“IRON MAN 2″ COUNTDOWN: 28 DAYS
Tony Stark breaks all the rules (even the one that says superheroes must keep a secret identity) and he always seems to comes out on top – that’s why we love him. But now comes “Iron Man 2,” a film about secret dangers, the sins of the father and the nasty price of modern celebrity. The movie lands on May 7 in the U.S. and, every day until then, we’ll have behind-the-scenes scoops on the summer’s most anticipated film.
“Iron Man 2” director Jon Favreau asked himself an important question as he began work on “Iron Man 2″ and it had nothing to do with super villains — where would his party-boy hero go if he woke up with a nasty hangover?
Tony Stark is the first major West Coast superhero in film and Favreau, the man who wrote “Swingers,” knows a little something-something about L.A. and the culture of late nights.”The idea was, ‘What’s this guy like the morning after?’ ‘Where would this guy go if he had a hangover?’ And then the answer we came up with was ‘He would go to Randy’s Donuts.’ ”
For those outside Southern California, Randy’s Donuts is a landmark in Inglewood, not far from the Los Angeles International Airport. The 24-hour sugary oasis has plenty of face-time on the silver screen; its towering doughnut has appeared in “2012,” “Earth Girls are Easy,” “Breathless,” “Coming to America” and maybe a dozen other films, as well as a glazed-memory moment in the music video for Randy Newman’s sardonic anthem “I Love L.A.”
Favreau loved the fact, too, that he was putting his armored hero on a sign that didn’t belong to a national chain — there are few movies that have more licensing deals or a bigger product and advertising footprint than this new movie from Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures and Favreau was happy for a scruffier moment than, say, a shot of Robert Downey Jr. lolling back in the cowboy-hat sign of an Arby’s.
“I didn’t want something that felt forced. I wanted something that was really L.A. and I thought they’d be thrilled. So, you know, we got there and I’m talking to the owner, Randy, and he says, ‘Yeah, well, you know I’d really like if he fly through the doughnut.’ Wow. Really? But that’s how it is, though, right?”
— Geoff Boucher
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PHOTOS: Top, A scene from”iron Man 2″ (Paramount Pictures); Randy’s Donuts (handout)
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Even though I loved the first film, I've been lukewarm on the sequel thus far. This cute story, however, is starting to win me over.
While it's in imaginary Springfield, the giant "Lard Lad's Donuts" sign that Homer Simpson steals in "Tree House of Horror VI" (which sets the rampage of giant ad mascots) is clearly an homage to Randy's.
Eons ago, when my gram still lived at Normandie and 101st, I knew we were nearly there when we passed Randy's. Even my dog loved that part — he had his head out the window, sniffing those exotic donut scents.
So glad Randy's is about to be super-world famous!
I thought it was a City of Hero's joke at first. There's a badge you can get in the game by flying through a big donut sign like the one Tony is sitting in.
Can't wait for the movie!
This is clearly a rip-off from GTA: San Andreas. Carl Johnson would regularly meet up with the C.R.A.S.H crew, Sgt Tenpenny, Polaski, and, Hernandez at this location. It is no coincidence since Sgt. Tenpenny who was played by Samuel L. Jackson that Sgt. Nick Fury, also played by Jackson, would also meet up with the rogue (and confused) hero, as in GTA:SA, would also meet in the same seats of the Rusty Brown Ring Donuts Shop. Both characters in both "movies" playing a parallel role.
Geoff, you never spoke to Randy "the owner" because Randy the real Randy who the doughnut was named after does not own Randy's Doughnuts anymore. Randy and his father Bob sold it years ago. It belongs to Randy's cousins now. I just came across this site doing some research and thought I would set the record straight. Randy is my husband. Randy Eskow is the real Randy.