The Christmas classic that was never intended to be a Christmas classic! This week, Chris & Lizzie explore the many versions of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life that we were nearly gifted, complete with adultery, murderous doppelgängers, and political intrigue. Plus, why Jimmy Stewart worried Hollywood had passed him by, the invention of a new kind of snow, and suspicions of a communist agenda.

*CORRECTIONS: Jimmy Stewart won his Oscar for The Philadelphia Story in February of 1941, the same month as he enlisted, not one year prior, as Chris incorrectly stated, and he played Macaulay "Mike" Connor, not C.K. Dexter Haven (played by Cary Grant).

Tums is calcium carbonate, not calcium chloride (which is a salt used as a de-icer).

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When 'Bad Santa' hit theaters in 2003, audiences got a filthy, chaotic Christmas classic. What they didn?t get was the movie director Terry Zwigoff or producers the Coen Brothers intended to make.

In this episode, Chris and Lizzie uncover how Bob Weinstein became the real villain of 'Bad Santa'?seizing Zwigoff?s cut, alienating the Coens, and waging war on anyone who tried to protect the film. Plus: why Billy Bob Thornton was nowhere near the first choice to play Willie, and why Zwigoff?s controversial director?s cut is the Christmas miracle you absolutely need this year.

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We are who we choose to be, and if Brad Bird hadn't chosen to be a pain in the ass, we'd never have The Iron Giant. This week, Chris & Lizzie are joined by Alex Steed of the You Are Good podcast to explore the complex history of The Iron Giant. From children's stories to profound loss, The Iron Giant's journey to our homes was one of falling apart and coming back together again.

*Please note that today's episode includes mention of suicide and domestic violence.

*CORRECTIONS: Chris mispronounces composer George Bruns' name as "Burns". The first Disney animated film to extensively use CGI was "The Great Mouse Detective" (1986).

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When the Maysles brothers showed up at Grey Gardens, they thought they were filming a quick piece on Jackie O?s quirky relatives. Instead, they uncovered Big and Little Edie Beale?an isolated mother-daughter duo living in shocking squalor, feeding raccoons in their attic, and completely frozen in time.

In the second episode of Out of Frame, Lizzie and Chris are joined by Watch What Crappens hosts Ben Mandelker and Ronnie Karam to unpack the wild behind-the-scenes story of the 1975 documentary ?Grey Gardens?. Discover how the film survived production chaos, what became of the Beales afterward, and how two women behind the camera ultimately saved the entire project.

Each episode of Out of Frame investigates the darker, more obscure corners of Hollywood history and shines a light on the offscreen lives of some of our favorite onscreen stars.

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There?s no 'Toy Story' without Pixar, and there?s no Pixar without? Steve Jobs. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first computer animated feature film ever, Chris and Lizzie dive into the story behind 1995?s absolutely miraculous 'Toy Story'. Find out why an early version of Woody made Disney almost pull the plug, how Tim Allen changed Buzz Lightyear, and why George Lucas let Pixar slip through his fingers for only $10M.

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Lizzie and Chris discuss Guillermo Del Toro?s newest film, ?Frankenstein? - Del Toro's approach to adapting his favorite book of all time, Jacob Elordi's last minute casting, and where it ranks in the Del Toro filmography.

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What if you got a do-over on the score of a lifetime? Would you take your shot, or walk away? Join Chris & Lizzie as they infiltrate the incredible crew behind 'Heat' and learn how Michael Mann was finally able to pull off his sprawling LA crime drama yet still ended up getting robbed?

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Michael Mann meets his match in one of the most dedicated method actors of all time: Daniel Day-Lewis. Join Chris and Lizzie as they chronicle Mann?s obsessively detail-oriented 1992 historical epic ?The Last of the Mohicans?. Find out how on-set strikes and last-minute firings caused turmoil behind the scenes, and why ?Dances with Wolves? inspired Russell Means (Chingachgook) to join the cast? but not for the reasons you might think.

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Chris, Lizzie, and David dive deep answering some of our audiences most piercing questions followed by a discussion about the relationship between creative control and financial interest in filmmaking.

For the full episode join the $5 tier subscription or above on Apple Podcasts or Patreon at Patreon.com/whatwentwrongpodcast.

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Paint your leaves yellow and orange and scatter them across the yard, because it's springtime in Pasadena and Halloween is coming to town! Chris & Lizzie plumb the depths of the real Michael Myers, how John Carpenter's career was saved by UK audiences, and why you should never show anyone your movie without music.

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When Natalie Wood drowned in 1981 she was only 43 years old. Thanks to films like ?West Side Story?, ?Rebel Without a Cause?, and ?Miracle on 34th Street? she was an icon, but she?d been out of the spotlight for almost a decade. Wood was in the midst of filming her comeback, ?Brainstorm?, when she, her co-star Christopher Walken, and her husband Robert Wagner took their yacht out for Thanksgiving weekend. What happened that night depends on who you ask? and when you ask them.

Join Chris, Lizzie, and special guest Daisy Eagan from Strange and Unexplained for the first episode of our bonus series 'Out of Frame' where we?ll investigate the darker, more obscure corners of Hollywood history. In this episode we?ll find out if Wood?s death sank her final film, or if ?Brainstorm? had something to do with her death.

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In 1999, a found footage documentary showed audiences the terrifying last days of 3 intrepid filmmakers before they disappeared forever. Thanks to the popularity of the film, their mothers received condolence calls and police offered to reopen their case - there was just one problem? they were actors and they were very much alive. ?The Blair Witch Project? shattered box office records thanks in no small part to its brilliant viral marketing campaign. But while studios made millions, its incredibly talented young stars were essentially left for dead.

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This week Chris and Lizzie dive into Wes Craven's nightmares, bask in Johnny Depp's nauseatingly green performance, and marvel at Freddy Krueger's culinary inspired makeup. Plus, how Bob Shaye's leap of faith on Elm Street gave us Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings", Wes Craven's failed attempts to make a nice movie, and the unexpected benefits of setting yourself on fire, literally and otherwise.

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Tom Cruise was thrilled to be cast in 1994?s ?Interview with the Vampire? - he'd been a fan of the books since his teens. Imagine his surprise when he found out that author Anne Rice absolutely hated him. Join Chris and Lizzie as they break down this bloodsucking behind the scenes battle of the wills! Find out why this movie took almost 20 years to make, what made Brad Pitt utterly miserable on set, and which part Cher almost played!

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As we crawl into spooky season, Lizzie pries open the caskets of vampires past. Join us for a plunge into the dark history and shimmering evolution of the vampires we all know and eternally love, from their origins in Eastern Europe to the Anne Rice renaissance and beyond.

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Who has nine lives, one Oscar, a Razzie and a check for $12-14 million? Halle Berry, and we love her for it. This week, Chris, Lizzie and Ryan Bailey (of the 'So Bad It's Good' podcast) explore a cinematic furball solidly centered in the pantheon of so bad its good greatness. They dive deep on Catwoman's origins, then throw them away just like Warner Bros. did in an effort to make a movie for... cat lovers?

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Elephants, dysentery, and cannibalism, oh my! Join Chris and Lizzie as they venture down the river in 1951?s ?The African Queen?. Find out why Katharine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, and John Huston ventured to Africa to escape HUAC, how they were terrorized by bugs, and why John may have accidentally? eaten a person.

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How did two Bobs, fresh off back-to-back flops, the studio's second choice sitcom star, and a script that changed more than Marty's future, er, present, become one of the most beloved movies of all time? Plus, Sid Sheinberg's terrible title ideas, the origins of "nuking the fridge," and how Crispin Glover girded SAG for the AI battle of the 2020s.

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What if Rob Reiner hadn?t directed ?This Is Spinal Tap?? What if the classic 1984 rockumentary had never even existed? This week Chris and Lizzie go to eleven with a behind the scenes look at why no one wanted to finance Spinal Tap, how Tom Petty served as inspiration, and why it took 36 years and a $400M lawsuit for its creators to finally get paid. In honor of ?Spinal Tap II: The End Continues?, join us on this journey behind the scenes with one of England?s loudest bands.

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Come see us live! Oct. 8th and 9th at the Caveat Theater in Manhattan! Head to cheerfulearful.com/podlifeevents.com and click on our show dates for tickets!

They say one man's dream is another man's nightmare, but what if your nightmare is the leading man of your dream? Join Chris and special guests Casey O'Brien and Mille De Chirico of "Dear Movies, I Love You" as they head down river with Werner Herzog's "Fitzcarraldo", a Sisyphean endeavor to bring a Sisyphean endeavor to the silver screen.

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Between overly involved band members, a completely absent director, and a huge legacy for lead actor Rami Malek to live up to, ?Bohemian Rhapsody? had more than its fair share of problems. This week Lizzie and Chris dive into one of the messiest biopic productions in movie history and discover why it took so long to FINALLY fire director Bryan Singer.

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You?d be hard pressed to find someone who?s contributed to more of your nightmares than Alec Gillis. He?s behind creature designs for monsters from Predators to Xenomorphs, Graboids, to brain bugs and everything in between. Join Chris and Lizzie as they discuss his career, creatures, and his favorite James Cameron memory.

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How do you satirize a self-serious sci-fi staple? Any way you can! This week, Chris & Lizzie drop in on Paul Verhoeven's widely misunderstood anti-fascist spectacle and try to figure out how the cast of 90210 was employed to battle some of Phil Tippett's best-looking creations on Klendathu.

Come see us live! Oct. 8th and 9th at the Caveat Theater in Manhattan! Head to cheerfulearful.com/podlifeevents.com and click on our show dates for tickets!

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Join Chris as he creeps and crawls through humanity's fear of some of its most helpful planetary cohabitants: bugs, and how they have evolved as on-screen foes.

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Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & Kill Bill: Vol 2 were never intended to be two separate movies - but Quentin Tarantino?s vision proved too expansive and the production too unruly. Join Chris and Lizzie as they explore how The Bride was born, why it took 10 years for her to make it to the screen, and how a reckless car accident on set temporarily destroyed Tarantino?s complicated relationship with Uma Thurman.

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Hope is a powerful thing, and Frank Darabont hung his on Stephen King. This week, Chris and Lizzie chronicle the unlikely story of an episodic Stephen King novella, shaped by the hands of a set-dresser turned B-movie writer, and transformed into one of Hollywood's most popular films. Learn how Shawshank had to fail before it could succeed, and why most millennials saw it on TNT about nine hundred thousand times as they came of age.

*CORRECTIONS: The IMDb logline reads, "A banker convicted of uxoricide forms a friendship over a quarter century with a hardened convict, while maintaining his innocence and trying to remain hopeful through simple compassion."

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?All That Jazz? is a movie about what a brilliant jerk Bob Fosse is? and it was written and directed by Bob Fosse. Chaos ensued as the legendary choreographer attempted to confront his demons onscreen and off. Chris and Lizzie are joined by Demi Adejuyigbe as they discover just how insane Bob Fosse really was, and why Roy Scheider was not the first ?Jaws? star chosen to play Joe Gideon!

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How did a freshly minted horror maestro, one of Hollywood's most alternative leading men, and the squeaky clean Mouse House join forces to revive the water-logged pirate genre? Join Chris and Lizzie as they brave the fraught production of 2003's surprise summer smash, The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. From explosive studio meetings to actual sinking ships, learn how Disney bet it all on a live action adaptation of one of their oldest theme park attractions.

*CORRECTIONS: Tombstone was produced under the Hollywood Pictures banner, which ran parallel to Touchstone at Disney from 1989 to 2001.

The Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland opened three months after Walt Disney's death, not before.

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Join Chris as he walks the plank and dives headfirst into the myth-filled world of pirates, from their state-sanctioned origins to their silver screen renditions.

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Mel Gibson shouts his way to a bigger budget, no one cares about historical accuracy, and somehow the most Scottish movie ever was filmed? in Ireland. Join Lizzie and Chris for a wild journey through Mad Mel?s sophomore directorial effort: 1995?s ?Braveheart?.

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It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a dummy fired out of a cannon! This week, join Chris and Lizzie as they fly 'round the world to turn back time to witness Richard Donner's herculean efforts to bring the Man of Steel to the silver screen. From shady producers and flimsy financing to Marlon Brando's bagel-based bravado and a budget that flew higher than Christopher Reeve, this DC debut defied the odds in making it to theaters at all.

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1965?s The Sound of Music would eventually become known as ?The Sound of Money? but initially no one wanted to be a part of the film - especially Christopher Plummer. Join Lizzie and Chris as they discover why everyone was embarrassed to be a part of this enduring classic, how a helicopter kept knocking Julie Andrews over, and why the boat scene turned dangerous for one of the children.

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How did a scrappy production out of the UK with little more than a dozen DV camcorders revive a decidedly dead genre and spark a renaissance with the recently departed? Join Chris and Lizzie as they explore Danny Boyle's lo-fi technically-not-a-zombie-movie-zombie-movie and learn why 100 buckets is never enough, the terror of Kiwi test screenings and why Danny Boyle couldn't wait to get Cillian Murphy shirtless.

*CORRECTIONS: The most violent news footage shown in the film's opening (executions, violence, etc.) was staged by Boyle and co., however, some early news footage of civil unrest is archival.

Naomie Harris was nominated for an Academy Award (Best Supporting Actress) for for her performance in "Moonlight", but she did not win.

The pilot at the end of the film is speaking Finnish, not American, and (faintly) says "Lähetätkö helikopterin?" which translates to "Will you send a helicopter?".

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Join Chris as he explores the evolution of zombies, from their birth in the Caribbean amidst the horrors of the Atlantic slave trade to their high-speed, globalized, modern incarnations. Endlessly adaptable and mutable to represent our evolving societal fears, zombies continue to be the monster that never dies.

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A very real fear of nuclear war drove Stanley Kubrick to create one of the greatest satirical films ever made - but it wasn?t always a comedy. Find out where the idea for 1964?s ?Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb? came from, how a rival film almost ruined its chances of success, and which major role Peter Sellers had to drop out of mid-production.  

*CORRECTIONS: Merkins were originally worn by prostitutes to hide the effects of lice, disease, or to conceal shaved genitalia.

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This week, join Chris and Lizzie as they learn how the two Midwestern mavens of the Matrix (facing diminishing box office returns), an unassuming Aussie assistant director, and mogul of mayhem Joel Silver spin Alan Moore?s decidedly English anarchist manifesto (starring a bomb-happy, building-blasting, Guy Fawkes fanatic) into a post-9/11 American studio spectacle. Plus, Natalie Portman's shaved head, practical dominoes, and James Purefoy's desperate desire for eyes.

*CORRECTIONS: Natalie Portman was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, not Best Actress, for her role in "Closer".

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Terrible timing, lack of creative direction, and straight up sabotage plagued Mariah Carey?s infamous big time flopper: 2001?s ?Glitter?. Find out why the movie was doomed from the start, how Max Beesley?s sexy marimba playing still couldn?t save it, and why Jennifer Lopez may be partially to blame!

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How did a studio on the brink, a Jewish director, and a second-rate star turn a pulpy, near-blasphemous mass market Christian book into a blockbuster for the ages? Join Chris and Lizzie as they travel back in time to a tinsel town in painful transition to learn why MGM bet it all on a remake of the costliest film of the silent era, examine Gore Vidal's controversial contributions to the script, and test Mussolini's assertion that film is the ultimate weapon.

*CORRECTIONS: Chris mispronounces both Cinecitta Studios (should be "chin-eh-cheetah") and Quo Vadis ("Vah-dis").

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Cinematographer Steven Poster and camera operator, Dave Chameides join the conversation to put us on the set of Richard Kelly's iconic film, Donnie Darko. Learn about the collaborative efforts required to understand Kelly's vision, and the technical gymnastics necessary to bring it to life.

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Wonder Woman took 75 years to make it to the big screen. Her journey was full of rewrites, reboots, and lots and lots of men. Find out how director Patty Jenkins got the job, why Superman helped Gal Gadot get the part, and who Zack Snyder turned to for help when nothing was working.

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Was the fall of the Iron Curtain Bond's curtain call? Tasked with saving the super spy were a pair of nepo babies, a television actor and a Kiwi director fresh off a flop. Join Chris and Lizzie as they dive headfirst off an alpine dam into the Herculean effort to bring Bond into the 90s.

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Join Chris as he explores 007's origins, birthed from the mind of a 44 year old dilettante debut writer, the result of a bet with his nay-saying brother, at a vacation home in Jamaica affectionately named? GoldenEye.

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A decade of development hell, enough writers to take down a gorilla (maybe even a Hulk), and a director dealing with daddy issues. This week, Chris and Lizzie smash into the origins of Ang Lee's Hulk, a brooding mid-aughts Marvel misfire that's just a bit misunderstood. They'll discover the Hulks that almost were (animatronic!), the Hulks that we deserved (Steve Buscemi!) and the Hulks that came to be (Ang Lee gettin' that rage out).

*CORRECTIONS:

Hulk #1 was released in March of 1962 (not May, as stated), but carried a cover date of May.

In the comics, Bruce Banner was helping the military develop a Gamma Bomb, not Gamma Rays.

The 1994 production of "Fantastic Four" (Roger Corman), which Chris references, was created solely to prevent the rights of the characters from being reverted to Marvel.

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A plane crash puts a premature end to a precocious protagonist? on screen and off. This week Chris and David explore Richard Kelly?s cult classic debut film, Donnie Darko. Learn how a fateful meeting with Francis Ford Coppola, the undying support of Drew Barrymore, and a high school band?s cover of a Tears for Fears track secured Darko a place in cult-film history.

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Jennifer Grey knew the part of Frances ?Baby? Houseman was perfect for her. There was just one problem: Patrick Swayze. The stars of 1987?s ?Dirty Dancing? had history, and it wasn?t good. In this episode Chris and Lizzie dive into the low budget film that became a smash success despite production woes, a brand new studio backing it, and two stars who just couldn?t see eye to eye.

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Would audiences walk out? Would the animation make them sick? Was Walt Disney a madman? Such were the real musings of industry experts when Walt bet it all on Snow White, Disney?s first feature animated film. Join Chris and guest hosts Elena Crevello and Chelsea Davison (of Podstruck) as they explore how Disney redefined cinema forever with a four-quadrant hit for the ages.

*NOTE:

The German animated feature film that Chris references was 1926's "The Adventures of Prince Achmed" by Lotte Reiniger.

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In this atypical episode, Chris takes you down the Walt Disney rabbit hole, setting the table for our episode on "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". Join us for an exploration of the childhood and early career of the man who created the House of Mouse, up until he decided to create his first animated feature-length film.

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This week, Chris and special guest (and film critic) Dan Murrell get to the choppa! with a deep dive of 1987's Predator. They'll be braving snakes (venomous and Hollywood), fire ants, scorpions and traveler's diarrhea as they explore this unlikely sci-fi action classic's arduous production. Learn how Arnold hooked the crew on cigars, bested Jesse Ventura's biceps, and why Shane Black was killed first. Plus, why you may not want to attempt heat vision in 100-degree weather...

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Chris and Lizzie speak with the incredible, Emmy-winning Casting Director, Wendy O'Brien (Abbott Elementary, Dave, It's Always Sunny, Wyrm). Enjoy a conversation about how this role is different from what you might think, how it has changed in a post-Covid world, what it's like to work with Chris, and much more.

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Marilyn Monroe can?t remember her lines, Jack Lemmon can?t walk in heels, and Billy Wilder is slipping sleeping pills up his tuchus. ?Some Like It Hot? is a groundbreaking comedy that nearly broke writer/director Billy Wilder. Join Chris and Lizzie as they break down Billy Wilder?s struggles with Marilyn, and Marilyn?s relationships with her overbearing husband and acting coach, and find out why Tony Curtis allegedly called her Hitler.

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