Welcome to a potential new feature on the Jiba: Mindhole Blowers, where we troll the Internet and listen to DVD Commentaries of our favorite films and bring you some of the fascinating minutia about them. Because Cameron Crowe is back in the spotlight, with a documentary on Pearl Jam coming out soon, and filming on We Bought a Zoo having already begun, we kick off the series with one of my all-time favorites: Singles:
Citizen Dick’s album name, Touch Me, I’m Dick, was a direct reference to a Mudhoney song, “Touch Me, I’m Sick.” There was a complete listing of songs on the fictional Citizen Dick album made up by Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament. Chris Cornell ended up writing songs based on each title. One, “Seasons,” made it onto the soundtrack. Another, “Spoonman,” wound up on a future Soundgarden album.
Cameron Crowe toyed with the idea of naming the movie, Come As Your Are,, after the Nirvana song. In fact, Nirvana was supposed to have a song on the soundtrack, but in between the time that the film was shot and released, Nirvana blew up, and Cameron Crowe could no longer afford the rights to “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
Kyra Sedgewick was the 5th choice to play Linda Powell, after Jennifer Jason Leigh (who the part was written for), Jodie Foster, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Robin Wright Penn.
Paul Giamatti has a brief appearance in Singles
So did Victor Garber.
All of Pearl Jam’s members were in the film, making up Matt Dillon’s bandmates in Citizen Dick. At the time, however, Pearl Jam was still known as Mookie Blaylock. There were apparently some rights problems. The name was owned by a guy named Mookie Blaylock.
Singles was supposed to begin development in 1984, but it was delayed, so instead of introducing many to the Seattle music scene, it capitalized on its sudden popularity. In fact, the film was finished in 1991, but it took another year for the studio to figure out how to market it. The Seattle sound did their job for them, and the Singles soundtrack ultimately crystallized its popularity.
There were several cameos, well known by now in Singles. Chris Cornell’s was my favorite:
Most of Matt Dillon’s wardrobe in the film was borrowed from Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament.
One of the looks that Debbie suggested for her dating video was “The Edie Sedgwick,” who was a cousin to Kyra. There’s also a picture of Edie Sedgwick on one of Cliff’s T-shirts in the movie. Edie Sedgwick was a model and heiress, one of Andy Warhol’s superstar girls and close friends with Bob Dylan. She died in 1971 of an accidental overdose, possible suicide.
In one scene in the movie, a customer at a coffee shop is reading Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung by Lester Bangs, who of course was one of Cameron Crowe’s mentors and a significant part of Almost Famous.
NBC attempted to turn Singles into a television series. Cameron Crowe balked, but NBC went ahead with the idea, anyway, incorporating many of the elements of that proposed series into a little television show called “Friends.”
If you haven’t seen the movie in a while, you might be surprised to remember that Jim True Frost (Roland ‘Prezbo’ Pryzbylewski in “The Wire”) had a significant role in the film as the best friend of Campbell Scott’s character.
Ally Walker (“Sons of Anarchy”) was in it, too. She wins the prize for “changed the most” since filming:
Sheila Kelley, who played Debbie of “Debbie Country” fame, is now married to Richard Schiff. Richard Schiff was in Hoffa. Tim Burton, in one of only five screen appearances in his career, played a corpse in Hoffa. In another that same year, he played the director of the “Debbie Country” dating video in Singles. Coincidence? Probably. Kelley is now best known for having created the S Factor, a dance fitness workout that revolves around pole dancing. I shit you not.
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i like this new segment. i feel like the cliff clavin of Singles now.
Posted by: dna at May 16, 2011 11:32 AM
Ally Walker is on Sons of Anarchy? I loved her in her Profiler days.
Posted by: KatSings at May 16, 2011 11:35 AM
Holy shit.
I cannot believe this post today simply for the fact that I picked up Kelley's "S Factor Workout" book at a bookfair yesterday. While my husband and I had a blast checking out the book, I couldn't quite figure out who she reminded me of...then it hit me.
I asked hubby if "Come to Debbie Country" rang a bell...and he says holy shit it's her!!!
Weird coincidences there...
and now back to work.
Posted by: latvianluck at May 16, 2011 11:47 AM
Kyra Sedgwick was the 5th choice to play Linda Powell, after Jennifer Jason Leigh (who the part was written for), Jodie Foster, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Robin Wright Penn.
Who are five people who've never been in my kitchen?
Posted by: branded at May 16, 2011 11:48 AM
And of course, Richard Schiff is best known to us as Toby Ziegler from The West Wing, which was replete with pole dancing!
In all seriousness, it's stretching the connection, but don't forget that Tim Burton's go-to score composer Danny Elfman is married to Bridget Fonda.
I had completely forgotten that the number-getting guy was Prezbo. It's been too long since I've seen this movie.
I like this new feature!
Posted by: DarthCorleone at May 16, 2011 11:50 AM
WTF THE DEVIL (Agent Stahl) WAS IN ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES EVER!?!
Yup, mindhole blown.
Also I think this calls for a back to back showing of Singles and Reality Bites.
This feature appeals to my love of random trivia. Hope it's going to be a regular!
Posted by: Meaux at May 16, 2011 12:42 PM
One of my favourite films ever, but DAYUM, it would have been better with Mary Stuart Masterson.
Posted by: Amandahugandkiss at May 16, 2011 1:05 PM
I was totally added this soundtrack to spotify last week because I wanted to hear some Paul Westerberg. I owned this movie on VHS but never upgraded might have to buy a digital version so I can watch it again. My nostalgia is high right now for early 90s too bad I was such a sullen teen at the time.
Posted by: Muertemaria at May 16, 2011 2:09 PM
I always wondered where the hell the name Spoonman came from. It's time to make a point to watch this movie again. I'll try not to cringe too much.
Posted by: katy at May 16, 2011 2:14 PM
This is a movie I've shockingly never seen, considering I went to high school from 1990-1994, right in the grunge sweet spot. I also was totally into these bands, wore flannel and Doc Martens with my catholic school uniform, watched Daria, cried for three days when Cobain died, etc. I was right in the demographic. I was also OBSESSED with Reality Bites, which I think at the time overshadowed Singles for me which is why I never saw it. Definitely have to change that, soon.
Btw - I love this feature - more please!
Posted by: Nicole at May 16, 2011 3:31 PM
Those are unfortunate pics of Ally Walker she looked and looks way hotter.
Posted by: BarbadoSlim at May 16, 2011 8:11 PM
I like this feature. I look forward to one where I've actually seen the film in question.
Posted by: Lauren at May 16, 2011 9:05 PM
I knew the Pearl Jam/Chris Cornell thing. Everything else is really interesting! Great new feature Dustin!
Posted by: Melody at May 16, 2011 9:09 PM
Meh, Edie Sedgwick was just a proto-Paris Hilton with better friends.
Posted by: Jo 'Mama' Besser at May 16, 2011 9:19 PM
I was on jury duty all day, so I haven't checked out my Pajiba articles, but I approve of this feature!
I don't particularly like to watch DVD commentaries, but I would love for you to do it for me and bring me the interesting tidbits.
Also, Singles is [not really] the story of my life, but I was that exact age, in Seattle, at that exact time. It's nostalgia gone wild for me. Le sigh.
Posted by: MM at May 16, 2011 11:45 PM
Also, things I've worn in my life, and might still wear someday, because fuck you, I live in Seattle: t-shirt over long sleeved shirt. Shorts over longjohns.
I also have worn in my life baby-doll dresses with Doc Marten-y boots, but it's unlikely I will ever wear such a thing again, as the last time I wore a dress was like three years ago, for a funeral.
Posted by: MM at May 17, 2011 2:38 AM
Victor Garber has the worst mustache ever in his cameo. Cameron Crowe wrote a great article about making this movie in Rolling Stone YEARS ago.
Posted by: danrydell at June 7, 2011 3:40 PM
He,This is a great and usefull blog.Keep up the good work.
i like this new segment. i feel like the cliff clavin of Singles now.