# The SDMB Dictionary of Film cliches **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 19, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589 "2003-09-19T13:41:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/1 "2003-09-19T13:41:51Z")
Please provide a Name for a cliche and its definition, add at least two sightings for reference. **SPRING LOADED CORPSE** tm _Definition_: When The Hero(ine) of a horror film opens a closet/container a corpse will pop out to give them and the audience a cheap jolt. _Note_: The body must propell forward with no known mechanism to explain said action. (See also FACE PLANT STIFF) _Sightings_:Halloween (1978), The Mummy (1999) ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/2 "2003-09-19T14:04:18Z")
**CHILD/DOG IMMORTALITY** In action adventure/ sci fi film, if children and/or dogs are involved in any perilous situation, ie lava flow, bomb about to explode, electric fence about to turn on, no matter how unlikely the circumstances, they will survive, often just in the nick of time. examples: Independence day, Jurassic park, Dantes Peak etc and might i add, when i finally get to make my zombie/asteroid disaster film, which hopefully will be soon, the kids and the fucking dog/cat will die in the first reel, and then return later as zombies, so our hero(s) have to kill them all over again. in an imaginatively murderous way. and they’ll die in a gruesome zombie manner also. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/3 "2003-09-19T14:23:42Z")
**Police Captain Anger & Rage Complex** Definition: Police captains will always be pissed off when confronted with the hero detective. Note: The captain will threaten suspension if the detective stays on the case, claiming: a) the case can’t be legitimate; it has already been open and shut b) the capt. is always right c) the captain will be accountable to the mayor of the city Sightings: All _Leathal Weapon_ movies and plenty more ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/4 "2003-09-19T14:32:45Z")
I’m gonna take one from [Jabootu’s Movie Glossary](http://www.jabootu.com/glossary.htm) (strangely, it’s not actually IN the glossary, though they use this term in their reviews): **Voorhees Unreality Engine (VUE)** - the magical device that allows the killer in slasher movies to instantly teleport to any location. With the VUE, even a slow, plodding serial killer can instantly appear in front of a victim who’s been running away at full speed. Used in: Just about any slasher movie, including **Friday the 13th** and **Halloween**. ---
**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:** [September 19, 2003, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/5 "2003-09-19T14:36:30Z")
In addition to the Police Captain Rage™ cliche, there is also the **Talk about Retiring will Bring Your Untimely Death™** cliche, used to great effect in many movies. ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/6 "2003-09-19T14:51:38Z")
Also in slasher movies: **Phew! It’s only little twinkles (cat)** Where heroine searches for the intruder in the house (she lives alone, you see), she suddenly shrieks when sees something moving in the corner of her eye - only to find out that it was just her cat. Note: When heroine relaxes she will suddenly be attacked from behind by the intruder. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/7 "2003-09-19T15:06:03Z")
**THE CLUELESS PUBLIC OFFICIAL** When any disaster (storm, volcano, plague, shark) threatens a town, the mayor will always rtry to hush it up because he is afraid that negative publicity will discourage the big developer who wants to invest millions in the town. Like a major disaster wouldn’t do exactly the same thing. Used in: Jaws, Dante’s Peak, movies to numerous to list. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/8 "2003-09-19T15:08:19Z")
**The Evil Nerd Principal** A victim who is being terrorized by a stalker will always be the victim of identity theft, computer hacking, brake sabotage and numerous other mechanical and computerized attacks, all of which require more technical knowledge than one might expect from a typical stalker. Corrolary: If the evil nerd is a serial killer being investigated by a determined law enforcement officer, the evil nerd will have detailed knowledge of local trivia, medeival literature, nuclear physics or any other obscure field, which he will use to plant tiny clues leading the officer (whose ability to spot and decipher said clues is equally impressive) into the final showdown. Examples:_Blood Work_, _The Bone Collector_ ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/9 "2003-09-19T15:09:45Z")
Oops, shoulda said “The Evil Nerd _Principle_.” The Evil Nerd Principal, by contrast, is Seymour Skinner. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/10 "2003-09-19T15:20:53Z")
**Stormtrooper marksmanship** Despite scary-looking high tech equipment and extensive training, the bad guy’s army can’t hit the broad side of a barn. examples: **Star Wars** trilogy, **Krull** , **The Guns of Navarone** , etc. ad nauseum ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/11 "2003-09-19T15:21:41Z")
**MS FLoating Envelope/Talking Computer Email Client** All email is hailed by a giant animated floating envelope in the middle of the screen, and the words “You’ve got mail” will be heard, even without a sound card being installed. This email client has the ability to transmit inline full-screen digital video at DVD quality (this particular kind of video compression format also contains hidden hi-res data, allowing CIA and FBI tech agents to zoom in on far-distant license plates, or tiny serial numbers). **Sticky Titties™** With this device, all clothing, sheets, towels, etc. will adhere above the nipple, and despite extensive movement or violence, will always conceal it from the camera. Works best on mainstream actresses. ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/12 "2003-09-19T15:31:55Z")
**The Law of Convenient Exposition** If the hero is ever delayed while trying to gain entrance to a building/secret lab/suspect’s office, etc., he’s guaranteed to overhear information that’s vital to his quest (a password, the location of something vital, a tidbit of information that will get him in the door) while he’s sitting there cooling his heels. Examples: Chinatown, various James Bond movies ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/13 "2003-09-19T15:33:09Z")
**The Big Giant Fucking Star Trek Reset Button** Especially is time travel or space/time fissures/eddys episodes. Makes everything bad that happened go away. Or… makes the future people going into the past part of their already established history. _First Contact_ is a major example. And _STIV:TVH_. It worked in VOY’s _Year of Hell_. It’s not working well for ENT and rarely worked well in TNG, DS9, or other VOY. TOS’ _The City On the Edge of Forever_ used it perfectly. ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/14 "2003-09-19T15:41:55Z")
**NO LIGHTSWITCHES** any person (usually pretty girl) entering a house/room in a suspect situation (murderous psychopath at large, monster etc) will fail to turn the light on. instead they will enter room and be surprised by said monster/psychopath. see also **Its only Twinkles** as mentioned above. examples: fucking everything **LOCKING YOUR DOOR** Nobody will EVER lock their car/house door upon leaving. see also **ENDLESS AMMUNITION** Examples: any film where anybody gets out of a car ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/15 "2003-09-19T16:11:19Z")
\*\* The Convenient Radio/Television Newscast \*\*. Whenever something is happening and the radio/TV is turned on, there will always be an emergency broadcast on whatever is happening. See examples in above post. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/16 "2003-09-19T16:13:03Z")
\*\* The last second getaway \*\* If there is imminent danger it is escaped only at the last possible second for dramatic effect. SEE The 5 second Rule _Sightings_ Strar Trek II The Wrath of Kahn, Moonraker \*\* The 5 second Rule\*\* Whenever a bomb must be defused by a hero the deactivation will not happen until the last 5 seconds of a countdown. _Sightings_ Golden eye, Wargames ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/17 "2003-09-19T16:36:45Z")
A corollary to **The Convenient Radio/Television Newscast** is **Turning the Radio/Television off during pertinent information**. This occurs in two forms: 1. Applies to cops/politicians - e.g. a cop gets home and details of his case suddenly come up on the news program his wife’s watching. Rather than saying “oh look, honey, that’s me that is, I’m on the TV! Wahey! Hmm, I don’t like the way they’re reporting that. Etc.” the cop instead grabs the remote and turns the TV off the moment it’s apparent that the bulletin is relevant. Why? 2. Serial killers listen to the bulletin announcing that they’re at large, but turn it off just before the end of the newscaster’s apparent final sentence. Nobody knows why they don’t hang on and see if there’s any more about their latest gruesome crime. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/18 "2003-09-19T16:57:12Z")
How about the **Voluntary Disarmament and Leaving Armed Bad Guys Behind Us Rule**? In most action movies (also TV shows) when the heroes manage to overcome a pursuer/guard/bad guy they will leave him where he lays, whether he is dead or not, and leave him with a loaded and functional firearm. The smartest thing to do of course would be to grab the gun and use it, but even if they don’t know enough about firearms to be able to use it well, couldn’t they at least take the time to get rid of it and tie up the bad guy? ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/19 "2003-09-19T17:00:38Z")
> [@](#): > > from _kingpengvin_ > The 5 second Rule > > Whenever a bomb must be defused by a hero the deactivation will not happen until the last 5 seconds of a countdown. **Corollary: The Giant Ticking Digital Display** All bombs will have a giant digital display (as opposed to an internal timer) that shows exactly how much time our heroes have left. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589/20 "2003-09-19T17:19:49Z")
**The Automatic Bad Guy Death Sentence** In most action films/thrillers it isn’t good enough for the bad guy to be merely arested and tried for his crimes he must escape and cause another threat that allows the hero to summerily execute them thus serving final justice. Note teh Hero will receive no punishment for killing the villian because murder is ok as long as it’s done to a villian. _sightings_ Die Hard/ Leathal weapon/ Dirty Harry [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-dictionary-of-film-cliches/202589.md?page=2)