The Longest Yard (2005 film)

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This article refers to the 2005 film remake. For the 1974 original, see The Longest Yard.
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The Longest Yard
Directed by Peter Segal
Produced by Heather Parry
Written by Albert S. Ruddy
Sheldon Turner
Starring Adam Sandler
Chris Rock
Burt Reynolds
Nelly
Music by Teddy Castellucci
Cinematography Dean Semler
Editing by Jeff Gourson
Distributed by Paramount Pictures / MTV Films (US)
Columbia Pictures (non-US)
Release date(s) May 27, 2005 (USA)
Running time 113 min.
Language English

The Longest Yard is a remake of the 1974 film of the same name. The movie features inmates at a prison who play American football against their guards. Adam Sandler plays the hero, Paul Crewe, an ex pro-footballer. Burt Reynolds, the original Paul Crewe, plays a major role as Nate Scarborough, the head coach. The rest of the cast includes Chris Rock, Nelly, and a number of current and semi-retired football players and professional wrestlers.

Contents

[edit] Response

The overall critical response was negative, as evidenced by its 29% overall rating on RottenTomatoes.com. Though they generally agreed that it was a play-by-play remake, the greatest complaint from critics was that it replaced the original's dark comedy and grit with juvenile humor and visual gags.[1]

Nevertheless, the film managed to do well at the box office. Its $47.6 million dollar opening weekend was the largest of Sandler's career and only second to The Day After Tomorrow as the largest opening by a movie that wasn't #1 (Revenge of the Sith was in its second week of release). The film would go on to gross $158.1 million domestically and $190 million overseas. In the age of a large amount of remakes being released at the movies, it's worth noting that The Longest Yard is the highest grossing comedy remake of the modern box office era (from 1980 on).[2].

Roger Ebert, in the critical minority with this title, gave it a Thumbs Up, [3] defending it later in his Chicago Sun-Times review as a film that "...more or less achieves what most of the people attending it will expect." However, in the print review, Ebert beseeches his readers to "...seek out a movie you could have an interesting conversation about," citing films then in (not as wide) release such as Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist and Kontroll, until finally encouraging his readers to "drop any thought of seeing anything else instead" if they can see Crash. [4]

The film also earned Chris Rock a BET Comedy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Theatrical Film.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Quotes

  • Big Eared Cop: Shit happens.
    Paul Crewe: Shit does happen. I mean, look what happened to your ears.
  • Big Eared Cop: Boy, I hate to arrest a public figure like yourself, but hell, I don't think you've got too many endorsement deals to worry about, now do ya'?
    Paul Crewe: Now you listen here, Mr. Frodo, don't get short with me.
  • Switowski: Will you teach me to football?
    Paul Crewe: Sure, we'll teach you to football, won't we, Caretaker?
    Caretaker: Yeah, I'll teach you anything, just don't eat me.
    (Switowski laughs joyfully, and lifts up Caretaker, hugging him)
    Caretaker: Down, Shrek, down!
  • Guard Englehart:(During practice he goes to the Gatorade box and yells) WHO DRANK ALL THE DAMN GATORADE?!
  • Brucie: (Trips during the tire run) STUPID TIRE!! YOU'RE A FRICKIN' TIRE!! YOU THINK YOU'RE BETTER THAN ME?!?! I'LL KICK YOUR ASS!!!
    Paul Crewe: 3. (Brucie looks at him angrily) 3 1/2?
    Brucie: Yeah. That's better.
    Switowski:(After he gets tackled by Turley) Coach! He broked'd my NOSE!
    Crewe:: Ok, ok, here, try this {bends Switowski's nose back into shape}
    Switowski:: {sniffles} How's it look?
    Caretaker: It looks better, more distinguished. Kinda like a young Michael Jackson.
    Switowski: I love little Michael!

[edit] Trivia

  • The original 1974 The Longest Yard was rated "R", but the 2005 remake was rated PG-13. There was no PG-13 rating at the time of the original release, though the original's amount and nature of profanity use may still have earned it an R-rating. The remake had less profanity than the original.
  • The 1974 original was shot with spherical lenses with an original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, while the 2005 remake was shot with anamorphic lenses with an original aspect ratio of 2.35:1.
  • Five professional wrestlers appeared in The Longest Yard: Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bill Goldberg, Kevin Nash, The Great Khali, and Bob Sapp (and all of them had football experience from high school or college). It was at Adam Sandler's insistence that the filmmakers used professional wrestlers. He now refers to Austin as one of his favorite co-stars.
  • Burt Reynolds is one of the few actors to have a major role in a movie and a major role in its remake. Ed Lauter had a major role in the original, but a cameo in the remake.
  • During the basketball scene, rappers from D12 make a cameo appearance in the crowd (Except Eminem). Swift comments "Look at this fake Slim Shady," in regards to Crewe showing up on the basketball court.
  • Eddie Albert, who starred in the original 1974 movie, died just one day before the movie would be released in theaters.
  • Switowski's line "I think I made him shit himself" and the subsequent repeating of the line by several different characters is a direct reference to the original, in which the line was instead "I think I broke his fuckin' neck." The line "I think I made him shit himself" is a quote from the original film and was used in the remake.
  • The 2005 Remake was filmed at the infamous New Mexico State Penitentiary in Santa Fe. That was also the location of the infamous prision riot that lasted for two days, on Feb 2nd and 3rd of 1980, in which 33 prisioners were killed in all the violence.
  • The film crew working on the 2005 remake built an additional guard tower between two cell blocks, on the steps of which Burt Reynolds' character introduces himself to Adam Sandlers' character.
  • Rob Schneider who had played an enthusiastic fan in The Waterboy, another film in which Sandler portrayed a football player, has a brief cameo where he reprises his cheer "You can do it!"

[edit] External links

MTV Films
200 Cigarettes • Æon Flux • Beavis and Butt-Head Do America • Beneath • Better Luck Tomorrow • Coach Carter • Crossroads • Dead Man on Campus • Election • The Fighting Temptations • Freedom Writers • Get Rich or Die Tryin' • Hustle & Flow • Jackass: The Movie • Jackass Number Two • Joe's Apartment • The Longest Yard • Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat • Murderball • Napoleon Dynamite • Orange County • The Original Kings of Comedy • The Perfect Score • Pootie Tang • Save the Last Dance • Tupac: Resurrection • Varsity Blues • The Wood
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