The definitive modern classic Pretty Woman hits the shops on Blu-ray disc on 9th February. It's the role that launched the career of Julia Roberts and cemented Richard Gere one of Hollywood's hottest talents.
The modern day Cinderella story went on be one of the most popular rom coms and Roberts/Gere became one of cinema's best partnerships, coming together again in 1999 in Runaway Bride, but here are ten facts about the film that you might not have know.
Did you know?
Al Pacino turned down the role of Edward Lewis before it was offered to Richard Gere.
Edward (Richard Gere) snapping the necklace case down on Vivian's (Julia Roberts) fingers was improvised on the spot by Gere, and Roberts' laugh afterwards was a totally natural reaction. The filmmakers liked it so much they decided to leave it in the movie.
The necklace itself, given to Vivian as they head off to the opera, cost $250,000 and had to be guarded by security guards who stood behind director Garry Marshall during filming.
The producers didn't want Julia Roberts, originally preferring Meg Ryan for the role of Vivian.
Richard Gere takes Julia Roberts to the opera La Traviata, which rather ironically describes a prostitute who falls in love with a wealthy man.
Richard Gere was actually playing the piano immediately before the love scene which takes place on top of it. The piece he was playing was one of his own compositions.
During the lovemaking scene Julia Roberts got so nervous a visible vein popped out of her forehead. Director Garry Marshall had to get into bed with Julia and Richard Gere, where both had to massage her forehead until the vein disappeared.
The sports car Edward borrows at the beginning of the movie is a Lotus Esprit. Ferrari and Porsche turned down the advertising opportunity because they did not want to be associated with soliciting prostitutes. However Lotus had the last laugh, as following the films release its Esprit sales tripled over the next year.
The original title of the movie was "$3000", referring to the amount of money Vivian and Edward negotiate for her "week's pay".
Julia Roberts's head was superimposed on Shelley Michelle's body for the poster and Richard Gere's hair is brown on the poster, but graying in the movie.
Pretty Woman on Blu-ray features a behind the scenes featurette, the Pretty Woman tour live in Los Angeles and a hilarious blooper reel of things which did not go quite to plan while filming.
Catch every detail in crystal clear high definition from 9th February 2009.
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