Talk:Stranger than Fiction (2006 film)

influences

I have to say the narration style in this movie is written very much in the vein of Douglas Adams. If anyone agrees, I think it is worth mention. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.57.115.7 (talk) 16:33, 18 June 2008 (UTC)

No

This:

• During the movie, numerous references are made to The Beatles. Harold Crick is seen eating a green apple in numerous scenes, as a reference to Apple Records, The Beatles' record company. The name of Karen Eiffel's assistant is Penny Escher, as a reference to the song, Penny Lane. Harold Crick is seen crossing the road in some scenes, it looks somewhat like the cover of the album, Abbey Road. As a very simple observation, Harold Crick is a tax man, as a reference to the first song of the album Revolver, Taxman.

Is a real stretch... None of that is by any means proof of a connection. Crossing the street and a character having the first name (not even the last name, but just FIRST name) of Penny, and eating an apple is hardly evidence of a Beatles reference, and unless a citation can be produced, I have removed it. -- Ubergenius 19:29, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

EDIT: And again, this:

• In the scene where Harold gets off the bus after his chance meeting with Ana, a lit-up sign in the background reads 'Drury Lane'. This is a reference to the children's rhyme, 'Do You Know The Muffin Man', which tells about a baker who lives on Drury Lane.

Is also a stretch. You can't make these kinds of connections without a citation. Just because something shares a common name does not mean it has any connection, ESPECIALLY considering there REALLY IS a Drury Lane in Chicago. -- Ubergenius 19:35, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Agreed. –Pomte 03:34, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

I am Neutral on this matter. kzz* 20:06, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Hum, the Drury Lane might be a deliberate reference to Ana being a baker, but oh my god the Beatles references should be left in because they are so damn funny! Never in all my months at wikipedia have a seen such a stretch as those Beatles mentions. JayKeaton 13:13, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

Setting

I'm not so sure the movie took place in Chicago. It was clearly filmed there, but street names (Euclid) and the MTA (as opposed to CTA) seem to indicate somewhere else, perhaps a fictional city.(67.163.51.254 07:05, 10 December 2006 (UTC))

Yeah, isn't it set in New York City? That would make since for the MTA. Kdupuy9 02:26, 20 December 2006 (UTC)

Saw the movie last week, and I don't think it ever specifically gives the name of a city.--Agent Aquamarine 13:58, 20 December 2006 (UTC)

The film never mentions the name of the city (reviews of the film also bring this up). However, it was clearly shot in Chicago. Bolt Vanderhuge 03:51, 18 February 2007 (UTC)

Yes, the DVD Featurettes say that Forster kept the setting city unnamed on purpose. Hoof Hearted 17:38, 30 May 2007 (UTC)

I'm not sure where it was set, or if it was supposed to stay an unnamed city, but either way why is the setting discussed so much in the opening of the article? I don't think it's so important that it can be the main thing discussed as the opening. Why doesn't it get moved into a 'section', you know what I mean? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.169.207.111 (talk) 14:01, 13 February 2008 (UTC)

The city is alluded to in the story when Harold finds the publisher's address is New York, where he (presumably) is already. 98.92.187.184 (talk) 08:42, 10 December 2011 (UTC)

Twilight Zone Episode

This movie has an extremely similar plot to an episode of The Twilight Zone from 2003 called "Gabe's Story". The link is here: http://www.tv.com/the-twilight-zone-2002/gabes-story/episode/212867/recap.html

Thank you for mentioning this! Misty MH (talk) 09:09, 23 February 2023 (UTC)

Reference to Monty Python's Meaning of Life is included. However, what was the other film, with the car at the beach? Was it the French film Breathless? or something else? I also could not find reference to the film in the credits... The credits did name winged migration and Python. But not the film with the car. Anyone know? Thanks 98.207.230.186 (talk) 07:13, 12 November 2008 (UTC)

Who erased that stuff I put

I know someone did it User:Marioman11 14:33, 11 November 2006 (UTC)

Emma Thompson

I put Emma Thompson under the article cast list, because, for the English campaign at least, she is being marketed as the main character, with Will Ferrel supporting. 193.203.70.98 14:30, 29 June 2006 (UTC)

It is, however, an American film, so the cast should be listed with Ferrell first.206.116.141.183 06:20, 5 August 2006 (UTC)

It's clearly Will Ferrell with Emma Thompson supporting. 77.99.233.169 15:41, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

Agreed as well. Tommyhaych 20:12, 1 March 2008 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Tommyhaych (talk • contribs)

This is America, damnit! TripOnMyShip (talk) 09:08, 15 May 2008 (UTC)

Shouldn't Emma Thompson be billed second, then? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.247.244.120 (talk) 21:00, 25 October 2008 (UTC)

Rip-Off?

Wasn't there another movie JUST like this made in the 80s??? I can't remember the name but I want to say John Candy was the main character.

Maybe you should do some research first idiot[1]

No Personal Attacks Please. --ScarletSpiderDave 16:25, 23 November 2006 (UTC)

He's referring to the Delirious (film), although I'd hardly say they two are similar enough to consider the second a rip off. - Kevingarcia 06:54, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

out of order

I saw the film and some of that plot detail is out of order. For example, it says that he receives the book from the writer, than goes out and fulfills his life, when in the movie he did all of that before he even knew the writer's name. Also, the writer pondered about possibly having killed others before Harold died.

First of all I feel that the Plot is well written, but I also agree. The Plot doesn't say anything about scenes with Eiffel and Escher prior to the point in which Crick discover's who the voice is. For example, there are scenes where Eiffel is trying to find how to 'kill' Harold Crick by going to emergency rooms and contemplating car crashes. This should be added somewhere in the plot, unless it is too insignificant.142.46.7.18 01:11, 12 March 2007 (UTC)

Ana Pascal - Math Reference

Could Ana's last name be a reference to the geometrically arranged triangle of the same name and thus a good match for Harold's orderly lifestyle? Has anybody heard if this was intentional and if it's worth noting under the trivia section? md10md; My talk. 02:58, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

See Pascal and sign your comments. It's a pre-existing human name. Ace Class Shadow; My talk. 03:05, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

And Pascal's Triangle is an invention of Blaise Pascal, the mathematician, so it could be an oblique reference to either, but there is no string evidence that I know of to suggest that this was a deliberate choice on the part of the writer, though it could have been.--Lemoncurry 03:35, 18 November 2006 (UTC)

From a review: "A devotee of riddles and puzzles, Zach Helm has lined the script with subtle cues and twists. The street names, business names, and the characters' last names--Crick, Pascal, Eiffel, Escher, Baneker, Kronecker, Cayly--are all mathematicians who have focused on the innate order of things. There is even a playful salute to mathematician David Hilbert and the 23 questions he put forth at the 1900 International Congress of Mathematicians." [2] -- Garfield226 05:40, 26 November 2006 (UTC)

Or perhaps it was simply acknowledging the head of the studio that made the film, Amy Pascal, which is awfully close to "Ana Pascal." SteveCoppock (talk) 21:56, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Crick's wristwatch

Does anyone know what the brand of wrist watch is that Harold wears? if not, do you know anything like it with analog hands and a digital face? --DannyBoy7783 00:41, 18 November 2006 (UTC)

Yahoo answers that question. BabuBhatt 21:43, 21 November 2006 (UTC)

Yeah, I just kept searching and I found a website about it. Here's the official timex page. I tried it on at a timex store today. Not a bad watch: Timex link --DannyBoy7783 06:43, 22 November 2006 (UTC)

There should be some mention of how the watch tries to warn him of danger. --ScarletSpiderDave 16:18, 23 November 2006 (UTC)

"...is awakened alone each morning by his Timex Ironman T56371 wristwatch, which apparently has a life of its own." Does it really matter what kind of watch he has? 195.198.154.30 19:37, 12 May 2007 (UTC)

Seeing as the watch plays quite a big part in the movie, I would say it is very important to put the brand and model in. I'll add it back in JayKeaton 13:16, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

It was a Rolex, but the body was replaced with a cap and an alternate screen to make it seem one-of-a-kind. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.247.244.120 (talk) 01:07, 25 September 2008 (UTC)

Appearance of Mics and Cables?

Does anyone know why the boom mic was visible in so many shots (at least four I noticed). Was this a device, or a just mistake?192.88.212.44 16:16, 27 November 2006 (UTC)dogger

I didn't notice any such things. It was probably an instance of misframing by the projectionist

That can be a problem. Many projectionists lack the skill or the equipment to properly frame movies in their original aspect ratios. This problem is more common than you might think. When you see a boom microphone dipping down from the top of the screen, especially more than one in the same picture, the odds are overwhelming that the fault lies not with the filmmakers, but with the projectionist right there in your theater, who is showing the film in the wrong aspect ratio and allowing you to see more than the intended visible picture area. -- Roger Ebert

Thedward 19:36, 4 December 2006 (UTC)

Unmarked Spoilers!

It marks spoilers for the main plot outline, and claims it ends there. However, in the character section, in Ana's character description, it states, "Ana ultimately reciprocates Harold's desire for her." This is definitely a spoiler. I feel spoiled, anyway...69.253.55.143

Sorry. I fixed the cast section. It should be fair less "spoilerish" and generally POV now. Ace Class Shadow; My talk. 06:56, 19 December 2006 (UTC)

Well, now the entire article is essentially a report on the movie; there are no spoiler warnings anywhere at all. I haven't seen this movie yet, so am glad I stopped after the first paragraph or so. All of the article text seems very specific as to plot details; perhaps this should present an abstract synopsis, then the spoiler warning, or the entire text should be marked as a spoiler (which runs contrary to Wikipedia:Spoiler). Mhoskins 22:58, 28 June 2007 (UTC)

Ending

On another note, dont you guys feel that this movie would have been much better if it had ended with him dead. As referenced to in the movie, after she decided to let him live, the film turned out to be alright, not a masterpiece. Thoughts or opinions? NeoXtremeX 08:47, 1 January 2007 (UTC)

Sorry, but Wikipedia is not a forum. Not our place to discuss this at length. We discuss changes to the article. Ace Class Shadow; My talk. 08:55, 1 January 2007 (UTC)

Sorry Ace Class Shadow, for answering, but to answer NeoXtremeX (x2), yes, the film was good. But he should've died. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.247.244.120 (talk) 22:10, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

Fender ad?

Could it be that fender payd to have an ad in this movie? the hall guitar buying act seems ditches gibsons "fat" guitar and then says that "everything you need is life is a Fender Stratocaster"... —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 89.1.186.172 (talk) 21:09, 13 January 2007 (UTC).

Tagline

The "Harold Crick Isn't Ready To Go. Period." has been 'translated' in a way into "Harold Crick Isn't Ready To Go. Full Stop." in countries like Australia, The UK, and New Zealoand, where Full Stop is used instead of Period to end a sentence. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 125.238.3.103 (talk) 03:19, 2 February 2007 (UTC).

You prat. Whats the point in that? I'm British and I understand that. It's not like a Brit isn't going to get off his ass and search for it if curious. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Tommyhaych (talk • contribs) 20:14, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Why call him a prat? He wasn't in charge of the tagline. 172.206.45.234 (talk) 06:33, 18 March 2008 (UTC)

What's a prat? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.247.244.120 (talk) 20:58, 25 October 2008 (UTC)

See http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/prat --Cogburnd02 (talk) 15:31, 10 February 2009 (UTC)

Prior work?

When I heard the opening monologue from the narrator, I was positive I had hear or read it before. Is this an adaptation of a prior work? I can't find any evidence that it is, but I can't shake the feeling. I almost want to say it was a five second Monty Python sketch. When I saw Mr. Creosote in the film, I took that as a confirmation, but now I can't find anything to validate that idea. 04:53, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

To me seems like it's an adaptation of Niebla by Miguel De Unamuno. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.219.237.254 (talk) 19:41, 11 September 2019 (UTC)

Gay man?

Ummm... why does it say "Gay Man" on the poster? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 67.160.104.25 (talk) 05:23, 5 March 2007 (UTC).

The correct credit is to Dustin Hoffman. Someone really should fix that. Starfox Pilot 01:05, 7 March 2007 (UTC)

What??

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. SPOILER #####

since Harold knew what was going to happen in the end could he not have just stopped his death from happening by grabbing the boy before he got near the bus stop, it's not like the words in the book were going to automatically change once this happened and she cannot change it back Risteard B 18:19, 12 April 2007 (UTC)

This is not a forum ...but I think you're missing the point, which is that Harold was willing to sacrafice of his own life to save the boy -- which is what makes his character to strong -- which is why he was a character worth saving in the end. Hoof Hearted 18:49, 30 May 2007 (UTC)

That's a good point. I have a question. If not Will Ferrell, who would you have play Harold. I think Steve Carrel would play the role really well. I can see him doing most scenes the same or better than Ferrell. But Ferrell was a good choice.

Harold Crick = "Hard Cover"?

"Harold Crick's initials are H.C. which is symbolic for Hard Cover ...as in Book." This seems dubious at best. Do others agree that this should be removed? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Gzoek (talk • contribs) 06:02, 15 May 2007 (UTC).

I thought the same thing. I'll be bold and remove it. Hoof Hearted 18:50, 30 May 2007 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for Image:Maggie will.JPG

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Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot 22:50, 6 November 2007 (UTC)

MTA

MTA doesn't specifically refer to the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. It also refers to the Maryland Transit Administration; the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority; the Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority' the Mendocino Transit Authority; the Des Moines (Iowa) Metropolitan Transit Authority; the Flint Michigan Mass Transportation Authority; the Manchester (New Hampshire) Transit Authority; Clinton (Iowa) Municipal Transit Administration; Macon (Georgia) Transit Authority; San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency; and I am sure there are lots of others.

SSG Cornelius Seon (Retired) (talk) 00:45, 22 December 2007 (UTC)

Ana description

The line "but is outspokenly liberal and loathes all things corporate." in Ana's character description is unsubstantiated. I'm replacing it with "but has anarchistic tendencies" since this is actually referred to in the movie itself. For the record, Anarchism is not really "liberal," if anything, I'd say it's more closely related to libertarianism. Patrick Sewell (talk) 02:13, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

She's against military expenditures and corporate welfare. Not liberal? Please. --99.163.50.12 (talk) 10:23, 6 August 2008 (UTC)

Critical Reception?

Seems odd the article does not have a critical (or box office) reception section area. But if someone does do the box office, please be specific as to what revenue stream you are listing. SteveCoppock (talk) 22:05, 17 April 2008 (UTC)

Requested move

The following discussion is an archived discussion of the proposal. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

The result of the proposal was no move. JPG-GR (talk) 17:05, 29 June 2008 (UTC)

Why does only this article not meet the naming conventions? Other articles named "Stranger Than Fiction" meet them. Sure, "than" is written in the poster, however, you can see "Than" on the IMDb or official site.--Nardog (talk) 00:32, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

• oppose But, it should just be moved back to Stranger Than Fiction (film) but since there's no article about the barely-known direct-to-video movie, there's no need to put the "2006" in there. That move won't be controversial either, since it's proper English (and because of the other reasons you posted). —02:03, 23 June 2008 (UTC)
• Oppose. There's no need to diambiguate by year, as the 2000 video is unlikely to ever be nearly as well known as the 2006 film. Moreover, Wikipedia:Naming conventions (films) says in part except for... coordinating conjunctions shorter than five letters, of which than is one. So than doesn't get a capital, and this article should stay where it is. Andrewa (talk) 13:23, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the proposal. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

Stanger Than Fiction v Magical Realism

Magical Realism is an artistic form that brings magical or illogical elements into a setting that in other respects is realistic and logical. If you want to know more, Wiki has an article you can read. When watching Stranger than Fiction it occurred to me it was part of the evolution of magical realism. Originally, the definition of the genre was very specific, but now describes all artistic use of altered reality. A modern example of magical realism is the film The Milagro Bean Field War. It is a fusion stylistically of the new elements and the old. Stranger than Fiction is well rooted in that artistic tradition while taking it to a new level. Pamela Parker (talk) 14:15, 30 August 2008 (UTC)

Harold Crick article

If someone could create an article for Harold Crick, I'd add all the information necessary. There are many facts given about his background (his favourite word is integers, and he was engaged in his past, to an auditor)that could make a useful article. I have an account but cannot figure out how to create an article. And if someone could tell me just how to tell me how to make an article. I know how to work the structure and text and everything. Any help would be... helpful. Thanks. —Preceding unsigned comment added by That70'sShow73 (talk • contribs) 00:26, 11 September 2008 (UTC)

Ana's bakery in a Ukrainian village?

In the Production section there is the claim that "The bakery that Ana Pascal runs, although set in an Ukrainian village is actually located in the South Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago". Now it's been a while since I last watched this movie, but I'm pretty sure Ukraine plays no part in it. However since I tracked that change back to May and it has survived ever since, maybe I'm missing something. Can someone with better recollection of the movie check if this is wrong or not? --Ferengi (talk) 18:54, 17 September 2008 (UTC)

No objections so far, I removed the erroneous bit. --Ferengi (talk) 09:51, 18 September 2008 (UTC)

They used three seconds of footage from a failed project called "Ukraine 900", by the same director. The footage was taken, predictably, in Ukraine. It was later removed from later versions of the movie, but can be seen in a deleted scene. I don't know why someone would confuse three seconds of footage with a setting location, but that's just what I know. Is that any help? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.247.244.120 (talk) 18:24, 21 September 2008 (UTC)

"...the irrepressable Emma Thompson"

I think "irrepressable" should be removed. Do you agree? Thanks Kvsh5 (talk) 18:13, 1 November 2008 (UTC)

Eiffel's Typewriter

Does anyone know the model of typewriter Karen Eiffel is using in this film? (see also the section on Crick's watch, as I think they're both integral parts of the film, the watch as a character and the typewriter as the device which makes Eiffel's writings (handwritten manuscripts) about Crick come true.)--Cogburnd02 (talk) 15:46, 10 February 2009 (UTC)

Hubbard's Typewriter in the Sky?

As long as the article includes the extensive list of influences, it seems that you ought to add a reference to L. Ron Hubbard's Typewriter in the Sky. That story pre-dates many of the alleged influences cited here, and the article on the Hubbard story offers a couple of citations supporting the idea that it was a possible influence on Stranger than Fiction.

(I'll leave it to those more actively editing this article to decide whether to add the Hubbard reference, trim some of the other "influences," or both.)

--JohnPomeranz (talk) 23:35, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

Mathematicians

I removed the statement that the main characters were named after "well-known mathematicians". That is likely true for Hilbert, perhaps, if unplausible, also for Pascal. There are no famous mathematicians named Crick, Eiffel and Escher, the people that come to mind here would be a biologist, French engineer and Dutch artist. --80.219.84.186 (talk) 10:21, 5 December 2009 (UTC)

The credits (as IMDB lists them) include "Kronecker Bus Driver", "Dr. Cayly", "Banneker Press Receptionist", and "Doctor Mercator", which likely correspond to Leopold Kronecker, Arthur Cayley, Benjamin Banneker, and Gerardus Mercator. Each of these could be called mathematicians to some degree, though the first two very much were. I suppose this doesn't matter for the article since it's my own speculation, though this many uncommon mathematician's names in one script can't be a coincidence. 67.158.43.41 (talk) 07:46, 19 March 2011 (UTC)

See earlier discussion thread where this was brought up like 5 yrs ago: (from a review [3]) "A devotee of riddles and puzzles, Zach Helm has lined the script with subtle cues and twists. The street names, business names, and the characters' last names--Crick, Pascal, Eiffel, Escher, Baneker, Kronecker, Cayly--are all mathematicians who have focused on the innate order of things. There is even a playful salute to mathematician David Hilbert and the 23 questions he put forth at the 1900 International Congress of Mathematicians." While it's true that the three named above by the OP above are not strictly speaking mathematicians, their work is greatly influenced by math and I think that is how the reviewer meant it, in a more general sense. But anyway, this article's text could be improved to reflect that. -A98 98.92.186.145 (talk) 08:52, 10 December 2011 (UTC)