February 2, 2012
As I sit and look for something to watch, Groundhog Day pops up. A fun, fantastic
film that everyone enjoys. When others discuss time travel in relation to Back to
the Future, the time parodox discussion often passes over Groundhog Day…not any
more.
film that everyone enjoys. When others discuss time travel in relation to Back to
the Future, the time parodox discussion often passes over Groundhog Day…not any
more.
A cult classic comedy/drama starring former Saturday Night Live Alumi, comedic icon
Bill Murray. In the film, Murray plays Phil Connor’s, a disgruntled weatherman sent
to Puxatony, PA to cover the Groundhog Day festivities. Unfortunately, Phil is
forced to relive the same day, getting stuck in a time loop…..but for exactly how
long?
Bill Murray. In the film, Murray plays Phil Connor’s, a disgruntled weatherman sent
to Puxatony, PA to cover the Groundhog Day festivities. Unfortunately, Phil is
forced to relive the same day, getting stuck in a time loop…..but for exactly how
long?
First, let’s get to know the term Time Loop – Used mostly as a plot device in
Science Fiction (Doctor Who and Tru Calling used Time Loops), creating a
reoccurence/restart in time, after a few hours or maybe a day (as used in Groundhog
Day) with most losing memory of what happened. In Groundhog Day, everyone
surrounding Phil Connor’s had no retention of the previous day’s events. This
allowed him to basically have free reign….learning skills, re-watching events and
even cheating death.
reoccurence/restart in time, after a few hours or maybe a day (as used in Groundhog
Day) with most losing memory of what happened. In Groundhog Day, everyone
surrounding Phil Connor’s had no retention of the previous day’s events. This
allowed him to basically have free reign….learning skills, re-watching events and
even cheating death.
BING!!!
Director Harold Ramis, on the Dvd commentary, estimated the time loop as “about 10
years”, then after an article on Wolf Gnards added to the discussion, Ramis came
back with a follow up statement of 8 Years, 8 Months and 16 Days. I should also add,
the number 10,000 years has been thrown around by Ramis also, but that seems too
farfetched. Can I accept that amount? Is it possible Phil Connor’s could learn to
play the piano, become a master ice sculptor and become fluent in French in just
over 8 years?……….Let’s look.
years”, then after an article on Wolf Gnards added to the discussion, Ramis came
back with a follow up statement of 8 Years, 8 Months and 16 Days. I should also add,
the number 10,000 years has been thrown around by Ramis also, but that seems too
farfetched. Can I accept that amount? Is it possible Phil Connor’s could learn to
play the piano, become a master ice sculptor and become fluent in French in just
over 8 years?……….Let’s look.
Rules I am using for calculation – Once a skill is learned, in order to maintain
that skill, Phil would have to work approx 1 hour per day to maintain said skill.
While he wakes up everyday, everything is restarted, his past day experience is NOT.
He would still recollect everything from the prior day (not like 50 First Dates). If
Phil makes a passing comment about something, I will take his comment into account.
There will be plenty of days where I think his focus was geared to one particular
accomplishment.
that skill, Phil would have to work approx 1 hour per day to maintain said skill.
While he wakes up everyday, everything is restarted, his past day experience is NOT.
He would still recollect everything from the prior day (not like 50 First Dates). If
Phil makes a passing comment about something, I will take his comment into account.
There will be plenty of days where I think his focus was geared to one particular
accomplishment.
In the film itself, there are 36-38 days depicted, depending if some of the same
events occured on the same day. A slap could have occured the same day as a Ned
Ryerson interaction happened. It’s not like he restart as soon as his day went
array, he was forced to live the day, with each day starting at 6am. +38 days
events occured on the same day. A slap could have occured the same day as a Ned
Ryerson interaction happened. It’s not like he restart as soon as his day went
array, he was forced to live the day, with each day starting at 6am. +38 days
Let’s look at his events:
Suicide – Phil attempted suicide at least 7 times, as he was quoted “I have been
stabbed, shot, poisoned, frozen, hung, electrocuted, and burned.” So who know’s how
much more creative Phil was during his darkest days. I’m going to round up to 10
days of Suicide. +10 days
stabbed, shot, poisoned, frozen, hung, electrocuted, and burned.” So who know’s how
much more creative Phil was during his darkest days. I’m going to round up to 10
days of Suicide. +10 days
Piano Playing Expert – It shows Phil going for Piano lessons, paying for time, but
the exact amount of time was never determined. Let’s say Phil had 0 piano
experience, which seems logical. After doing some research, piano playing is based
on Grades (Levels). The rough guess is to play Beethoven from scratch would be
roughly 7-10 years. Let’s figure Phil played 4-5 hours per day to learn (it would be
based around how much money the instructor required to put in a full day of
lessons), so I feel comfortable with roughly guessing with Phil became a master
player in 5 years. Now, this assumption is that Phil learned more than just one
song, he strived to achieve. – +5 years
the exact amount of time was never determined. Let’s say Phil had 0 piano
experience, which seems logical. After doing some research, piano playing is based
on Grades (Levels). The rough guess is to play Beethoven from scratch would be
roughly 7-10 years. Let’s figure Phil played 4-5 hours per day to learn (it would be
based around how much money the instructor required to put in a full day of
lessons), so I feel comfortable with roughly guessing with Phil became a master
player in 5 years. Now, this assumption is that Phil learned more than just one
song, he strived to achieve. – +5 years
Throwing Playing Cards Expert – Phil makes a passing comment to Rita, that to become
an expert at throwing playing cards into a hat would take – “Six months. Four to
five hours a day, and you’d be an expert.” So, I’m assuming that this was the
highlight of Phils day, not worrying about much else. I might even say this occured
during the “Connor Dark Days” of self loathing and depression. – +6 months
an expert at throwing playing cards into a hat would take – “Six months. Four to
five hours a day, and you’d be an expert.” So, I’m assuming that this was the
highlight of Phils day, not worrying about much else. I might even say this occured
during the “Connor Dark Days” of self loathing and depression. – +6 months
Ice Sculpting – This one is tricky. To become an expert in anything is tough, to Ice
Sculpt is even harder. The guess would be 10,000 hours, based on experts recolection
of time spent to master the art. So, let’s say Phil was able to deal with the cold,
and he spent 3 hours per day learning his new found art, and he went to learn
everyday, in a row, with no skipping, it would account for 3,333 days in a row. So,
let’s call a safe number at 9 years, 6 months to round off the days. -
+9 years & 6 months
Sculpt is even harder. The guess would be 10,000 hours, based on experts recolection
of time spent to master the art. So, let’s say Phil was able to deal with the cold,
and he spent 3 hours per day learning his new found art, and he went to learn
everyday, in a row, with no skipping, it would account for 3,333 days in a row. So,
let’s call a safe number at 9 years, 6 months to round off the days. -
+9 years & 6 months
Speaking Fluent French – Connor’s also in the film has learned fluent French. As
seen, he recites a French poem flawlessly and Ramis has also said that Connor’s
learned the language. I took 2 years of Spanish for 2o minutes a day, 5 days a week,
for 2 years and couldn’t say shit in Spanish…so let’e look at how long Phil would
need to become fluent. Ok, thanks to google…I found out the following :
seen, he recites a French poem flawlessly and Ramis has also said that Connor’s
learned the language. I took 2 years of Spanish for 2o minutes a day, 5 days a week,
for 2 years and couldn’t say shit in Spanish…so let’e look at how long Phil would
need to become fluent. Ok, thanks to google…I found out the following :
The time it takes to become fluent depends on several things, the most important of
which is whether you are living in a francophone country. If you live someplace like
France or Québec for a year, you will most likely be fluent towards the end of that.
If you’re not living in a francophone country, it can take 5 to 10 years, or more.
The other factors are
which is whether you are living in a francophone country. If you live someplace like
France or Québec for a year, you will most likely be fluent towards the end of that.
If you’re not living in a francophone country, it can take 5 to 10 years, or more.
The other factors are
1.Your age – the younger you are when you start, the better
2.Your aptitude for language – some people are just better at language than others
3.The effort you put into learning – if you practice every day you’ll learn and
remember a lot more than someone who goes to class once a week but never practices
outside of class I’m also going to assume..haha…that Puxatony is NOT Francophone country..so we
remember a lot more than someone who goes to class once a week but never practices
outside of class I’m also going to assume..haha…that Puxatony is NOT Francophone country..so we
will go with the latter. I am sticking with approx 8 years. Again, I’m basing this
on Phil only dedicating a few hours per day, possibly working on other skills or
finding a new way to impress Rita. +8 years
on Phil only dedicating a few hours per day, possibly working on other skills or
finding a new way to impress Rita. +8 years
Now, there will be many additional days that could go unaccounted, how many days
does he care for the Homeless man? He does refer to him as Dad, so was a bond made
over time? I will say yes, we see at least 3 instances of them spending seperate
occasions together. I would say Phil spent at least 14 days working with the old
man, bonding and trying to change the eventual outcome of death, which was
unavoidable.
does he care for the Homeless man? He does refer to him as Dad, so was a bond made
over time? I will say yes, we see at least 3 instances of them spending seperate
occasions together. I would say Phil spent at least 14 days working with the old
man, bonding and trying to change the eventual outcome of death, which was
unavoidable.
+14 days
The Movie Theater quote – Phil is seen dressed up, in what I think is a Spagetti
Western outfit with a French Maid, where he see’s Nancy, at the Alpine Theater to
see Heidi 2 where he says “I’ve seen this 100′s of times”. Hundreds of times? Ok,
so, Phil probably spent 200 days, my guess, at the movies. It would be something I
would look into, if I were stuck.
Western outfit with a French Maid, where he see’s Nancy, at the Alpine Theater to
see Heidi 2 where he says “I’ve seen this 100′s of times”. Hundreds of times? Ok,
so, Phil probably spent 200 days, my guess, at the movies. It would be something I
would look into, if I were stuck.
+200 days
The Armored Car Robbery – Phil, who has every observation down, during this segment,
has obviously spent many, many hours planning this heist. From the dog barking, the
car passing, the roll of quarters to Felix dropping the coins…it’s all there. How
many days would it take to observe this? I even asked my Wife, just to get an
outsiders opinion. She says “At least 30 days”, this is picking one event in your
day, learning the next 3 minutes of occurances where many factors fall into play. I
will go one step further and add an additonal 15 days, bring the total to 45 days to
pull off a flawless bank robbery. + 45 days
has obviously spent many, many hours planning this heist. From the dog barking, the
car passing, the roll of quarters to Felix dropping the coins…it’s all there. How
many days would it take to observe this? I even asked my Wife, just to get an
outsiders opinion. She says “At least 30 days”, this is picking one event in your
day, learning the next 3 minutes of occurances where many factors fall into play. I
will go one step further and add an additonal 15 days, bring the total to 45 days to
pull off a flawless bank robbery. + 45 days
Lost time – Obviously, we have lost time that go unaccounted for, times where Phil
was depressed and never left his bed, I’m sure Phil spent countless hours building a
database of Rita’s like’s and dislikes. We also learn that Phil learn’s the Heimlich
maneuver, he learned the medicine including to be a Chiropractor. Connor’s also
built a repertoire with everyone in town, that no doubt, resulted in countless hours
of research plus saving the falling child from the tree, “I save you everyday and
never get a thank you”. Granted, this is just an overview of the time spent in the
time loop…with many variables. I feel this was an additonal 3 years.
was depressed and never left his bed, I’m sure Phil spent countless hours building a
database of Rita’s like’s and dislikes. We also learn that Phil learn’s the Heimlich
maneuver, he learned the medicine including to be a Chiropractor. Connor’s also
built a repertoire with everyone in town, that no doubt, resulted in countless hours
of research plus saving the falling child from the tree, “I save you everyday and
never get a thank you”. Granted, this is just an overview of the time spent in the
time loop…with many variables. I feel this was an additonal 3 years.
+ 3 Years
My Final Estimation – 26 years & 308 days
Thats – 9,798 days
Or – 235,152 hours
Thats – 9,798 days
Or – 235,152 hours
This is just a simple, non mathmatical method for a geek to enjoy Groundhog Day a
little more. Hopefully, you enjoy this day and remember “I sure as heckfire remember
you”…I love Ned Ryerson!
little more. Hopefully, you enjoy this day and remember “I sure as heckfire remember
you”…I love Ned Ryerson!
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