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‘Over The Top’ With Bill Simmons and Kyle Brandt

September 24, 2024 · Over the Top (1987) · Action · Drama · Sport · 1:52:50

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 25:06Hawk's first arm wrestling scene at the diner (12 minutes in) featuring the Smasher, and Mike's big arm wrestling scene against the crystal meth/inbred kid
Kyle Brandt▶ 25:57Agrees on Hawk's first arm wrestling scene with the Smasher, describes the scene dynamics and character interactions in detail

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 41:39The presidential suite scene where the protagonist confronts Robert Loggia, tells him to stick his check, throws Terry Funk through glass doors, then fights John Grizzly again
Kyle Brandt▶ 41:04The scene where a fighter gets his arm broken in half during the tournament, praising that they left this brutal moment in the film

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Kyle Brandt▶ 43:07If it's a double elimination, shouldn't Bull Hurley get to go again?

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 44:57Agreed with Kyle's take and expanded that Harry Bosco was the only black person in the entire movie, which ties into the Van Lathan award about needing more black people
Kyle Brandt▶ 44:42The one officiating controversy in the arm wrestling tournament involves the one black guy (Harry Bosco) getting screwed - bad optics that the only black person in the movie gets the controversial call

Den of Thieves Benihana Award

Bill Simmons▶ 59:49Mentions the tournament but doesn't clearly state his pick
Kyle Brandt▶ 59:50The Vegas Hilton

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:58Hypothetical steak (agreeing with Kyle's pick)
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:00:48The hypothetical steak that Lincoln wanted (t-bone) and the tuna on whole wheat that the little kid wanted

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:05The hospital scenes with the mom, featuring actress Susan Blakely - calls them two of the worst scenes in any Stallone movie ever
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:01:32The failure to reveal what happened with Lincoln and his family - the movie never explains why he abandoned his son for 10 years despite building the whole story around their father-son relationship

Is There a Better Title?

Bill Simmons▶ 1:08:41Agreed that the title works well since it's Lincoln Hawk's signature arm wrestling move and checks a lot of boxes.
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:08:31No, there is no better title. The current title has great second meaning because it's so excessive and over the top symbolically, and it's his move in arm wrestling.

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:13:33Don Johnson — Don Johnson was first choice for Lincoln Hawk but doesn't buy him as arm wrestler/truck driver; suggests Deborah Winger to recast Hawk's ex-wife; jokingly suggests Gary Coleman or Kirk Cameron as Hawk's son
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:13:47Kirk Cameron — Agrees Don Johnson wouldn't work as truck driver; supports Deborah Winger recast; endorses Kirk Cameron idea saying 'Mike Seaver would be great'

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:21:28Over the Top — Yes, this is apex mountain for Golan-Globus productions - peak period when they released 31 movies, had Bloodsport in production, Over the Top being made, and made Runaway Train

Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake

Bill Simmons▶ 1:35:17Sequel with Mike Hawk and Craig, finished off with Tom Cruise; also suggests Mike Hawk appearing in the first Fast and Furious as a trucker involved with stolen cars
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:35:53Agrees with Bill's Fast and Furious idea involving Mike Hawk

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:36:32Byron Mayo as the grandfather character, shirtless holding a Narragansett, getting into trouble in Vegas

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:37:06Sammy Hagar — Best Song for Sammy Hagar's 'Winner Takes It All' - believes it deserved a nomination and could have competed with the actual 1988 nominees
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:37:38Sammy Hagar — Best Song nomination for Sammy Hagar's 'Winner Takes It All' - agrees it should have gotten a nomination so Hagar could perform at the Oscars

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:41:19Cobra — Cobra and Over the Top
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:41:31Cobra — Cobra and Over the Top (agrees it might be his favorite double feature of all movies)

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:45:56The world meets nobody halfway

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:46:19Tyson Bagent — Possibly Tyson Bagent (belated winner) or Golden Globus, but notes nobody else really won and the movie lost money
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:46:03Arm wrestling - all roads in arm wrestling lead to Over the Top some 40 years later

Movies Referenced (50)

Rocky (1976)

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 5:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Scarface (1983)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 34:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rambo (2008)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 6:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rushmore (1998)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 54:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cry Freedom (1987)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:37:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Runaway Train (1985)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 16:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Fly (1986)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 1:22:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fargo (1996)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:27:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Goodfellas (1990)

2 mentions · Kyle Brandt▶ 47:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Teen Wolf (1985)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 36:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Top Gun (1986)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 24:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Toy Soldiers (1991)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 1:13:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (3)

Chris Smith

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 3:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Iyi Tubi

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Ex Machina, World War Z▶ 10:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Bellany

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for Stardust▶ 0:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (48)

Sammy Hagar

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Footloose, Over the Top▶ 23:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kenny Loggins

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Footloose, Caddyshack, Top Gun▶ 13:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rick Zumwalt

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Over the Top, Batman Returns▶ 46:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Van Halen

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Spaceballs, Ready Player One, Mission to Mars▶ 17:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Terry Funk

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Road House, Over the Top▶ 41:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Mendenhall

4 mentions · Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons · Known for God Bless America, Over the Top▶ 1:12:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Loggia

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Big, Independence Day, Lost Highway▶ 41:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Crazy Town

3 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for Something's Gotta Give, Saving Silverman, Orange County▶ 0:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dolph Lundgren

3 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for Rocky IV, Masters of the Universe▶ 17:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frank Stallone

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Rambo: First Blood Part II, Hudson Hawk, Staying Alive▶ 11:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Larry Green

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 53:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sam Scarber

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Over the Top, The Karate Kid▶ 1:05:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (2)

Andrew Cosby

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 22:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (2)

Ian Clampett

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Battleship, Deja Vu▶ 1:18:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeff Mart

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for Proof of Life, Hard Target▶ 1:31:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗