The one with a flying bus ...
I feel the need … the need for Speed! No, we’re not talking about Top Gun, but good guess. Instead, it’s an action movie that has stuck with us for decades and made many people think twice before using public transportation.
It’s been 30 years since Speed hit theaters, and it’s still just as thrilling as the day it was released. This film has everything: cool stunts and effects, a story that keeps you on your toes, Dennis Hopper hamming it up, and Cameron from Ferris Bueller. It even has two of our favorite ‘90s stars: Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock.
But did you know …
1. Hard pass from the Toms
For the lead role of Jack Traven, the filmmakers’ first choice was Stephen Baldwin. But the baby Baldwin brother turned it down, feeling like it was a little too similar to John McClane in Die Hard. Other actors who said “no” to a starring role in Speed include Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, and what director Jan de Bont referred to as “the Toms” (Cruise and Hanks).
Ultimately, the script was reworked with a more serious tone, and Keanu Reeves was selected for the part. According to de Bont, “What is nice about him as an action hero is that he’s vulnerable on the screen. He’s not threatening to men because he’s not that bulky, and he looks great to women.” Can’t argue with that.
2. Cracking jokes behind the wheel
Sandra Bullock’s character, Annie Porter, ends up taking the wheel shortly after the bomb is discovered on the bus. But America’s sweetheart wasn’t the first pick by a long shot. Ellen DeGeneres was strongly considered for her comedic chops, which fit better with the original script’s tone. (The character was also supposed to be a paramedic, which would help explain why she was able to maneuver a speeding bus through traffic.)
Needless to say, if Ellen had landed the role, Speed would’ve been pretty different from the film we know and love today. That’s also true for some of the other names that were floated for the role, including Halle Berry, Meryl Streep, and Kim Basinger, all of whom turned it down.
3. Keanu’s big surprise
Keanu Reeves wanted to really look the part of an LAPD SWAT team member. So in addition to pumping iron at the gym, he decided to give himself a little makeover. Sensing that his trademark long, floppy surfer dude hair from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Point Break didn’t fit the character, he decided to buzz it into a military jarhead style that was quite short — so short, in fact, that it almost looked like he shaved it all off.
The physical transformation shocked the studio execs, who considered pushing filming out to give his hair time to grow back. They decided not to, and the new ‘do gave him a tougher look that may have helped solidify his status as an action hero.
4. That’s showbiz, baby!
Hollywood’s most iconic landmark almost went kaboom. The original script for Speed had the bus circling Dodger Stadium before crashing into the Hollywood sign for a big, splashy ending. But two speed bumps (pun intended) got in the way. First, the filmmakers didn’t get approval from Dodger Stadium. Second, the studio execs wanted to include more action off the bus.
The writers went back to the drawing board, changing the setting from the ballpark to LAX and ultimately crashing it into a cargo plane. Then, they added the subway sequence, and instead of ending at the Hollywood sign, the movie’s grand finale happens on Hollywood Boulevard when the train plows through a construction site.
5. The math is mathing.
Gotta love a good Easter egg, right? This one is so simple, yet so satisfying: the number of the ill-fated bus in Speed is 2525. And wouldn’t you know, 25 + 25 = 50 — as in the minimum speed that had to be maintained to keep the bomb from detonating. Genius!
6. That’ll cost you extra.
No one could blame you for keeping your eyes locked on Keanu and Sandy for most of the movie — they’re magnetic! But the other actors on the bus really nailed it by bringing more drama to the action … and at least one of them knew their worth.
The filmmakers decided to have the actors perform the stunt when the passengers transfer to the rescue vehicle at the airport. But one of them, Paula Montes, argued that they should receive extra pay for the stunt work. She succeeded, and the actors all got a little boost in their paychecks.
7. Movie myths
Perhaps the most iconic moment from the movie happens when the bus jumps over an unfinished section of the freeway. But would that have worked in real life? Mythbusters decided to test it out in a 2009 episode. After creating a small-scale model, they acquired an actual bus to attempt the jump. Unfortunately, it fell far short of the target. Myth BUSTED.
8. Yippee ki-yay, mother trucker
Ready for another Easter egg? To catch this one, you’d need to pay close attention to the truck used by the terrorists in Die Hard. Now, look at the logo on the cargo plane that the bus blows up in Speed. Both modes of transportation sport the same name: Pacific Courier. The name’s appearance on the plane is a nod to Speed director Jan de Bont, who had been the cinematographer for Die Hard.
9. Doh!
Plenty of pop culture fixtures get their moment to shine on The Simpsons, but the reference to Speed is an especially fun one.
In a season 8 episode, Homer convinces his coworkers Lenny and Carl to ditch work and go out drinking. To pull it off, he puts in an old tape from the security camera that shows them on the job. Homer claims the trick is from a movie, but can’t remember the name. He describes the plot using the word “speed” multiple times, but then shares his guess for a title: “The Bus That Couldn’t Slow Down.” Classic Homer.
10. Total yawn fest
The non-stop action is part of what makes Speed such a fun film to watch. But what if everything was slowed down? In screenwriter Graham Yost’s original pitch, the bus had to maintain a minimum speed of 20 mph. Fortunately, his friend convinced him to boost it to 50 mph. Whoever that guy was, I think we all owe him a drink for saving the movie.
There’s a bomb on the bus! Share these explosive facts with someone who you’d trust to take the wheel.
Editorial: Ashley
Illustration: Nick