Theater References in "Knives Out!"

[LuminousBeing]

EDIT: Possible spoiler alert per request, though there are no spoilers for the movie in this post except that there are two theater references, described below.

Saw the movie today (enjoyed it, for what it's worth) and was psyched to see two theater references. The first was a quote from "Hamilton" - "Immigrants: we get the job done" - with a follow-up from the character who quoted the show specifying that he saw it at the Public.

The second and much more exciting (to me) reference was one character singing along to "Losing My Mind" from "Follies" on his mp3 player while waiting in the car for another character.

I was so tickled I had to come here and post about it!

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate it.

[Consistency]

That's awesome. I haven't seen "Knives Out" yet, but that makes at least three films this year featuring characters singing Sondheim songs.

[dramamama611]

Seeing it this afternoon...so a spoiler alert might have been nice.

[Alex M]

dramamama611 said: "Seeing it this afternoon...so a spoiler alert might have been nice."

What were you expecting to read in this thread?

[haterobics]

dramamama611 said: "Seeing it this afternoon...so a spoiler alert might have been nice."

The Hamilton reference is not really a clue in the investigation.

[LuminousBeing]

haterobics said: "dramamama611 said: "Seeing it this afternoon...so a spoiler alert might have been nice."

The Hamilton reference is not really a clue in the investigation."

Neither theater reference in the show is a spoiler. One character references "Hamilton" and another references "Follies." I wrote the post intentionally to be vague. I'm sorry you feel spoiled.

[LuminousBeing]

Consistency said: "That's awesome. I haven't seen "Knives Out" yet, but that makes at least three films this year featuring characters singing Sondheim songs."

I love encountering Sondheim "in the wild" in movies. What were the other two you noticed? Movies are too expensive for me to see them in the theater so outside of yesterday (when I was gifted a ticket), I haven't seen a new film in a long while.

[dramamama611]

As a theater lover, it would have been nice to be surprised by WHAT the references were.

[Fosse76]

dramamama611 said: "As a theater lover, it would have been nice to be surprised by WHAT the references were. "

The thread title would already anyone with any level of intelligence that the thread would likely identify the references. No one told you to read it. 

[Mike Barrett]

dramamama611 said: "As a theater lover, it would have been nice to be surprised by WHAT the references were. "

Then, why on earth did you click on a thread that said “theatre references in Knives Out” ? 

[n2nbaby]

dramamama611 said: "As a theater lover, it would have been nice to be surprised by WHAT the references were. "

Why is the world would you click on the thread then? 

[dramamama611]

Good lord....there is a WORLD of difference between saying there ARE spoilers and then blatantly saying what they are.

I love that y'all are making a bigger deal about this than I did. Enen the OP was gracious to add it.

We loved the movie, a good old fashioned who-done-it. Lots of fun.

[GreasedLightning]

dramamama611 said: "Good lord....there is a WORLD of difference between saying there ARE spoilers and then blatantly saying what they are."

Good lord... this is a discussion board. Meaning, discussion further than the thread title is imminent. I’d expect someone who has been around these parts to know better. 

Glad you enjoyed the movie and hope the references didn’t spoil your fun. No need to be so dense about it. 

[FANtomFollies]

Not a theater reference - but I LOVED the quick 'cameo' of a character watching Murder, She Wrote (and loved that it was dubbed in Spanish!). Can't wait for a detailed breakdown of the film on youtube. So many tiny references that I'm sure I didn't catch. 

[torme]

It may be a stretch, but I wonder if Sondheim was referenced because he co-wrote the screenplay of "The Last of Sheila," another crafty who-done-it.

 

[SpinLiquid]

LuminousBeing said: "Consistency said: "That's awesome. I haven't seen "Knives Out" yet, but that makes at least three films this year featuring characters singing Sondheim songs."

I love encountering Sondheim "in the wild" in movies. What were the other two you noticed? Movies are too expensive for me to see them in the theater so outside of yesterday (when I was gifted a ticket), I haven't seen a new film in a long while."

Adam Driver sings Being Alive from Company in Marriage Story.

[GreasedLightning]

SpinLiquid said: "LuminousBeing said: "Consistency said: "That's awesome. I haven't seen "Knives Out" yet, but that makes at least three films this year featuring characters singing Sondheim songs."

I love encountering Sondheim "in the wild" in movies. What were the other two you noticed? Movies are too expensive for me to see them in the theater so outside of yesterday (when I was gifted a ticket), I haven't seen a new film in a long while."

Adam Driver sings Being Alive from Company inMarriage Story."

I’m assuming the third is Send in the Clowns in Joker? 

[MikeK3]

Going back to 2018, there's Hugh Grant's jaw-dropping "Rain on the Roof" production number finale in "Paddington 2." Just when I thought I couldn't have liked the movie more, they release the Sondheim!

[Someone in a Tree2]

And “Being Alive” wasn’t the only song from COMPANY performed in MARRIAGE STORY. The 3 ladies (mom and 2 sisters) perform a slightly modified “You Could Drive a Person Crazy” earlier in the film.

I adored the 2 Bway references in KNIVES OUT, though I was among a very small few in the audience who roared with laughter when we heard them. Sondheim appreciation is still a rare thing in the movie theaters here in LA.