The Rewatch Podcast: RW575 - Tom Hanks 80's Rewatch

In this episode of The Tom Hanks 80's Rewatch, Cory and Eoghan keep a watchful eye over the fence as they discuss The 'Burbs.

Trailer:

Tom Hanks Timeline:

After Tom Hanks accepted the role in the film, he was very adamant that he shouldn't have a son in the film and fought to have Cory Danziger's part written out completely according to director Joe Dante. Hanks felt that he shouldn't have been playing a Fred MacMurray type but a more contemporary husband to Carrie Fisher.

Our Favourite Trivia:

Originally the film was intended to be a spoof of Rear Window (1954) and there is one scene that depicts that homage, during the rainstorm where Tom Hanks is looking at the Klopeks digging three holes in their backyard.

The film was shot in sequence and was filmed during the 1988 Writers Guild of America's (WGA) strike. Principal photography actually began the same day the strike went into effect, May 19, 1988. Although Dana Olsen, the writer, appeared in the film, he was prohibited from contributing anything to the script while on set. For this reason, Joe Dante encouraged the actors to improvise many scenes. Examples include when Bruce Dern rips the Klopeks' wallpaper, Rick Ducommun’s "Satan is good, Satan is our pal" dialogue, Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher playing along with Jeopardy!, and Tom Hanks putting himself into the ambulance.

The street was shot on the Universal backlot. It has been used for many films and television shows, including Desperate Housewives (2004). The house where Ricky Butler (Corey Feldman) lives was the same as where The Munsters (1964) was filmed, and the house where Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher lives was also used for Leave It to Beaver (1957). It was also used for another Tom Hanks film, Dragnet (1987) for the character Connie Swail's house. Some of the buildings have changed over time, but Walter's house is the only building on the lot that hasn't changed at all.

A major subplot that was not explained in the film and only featured in the film's workprint version is the reason why Ray Peterson is on vacation. After the events and the arrests of the Klopeks, Carol walks with Ray where he has a confession. She immediately interrupts him stating "that he'd been fired from his job" to his surprise that she had known all this time and didn't say anything. However, some elements of this are still evident in the final cut of the film in which Carol states that he's stressed and he would go back to work in worse shape than he was already, staying up late to spy on the Klopeks with Rumsfield and Art, and in particular the third and final ending, where he says, "He's going on vacation" to Corey Feldman for another week which would seem odd since he was already on vacation to begin with.

In the original script Ray Peterson was intended to be killed by Dr. Klopek. However, once Tom Hanks was cast in the role, the studio didn't think the audience would appreciate witnessing his death on screen, so the ending had to be reworked. Several alternate endings to the film were also shot where items other than bones were discovered in the Klopek's trunk, including dead cheerleaders and the garbage men seen earlier in the film. The ending had been a subject of debate before the writers' strike. Revisions were requested to make Hanks, whose box-office profile had increased since the success of Big, as "dominant in the film as cinematically possible."

The line that Corey Feldman says to end the film was not in the original script. Director Joe Dante came up with the line "God, I love this street" during the reshoots after the writer's strike had ended and the final twenty minutes of the film had to be completely reshot and virtually eliminated Feldman's character. Dante broke the news to him and told him to say the line and that it would work out. Feldman admits now that "Dante was right," as it is the line that his fans and fans of the film mention to him when they see him.

Everyone in the cast and crew had a good time working on the film, so much so that Tom Hanks personally bought everyone sunglasses and left a personal thank you note to everyone in the cast and the crew.

Walter's toy poodle Queenie was played by the same dog that played Precious in The Silence of the Lambs (1991).

What's Up Next?

The final episode in the rewatch series see Hanks teamed with a dog in Turner & Hooch.

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