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Jinni, also called genie, is a magic spirit believed to take human form and serve the person who calls it. The plural form of the word is jinn, and the feminine form is jinniyah. Synonyms include djinn and jinun. Jinn are beings of flame or air who are capable of assuming human or animal form and are said to dwell in all conceivable inanimate objects — stones, trees, ruins — underneath the earth, in the air, and in fire. They possess the bodily needs of human beings and can even be killed, but they are free from all physical restraints. Jinn delight in punishing humans for any harm done them, intentionally or unintentionally, and are said to be responsible for many diseases and all kinds of accidents; however, those human beings knowing the proper magical procedure can exploit the jinn to their advantage. Belief in jinn was common in early Arabia, where they were thought to inspire poets and soothsayers. Even Muhammad originally feared that his revelations might be the work of jinn. Their existence was further acknowledged in official Islam, which indicated that they, like human beings, would have to face eventual salvation or damnation. Jinn, especially through their association with magic, have always been favorite figures in North African, Egyptian, Syrian, Persian, and Turkish folklore and are the center of an immense popular literature, appearing notably in The Thousand and One Nights. In India and Indonesia they have entered local Muslim imaginations by way of the Qur'anic descriptions and Arabic literature.
Nasal Aplasia occurs when the structure of the nose fails to develop correctly in the embryo. The result is an absence of one side of the nose (heminasal aplasia) or the entire nose. With the absence of the external structures of the nasal region of the face, the internal air passages are often missing as well. Although isolated cases exist, this condition often occurs in association with other facial anomalies.
The storage unit was filled with real antique furniture. Scully is originally scripted to tell Mulder that the pieces are expensive Biedermeyers. But Gillian Anderson accidentally pointed to a Victorian piece, so the line was changed. Gilligan eventually cut those lines out of the show for time.
Jay Gilmore is the son of Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore. Writer Vince Gilligan had once promised an aide to the Governor that he would use the name. "I expect a big kickback now," Vince said.
The character name Anson Stokes is taken from former "Happy Days" star Anson Williams. Gilligan gave Anson's brother the name Leslie because he thought it would be a funny name for such a big guy.
Gilligan set the show in Missouri because he thought the series had done too many episodes in California. Although he has been known to set many of his episodes in his home state of Virginia, Gilligan picked a state midway between the two. He also thought the topography of Missouri was a close match to Southern California.
Mulder makes reference to Henry Flanken's death on April 4th, the birthday of Gilligan's girlfriend, Holly Rice.
Special Effects Foreman Bob Calvert rigged the specially-built trailer to blow up using numerous mortars and sand shot guns. Although the constructed trailer was next to two of the production's own trailers, the scene was shot in a real trailer park, surrounded by residents. Gilligan named his fictional trailer park the Mark Twain Trailer Court after the Show-Me state's famous son, Samuel Clemens. The scene was shot with eight cameras, most of which filmed in slow-motion photography.
On the third day of shooting, director Gilligan received a frantic call from Unit Production Manager Harry Bring that actor Kevin Weisman had an allergic reaction to the yellow makeup used to substitute lycopodium powder. Gilligan rearranged the schedule for the actor to recover, and did manage to shoot Weisman with the appropriate yellowness.
Gilligan had originally scripted that the genie's eyes would have double pupils — an idea he got from an exhibit at the Ripley's Believe It-Or Not Museum he visited as a child. However, it took so long to find the right actress to play Jenn that the production ran out of time to find specially-painted contact lenses for the actress. Gilligan also felt that such a freakish image would not fit in this lighthearted episode. So they instead opted for a small, blue gemstone attached to the actress' cheek that would be noticeable. Although actress Paula Sorge has blue eyes, she wore a blue contact lens, making her eyes more brilliant to match the stone.
Although her character is supposedly of French origin, actress Paula Sorge does not speak any French. She had to re-do her French lines in post-production for a more authentic accent.
Visual Effects Producer Bill Millar inserted the Jenn character into actual moving footage of Benito Mussolini and Richard Nixon, using the same technology seen in the film "Forrest Gump." Millar matched the lenses, lighting and grainy feel of the archived films. There was also a third film clip of Jenn next to a man getting hit in the stomach with a cannonball, but it was edited out of the show for time. Gilligan used that image of Jenn and the cannonball guy on t-shirts he gave to the crew as gifts.
Gilligan was "very touched" when the First Unit gave him the film slate with his name on it. The slate had been signed by the crew.
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