FAQ for
Tropic Thunder (2008) More at IMDbPro »

The following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. Spoiler tags have been used sparingly in order to make the page more readable.

For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for Tropic Thunder can be found here.

No. Tropic Thunder is based on an idea from comedian Ben Stiller, who also directed, co-produced, and stars in the film. It was adapted for the screen by screenwriters Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen. It's said that Stiller got the idea for Tropic Thunder while he was shooting Empire of the Sun (1987) and became aware of how "self-important" some actors considered themselves to be when they were attending fake boot camps in order to prepare for war film roles. Tropic Thunder is meant to be a satire of other Vietnam War films, including Platoon (1986), Apocalypse Now (1979), Full Metal Jacket (1987), Hamburger Hill (1987), and The Deer Hunter (1978).

"For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield = This plays in the opening of the green-band trailer when it first plays out like a serious war movie.

"Gimme Some Lovin'" by Spencer Davis Group = This plays in both the green and red band trailers when the three main characters are being introduced as "The Action Guy", The Award Winner", etc.

"Name of the Game (Clean Name)" by The Crystal Method = This plays in both the green and red band trailers when the writer (Nick Nolte) tells Damian (the director - Steve Coogan) to put the actors "in the trees" ("in the shit", in the red band trailer)

"Sympathy For The Devil" by The Rolling Stones = This plays (but is cut short) while the main characters travel through the jungle.

"War" by Edwin Starr = This plays in both the green band and red band trailers after the Vietnamese soldier spots the actors, thinking they're spies.

"Awaking The Dragon" (aka "Sleeping With The Dragon") by RipTide Music = This is the "epic action movie trailer" music that plays when the trailer begins listing off the names of the three lead actors.

In late 1800s and early 1900s Vaudeville Theaters made common practice of employing white actors to portray black characters in Minstrel Shows (an entertainment consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, which viciously lampooned blacks in disparaging ways, i.e. ignorant, lazy, buffoonish, superstitious, joyous, and musical). The actors would paint their face using shoe polish or grease paint and play into the stereotypes of the time. After the Civil War, African-Americans began to appear in "black face," forming a number of Black-only Minstrel troops that rivaled the popularity of the early White performers. This practice continued in early cinema and has been variously viewed as ranging from "comedic" to "racial stereotyping".

Yes, there is a drug called Methoxsalen (marketed under the trade name Oxsoralen), see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methoxsalen. Author John Howard Griffin used the chemical to darken his skin in order to investigate racial segregation in the south. His experience is detailed in the non-fiction book Black Like Me (1961). Journalist Grace Halsell did the same, resulting in a book Soul Sister: The Journal of a White Woman Who Turned Herself Black and Went to Live and Work in Harlem and Mississippi (1969). Prior even to Griffin and Halsell, a journalist for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette named Ray Sprigle attempted to do the same in 1947. This was before the advent of Methoxsalen, so Sprigle attempted to deepen his skin color with walnut dye and iodine but eventually ended up suntanning himself darkly. In the movie, however, the process Kirk Lazarus Robert Downey Jr. uses is referred to in dialogue as a surgical procedure. At the end of the film, he removes his contact lenses and fake facial hair in the enemy camp, and later appears at the Oscars with his normal skin tone.

Just one. This occurs after Damien Cockburn steps on a landmine, exploding into pieces. In the movie within the movie that they were filming at the beginning, however, Sandusky's character gets horribly disemboweled, a fellow soldier gets shot in the head, and in the director's cut, a helicopter gunner gets hit with a large piece of shrapnel. Aside from this, countless Vietcong soldiers get shot down.

There is no scene at the end of the credits, however, the scene at the end that carries over INTO the credits, is the only one.

"Sometimes When We Touch", a late 70s hit by Dan Hill.

Before the actual movie begins, there are four fake trailers to introduce some of the main characters. They are as follows: (1) an advertisement for Alpa Chino's Booty Sweat Energy Drink and Bust-A-Nut Energy Bars featuring Alpa Chino's hit single "I Love The P*ssy", (2) a trailer for Universal Pictures' upcoming film Scorcher VI: Global Meltdown, once again starring Tugg Speedman in the lead role, (3) a trailer for New Line Cinema's The Fatties: Fart 2, again starring Jeff Portnoy as America's favorite obese family, and (4) a trailer for Fox Searchlight's Satan's Alley, starring five time Academy Award winner Kirk Lazarus and MTV Movie Award's Best Kiss winner Tobey Maguire and winner of the Bejing Film Festival's Crying Monkey Award.

Many people are calling this movie ironic for the fact that it is a satirical film, which is making fun of actors who are only taking on roles in films in order to win awards, mainly the Academy Award. (Such as Tug Speedman taking on the role of Simple Jack, hoping to win an oscar, and Kirk Lazarus getting plastic surgery in order to play the role of Lincoln Osiris.)

The irony however, is that there is actual oscar buzz surrounding Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal as Kirk Lazarus. There is even buzz about Tom Cruise's minor role as Les Grossman. However the chances of either of them winning are grim. Because if either of them get nominated, it will be for best supporting actor. And they will likely lose to Heath Ledger. But it is far too early to predict any of this, it is simply speculation.