Once a daredevil, always a daredevil
Author: Scott ColothanPublished 12 hours ago
Last updated 12 hours ago
To celebrate blockbuster movie Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning hitting cinemas worldwide today (21st May), Absolute Radio’s Dave Berry landed an exclusive interview with Mr. Ethan Hunt himself, Hollywood legend Tom Cruise.
The eighth and concluding film in the wildly successful Mission: Impossible franchise, The Final Reckoning follows Ethan Hunt and the Impossible Mission Force team as they race against time to find the Entity, a rogue artificial intelligence that can destroy mankind.
Directed and written by Christopher McQuarrie, who has helmed the last four Mission Impossible films, Tom Cruise has once again co-produced The Final Reckoning and did all his stunts as Ethan Hunt.
Speaking to Dave Berry about his famous stunts, Tom Cruise said he’s always been a daredevil at heart.
“Things haven’t changed,” Tom said with a smile. “I remember being a little kid. I mean, I must have been maybe three years old – three and a half years old – and I climbed through the window at night, and I climbed onto the roof to look at the stars.
“The neighbours ratted me out to my family. My mom was like, ‘What is happening?! What?!’ They were like, ‘I think there’s a child on your roof!’
“Some things don’t change I know. They had to like coax me off the roof. (The daredevil spirit) has always been there. I feel very comfortable (doing stunts).”
When Dave asked whether he ever thinks about pulling out of a stunt he’s planned, Tom replied: “It’s literally the opposite, it’s like ‘I can’t wait to do that! I would love to do that!’ We come up with (stunts ideas) and it’s like ‘I can’t wait to do that and how to we find the camera position to communicate it to an audience?’
“Mission Impossible was the very first film I officially produced, because I did a lot of things prior to that, but when I read something, I can look at it and know what it’s going to take. I’m evaluating already the estimation of effort. I write down all the knowledge and all the data that I need to learn and educate my crew and myself on to be able to accomplish this.
“I kind of do everything, and then McQ (director Christopher McQuarrie) and I break down, ‘where can the cameras be? How do we communicate this? What is the best way to do it?’ And as it evolves we’re just discovering and thinking of you in that theatre, going, ‘how do we get you to not just watch the movie, but to experience it?’ That’s what I’m trying to do with everything for my entire career – have that audience engagement in that story. What are those elements that we’re doing? Where do we put the camera? What’s the story structure? What’s the environment? I love that kind of process of detail.”
Waxing lyrical about his unique job as an esteemed actor and producer, Tom added later in the chat: “What is fun is that I get to – and what I concentrate on – is taking subjects and studying them, becoming competent and then applying it to the movies.
“So, I have to say so much in terms of history, architecture, engineering, photography, lenses, airplanes, jets, helicopters, parachutes. You know, all these things that are my interest – music, singing, I will take that subject and I’ll try to become more and more competent. Whether it’s jumping motorcycles and dirt tracks or taking a motorcycle on a racetrack, and cars.
“So, I just have to say what an amazing life to be able to do this and then apply it to storytelling. I just look at things – I look at architecture, I look at spaces and motion, and I think of stories, and I think of ‘how do I shoot it and how can I communicate this? What story can I put it into? Just constantly evolving stories. I’m always thinking of stories.”
Watch Dave Berry’s full Tom Cruise interview:
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is available to watch at cinemas now.
You can also watch Dave Berry’s interviews with Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible co-stars Simon Pegg and Hayley Atwell here:
26 bands named after movies:
Toto
Members of Toto have revealed in interviews that they took the band moniker from Dorothy’s sidekick Toto the dog in The Wizard of Oz. Former bassist David Hungate said that it also reflected the Latin words “in toto” translated to “all-encompassing.”
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Toto the Dog with Dorothy (Judy Garland) in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz
Black Sabbath
Previously called Earth (and prior to that The Polka Tulk Blues Band), Black Sabbath named themselves after their own song ‘Black Sabbath’, which took its moniker from the 1963 horror anthology film of the same name starring the legendary Boris Karloff.
Black Sabbath (1963)
A poster for the 1963 Black Sabbath movie starring Boris Karloff.
Them
Northern Irish rockers Them, whose timeless anthem ‘Gloria’ launched Van Morrison’s musical career, named themselves after the 1954 science fiction monster movie Them!
Them! (1954)
A poster for the 1954 horror movie Them!
White Zombie
In 1985, the then 20-year-old Rob Zombie – born Robert Cummings – named his band after the 1932 horror movie White Zombie starring Bela Lugosi. The highly influential movie is widely considered the first feature length zombie film, and it even inspired Cummings’ stage name.
White Zombie (1932)
Bela Lugosi and a zombie in 1932’s White Zombie.
Five Finger Death Punch
After watching Quentin Tarantino’s 2004 martial arts classic Kill Bill: Volume 2, the Las Vegas metallers toyed with calling themselves Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique in homage to the character Pai Mei’s fearsome killing technique. Although fascinated with the concept, former drummer Jeremy Spencer told Michigan Live in 2013: “That didn’t sound cool. So, we changed it to Five Finger Death Punch.”
Kill Bill 2 (2004)
Uma Thurman (The Bride / Beatrix Kiddo) and Gordon Liu (Pai Mei) in 2004’s Kill Bill 2.
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden bassist and founder Steve Harris came up with the band’s name after watching the 1939 movie The Man in the Iron Mask, which featured an iron maiden torture device.
The Man in the Iron Mask (1939)
A still from the 1939 movie The Man in the Iron Mask.
Gojira
The French heavy metallers take their name from Gojira, the original Japanese name for Godzilla. The 1954 Japanese kaiju film directed by Ishirō Honda is widely regarded as a classic of cinema.
Gojira (1954)
A poster for the 1954 movie Gojira – aka Godzilla.
My Bloody Valentine
It’s widely reported that the influential Irish shoegaze band are named after the 1981 Canadian slasher film My Bloody Valentine. However, MBV vocalist and guitarist Kevin Shields claims that it was only a few years after they formed that they discovered they shared their moniker with a “really crap terrible Canadian film.”
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
A still from the 1981 horror movie My Bloody Valentine.
Misfits
Glenn Danzig named his highly influential horror punk band after Marilyn Monroe’s final movie, 1961’s The Misfits.
The Misfits (1961)
Marilyn Monroe in 1961’s The Misfits.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Canadian purveyors of apocalyptic post-rock, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, are named after the 1976 Japanese documentary film God Speed You! Black Emperor, directed by Mitsuo Yanagimachi. The film follows a group of motorcyclists called the Black Emperors.
God Speed You! Black Emperor (1976)
God Speed You! Black Emperor the movie (1976)
The Searchers
The Merseybeat group took their name from the epic Western film The Searchers, starring John Wayne and directed by John Ford.
The Searchers (1956)
John Wayne in 1956’s The Searchers.
Mogwai
Scottish post rockers Mogwai are named after the ultra-cute little furry creatures in classic 1984 movie Gremlins, who turn into monstrous gremlins if you feed them past midnight.
Gremlins (1984)
The cute lead Mogwai called Gizmo in Gremlins.
Mudhoney
The first of three consecutive acts named after Russ Meyer movies, Seattle grunge pioneers Mudhoney took their moniker from Meyer’s 1965 movie Mudhoney.
Mudhoney (1965)
A still from Russ Meyer’s 1965 movie Mudhoney
Faster Pussycat
In 1985, a good three years before Mudhoney formed, Los Angeles hard rockers derived their name from the Russ Meyer’s movie Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! about three go-go dancers who embark on a kidnapping and murder spree in the California desert.
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
A still from Russ Meyer’s 1965 movie Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
Motorpsycho
With Mudhoney and Faster Pussycat having already taking their monikers from Russ Meyer flicks, Norwegian psych-rockers Motorpyscho named themselves in homage to Meyer’s ultra-violent 1965 film Motorpsycho.
Motorpsycho (1965)
A still from Russ Meyer’s 1965 movie Motorpsycho
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
San Francisco alt-rockers Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are named after Marlon Brando’s motorcycle club in the 1953 film The Wild One.
The Wild One (1953)
Marlon Brando and his Black Rebels Motorcycle Club in The Wild One (1953)
Atreyu
American metalcore band are named after the character Atreyu in Michael Ende’s fantasy book The NeverEnding Story and its 1984 movie adaptation.
The NeverEnding Story (1984)
Atreyu in The NeverEnding Story (1984)
Bring Me The Horizon
Although not directly named after a movie or character, Bring Me The Horizon took their memorable moniker from a line spoken by Captain Jack Sparrow in the 2003 movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Sparrow, played by Johnny Depp, says: “Now, bring me that horizon!”
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) in the 2003 movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Billy Talent
Canadian rockers Billy Talent took inspiration for their band name from the character Billy Talent, played by Callum Keith Rennie, in the 1996 mockumentary Hard Core Logo.
Hard Core Logo (1996)
Callum Keith Rennie (Billy Talent) in Hard Core Logo.
They Might Be Giants
Brooklyn alt-rockers They Might Be Giants are named after the 1971 comedy mystery film of the same name starring George C. Scott and Joanne Woodward.
They Might Be Giants (1971)
The poster for 1971 movie They Might Be Giants.
Eppu Normaali
One of Finland’s most popular rock bands, Eppu Normaali is a Finnish translation of “Abby Normal” from Mel Brooks’ 1974 comedy horror movie Young Frankenstein.
Young Frankenstein (1974)
In Mel Brooks’ 1974 comedy horror movie Young Frankenstein, the character Igor (pictured) confesses he took the monster’s brain from someone called “Abby Normal.”
The Damned
Although the gothic rockers haven’t confirmed or denied it, it’s reported that guitarist Brian James named the group after the 1969 historical drama movie The Damned.
The Damned movie (1969)
A still from 1969 movie The Damned.
Fine Young Cannibals
The Birmingham pop rockers, who scored chart hits with ‘She Drives Me Crazy’ and ‘Suspicious Minds’, are named after the 1960 film All the Fine Young Cannibals starring Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood.
All the Fine Young Cannibals (1960)
Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood in All the Fine Young Cannibals (1960).
Duran Duran
Admittedly they’re NOT rock (despite being 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees) but Duran Duran are named after Dr. Durand Durand, Irish actor Milo O’Shea’s character from the 1968 sci-fi movie Barbarella.
Barbarella (1968)
Dr. Durand Durand in Barbarella (1968).
The Fratellis
Scottish indie-rockers The Fratellis, best known for their 2007 hit ‘Chelsea Dagger’, took their name from the villains in The Goonies, the criminal family Mama, Francis and Jake Fratelli.
The Goonies (1985)
Mama Fratelli (Anne Ramsey) flanked by her sons Francis (Joe Pantoliano) and Jake (Robert Davi) in 1985 movie The Goonies.
Close Enemies
In the wake of Aerosmith retiring from touring, bassist Tom Hamilton unveiled his new band Close Enemies in September 2024. He revealed the band’s moniker was inspired by a Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) quote in seminal 1974 movie The Godfather Part II. “Coming up with a name for a band is a comedy of creativity,” Hamilton laughed. “Every time someone had a good idea, we went on Spotify or Google and found other people who had already used it. It went on and on like this for a while. Then one day, Peter and his wife, Lynn, were watching The Godfather (Part II) and there’s a line that goes: ‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.’ Lynn suggested using Close Enemies for a band name and we all went for it.”
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Al Pacino as Mafia boss Michael Corleone in 1974’s The Godfather: Part II.
