# Moments that ruin suspension of disbelief \*spoilers!\* **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 28, 2011, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902 "2011-02-28T11:29:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/41 "2011-02-28T21:23:55Z")
**The Green Mile** : I can buy living forever. I can buy resurrecting dead mice. I can buy magical healing. I can buy all kinds of things… But in 1935 in North Carolina a huge posses of hysterical armed citizens looking for missing little girls find them raped, murdered, and covered in blood in the arms of a gigantic black man then take that man into custody and put him on trial, vs. lynching him on the spot? Sorry, no can do. ---
**Author:** ![dmatsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@dmatsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dmatsch)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/42 "2011-02-28T21:49:23Z")
Imporoper military salutes on shows or movies involving military characters. Chances are, someone from the hundreds of crew members were in the military and would speak up… \ What the living sam hill do you think you’re doing, private – hunting Indians? \ ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/43 "2011-02-28T22:42:14Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I had a friend that used to work in a convenience store and he said that was pretty true to life as the clerk would get to know the regular’s preferred brand pretty quick. So “a pack of cigarettes” was all that was needed. Most friends I know who’ve worked convenience stores say the opposite, and they always complain about Clerks for that. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve heard Kevin Smith himself complain about it – he’s said they knew it sounded unreaslistic, but was a “had to do it” kinda thing. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/44 "2011-02-28T23:07:47Z")
Geography errors are guaranteed to take me right out. Ben driving the wrong way across the Bay Bridge in **The Graduate** , Spock and Kirk needing a ride back to San Francisco when they’re clearly walking down Marina blvd, the chase scene in **Bullitt** comically jumping all over the place, every single moment of **Monk** … ---
**Author:** ![3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/47e85d/32.png) [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_20_59_or_bust)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/45 "2011-02-28T23:44:02Z")
> [@Paintcharge](#): > > Any movie where the gentleman lead leaves his watch on during sex. This seems to be showing up with more frequency lately. I can state with good authority that some people leave their watches on during sex. I mean, if the watch is getting in your way, you’re doing it wrong! ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/46 "2011-02-28T23:49:40Z")
> [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](#): > > I can state with good authority that some people leave their watches on during sex. I mean, if the watch is getting in your way, you’re doing it wrong! Watchbands can easily scratch, rub, catch… depends on the watch you’re wearing. But I have to say I can’t recall many men I’ve seen naked that still had a watch on, and when I picture a man’s “pile o’ stuff” on the dresser, it’s wallet, pocket changes, keys…and watch. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/47 "2011-02-28T23:54:15Z")
Creature was full of these moments. As a monster movie fan, I’m extremely willing to accept a human shark hybrid. I can’t accept Th navy shuts down a base and leaves behind all kinds of classified equipment and research. There’s an obvious entrance to the secret base that the navy never knew existed. A ‘the navy is perfect. My career is everything. I am an evil cardboard carricature of a man’ finds and destroys navy funded research that could cure cancer. Instead of ‘taking credit for this discovery will make me rich and famous!’, he says ‘this research never existed’ and destroys it. ---
**Author:** ![3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/47e85d/32.png) [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_20_59_or_bust)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/48 "2011-03-01T00:42:08Z")
> [@Pandoranoid](#): > > As someone who has seen the inside of a few mental wards (make whatever jokes you like), ‘Girl, Interrupted’ was downright unwatchable for me. Except for the burn-victim character, all the major patient roles are Hollywood hotties: Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Brittany Murphy. In a real mental ward, everyone is either too fat (from medication side effects and little to no exercise opportunity/inclination) or too skinny (medication side effects and too depressed to eat), and there are no more amazing cheekbones and perfect teeth than you’ll find in the general population. Less, if anything. (Beautiful people tend to be happier and more successful, according to studies like this one[http://www.jyi.org/volumes/volume6/issue6/features/feng.html](http://www.jyi.org/volumes/volume6/issue6/features/feng.html). > > ETA: actually, I should say studies like the ones mentioned in this article. Towards the bottom is the info to which I am referring; the so-called ‘halo-effect’. I’m guessing [SuckerPunch](http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/sucker-punch/feature-trailer) won’t do it for you either. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/49 "2011-03-01T01:00:27Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > This except in _Saving Private Ryan_ and during Matt Damon’s “brother’s” speech Perhaps those perfect pearly whites were dentures? 😃 _[Midway](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midway_%28movie%29)_, an otherwise quite enjoyable WWII movie, always manages to wrench away my WSoD with its reuse of footage originally shot for _[Tora! Tora! Tora!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tora!_Tora!_Tora!)_. ☹ (Quite a lot of its battle footage was taken from other movies too, but I’m less familiar with them so it’s less of a distraction). ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/50 "2011-03-01T01:02:18Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Geography errors are guaranteed to take me right out. > > Ben driving the wrong way across the Bay Bridge in **The Graduate** , Spock and Kirk needing a ride back to San Francisco when they’re clearly walking down Marina blvd, the chase scene in **Bullitt** comically jumping all over the place, every single moment of **Monk** … In ST IV, the tank from the Monterrey Bay Aquarium moves to SF and gets a whale. Yeah, that was a bit offputting. In IQ, Walter Matthau as Einstein gets a 1955 motorcycle ride in the 1990s Palmer Square. This when they spent a fortune renting a gas station in Hopewell and dressing it as a period one. I can give them jumping around areas. There is an indie movie called Dumbarton Bridge, shot not far from where I live, and it was very offputting trying to follow where some of the characters were driving. But only natives would notice, so it is okay with me. ---
**Author:** ![JCorre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3da27b/32.png) [@JCorre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JCorre)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/51 "2011-03-01T01:06:52Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Geography errors are guaranteed to take me right out. > > Ben driving the wrong way across the Bay Bridge in **The Graduate** , Spock and Kirk needing a ride back to San Francisco when they’re clearly walking down Marina blvd, the chase scene in **Bullitt** comically jumping all over the place, every single moment of **Monk** … Back when they made “The Graduate” the upper deck of the bay bridge served both directions of traffic. The bottom deck was for railways. At least that’s what my Dad told me. Ah found the wiki: > **[San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_%E2%80%93_Oakland_Bay_Bridge#Roadway_plan)** > > The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, commonly referred to as the Bay Bridge, is a complex of bridges spanning San Francisco Bay in California. As part of Interstate 80 and the direct road between San Francisco and Oakland, it carries about 260,000 vehicles a day on its two decks. It includes one of the longest bridge spans in the United States. > The toll bridge was conceived as early as the California gold rush days, with "Emperor" Joshua Norton famously advocating for it around 1855-60, but ... Funny though, the change to go to the current configuration happened in 1963 and The Graduate was released in 1967 so maybe Dad misremembered… ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/52 "2011-03-01T05:57:12Z")
Sometimes I notice something I call the “forgotten short-term motivation” flaw - there’s probably a TV Trope about this, but I wouldn’t know what it is. For example, I’m slowly making my way through _The Sopranos_ and Junior is fighting cancer. Earlier in the episode (and series) it is established that Junior is under house arrest with surveillance, and it is dangerous for Tony to come by. So, Tony comes by. Uncle Junior is making a shake but forgets to put the lid on, spraying himself (which is when Tony walks in). Junior and Tony then start talking about Dr. Kennedy (Junior’s favorite doctor) and that Kennedy recommends for Junior to have surgery again. Tony insists on a second opinion and leaves the house. Huh? Why did Tony come to Junior’s in the first place? It was obviously to talk about something so important that (a) it couldn’t be discussed over the phone and (b) was worth trying to evade FBI agents. The actual conversation they had didn’t warrant the risk and the entire point of the scene is to get Tony involved in Juniors treatment options… but talking cancer treatment options wasn’t the purpose of Tony going to the house in the first place. Anyway, this is not an uncommon failing in shows and movies… ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/53 "2011-03-01T06:15:19Z")
Any moment when a character assumes a monster or villain is dead and casually turns their back or stupidly approaches the corpse and prods it with the tip of a weapon. Instances of this are too numerous to list. One that comes to mind is the Zuli fetish story in Trilogy Of Terror. Having trapped a killer wooden statuette in the oven, the heroine hears it stop yelling and trying to get out. Instead of setting the oven to clean (or to the highest temperature if it ain’t a self cleaning oven), she stupidly opens the oven door to check on the monster. This has been played with in Buffy The Vampire Slayer (she turns her back on a dusted Dracula, then immediately re stakes him) and is one of the reasons that Army Of Darkness is great- the monster appears dead. Ash says “it’s a trick. Get an axe.” ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/54 "2011-03-01T06:17:05Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > I can give them jumping around areas. There is an indie movie called Dumbarton Bridge, shot not far from where I live, and it was very offputting trying to follow where some of the characters were driving. But only natives would notice, so it is okay with me. I see your point, but it jarred me out of [Elizabethtown](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368709/). Orlando Bloom’s trip into that city. The film showed him travelling north on 65 from Louisville International Airport (E-town is south), taking 64 east and arriving at his destination. Completely the wrong direction he needed to travel. I suppose he could have been lost, but there’s nothing to support that in the film. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/55 "2011-03-01T06:34:35Z")
Rocky apparently has some geography mistakes. I was discussing it with a fellow Philadelphian who pointed out that the film shows an elevated train in a section of south Philly with no elevated. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/56 "2011-03-01T07:18:32Z")
> [@Queen](#): > > I have a rough time whenever they use improper military uniforms. Like a young person cast as a current Iraq/Afghanistan soldier wearing Vietnam ribbons, or marine (actor) wearing army ribbons/unit patches/etc. Grrrrr, Or women wearing ponytails down the back or with their hair merely pulled back behind their ears. Sorry, women don’t have to cut their hair like the men do, but when in uniform it has to be put up in such a way that it won’t be long enough to touch the collar of the uniform. Also, sorry but the “high heels” that are normal military issue do NOT look anything like the ones that Demi Moore wore in “A Few Good Men” (for example). In reality, they’re the optimal birth control method. blech! CSI shows using gas meters as if they’re supposed to be some sort of magical handheld ANYTHING analyzer (and all without them even being turned on. I suppose that their noise they make while running or detecting would mess with the sound system or something, but I find it irritating). ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/57 "2011-03-01T07:33:59Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > I see your point, but it jarred me out of [Elizabethtown](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368709/). Orlando Bloom’s trip into that city. The film showed him travelling north on 65 from Louisville International Airport (E-town is south), taking 64 east and arriving at his destination. Completely the wrong direction he needed to travel. > > I suppose he could have been lost, but there’s nothing to support that in the film. Also the fact that all the scenes in town were shot in Versailles. But that could be considered kind of nitpicky on my part since I grew up in E’town. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/58 "2011-03-01T07:44:41Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > But in 1935 in North Carolina a huge posses of hysterical armed citizens looking for missing little girls find them raped, murdered, and covered in blood in the arms of a gigantic black man then take that man into custody and put him on trial, vs. lynching him on the spot? It depends on a lot of things; the disposition of any lawmen present, the number of people in the mob, etc. When a white mob came to lynch a black prisoner under his protection Sheriff Pitcock of Crawford County, Arkansas said “Folks, you’re all my friends and neighbors, but this nigger is under my protection. I’ll kill the first man that takes a step forward, and I’ll kill everyone that follows if I have to pile the doorway full of you.” You can tell my Pitcock’s language that he isn’t necessarily enamored with African Americans but it wasn’t uncommon for lawmen to work against Judge Lynch. Particularly by the 1930s lynching was on the wane it was a subversion of state authority. For the most part, judges and law enforcement does not like seeing their powers usurped. When Lonnie Dixon was jailed for allegedly murdering and (possibly) raping eleven year old Floella McDonald in Little Rock the authorities went through great pains to protect him from white mobs that scoured much of central Arkansas looking for him. On the flip side law enforcement was sometimes incapable or complicit in the lynching of African Americans. Just a few short days after failing to lynch Lonnie Dixon a white mob formed and lynched African American John Carter for allegedly assaulting two white women just outside the city of Little Rock. One deputy sheriff attempted to take Carter to jail but the mob of nearly 200 men convinced him that this wouldn’t be good for his health. Sheriff Mike Haynie was only a few miles away from the site of the lynching. Strangely enough he was coordinating the hunt for Carter but he claimed that word didn’t reach him until after the lynching was over. (I have my doubts given that Haynie had messengers in all directions and referred to the occasion as being “orderly” up until the lynching was complete.) So, yeah, I could totally buy a black man making it to trial. Odesio Arkansas Democrat (Little Rock, AR). 15 April, 1927—6 May 1927. Haldeman-Julius, Marcet. “The Story of a Lynching—An Exploration of Southern Psychology.” Haldeman-Julius Monthly, Vol. VI. No. 3. Pg. 3-32, 97-103 ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/59 "2011-03-01T12:27:52Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Geography errors are guaranteed to take me right out. > > Ben driving the wrong way across the Bay Bridge in **The Graduate** , Spock and Kirk needing a ride back to San Francisco when they’re clearly walking down Marina blvd, the chase scene in **Bullitt** comically jumping all over the place, every single moment of **Monk** … This. There’s also the five-hundred-foot waterfall in Illinois in _The Fugitive_, and Harry and Sally driving past downtown Chicago, supposedly on their way east from the U of Chicago campus. And a million other examples. Of course, each viewer’s life experience will determine which scenes are perceived as wrong. Not just where you’ve lived, but also your particular interests and profession. Ornithologists tend to feel uncomfortable when, say, they hear a downy woodpecker in the background where the scene is supposed to be in, say, France; and, a typesetting designer in the documentary “Helvetica” mentioned how he and his colleagues hate it when there’s a movie scene containing a font inappropriate to the time period the movie is set in. ---
**Author:** ![Pandoranoid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce73a5/32.png) [@Pandoranoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pandoranoid)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902/60 "2011-03-01T14:08:12Z")
> [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](#): > > I’m guessing [SuckerPunch](http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/sucker-punch/feature-trailer) won’t do it for you either. Wow. looks sorta like ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ was crossed with a video game movie and cast with sorority girls. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-that-ruin-suspension-of-disbelief-spoilers/572902.md?page=4)