Buzz
Easter eggs are often concealed in franchise films or movies that audiences revisit frequently. While crime films have a loyal following, they aren’t typically rewatched as often as other genres. As a result, fewer Easter eggs are hidden in them, or those that exist remain undiscovered. Nevertheless, some crime films feature incredibly clever and unique hidden details that might have escaped your notice. Be advised, though, that some of the descriptions below may contain spoilers.
10. Fargo (1996)
The hidden detail in the Coen Brothers’ iconic crime film Fargo sparked an urban legend—that the musician Prince appeared as a corpse. This rumor stems from the credits listing for the character “The Victim in the Field.
In the credits for this minor role, a symbol resembling Prince’s iconic emblem from 1993 onward appears, albeit flipped sideways and featuring a smiley face within the circle. The fact that the scene was set in Minnesota, Prince’s home state, further fueled speculation that the body was indeed Prince.
However, the body is not Prince. It’s storyboard artist J. Todd Anderson, who contributed to the film and took on this small role. He opted to use the symbol instead of his real name in the credits.
9. Fight Club (1999)
While some may debate whether Fight Club qualifies as a crime film, the fact that a terrorist group destroys buildings by the end places it firmly in the crime genre from the perspective of the perpetrators.
Two standout Easter eggs appear in Fight Club. The first involves the numerous Starbucks cups scattered throughout the film. Director David Fincher confirmed their omnipresence, with the cups appearing in nearly every scene. There’s even a blog dedicated to tracking down every cup.
Another intriguing Easter egg is a theater marquee in the background advertising Seven Years in Tibet, starring Brad Pitt. Given that Tyler Durden (played by Brad Pitt) is a figment of the Narrator’s imagination, and Brad Pitt the actor seemingly exists within the film’s universe, it suggests the Narrator might be imagining Brad Pitt as Tyler. Two other marquees feature films starring the main cast—The People vs. Larry Flint with Edward Norton and The Wings of a Dove with Helena Bonham-Carter—though these are obscured in the final shots.
8. The Departed (2006)
Martin Scorsese’s gritty Boston mafia film The Departed, which earned him an Academy Award, cleverly uses Easter eggs to hint at the characters’ fates—they are symbolically marked for death.
Throughout the film, at least 15 X’s appear, often signaling a character’s impending demise. Notable instances include Queenan (Martin Sheen) falling past windows with X’s taped on them. Near the film’s climax, an X made of tape is visible on the elevator wall above Billy (Leonardo DiCaprio) after he arrests Sullivan (Matt Damon). Additionally, when Sullivan enters his apartment at the end, a garish carpet with a prominent X pattern comes into view.
The Departed wasn’t the first film to use X’s as a death omen. This motif also appeared in the 1932 classic Scarface, where a black X would mark the imminent death of a character.
7. Inside Man (2006)
Spike Lee’s stylish bank heist film Inside Man is renowned for its unexpected ending. Set in New York City, like many of Lee’s works, it features an Easter egg that will delight fans of his earlier movies. Early in the film, the bank robbers demand food after taking hostages. The detectives comply, and pizza is delivered. A closer look at the pizza boxes reveals they came from Sal’s Famous Pizzeria.
Sal’s is a key location in Lee’s breakthrough film, Do the Right Thing. Mookie, played by Spike Lee, worked there, and the pizzeria is burned down by the film’s conclusion. In an interview, Lee mentioned that after Do the Right Thing, Sal rebuilt the pizzeria using insurance money and eventually rehired Mookie, as no one else could match his pizza delivery skills.
6. Hot Fuzz (2007)
The Three Flavors Cornetto trilogy, also known as the Blood and Ice Cream trilogy, created by Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Edgar Wright, is packed with in-jokes and nods to other films. One subtle Easter egg in their action genre parody, Hot Fuzz, might have slipped past some viewers.
In one scene, PC Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) rummages through a bin of discount DVDs. He picks one up, examines it, and then tosses it back. The DVD is titled Zombies Party, and its cover depicts zombies peering through red subway doors, identical to the Shaun of the Dead cover. Zombies Party is the alternate title for Shaun of the Dead, used in countries like Spain where the Dawn of the Dead pun wouldn’t resonate.
5. Out of Sight (1998)
Steven Soderbergh’s adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s Out of Sight follows Jack Foley (George Clooney), a charming and infamous bank robber. Shortly after breaking out of prison, he finds himself locked in a car trunk with US Marshal Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez). Despite their romantic connection in the trunk, Foley remains a fugitive, and Sisco is duty-bound to track him down.
The film features two Easter eggs. The first is Foley’s mug shot, which is identical to the one used in 1996’s From Dusk Till Dawn, where Clooney portrayed Seth Gekko. Foley and Gekko differ significantly in appearance and personality, prompting Sisco to remark, “he doesn’t look that way anymore.
Another hidden detail is Michael Keaton’s uncredited role. He portrays Ray Nicolette, a character who also appears in Jackie Brown, played by Keaton. The link between the two films is that Jackie Brown is adapted from the novel Rum Punch, written by the legendary Elmore Leonard.
4. Death Proof (2007)
Quentin Tarantino, renowned for his intricate film universe and passion for pop culture, includes several Easter eggs in his segment of the Grindhouse double feature.
For instance, in the bar’s opening scene, a tank top featuring a samurai in front of a rising sun hangs on the wall. This is the same tank top worn by Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China. Jack, played by Kurt Russell, who also portrays Death Proof’s antagonist, Stuntman Mike, ties the two films together.
This introduces two more Easter eggs: Stuntman Mike’s car license plates. The first car bears the plate “JJZ-109,” matching the one on Frank Bullitt’s (Steve McQueen) car in Bullitt. The second plate, “983-DAN,” appears on the Dodge Charger driven by the protagonists in Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry. Both films are celebrated for their iconic car chases, with Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry essentially being one extended pursuit.
3. Double Indemnity (1944)
Raymond Chandler stands as one of the most iconic figures in crime fiction. He introduced the world to private detective Philip Marlowe, who starred in Chandler’s novels The Big Sleep, The Long Goodbye, and The Lady in the Lake. Beyond his remarkable novels, Chandler also penned screenplays for some of the most renowned crime films, including the dark film noir Double Indemnity, directed by Billy Wilder and now regarded as a timeless classic.
The Easter egg in the film is a subtle cameo by Chandler, a famously reclusive author. At the 16-minute mark, protagonist Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) passes a man sitting on a bench reading a paperback. This cameo went unnoticed until January 2009, 65 years after the film’s release.
One reason for its obscurity is that such cameos were virtually unheard of at the time. Additionally, while Chandler and Wilder respected each other’s talents, they harbored a deep personal dislike and rarely spoke favorably of one another, making Chandler’s appearance all the more surprising.
2. Shutter Island (2010)
After securing an Academy Award for The Departed, Martin Scorsese shifted focus to a mystery film set in an asylum on a storm-ravaged island. Based on a Dennis Lehane novel, the movie carries a distinctly Hitchcockian vibe. As a devoted fan of Alfred Hitchcock, Scorsese included several Easter eggs in Shutter Island referencing Hitchcock’s work. One such nod is a shot under a shower head with steam on either side, reminiscent of the infamous shower scene in Psycho, though its inclusion in Shutter Island serves solely as a tribute.
In another sequence, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) dangles from a cliff face, mirroring a scene from North by Northwest. Additionally, a gun is shown at the bottom of a camera tracking its victim, a technique borrowed from Spellbound, where Leo Carroll threatens Ingrid Bergman.
Hitchcock’s Marnie features a character with a paralyzing fear of thunderstorms, a theme echoed in Shutter Island. While not an Easter egg itself, the scene where a tree crashes through a window directly references a similar moment in Marnie. Another homage occurs when Teddy climbs the unstable lighthouse stairs, a clear nod to Vertigo.
Finally, Scorsese pays tribute to Hitchcock’s Nazi spy-thriller Notorious by introducing Dr. Naehring (Max van Sydow) with only the back of his head visible, mirroring the introduction of Devlin (Cary Grant) in Notorious.
These are just a few of the Easter eggs Andrew Pulver at The Guardian uncovered, and he believes there are more hidden throughout the film. Keep a sharp eye out during your next viewing.
1. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Stanley Kubrick is renowned for his intricate and layered films, which may contain deeper meanings if you piece together the clues scattered throughout his work. For instance, one far-fetched theory suggests The Shining is Kubrick’s way of admitting to faking the Moon landing.
The Easter eggs in Kubrick’s 1971 controversial masterpiece A Clockwork Orange are more straightforward. In the scene where Alex (Malcolm McDowell) visits the record store, he discusses a record he ordered with the clerk. Prominently displayed in a rack near the counter is the soundtrack to Kubrick’s 1968 sci-fi epic 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Additionally, two other records in the scene are linked to 2001. The first, placed next to the soundtrack, is John Fahey’s The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death, which includes the song “Bicycle Built for Two,” famously sung by HAL in 2001. The second album, visible in the background, is The Beatles’ soundtrack to their 1967 film Magical Mystery Tour. While no songs from Magical Mystery Tour appear in 2001, the film’s instrumental flying sequence features unused footage from 2001.
