Even the best movies contain goofs. Sometimes, the mistakes are so small they’re easy to miss, and others are more noticeable (I’m looking at you, Stormtrooper who bangs his head). Even in the world of movie magic, mistakes happen. Let’s explore some of the most famous movie goofs of all time.
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
In one of the most famous goofs in cinema history, a Stormtrooper accidentally hits his head on a doorframe aboard the Death Star. It has become so iconic that filmmakers later referenced it in the Star Wars saga. Maybe Stormtrooper masks make it difficult to see where they’re going? It would also explain why they’re so bad at aiming.
Toilet Troubles
Actually, we know the reason for the bumped head. Laurie Goode played the now infamous Stormtrooper, and he revealed that he developed an upset stomach on the second day of filming and that uncomfortable distraction was the reason for the goof.
Jurassic Park (1993)
The kitchen scene, in which the two velociraptors are hunting young Lex and Tim Murphy, is iconic for its tension. Keen-eyed viewers noticed a goof at the start of the scene when the raptors first entered the kitchen through the far door. As the first raptor enters the room (the raptors in the kitchen scene were actually men in suits), a crew member has to grab its tail to hold it steady.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Shawshank Redemption is everyone’s dad’s favorite film. Directed by Frank Darabont and based on Stephen King’s novella, the story follows Andy Dufresne, a banker wrongly convicted of murder. Through his friendship with fellow inmate Red, Andy ultimately finds redemption amidst the confines of the prison walls.
Different Shirt, Same Day
When Andy and Red first meet, an extra is visible behind them. The lines were filmed at different times, so the extra is wearing different shirts. He wears a prisoner shirt the day Red’s lines were shot and a different shirt the day Andy’s lines were shot.
Titanic (1997)
Titanic, directed by James Cameron and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, is a romantic disaster movie based on the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic. It is one of the most successful films ever, winning 11 Oscars and grossing $2 billion worldwide.
Not Picture Perfect
For purely artistic reasons, Jack has to draw Rose in the nude (fun fact: the production didn’t hire a professional artist; director James Cameron drew the picture). At around ten minutes into the film, this drawing is meticulously cleaned in a safe in the sunken wreckage. However, this drawing is not the same one we see Jack sketching. There are slight differences in the face, lips, eyes and hands.
Gladiator (2000)
Ridley Scott’s epic historical drama stars Russell Crowe, a Roman general sold into slavery, who rises through the ranks of the Coliseum as a gladiator, vowing to avenge the deaths of his murdered wife and son. The film was a huge box office success and won 5 Oscars.
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
An anachronistic goof occurs during the thrilling chariot scene in the Battle of Carthage in the Coliseum. One of the chariots is overturned, and when the dust settles, a gas canister is visible on the back of it (presumably, it was used to flip the chariot).
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The first of Peter Jackson’s epic fantasy adventure trilogy, based on the novel by JRR Tolkien, won four Oscars and a legion of dedicated Hobbit fans. Like much high fantasy, the feel is firmly medieval England, and so the car spotted in the background of the theatrical version (when Sam says that he is now the furthest he has even been from home) is a little out of place.
Getting Rid of the Evidence
In a 2003 Newsweek article, Peter Jackson confirmed that the car had gone unnoticed until they were cutting the movie. They digitally removed the vehicle for the DVD release. He said: “The smoke and dust wasn’t so bad because there was already lots of it around, but the bloody windshield reflected the sun into the camera lens. So we erased it for the DVD.”
Perhaps they could have just driven to Mordor.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
This swashbuckling adventure starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley was the first movie based on a theme park attraction. Incidentally, the ride at Disney World Florida (also called Pirates of the Caribbean) has since been updated with Captain Jack Sparrow animatronics.
Maid a Big Mistake
Around 27 minutes into the film, Elizabeth Swann is lying in bed. Her maid fills a bed warmer with red-hot coals and then places the warmer at Elizabeth’s feet, in the bed with her. This is not how bed warmers were used. In fact, if used as shown in the movie, Elizabeth’s feet would have been burnt off, and the bed possibly set on fire. Bed warmers held warm, not red-hot coals, and they were placed in an empty bed to warm it and removed before the person got in.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
In addition to a brief moment during the hearing, when Harry’s scar seems to have vanished, he also appears to change his clothes while asleep. After Harry has a confrontation with Seamus in the Gryffindor common room, there are shots of him lying in bed wearing a short-sleeved, crew-neck T-shirt. But when he’s startled awake by the vision of Voldemort, he sits up wearing a buttoned Henley tee (this last shot was cut from a later scene, when he has the vision of Arthur Weasley’s attack).
Avatar (2009)
Directed by James Cameron, Avatar tells the story of a paralyzed marine who ventures to the alien world of Pandora through an avatar. The film is known for its groundbreaking visuals and tall blue people. Upon its release, it won three Oscars and became the highest-grossing film of all time.
Continuity Issues
About 12 minutes into the film, a character plays golf on the RDA indoor golf course. The first time he hits the ball, two other balls lie on the course side by side. However, in the next shot, the two balls are a distance apart, only to retake their original position in the shot after that.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
This successful and popular film was the first of Tom Holland’s solo Spider-Man movies. It follows the story of Peter Parker, a high school student who balances his life as a teenager and his secret identity as the web-slinging superhero Spider-Man. As Peter navigates the challenges of high school, he faces off against the villainous Vulture while under the mentorship of Tony Stark.
What Year is This?
However, the film also includes one of the biggest mistakes Marvel has ever made. The movie’s opening sees the Vulture in the aftermath of the battle of New York in 2012. Then we jump forward eight years (a subtitle tells us so), and we see the Vulture and his men stealing alien technology and selling it. This puts the events of Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2020. The problem, however, is that other events after this are set before 2020.
Game of Thrones (TV Series)
Game of Thrones is a hugely popular epic fantasy television series based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels. It is about the intricate power struggles between noble families vying for control of the Iron Throne. Filled with political intrigue, dragons, epic battles, memorable characters, and more than a little sex and nudity, the show captivated audiences worldwide during its eight-season run.
Fancy a Coffee?
In a particularly infamous gaffe, a modern Starbucks coffee cup was left on a table during a feast scene in one episode of the final season. Though swiftly corrected in later releases, this oversight sparked a frenzy of viral memes. Even in the biggest and most meticulously crafted productions, silly mistakes can happen.
