UPDATE (6/21/2011)
Several people have sent in emails regarding the “Lorenzo Zoil” easter egg, so I dug just a little bit more and was able to find some more info. Apparently Nick Frost is to blame, and admits that it isn’t really relevant, just a play on words. I am unable to verify the following quote, but as far as I can tell it is an excerpt from an interview that Pegg and Frost did with SyFy:
Frost can take credit for one of the film’s oddest jokes. The name of the agent chasing the trio is Lorenzo Zoil (Jason Bateman). Put the names together, and it sounds like “Lorenzo’s Oil,” which is also the title of a movie about the parents who developed a cure for their son’s rare disease.
“That was one of mine,” Frost said. “It’s just one of those things that I kind of like doing, that thing that you take one letter from the surname and add it to the forename and it becomes something completely different. It’s possible someone could be called Lorenzo Zoil.”
Now, onto the original article:
So yesterday I watched Paul, which was hilarious! I don’t have the time, or the skill to give it a proper review today, but there is one thing that I feel needs cleared up.
For those of you who watched Paul, I am sure that you are aware that it was packed with Easter Eggs, and references to other films. Star Wars, Back to the Future, and E.T. just to name a few. Some eggs were very obvious, some were hidden, and some were just shoved down your throat, and I for one felt like an idiot when I didn’t “get” one.
Basically towards the end of the film one of the agents introduces himself. His name is “Zoil, Lorenzo Zoil.” This was one of these eggs that was just shoved at you. I could tell by the way it was played that it was an egg, but had no clue what it was. I felt kind of retarded sitting in a crowded theater full of people that probably “got it” and I was clueless.
Luckily MovieGuy Josh came to the rescue, and I was relieved when he asked me, “Who in the hell is Lorenzo Zoil?” Whew, I’m not alone. So I put him to work on the ride home Googling away until we found a solution.
Josh was able to stumble across an amazing post that explained the whole thing, along with several other eggs. Rafe Telsch from WideScreenWarrior.com explains:
Agent Zoil: I’ll admit, this one was far too forced. When Agent Zoil is formally introduced to Graeme and Clive, he reveals his first name: Lorenzo. That makes his full name Lorenzo Zoil, a nod to Lorenzo’s Oil, a 1992 picture that has nothing to do with science-fiction. I’m sure there’s a reason Pegg and Frost put the reference in the movie, but it definitely feels out of place.
Oh, so that’s what it is referencing… Sadly that just raises more questions. What does Lorenzo’s Oil a 1992 DRAMA (this explains why I didn’t get the reference), have to do with an alien / sci-fi nerd comedy?
So why the reference to a cheesy 1990′s drama? Perhaps Nick Frost and Simon Pegg really are a little “funny.” I am really at a loss on this one, but if anyone has any theories sound-off in the comments.
Easter Egg source: WideScreenWarrior.com
Paul Sci-Fi References and Easter Eggs
Below is a list of eggs that have been submitted by our awesome commentors here at MovieGuys. This has been one of the most fun posts I have ever written. Thanks again to all that have left a comment and keep them coming!
- Real-life reference: When Paul is driving the RV, he crashes into a metal windmill. It is an exact match to the metal windmill that was supposedly destroyed in a UFO crash in Aurora, Texas in 1897. (submitted by Flip)
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind: In the fireworks store, they buy a large firework that is called “The Five Tones.” The 5 tones are the core tones from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. (submitted by Butch)
- Another Close Encounters of the Third Kind Reference: Anyone catch the business names Gerties and Roys, both names of characters in Close Encounters. (submitted by Bob)
- Yet Another Close Encounters of the Third Kind Reference: The mountain where Paul sets off the fire works to call his ship is the same mountain in the Spielberg movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind. (submitted by greenbean)
- Charles Darwin’s Ship: On the RV the name Beagle is the name of the ship Darwin used. (submitted by Bob)
- Possible War of the Worlds Egg: The light in the fathers house looked like the probe on the movie War of the Worlds the 1950s movie). (submitted by Rick)
- Star Wars Cantina Music: Another obvious reference was the music played at the roadhouse was the cantina music from Star Wars (submitted by MdKnightMan)
- Blues Brothers: ”I’m on a mission from God!” The Blues Brothers. (submitted by Rick)
- Indiana Jones: Short Round (submitted by Rod G. and Tony)
- Another Indiana Jones: The warehouse where the phone call scene took place was a reference to the Indy franchise. (submitted by Stuart and Jessie)
- Escape to Witch Mountain: The Winnebago is the same make and year as the one used in the original Disney movie from the 70′s called Escape to Witch Mountain about two alien children stuck on Earth. (submitted by greenbean)
- Total Recall: The three tit alien woman is also in the movie Total Recall. (submitted by greenbean)
- Jaws: Don’t forget, before Haggard goes of the cliff, he says “Smile you son of a bitch.” Trying to sotyou Paul this was an obvious reference to JAWS. (submitted by RxDoc)
- E.T.: Did anyone catch the Reese’s Pieces egg when they stop at the gas station? If anyone remembers E.T. ate Reese’s Pieces in E.T. Extra Terrestrial. So it can be assumed that all aliens eat Reese’s Pieces. (submitted by Jake)
- Aliens: Another Easter egg: in the final scene, just before Tara punches “The Big Guy” (Sigourney Weaver’s character), Tara says “Get away from her you BITCH!” This is a relatively obvious reference to a line in Aliens by Ripley (played by none other than Sigourney Weaver herself)!!! (submitted by Tom)
May 11, 2011
#1
*SPOILERS INCLUDED*
*DO NOT READ IF YOU DON’T WANT A PART OF “PAUL” RUINED*
Well Susan Sarandon is in Lorenzo’s Oil. Perhaps it was just a nod to her in that movie. Since the gang in Paul effectively put a stop to her in Paul, perhaps it was a send off?
May 11, 2011
#2
It could have been a nod to her, it just seemed out of place in the film, especially with how much they forced it in there. It was like they really wanted the audience to get it.
I’m sure I would get it more if I saw Lorenzo’s oil, but I haven’t seen it and probably won’t. Which is why the egg makes even less sense to me. It just doesn’t seem to me like fans of Paul would have seen lorenzos oil to get the reference. (Like myself)
January 6, 2013
#3
I personally found it fun searching up “Lorenzo Zoil” lol just interesting, it’s cool that a movie made people search the internet for an answer to that one.
January 6, 2013
#4
This is true, at this point in time there are 200-300 people per day reading this posts. Perhaps it was a goof on the fans to keep us on our toes.
March 24, 2013
#5
No, actually you guys are keeping us fans on our toes, thx.
February 21, 2012
#6
@Will But Susan Sarandon wasn’t in Paul >.> idk if you thought Sigourney Weaver’s character was her or maybe the woman playing Tara who admittedly looks a lot like Susan Sarandon but yeah she wasn’t in Paul
June 11, 2012
#7
Well, that doesn’t really make sense. Because it’s Sigourney Weaver who is in Paul, not Susan Sarandon.
January 17, 2013
#8
i believe its a play on ruths eye condition that caused blindness in her eye from a degenerative of myelin( a sheath around nerves in the body that protects and helps send signals from the brain to other parts of the body, the disease can cause blindness but can be cured with lorenzos oil. its only funny bc the disease is rare and at the time of 1992 no one was looking for the cure and at the end of lorenzos oil theres a scene with the view of the sixteenth chaple(i think it was) and the drama was for him just to keep praying and in the end the kid survided through science and was using a computer to communicate at age 14
April 7, 2013
#9
What the heck does Susan Sarandon have to do anything??? Here’s my theory… Lorenzo’s Oil is about strange things happening to Lorenzo: he would have blackouts, memory lapses, and other strange mental phemonenons. He is eventually diagnosed as suffering from ALD: an extremely rare incurable degenerative brain disorder. Frustrated at the failings of doctors and medicine in this area, the Odones begin to educate themselves in the hope of discovering something which can halt the progress of the disease. Now as we know, Paul had the ability to heal and bring the ydead back to life. There you go! Simple enough.
May 11, 2011
#10
Disregard previous comment. I am an idiot. =D
May 11, 2011
#11
Haha Will. I didn’t even catch that! You got me. Happens to all of us. Also,Thanks for stopping by. :)
October 16, 2011
#12
I call bullshit. I thought the lorenzo’s oil reference was a hint at what can be achieved when you go the against mainstream like it’s creator did. The entire scientific community couldn’t figure out what was wrong with his son, so he ended up doing it himself. It’s funny how the majority is always wrong.But anyway, i’m high as balls, but that’s what went through my mind when his name was mentioned in that context.Anyone interested in real documented, professional information on aliens you have to check out the disclosure project at:http://www.disclosureproject.org/http://www.youtube.com/csetiweb
October 16, 2011
#13
I call bullshit. I thought the lorenzo’s oil reference was a hint at what can be achieved when you go against the mainstream like it’s creator did. The entire scientific community couldn’t figure out what was wrong with his son, so he ended up doing it himself. It’s funny how the majority is always wrong.But anyway, i’m high as balls, but that’s what went through my mind when his name was mentioned in that context.Anyone interested in real documented, professional information on aliens you have to check out the disclosure project at:http://www.disclosureproject.org or /http://www.youtube.com/csetiweb
January 8, 2012
#14
In the movie Lorenzo’s oil, Lorenzo never fully recovered from ADL. So I would say that thy are saying that Paul cured Lorenzo Zoil. And that’s why Grame and Clive were surprised to see Lorenzo Zoil able to have full control of his bodly functions. But that’s just a far fetched theory of mine so fell free to disagree.
June 1, 2012
#15
This sounds like it could be the answer
April 7, 2013
#16
Lorenzo (in Lorenzo’s Oil) is not Lorenzo Zoil… His last name is Odone. So, your theory would be incorrect.
June 27, 2012
#17
Also, the Name of the character “Tara Walton” seems to be an obvious reference to Travis Walton, who was also criticized and mocked as a result of an Alien encounter.
I don’t think that’s a coincidence, but maybe I’m reading too much into it. ; )
June 28, 2012
#18
It was on again today. I can never seem to turn it off. Anyway, I noticed that when Paul is driving the RV, he crashes into a metal windmill. It is an exact match to the metal windmill that was supposedly destroyed in a UFO crash in Aurora, Texas in 1897. It seems they’ve done a few “real world” references as well as ones from the movies. I’m sure there are more to be found.
June 29, 2012
#19
Found another egg.. in the fireworks store.. they buy a large firework that is called “The Five Tones” the 5 tones are the core tones from close encounters of the third kind. When they attempt to talk to the ships. which makes sense as they are using the fireworks to communicate with Pauls Ship.
July 1, 2012
#20
The light in the fathers house looked like the probe on the movie war of the worlds (the1950s)movie
September 20, 2012
#21
Anyone catch the business names Gerties and Roys, both names of characters in close encounters. Also on the RV the name Beagle is the name of the ship Darwin used.
September 27, 2012
#22
Another obvious reference was the music played at the roadhouse was the cantina music from Star Wars
September 27, 2012
#23
That was probably my favorite egg in the film. The entire film was almost one big egg.
September 27, 2012
#24
Did anybody catch “I’m on a mission from God!”…The Blues Brothers.
September 28, 2012
#25
I remember the line, but I guess I never put the two together.
With all of the eggs, perhaps I should start listing them all in the post.
November 18, 2012
#26
“Short Round” may have been the nickname of the Viet Namese kid in the John Wayne classic “The Green Berets”. May have been a coincidence but I have never heard it used elsewhere.
November 20, 2012
#27
Short round was an indianna jones reference.
November 22, 2012
#28
Anyone notice that the warehouse used in the phone call scene to Steven Spielberg was similar if not identical to the warehouse used in Indiana Jones and Crystal Skull opening??!
December 6, 2012
#29
The warehouse where he’s making the phone call is in more Indy movies than just the Crystal Skull. They took the Ark of the Covenant there after the movie where he was searching for it.
Unrelated, but in the opening of the Crystal skull, then break a crate open and you can see the corner of the Ark again.
January 1, 2013
#30
The mountain where Paul sets off the fire works to call his ship is the same mountain in the Spielberg movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
January 1, 2013
#31
The Winnebego is the same make and year as the one used in the original
Disney movie from the 70′s called Escape to Witch Mountain about two alien children stuck on Earth.
February 1, 2013
#32
Wasn’t there a Winnebago in Close Encounters too, or is my memory fuzzy?
February 8, 2013
#33
Completely different RVs in the two movies. In Escape to Witch Mountain, it’s a Class C Winnebago. And in Paul, exterior shots are a Class A Winnebago. But the interior is not. I think it’s a Bounder made by Fleetwood. .
January 1, 2013
#34
The three tit alien woman is also in the movie Total Recall.
March 24, 2013
#35
The character with three boobs in Total Recall was itself a referenced Easter-Egg to Douglas Adams’ 5 book trilogy books, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, where he had a character, Eccentrica Gallumbits – aka, the Triple Breasted Whore of Eroticon Six. Impossible to say which one Paul was referencing, but either way it goes back to Hitchhiker.
January 3, 2013
#36
Don’t forget, before Haggard goes of the cliff, he says “Smile you son of a bitch.” Trying to sotyou Paul this was an obvious reference to JAWS.
January 12, 2013
#37
what does his shirt say in elvish at the end when the are at comic con again…I have been trying to figure it out but it makes no sense?
January 15, 2013
#38
Did anyone catch the Reese’s Pieces egg when they stop at the gas station? If anyone remembers E.T. ate Reese’s Pieces in E.T. Extra Terrestrial. So it can be assumed that all aliens eat Reese’s Pieces lol
January 17, 2013
#39
Sistine Chapel. Not Sixteen. Sorry lol
January 18, 2013
#40
Another Easter egg: in the final scene, just before Tara punches “The Big Guy” (Sigourney Weaver’s character), Tara says “Get away from her you BITCH!”
This is a relatively obvious reference to a line in Aliens by Ripley (played by none other than Sigourney Weaver herself)!!!
That line, along with the Star Wars cantina music played in the restaurant, were two of the funniest from the movie.
January 28, 2013
#41
Did anyone catch the references to Hot Fuzz and Spaced (both by Simon Pegg)?
January 29, 2013
#42
Tell us!
January 30, 2013
#43
Thansk to everyone that has submitted eggs thus far! I have added them to the post so that future readers can see if they can spot them as well.
This has been such a blast I am going to try and regularly do an “egg hunt” post. Anyone have any suggestions for a film?
April 13, 2013
#44
Try anything by Pegg. Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Spaced are full of eggs.
January 31, 2013
#45
Zoil: *Shoots the communicator in the car* “Boring conversation anyways.”
Han Solo in Episode 4 does and says the same thing.
March 13, 2013
#46
This one should be added to the list above. It’s pretty obvious but it’s one of my favorites in the movie.
January 31, 2013
#47
Parking behind the billboard was a reference to back to the future
February 1, 2013
#48
This is a little bit of a stretch, but the comic book that the kid Kieth Nash looks at and ID’s Paul is a reference to Back to the future too (After the DeLorean comes to rest in the barn, the kid shows his dad the cover of a comic book that has a spaceship that looks like the time machine, and an alien that looks like Marty in his radiation suit as proof that Marty is an alien.)
February 1, 2013
#49
Oh yeah, and Ruth starts cussing, that could be a Trek reference to ST4: The Voyage Home while Spock was learning to cuss in 1987 San Fran.
February 2, 2013
#50
Also, as the alien mothership is leaving, its the same shot as the underbelly of the empires ship in star wars, episode 4.
February 8, 2013
#51
PPaul easter eggs, how about when ruth says to graeme”someone who loves you” when she takes off her bounty hunter helmet.
February 8, 2013
#52
Paul Easter Egg: ruth says”someone who loves you”, same as princess leia in return.
February 10, 2013
#53
When Paul says: “where we go we don’t need teeth” in reference to Back To the Future “where we go we don’t need roads”
February 11, 2013
#54
when they did the pic at the end,paul does the spock hand sign
February 12, 2013
#55
What is on nick frost short at last scene its in elvish i think but can’t make it out
February 16, 2013
#56
When in town when Paul is dressed as a cowboy there is a shot of the movie theater. The theater is playing DUEL an obvious nod to Spielburg
February 18, 2013
#57
Okay, was it just too obvious to mention? What the hell is Keith Nash a reference to? I feel like it’s gotta be something but I can’t find it. Graeme says “Who the hell was that?” Then Paul replies “Keith Nash. Punch it!” I’m almost certain I’ve heard that name and line somewhere else, but nothing is coming to mind. Anyone?
Also, I’m not sure if this was intentional or not, but for those of you who have seen the movie Slither (if not, look it up, it’s another really funny alien movie.) There’s a part where an alien ends up sharing it’s knowledge with a girl through a failed attempt at eating her, and the first thing that flashes in her brain is a couple of alien like rat things fucking, and when Paul mindblasts Ruth, the first thing she sees is Paul (or an alien like him) fucking another Alien doggy style. Like I said, I dunno if that’s a reference or just a coincidence. I really like to think it was done on purpose though. Hah.
February 18, 2013
#58
From an interview with Simon Pegg I saw, Kieth Nash is just a name he found funny.
March 4, 2013
#59
Touching the head to transfer knowledge….Vulcan Mind Meld from Star Treck. Bringing dead animals back to life….Jeff Bridges as the alien in Star Man bringing dead deer back to life.
Tara going home on Paul’s ship at the end of the movie…..Richard Dreyfuss going along on the alien ship at the end of Close Incounters.
March 19, 2013
#60
The song “Planet Clair” by the B52′s from “Aliens vs Monsters” is playing in the background during the comic book store scene when Paul is talking to the kid that eventually kicks Haggard in the nads as he is aiming at Clive and Paul as they run away.
March 19, 2013
#61
tara going along with paul and the comment about not needing her teeth where they were going seemed to me to be a reference to Cocoon when the old farts get taken away to a better place.I thought I had caught on to all the eggs on the first viewing, but because I googled the Lorenzo Zoil thing, which I knew was an egg, but didn’t grok, I have to admit I’m not quite as smart as I thought I was.
March 19, 2013
#62
I missed the Witch Mountain reference, which I forgive myself for since It’s Disney dork kid movie, and not real syfy in my opinion, and was only aware of in a subliminal way of the beagle reference. Other than those two, none of these comments have provided me any further enlightenment on the subject, but I sure there are some subtle ones no one has picked up on. Hopefully Nick and Simon will one day enlighten us. As for the Keith Nash thing, I feel fairly certain that it is of an arcane , private nature, and if so, should remain that way.
March 24, 2013
#63
Another egg I don’t see mentioned is the ET reference of walking in Halloween costume on street – cowboy instead of ghost, but drew Barrymore dressed as cowgirl, and scene just seemed very similar and I laughed..my favorites in movie: boring conversation anyway, Reese’s pieces, Lorenzo’s oil, the ark warehouse, short round, don’t need roads reference from back to future, alien get away from her you b..great movie! Didn’t think Lorenzo’s oil reference was forced at all – thought it was hilarious:). Did google kieth Nash reference though thinking it had to mean something but found the Simon Pegg interview too saying it was just a funny name…I think it must have been a private nod to a friend…
March 30, 2013
#64
Also, when Zoil is chasing them towards the end and shoots the radio when talking to HQ he says “boring conversation anyway”. From Han Solo in the detention cell on the death star.
April 6, 2013
#65
May be a bit of a stretch or coincidence maybe, however, the fireworks used as a homing beacon to signal to Paul’s people…might that be a reference to the scene where the “older” little brother uses fireworks to show the time traveling spaceship where Davids home is located for the “Film Flight of the Navigator 1986…
April 7, 2013
#66
I haven’t even thought of that movie in ages.And who didn’t imagine themselves as the kid in the film?
Thanks for reminding me!
April 7, 2013
#67
What the heck does Susan Sarandon have to do anything??? Here’s my theory… Lorenzo’s Oil is about strange things happening to Lorenzo: he would have blackouts, memory lapses, and other strange mental phemonenons. He is eventually diagnosed as suffering from ALD: an extremely rare incurable degenerative brain disorder. Frustrated at the failings of doctors and medicine in this area, the Odones begin to educate themselves in the hope of discovering something which can halt the progress of the disease. Now as we know, Paul had the ability to heal and bring the ydead back to life. There you go! Simple enough.
April 7, 2013
#68
Conner mcloud was the lead character from “highlander” who also went by the name of
Russell Nash. He was an atiques dealer who had a samurai sword. Bit like the one the Frost bought. Maybe Keith Nash was homage to that.
April 7, 2013
#69
I hate predictive txt!!!!
Antiques….
April 13, 2013
#70
What about the line early in the movie spoken by Sigourney Weaver “He’s trying to phone home” – being of course ET reference.
Also the ship landing on her brought to mind the house landing on the witch in The Wizard of Oz.
April 13, 2013
#71
Has no-one noticed the reference to Pegg’s own series “Spaced”. When Clive gives Ruth his passport she says that she loves Great Britain. Greame (Pegg) says “You should go”. Ruth turns to walk away and Greame says “No. You should go to Britain”. It’s a twist on a joke from Spaced.
April 14, 2013
#72
Don’t know if someone else spotted this…when Lorenzo shoots his radio its a reference to Star Wars when Han Solo shoots the radio on the death star when they are freeing the princess.
May 9, 2013
#73
Like some of you guys.. I felt like a idiot with this one…lol.
Wikipedia links the name “Lorenzo Zoil” to the movie Lorenzo’s oil..
What a reck?!
May 9, 2013
#74
Just thought of one more, again probably a coincidence but…When Paul invites the now elderly Tara to his planet to live a better life… Cocoon 1985 in the final scene, the aliens invite the elderly residence to their home planet to live a better life as well…