# weird & subtle movie references **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 21, 2001, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838 "2001-03-21T06:42:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/21 "2001-03-22T05:56:08Z")
Here’s another George Lucas reference. Harrison Ford had a cameo in _Apocalypse Now_as an intelligence officer and was told he could name his character. His character became Colonel Lucas. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/22 "2001-03-22T20:07:58Z")
In one scene from Wes Craven’s _The Hills Have Eyes,_ a ripped poster for _Jaws_ appears on a wall. In Sam Raimi’s _Evil Dead_, made four years later, an identically ripped poster for _The Hills Have Eyes_ appears on a wall. In Craven’s _A Nightmare on Elm Street_, made 2 years later, 2 characters are watching _Evil Dead_ on television. ---
**Author:** ![Mysphyt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@Mysphyt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mysphyt)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/23 "2001-03-23T01:03:58Z")
Minor hijack, but . . . Knowers of all things weird, I challenge you: In _The Matrix_, when Neo is talking to Spoon Boy in the Oracle’s waiting room, the telivision shows a street. Marching down that street is what appears to be a group of giant rabbits. It happens about 71:00 into the movie. Anybody know what that’s about? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/24 "2001-03-23T01:10:54Z")
**King of Comedy** When it’s discovered the Jerry Lewis character might not make his TV show, Tony Randall turns to the director of the TV show and says “You’re the director. You tell us what to do.” The TV director was played by the film’s director, Martin Scorsese. **His Girl Friday** When asked what Hildy Johnson’s fiance looks like, Walter Burns say, “He looks like that actor – Ralph Bellamy” Bellamy played the part. **Arsenic and Old Lace** Alas, they didn’t do this in the film, but when the play first ran on Broadway, one of the characters says he murdered a plastic surgeon because the doctor made him look like Boris Karloff. Karloff said the line on stage. ---
**Author:** ![Mysphyt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@Mysphyt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mysphyt)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/25 "2001-03-23T01:25:41Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by RealityChuck_ > “He looks like that actor – Ralph Bellamy” Bellamy played the part Well, if we’re doing _that_ now, in _Romeo Must Die_, when Trish is running from Maurice, he shouts “I’m’a find your Aaliyah-looking a\*\* . . .” Aaliyah played Trish. So I like action movies. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/26 "2001-03-23T01:34:51Z")
**Gremlins** … was executive produced by Steven Speilberg. In the beginning of the movie when Zach Gilligan is entering the town, a movie theater is showing a double feature of “A Boy’s Life” and “Watch the Skies.” “A Boy’s Life” was the working title for E.T. and “Watch the Skies” was the working title for “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/27 "2001-03-23T01:43:25Z")
This is a pretty well known one, but in **Predator 2** when Danny Glover is looking at the Predator’s trophy room, there is an obvious skull of an alien from **Alien** ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/28 "2001-03-23T02:01:31Z")
Not as subtle as some of the references here, but in **Stakeout** starring Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Esteves, they’re playing a game of “guess the movie quote.” The film quote Esteves gives is, “This was not a boating accident!” Dreyfuss replies, “I don’t know.” The line is from _Jaws_ and was spoken in that film by Richard Dreyfuss. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/29 "2001-03-23T02:37:47Z")
Even earlier: **What’s Up Doc** On the final line, Barbra Streisand looks at Ryan (“Love Story”) O’Neal and says “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” O’Neal replies, “That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard.” ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/30 "2001-03-23T03:07:00Z")
At the end of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”, Sean Connery says something about naming Indy after the dog. I’m sure most of y’all already know this, but George Lucas’ dog was named “Indiana”. Mysphyt: Neo was instructed to follow white rabbits. A reference to “Alice in Wonderland”? The movie is “Night of the Lepus”. ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/31 "2001-03-23T03:22:02Z")
[On why Henry calls Indy “Junior”] Sallah: Please, what does it always mean, this… this “Junior”? Professor Henry Jones: That’s his name. [points to himself] Henry Jones… [points to Indy] …Junior. Indiana Jones: I like “Indiana.” Professor Henry Jones: We named the _dog_ Indiana. Marcus Brody: May we go home now, please? Sallah: The dog?! You are named after the dog?! Indiana Jones: I’ve got a lot of fond memories of that dog. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/32 "2001-03-23T03:58:15Z")
Oh… Lawrence Kasdan wrote the screenplays for “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” So, when he directed “The Big Chill,” he included a few references to those films. First, Kevin Kline’s kid’s room is decorated with Star Wars memorabilia. And when the women run screaming from a bat in the attic, Kevin Kline grabs a tennis racket, and runs to their rescue, singing the Indiana Jones theme music. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/33 "2001-03-23T04:34:42Z")
Two of the characters in _Jurassic Park: The Lost World_ (Roland and Van Owen) were named for characters in the song “Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner” by Warren Zevon. ---
**Author:** ![JosephFinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JosephFinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JosephFinn)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/34 "2001-03-23T07:37:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mysphyt \* > \*\*Minor hijack, but . . . > Knowers of all things weird, I challenge you: > > In _The Matrix_, when Neo is talking to Spoon Boy in the Oracle’s waiting room, the telivision shows a street. Marching down that street is what appears to be a group of giant rabbits. > > It happens about 71:00 into the movie. > > Anybody know what that’s about? \*\* That is from the movie “Food of the Gods,” based on a H.G. Wells story about gentically modified food creating giant animals. Unfortunately, it was adapted by the excerable Bert I. Gordon. What giant rabbits have to do with "The Matrix is anyone’s guess. For all I know, the Wachowski brothers saw “Food of the Gods” on the Son of Svengoolie show here in Chicago when they were growing up and though it would look right. Or maybe the theme of modifed beings seemed right. Don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/35 "2001-03-23T07:58:13Z")
There’s a game here. Can you get from one movie to another through connections in references. I suck at this type of stuff but you see how it works right? Let’s say I’m in “Blazing Saddles” I can go the “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” since Achoo references is. In Men in Tights Cary Elwes says “at least I can speak with a British accent.” a clear reference to “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.” etc. etc. Sounds like fun? Who can go from “American Graffiti” to “JFK”? ---
**Author:** ![LifeWillFall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@LifeWillFall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeWillFall)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/36 "2001-03-23T08:23:52Z")
ok, so I don’t remember the exact situation but in die hard 3 bruce willis mentions something about captain kangaroo (I think it’s near the beginning around when he is doing the riddle about the man with nine wives and so on) and the song that was playing in pulp fiction when bruce willis hits marcelis wallis with his car is the song that mentions captain kangaroo. (you know "countin flowers on the wall, that don’t bother me at all, playin solitaire till dawn with a deck of fifty one, watchin captain kangaroo, now don’t tell me… ) well you get the idea, I hope. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/37 "2001-03-23T13:27:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JosephFinn \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Mysphyt \* > > \*\*Minor hijack, but . . . > > Knowers of all things weird, I challenge you: > > > > In _The Matrix_, when Neo is talking to Spoon Boy in the Oracle’s waiting room, the telivision shows a street. Marching down that street is what appears to be a group of giant rabbits. > > > > It happens about 71:00 into the movie. > > > > Anybody know what that’s about? \*\* > > That is from the movie “Food of the Gods,” based on a H.G. Wells story about gentically modified food creating giant animals. Unfortunately, it was adapted by the excerable Bert I. Gordon. What giant rabbits have to do with "The Matrix is anyone’s guess. \*\* Actually, the movie in question is [Night of the Lepus](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0069005). I had the dubious pleasure of seeing this movie on the big screen 3 yrs ago at a horror film festival. I had to go see **Black Christmas** immediately afterwards to cleanse the palate. Of course, rabbits are in keeping with the whole **Alice in Wonderland** theme of the **The Matrix**. Cheers, Hodge ---
**Author:** ![Smitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Smitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smitty)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/38 "2001-03-23T15:22:46Z")
In Pulp Fiction, Uma Thurman orders a “Douglas Sirk Steak.” The joke is that it only comes “burnt to a crisp or bloody as hell.” Douglas Sirk was a director who was known for his over-the-top, no half-measures approach to film making. ---
**Author:** ![JosephFinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JosephFinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JosephFinn)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/39 "2001-03-23T17:42:31Z")
Crap, you folks were right on with Night Of The Lepus. Night of the Lepus = giant bunnies Food of the Gods = giant rats ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838/40 "2001-03-23T21:21:11Z")
Jean Renoir’s great classic **The River** (1951): A vignette of a girl dancer in India growing up into a woman dancer, Radha. The young girl is dancing, pirouetting around and around, and the next thing you know, there is the adult Radha pirouetting around and around. This scene recalls the metaphor in many languages of “turning” meaning “transformation.” Fade out; fade in 35 years later . . . Michael Chapman’s **Clan of the Cave Bear** (1986). The young girl Ayla is shown dancing, turning around and around, and the next thing you know, there is the adult Daryl Hannah turning around and around. A virtually exact copy of Renoir’s classic scene. One good homage deserves another: Fade out; fade in 10 years later . . . Mira Nair’s **Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love** (1996). This time we see _two_ young girls in India at a dancing lesson together. They start turning around and around . . . you can guess what happens next. We see the adult Indira Varma and Sarita Choudhury dancing around and around. I guess you can tell I like films about women… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-subtle-movie-references/58838.md?page=3)