This script has actually been used in screenwriting classes as a great example of a tightly written script, one that sets up everything we see later, much like Zemeckis’s next work, Back to the Future.
Diane Thomas wrote her first screenplay and managed to hand it straight to Michael Douglas in person, who made sure to make it a movie. He admired the script and how much fun Diane clearly had writing it. Tragically, Diane died a year and half later in the very car Mr. Douglas bought to congratulate her. Rumor has it Ms. Thomas had an attraction to reckless bad boys much like her character Joan Wilder, and let her boyfriend drive the car. Diane's spirit fills every frame of this movie.
From the Wiki on Diane Thomas: "Following her death, the UCLA Extension Writers' Program created the Diane Thomas Screenwriting Awards in her honor.[4] Original judges included Steven Spielberg, Michael Douglas, James Brooks, and Kathleen Kennedy.[citation needed] One such winner of this award is Randi Mayem Singer who later went on to write Mrs. Doubtfire."
I saw this movie in the theaters with my mom when it was new and I loved it! We even saw the sequel “Jewel of the Nile” which was good, but not nearly as good as this one. The funny part for me is when movie lines become part of your normal dialogue. Even to this day, when my mom and I are not sure where we are going, we always say, "Is this the bus to Cartegna?"
They made some more films together! I like "The War of the Roses" better than the sequel to this film, "Jewel of the Nile". Both get some more Danny Devito too.
We went to see War of the Roses with my sister and her second husband... the two of them found it hilarious... while our parents (married 50 years before they died) and I (never married at the time) could not see any humor in it.
Another great reaction, Shanelle!The crazy thing is the studio not only didn’t believe in Zemekis, they didn’t believe in Michael Douglas, either. He was a former TV star and movie studios didn’t take TV actors seriously back then. Fortunately, Douglas had made a name for himself as a producer in Hollywood and decided to produce this movie and then cast himself in it. Douglas would become a movie star, and Zemekis would take Michael J. Fox from the small screen to the big time in his next movie.
By the way, the beauty in the opening shot was Kymberly Herrin, who passed away in 2022. She was Dan Aykroyd's dream ghost in the first GHOSTBUSTER'S film, too. She was also one of the actresses in the classic ZZ TOP music video LEGS, along with their GIMME ALL YER LOVIN' and SHARP DRESSED MAN videos.
Great reaction! Several have suggested the sequel, but another 80s movie that is a very similar watch to this is Crocodile Dundee. Romance action comedy very much in the same vein as this. I expect you’d like it just as well.
Crocodile Dundee and Romancing The Stone were rivals to Indiana Jones back then, they are all in the category of adventure films. Then later came the likes of Tomb Raider, The Mummy, and Uncharted.
I was 16 years old in 1984 and I did see this movie in the theatre. I now own it and it's sequel on DVD. They are nice 80's movies that still stand up IMHO. I'm glad you enjoyed it Shan!
Romancing The Stone has been an absolute favorite of my family, ever since the first time we watched it, back in the 80s. We rented it once, but a lot of movies cost a fortune to buy your own copy of, back then. So, for a long time, all we had was a copy we recorded off of network TV. It aired during a snow storm, and so the video was full of winter storm warnings. Once, we were watching it in the middle of summer and, by an hour or so into watching it, we had forgotten it was a tape instead of live. When the snow storm alerts came on, my mother was like, "Snowstorm? What the heck?" A second later, she realized what was going on, and we all had a laugh about it. It's one of those things that's only funny to us, but someone still brings it up, every time one of us is watching this movie. You can tell how old you are, depending on whether you watch a movie and think, "Wow, the actors looked so young..." or you think, "Back then _I_ looked so young... and could sneeze without wrenching my back."
This is such a well written script with great characterizations and snappy dialogue. It has surprises and subverts expectations. One of the best of the 80’s. And even though the sequel Jewel Of The Nile isn’t as strong it’s still a worthy follow up and just adore both of these films.
In my opinion, you know so much about film structure and framework. Love your subtle and insightful comments about all of the films that you reacted to on your channel. You are so underrated. Thumbs up!
Brings back many memories! This is really the movie that put Robert Zemeckis on the Hollywood map (It should have been Used Cars but this was his first blockbuster).... If you're in an 80's mood Shanelle? Give BREAKING AWAY a watch. Launched many careers and was arguably the best American Coming of Age movie made.....Also listed at # 8 the AFI most inspiring films ever made!!
I wholeheartedly second "Breaking Away". Steve Tesich won an Oscar for the screenplay. A great small budget film, it was released in 1979, close enough to the '80s.
I bought this and the sequel on Blu-ray a few months back and I still watch them daily! It has a good cast and also an exciting action adventure film I can't get enough of.
I had the novelization for this back in the ‘80s, and yes, it was written like a romance novel! That genre was in the beginning of its golden age at the time (I’d been reading them since the late ‘70s) and it really fit in with the popular culture.
I'll tell you why. Because it's a really fun movie! I sincerely hope you enjoy it as much as I always do. Edit: For more Devito you would love both Twins and Ruthless People.
Back in 1987, when I was junior in high school, our Spanish teacher brought in this movie having never seen it because she was told it was set in South America and assumed it would it be a good reference to South American culture. She was not okay.
I watched this movie over and over in grade school. Broke the tape. Got a new one. I did the same with The Jewel of the Nile, the sequel. I had an obsession with these characters
I loved that this movie took most characters and and even scenes, and turned them sideways a little bit. Look at Jack. He's not your typical hero. And he doesn't actually act like a hero until the end. Or Juan, with his "Little Mule". Did you see that character coming? I also like that they explained how they could jump the river. Most movies would just have the hero's vehicle be able to jump something, and the chasers (for some reason) couldn't. But here, they showed you the trick. It's almost as if this were a parody of an action movie, but not quite. It's genius.
DiVito is also in the 1985 sequel "Jewel of the Nile", a sleeper "Ruthless People" and "Throw Mama from the Train". All are very cute and he is classic DiVito in all of them.
When I was young and we got our first VCR (the remote was connected with a long wire), this was the first movie we had. I have no idea how many times I've seen it, but everyone in my family could quote the entire movie. I was worried this movie had been largely forgotten. It's good to see people still appreciate it. I've been going through your back catalogue and I'm really impressed not only with your knowledge of the film industry but also with your editing skills. I'm glad to see so many of my favorite movies on your list and I can't wait to see more. One recommendation I have is "What's Up Doc?" staring Madeline Kahn, Ryan O'Neil and Barbara Streisand. I think it's Madeline Kahn's best role. Barbara Streisand's too (at least it's my favorite).
Did not see this in the theater but this was the very fist movie I ever rented at a video rental store probably in late 1984 when I was 12. Loved it ever since. I can't imagine how many times my dad and I watched this together over the years.
I'm so glad you reacted to this movie! I was an aspiring romance writer when this movie came out. Given that it was about a romance writer, our whole writing group just had to see it! Loved it! And I loved your reaction!!!
I watched this movie in 1984, back when I was getting into movies as a teen. I read and watched great reviews and I decided to check it out. It was one of my favorite movies of 1984. Back then I wasn't paying attention to directors, only to actors, so it didn't have an influence on my watching Back to the Future. Steven Spielberg being a producer did. Spielberg was one of the few directors I knew at the time.
I watched Romancing the Stone when it was released on cable; almost a year after it’s theatrical run (it probably wasn’t that long because I remember it coming out pretty quickly on cable). Upon my first viewing, I instantly fell in love with this movie! Everything from the actors to the sets to the locations to Alan Silvestri’s score and Robert Zemeckis’ directing!! It had the right blend of everything I could ask for in a movie. It should be noted that Diane Thomas wrote the screenplay and also co-wrote the screenplay for Steven Spielberg’s Always. She was also hired to write a treatment for the 3rd Indiana Jones movie; in which she did. However, Spielberg decided to go with a different direction of the 3rd installment. She sadly died way too young in a terrible car accident in which her then boyfriend at the time was driving Diane and another friend while supposedly under the influence. The accident occurred when the car spun out of control in a rain storm. The Porsche Diane’s boyfriend was driving was a gift Michael Douglas had given to her. She was to write the screenplay for the sequel The Jewel of the Nile. Sadly, we would never get the gift of her writing and talent again. I didn’t love that movie as much. But it was still good to see Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito reprise their roles. I’ve seen some other comments about The War of the Roses. And yes; I agree too that you should react to this. This film was directed by Danny DeVito as well. It’s a dark comedy that I’d think you’d enjoy. And when Back to the Future was being promoted on TV as an upcoming release, they voiceover made certain to let you know “a Robert Zemeckis film”. I recognized his name immediately from Romancing the Stone!! So of course, I had to go see Back to the Future in the theater! I may have missed out on RTS in the theater, but I sure as heck wasn’t going to misss out on Zemeckis’ next feature!! And, we all know how well that film did!!
I just love the shameless cheap romance novel format of this whole movie. I'm sure lots of people would think it's a crappy film if they are not in on the joke. I haven't watched the sequel in a while but I remember it being fun. Great reaction as always!
This was a cable classic for me. Growing up at a time when cable played movies over and over the month they came out, I remember watching this many times.
One of the biggest costs of releasing films in ancillary markets is residuals. The studios pay a contractual sum to everyone involved in making the movie, which can really add up. In some markets the studio has to pay the same amount for every airing. In some you get an unlimited number of airings for a certain period of time. That’s when you see movies playing over and over again, sometimes back to back.
@@BDogg2023 Cable was also just very different when I was a kid in the 80s. It was scheduled programming rather than streaming, it was before cable did original content, and they only had a few new films each month. They’d play the new films usually twice a day, every other day, so you could watch them 10 or 20 times in a month if you had nothing better to do.
This is definitely my kind of romantic movie. When I was a kid, I watched this with my mom, who also enjoyed it. Miss you, Mom. If you want to watch another great Danny DeVito comedy (one where he's more the main character), I recommend _Ruthless People._ You can also watch the other two DeVito-Douglas-Turner 80s films, _The Jewel of the Nile_ and _The War of the Roses._ _Jewel_ is the sequel to _Stone_ and _War_ is more of a spiritual sequel which puts forth the question of, "What if the romance went sour?"
Love this film so much!!! Absolutely an all time favorite!! There's a sequel - Jewel of the Nile. All three return. It doesn't have quite the same magic as this one, but still worth the watch!
God I love everything 80s but especially the movies. This soundtrack is so cool. That opening credits sequence is an all time fav. Thanks for the reaction!
You MUST watch "Drowning Mona" if you haven't yet. It stars Danny DeVito, Neve Campbell and a few others I won't mention; you need to be surprised. I think it's quirky and funny, when you're looking for something like that. Romancing the Stone gives me Indiana Jones vibe. Enjoyed this.
There was a couple of main pulls that got people to go to see this. The first was the scene of Douglas landing on top of Turner in the rain. The Douglas himself. Those of us that lived in the seventies were familiar with Douglas from the TV show The Streets of San Francisco and his father’s work. So a lot people went to see it for this reason and then enjoyed the other elements.
Indeed! Young Michael Douglas' costar on The Streets of San Francisco was an older actor named Karl Malden. Karl Malden also famous for TV spots for American Express travelers checks 'Don't leave home without them'. & Their payment comment using American Express travelers checks was a nod to him.
When this film came out, we all understood the American Express travellers check joke. It caused everyone in the theaters to laugh. The reason Douglas' character had to make sure the travellers check she was offering to pay him with, were "American Express," is because his costar in the television show, "The Streets of Sanfrancisco," and his dear friend and mentor, Karl Malden, was the spokesperson for American Express. It was a fun little joke for fans of that television show and the two actors.
Have to admit I have a soft spot for 80's adventure comedy, I loved this show and its sequel, though I hadn't watched them in years. Vibes is another fun one (with Cyndi Lauper and Jeff GoldBlum).
Michael Douglas produced "One Flew Over the Cookoo's Nest" and Danny Devito was cast in his first big movie in that. The two became good friends opening the door to a lot of roles for Devito. Basically everyone who every worked with Danny loved him and always recommended him for movies and that's how he became the most unlikely film star in history.
For three of my four High School years (1980-1984) I worked as an Usher at a single screen movie theater in Milwaukee. So I have seen "Romancing the Stone" hundreds of times and still love it. Other films we featured during that era, and I still remember the dialoge by heart, are "The Thing" "Ghandi" "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" "Return of the Jedi" and "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" My least favorite film, and as a 16 year old I was bored with it, was "Yentl" starring Barbara Steisand. What a snoozer that was! But otherwise it was such a fun job during my mid-teen years and fueled my love of film to this day.
I was 4 when this movie came out, and probably about 6 the first time I saw it, with several rewatches over the years. The scene in the plane is probably my favorite, and the soundtrack is amazing; it's almost a character!
Between the romance, humor, and action, I knew you would dig it. A lot of people do have problems with telling the difference between crocs and gators. Crocodiles have the narrow snouts, such as the ones in this movie, and alligators have the more widen and rounded snouts. Both can actually move very quickly, but it can depend on the temperature. The "fanboy" also played el Guapo in "The Three Amigos" which is one of my favorite comedies. If you haven't done "Ruthless People" you should. It's one of Danny DeVito's best comedic roles.
1:17 - Yes, Alan Silvestri scored this movie. That's like a "Duh!" when talking about a Zemeckis film. Silvestri is like Zemekis' Angelo Badalamenti. 😉
The way I remembered Alligator vs Crocodile is generally Alligator heads are A shaped, while Crocs are narrower with longer snouts. Gators are mostly found in the Americas too, while Crocs are mostly in Asia, Australia, and Africa. Also I would love to see a full feature movie made in the style of an 80’s film. From the sound design of repetitive foley, practical effects,matte paintings, to the camera angles, and 80’s iconic synth soundtrack. I know Kung Fury exists, but it still felt like a film made today to replicate an 80’s style. I wanna see something so good in the vein of Black Dynamite where people will mistaken it for an old film.
I saw this movie when I was way too young (probably 5 years old, haha!) and I LOVED it. I thought it was funny and exciting and, as I got older, definitely thought it was sexy (I remember covering my eyes for the hotel bedroom scene, ha!). I'm sure someone else here as mentioned it, but when Romancing the Stone came out in March of 1984, there was no PG-13 rating yet. That came out in June of 1984.
Michael Douglas first became popular in the TV Detective Show, "The Streets of San Francisco" with Karl Malden from 1972-1977, and Karl Malden did "American Express Travel's Checks" commercials as well in the 1970s-19880s... They became good friends, and Michael Douglas had a little fun with the scene where Kathleen Turner said she could pay Michael Douglas with traveler's checks and he asks "American Express?"
Danny Devito and Michael Douglas were roommates in an apartment in New York in the 60s while both were struggling actors. Douglas gave Devito his big break by casting him in One Flew Over the Cukoos Nest (Douglas was the producer). The two have been friends for more than 50 years.
2:28 - Yeah, that's something a lot of people forget: Michael Douglas started out as a producer. His first film was The Final Countdown, starring his father Kirk along with Charlie Sheen. It's not a great film, storywise, but it's not terrible either.
@@3dbadboy1 DUDE! I know! I watched it too! But it's kind of like Canada: people forget it even exists until you bring it up. 🤪 That came before, though it T.V. so technically I'm still right. 😁
For me, this and Ferris Bueller are a perfect representation of the 80s I saw this movie in theater back then and saw it so often on tv's movie channel afterwards. It brings back lots of memories. I was 9 but yeah afterwards I was excited about BTF and Roger Rabbit being made by the same guy
9:11 Fun Fact: The comment about the American Express traveler's cheques was an inside joke. Michael Douglas used to star in the show "The Streets of San Francisco with Karl Malden...Karl Malden used to do the commercials for American Express..."Don't leave home without them..."
Douglas, Turner, and Devito all teamed up again for two more films. The sequel to this film was "The Jewel of the Nile." I did not like it as much as the first, but others loved it. They then teamed up again for "The War of the Roses," or was that "War of the Roses?" Either way, they did not portray the same characters in this film. It was a bit difficult for some audience members to handle because they expected the characters to be the same romantic couple from their earlier films. Because of this, many did not like the "controversial" ending of the film. I actually loved the ending of "The War of the Roses." But, to each his own. And I thought Devito's performance in the movie was exceptional. I highly suggest seeing the film. While it might be tame by today's standards, at the time, it was considered a very dark comedy.
I watched this movie at least 4 times in the theater when it came out. Lots of this movie and Ghostbusters was my 1984. I wasn't aware that Zemekis and Sylvestri worked on this film at the time but as an avid Back to the Future fan I appreciate this film even more now.
I did not watch this movie until l bought it last year, and I fell in love with it immediately. And just so you know for the future, alligators have a U-shaped snout and crocodiles have a V-shaped snout.
17:57 "Close your f-in mouth" I never understood why from 1960's onwards romance scenes became more explicit; why did open mouth, french kissing and bedroom scenes become necessary?
I was twelve when I saw this in the theatre. Loved it! Not for the director, but Back to the Future had Michael J Fox as the big draw. Then Zemeckis hit my radar, much like Spielberg. Check out the sequel Jewel of the Nile. And Twins with DeVito and Schwarzenegger. Added thought, a cool bonus would be to check out the movie trailers after watching the flick. Love the channel and keep up the great work, Shanelle. Thank you! (And I love the world famous trivia.)
I was 16 when it came out and was "too cool" to go to the movies. Lol But I rented it at Blockbuster as soon as it released on VHS. Still enjoy watching it.
1. "War of the Roses" with Kathleen, Danny, and Michael is an awesome film, but it's much darker. 2. Alligators are fresh water and have square shaped snouts while crocodiles are salt water and have round snouts. 3. Kathleen Turner was the voice of Jessica Rabbit in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". 4. My favorite character is Juan the bellmaker.🤩 5. Snake doesn't really have a taste so to speak, it tastes mostly what you put on it. 6. Nothing wrong with enjoying a fun movie.😁
I knew you'd enjoy this. When I saw it in my feed I saved it and watched it with dinner when I got home, top priority. I loved it when it came out, and saw it several times since. Kathleen Turner...yum! And Michael Douglas was a great representation of 80's male charm to star opposite her, they made a great couple. Such a fun romp. You were delightful to watch as you followed their adventure. For another Kathleen Turner role, try Steve Martin's The Man with Two Brains. And Danny Devito has a funny supporting part in Michael Keaton's Johnny Dangerously. Two movies probably not on your normal radar.
I’ve always loved Romancing the Stone. I’m so glad you enjoyed it BTW, Kathleen Turner is the voice of Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Also a Zemeckis film.
I not only saw this as a kid, I suggested it to my family and got my dad to take us to see it (in spite of the title which sounded like a romance movie). Moviegoing audiences were more noticeably segmented back then than today, and I think the romance aspect appealed to women, the action/comedy appealed to men, and the adventure appealed to children. I remember the '80s and into the '90s, people in the film, games, and similar works of entertainment industries often spoke of the sorts of perfect movies that had mass market appeal (that weren't simply "family" films of the Disney variety), and I think this was definitely one of the more successful films to achieve that.
This script has actually been used in screenwriting classes as a great example of a tightly written script, one that sets up everything we see later, much like Zemeckis’s next work, Back to the Future.
Diane Thomas wrote her first screenplay and managed to hand it straight to Michael Douglas in person, who made sure to make it a movie. He admired the script and how much fun Diane clearly had writing it. Tragically, Diane died a year and half later in the very car Mr. Douglas bought to congratulate her. Rumor has it Ms. Thomas had an attraction to reckless bad boys much like her character Joan Wilder, and let her boyfriend drive the car. Diane's spirit fills every frame of this movie.
@BrianNIL Thanks for that info. I always loved this movie since I was a kid.
Yes super tight! the sailboat dreams...then the actual boat. good payoff!
From the Wiki on Diane Thomas:
"Following her death, the UCLA Extension Writers' Program created the Diane Thomas Screenwriting Awards in her honor.[4] Original judges included Steven Spielberg, Michael Douglas, James Brooks, and Kathleen Kennedy.[citation needed] One such winner of this award is Randi Mayem Singer who later went on to write Mrs. Doubtfire."
I saw this movie in the theaters with my mom when it was new and I loved it! We even saw the sequel “Jewel of the Nile” which was good, but not nearly as good as this one. The funny part for me is when movie lines become part of your normal dialogue. Even to this day, when my mom and I are not sure where we are going, we always say, "Is this the bus to Cartegna?"
The line that sticks with me is "Aw man! The Doobie Brothers broke up! "
@@bradsouthers7476 Ha ha ha! I love that line too!
Totally agree about loving the quotes that enter our lexicons. For me it's, "They are such jokers. They mean my Lil Mule."
@@dant7677 lol
This film has it all! The chemistry between Turner and Douglas is brilliant.
There chemistry was more...They had a romantic relationship together.
They made some more films together! I like "The War of the Roses" better than the sequel to this film, "Jewel of the Nile". Both get some more Danny Devito too.
It was sooo good!!
The trio of Douglas/Turner/Devito are classic and I concur that “War of the Roses” should be on the list….. it is my personal favourite of their Trio!
War of the Roses is so good. And hearing DeVito talk about the making of it is also a lot of fun.
@@TamaMetalPuppet I had to buy that specific DVD just for his commentary.
There is a seen in "War of the Roses" where Michael Douglas' character is holding a piece of paper with the Colombian national seal.
We went to see War of the Roses with my sister and her second husband... the two of them found it hilarious... while our parents (married 50 years before they died) and I (never married at the time) could not see any humor in it.
"War of the Roses" is hilarious and very sad, got to love the dark comedy in it
Another great reaction, Shanelle!The crazy thing is the studio not only didn’t believe in Zemekis, they didn’t believe in Michael Douglas, either. He was a former TV star and movie studios didn’t take TV actors seriously back then. Fortunately, Douglas had made a name for himself as a producer in Hollywood and decided to produce this movie and then cast himself in it. Douglas would become a movie star, and Zemekis would take Michael J. Fox from the small screen to the big time in his next movie.
Douglas had film roles, but nothing of note except 1979's The China Syndrome with Jane Fonda and Jack Lemon.
By the way, the beauty in the opening shot was Kymberly Herrin, who passed away in 2022. She was Dan Aykroyd's dream ghost in the first GHOSTBUSTER'S film, too. She was also one of the actresses in the classic ZZ TOP music video LEGS, along with their GIMME ALL YER LOVIN' and SHARP DRESSED MAN videos.
Great reaction! Several have suggested the sequel, but another 80s movie that is a very similar watch to this is Crocodile Dundee. Romance action comedy very much in the same vein as this. I expect you’d like it just as well.
Great choice for a follow up, I'd definitely pick Crocodile Dundee over Jewel of the Nile.
@@Melancthon7332 Good call.
Crocodile Dundee and Romancing The Stone were rivals to Indiana Jones back then, they are all in the category of adventure films. Then later came the likes of Tomb Raider, The Mummy, and Uncharted.
I was 16 years old in 1984 and I did see this movie in the theatre. I now own it and it's sequel on DVD. They are nice 80's movies that still stand up IMHO. I'm glad you enjoyed it Shan!
Romancing The Stone has been an absolute favorite of my family, ever since the first time we watched it, back in the 80s.
We rented it once, but a lot of movies cost a fortune to buy your own copy of, back then. So, for a long time, all we had was a copy we recorded off of network TV. It aired during a snow storm, and so the video was full of winter storm warnings. Once, we were watching it in the middle of summer and, by an hour or so into watching it, we had forgotten it was a tape instead of live. When the snow storm alerts came on, my mother was like, "Snowstorm? What the heck?" A second later, she realized what was going on, and we all had a laugh about it. It's one of those things that's only funny to us, but someone still brings it up, every time one of us is watching this movie.
You can tell how old you are, depending on whether you watch a movie and think, "Wow, the actors looked so young..." or you think, "Back then _I_ looked so young... and could sneeze without wrenching my back."
This is such a well written script with great characterizations and snappy dialogue. It has surprises and subverts expectations. One of the best of the 80’s. And even though the sequel Jewel Of The Nile isn’t as strong it’s still a worthy follow up and just adore both of these films.
In my opinion, you know so much about film structure and framework. Love your subtle and insightful comments about all of the films that you reacted to on your channel. You are so underrated. Thumbs up!
This movie is a gem if it's what you're looking for. It knows what it is, and it runs with it. Wholly enjoyable!
I read the alcohol minatures as her having collected them from travel for book tours rather than buying alcohol for socialising/etc.
yeah, those are totally from airplanes, she wasn't buying nips of booze to have. It's like a drawer full of little hotel soaps.
"Get Shorty" Hollywood lovers will love it. DeVito, Hackman, Travolta, Rene Russo...1995...
Brings back many memories! This is really the movie that put Robert Zemeckis on the Hollywood map (It should have been Used Cars but this was his first blockbuster).... If you're in an 80's mood Shanelle? Give BREAKING AWAY a watch. Launched many careers and was arguably the best American Coming of Age movie made.....Also listed at # 8 the AFI most inspiring films ever made!!
I wholeheartedly second "Breaking Away". Steve Tesich won an Oscar for the screenplay. A great small budget film, it was released in 1979, close enough to the '80s.
I bought this and the sequel on Blu-ray a few months back and I still watch them daily! It has a good cast and also an exciting action adventure film I can't get enough of.
@@gastronomist well.. They did all make War of the Roses... Lol
I had the novelization for this back in the ‘80s, and yes, it was written like a romance novel! That genre was in the beginning of its golden age at the time (I’d been reading them since the late ‘70s) and it really fit in with the popular culture.
These were my favorite movies as a kid. Jewel of the Nile was the sequel and my personal favorite ❤️
I'll tell you why. Because it's a really fun movie! I sincerely hope you enjoy it as much as I always do. Edit: For more Devito you would love both Twins and Ruthless People.
Devito WAS ruthless! Fun movie.
Ruthless People is GREAT
I immediately thought of Ruthless People when she asked for more Devito. It’s a hilarious film.
Back in 1987, when I was junior in high school, our Spanish teacher brought in this movie having never seen it because she was told it was set in South America and assumed it would it be a good reference to South American culture. She was not okay.
😆
I watched this movie over and over in grade school. Broke the tape. Got a new one. I did the same with The Jewel of the Nile, the sequel. I had an obsession with these characters
I loved that this movie took most characters and and even scenes, and turned them sideways a little bit. Look at Jack. He's not your typical hero. And he doesn't actually act like a hero until the end. Or Juan, with his "Little Mule". Did you see that character coming? I also like that they explained how they could jump the river. Most movies would just have the hero's vehicle be able to jump something, and the chasers (for some reason) couldn't. But here, they showed you the trick. It's almost as if this were a parody of an action movie, but not quite. It's genius.
DiVito is also in the 1985 sequel "Jewel of the Nile", a sleeper "Ruthless People" and "Throw Mama from the Train". All are very cute and he is classic DiVito in all of them.
I was 11 in 1984. Loved this movie as a kid, love it now too. Great reaction as usual.
When I was young and we got our first VCR (the remote was connected with a long wire), this was the first movie we had. I have no idea how many times I've seen it, but everyone in my family could quote the entire movie. I was worried this movie had been largely forgotten. It's good to see people still appreciate it. I've been going through your back catalogue and I'm really impressed not only with your knowledge of the film industry but also with your editing skills. I'm glad to see so many of my favorite movies on your list and I can't wait to see more. One recommendation I have is "What's Up Doc?" staring Madeline Kahn, Ryan O'Neil and Barbara Streisand. I think it's Madeline Kahn's best role. Barbara Streisand's too (at least it's my favorite).
Did not see this in the theater but this was the very fist movie I ever rented at a video rental store probably in late 1984 when I was 12. Loved it ever since. I can't imagine how many times my dad and I watched this together over the years.
I remember seeing this in theaters in 1984. I was nine. Loved it then, still love it now!
I'm so glad you reacted to this movie! I was an aspiring romance writer when this movie came out. Given that it was about a romance writer, our whole writing group just had to see it! Loved it! And I loved your reaction!!!
I watched this on TV multiple times in the 80s as a kid and I loved it. My favorite was when they slid down the waterslide.
mudslide
Good to see you enjoyed romancing the stone shanelle . You'll enjoy the sequel "the jewel of the nile" too.
Though honestly it isn’t quite as good.
@@maxducoudrayTrue, but still worth watching, I think.
I would suggest "War of the Roses." It's a bit darker, though.
@@hanng1242 yeah War of the roses is also a good film with the same trio of Michael, Kathleen and Danny
I was very disappointed with Jewel.
This is such an underrated series!!! Loved these when they came out and are still rewatchable today!!! 🤘🏽🖤
_Romancing The Stone_ wasn't underrated, in fact it was a staple on cable tv and on public television.
I watched this movie in 1984, back when I was getting into movies as a teen. I read and watched great reviews and I decided to check it out. It was one of my favorite movies of 1984. Back then I wasn't paying attention to directors, only to actors, so it didn't have an influence on my watching Back to the Future. Steven Spielberg being a producer did. Spielberg was one of the few directors I knew at the time.
This was one of my favorites from 1984. Saw it in the theaters several times
“Look at those snappers, will ya?” Damn, I love this movie. It’s just pure fun.
going to the movie theater in the 80's was so fun - perfect date flick
I watched Romancing the Stone when it was released on cable; almost a year after it’s theatrical run (it probably wasn’t that long because I remember it coming out pretty quickly on cable). Upon my first viewing, I instantly fell in love with this movie! Everything from the actors to the sets to the locations to Alan Silvestri’s score and Robert Zemeckis’ directing!! It had the right blend of everything I could ask for in a movie. It should be noted that Diane Thomas wrote the screenplay and also co-wrote the screenplay for Steven Spielberg’s Always. She was also hired to write a treatment for the 3rd Indiana Jones movie; in which she did. However, Spielberg decided to go with a different direction of the 3rd installment. She sadly died way too young in a terrible car accident in which her then boyfriend at the time was driving Diane and another friend while supposedly under the influence. The accident occurred when the car spun out of control in a rain storm. The Porsche Diane’s boyfriend was driving was a gift Michael Douglas had given to her. She was to write the screenplay for the sequel The Jewel of the Nile. Sadly, we would never get the gift of her writing and talent again. I didn’t love that movie as much. But it was still good to see Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito reprise their roles. I’ve seen some other comments about The War of the Roses. And yes; I agree too that you should react to this. This film was directed by Danny DeVito as well. It’s a dark comedy that I’d think you’d enjoy. And when Back to the Future was being promoted on TV as an upcoming release, they voiceover made certain to let you know “a Robert Zemeckis film”. I recognized his name immediately from Romancing the Stone!! So of course, I had to go see Back to the Future in the theater! I may have missed out on RTS in the theater, but I sure as heck wasn’t going to misss out on Zemeckis’ next feature!! And, we all know how well that film did!!
I just love the shameless cheap romance novel format of this whole movie. I'm sure lots of people would think it's a crappy film if they are not in on the joke. I haven't watched the sequel in a while but I remember it being fun. Great reaction as always!
I loved the comedy and action in this as a kid. Recorded it off a TV broadcast and had it on VCR tape for years 😁
This was a cable classic for me. Growing up at a time when cable played movies over and over the month they came out, I remember watching this many times.
One of the biggest costs of releasing films in ancillary markets is residuals. The studios pay a contractual sum to everyone involved in making the movie, which can really add up. In some markets the studio has to pay the same amount for every airing. In some you get an unlimited number of airings for a certain period of time. That’s when you see movies playing over and over again, sometimes back to back.
@@BDogg2023 Cable was also just very different when I was a kid in the 80s. It was scheduled programming rather than streaming, it was before cable did original content, and they only had a few new films each month. They’d play the new films usually twice a day, every other day, so you could watch them 10 or 20 times in a month if you had nothing better to do.
I remember when we saw this in the theater, my mother and I said that it must be 4 AM on a Sunday to get to do that boat scene at the end.
This is definitely my kind of romantic movie. When I was a kid, I watched this with my mom, who also enjoyed it. Miss you, Mom.
If you want to watch another great Danny DeVito comedy (one where he's more the main character), I recommend _Ruthless People._ You can also watch the other two DeVito-Douglas-Turner 80s films, _The Jewel of the Nile_ and _The War of the Roses._ _Jewel_ is the sequel to _Stone_ and _War_ is more of a spiritual sequel which puts forth the question of, "What if the romance went sour?"
Love this film so much!!! Absolutely an all time favorite!!
There's a sequel - Jewel of the Nile. All three return. It doesn't have quite the same magic as this one, but still worth the watch!
God I love everything 80s but especially the movies. This soundtrack is so cool. That opening credits sequence is an all time fav. Thanks for the reaction!
This was one of my mom's favorites. It always reminds me of her.
You MUST watch "Drowning Mona" if you haven't yet. It stars Danny DeVito, Neve Campbell and a few others I won't mention; you need to be surprised. I think it's quirky and funny, when you're looking for something like that. Romancing the Stone gives me Indiana Jones vibe. Enjoyed this.
I am a 65 yr old dudec and I absolutely loved this movie when it came out. I still do.
There was a couple of main pulls that got people to go to see this. The first was the scene of Douglas landing on top of Turner in the rain. The Douglas himself. Those of us that lived in the seventies were familiar with Douglas from the TV show The Streets of San Francisco and his father’s work. So a lot people went to see it for this reason and then enjoyed the other elements.
Indeed! Young Michael Douglas' costar on The Streets of San Francisco was an older actor named Karl Malden. Karl Malden also famous for TV spots for American Express travelers checks 'Don't leave home without them'. & Their payment comment using American Express travelers checks was a nod to him.
Loved this one ever since I was a kid. I'm such a sucker for these kinds of fun adventure movies.
When this film came out, we all understood the American Express travellers check joke. It caused everyone in the theaters to laugh. The reason Douglas' character had to make sure the travellers check she was offering to pay him with, were "American Express," is because his costar in the television show, "The Streets of Sanfrancisco," and his dear friend and mentor, Karl Malden, was the spokesperson for American Express. It was a fun little joke for fans of that television show and the two actors.
Have to admit I have a soft spot for 80's adventure comedy, I loved this show and its sequel, though I hadn't watched them in years. Vibes is another fun one (with Cyndi Lauper and Jeff GoldBlum).
I also loved the sequel “Jewel of the Nile”. That one was so much fun as well.
Used to watch this movie a lot when I was visiting my grandmother
My wife and I saw this back in 1984, we loved it then and will watch it if we see it is playing on one of our movie channels.
Michael Douglas produced "One Flew Over the Cookoo's Nest" and Danny Devito was cast in his first big movie in that. The two became good friends opening the door to a lot of roles for Devito. Basically everyone who every worked with Danny loved him and always recommended him for movies and that's how he became the most unlikely film star in history.
For three of my four High School years (1980-1984) I worked as an Usher at a single screen movie theater in Milwaukee. So I have seen "Romancing the Stone" hundreds of times and still love it. Other films we featured during that era, and I still remember the dialoge by heart, are "The Thing" "Ghandi" "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" "Return of the Jedi" and "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" My least favorite film, and as a 16 year old I was bored with it, was "Yentl" starring Barbara Steisand. What a snoozer that was! But otherwise it was such a fun job during my mid-teen years and fueled my love of film to this day.
Hey really appreciate reacting some great movies from 1980s era
I was 4 when this movie came out, and probably about 6 the first time I saw it, with several rewatches over the years. The scene in the plane is probably my favorite, and the soundtrack is amazing; it's almost a character!
Between the romance, humor, and action, I knew you would dig it. A lot of people do have problems with telling the difference between crocs and gators. Crocodiles have the narrow snouts, such as the ones in this movie, and alligators have the more widen and rounded snouts. Both can actually move very quickly, but it can depend on the temperature. The "fanboy" also played el Guapo in "The Three Amigos" which is one of my favorite comedies. If you haven't done "Ruthless People" you should. It's one of Danny DeVito's best comedic roles.
Love your reactions. If you want more Danny DeVito I can recommend the 1995 movie "Get Shorty" with Danny, John Travolta, Gene Hackman and Rene Russo!
1:17 - Yes, Alan Silvestri scored this movie. That's like a "Duh!" when talking about a Zemeckis film. Silvestri is like Zemekis' Angelo Badalamenti. 😉
The classic Sunday afternoon daytime tv movie. Always know it instantly from the music.
Romancing the stone is one of those movies I can watch any time. Another light fun movie I love is Captain Ron
I always loved this movie, it's so much fun. On a sad note, Kym Herrin, who played the damsel in the opening scene just recently passed away. : (
These are the type of movies I miss from the eighties. Just pure fun. This is an ultimate remote drop movie for me. LOVE your reaction.
The way I remembered Alligator vs Crocodile is generally Alligator heads are A shaped, while Crocs are narrower with longer snouts. Gators are mostly found in the Americas too, while Crocs are mostly in Asia, Australia, and Africa.
Also I would love to see a full feature movie made in the style of an 80’s film. From the sound design of repetitive foley, practical effects,matte paintings, to the camera angles, and 80’s iconic synth soundtrack. I know Kung Fury exists, but it still felt like a film made today to replicate an 80’s style. I wanna see something so good in the vein of Black Dynamite where people will mistaken it for an old film.
I saw this movie when I was way too young (probably 5 years old, haha!) and I LOVED it. I thought it was funny and exciting and, as I got older, definitely thought it was sexy (I remember covering my eyes for the hotel bedroom scene, ha!). I'm sure someone else here as mentioned it, but when Romancing the Stone came out in March of 1984, there was no PG-13 rating yet. That came out in June of 1984.
Turner and William Hurt in “Body Heat “ is a must watch, thanks Shanelle
This is one of my favorite movies of all time.. I've seen at lest 30 times.....
Michael Douglas first became popular in the TV Detective Show, "The Streets of San Francisco" with Karl Malden from 1972-1977, and Karl Malden did "American Express Travel's Checks" commercials as well in the 1970s-19880s... They became good friends, and Michael Douglas had a little fun with the scene where Kathleen Turner said she could pay Michael Douglas with traveler's checks and he asks "American Express?"
Used to watch this movie with my mom at 3 am if I was up sick with a fever. Good memories 💕💕💕
Saw this movie on VHS back in the day!
Danny Devito and Michael Douglas were roommates in an apartment in New York in the 60s while both were struggling actors. Douglas gave Devito his big break by casting him in One Flew Over the Cukoos Nest (Douglas was the producer). The two have been friends for more than 50 years.
Turner/Douglas/Devito did a whole run of movies. "War of the Roses" should definitely be on a list.
2:28 - Yeah, that's something a lot of people forget: Michael Douglas started out as a producer. His first film was The Final Countdown, starring his father Kirk along with Charlie Sheen. It's not a great film, storywise, but it's not terrible either.
It's unreal how I remember him co-starring with Karl Malden in the 70s TV show The Streets of San Francisco.
@@3dbadboy1 DUDE! I know! I watched it too! But it's kind of like Canada: people forget it even exists until you bring it up. 🤪 That came before, though it T.V. so technically I'm still right. 😁
A great example of quality 80's comedic action adventure, absolutely loved it when I saw it in theatres on release. :)
For me, this and Ferris Bueller are a perfect representation of the 80s
I saw this movie in theater back then and saw it so often on tv's movie channel afterwards. It brings back lots of memories. I was 9 but yeah afterwards I was excited about BTF and Roger Rabbit being made by the same guy
9:11 Fun Fact: The comment about the American Express traveler's cheques was an inside joke. Michael Douglas used to star in the show "The Streets of San Francisco with Karl Malden...Karl Malden used to do the commercials for American Express..."Don't leave home without them..."
I hope you'll watch "Ruthless People"!
sorry to have missed this for so long! Thanks so much :)
Douglas, Turner, and Devito all teamed up again for two more films. The sequel to this film was "The Jewel of the Nile." I did not like it as much as the first, but others loved it. They then teamed up again for "The War of the Roses," or was that "War of the Roses?" Either way, they did not portray the same characters in this film. It was a bit difficult for some audience members to handle because they expected the characters to be the same romantic couple from their earlier films. Because of this, many did not like the "controversial" ending of the film. I actually loved the ending of "The War of the Roses." But, to each his own. And I thought Devito's performance in the movie was exceptional. I highly suggest seeing the film. While it might be tame by today's standards, at the time, it was considered a very dark comedy.
I watched this movie at least 4 times in the theater when it came out. Lots of this movie and Ghostbusters was my 1984. I wasn't aware that Zemekis and Sylvestri worked on this film at the time but as an avid Back to the Future fan I appreciate this film even more now.
SO HAPPY YOU DID THIS ONE, THIS IS A HIGHLY UNDERRATED MOVIE
I did not watch this movie until l bought it last year, and I fell in love with it immediately. And just so you know for the future, alligators have a U-shaped snout and crocodiles have a V-shaped snout.
I have just watched The War Of The Roses(1989) staring the same people. I cannot see this movie in same way now.
Saw this in the theater. I was 7, so it was amazing.
I saw this movie in the Summer of 1984 in an open air theater located in a local park. So I had some kinda the feeling of being in the scene itself.
The chase scene in the sequel is one of my favorites.
Michael Douglas used to do American Express Traveler Check commercials, and their tag line was do you take American Express ... "of course"
I was in college in '84 saw this when it came out, and it was the perfect "date" movie.
14:50 - I know, that part always cracks me up as well!
17:57 "Close your f-in mouth" I never understood why from 1960's onwards romance scenes became more explicit; why did open mouth, french kissing and bedroom scenes become necessary?
I was twelve when I saw this in the theatre. Loved it! Not for the director, but Back to the Future had Michael J Fox as the big draw. Then Zemeckis hit my radar, much like Spielberg. Check out the sequel Jewel of the Nile. And Twins with DeVito and Schwarzenegger.
Added thought, a cool bonus would be to check out the movie trailers after watching the flick. Love the channel and keep up the great work, Shanelle. Thank you! (And I love the world famous trivia.)
Seen this in theater when it came out....good movie.
I was 16 when it came out and was "too cool" to go to the movies. Lol But I rented it at Blockbuster as soon as it released on VHS. Still enjoy watching it.
One of my favorites where the meta becomes reality. Loved your reaction keep'em coming!
Yellow teeth because everyone use to smoke and drink black coffee and there was no dental bleaching. It was the 70’s and 80’s and it was glorious!
1. "War of the Roses" with Kathleen, Danny, and Michael is an awesome film, but it's much darker.
2. Alligators are fresh water and have square shaped snouts while crocodiles are salt water and have round snouts.
3. Kathleen Turner was the voice of Jessica Rabbit in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit".
4. My favorite character is Juan the bellmaker.🤩
5. Snake doesn't really have a taste so to speak, it tastes mostly what you put on it.
6. Nothing wrong with enjoying a fun movie.😁
Great choice, Shanelle. Something different from the standard fare.
I knew you'd enjoy this. When I saw it in my feed I saved it and watched it with dinner when I got home, top priority. I loved it when it came out, and saw it several times since. Kathleen Turner...yum! And Michael Douglas was a great representation of 80's male charm to star opposite her, they made a great couple. Such a fun romp. You were delightful to watch as you followed their adventure.
For another Kathleen Turner role, try Steve Martin's The Man with Two Brains. And Danny Devito has a funny supporting part in Michael Keaton's Johnny Dangerously. Two movies probably not on your normal radar.
I’ve always loved Romancing the Stone. I’m so glad you enjoyed it
BTW, Kathleen Turner is the voice of Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Also a Zemeckis film.
I not only saw this as a kid, I suggested it to my family and got my dad to take us to see it (in spite of the title which sounded like a romance movie). Moviegoing audiences were more noticeably segmented back then than today, and I think the romance aspect appealed to women, the action/comedy appealed to men, and the adventure appealed to children. I remember the '80s and into the '90s, people in the film, games, and similar works of entertainment industries often spoke of the sorts of perfect movies that had mass market appeal (that weren't simply "family" films of the Disney variety), and I think this was definitely one of the more successful films to achieve that.