Summary
Overview
Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and guest Griffin Newman dissect the bizarre 2001 film Monkeybone in this episode of How Did This Get Made. The conversation explores the film's confusing mythology about 'Downtown' (a realm of nightmares), its production troubles under director Henry Selick, and what could have been with original casting choices like Nicolas Cage. Later, bestselling author Brad Meltzer joins to discuss his new thriller 'The Viper' and shares fascinating insights about the Dover Air Force Base mortuary, the Witness Protection Program, and working in the world's most secretive funeral home.
Downtown, Idville, or What? Unpacking Monkeybone's Confusing Mythology
Paul opens the episode with a revelation about the film's setting called 'Downtown,' noting it's actually spelled as one word with a space, making it a separate town rather than a direction. He questions why it's called 'Downtown' when Brendan Fraser's character is technically 'up' in his hospital bed while trapped in this nightmare realm. A caller named Sarah clarifies that Downtown is actually a collection of Earth's nightmares, and Monkeybone exists there because he was born from Stu's nightmares before he met his girlfriend.
- Downtown is spelled as two words (down town), making it an actual place rather than a direction
- The confusion is compounded because Fraser's body is 'up' in a hospital bed while he's trapped 'down' in this realm
- Downtown is revealed to be a collection of all Earth's nightmares, populated by monsters from people's dreams
- Monkeybone exists in Downtown because he was created from Stu's nightmares and represents his repressed anxieties
" Downtown is actually a town, right? It's not downtown. It's downtown. So there might even be a downtown downtown. "
What Could Have Been: Nicolas Cage as a Stop-Motion Puppet
The episode reveals fascinating pre-production details about Monkeybone, including director Henry Selick's original vision for the film. According to DVD commentary, Selick wanted Nicolas Cage to play the lead as a puppeteer instead of a cartoonist, with the coma sequences done entirely in stop-motion animation where Cage would become one of his own puppets. Producer Chris Columbus vetoed this idea, insisting audiences couldn't relate to an animated character, leading to the live-action Brendan Fraser version we got instead.
- Henry Selick originally wanted Nicolas Cage to star as a puppeteer, not a cartoonist
- The coma sequences were planned to be entirely stop-motion with Cage as an animated puppet
- Producer Chris Columbus killed this idea, claiming audiences can't relate to animated characters
- Pre-production storyboard art exists showing the Nicolas Cage version of the concept
" Just more proof that Chris Columbus was the true villain of this film. "
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