Episode #121: Where Sleeping Dogs Lie
Listen to Episode 121 of the Podcast here while you enjoy the show notes.
SUMMARY - In Where Sleeping Dogs Lie, Bruce Simmons (played by Dylan McDermott) is a writer and part-time real estate agent who is failing at both jobs. After being evicted from his place, he starts living in an empty mansion that was the site of a famous murder and that inspires his next novel. To keep working, instead of selling the house, he rents out one of the rooms to a roaming stranger.
Screenplay by Yolande Turner and Charles Finch; Directed by Charles Finch; and premiered at the Santa Barbara Film Festival on November 13, 1991.
PREVIEWS
This week our VHS had two previews for movies that are not part of our project.
First is a weird buddy comedy starring Wallace Shawn and C. Thomas Howell called Nickel & Dime. We've never heard of this thing about an accountant who needs to pair up with a d-bag for whatever reason.
Gas Food Lodging is one we did hear about and looks to be an interesting coming of age story centering around teen sisters Fairuza Balk and Ione Skye
FILM DISCUSSION
The movie starts off abruptly with a pitch meeting that goes wrong. The way it started off felt like it might have been another trailer.
There are very few cast members. Basically 3 and then a couple small one scene things, like the actor who plays the real estate boss that never factors back into the plot again.
And we get Mary Woronov back in a quick cameo as a tourist of the murder house.
Most of the early plot is Bruce talking to himself.
Eddie comes in showing interest and his role is pretty dang clear from the start
He's not what he says he is, which is obvious to the audience, but not Bruce
Meanwhile the book is happening with Sharon Stone rarely popping up with the best performance in the movie in her limited role.
There's not much suspense and there's not much mystery either. It's waiting for the big reveal
When that happens, things still don't make logical sense
Also, this happened.
Not really a murder mystery, not really an erotic thriller. It tries to thrill, but doesn't quite hit the marks.
Awards Talk: None to speak of this time.
TRUE CRIME & POP CULTURE
This week we don't have any true crime to talk about so we start by talking about the history of C.E. Toberman Estate, where this movie was filmed
Since this didn't hit the major markets until 1993, here's what you might have been watching on TV
A TV movie that appears on our list aired - Roseanne & Tom Arnold star in Backfield in Motion -
RANKINGS & RATINGS
Nikki 1-5 star scale - 2 out of 5
Jon 0-4 star scale - 1 out of 4
Would you watch it again? - Nikki said yes she would but there may be a little bit of nostalgia creeping in. Jon didn't find much appealing about the movie that's not really much of a thriller or a murder mystery. It might be different if it was slightly worse and could be made fun of, but instead it was a drab story and there are plenty of other early-mid '90s thriller options to choose instead.
If you want to watch Where Sleeping Dogs Lie, as of this recording in July 2023, it’s available on Plex, VHS, DVD. Check your local listings.
NEXT EPISODE & WHERE TO FIND US
You can listen to us on all your major podcasting platforms and please consider rating, subscribing, and sharing with your friends.
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Letterboxd
Join us next time for Cybernator available on Tubi, Plex, VHS, DVD
Comments