Hollow Man

**Hollow Man** is episode 149 focusing on the movie of the same name, as part of the Podship Casters miniseries covering the Hollywood years of Paul Verhoeven. Posted February 25, 2018.

## Summary

>
> Writer/director Alex Ross Perry (Nostalgia, Golden Exits) returns to Blank Check to discuss 2000’s invisible sci-fi slasher, *Hollow Man*. But why is this not your grandfather’s invisible man movie? What was the running Joey Slotnick bit on The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn? Does this film lack the satire and point of view of Verhoven’s past movies? Together they discuss the career trajectory of Kevin Bacon, poorly executed Tarantino-esque schoolyard jokes, the original Dark Universe of the 1990s and why this film’s poor reception caused Verhoeven to retreat back to the Netherlands.
>
>
>
>

Coiner of the term blender and friend of the show Alex Ross Perry is back with Griffin and David to talk about a movie that, surprisingly among the entire Verhoeven filmography, Alex specifically wanted to talk about. He saw *Hollow Man* twice in theaters on opening weekend! What?!

This is a big CGI special effects showcase, but even though it's from an era where the CG is often outdated, this movie's effects hold up and look great. Too bad it didn't win the Oscar, getting beaten out by Gladiator (whose effects now do look rough, says David). But after the whole "it looks cool" thing, what else is there to this movie besides a slasher flick?

Kevin Bacon is David's favorite actor, and in this movie you somehow get to see both very little of him and a lot of him. (ba-dum-bum, kssh.) He beat out Robert Downey Jr. for this part. Was his role in this movie the boundary marker between leading-man movie stardom and... being out of the game? Paul Verhoeven is self-critical about the final result of this project - how is he right and how is he wrong? Elisabeth Shue has the "Final Girl" role in this horror - but what is the deal on the credits billing? How in the world did Verhoeven come back from this and make Black Book and Elle years later?

Apropos of nothing in particular: Kim Dickens is awesome.

### Milestones and Ephemera

* Cool Scientist Wardrobe: from the Regis Philbin "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" Collection
* Lateness of Griffin to the recording session: two hours
* Possible replacement for the Dark Universe: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (LXG)
* A rich 6'-2" dwarf: Josh Brolin
* entries for Blank Check Bingo: Waterloo, patina, Rosetta Stone
* Bacon's blender: Twinkies
* Some kind of running gag on Craig Kilborn's late night show: Joey Slotnick (does anyone know what the bit was? Please, Alex needs to know!)
* Box-Office Game: Weekend of August 4, 2000

### Sponsors

A package arrived at the door of the studio. Sarah Koenig, of Serial The First Podcast, was inside... making it a Serial Box. But not the one David had expected, so he explained about the Serial Box that was sponsoring the episode - they bring gripping stories to subscribers, with new episodes every week. And their app lets you switch between audio and on-screen reading with one tap at any time. Get 20% off the newest series, False Idols, by going to serialbox.com/blankcheck or using the promo code CHECK18.

Audible! Books make you smarter! Listen to books on their app instead of this podcast! Griffin recommends listening to All We Can Do Is Wait by past and future guest Richard Lawson! Text CHECK to 500500 or go to audible.com/check for a 30-day trial membership and a free book! Griffin runs out of pitch at the end of his pitch!

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Hollow Man. audioboom. Retrieved on May 21, 2022.