That Thing You Do! (Beatles refs)

[Mairi]

Let me first of all say that I completely love this movie and its soundtrack too. Seriously, it's one of my favorites ever. It has lots of mentions of the Beatles, but it also has many sort of references/parallels, too:

-Jimmy = John, the moody troubled guy who breaks away from the band in the end
-Lenny = Paul, the romantic optimist who tried his darndest to keep the band together
-Guy = Ringo, the popular drummer who everyone liked and was the one no one ever had too much of a problem with. Also Guy's shades= Ringo's rings
-Ethan= is George Harrison, the quiet loner one who was probably the furthest remove from the group and ultimately left the band first (like George did with the Beatles).
-Fay = Cynthia, the neglected girl who in the end loses Jimmy to other women and his music

There are other parallels to the Beatles:
-There hit song is a sped up version of a slow ballad, like Please Please Me.
-Jimmy throws up before their TV appearance, like George did before Ed Sullivan.
-Their TV appearance on "Hollywood Showcase" is like the one the Beatles had on "Ed Sullivan", complete with the dress and the stage set up, even the shots are the same.
-They are hounded by girls after a show, just like Beatlemania.
-The initial drummer is replaced, like the Beatles did when they replaced Pete Best with Ringo Starr.
-The "careful girls he's engaged" quote for Jimmy was similar to John's "Sorry girls he's married" on "Ed Sullivan".
-They go into making movies, like the Beatles did.

[TysonWolf]

I'd love to see that movie. I've heard that it's got a lot of Beatles refs in it, and that it's just a good movie.

Those are very interesting.

[tkitna]

I love the movie and soundtrack too. I dont agree with the characters simulating the Beatles though. Jimmy must have been Paul. After all, Tom Hanks did say he was the one with the talent.  

[MrMustard11]

I love this movie...

I think Tom Hanks looks too much like Brian Epstein for him not to have been going for that characteriztion, if that makes sense...

I think if they made a movie about the Beatles like they did for Elvis just recently, Tom Hanks would have to play Brian Epstein... Of course, they'd have to make him up to look 10 years younger.

[Mairi]

I love the movie and soundtrack too. I dont agree with the characters simulating the Beatles though. Jimmy must have been Paul. After all, Tom Hanks did say he was the one with the talent.

Good flick. You will be sick of the song by the time the movie is over.

[The End]

I love this film!! And I have never gotten fed up with the title track!

One thing to mention is that the guys actually played their instruments and even performed live!!!

"You look great in the red suits boys, did I tell you that?"

[tkitna]

There are Beatle simularities, but its not a direct ripoff. After all, when they were naming the band the 'Oneders', Fey (I think) even said it could be like the Beatles and how they spelled their name with the 'ea'. The Beatles also had more hits than one.  

Is the drummer in this movie the same actor who played that awkward teen in 'Meatballs' with Bill Murray? The one who did the long distance run?

[Mushmouth]

Ethan? I believe the bass player had no name and they always jsut called him the bass player, thats why he was like George cause no one really know him or payed attention to him

[tkitna]

Is the drummer in this movie the same actor who played that awkward teen in 'Meatballs' with Bill Murray? The one who did the long distance run?

I dont think so. Here's a list of his films, but no 'Meatballs'.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0779866/

[pc31]

i think some of it is similar to the dave clark 5 too.....

[MandyBug]

Aww, George threw up right before going on Ed Sullivan?

Is that where the "fiendish thingy" line came from?  

[Mairi]

haha wow this is an old post... I was just watching that movie last week as well...