Hidden Messages In Famous Movies We Missed On The Big Screen
To make a great movie, a director has to approach the project with a vision that encompasses everything that makes their story great. But just as importantly, they need an eye for detail.
Not only does a keen eye cut down on the mistakes that are always going to plague a movie, but it also ensures that the finer details feel appropriate to the movie and immersive. But sometimes, a director will secretly show something to viewers who share their eagle eyes.
A subtle shared universe In A Clockwork Orange
Although A Clockwork Orange has more than its share of shocking scenes, one fascinating and subtle detail emerges during one of its more peaceful moments. But, of course, who expected any less from an infamous perfectionist like Stanley Kubrick?
When villain protagonist Alex DeLarge wanders into a record store to flirt with the two young women at right, a vinyl copy of the soundtrack to 2001: A Space Odyssey can be seen between them. So, that movie apparently exists in the universe of A Clockwork Orange.
Some telling blink-and-you'll-miss-it flashes in Fight Club
In Fight Club, the narrator's world changes when he meets Tyler Durden, but nothing about this mysterious yet charismatic man is what it seems. And while first-time viewers are unlikely to notice these details, the movie subliminally suggests the story they're hearing isn't being told reliably.
That's because before the narrator ever learns of Durden's existence, the man flashes on screen at various points. Although his appearance behind the doctor is clear in this picture, it's still easy to miss because it only lasts one frame.
A galaxy-shattering discovery in Raiders Of The Lost Ark
In Raiders Of The Lost Ark, Indiana Jones discovers the fabled Ark of the Covenant in an ancient Egyptian temple. However, it seems that this discovery of a legendary artifact was so overwhelming that it made the archaeologist miss an even more mind-blowing detail.
After all, the hieroglyphs in the background show that R2-D2 and C3PO apparently crossed through Egypt in ancient times. It's obviously a clever Easter egg for George Lucas's other famous work, but it seems to imply that while Star Wars indeed took place a long time ago, its galaxy wasn't so far away after all.
A signal of heroic sacrifice in The Princess And The Frog
Although it's understood to viewers that Tiana's father passed away before the events of The Princess And The Frog, only the history buffs among them would know precisely what happened to him.
Judging by the fact that the film is set in the 1920s and that the Distinguished Service Cross shown here was first awarded during World War I, it's clear that Tiana's father lost his life in a moment of extreme bravery. According to Brigham Young University, this is historically accurate because at least 21 Black U.S. soldiers earned that exact medal in 1918.
A roundabout double reference in the 2017 It remake
In each version of Stephen King's It, the main group of friends known as "The Losers" are accosted by a group of bullies led by Henry Bowers. One of them is named Belch Huggins, and in the first chapter of the film series from 2017, his simple wardrobe is surprisingly layered.
He can be seen wearing a T-shirt that references the metal band Anthrax's third studio album, Among The Living. But while this seems like a credible fashion choice for a bully in the late '80s, the real reason for this shirt's inclusion is that the album's title track is a tribute to Stephen King's book The Stand.
A darkly granted wish in The Shining
Even for Stanley Kubrick's detail-oriented nature, The Shining is a movie filled with subtle and, in some cases, otherworldly details that have inspired obsessive analysis from fans. While the patterns on the floor and the reference written on Danny's sweater are cryptic, one detail is much more darkly revealing.
Soon before Jack Torrance begins his rampage, he has a drink in the Overlook Hotel's Gold Room after lamenting that he'd sell his soul to break his hard-won sobriety. Indeed, his wish was apparently granted, as the exact moment of his relapse is 66 minutes and six seconds into the film.
A fright that viewers weren't sure they saw in The Exorcist
Although viewers are introduced to the terrifying demon Pazuzu throughout The Exorcist, some of them may have been more aware of this fact than others. While the demon primarily speaks through its possession of 12-year-old Regan MacNeil, its face does appear in the film.
However, it's easy to miss these appearances, and part of the reason for that is the fact that they occur while Fathers Merrin and Karras are in the midst of an intense and disturbing exorcism. However, the biggest factor is that the haunting visage shown here only flashes on screen for a frame at a time whenever it appears.
Some symbolic paintings that tell the story of Skyfall
When James Bond meets Q in an art gallery in Skyfall, the two men talk while seated in front of J.M.W Turner's The Fighting Temeraire. According to the National Gallery, this depicts the final voyage of the titular ship that made its legend at the Battle of Trafalgar before it was decommissioned and broken down. In the eyes of Bond's fellow agents, he faces a similar fate.
However, one of the final scenes after Bond's climatic stand shows him speaking to M in his office, which features Thomas Butterworth's HMS Victory. Since Temeraire is shown in top form in that painting, it's a clever hint that Bond has regained the respect and confidence of MI6. In the process, he proved that it was not yet time for him to retire.
Some subtle foreshadowing in Barbie's production design
Throughout Barbie's opening scene, the main Barbie is driving her car through Barbie Land and waving to her fellow dolls. As she does, she passes by a movie theater that happens to be playing The Wizard Of Oz, judging by the images of Dorothy Gale and the Tin Man.
While this may not seem important at first, Barbie soon discovered that her life would unfold in a more similar fashion to Dorothy's than she realized. After all, she was about to take her own magical journey into a new and unfamiliar world. Ironically, it's the one Dorothy was trying to go back to.
A sign of Club Silencio's grim nature in Mulholland Drive
Without spoiling too much about David Lynch's captivating Mulholland Drive, the movie gets both darker and more confusing after the women standing here watch a performance at Club Silencio. But long-time fans of Lynch can get that impression before they even sit down.
That's because when the women go to take their seats, they pass by the actresses who played Laura Palmer and Ronnette Pulaski in Twin Peaks. Since the beloved TV series begins with Palmer's supernatural murder (as witnessed by Pulaski), it's clear that wherever Club Silencio is, it's not a safe place.
Some surprisingly meaningful groceries in The Departed
When the viewer is first introduced to Colin Sullivan in The Departed, Frank Costello sweetens an offer to work for his criminal organization by buying him groceries and comic books. Among those groceries are two half-gallons of milk in red cartons. Eventually, Sullivan faces his comeuppance for a lifetime of secretly helping Costello's crew as a corrupt cop.
When that happens, something happens that makes him drop his grocery bag. Among those groceries? Two half-gallons of milk in red cartons. And so, the consequences of knowing Costello were subtly expressed by a feature of their first meeting.
A seat belt foreshadowed the disaster in Jurassic Park
After Dr. Ian Malcolm hears that the genetic engineering of dinosaurs in Jurassic Park was biologically contained by only working with female dinosaurs, he ultimately replies that "life finds a way." In other words, the dinosaurs could find a way to multiply even with this restriction.
But while the events of the movie vindicate his concerns, Dr. Alan Grant accidentally proves him right before either of them arrives on the island. That's because he discovers his seat belt only has female connectors, which he ties together to make them function.
A chilling final message in Cloverfield's end credits
Although the monster from Cloverfield cleaves a path of destruction through New York City in the 2008 film, survivors from the film's central group of friends face a perilous situation while hiding under the Central Park Bridge. But while the price is clearly high for them and the audience, the movie appears to suggest that the danger the monster brought with it is nonetheless over.
However, those who stayed in the theater and waited for the credits to finish rolling when the film was released saw reason to suspect this wasn't the only Cloverfield movie on the horizon. That's because right at the end, these patient viewers heard a garbled audio file. When this file is played backward, someone says, "It's still alive."
A secret coded message in the King Kong remake
Soon before the film crew and their hired transporters on the SS Venture reach Skull Island in Peter Jackson's 2005 version of King Kong, Captain Englehorn receives a message in Morse Code. Judging by his reaction, the message supposedly told him that director Carl Denham is wanted by the police.
However, viewers who actually knew Morse Code quickly discovered that despite Englehorn's reaction, that wasn't what the message actually said. Instead, it translates to "show me the monkey," which apparently suggests that Jackson anticipated the audience getting restless during the scenes before Kong appears.
A familiar name on a fake ID in Thor
Since Thor is a Norse god, he's not exactly prepared for life on Earth when his arrogance leads his father to cast him out of Asgard in the 2011 movie. However, he is fortunate enough to run into a friendly research team who try to help him blend in as best they can.
And one of the ways they accomplish this is by making a fake ID that names him as "Dr. Donald Blake." For those who haven't read Marvel's older Thor comics, Don Blake was a physician who could imbue himself with the powers of Thor by striking his cane on the ground.
A mysterious name of sentimental value in Aliens
In Aliens, not much is known about Private Frost other than his past romantic encounter with an apparently male Arcturian. But when his armor is examined, the viewer can see that he's included a heartfelt tribute to a lover named Heath.
Although Heath's identity is left up to the audience's interpretation, the real-life reason why the name was chosen was explained by actor Ricco Ross on the I Was There Too podcast. As he told it, he was dating a woman named Heather at the time, and her name was shortened to fit on his armor.
The secret of Bane's scars in The Dark Knight Rises
When Bane emerges as Batman's fearsome antagonist in The Dark Knight Returns, both his presence and his hidden ally among Gotham City's elite take the Caped Crusader by surprise. However, it seems that even the world's greatest detective isn't immune to missing an important detail.
That's because the scars visible here on the side of his head form the insignia of The League Of Shadows, the group that once trained Bruce Wayne in the Batman Begins canon. And since his mentor in that group was Ra's Al Ghul, the clue to Bane's mysterious benefactor was there all along.
Some trees reveal another lie in The Truman Show
Although Truman had noticed enough clues that his world in The Truman Show wasn't what it seemed, some clues that he was living his life on an elaborate film set were more subtle than others. And they kept appearing even after he started trying to escape.
When he confronts this actor in a HAZMAT suit in this forest, the framing of the shot shows that the trees in the background grow in perfect lines. This indicates that the whole forest was meticulously planted rather than naturally occurring.
A sinister but subtle tonal sign in The Witch
When Thomasin's mother asks her to check on their farm's animals about a half-hour into the historically authentic horror movie The Witch, some goats can be heard bleating. However, the tones of their bleating correspond to the musical notes E Flat and B, which are tritone apart.
That may not mean anything to many viewers, but it's an incredibly subtle sign of the spirit called Black Phillip's sinister presence. According to CMuse, a superstition that gained significant ground throughout Medieval Europe held that tritones were the musical interval of the Devil.
Some "hidden Mickeys" in various Disney movies?
Somewhere along the line in Disney's history, animators started hiding small outlines of Mickey's head in places they didn't expect viewers to look. One of these "hidden Mickeys" can be found in this sauce in Ratatouille.
Another exists among the gibberish parts of Ursula's contract in The Little Mermaid. But these are only a couple of the many examples hidden throughout Disney's canon. They tend to show up on maps but can even be hidden in a Dalmatian's spots or in Dumbo's bath suds.
Something is missing in Interstellar
Shortly before Cooper begins his mission in Interstellar, the audience learns that Earth is on the cusp of becoming completely uninhabitable and that humanity's only hope for survival is finding another planet that can sustain life. But there's an ever-present sign of this crisis that's surprisingly easy to miss.
Although Cooper's farm grows corn, there isn't any livestock. Nor is anyone shown eating meat or even swatting flies or mosquitos at the baseball game. These absences all serve to make a powerful point about the setting: There is absolutely no wildlife left.
Some interesting lineage in Despicable Me
Although Gru doesn't take an exhaustive look through his family tree in the scene where he examines a graphic outlining his history, sharp-eyed viewers notice some interesting pairings included there. And while the human pairings seem to have quite the stories behind them, they're not all.
For instance, Jane and Helmut here seemed to collaborate on an experiment instead of procreating the traditional way, which resulted in a delinquent version of Frankenstein's monster. In another section, it also shows that one of Gru's ancestors was a werewolf.
A rude but oddly cryptic message at the end of Coraline
Those who stayed around for the end credits after seeing Coraline in theaters may have been a little confused to see the screen call them a "jerk wad" in all capital letters. In fairness, it did warn that only those in the know would understand what was going on. So what was going on?
According to SlashFilm, the movie's official website told fans to look for a code phrase. So, once they entered "jerk wad" into the site, they entered a raffle for a chance to win Nike Dunks that had Coraline and The Cat's faces on them.
A clever in-joke that respects its source material in 2010
Although it's somewhat lesser-known now, there was a sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey that came in 1984 and was based on the sequel to the original book. This film was called 2010: The Year We Make Contact. And as this magazine suggests, the vision of the future from the '80s suggested the Cold War would still be going on by 2010.
However, the American and Russian leaders that represent the possibility of nuclear war between the two nations may have looked oddly familiar to some viewers. That's because the likeness of 2001's author, Arthur C. Clarke, was used for the U.S. president, while Stanley Kubrick's likeness was used for the Russian leader.
An adorable change in domestic policy in E.T.
The first time Elliott brings E.T. into his room in E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, he has a thin metal sign on his bedroom door encouraging guests to enter. However, eagle-eyed viewers noted that when this door is seen later, there's a subtle difference.
Apparently understanding the gravity of the secret he's hiding from the world, Elliott added a small scrap of paper above the sign that changed the meaning to "do not enter." It's not the most airtight security measure, and it's a little hard to see, but it's an attempt.
A song that foreshadows Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
While appearing on a program called Hullabaloo, Rick Dalton sings a popular song from 1954 called "The Green Door" during a sequence in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. But while this sequence appears to show which stage of Dalton's career would see him make such an appearance, there's another meaning to it that foreshadows the climax.
That's because David Berg, the leader of a cult who rebranded from The Children of God to The Family, described the song as referring to a portal to Hell in a now-archived letter. The song's inclusion and the actual green door to Dalton's home imply that he'll have a run-in with a cult before the movie is over.
A surprisingly real album in The Many Saints Of Newark
Throughout the maligned Sopranos prequel film The Many Saints Of Newark, protagonist Dickie Moltisanti visits his uncle Sally in prison to discuss the mob life he's leading. During one of these visits, Dickie gives Sally a vinyl record that only prominently displays the name Joe.
This album not only exists in real life but comes from an unlikely source. It's called Little Joe Sure Can Sing! and it is none other than the debut album of Joe Pesci, which the actor cut at the age of 25 before his film career began. Considering both Pesci's acting resume and real-life experiences around "wiseguys," it's a clever reference.
A subtle sign of the changing political climate in Taxi Driver
During Travis Bickle's date with Betsy in Taxi Driver, they walk through the streets of New York while a man plays a drum on a street corner. Behind that man is a sign calling for the election of a politician named Goodwin.
However, the viewer can see that this sign has been passed over by one supporting another candidate named Palantine. Not only is this hinting that Palantine will be crucially important to the film's climax, but it shows how quickly his popularity is ramping up in New York City before Bickle sets any of his plans into motion.
A surprisingly telling name in That Thing You Do
That Thing You Do follows a band called The Wonders as they deal with seemingly overnight success, but those who didn't notice the implications of the bass player's name essentially prove the movie's point in naming him. As shown here, the movie refers to him as "T.B. Player."
But as the credits roll, this character is simply listed as "The Bass Player," meaning that "T.B" stands for "the bass," and the filmmakers decided not to give him an actual name. Why? Well, one thing that immediately becomes clear for many touring bands is that everybody forgets the bass player.
A wholesome homage in Better Off Dead
The '80s John Cusack vehicle Better Off Dead is primarily set at a ski lodge, and throughout his time there, Curtis Armstrong's character, Charles De Mar, is wearing a distinct top hat. But it's not just a wacky endowment.
According to HuffPost, that top hat is a tribute to George Harrison's outfit while he traversed similar ski slopes in the 1965 Beatles movie Help! Aside from fandom reasons, it's an appropriate reference because Harrison's character in that movie was as troublemaking as Armstrong's characters tended to be.
An appropriately wacky message in Hot Shots!
In the spirit of many parody movies that were popular at the time, the Top Gun spoof Hot Shots! is packed with as many gags as anyone could conceivably fit into its runtime. And for those who are patient enough to stick around after it's over, that includes the end credits.
In keeping with the movie's spirit of absurdity, someone added a brownie recipe to the end credits. And while some comedians would have added strange ingredients to a random gag like this, it's almost funnier to see that apropos of nothing, the film treated audiences to a normal (and seemingly delicious) recipe.
Some impressively accurate predictions in Children Of Men
Children Of Men takes place in the year 2027, and right from the beginning, it's clear that writer/director Alfonso Cuarón has a bleak vision of the near future. But there are some small aspects of that vision that are accurate to a pretty creditable degree. One example is London's Shard building present in this street scene's background.
According to the building's website, it wasn't completed until 2012. That was six years after it was digitally added to the background of this shot. This police officer's hat also says "CR" for "Charles Rex," which was based on the correct assumption that King Charles would be coronated by 2027.
Some signs of the thugs' hidden depths in Tangled
In Tangled, Rapunzel comes across a gang called the Pub Thugs, who are led by a man named Hook Hand. Although they make a rough first impression, Rapunzel learns that both Hook Hand and his cohorts had much more wholesome ambitions for their lives.
But to the observant viewer, this is clear before the thugs explain themselves. That's because Hook Hand's dreams of being a concert pianist are indicated by the tuning forks on his belt, while another thug hints at his florist ambitions with his garden shears.
A hidden clue to the future in Up
Right after Carl's house first lifts off in Up, viewers can see his unique balloon setup float past a little girl's window as she plays with a toy airplane. However, the most fascinating part of this shot wouldn't even mean anything at the time.
That's because the significance of the pink teddy bear in the bottom left corner of her room wouldn't become apparent until the following year. For those who don't remember, that's Lotso the Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear from Toy Story 3.
A tile in Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull
When the sanctum of the seated extraterrestrials in Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull is revealed, the viewer can see that each otherworldly being is sitting on a golden chair covered in markings that look like hieroglyphs.
And indeed, the decorative flourishes do seem to serve that purpose because sharp-eyed fans recognized a familiar face on one of them. In the marked area, an image of E.T. can be seen extending its finger in his signature fashion.
A meaningful name in Hot Fuzz
Throughout Hot Fuzz, Nicholas Angel picks up on an impressive number of clues that the seemingly kind figures who run Sandford have been concealing a far more sinister plot all along. However, there was one clue to a major surprise that was staring him in the face all along.
One of the villagers he meets is Reverend Philip Shooter, pictured here. Another way to stylize his name is P. Shooter, which is an accurate description of the small pistols he pulls out during the climatic showdown.
An appropriate background feature in John Wick: Chapter 4
In John Wick: Chapter 4, Wick makes his last stand in the wake of a contract put on him by the High Table as a consequence of the events of the second and third movies. Naturally, this fourth installment sees him hunted by the assassination organization he once belonged to.
And during one scene, a painting in the background implicitly compares his situation with that of John the Baptist. That's because it's a painting called The Feast of Herod by the Italian School of Artists. Much like John Wick: Chapter 4, this painting depicts the aftermath of Herod ordering John's execution.
A gesture in Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
The audience is first introduced to the squid-like Davy Jones and his Flying Dutchman in Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, as well as to the fact that his ship is submersible.
And while that's certainly appropriate for a character named Davy Jones, there's a subtly clever habit of his that shows he's been its captain for a long time. When his ship is preparing to submerge, two of his facial tentacles can be seen holding his hat in place.
A hidden book in Don't Look Up
Throughout the disaster satire Don't Look Up, President Janie Orlean quickly reveals herself to be an apathetic, opportunistic, and self-absorbed leader when she is first warned about the Earth-shattering comet. And that characterization adds some darkly comedic context to a book sitting on Dr. Randall Mindy's desk.
Although it's slightly covered, the viewer can see that it's called How To Manage Your Money Even When You Have None and that it was supposedly written by President Orlean. Not only can the viewer safely assume she used a ghostwriter after meeting her, but she makes it easy to doubt the book's helpfulness in general.
An accurate tactical move in Heat
It's a beloved movie in general, but Michael Mann's Heat is particularly praised for featuring one of the most realistic shootouts in film history. And while people often cite how authentically loud the guns are, that's not the only accurate decision captured in the scene.
After spending his magazine, Chris Shiherlis crouches behind this car and taps a fresh magazine against the bumper before he loads it. This is something real soldiers do to ensure their rounds chamber properly and shows just how professional the movie's bank robbers are.
