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Tropic Thunder

Intro by Steven Dike, Honors RAP

Tropic Thunder
The documentary “Hearts of Darkness” is about the struggles of filming the great Vietnam war movie “Apocalypse Now.” Ben Stiller’s “Tropic Thunder” plays like that doc’s nightmare. A troupe of actors, under the impression they’re making a Vietnam war movie, wanders dangerously in the jungle and is captured by a gang of drug lords who think the actors are narcs. The movie is a send-up of Hollywood, actors, acting, agents, directors, writers, rappers, trailers and egos, much enhanced by several cameo roles, the best of which I will not even mention. You’ll know the one, although you may have to wait for the credits to figure it out. Intercut with the jungle scenes are Hollywood scenes featuring an agent and a studio executive. The movie, written by Justin Theroux, Stiller and Etan Cohen, is familiar with the ordeals of filmmaking and location work, and distills it into wildly exaggerated scenes that have a whiff of accuracy. Especially interesting is the way the director, Damien Cockburn, leaves the picture, which perhaps reflects the way some actors feel about some directors. — Roger Ebert

Tropic Thunder

Wed September 19, 2018, 7:30 PM, Muenzinger Auditorium

USA, 2008, in English, Color, 107 min, 2.35 : 1, Rated R for pervasive language including sexual references, violent content and drug material • official site

Director: Ben Stiller, Screenplay: Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux, Etan Cohen, Story: Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux, Cast: Ben Stiller, Tom Cruise, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Nick Nolte

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Tickets

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$1 discount to anyone with a bike helmet
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Parking

Pay lot 360 (now only $1/hour!), across from the buffalo statue and next to the Duane Physics tower, is closest to Muenzinger. Free parking can be found after 5pm at the meters along Colorado Ave east of Folsom stadium and along University Ave west of Macky.

RTD Bus

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International Film Series

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Established 1941 by James Sandoe.

First Person Cinema

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Established 1955 by Carla Selby, Gladney Oakley, Bruce Conner and Stan Brakhage.

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Celebrating Stan

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Established 2017 by Chair Ernesto Acevedo-Muñoz.

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Department of Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts

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