Alexander Payne films have often caught the eye of audiences upon their release, and sometitles gained more success than others. Some of his early works gained praise, likeElection being heralded by fans as one of the best election moviesever.
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However, some of the director's works seem to rise above the rest. It is hard to argue thatSideways isn't one of Payne'ssturdiest movies. Viewers might wonder how the Oscar-winningfilm came to audiences, and what secrets lie behind the movie's facade.
It Affected The Wine Industry
Fans ofSideways know that wine is a big part of the movie. As Paul Giamatti'sMiles Raymond andThomas Haden Church'sJack Cole travel through wine country in southern California, Miles often lets his pretentious opinions of wine be well known.
One of Miles' funniest lines comes from his dismissal of merlot during a heated exchange with Jack. Furthermore, he spouts emotional words about his love for Pinot noir. Several publications, includingThe New York Times,reported that after the film's release, sales of merlot dropped, while Pinot noir sales went up in the Western U.S.
TheMovie Was Filmed Before The Novel Was Published
Sidewaysis based on a novel of the same name byRex Pickett. In an unusual instance, both the book and film were released in 2004. Considering the time it takes to shoot, edit, and release a movie, this meansSideways was filmed before the novel from which it is based was published.
Rumors say that the book was only published after Alexander Payne got the rights to the movie, and the book was published no earlier than a few months before the film premiered.
It Produced A Wine Brand
The popularity ofSideways brought attention to Rex Pickett, and the author produced two more novels following the film's release.They are titled Vertical, which was published in 2010, andSideways 3 Chile, which came to readers in 2015.
The Drinks Business reported that while promoting the third installment, Pickett released his own wine called Sideways. Unsurprisingly to fans of the movie, the wine was a Pinot noir. However, unlike many of the wines in the movie, the wine hailed from Oregon.
Sandra Oh Was Married To Alexander Payne During Filming
Sideways is one of Sandra Oh's highest-rated movies. She playsStephanie, Jack's love interest who he and Miles meet during their journey through California. Fans might not know that Oh was married to director Alexander Payne during filming.
The two havebeen divorced since the mid-2000s, but they appear to be on good terms. Oh toldVanity Fair that making the movie was an amazing experience and that she thinks about it fondly.
The Actors Got Food Poisoning
Audiences perhaps recall a sequence in which Miles and Jack visit Miles' mother and the three share a meal together. It isn't one of the most memorable moments ofSideways that makes for laughs or tears. However, it presents an interesting behind-the-scenes tidbit.
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Giamatti reveals in the film's DVD commentarythat after this sequence, both he,Thomas Haden Church, andMarylouise Burke got food poisoning.
George Clooney Wanted A Part
George Clooney and Alexander Payne are not strangers. In fact, Payne'sThe Descendantsis one of George Clooney's highest-rated films.However, before they worked together in the 2011 movie, Clooney wanted a part inSideways.
The Whidbey Island Film Festival reported that the famous actor wanted to play Jack Cole in the movie. He and Payne talked about the part, butPayne never ended up going forward with the actor. Of course, they would get to work together a few years afterSideways was released.
Sandra Oh Really Rides A Motorcycle
It's not hard to see why Jack easily falls for Sandrah Oh's Stephanie. The character is nonchalant, cool, and charming. Audiences see her ride a motorcycle and sweep Jack off his feet.
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BoomsBeat reported that Sandra Oh actually rides a motorcycle in the film and that she learned to ride in preparation for her role inSideways. However, Stephanie riding a hog wasn't originally in the script.
Alexander Payne Came Up With The Wine List
Wine is unpacked extensively in Pickett's book, and there are several wines that are described in the film. Alexander Payne wrote the screenplay with Jim Taylor andthe task forced them to develop their wine knowledge.
Payne picked the "wine list" presented in the film, and he and Taylorproduced a companion bookdetailing the wines mentioned in the film. Fans can only wonder if a merlot is mentioned on the list.
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