Which Scenes in Movies Were Filmed Backwards?

Movies have always been a great source of entertainment and information, and while watching them, we might not realize the hard work that goes into making a perfect movie. One of the interesting movie facts is that some scenes in movies are filmed backward. Filming scenes backward requires a lot of planning, practice, and patience. In this article, we will discuss some of the famous movie scenes that were filmed backward.

Table of Contents

The Famous Inception Scene

Inception is a science-fiction movie directed by Christopher Nolan that follows the story of a professional thief who steals information by entering the subconscious of his targets. In one of the famous scenes of the movie, the character Arthur (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is fighting with enemies in a hotel corridor that is spinning.

The amazing fact is that this scene was filmed backward! The corridor was constructed on a giant gimbal that rotated around, and the fight scenes were choreographed and filmed in reverse. Later, the footage was played in reverse, which gave the illusion that the corridor was spinning.

The Climax of Memento

Memento is another movie directed by Christopher Nolan that follows the story of a man who suffers from short-term memory loss and is on a mission to find his wife’s killer. The climax of the movie was filmed backward, which created an unusual and confusing effect.

The scene was shot in reverse order, with the actors speaking their lines backward. When played forward, the scene gave the illusion that the protagonist was moving backward through time.

The Demonic Possession Scene in The Exorcist

The Exorcist is a horror movie that follows the story of a young girl who becomes possessed by a demonic entity, and her mother seeks help from two priests to save her daughter. In one of the scenes, the possessed girl is lying on the bed, and her head turns 180 degrees.

This scene was filmed backward, and the actress was lying on the bed with her head turned to the side. Later, the footage was played in reverse, which gave the illusion that her head was turning 180 degrees.

The Twist Contest Scene in Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction is a crime movie directed by Quentin Tarantino that follows the story of several characters whose lives intersect in unexpected ways. In one of the famous scenes of the movie, Mia Wallace (played by Uma Thurman) and Vincent Vega (played by John Travolta) participate in a twist contest at a restaurant.

The interesting fact is that this scene was filmed backward. The actors were instructed to dance and move backward, and the footage was later played in reverse. This gave the illusion that they were dancing forward, but with a unique and surreal twist.

The Jump Scene in Superman

Superman is a superhero movie that follows the story of an alien who comes to Earth and uses his powers to protect the world. In one of the scenes, Superman jumps over a building, and the camera follows him.

The scene was filmed backward, with the actor jumping onto an airbag that was later removed in post-production. When the footage was played in reverse, it gave the illusion that Superman was jumping over the building.

Conclusion

Filming scenes backward is not an easy task, and it requires a lot of planning and coordination. However, it can create some amazing effects that add to the movie’s overall impact. The scenes mentioned above are just a few examples of the many movie facts that make the film industry so fascinating and intriguing.

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Adam Regan

Deputy Editor

Features and account management. 3 years media experience. Previously covered features for online and print editions.

Email Adam@MarkMeets.com