Movie trivia to blow your mind
It has been scientifically proven that it is impossible for Lord of the Rings fans to watch the scene where Aragorn kicks the orc helmet without declaring to anyone within shouting distance that Viggo Mortensen actually broke his toe. Film fans just looooooove their fun facts and their behind-the-scenes trivia! So, here’s some more that are guaranteed to blow your mind.
Psycho had the first on screen toilet flush
A lot of things come to mind when thinking about the thriller classic Psycho: the shocking narrative twist, the shadow of the knife, the gnawing suspicion that maybe Hitchcock would actually have people murdered if he could get away with it. Here’s what you don’t think about: flushing toilets. You should, though. As he was going for realism, the director insisted on the main character flushing the toilet to get rid of a piece of paper, marking the first time that was shown in cinema. Ever.
Christopher Nolan planted an entire cornfield for Interstellar
Christopher Nolan is well known for going the extra mile – even when he really doesn’t have to. In Interstellar the protagonist tries to live off his farm of corn, the only thing he can grow. Nolan had to show cornfields, and he could have taken the sensible route and opted for CGI. But instead, he planted an entire cornfield, and when shooting was done, he actually sold the corn.
Steven Spielberg is thanked more than God
Analysing over 1,300 acceptance speeches at the Oscars, researchers discovered that filmmaker Steven Spielberg is by far the most thanked person at the Oscars. More than God or family. Spielberg was thanked a total of 42 times, while the Almighty only received 19 nods. That would be an impressive fact, it is understandable why Spielberg doesn’t draw attention to it – number 2 on that list is non other than movie producer Harvey Weinstein.
Legolas only says five words to Frodo
The entire Lord of the Rings trilogy is over nine hours long, and both Frodo and Legolas are among the main cast. But, Legolas only talks to Frodo directly once and says a total of five words. During the Council of Elrond, when Frodo reluctantly volunteers to take the Ring to Mordor, others pledge their allegiance. Legolas does so by saying: “And you have my bow.” That’s it.
Anthony Hopkins won an Oscar for 16 minutes of screen time
Silence of the Lambs is another all-time classic, featuring the psychotic cannibal Dr Lecter guiding the protagonist through the maze of another serial killer’s mind. Hopkins rightfully won an Oscar for that performance, which has since become iconic. But Hopkins is on screen for a mere 16 minutes. His performance was so commanding that his presence lingered even when he wasn’t there.
Meanwhile, poor DiCaprio had to be mauled by a bear and stand in freezing temperatures for three hours in The Revenant.
The tarantula in Home Alone was real
Imagine Daniel Stern’s surprise when he was told that the “tarantula on your face” prank in Home Alone was going to be filmed with a real tarantula! The actor, playing one of the burglars, was reassured that everything would be fine and that he should “not make any sudden moves.” To which he quite understandably pointed out that the script required him to scream.
“Don’t worry, the spider has no ears,” the trainer told him in a completely non-reassuring way.
An extra in The Exorcist is probably a serial killer
Paul Bateson, a real-life radiologist who played an extra in the horror classic might actually be the most terrifying thing in a movie full of them. Four years after the film was released, Bateson stabbed and killed a reporter he met at a gay bar and was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment.
While in jail awaiting trial, Bateson was rumoured to have boasted that he murdered and dismembered six more gay men. He was never charged with those murders, nor was the real killer ever identified, leading many to believe that Bateson was the actual murderer.