The 'pants on fire' gag.
I don't feel it belongs in the movie with the characters and story we're watching.
Why do you think he put it in? The explanation on the commentary doesn't do it for me.
The pants on fire gag was basically just used to show what John was really talking about. PTA probably felt that the audience needed to get out of the car and away from their conversation for just a split second. I think it's also used to show that John isn't very smart and he ends up telling the same story to Clementine later on.
Plus it's just totally crazy and random and cool!
i think that's possible one of the funniest fucking scenes i've ever seen. as far as why pta included it, i agree with the above that it helps get the viewer out of the car for a little bit, and it goes with the theme of sort of random occurrences and how they change the way we make decisions in life.
Quote from: subversiveproductionsi think that's possible one of the funniest fucking scenes i've ever seen.
:yabbse-thumbup:
I don't think we need an explanation for that. He's just telling us that story. And the scene is just hilarious. I mean... he puts these guys in front of the camera, sets up a shot just to put his pants on fire, he stops the fire, nobody notices and then it's over. That kind of shit just makes me laugh really hard, like in the Royal Tenenbaums, Wes did almost the same thing with the scene when Royal presents Margot to the guys as his adopted daughter. :lol:
And my favorite part is when he says
"It must have been spontaneous friction, er sumthin"
I agree the scene shows John is childlike.
I think he is reaching out to Hard 8 ( oops, Sydney )
because he needs a father figure.
kotte kotte kotte. why is the sky blue, my friend. *sigh* why is blood red and pussy pink.
..your out of touch..
i'm out of... time.
but i'm outta my head when your not around....
When watching Hard Eight and first saw the "pants on fire" thing, I thought to myself: we are in the hands of a fun filmmaker here, I'm gonna enjoy this.
Fuck, why not throw that in there? It gets a laugh. If it was stupid, I would say it isn't supported, but it just works. As I said before in the Kill Bill thread, it's shit like this, and the Pussy Wagon keychain, that makes guys like PTA & QT so fucking great. They got a sense of humor about their work.
Quote from: SoNowThenFuck, why not throw that in there? It gets a laugh. If it was stupid, I would say it isn't supported, but it just works. As I said before in the Kill Bill thread, it's shit like this, and the Pussy Wagon keychain, that makes guys like PTA & QT so fucking great. They got a sense of humor about their work.
Right right, see here's how I look at it - I thought the pussy wagon thing was lame at first, like the first time you see her in it...I thought it was just machismo bullshit at that point....but then when the explanation came about, I was fucking loving it. It works the same with the pants on fire thing, at first I didn't laugh out loud, I smiled but I didn't what to think until I really got to know John's character later in the movie. Now everytime I watch it, the gag fits perfectly, it's good. It's a story that is believable considering John's personality. And after all, they can't just sit there in silence. And John has to humor a guy that's doing him such a big favor.
The guy standing after Reilly is PTAs dad, isn't it?
It's a great scene...I just think it's too funny compared to the rest of the film. You know what I mean?
Quote from: SpikeThe guy standing after Reilly is PTAs dad, isn't it?
before
I think he just wanted a reason to have his dad in the movie, since he probably helped finance the movie to begin with...
Quote from: mogwaiQuote from: GhostboyPlus it's just totally crazy and random and cool!
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fw1.422.telia.com%2F%7Eu42243560%2Fhard_eight_fire.jpg&hash=a3f2393581357d0c8bcdc0f0f7b619323eb6529a)
Reilly, Ernie Anderson, ?, and PTA's girlfriend at the time, Wendy
That was his gf? She's...a far cry from Fiona, I'll say that. Although I heard that she helped finance the film too.
Damn dude!!! I was thinking it, but you had the balls to say it...
Yeah, I guess us film geeks don't always have the pick of the litter...heh
Quote from: coffeebeetleThat was his gf? She's...a far cry from Fiona, I'll say that.
A) You don't see her face.
2) She's hidden underneath a huge bulky jacket.
D) She could've just had a really bad hair day.
/cheap Back to the Future reference.For all you know, she could've been a babe.
shaun digi -- that avatar is hilarious. pta looks so fucking awkward, i think your presence made him undcomfortable, you over-berring bastard.
I think Wendy is pretty cute. You can see her much better on the 2nd awards deleted scene on the Boogie Nights DVD. You'll even catch PTA say her name on the commentary track during that scene..