Twister Nearly 25 Years Later, & The Reboot
Twister is one of those movies that has both Blockbuster success and cult status. It's not the greatest movie in the world, but it's one that every Oklahoman usually holds in high regard. Why? Because when it comes to tornadoes, everyone thinks Oklahoma. We have or have had just about every record in history when it comes to this particular weather phenomenon, plus a few. Size of tornado - check. Most damage - check. Highest wind speeds ever recorded - check. The 1996 film Twister managed to capture that magic on film and share it with the world. Sure, the CGI looks hilarious now, but it was groundbreaking in its day. It's still passable rewatching it, especially when you consider they actually tossed a full-size semi truck down the road.
Fun Fact: When they filmed Twister, my hometown was their base of operation. I was Helen Hunt's paperboy in 1995, she rented a home in my neighborhood. I cannot even begin to tell you how much excitement surrounded this film during that time. It was even more fervent than when the Olympic Torch was run through the middle of town, literally at the end of my block, on its way to Atlanta. It was a crazy time forever immortalized for me on film.
Skip to 2020 and now Hollywood is saying they're going to remake this movie. It would be awesome if they'd come back to Oklahoma and do it right. Too many movies set in Oklahoma feature shooting locations we just don't have here, mainly the mountains. Not to say we don't have some mountains, we do... but it's obvious when you're watching a movie and see California's lush landscapes of rolling hills where there oughtta be big boulderous piles of granite.
No word yet on who's going to star in the new Twister movie, what the story is, where they'll film it, or when it'll release, but it's coming. Of all the bad movie remakes out there, maybe this one will be worth watching.