The magic of movies extends beyond the silver screen. The filmmaking process is often just as captivating, with fans eager to learn about set construction, prop creation, and costume design. Some delve into the intricate sound effects, like the iconic lightsaber hum (a blend of old film projectors and TV feedback), while others hunt for elusive props such as the many ‘One Rings’ from The Lord of The Rings (many of which were taken from the set as souvenirs!).
If you want to impress your friends with some little-known movie trivia, keep reading.
10. The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Blew Up A Bridge Twice
In Sergio Leone’s 1966 Western, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Clint Eastwood and Eli Wallach need to cross a bridge to reach a cemetery where gold is buried.
They decide to blow it up. Leone was famous for his multilingual productions. The bridge was built by Spanish army engineers, ready to detonate it. However, the Italian cameraman’s call for “Action” was misunderstood by the Spanish captain, who blew up the bridge before the cameras rolled. The engineers rebuilt it, allowing Eastwood and Wallach to reach the cemetery.[1]
9. Alan Rickman Really Fell In Die Hard
Alan Rickman played a great villain in Die Hard. In his final scene as Hans Gruber, he dangles from a window of the Nakatomi building. Rickman was held by a rope 12 meters (40 ft) above a crash pad with a camera focused on his face. Director John McTiernan wanted to capture Rickman’s emotions as Gruber fell.
To get a genuine reaction, McTiernan told Rickman they would count down before the release. However, he instructed the stunt coordinator to release the rope early. The look of shock on Rickman’s face was real.[2]
8. The Matrix Code Is Made Of Sushi
The Matrix is famous for bullet time, fight scenes, costumes, and its complex plot. The Matrix code, which could be a source code or a recipe for sushi, was created by production designer Simon Whiteley.
Whiteley used his wife’s Japanese cookbooks for convincing-looking, organic, and Japanese code. The recipe remains a secret, but it is out there if you’re hungry enough.[3]
7. The Usual Suspects Were Gone With The Wind
In The Usual Suspects, Bryan Singer wanted the lineup scene to be serious. However, Benicio del Toro farted, causing Kevin Spacey, Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, and Kevin Pollak to struggle to keep straight faces.
Gabriel Byrne hid his giggles behind his hand. When del Toro farted again, the actors could barely contain themselves. Singer liked it, feeling it showed camaraderie and disrespect for the police. The scene became iconic and was used in the poster and trailer.[4]
6. Judy Garland Ingested Dangerous Substances In The Wizard Of Oz
In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy and Toto were drugged by poppies. The fake snow used to wake her up was made from industrial-grade white asbestos fibers, sold under names like White Magic and Snow Drift.[5]
Asbestos fake snow was commonly used for Christmas decorations until World War II, when it was needed for military use.
5. Michael Myers’s Halloween Mask Is Truly Horrifying
For the scary mask in Halloween, the filmmakers bought a William Shatner mask of Captain Kirk from Star Trek.
They widened the eyeholes, removed the sideburns, and spray-painted it white, creating one of cinema’s most iconic horror masks.[6]
4. William Friedkin Was A Demon On The Set Of The Exorcist
William Friedkin, director of The Exorcist, used extreme methods to influence his actors. He fired real guns behind them to startle them and slapped Father William O’Malley (a real priest) to get a sincere reaction. The effect is visible when O’Malley gives the dying Father Karras the last rites.
To create Regan’s cold room, the stage was chilled below freezing, freezing the crew’s perspiration. Linda Blair, who played Regan, wore only a nightgown and still hates being cold. Ellen Burstyn suffered a permanent spinal injury when a rope harness violently threw her backward.[7]
3. Velociraptors Are Sexy Beasts
The sound effects in Jurassic Park used mating animals. Gallimimus herds were voiced by female horses in heat, and the T. rex was a mix of a dog and an elephant.
Velociraptors communicated using the sounds of mating tortoises. Male tortoises are loud lovers, providing ample material for sound engineers. Additional sounds came from hissing geese.[8]
2. Stanley Kubrick Is Eye-Wateringly Difficult To Please
Stanley Kubrick was known as an uncompromising director. During the making of A Clockwork Orange, Malcolm McDowell, who played Alex, endured the “Ludovico technique,” where his eyes were pinned open to watch films.
Kubrick promised it would take only 10 minutes, but filming took much longer, resulting in a scratched cornea and temporary blindness for McDowell.[9]
1. Vitamins Are Not Always Good Things
In The Wolf of Wall Street, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill snorted crushed vitamin D instead of cocaine.
The continuous snorting affected their lungs, and Jonah Hill was eventually hospitalized for severe bronchitis.[10]
Lightsabers, fart jokes, and vitamin overdoses—the world of filmmaking is full of surprises! These behind-the-scenes secrets add another layer of appreciation to our favorite movies.
Did any of these facts surprise you? Which one was your favorite? Leave your comment below!
