9 interesting facts about The ‘Burbs starring Tom Hanks

In the mood for a classic dark comedy from the 1980s? Then you should definitely check out The ‘Burbs, starring the great Tom Hanks, when you get a chance. If you’re already familiar with the iconic film, let’s take a look at some of the fun facts you might not know about this one.

For those just getting started, here’s the premise, in a nutshell.

As described by TV Over Mind, the 1989 comedy-thriller depicts, “a bunch of suburban dwellers that take note of their new neighbors and their rather odd eccentricities.” Released over 30 years ago, the A-list starring movie has since become a beloved cult classic, generation after generation. And for very good reason.

So before you sit down to watch it once again or for the first time, here are nine interesting facts about the The ‘Burbs starring Tom Hanks.

1. Tom Hanks almost turned down the role.

Reported by Eighties Kids, it turns out that Tom Hanks wasn’t so sure about his lead role in the beginning. 31 years old at the time, Hanks didn’t think playing a dad on screen was the right move for his career just yet. And how wrong he turned out to be, in the best of ways.

2. The dog who plays Queenie is experienced.

As TV Over Mind notes, the dog that plays Queenie in The ‘Burbs has an impressive acting resume. The famous poodle also played Precious, Buffalo Bill’s memorable pet in The Silence of the Lambs.

3. The ‘Burbs was only filmed in one location.

Noted by the same publication, the film was actually shot in only one location, appropriately never going outside the “neighborhood” set on the Universal back lot. That lot also happens to be where Desperate Housewives was filmed.

4.  Bubbles the chimpanzee was banned from the set.

At the time of filming, one of the film’s stars, Corey Feldman, was close friends with Michael Jackson. A lesser known factoid, shared via IMDb, is that Jackson’s pet chimpanzee, Bubbles, was a frequent guest on The ‘Burbs set, even when the singer wasn’t with him.

Apparently, Bubbles spent most of his time in Feldman’s trailer, where the actor would frequently return to find that the famous chimp had made quite a mess of the place. Inevitably, Bubbles had to be banned from the set. How wild.

5. The ‘Burbs could’ve ended much differently.

According to GeekTyrant, several alternate endings were shot for the film, including one with various other things discovered in the trunk of the Klopek’s car. What did they almost find, you might ask? Well, according to the publication, that big reveal almost included “dead cheerleaders” and “the garbage men” depicted earlier in the film. Yikes.

6. Another famous creature made an appearance. 

If you watch the movie closely, take note of the moment Cory Danziger is eating breakfast and you might spot a box of Gremlins cereal on the kitchen counter. This Gremlins cameo of sorts was a likely nod to the other thriller-comedy directed by Joe Dante and featuring Cory Feldman, reports GeekTyrant.

7. Much of the movie came together on the fly.

Noted in GeekDad, The ‘Burbs was filmed during a now-famous writer’s strike. In turn, they filmed in sequence and much of the film seemingly unfolded before their eyes, with room for some notably impressive improvisation by various actors, including Hanks, throughout the film.

8. One of the funniest scenes in the film was improvised.

According to various reports, the hilarious scene where Tom Hanks picks up the gurney and puts himself into the ambulance was actually improvised.

9. The ‘Burbs was loosely inspired by real life events.

As noted on The ‘Burbs‘ IMDb page, it’s believed that screenwriter Dana Olsen was inspired to write the film by a family in his real-life neighborhood who were rarely seen outside of their house and “never took care of their lawn.” Who knew?

The ‘Burbs is currently streaming on Showtime.