History Trivia / MysteryMen

* OldShame: Creator/ArtieLange, who has joked about the poor reception of films he's acted in, considers this to be the worst movie he has made. After seeing his brief scene in the beginning of the film, his mother and sister called him from the theater to ask if he would have any more scenes because they wanted to leave.

** At one time, Creator/DannyDeVito was set to direct as well as star as The Shoveller.

* OneBookAuthor: The film's financial failure, coupled with his displeasure while working on it, made this the only feature film to be direted by commercial director Kinka Usher.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: Aside from some time period specific jokes and references, as well as its overall aesthetic, [[https://www.avclub.com/mystery-men-clumsily-spoofed-superhero-movies-before-th-1827101621 this retrospective piece on the movie]] points out that ''Mystery Men'' came out at a time when superhero movies were still generally considered campy and something only for the fanboys and the genre was still shakily trying to figure itself out, with more missteps than actual hits, a ''very'' far cry from how superhero movies would later become massive pop culture juggernauts a decade later by striking the right balance between fun and serious.

** Creator/BenStiller considered directing, but turned it down when he realized how large a project it would be.

* CreatorKiller: More like Stillborn Creator. The film's financial failure led to it being the only non-commercial job for director Kinka Usher, who made his cinematic debut with this film.

* AllStarCast: Creator/BenStiller, Creator/WilliamHMacy, Creator/GregKinnear, Creator/GeoffreyRush, Creator/PaulReubens, Creator/HankAzaria, Creator/JaneaneGarofalo, Creator/KelMitchell, Creator/EddieIzzard, Music/TomWaits... maybe this is why the title of the song Music/SmashMouth made accompanying the film is "[[http://instantrimshot.com/ All Star]]".

* BreakawayPopHit: "All Star" by Music/SmashMouth was one of the most popular songs of 1999 and appeared on the ''Mystery Men'' film and soundtrack months before the release of their album ''Astro Lounge''. Its high-concept video features all the main cast members of ''Mystery Men''...who were then later cut out after the song far eclipsed the movie in popularity. "All Star"'s subsequent appearance in dozens of movies in the next few years only muddied the waters of its original origin. To rub salt on the wound, "All Star" has gained notoriety as an internet [[MemeticMutation meme]]...but video's featuring the song attribute it to ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'', a (albeit, far more successful) film that premiered two years ''after'' "All-Star".

* RecycledSet: A number of the sets used in the film are the same sets used in ''Film/BatmanForever''.

* ActorAllusion:
** Possibly unintentional. Creator/JaneaneGarofalo's father's name is actually Carmine.
** Creator/EddieIzzard's character makes a reference to "the god of haircare". In his StandUpComedy routine, he mentions that the Romans previously had crappy gods, like Simon, the God of Hairdos.
** Captain Amazing's agent objects to Amazing's recent activities, complaining, "I'm not a magician!" The actor, Ricky Jay, ''is'' in fact a famous card magician.
** When the Blue Raja sits on the fork he shouts 'Claven' - the catchphrase of [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Professor Frink]], also voiced by Creator/HankAzaria.
** And depending on your interpretation, there could be something significant about Creator/MichaelBay being cast as the leader of the Fratboys gang ("Can we bring the brewskies?")
-->Yes, of course you may bring ze brewskies.

* OneBookAuthor: Kinka Usher never directed other films again after this one. Apparently [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0132347/trivia?item=tr2457233 he hated working on it]] and preferred to go back to commercials.

* AllStarCast: Creator/BenStiller, Creator/WilliamHMacy, Creator/GregKinnear, Creator/GeoffreyRush, Creator/PaulReubens, Creator/HankAzaria, Creator/JaneaneGarofalo, Kel Mitchell, Creator/EddieIzzard, Music/TomWaits... maybe this is why the title of the song Music/SmashMouth made accompanying the film is "[[http://instantrimshot.com/ All Star]]".

* CreatorCameo: Director Kinka Usher makes a brief cameo as "Moe".

* TruthInTelevision: Shovel fighting ''was'' taught to most infantry through the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. The reasoning was that infantry were often responsible for digging their own foxholes, and their enemies were unlikely to honor a call of "Time out!" while they went to fetch their gun or bayonet.

*** ("Yes, of course you may bring ze brewskies.")
* AllStarCast: Ben Stiller, William H. Macy, Greg Kinnear, Geoffrey Rush, Paul Reubens, Hank Azaria, Janeane Garofalo, Kel Mitchell, Creator/EddieIzzard, Tom Waits... maybe this is why the title of the song Smash Mouth made accompanying the film is "[[http://instantrimshot.com/ All Star]]".

* BreakawayPopHit: "All Star" by Smash Mouth was one of the most popular songs of 1999 and appeared on the ''Mystery Men'' film and soundtrack months before the release of their album ''Astro Lounge''. Its high-concept video features all the main cast members of ''Mystery Men''...who were then later cut out after the song far eclipsed the movie in popularity. "All Star"'s subsequent appearance in dozens of movies in the next few years only muddied the waters of its original origin. To rub salt on the wound, "All Star" has gained notoriety as an internet [[MemeticMutation meme]]...but video's featuring the song attribute it to ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'', a (albeit, far more successful) film that premiered two years ''after'' "All-Star".

* PlayingAgainstType: Somewhat with Jenifer Lewis. She's still playing the loud, strong black woman she usually plays, but, unlike most of her movies, where she plays people much older than her (for example, in ''Film/ThePreachersWife'', she played Whitney Houston's Mom and a Grandmother in her late 30's), she plays someone closer to her age, as she plays the mother of 3 kids who are all under 12.
* ThrowItIn: A workman on the set threw a disposable lighter into a trash can, not realizing it was a prop that would later be set on fire. The lighter exploded during a take in a sudden burst of flame behind Creator/PaulReubens (The Spleen) who improvised the famous "Excuse me" line. This was deemed to be [[Funny/MysteryMen hilarious]] so they kept it in the movie.
** Tom Waits had trouble memorizing his lines during his big monologue so he wrote them on his hands, which explains his odd stance and gestures. Fortunately the director thought this was perfect for his character.
* TruthInTelevision: Shovel fighting ''was'' taught to most infantry through the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. The reasoning was that infantry were often responsible for digging their own foxholes, and their enemies were unlikely to honor a call of "Time out!" while they went to fetch their gun or bayonet.

* BreakawayPopHit: "All Star" by Smash Mouth was one of the most popular songs of 1999 and appeared on the ''Mystery Men'' film and soundtrack months before the release of their album ''Astro Lounge''. Its high-concept video features all the main cast members of ''Mystery Men''...who were then later cut out after the song far eclipsed the movie in popularity. "All Star"'s subsequent appearance in dozens of movies in the next few years only muddied the waters of its original origin. To rub salt on the wound, "All Star" has gained notoriety as an internet [[MemeticMutation meme]]...but video's featuring the song attribute it to ''Film/{{Shrek}}'', a (albeit, far more successful) film that premiered two years ''after'' "All-Star".

* BoxOfficeBomb: A domestic take of $29 million with a small addition of $3 million internationally came nowhere close to recouping the film's $68 million budget.

* TruthInTelevision: Shovel fighting ''was'' taught to most infantry through the end of WorldWarTwo. The reasoning was that infantry were often responsible for digging their own foxholes, and their enemies were unlikely to honor a call of "Time out!" while they went to fetch their gun or bayonet.

* BreakawayPopHit: "All Star" by Smash Mouth was one of the most popular songs of 1999 and appeared on the ''Mystery Men'' film and soundtrack months before the release of their album ''Astro Lounge''. Its high-concept video features all the main cast members of ''Mystery Men''...who were then later cut out after the song far eclipsed the movie in popularity. "All Star"'s subsequent appearance in dozens of movies in the next few years only muddied the waters of its original origin.

* FakeNationality / FakeBrit: The Blue Raja, but it's part of his schtick.

** EddieIzzard's character makes a reference to "the god of haircare". In his StandUpComedy routine, he mentions that the Romans previously had crappy gods, like Simon, the God of Hairdos.

* AllStarCast: Ben Stiller, William H. Macy, Greg Kinnear, Geoffrey Rush, Paul Reubens, Hank Azaria, Janeane Garofalo, Kel Mitchell, EddieIzzard, Tom Waits... maybe this is why the title of the song Smash Mouth made accompanying the film is "[[http://instantrimshot.com/ All Star]]".

* CreatorKiller: More like Stillborn Creator. The film's financial failure led to it being the only non-commercial job for director Kinka Usher.

*** ("Yes, of course you may bring ze brewskies."}

* ActorAllusion: Possibly unintentional. Creator/JaneaneGarofalo's father's name is actually Carmine.

* HeyItsThatGuy: [[Series/ThePeeWeeHermanShow Pee Wee]] [[Series/PeeWeesPlayhouse Herman]] is The Spleen.
** Music/TomWaits is really a mad scientist!
** [[Film/JurassicParkIII Mr. Kirby]] sure can shovel.
** [[MadAboutYou Murray's human walker]] can throw a mean fork.
** [[KenanAndKel Who loves orange soda?]] Invisible Boy loves orange soda!
** Who knew that Casanova Frankenstein [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbean once sailed the seven seas on the Black Pearl]]?
** Creator/MichaelBay wants to know if we can bring brewskis.
** [[{{Zoolander}} Derek Zoolander]] is Mr. Furious.
** Music/CeeLoGreen is one of the henchmen.
** It's not the first time Dr. Leek has been involved in an [[Series/{{Alias}} evil plot]].
** [[Film/{{Hellboy}} Abe Sapien]] made a brief appearance as Pencilhead!