Latest news with #TimberlineLodge
Buzz Feed
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
29 "Weapons" Details, Easter Eggs, And Secrets
Zach Cregger's Weapons is the latest horror film to be a massive hit at the box office in 2025. And, because everyone and their mom is currently obsessed with this critical darling, now seems like a great time to take a deeper dive into some fascinating behind-the-scenes facts, details, and Easter eggs. 🚨🚨🚨 Note: Spoilers ahead. 🚨🚨🚨 The number 217 (as in 2:17 a.m., the time the children ran out of their houses in the film) has a lot more meaning and references you might not have noticed at first. For example, 217 — as many horror fans will know — is a nod to Stephen King's The Shining. And Cregger himself confirmed this. In Stephen King's novel The Shining, Room 217 is the haunted hotel room where Danny encounters a ghostly woman in the bathtub. It was inspired by the real Room 217 at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, which has its own ghost stories, and where King himself once stayed during a visit. In Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation of The Shining, the room number was changed to 237 at the request of the Timberline Lodge (where exteriors were filmed) so guests wouldn't avoid the real Room 217; the lodge didn't have a Room 237, so it felt safer for business. However, for "purists" and book fans, 217 remains the 'true' haunted room, while 237 is the famous film version. You may have also noticed that the ratio of people left behind (Justine and Alex) to the number of students who disappeared from the classroom is 2:17. Also, in a more subtle nod to "2:17", there are 7 leads in the film (Justine, Archer, Paul, James, Marcus, Alex, and Gladys) who each have 12-minute "chunks" — which is 2:17 backwards. Finally, there's a popular theory out there that "217" may be a political reference to the 217 votes that passed a ban on assault weapons in the US House of Representatives in 2022. It's definitely an interesting coincidence when you combine the theory with that wild AR-15 rifle (a weapon often associated with mass shootings) hovering above a house in Archer's dream. There are several references to parasites in the film — largely in the background — which subtly foreshadow Gladys's behavior as a parasite herself. For example, in Justine's classroom, you can see the topic of "Parasites" on the whiteboard. Later, during Alex's classroom flashback, Justine briefly asks, 'Who else can think of a parasite?' Then, in the 'Marcus' chapter, a TV narrator describes the parasitoid fungus Cordyceps that takes over ants. You may have noticed a symbol like "⛛6" carved on Gladys's bell. The film never explains what it means, though we can probably jump to the conclusion that it's related to witchcraft, but there are A LOT of theories about its meaning. In witchcraft and occult symbolism, the triangle is a feminine symbol often linked to the Crone goddess, representing wisdom, endings, and magic. While number six has historical connotations in occult contexts—it's associated with witchcraft, devilry, and evil, especially when repeated (e.g., "666") There's also a theory out there that Gladys is much older than you might think and not actually Alex's great-aunt, but in fact a witch (or other supernatural force) inhabiting her body. The main reasoning behind this theory is Gladys's reference to "consumption," a very old term for tuberculosis (just as Marcus noted in the film), which was prevalent in the 1800s. Cregger has also talked about how his family's history with alcoholism informed the film's story. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Cregger said, "The final chapter of this movie with Alex and the parents, that's autobiographical. I'm an alcoholic. I'm sober 10 years; my father died of cirrhosis. Living in a house with an alcoholic parent, the inversion of the family dynamic that happens. The idea that this foreign entity comes into your home, and it changes your parent, and you have to deal with this new behavioral pattern that you don't understand and don't have the equipment to deal with." To that end, many viewers have also noted that the circle/triangle that appears in the "O" in the Weapons title card is identical to the Alcoholics Anonymous symbol. The idea for Weapons actually started when one of Cregger's best friends unexpectedly died. Cregger elaborated in the film's production notes: "One of my best friends unexpectedly died. I think there are times when screenwriters can write from a place of ambition, and that's maybe not the most creatively healthy way to go about it. But I was in such a severe, painful place that I was able to write just out of pure need, without any idea of what it was going to be." Though Cregger has not outright said who the friend was, many believe he's talking about his friend and co-founder of sketch comedy group The Whitest Kids U'Know, Trevor Moore, who died on Aug. 7, 2021. Moore died of blunt force head trauma after accidentally falling from a second-story balcony at his Los Angeles home. Back in 2023, a major bidding war broke out over Weapons between Jordan Peele, through his Monkeypaw Productions, alongside Universal, and New Line Cinema for the rights. New Line ultimately won with a $38 million deal — about $7 million more than Universal's offer. Peele was reportedly so invested that he considered contributing his own backend profits. After Peele and Universal lost, Peele parted ways with two of his longtime managers, creating speculation that it was due to the Weapons bidding war loss. Interestingly, one of the managers Peele "fired" was Peter Principato, who also happens to be Zach Cregger's manager. In case you're wondering, the child narrating the story is no one we meet in the film. The narrator is voiced by Scarlett Sher, who played Lily in Hustlers (Constance Wu's character's daughter). Pedro Pascal was originally going to be in Weapons, but scheduling issues due to the 2023 strikes forced a full recast — leading to Josh Brolin taking over his role. Similarly, Renate Reinsve, perhaps best known for The Worst Person in the World (2021), was set to play the role of Justine Gandy, which eventually went to Julia Garner. Funnily enough, initially, Cregger actually felt that Julia Garner was "too young" for the part of Justine. And Oscar‑nominee Brian Tyree Henry was also part of the original ensemble, though it's unclear in what role. Cregger and Amy Madigan were simply having lunch together at a Greek restaurant when he offered her the part. BTW, if you're wondering where you know Amy Madigan from, you may recognize her from earlier iconic roles as John Candy's girlfriend in Uncle Buck (1989), Kevin Costner's wife in Field of Dreams (1989), or her later dramatic turn in Gone Baby Gone (2007). Benedict Wong, meanwhile, was cast "at the 11th hour." Cregger was "in a despair moment" not being able to get that role cast when he had a Zoom meeting with Benedict, who had apparently just woken up and then perfectly ad-libbed his way through the scene. Cregger offered him the role right then and there. Speaking of casting, fans of Barbarian may have appreciated the cameos from Justin Long and Sara Paxton. Long played AJ in Barbarian, while Sara (who is also Cregger's IRL wife) did the voices of the Nursing Video Narration, Assistant, and Megan in Barbarian. Cregger has cited Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia (1999) as a major influence on Weapons, saying he felt it gave him "permission" to aim to make a "horror epic." In fact, Alden Ehrenreich's character Paul's look, in particular his mustache, was a direct homage to John C. Reilly's (who also plays a cop) in Magnolia. Cregger was adamant that each chapter of the film be told in a very subjective way. So, for example, with Alex, everything is shot from his third-grader height. To achieve the very specific look of the children running, the filmmakers used movement coaches and even constructed an entire obstacle course to prep the young actors for their scenes. In addition to writing, directing, and producing Weapons, Zach Cregger also served as a composer on the film, collaborating with brothers Ryan and Has Holladay. The three grew up together in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. The local families of the subdivision that provided many of the film's locations would turn out and basically camp out in lawn chairs during filming, sharing iced tea and snacks among themselves. Production saved and re-homed at least two dogs and one cat over the course of the shoot. The production office also had Sea Monkeys that started as babies and grew to adults over the course of filming. Cregger actually did the spray painting of "Witch" on the side of Julia Garner's car. He did it during a lunch break from filming. Finally, when Cregger first sat down to write Weapons he didn't have a "plan" for where the story would go. He started with the opening we know — the little girl talking about the kids running out of their houses — and asking himself, "Why?" without having an answer, LOL. Obviously, he eventually figured it out (and it turned out perfect). Obsessed with weird, dark, and creepy things (like horror films!!!)? Subscribe to the That Got Dark newsletter to get your weekly dopamine fix of the macabre delivered RIGHT to your inbox!
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Proposal to raise lodging tax by 1% could bring in $30 million annually for wildlife protection
The Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood in April 2024. Visitors to the historic hotel pay a 1.5% lodging tax to fund Oregon's tourism commission. A proposal being considered by lawmakers would raise the tax 1% to help fund statewide conservation work. (Julia Shumway/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Oregon lawmakers are considering a proposal to increase by 1% a state tax on hotel, camping and Airbnb stays that would raise up to $30 million a year for state wildlife conservation. The proposal has garnered widespread support among hunting, fishing and conservation groups, who say the state has long underfunded species conservation programs at Oregon's Fish and Wildlife Department, leaving gamesmen, nonprofits and wealthy donors to fill the gaps. It's also received widespread opposition among local travel, tourism and restaurant associations, who say an increase in the tax will deter visitors and businesses from planning trips and hosting conferences and events in Oregon. House Bill 2977 is one of several bills being considered this session that would add to or alter the state's 22-year-old transient lodging tax, which is currently 1.5% of the amount charged for occupying a hotel, short-term rentals like Airbnbs, and tent and RV camping sites. Several other proposals in the Legislature would redirect some revenue from the tax — which generates about $40 million a year — to community infrastructure, roads, police and firefighters in tax districts that see the highest volume of tourists. House Bill 2977, sponsored by state Rep. Ken Helm, D-Beaverton, and state Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Gresham, moved out of the House Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water committee in late March and awaits a public hearing in the House Revenue Committee. Because it's a proposal to raise a tax, it will need three-fifths of the Legislature to approve it. The lodging tax currently funds statewide and local programs administered by the nine-member, governor-appointed Oregon Tourism Commission, also known as Travel Oregon, which promotes tourism across the state. At least 65% of the revenue by law must go to marketing and to statewide programs. Helm said it makes sense to direct new lodging tax dollars to species and habitat conservation given the draw wildlife and healthy nature have for visitors to Oregon. 'To my mind, there's a perfect nexus between people who want to go out and recreate, hit the river, canoe, bike ride, hike, whatever it is, and then probably before they go home, whether it's they stay a few days or just one, they're going to have a meal, they may stay overnight,' he said. Oregon's Department of Fish and Wildlife currently has to ask the Legislature every two years to find money from the general fund for its comprehensive wildlife strategy and habitat division, both of which are outside of the activities the agency can fund with hunting and fishing license fees and federal funds. Federal funds and licensing fees make up about 90% of the agency's budget. 'All natural resource agencies in total, all 14 of them, get about 2.7 percent, right now, of the General Fund,' Helm said. 'Break that down by agency, especially where the agency is fees-funded, like this one, and the general fund is de minimis.' House Bill 2977 would establish a separate fund to support annual payments to Fish and Wildlife's habitat division and the state's Wildlife Action Plan, or Oregon Conservation Strategy. The plan targets more than 200 species in the state that face the most urgent risk of endangerment or extinction from climate change and human pressure, and identifies key issues affecting them, key habitats they depend on, and lays out tools to begin helping them. In the next few years, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife expects to add 70 species to the list of greatest conservation need, pushing it over 300 species for the first time, Davia Palmeri, strategic advisor and federal policy director at the agency told lawmakers at a hearing on the bill in February. 'Oregon hunters and anglers have long served as the financial backbone for conservation through license sales, excise taxes on gear and so on. And we probably lead the charge in funding,' Tristan Henry, Oregon field representative of the Washington D.C.- based Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, told lawmakers at the February hearing. 'However, as our wildlife management needs have grown more complex, it's become clear that broad-based, consistent funding is necessary, particularly for implementing the statewide wildlife action plan.' More than 150 letters of testimony in support and more than 60 opposed were submitted prior to the hearing. Among those in opposition are local travel and tourism associations in Salem, Lane County and Clackamas County, where officials fear a higher lodging tax will drive tourists and businesses away from planning trips or conferences in Oregon. Andy Vobora, vice president of Travel Lane County, wrote in testimony that Eugene's reputation as 'Track Town USA' for hosting international track and field competitions and collegiate events could be jeopardized. 'Organizers have voiced concerns about rising lodging costs, a key factor influenced by lodging taxes. Last year, Travel Lane County facilitated a meeting with local hoteliers, the NCAA, and event organizers to discuss how best to accommodate visiting teams and individuals. The message was clear — cost sensitivity is a major concern,' he said. Proponents of the bill argue that Oregon's state lodging tax is already one of the lowest in the nation — only Alaska and California have a lower lodging tax — and that healthy nature and wildlife are a big part of why tourists come to Oregon, supporting more than 200,000 jobs and billions in consumer spending. But opponents say that doesn't take into account how high lodging taxes get when local taxes are added in many parts of the state. Bill Perry, president of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association, told lawmakers at the February hearing that the local and state lodging tax combined in Portland makes it closer to a 16% tax. 'Boise is three points lower, Phoenix is three points lower. So you've got all these places that we're competing with that have lower rates. And so increasing these rates are going to make us increasingly non competitive,' he said. Other proposals in the Legislature would also allow the state's lodging tax revenue to go beyond Travel Oregon programs and marketing, and be used for new purposes that support infrastructure in tourism-heavy communities. Two bills proposed by state Sen, Suzanne Weber, R-Tillamook — Senate Bill 453 and Senate Bill 457 — direct the Legislature to study the permissible uses of the state lodging tax, including the possibility of allowing a larger proportion of those dollars to fund public safety programs for police and firefighters. Both bills have been sitting in the Senate Revenue and Finance committee, where they aren't subject to typical legislative decision-making deadlines. House Bill 3325 would let Oregon tax districts that see the most tourists use some of the lodging tax for essential services, such as highway maintenance, parks, police, firefighters and public bathrooms. The bill is sponsored by state Rep. Cyrus Javadi, R-Tillamook, and sitting in the House Revenue committee. Javadi and Weber are co-sponsoring an almost identical bill, House Bill 3556, that is also sitting in the Revenue Committee following a public hearing in March. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
