Snakes on a Plane
by MaxPower
So you may or may not have heard about the upcoming Samuel L. Jackson movie entitled "Snakes on a Plane", but it is rapidly becoming one the biggest internet-based sleeper hits of 2006. The cult like nature of the film is being established even before it is out in movie theatres this summer.
What does Snakes on a Plane have going for it? First the title - Snakes + Plane = Snakes on a Plane! Genius
Second - it has Samuel L. Jackson
Third - it has vintage Samuel L. Jackson. The back-story here is freakin hilarious. Apparently the film was originally called Snakes on a Plane but that was just a production title. When the name was changed to Pacific Air Flight 121 Jackson reportedly told the interviewer who told him of the name change "We're totally changing that back. That's the only reason I took the job: I read the title." Now, I can actually see him saying that - I like the title, sign me up. He also reportedly said ""What are you doing here? It's not Gone with the Wind. It's not On the Waterfront. It's Snakes on a Plane!" Vintage. You can read more about the backstory at Wikipedia here.
Fourth - it has gratuitous swearing by Samuel L. Part of the buzz with this movie, is that it was starting to get a lot of good buzz on the internet and New Line Cinema wanted to capitalize by reshooting some scenes to bring it more "inline" to what internet fans were expecting. Now I don't know if this has ever been done before, but when the movie was reshot to bring it from a PG-13 to a R movie by the inclusion of more swearing, you know Jackson's hand has to be in that. And thusly was born what will likely become the most famous line of any movie this year:
"I want these motherfucking snakes off the motherfucking plane!".
Interestly enough, apparently the above net picture with typical fanboy artistry came out before the reshoot happened with the above line. Funniest line ever. Snakes on a Plane will be a hit, regardless of how it is reviewed. Unlike many sleeper hits which become cults after they are released, Snakes on a Plane's cult status has started before. Hollywood insiders take note.
The official S.O.A.P site can be found here. (Note the link to fansite of the week).