The movie "21", always "Express to Davis"

[CJ]

Ever watch the episode of the X Files, named Medusa?

Talk about inaccuracies, the only thing right was the fact that it was Boston, with an underground rail station, aside from that, oh terrible "facts".

Wish I had a video clip!

[concordgirl]

Hmm this is kinda a long shot, but if anyone's ever seen Top Secret (a really bad-funny 80s spoof of the old Elvis movies, with Val Kilmer), the scene where he's doing the painting on the train still cracks me up The whole movie is dumb but funny. I'm a big fan

(Never knew there was an x-files episode set in Boston. My fave was one called "Humbug". But that has circus freaks, not trains. )

[Veristek]

I remember there was some Red Line rides in the movie "Good Will Hunting". I recall Matt Damon riding the Red Line and I recongized it as between JFK and Braintree. Could be wrong (Ashmont) though.

[Stmtrolleyguy]

Yeah, what passes for a "train" can be kinda sad in films these days. . .
A lot of people don't care that much, and as people have said before, there's loads of other mistakes you can find if you look hard enough.

But for anyone who's ever done a movie or shot a video knows how hard it is to get every little detail just right, and get 100% continuity throughout the production.

These are from IMDB.com, all errors from "21" (and its only been out for 3 days. . . .)

" * Continuity: During the first meeting with Ben, the cards that Micky deals alternate from face up, face down, and missing altogether.

* Continuity: When Ben's mom is serving birthday cake to Ben and his friends, she serves Cam twice.

* Errors in geography: There are multiple errors in Vegas hotel locations -- seeming to be in one hotel when the shot from the window makes it clear they are elsewhere, particularly when visiting a suite said to be at the Hard Rock but clearly the view is from a tall Strip hotel. The Hard Rock Hotel is neither.

* Factual errors: The character Ben Campbell is supposed to have an excellent resume -- good enough to get him into Harvard Medical School -- as evidenced by, among other things, his 4.0 GPA. At MIT, GPAs are calculated out of 5 points, so a 4.0 would actually be a "B" average, and probably not competitive for either Harvard Medical School or the fellowship Campbell seeks.

* Errors in geography: When Ben and Jill are on the subway, their train has a sign which says "Express... to... Davis...". There is never an express to Davis train on the Boston T. If there is an express train, it would be to Alewife (the stop immediately after Davis). Also, when the train does stop, it is one of the Qunicy stops -- not Davis."


Errors can be hard to find :O



Also. . . .

Ever notice how strikingly similar the "coaches" in the animation of "Polar Express" are to Chicago North Shore interurban cars?

Although modified into a round-end observation car, you can clearly see the truck design and its electric origins - down to the wooden beam for the third rail shoe in the shadow. Its a lot more evident in the movie, where you can see the curved ends of each car.

http://www.ugo.com/images/galleries/the ... lmtv/1.jpg

http://www.jamesandchanin.com/wp-conten ... xpress.jpg

[Ron Newman]

I remember there was some Red Line rides in the movie "Good Will Hunting". I recall Matt Damon riding the Red Line and I recongized it as between JFK and Braintree. Could be wrong (Ashmont) though.

Wherever it was, he didn't belong there if he was commuting between South Boston and MIT.

[Ricky Smith]

I never knew that our subway was called the M. I think someone was too cheap to pay the MBTA to shoot on their trains.

[mattster]

I rather like that episode of the X-Files, but it's clearly LA.

Here are captures from every scene in the episode: http://www.xfroadrunners.com/gallery/ca ... cat_id=159

[paulrail]

Anyone remember the movie "The Cardinal" with Tom Tryon being filmed at Trinity Station in Back Bay in the early sixties ?............Anyone remember Trinity Station ?

Trinity Station was just before New Haven RR's Back Bay Station on the right, westbound tracks, owned by the Boston & Albany Division of the New York Central RR.

Huntington Station (also owned by the B&A) was located just beyond NH's Back Bay Station on the left, eastbound tracks. Both were beautiful stone buildings whch, I believe, were designed by a well known architect A.W. Longfellow, a student of the famous architect H.H. Richardson (Trinity Church, et al)

Sadly, both Stations were demolished when the Mass Pike was extended to Boston.

The book "Boston's Depots and Treminals" by Richard C. Barrett has some beautiful photos of Trinity an Huntington Stations. The Acorn Press book "Building of the Mass Pike" also has some good photos of the Stations.

Paul

[AznSumtinSumtin]

I never knew that our subway was called the M. I think someone was too cheap to pay the MBTA to shoot on their trains.

They weren't too cheap to pay the MBTA. The X-Files is filmed in Los Angeles. It's too expensive and cost-ineffective to fly all the way to Boston just to film one episode. Plus, most people who haven't been to Boston(which is most of the country) wouldn't even know what a subway trian in Boston looks like.

[Ron Newman]

Sure, but couldn't they have at least slapped T logos and maps onto that LA car?

[concordgirl]

I rather like that episode of the X-Files, but it's clearly LA.

Here are captures from every scene in the episode: http://www.xfroadrunners.com/gallery/ca ... cat_id=159

Alright don't everyone jump on me for nitpicking, but... I thought the X-Files filmed in Vancouver?

I'm kind of a movie buff in addition to a train buff....

[mattster]

The X-Files was filmed in Canada, but eventually moved to LA. You can tell because the show all of a sudden becomes sunny and loses the gloom.

They couldn't have used T logos anyway. As part of the T's filming policy you cannot show T vehicles or property as being dangerous.

[concordgirl]

The X-Files was filmed in Canada, but eventually moved to LA. You can tell because the show all of a sudden becomes sunny and loses the gloom.

They couldn't have used T logos anyway. As part of the T's filming policy you cannot show T vehicles or property as being dangerous.

Hmm that must've been around the time I stopped watching I liked the gloom. It fit the series ya know?

I can understand why the T has issues with that, it's prolly not the #1 image they're eager to project!

[Ron Newman]

But they could have slapped the T logo on the Los Angeles car, and not had anything to do with the T's property and its filming policy.

[mattster]

But they could have slapped the T logo on the Los Angeles car, and not had anything to do with the T's property and its filming policy.

It has plenty to do with the T's filming policy. Maybe you should do some checking before you make completely unsupported statements. From the T's website:

The MBTA reserves the right to maintain and protect the integrity of its images, logos and any other form of public representation. In general, any filming, videotaping or photography that depicts the MBTA must not portray the Authority in a negative light. This includes, but is not limited to, violent content, sexual activity and assault. Furthermore, any attempt to portray public transportation as unsafe or dangerous in any way will not be permitted.