Lionel trains in "Thank You for Smoking" Movie

[Anonymous]

There is a scene about 3/4 in of the main character's 10 year old son playing with Postwar Lionel layout on a green ping pong table. Just imagine, kids instead of adults playing with trains as toy's on the big screen.

This is a really smart comedy. It bucks the trend of the usual gross out humor comedies intended for teenagers. It was an interesting mix of comedy and situations that would cause the audience to switch sides in who they are rooting for. I really enjoyed it. Any movie that you can walk out of and then talk about for another hour and a half at dinner is worth the price.

[Anonymous]

I just went to this movie this afternoon. There were only four other people in the theatre besides myself. Mind you, a Wednesday afternoon matinee isn't likely to sell out, but I was still surprised by that number. What's sad, though, is that the house was probably packed for Scary Movie 4, which was also playing. Anyway, it certainly was a unique film and definitely something that makes you think a lot. Certainly not a movie that you can easily form a quick judgement about.

As for the trains, I assume you mean about 1/4 into it, as it was much closer to the beginning. For those curious, the layout was only shown in two quick shots and it wasn't actually run. The train on it was headed by a 746 J 4-8-4 (not sure if the tender was long-stripe or short) and included a 6560 crane, 6346 Alcoa hopper, 6425 Gulf 3-dome tank car and 6119 work caboose. I didn't catch what any of the buildings and accessories were. Anyway, it's always nice to see toy trains in any movie, even if only briefly.

[Anonymous]

Funny it seemed that there was more than that on the table but I am impressed that you were able to pick those out. The scene begins with the mother/ex-wife on the phone on the far left side of the screen. In the background filling the rest of the screen is the layout. The first shot has a very shallow depth of field so the right side including the layout is very out of focus. As a viewer you can still tell that it is a layout and it prepares you for the next scene which is of the child playing with the layout.

Sad to hear about the popularity of the movie versus "Scary Movie 12". I guess I am not surprised considering how popular this post has been on this forum. I really liked the movie and it is too bad no one is watching. The posts on the "Soprano's" show is drawing so many comments and this one so few.

Oh well. Glad you saw it Sask. Hope you enjoyed yourself.

[Anonymous]

So if the Trains were moving and smoking...Then the movie would have been much more popular.
Maybe the movie should be called "Thank You for not another Scary Movie". Then the teenagers would go. [8D]

[MTsteamfan]

It's no surprise that this movie is not as popular as Scary 4. This movie is aimed at a much smaller audience, and is playing in many fewer theatres. (I am a theatre owner so I know from whence I speak. Not every movie is intended to be a blockbuster.) :)

As for the train -- I wasn't all that excited to see this movie but now I would like to see it!

[Brutus]

We mostly rent or buy dvds - don't go to the movies much any more. This is on my must-rent list. I think it was based on a book by Christopher Buckley or something?

[Anonymous]

Nice to see I wasn't the only kid who destroyed a green ping pong table for my trains.
They really are made for trains..... green so grass like and the white stripes turn into roads.

Well at least mine did and it worked for a few years until I discovered plaster of paris.
My American flyer manual called out asbestos instead of POP and for some reason I could never find it [^]