20 Movie Reveals Nobody Noticed

4. The Dirty Dozen Vs. Spinal Tap - Small Soldiers

Scream 2022
Universal

Small Soldiers may not be one of Joe Dante's most celebrated films, but it's still a ton of fun, and if you were a kid in 1998, there's a decent chance you had a lot of fun with it.

Like most Joe Dante movies it's also operating on many different levels at once, and one of its most canny elements that's really only apparent to adults is its frankly ingenious casting.

The Commando Elite toys are mostly voiced by cast members from the classic 1967 war film The Dirty Dozen - namely Jim Brown, Ernest Borgnine, George Kennedy, and Clint Walker.

As for their sworn enemies, the peaceful creatures known as the Gorgonites? They're largely voiced by cast members from the legendary 1984 music mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap - Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer.

While kids naturally wouldn't appreciate it, for adults Dante basically made his own unhinged Dirty Dozen vs. Spinal Tap movie, because why the heck not?

 
Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.