# Movie cliches you hope to never, ever see again **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 11, 2005, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819 "2005-06-11T00:41:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/41 "2005-06-11T23:46:36Z")
Squealing tires on dirt roads. From high above, a shot of a convoy of police cars, all with their sirens howling, on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Who are they warning to ‘get out of the way!’…and, oh yes, tires are squealing. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/42 "2005-06-11T23:48:29Z")
> [@Phase42](#): > > I’m probably being whooshed here, but I’ll explain it anyway. Whenever a character says, “I don’t know what you’re talking about”, usually in response to questioning from an adversary, what they actually mean is “I know exactly what you’re talking about, but damned if I’m going to tell you!”… I see. To me, that comment just reflects human behavior so well (certainly it has in my line of work) that it just seems to be a concrete part of life. Thanks for the clarification. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/43 "2005-06-11T23:59:37Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Here’s one that never made any sense and makes less sense every time they do it: The bad guys have the heroes in their grasp and, instead of simply killing them, or even putting them in some elaborate, escapable Rube Goldberg execution device, they make them fight to the death in an arena, where the heroes are sure to prevail. Last time I saw this was (I see no need for a spoiler box) _Star Wars: Attack of the Clones._ I mean, it was a space opera and all, but still! I remember saying out loud, "Oh, no, not an **arena!"** :rolleyes: Except they were bound and gagged and about to be fed to whatever those things were. If the Clone Army hadn’t intervened there’d be no Darth Vader, Luke, Leia or Emperor Palpatine. ---
**Author:** ![Bernard\_Marx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@Bernard\_Marx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bernard_Marx)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/44 "2005-06-12T00:28:48Z")
Movies where dozens of bad guys fire magazine after magazine at the hero without hitting him, while a few pistol shots from the hero does away with all the bad guys. Most recent offender : Mr and Mrs Smith Some of the bad guys beeing such bad shots as to miss completely, some being such _good_ shots as to hit only only the “centre of seen mass” and not the arms, legs or head of Brad/Angelina (where the body arnour wasn’t) ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/45 "2005-06-12T01:20:42Z")
This isn’t limited to just movies, but it really annoys me. The Hero is fighting the Bad Guy, and he’s going to die. But wait! Someone steps in and saves him, and the Good Guys have won. But then someone else steps in, and now the Bad Guys have won. But then… I really, really hate sudden, complete reversals of fortune. It’s jarring and speaks of poor writing. Also, I **hate** it when the Hero has the Bad Guy, decides not to kill him, and then the Bad Guy attacks one last time and manages to kill himself, usually by falling from the top of a building. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/46 "2005-06-12T01:24:44Z")
I really hate it how people at a bar or at a restaurant always order “a beer.” Last I heard, there were a great many different kinds of beers and people usually specify what kind they want, instead of just going “I’ll have a beer.” Same with “whiskey on the rocks” - WHAT KIND of whiskey on the rocks? ---
**Author:** ![chinbender](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@chinbender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chinbender)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/47 "2005-06-12T01:45:49Z")
Doves. GD doves. And the hero and villian at arms length, each with a pistol in their hand, each pointed at the other ones head. I refuse to ever watch another John Woo movie. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/48 "2005-06-12T02:02:51Z")
Ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Can I play? Where the hero and heroine are Running For Their Lives, she is always in a skirt and her shirt will always either be ripped peice by peice off or becoming sopping wet. I’d love to see other than Rocky Horror the hero running around in his boxers for a huge chunk of the flick. The obligatory feet getting out of the car seen. Those must be required in every movie. The obligatory Parking Spot in front of the building without any problems. and the pavement will be wet. if there is a kid in the movie, he will have a bowl haircut more than likely. This drives me batshit. (Young John Connor, Lucas, Ransom ( I think), Witness, Forrest Gump -…) If a heroine is running from the Bad Guy, she will trip and fall and be captured. ( Though, this trend is now fading into oblivion for the UberKungfuKickAss stuff. So, that’s ok. If there is an bleeding wound and a female around, she will tear her skirt to mend the boo-boo. Why don’t the men rip their shirts off for their pals, huh? Huh?!!! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/49 "2005-06-12T02:06:36Z")
When running from the Bad Guy (who’s driving a car), I’d like to the the Good Guy NOT run down the middle of the street (which shouldn’t be wet all the time) in the middle of the night. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/50 "2005-06-12T02:47:32Z")
> [@Argent Towers](#): > > I really hate it how people at a bar or at a restaurant always order “a beer.” Last I heard, there were a great many different kinds of beers and people usually specify what kind they want, instead of just going “I’ll have a beer.” > > Same with “whiskey on the rocks” - WHAT KIND of whiskey on the rocks? The reason why people generally just order “beer” or “whiskey” in the movies is because naming a specific brand would be free advertising for that particular beer or whiskey. Usually, a specific brand is named only when there’s been a product placement deal. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/51 "2005-06-12T03:08:14Z")
> [@chinbender](#): > > Doves. GD doves. And the hero and villian at arms length, each with a pistol in their hand, each pointed at the other ones head. > > I refuse to ever watch another John Woo movie. That’s not a cliché, that’s John Woo fanservice. And it’s so bizarre, I love it. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/52 "2005-06-12T03:39:58Z")
> [@](#): > > The reason why people generally just order “beer” or “whiskey” in the movies is because naming a specific brand would be free advertising for that particular beer or whiskey. Usually, a specific brand is named only when there’s been a product placement deal. Couldn’t they at least just make up a fake brand, like Tarantino always does, just so it doesn’t sound so damn fake? It really irritates me that they leave that out. If they’re going to constantly show alcohol in movies, they should at least make it realistic. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/53 "2005-06-12T04:17:52Z")
> [@bluethree](#): > > The strip-club scene. Oh, how I dread it. C’mon. The strip club scene is the one guaranteed good scene in most cop movies. If there’s nothing else going on of interest – and there probably won’t be – at least you’ll have hot women dancing around in little or no clothing. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Side_of_the_Floyd)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/54 "2005-06-12T04:31:03Z")
Heh, seeing **Evil Captor** ’s name in the thread reminded me of this pet peeve of mine. People who are bound and gagged improperly and in such a way that they could escape easily. You’d think a seasoned criminal would know how to do that well. Similarly, gags that are on the person, and yet don’t serve the purpose they are should–that is-- keeping the captive quiet. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/55 "2005-06-12T06:03:01Z")
> [@chinbender](#): > > Doves. GD doves. And the hero and villian at arms length, each with a pistol in their hand, each pointed at the other ones head. > > I refuse to ever watch another John Woo movie. "Stop point that gun at my dad! _BANGBANGBANGBANGBANG_ Okay, that wasn’t quite the same thing. The matrix did this though, and they both ran out of ammo at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/56 "2005-06-12T06:32:49Z")
A minor character (usually the hero’s sidekick) announces his impending engagement/marridge/birth of first child. You can be pretty sure said sidekick will be killed within 15-20 minutes by the villan of the film. _In The Line Of Fire_ has a particularly blantent example of this. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/57 "2005-06-12T07:43:29Z")
The bad guy finds out that the good guy is coming after him and doesn’t bother sending a sniper to take out the good guy, but instead announces that he’s going to set a trap for the good guy. Bad guy and good guy decide to go mano a mano in a fight, and everyone else just stands around and watches. The family pet in terrible danger, who at the last second, somehow manages to defy the very laws of phyisics and leap to safety. ID4, is _really_ bad about this. I kept hoping that the dog would splatter to the floor all nicely bbq’d in the tunnel scene, but it never happened. The whole, “I think this is a set up” scene. Come on! You’re dealing with a bad guy, you think that he’s going to let you waltz in and do whatever you want? The hero agrees to trade whatever it is he has that the villian wants, if the villian will release the hero’s squeeze. I mean, you’re dealing with some nutjob hell bent on world domination and the only thing holding him back is the disk or whatever you’ve got and you’re going to let him have it, simply so you can get your squeeze back? Is the sex really worth six billion people’s lives? Villians bent on world domination. You know, it made sense during the Cold War era, but now it just seems stupid. “There’s still good in him.” Yeah, if that’s true, then why’d you **die** , bitch? (Sorry, I’m a bit bitter about all that.) Oh yeah, in the middle of some terribly risky situation, somebody freaks out about everything, putting everybody’s life in danger and no one has the idea to just _kill the panicky bastard_. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/58 "2005-06-12T11:38:55Z")
> [@Argent Towers](#): > > Couldn’t they at least just make up a fake brand, like Tarantino always does, just so it doesn’t sound so damn fake? It really irritates me that they leave that out. If they’re going to constantly show alcohol in movies, they should at least make it realistic. I agree with you about the beer, but the whiskey thing is real enough. Or at least if we compare it to vodka or rum, it is. I order vodka and tonic all the time. They just give me the house vodka. My friend orders rum and coke all the time. Now, if he wants, he can order bacardi and coke, but usually it is just rum and coke. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/59 "2005-06-12T14:44:20Z")
> [@DarkSideoftheFloyd](#): > > Heh, seeing **Evil Captor** ’s name in the thread reminded me of this pet peeve of mine. > > People who are bound and gagged improperly and in such a way that they could escape easily. You’d think a seasoned criminal would know how to do that well. > > Similarly, gags that are on the person, and yet don’t serve the purpose they are should–that is-- keeping the captive quiet. Along the same lines, how about the cliche that if your wrists are tied together in front of you, you are totally helpless. I don’t know how many scene I’ve seen (classic example, Kathy Ireland in “Gridlock”) where the heroine’s wrists are tied in front of her and she’s gagged, and she doesn’t simply reach up with her bound wrists to remove her gag. Which would allow her to free her wrists with her teeth, then free her ankles with her hands. But no, they just sit there. There’ve been a couple of movies that recognized this flaw: in “Murder in Mind” the villain duct tapes a woman to a chair with her wrists taped together in front. She frees herself from the chair while bound, then crawls to another room where the hero and villain are wrestling, then picks up gun that’s been knocked loose in the fight, and, still gagged and bound hand and foot, shoots the villain to death just as he’s about to do in the hero, using the proper two-handed grip as taught in all the police manuals. Serves the stupid villain right for not taping her hands behind her. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819/60 "2005-06-12T14:52:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Also: the plain woman who doesn’t get noticed until they get a dramatic makeover and are suddenly revealed to be gorgeous. Bleh. Gorgeous women who aren’t made up already know they’re gorgeous. It’s even worse when the “dramatic makeover” consists almost entirely of _taking off her glasses_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-cliches-you-hope-to-never-ever-see-again/307819.md?page=4)