Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2007 July 27

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July 27

Movie set in Africa

I can't recall the title or any of the actors, but it was probably made in the 50s or early 60s and was in Technicolor. It followed a military man through the jungle, pursued by a band of warriors. He was alone and there was very little dialogue. At the end, he makes it to a big walled fortress. Not much to go on, I admit, but does this ring a bell with anyone? Bhumiya (said/done) 00:37, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

Sounds like The Naked Prey, except the hero wasn't a soldier. Clarityfiend 02:15, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, that's my vote also. Gzuckier 14:40, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

That's the one. I don't know what led me to believe he was a soldier, but I did start watching about thirty minutes into it. Thanks! Bhumiya (said/done) 20:57, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

Actor playing someone playing themselves

Yesterday, I was wondering whether there were any films or other media where an actor had played an impersonator of themselves (e.g. if Elvis had starred in a movie, playing an Elvis impersonator). Then, a post on the Science Ref Desk had me looking at Airplane!, in which Ethel Merman appears as a solider who thinks he's Ethel Merman, and reminded me of the Simpsons episode Stark Raving Dad, where Michael Jackson voices a character who's in the asylum for thinking he's Michael Jackson. So, have there been any other notable roles where a character has impersonated, or believed themselves to be, the person playing the role? Confusing Manifestation 04:57, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

I believe there was a SNL episode where Tony Bennett played a Tony Bennett impersonator (or was he just mistaken for one ?). StuRat 06:16, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

In Lulu on the Bridge Lou Reed has a cameo as a guy who looks like Lou Reed ("Hey, that's Lou Reed." "No, it's not. It just looks like him.") On the credits he is listed as playing "Not Lou Reed". Skarioffszky 11:34, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

Aside: one of Laurie Anderson's favorite stories is about walking down the street and encountering someone who looks at her and says, "Oh, no, another Laurie Anderson clone." --jpgordon^∇∆∇∆ 15:59, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

Another aside: Charlie Chaplin once entered a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest - and lost. Skarioffszky 18:25, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

Even in Airplane!, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar plays Roger, but is "outed" as Kareem, then insists he is not Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Neil ╦ 14:27, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

When they pull Kareem out of the co-pilots seat when he gets food poisoning he is wearing a basketball strip on his lower half :) Lanfear's Bane

"We have clearance, Clarence." "Roger, Roger. What's our vector Victor?" "Tower's radio clearance, over." "That's Clarence Oveur. Over." "Roger." "Huh?" "Roger, over." "Huh?" "Huh?" I love that film. :) Neil ╦ 16:50, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

Another one: in Ocean's Twelve Julia Roberts plays Tess Ocean, who impersonates Julia Roberts and makes a phone call to the real Julia Roberts. Skarioffszky 15:22, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

In Being John Malkovich, John Malkovich plays himself, whose body is at times taken over by John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Mary Kay Place, Orson Bean and Catherine Keener. Corvus cornix 21:28, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

First, that isn't what was being asked for. Second, he doesn't exactly play himself; the character in the movie has a different middle initial. But other than that, Mrs. Lincoln,... --Anonymous, July 28, 2007, 02:49 (UTC).

First, Malkovich plays several people pretending to be him, thus meeting the OQ's criteria. Secondly, he plays himself in the movie, therefore this taunting reply isn't appropriate. Corvus cornix 04:11, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

Sorry, it was meant as teasing, not taunting.

On the first point, my recollection is that the characters do not take over his body, they just passively sense what he senses; and that's why it doesn't qualify. On the second, John G. Malkovich is playing John H. Malkovich. --Anon, July 28, 10:24 (UTC).

Actually, later in the movie at least one character works out how to take control. Confusing Manifestation 12:21, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

In The Last Action Hero, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays the character in a film within the film, then the character visits the 'real world' in which the actor who plays him in the film is real! Might sort of fit in... Skittle 23:16, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

A kind of related example (though your brain may explode of you try and work out exactly how) is where Steve Coogan plays actor Steve Coogan in A Cock and Bull Story. All the other characters mock the Coogan character for being like Alan Partridge (who, of course, in reality Steve Coogan himself portrays). To add to the meta-craziness of it all, in one scene journalist Tony Wilson (whom Coogan also played in the film 24 Hour Party People), appears as a journalist called Tony Wilson, who insists on interviewing Coogan's character in Alan Partridge's Knowing Me, Knowing You style. To summarise: an interviewer playing himself interviews an actor playing himself, while impersonating a fictional character played by the actor who had previously impersonated the interviewer. I think. Rockpocket 00:17, 29 July 2007 (UTC)

Since you mention 24 Hour Party People: several of the people portrayed appear as background characters (just as the real David Toma often appeared in Toma as a laborer); one of these people, playing a janitor, breaks the fourth wall to deny that the episode just portrayed, involving him, ever happened. —Tamfang 06:08, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

That's the kind of crazy stuff I was hoping to uncover when I asked the question. Thanks! And thanks to the others who have provided suggestions, too. Confusing Manifestation 04:25, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

In The Cannonball Run, Roger Moore plays Seymour Goldfarb Jr who thinks he's Roger Moore (as James Bond). In A Hard Day's Night, a passerby says to John Lennon something like "You're not him, are you? You look remarkably like him" (and eventually talks herself into the opinion that he doesn't look like him at all). And I've heard there's a movie where Cary Grant(?) says, "You can't miss him, he looks just like Ralph Bellamy," because he's played by Ralph Bellamy. —Tamfang 06:03, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

Syncopation, back beat,

Do syncopation, off-beat (music), or back beat need to be merged somehow?--Sonjaaa 08:44, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

Most likely. -- Kainaw^(what?) 13:04, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

Please Rate These Games.

SSX Tricky, Stuntman, and High Heat 2004? --Liveforver 21:26, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

High Heat 2004 gets two thumbs up from me for being both the longest title of the three as well as the title with the most numbers in it. Now what do I win? Dismas|^(talk) 21:29, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

You may have better luck asking this question on a dedicated site, but for what it's worth, here are the metacritic results for SSX Tricky, Stuntman and High Heat 2004. You didn't specify what system you were interested in, but I imagine you can find some useful information there. Carom 21:49, 27 July 2007 (UTC)