz create our favorite little bog freak, and navigate the asteroid field of Han and Leia's all too meta verbal sparring!
The Devil Wears Prada (with Jameela Jamil)
When director David Frankel signed on to adapt the novel The Devil Wears Prada into a movie, he didn’t realize he’d be up against the real Miranda Priestly herself: Anna Wintour. This week Chris, Lizzie, and very special guest Jameela Jamil discover how it took 5 tries to find the right screenwriter, why Anne Hathaway was the 9th choice to play Andy Sachs, and how fear of retribution from Anna Wintour almost shut the whole thing down. Find out why Meryl Streep went method with her role, how Emily Blunt totally transformed her character, and why a scandal brewing in Anne Hathaway’s personal life bled over onto set.
Taxi Driver
This year marks the 50th anniversary of 'Taxi Driver', which is somehow even more relevant now than it was in 1976. But the truth is 'Taxi Driver' almost didn't make it to the screen. This week, Chris and Lizzie break down how Martin Scorsese and Paul Schrader fought to make a dark, deeply uncommercial script on a shoestring budget, that made the studio nervous from the start. Discover why the Board of Education nearly blocked Jodie Foster's controversial casting, and how Robert De Niro stepped in as her de facto acting coach on set. Plus find out how Scorsese wound up as a last minute replacement for one of his own actors, and why the production almost drove him to go full Travis Bickle on the studio execs... until Steven Spielberg talked him down.
Jodie Foster & John Hinckley Jr. (with RedHanded)
'Taxi Driver' isn't just one of the greatest movies ever made... it's also deeply entangled with one of the most shocking true crimes in American history. In this Out of Frame episode, Chris and Lizzie welcome special guests Suruthi Bala and Hannah Maguire from RedHanded to examine the disturbing case of John Hinkley Jr, whose obsession with Jodie Foster spiraled into an attempt to assassinate Ronald Reagan. Discover how the case reshaped Foster's life and career, and dive into the lasting impacts of the trial on the American criminal justice system. Find out how 'Taxi Driver', arguably an examination of toxic masculinity, became an extremely dangerous call to arms in the wrong hands.
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Let's dive into a world of pure imagination... and some pretty unsafe set pieces! This week, Chris and Lizzie are joined by Aaron Tracy, creator and host of The Secret World of Roald Dahl, and they head into Willy Wonka's chocolate factory to figure out how such an odd movie came to be. From cereal financing to secret rewrites and Gene Wilder's unexpectedly edgy performance, this production's only topped by the Zelig-esque life of the man who spawned the book it's based on.
