# Why is the lock on the cemetery gate in the movie Watchmen shaped like Mickey Mouse **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [May 28, 2021, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-lock-on-the-cemetery-gate-in-the-movie-watchmen-shaped-like-mickey-mouse/943068 "2021-05-28T04:04:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Something](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Something](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Something)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-lock-on-the-cemetery-gate-in-the-movie-watchmen-shaped-like-mickey-mouse/943068/1 "2021-05-28T04:04:12Z")
I was watching a scene from the movie watchmen and in it the character Rorschach picks a lock that’s on A cemetery gate and the lock is shaped like Mickey Mouse’s head. I googled it and didn’t find an answer or any evidence that anyone but me Ever noticed This. Does anyone know why this hidden image might be There? Or is it just a coincidence? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-lock-on-the-cemetery-gate-in-the-movie-watchmen-shaped-like-mickey-mouse/943068/2 "2021-05-28T04:16:51Z")
Was it a [‘Mickey Mouse ear’ style padlock](https://www.sportscards.com/item/vintage-lrg-steel-padlock-lock-no-key-will-not-lock-mickey-mouse-ears-antique/263870515488)? [These were around before Mickey.](http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/locks/gazetteer/gazt.htm) > **[Old Mickey Mouse Ears Smokehouse Lock with Key](https://www.criticaleyefinds.com/products/old-mickey-mouse-ears-lock-and-key?variant=32113580867664)** > > This old lock is somewhat rusty, but with a little effort it still locks and unlocks great, and I really love the fully rounded "ears" on it that really make it look just like a Mickey Mouse silhouette. I've learned these old locks are often referred... ---
**Author:** ![Something](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Something](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Something)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-lock-on-the-cemetery-gate-in-the-movie-watchmen-shaped-like-mickey-mouse/943068/3 "2021-05-28T04:28:09Z")
Yeah that probably answers it. Although you have to wonder why the filmmakers chose to include that kind of lock in the movie. Granted, the movie does have a lot of old fashioned stuff in it, But, since the movie came out in recent decades long after that type of lock was used the filmmakers could have purposely avoided it so as not to draw attention from rival studios like Disney 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-lock-on-the-cemetery-gate-in-the-movie-watchmen-shaped-like-mickey-mouse/943068/4 "2021-05-28T14:40:47Z")
> [@Something](#): > > But, since the movie came out in recent decades long after that type of lock was used the filmmakers could have purposely avoided it so as not to draw attention from rival studios like Disney They could have thrown in a scene where Mickey dances in the streets and it wouldn’t have significantly increased any watcher’s awareness of Disney. You only noticed that padlock because the awareness of Disney is burned into your brain. The padlock is unlikely to have made you, or anyone else think, “I have to go buy something Disney” who wouldn’t have been triggered by something else Disney that same day or week. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-lock-on-the-cemetery-gate-in-the-movie-watchmen-shaped-like-mickey-mouse/943068/5 "2021-05-28T14:45:21Z")
If you [search for smokehouse lock](https://www.google.com/search?q=smokehouse+lock&client=firefox-b-1-m&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjxt5e4zuzwAhWeTDABHeOkAKQQ_AUIBygC&biw=432&bih=782) you can see lots of them. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-lock-on-the-cemetery-gate-in-the-movie-watchmen-shaped-like-mickey-mouse/943068/6 "2021-05-28T14:56:43Z")
> [@naita](#): > > They could have thrown in a scene where Mickey dances in the streets and it wouldn’t have significantly increased any watcher’s awareness of Disney. He said draw attention _from_ Disney, not _to_ Disney. Although it’s not like Disney didn’t know about Warner Brothers before _Watchmen_ came out. I guess he meant in terms of lawsuits and such, but even if that were a deliberate reference to Disney, it would be protected under fair use, and WB has enough lawyers to fight any frivolous lawsuit brought by the Mouse. It’s also unlikely that it was a deliberate reference. Watchmen came out Feb. of 2009 - Disney didn’t own Marvel yet, and didn’t have any particular association with super heroes at the time. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-lock-on-the-cemetery-gate-in-the-movie-watchmen-shaped-like-mickey-mouse/943068/7 "2021-05-28T14:59:44Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > He said draw attention _from_ Disney, not _to_ Disney. Although it’s not like Disney didn’t know about Warner Brothers before _Watchmen_ came out. I guess he meant in terms of lawsuits and such, but even if that were a deliberate reference to Disney, it would be protected under fair use, and WB has enough lawyers to fight any frivolous lawsuit brought by the Mouse. I did notice that, but it made so little sense I figured I’d give him the benefit of the doubt. As you say, WB could make deliberate fun of Disney if they so chose and it’d be fair use. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2021, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-lock-on-the-cemetery-gate-in-the-movie-watchmen-shaped-like-mickey-mouse/943068/8 "2021-05-29T12:54:15Z")
The bigger question is, why do they lock cemeteries at all? Because people are dying to get in.