70:00-75:00
They then head out onto the balcony, and the pair almost kiss. The music that swells we hear is Extra Dry, Extra Olives, composed by Ramin Djawadi.
Everhart returns, and gives Stark some photos of Stark weapons in Gulmira, the fictional town where Yinsen lived.
The TV reporter in Gulmira refers to the trek as a modern day Heart Of Darkness. She is referring to the 1899 book by Joseph Conrad. For film fans, it was the source material for Apocalypse Now (1979).
The TV reporter is from another fictional station – FBX.
As Stark gets angrier at what he sees on TV – including one of his Jericho missiles. He shoots up his workshop in anger.
75:00-80:00
Stark puts on the Mark III armour for the first time. In the background we hear the track Iron Man, composed by Ramin Djawadi.
Iron Man arrives and Gulmira. The place is a set, created at Blue Cloud Movie Ranch. It’s located on 20000 Blue Cloud Rd, Santa Clarita, California. [link]
There was a long deleted sequence here involving Dubai. Stark essentially throws a party in a house in Dubai, as a cover to get himself to the Middle East. The scene would have featured Ghostface Killah.
The village is under attack. We see Abu Bakaar again, dragging a child from his father.
Iron Man arrives. He saves the village and defeats Bakaar.
So…he leaves Bakaar to be killed by the villagers? Maybe?
He heads to the main part of Gulmira. We hear the track Gulmira as he fights Ten Rings there, and destroys the Jericho missiles.
Then we’re at the real Edwards Air Force Base in the script. It seems likely they shot these scenes there as well.
The man in charge is Major Allen. He’s played by Tim Guinee. He’s had dozens of film and TV credits, and would return for Iron Man 2.
Turns out the department Rhodes works for is Weapons Development.
80:00-85:00
Rhodes calls Stark.
The American jets chasing Iron Man are F-22 Raptors.
The code name for the jets are Whiplash (1 and 2). Not sure if the script is trying to be clever, referring to the Iron Man villain that would later be featured in Iron Man 2.
Rhodey’s ringtone is also the Iron Man theme.
Obadiah watches TV at his house. Great set. Love the gold chess set. This is a nod to Stane’s obsession with chess in the comics. Stane actually created the Chessmen, a group of assassins to attack Stark.
On the TV, Rhodes is talking to the press, with microphones of news stations in front of him. The channels are 10, 19 and two 6s as that mic cube is on an angle. 10/19/66 is Jon Favreau’s birthday (in American, where the month is first).
The TV station is fictional – 3KNKV.
85:00-90:00
Pepper catches Stark in his armour.
Another deleted scene here, would have involved Stark returning to Dubai after Gulmira. Potts finds Stark drinking in his suit.
Behind Stark, on his workbench is a Captain America shield.
Stane visits Raza and the Ten Rings. With a fleet of Chevrolet Suburbans.
Turns out he’s a traitor.
The Ten Rings have reconstructed most of the Mark I.
Stane freezes Raza with a paralysing device. Turns out Stane has betrayed him too.
Has Raza been killed? His men definitely were. We never see him again.
Stane gets into his car and orders a prototype.
Back in Stark’s lab. He needs to find files, and hands Potts some sort of USB. Aren’t USBs great in films?
As Stark talks about what is right, we hear the track Are Those Bullet Holes?
90:00-95:00
Potts breaks into the office. It very much looks like inside that Masimo Headquarters, looking out. The skyline outside the window is fake – the area outside the office looks very different – there are no Stark Industries buildings for one.
You have to love a villain who keeps his most incriminating media in a file folder called Top Secret and Ultra Secret.
We replay the scene from the start of the film. The dialogue is finally translated, flying all of us who don’t speak Urdu into the plot.
Stane and Potts talk. In the background we hear…
Potts escapes with Coulson.
95:00-100:00
Stane works with scientists. In this unknown set.
There is another scene with Stane and the scientists that was deleted from the film.
Stane confronts William Ginter Riva, one of the head scientists. He is played by Peter Billingsley, who is on double duty, as he’s also an executive producer on the film. He is best known as a child actor, starring in A Christmas Story (1983).
Stane then surprises, and paralyses, Stark in his own home, using his paralyses device. He then steals the arc reactor from Stark’s chest.
Stane makes reference to the Aesop fable The Goose That Laid The Golden Egg.
Stane also refers to Howard Stark being one of the inventors of the atomic bomb.
He calls the arc reactor Stark’s 9th symphony. This is a reference to the Beethoven‘s Symphony No.9. One of his most famous works, considered one of the greatest pieces of music of all time, and also his last.
Potts calls Rhodes in his car. Rhodes is driving and gets a call from Potts. He’s driving a 2006 Dodge Ram. Can’t make out the street.
Potts is with SHIELD, in the Stark car park? Location unknown.
Tony makes his way to his lab and reaches for the first arc reactor.
He passes the number plate STARK5 although we can’t make out the car.
Awesome stuff. Looking forward to your future installments.
I learned so much about an all-time favorite movie I’ve seen at least a dozen times. Thank you!
In the section 20:00 to 25:00, you stated that The Mandarin will appear in Iron Man 2. He appeared in Iron Man 3.
Good catch. Will fix.
Amazing stuff, thanks for all the effort you’ve put into this. Just thought I would help with a few music cues;
The music playing during the entertainment news piece with Zorianna Kit is ‘Groovetronic’ by Terry Devine-King.
The jazz playing during the first scene in the Walt Disney Exhibition Hall (when Tony dances with Pepper) is ‘Kool Katz’ by Chucho Merchán, and playing when he speaks to Christine is ‘Licorice’ by Emanuel Kallins and Steve Skinner.
Thanks for this. Will update when I get the chance!