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‘The Bodyguard’ With Bill Simmons and Van Lathan

July 27, 2021 · The Bodyguard (1992) · Drama · Music · Romance · 1:26:30

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 29:07The last 15 minutes (Oscar sequence, airport goodbye, and 'I Will Always Love You' acapella ending)
Van Lathan▶ 32:36Frank and Rachel's date scene

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:07:35Whitney Houston — Not Costner's apex mountain - already had it before this movie. Whitney Houston's apex is the Star Spangled Banner performance. Mike Starr's is still Dumb and Dumber. Camera rifle usage is definitely apex mountain.

Picking Nits

Bill Simmons▶ 1:11:22Rachel should be more of a narcissist diva with more assistants; Costner pulling out his gun on stage should get him shot immediately; we never find out if Rachel knew her sister tried to kill her; Costner leaving after one night with Whitney Houston is unrealistic; should have acknowledged Rachel could be first black actress to win Oscar; Rachel listening to her own music by the pool is weird
Van Lathan▶ 1:09:41How does the cameraman get into the Oscars with a camera rifle and infrared light given the extensive security; Fletcher's dad is never mentioned or contacted during the crisis; the Oscars themselves were played down and not captured well in the film

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:31Raises multiple unanswerable questions: who masturbated on Rachel's bed, why didn't the assassin quit after the sister died, was Mike Starr a good bodyguard, what are Rachel's next couple years like, and compares most fucked up Oscars moment between Rachel's near-assassination vs La La Land/Moonlight mix-up
Van Lathan▶ 1:17:04Discusses that the locker room guy was likely just a bed masturbator, the assassin continued because it became personal after Rachel shunned him, Rachel's future looks bad, and the La La Land/Moonlight mix-up was pure comedy compared to the assassination attempt

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:51Whitney Houston — Whitney Houston - acknowledges Costner was great but agrees Houston won the movie
Van Lathan▶ 1:23:55Whitney Houston — Whitney Houston - calls it easy work and one of the easier ones to decide

Movies Referenced (36)

Jungle Fever (1991)

4 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 21:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Basic Instinct (1992)

3 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 14:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bull Durham (1988)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 13:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fargo (1996)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 53:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Field of Dreams (1989)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 13:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

La La Land (2016)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:20:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Moonlight (2016)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 1:20:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Pretty Woman (1990)

3 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 14:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robin Hood (2010)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 13:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tin Cup (1996)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 17:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 43:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lethal Weapon (1987)

2 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 33:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (4)

Kevin Costner

12 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 2:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jody Watley

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for White Men Can't Jump▶ 31:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Singleton

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Boyz n the Hood, Four Brothers▶ 1:14:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Spike Lee

1 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, She's Gotta Have It▶ 23:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (33)

Whitney Houston

24 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for The Bodyguard, The Preacher's Wife▶ 2:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Barbra Streisand

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Funny Girl▶ 4:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Diana Ross

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 4:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Eddie Murphy

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Harlem Nights, The Nutty Professor▶ 5:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ivana Basic

3 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 14:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Janet Jackson

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Poetic Justice▶ 31:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steve McQueen

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Great Escape▶ 15:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bobby Brown

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Wild Hogs▶ 6:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dennis Haysbert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Far from Heaven▶ 21:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Denzel Washington

2 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 23:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Farrah Fawcett

2 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for Logan's Run▶ 56:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Turturro

2 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for Barton Fink▶ 23:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

David Letterman

4 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 10:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lawrence Kasdan

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Big Chill, Wyatt Earp▶ 17:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 21:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Taylor Worst

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 20:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗