# In what movie does the main character look up into the sky and see a shooting star? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 28, 2008, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556 "2008-06-28T08:11:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/21 "2008-06-28T22:26:58Z")
[QUOTE=Rilchiam] Imitation of Life. [/QUOTE] Which version? I’ve seen the first one a couple times, and the second one probably 10 times, and I can’t picture that scene. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/22 "2008-06-28T22:31:50Z")
I just finished watching _Live Free or Die Hard_, which definitely has a shooting star in it. Bruce Willis certainly a gun in his hand half the time. ---
**Author:** ![Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2008, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/23 "2008-06-28T22:49:37Z")
A shooting star in a night time scene has become a movie cliche. Its not so much a signature of any particular director, but more an artifact of the ned to have “action” on screen. Most scenes involving the night sky are big and panoramic, with the characters occupying a minor part of the scene, plus its dark. The director looks at it, and realises he has the visual equivelent of “dead air” and so intructs the SFX dept to insert a shooting star, so that there is some action on the screen plus it adds atmosphere, plus it makes the scene seem more romantic… (if that differs from atmosphere… just my take on it… perhaps its time for another “Movie chlich`e” thread… Regards FML ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2008, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/24 "2008-06-28T23:21:29Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] Which version? I’ve seen the first one a couple times, and the second one probably 10 times, and I can’t picture that scene. [/QUOTE] The '50s version. I think the star itself is not shown, but Sandra Dee coos, “Oh, a shooting staaaaar!” and she and another character stare up to the sky for a whole minute, as if shooting stars aren’t blink-and-you-miss-it. Also, I think the shooting star in **Titanic** was in a deleted scene. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/25 "2008-06-28T23:35:44Z")
I think there was an episode of The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh with this in it. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2008, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/26 "2008-06-29T00:40:24Z")
[QUOTE=yojimbo] Indiana Jones? [/QUOTE] I know there was one in Temple of Doom, but I don’t think that there was one in any other Indiana Jones movie. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2008, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/27 "2008-06-29T01:32:17Z")
[QUOTE=want2know] Isn’t there one during Gonzo’s song in _The Muppet Movie_ ? [/QUOTE] Yup. Right after, actually, just when Kermit finishes arguing with himself in the desert. I seem to recall one in _Muppet Treasure Island_, too, but I can’t remember exactly where. ---
**Author:** ![chicken\_wire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@chicken\_wire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chicken_wire)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2008, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/28 "2008-06-29T02:37:34Z")
[Phenomenon](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117333/)? John Travolta sees weird lights in the sky and develops super intelligence (or Scientology, or something). 😛 ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/29 "2008-06-29T16:08:52Z")
[QUOTE=adam yax] I know there was one in Temple of Doom, but I don’t think that there was one in any other Indiana Jones movie. [/QUOTE] “Fortune and Glory, kid. Fortune and Glory.” ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2008, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/30 "2008-06-29T17:13:26Z")
Two mentions of _The Muppet Movie_, but nobody remembers the _The Muppet Show_ episode where Guy Smiley sees one? **Guy** (singing): _Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, never let it fade away._ [He catches a falling star and puts it in his pocket.] _Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, save it for a rainy day._ [Smoke starts coming from his pocket.] _For love may come and tap you on the shoulder----_ [Scooter comes and taps Guy’s shoulder.] **Scooter** :Hey Guy! Your pants are on fire! [Guy runs screaming from the stage.] ETA: Night of the Shooting Stars. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2008, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/31 "2008-06-30T14:55:42Z")
[QUOTE=middleman] “Fortune and Glory, kid. Fortune and Glory.” [/QUOTE] It is the thing that first pops out of my mouth whenever I see a shooting star. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2008, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/32 "2008-06-30T14:58:26Z")
_Gettysburg_. ---
**Author:** ![PharmBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/74df32/32.png) [@PharmBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PharmBoy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2008, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/33 "2008-06-30T22:22:16Z")
“October Sky”? (It’s actually Sputnik, not a meteor…) ---
**Author:** ![lunar\_elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lunar\_elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lunar_elf)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2008, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/34 "2008-07-01T01:34:13Z")
Lilo n Stitch? (except the falling star is not really a star) ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/35 "2008-07-01T01:59:02Z")
_Creepshow_ Ewwwww… Meteor shit! ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/36 "2008-07-01T02:01:05Z")
_Moonwalker_, starring Micheal Jackson? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2008, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/37 "2008-07-01T02:02:29Z")
IIRC, both _IQ_ (Tim Robbins, Meg Ryan, and Walter Matthau as Albert Einstein) and _Roxanne_ (Steve Martin as Cyrano) have scenes in which the main characters watch “comets” visibly move across the sky (which real comets usually don’t), kind of like slow shooting stars. ---
**Author:** ![Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enter_the_Flagon)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2008, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/38 "2008-07-01T03:55:36Z")
In “About Schmidt”, Jack Nicholson’s character asks his dead wife for a sign, IIRC, and looks up to see a shooting star. I’ll bet everybody in the theatre saw that one coming. At the end of “Roxanne”, I seem to remember a shooting star appearing as the credits roll, but none of the characters see it, as they’re all off-camera. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2008, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556/39 "2008-07-01T12:11:37Z")
I just watched Spiderman 3 last night, there is a scene there where Peter and MJ are watching shooting stars. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-movie-does-the-main-character-look-up-into-the-sky-and-see-a-shooting-star/454556.md?page=1)