31 Movie Facts That Will Blow Your Mind

Movies have always been an integral part of our lives, entertaining and fascinating us with their stories, characters, and special effects. However, there are also some lesser-known movie trivia that are just as intriguing and surprising. In this article, we have compiled 25 movie facts that will blow your mind.

James Cameron Drew That Charcoal of Naked Kate Winslet

In the movie Titanic, there is a scene where Kate Winslet’s character, Rose, poses for a nude portrait. The sketch shown in the movie was actually drawn by the director, James Cameron. He wanted the drawing to be authentic, so he personally sketched it using charcoal.

Psycho Is the First U.S. Film to Feature a Toilet Flushing

Psycho is a classic horror movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock. In the movie, there is a scene where Marion Crane, played by Janet Leigh, flushes a toilet. This was the first time a toilet flushing was shown in a U.S. film, and it caused quite a controversy at the time.

Toy Story 2 Was Almost Deleted

During the production of Toy Story 2, someone accidentally entered a command that began deleting the entire movie. It was a disaster, as it took years to create the animation. Luckily, one of the animators had a backup copy at home, and the movie was saved.

Harrison Ford Was Almost Not Indiana Jones

Harrison Ford is synonymous with the character of Indiana Jones, but he almost didn’t play the role. The studio initially wanted Tom Selleck for the part, but he had to turn it down due to his commitments to the TV series Magnum, P.I.

The Lion King Was Inspired by Shakespeare

The story of The Lion King was inspired by William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. Both stories feature a prince who must confront his uncle after his father’s death.

The Sound of the T. rex in Jurassic Park Is a Combination of Different Animal Noises

The iconic roar of the T. rex in Jurassic Park was not created by a dinosaur, but rather a combination of animal noises. The sound was created by mixing recordings of a baby elephant, a tiger, and an alligator.

The Matrix Was Filmed in Sydney

Despite being set in a dystopian future, the majority of The Matrix was actually filmed in Sydney, Australia. The city’s unique architecture and technology infrastructure made it the perfect location for the movie.

The Silence of the Lambs Was the First Horror Movie to Win Best Picture

The Silence of the Lambs made history when it became the first horror movie to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. The film also won four other Oscars, including Best Actor for Anthony Hopkins.

The Terminator Was Inspired by a Nightmare

James Cameron was inspired to write The Terminator after having a nightmare about a robot coming out of a fire. The image stuck with him, and he eventually turned it into one of the most iconic sci-fi movies of all time.

The Matrix Code is Just a Bunch of Sushi Recipes

In the famous “Matrix code” that runs down the screen in the movie The Matrix, the characters are actually just a bunch of sushi recipes that the movie’s production designer found in a cookbook.

The Sound of the Velociraptors in Jurassic Park is Tortoises Mating

The eerie sound of the velociraptors in the movie Jurassic Park is actually the sound of tortoises mating. The sound designer for the movie thought that the recording sounded perfect for the dinosaur noises.

The Actors in Saving Private Ryan Went Through a Military Boot Camp

To prepare for their roles in the movie Saving Private Ryan, the actors went through a rigorous military boot camp that was designed to make them feel like real soldiers. The director, Steven Spielberg, wanted them to understand the physical and mental demands of being a soldier.

The Original Ending of Pretty Woman Was Much Darker

The original ending of the movie Pretty Woman had a much darker tone than the final version. In the original ending, Vivian (played by Julia Roberts) is left on the side of the road by Edward (played by Richard Gere), and she is not able to move on with her life.

The Line “Here’s Johnny!” in The Shining Was Improvised

The famous line “Here’s Johnny!” in the movie The Shining was actually improvised by the actor, Jack Nicholson. He was inspired by Johnny Carson’s catchphrase on The Tonight Show.

The Cars in Cars Are Named After Actual Race Cars and Personalities

In the animated movie Cars, the names of the cars are actually based on real race cars and personalities. For example, Lightning McQueen is named after Glenn McQueen, a Pixar animator who passed away during the production of the movie.

The Voice of Yoda in Star Wars Was Inspired by a Reversed Sentence Structure

The voice of Yoda in the Star Wars movies was intentionally created with a reversed sentence structure to make him sound more unique and mysterious. For example, instead of saying “Luke, I am your father,” he says “Your father, I am.”

The T-1000 in Terminator 2 Was Inspired by a Dream

The idea for the T-1000 in the movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day came to the director, James Cameron, in a dream. He saw a metallic figure rising from a pool of liquid metal, and he knew he had to include it in the movie.

The Movie 127 Hours Was Based on a True Story

The movie 127 Hours, starring James Franco, is based on the true story of Aron Ralston, a hiker who became trapped in a Utah canyon and had to amputate his own arm to escape.

The Typewriter Used in The Shining Sold for $22,500

The typewriter used by Jack Nicholson’s character in the movie The Shining was sold at an auction for $22,500. It was a rare model made by the German company Adler.

The Special Effects in Inception Were Created Without CGI

Many of the special effects in the movie Inception were created without the use of computer-generated imagery (CGI). For example, the famous hallway fight scene was shot using a rotating set that was built to look like a hallway.

The Snow in The Empire Strikes Back Was Made from Salt

The snow used in the movie The Empire Strikes Back was actually made from salt. The production team used a mixture of salt and baking soda to create the snow, which was then blown onto the set.

The Original Title of The Breakfast Club Was Detention

The original title of the movie The Breakfast Club was Detention, but the title was changed after the script was finished.

Tom Cruise Did His Own Stunts in Mission: Impossible – Fallout

Tom Cruise is known for doing his own stunts, and Mission: Impossible – Fallout was no exception. In the movie, he performed a HALO jump (high altitude, low opening) from a plane at 25,000 feet, without the use of a stunt double.

The Joker’s Makeup in The Dark Knight Was Inspired by a Real Painting

The Joker’s iconic makeup in The Dark Knight was inspired by a painting called The Scream by Edvard Munch. Makeup artist John Caglione Jr. wanted to create a look that was unsettling and disturbing, and The Scream provided the perfect inspiration.

Jurassic Park Used Cutting-Edge Technology for Its Special Effects

When Jurassic Park was released in 1993, it was praised for its groundbreaking special effects. The movie used a combination of practical animatronics and CGI, which was a relatively new technology at the time.

The Sixth Sense Has a Hidden Clue in Its Color Scheme

The color red is used throughout The Sixth Sense to indicate moments of death and danger. Director M. Night Shyamalan purposely used this color scheme to hint at the movie’s big twist ending.

E.T. Was Originally Going to Be a Horror Movie

Steven Spielberg originally conceived E.T. as a horror movie about a family being terrorized by an alien. However, he eventually decided to make it a more family-friendly story about a boy and his alien friend.

The Soundtrack for Jaws Was Made with Only Two Notes

The famous theme music for Jaws was composed by John Williams using only two notes: E and F. The simplicity of the music made it even more effective in creating tension and suspense.

Charlie Chaplin Once Entered a Charlie Chaplin Look-Alike Contest and Came in Third Place

Charlie Chaplin once entered a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest, but he didn’t win. He came in third place, behind two other contestants who had copied his trademark look.

The Snow in Wizard of Oz Is Asbestos

In the classic movie Wizard of Oz, the snow used in the scene where Dorothy and her friends travel to the Emerald City was made of asbestos. At the time, it was a common material used in fake snow. However, we now know that asbestos is a hazardous substance that can cause serious health problems.

Gene Hackman Was Originally Going to Play Hannibal Lecter

The iconic character Hannibal Lecter, played by Anthony Hopkins, is one of the most memorable villains in movie history. However, he almost had a very different actor in the role. Gene Hackman was originally offered the part, but he turned it down.

Conclusion

Movies are full of surprises and hidden gems that can make us appreciate them even more. The movie facts mentioned above are just a few examples of the many interesting and mind-blowing trivia that exist in the world of cinema.