Footnotes to the TV series
LORELAI: Life is a funny funny thing, huh?
SOOKIE: Yeah I love that Jim Carrey.
Jim Carrey (born James Carrey in 1962) is a Canadian-American actor and comedian famous for his energetic slapstick performances. His first leading role was in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), and he continued taking lead roles in film comedies through the 1990s. He was praised for his performances in slightly more serious roles in The Truman Show (1998) and Man on the Moon (1999).
This 1999 supernatural horror film was M. Night Shyamalan’s first major movie, and his biggest cinematic success, both critically and commercially. The story about an isolated young boy and his equally troubled psychologist became famous for its plot twist and “I see dead people” catchphrase. Like other Shyamalan movies, it is set in Philadelphia. It was the #2 film of 1999, and is one of the highest-grossing horror films of all time.
M. Night Shyamalan (born Manoj Shyamalan in 1970) is an Indian-born American film director, known for making movies with supernatural plots and surprise endings. He often sets his films in and around Philadelphia, which is where he grew up.
It’s interesting that Lane likes the idea of hanging out with Shyamalan, because he is an Asian-American who has become successful in a popular genre and media – much as Lane wants to become successful in rock music.
MICHEL: That is why I left France.
LORELAI: Huh. I thought it had something to do with the torches and the villagers.
Lorelai is most likely referring to the 1931 horror film Frankenstein, directed by James Whale and with Boris Karloff as the monster. It was based on a play inspired by the 1823 novel of the same name by Mary Shelley. Frankenstein was the #1 film of 1931, and is regarded as one of the greatest films of all time.
In the movie, a group of peasants form a search party for the monster after it has killed, and use torches to set a windmill ablaze with the monster inside. Although similar scenes had occurred in earlier films, this seems to be the one everyone is talking about when they refer to villagers with torches.
Flashdance is a 1983 romantic drama film directed by Adrian Lyne, about a working class teenage girl (Jennifer Beals) who dreams of being a professional dancer. Flashdance was panned by critics, but a commercial success and the #3 movie of 1983.
The “Flashdance phase” is another time Lorelai believes she was wrong. In the movie, Jennifer Beals wears 1980s dancewear, such as a leotard and leg warmers topped with an oversized sweatshirt falling off her shoulders; her other iconic outfit is jeans with ripped knees and a white singlet top falling off her shoulders. These were popular fashion choices in 1983 (when Lorelai was 15) because of the film. For a while there, nobody could keep clothes on their shoulders or knees.
[Rory enters with lots of bags]
LORELAI: Oh, behold in theatres now, the thing that reads a lot.
A possible allusion to the 1951 sci-fi film The Thing from Another World, often referred to as just The Thing. Directed by Christian Nyby and produced by Howard Hawks, it is about an alien from a flying saucer crash found frozen in the ice and accidentally revived. It was a commercial success and is considered one of the great science fiction films of the decade.
DRELLA (to Michel): Back off, Chevalier.
Drella is referring to French actor and singer Maurice Chevalier (1888-1972). He is best known for his signature songs, including Thank Heavens for Little Girls, from the 1958 musical film Gigi. At the peak of his career, he was the highest-paid actor in Hollywood.
When performing in English, Chevalier adopted a heavy “stage French” accent, although in everyday life he spoke fluent English with a slight American tone. Drella may be indicating that Michel is also “faking” his French accent.
The episode’s title refers to the 1978 drama film The Deer Hunter, directed by Michael Cimino. The film is about a group of three friends, Russian-American steelworkers, and how their lives are changed forever by the Vietnam War. The Deer Hunter was the #9 movie of 1978, and won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. It is notable as the first film which Meryl Streep received a nomination for, as she is the most-nominated actor at the Oscars.
LORELAI: So you know what I was thinking?
RORY: That Madonna and Sean Penn should get remarried?
LORELAI: Besides that.
Pop star Madonna (born 1958) and actor Sean Penn (born 1960) were married in 1985, after meeting just a few months before. Madonna filed for divorce in 1987 but withdrew the papers; they were eventually divorced in 1989. There were allegations during their marriage that Penn was violent towards Madonna; however she strenuously denies those claims.
Lorelai’s belief that the couple should remarry seems to be a common one: even now, gossip magazines continue to say that Madonna and Penn are trying to get back together, or are already back together. Recently Madonna publicly told Penn that she was still in love with him, further fueling rumours (it was at a charity event so she might have just been whipping the crowd up). At the very least, they still seem to be on very friendly terms.
RORY: It’s a conspiracy.
RICHARD: It’s Peyton Place.
Peyton Place is a 1956 novel by American author Grace Metalious. Set in a small, conservative, gossipy New England town, it deals with hypocrisy and class privilege and has a salacious plot which encompasses incest, abortion, adultery, suicide, and murder. It became an immediate best-seller when it was released.
It was adapted as a film in 1957, becoming the #2 film of 1958. In 1964 it was made into a highly successful television series which ran until 1969, which was when the term “Peyton Place” became used for any scandalous situation. The follow up novel Return to Peyton Place also became a film, and then a soap opera.
The Annotated Gilmore Girls 