Buzz
With over a century of history, the film industry has birthed countless traditions and inside jokes. These range from quirky industry practices to signature touches by filmmakers, adding a layer of intrigue for movie enthusiasts.
10. The 555 Telephone Number Phenomenon
Have you ever noticed that phone numbers in movies often start with ‘555’? This tradition began in the 1960s when U.S. telephone companies reserved these numbers for fictional use in films and TV shows. The goal was to prevent real-life customers from receiving unwanted calls due to their numbers matching those on screen. While this practice is widely followed in North America, be cautious if you’re elsewhere—the 555 prefix isn’t universally protected and might be a real number in other regions.
9. Hello Sally!
Sally Menke, a renowned film editor, collaborated closely with Quentin Tarantino on all his films until Inglourious Basterds before her untimely passing in 2010. Film editing is a meticulous process, requiring countless hours of piecing together raw footage, sequencing scenes, and refining the final product to align with the director’s vision. This raw footage often captures candid moments, such as actors and crew interacting on set before or after a scene, including the director’s cues like ‘action’ and ‘cut’.
To brighten Sally’s long hours in the editing suite, cast and crew would often wave at the camera at the start or end of a take, cheerfully saying, ‘Hello Sally!’—sometimes even adding personal messages to keep her entertained during her demanding work.
8. The Cameo Appearance
Cameo appearances are subtle nods to a select audience, often unnoticed by the majority. These involve notable figures making brief, unexpected appearances in films, sometimes without uttering a single word. Directors like Alfred Hitchcock are famous for this, with Hitchcock appearing in nearly all his films in small, unassuming roles.
Quentin Tarantino also enjoys inserting himself into his films, though his roles tend to be more substantial, albeit still supporting in nature.
7. Pixar’s Self-Referencing Tradition
Pixar, the renowned animation studio, has cultivated a unique tradition of embedding references to their own films, characters, and even staff members across their projects. This practice began during their early days of creating short animations and has since become a hallmark of their entire body of work.
Instead of delving into every detail, here’s a quick rundown of Pixar’s clever self-references: John Ratzenberger, beloved for his role in Cheers, has voiced characters in every Pixar film since playing Hamm in Toy Story; Andy’s room in Toy Story features books named after Pixar shorts; a Buzz Lightyear toy pops up in Finding Nemo’s dental office; the iconic Pizza Planet truck from Toy Story makes cameos in nearly every Pixar movie; and the Luxo ball, from one of their early shorts, often appears subtly in the background.
One of the most recognizable Easter eggs is the code ‘A113,’ a nod to the animation classroom where John Lasseter and Brad Bird studied. This reference appears in every Pixar film and some of Brad Bird’s other works, showing up on license plates, serial numbers, train identifiers, room numbers, and even in character dialogue.
6. See You Next Wednesday
John Landis frequently includes a nod to a fictional movie titled ‘See You Next Wednesday’ in his films. This inside joke first appeared in Schlock (1973) and later in classics like Blues Brothers, Trading Places, Twilight Zone (partially credited to Alan Smithee—see number 2), and An American Werewolf in London, among others.
5. Die-Cast
Certain actors become so synonymous with a specific character type that they struggle to break free from that mold. Think of William Shatner as Captain Kirk, Hugh Grant as the charming yet awkward romantic, or Samuel L. Jackson as the ultimate tough guy. However, some actors seem to have a recurring theme in their careers: their characters meet untimely ends in numerous films.
Gary Oldman, Michael Biehn, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Steve Buscemi (often meeting gruesome fates), and Gary Busey are all known for their on-screen deaths. Yet, no one surpasses Sean Bean, who has died in approximately 20 films, including Golden Eye, Patriot Games, The Lord of the Rings, The Island, Equilibrium, Outlaw, Essex Boys, Far North, Don’t Say a Word, and The Field—where he’s famously killed by a cow. If TV shows were included, South Park’s Kenny would undoubtedly be a strong contender.
4. The Wilhelm Scream
To streamline the process of adding sound effects, filmmakers often rely on stock audio libraries. These collections include common sounds like a creaking gate, a far-off explosion, rolling thunder, or the infamous scream of a nameless villain meeting their demise.
The ‘Wilhelm Scream’ has become a staple sound effect, often used when a villain, soldier, or unfortunate bystander meets their end. Named after ‘Private Wilhelm’ from the 1953 Western The Charge at Feather River, it actually debuted two years earlier in the film Distant Drums.
Sound designer Ben Burtt brought the Wilhelm Scream into the spotlight by using it extensively in Star Wars and other films by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Its popularity grew, and it soon became a recurring element in action movies, TV shows, and even video games. Once you recognize it, you’ll notice it everywhere.
3. Sequels: A Lucrative Trend
The concept of sequels isn’t new—novels have been doing it for centuries. The first film sequel, Fall of a Nation, followed the controversial Birth of a Nation in 1916. While sequels can be hit or miss, some, like Godfather II, Aliens, Toy Story 2, and The Dark Knight, have proven to be exceptional.
At times, creating sequels feels like a purely profit-driven move (how dare studios aim to make money?!). Films like Rocky V, Jaws: The Revenge, and Oceans 13 arguably didn’t add much value. Prequels, such as Hannibal Rising and The Thing (2011), also failed to enhance their franchises. Additionally, there’s a growing trend of splitting movies into multiple parts, like Harry Potter and Twilight, or expanding stories into trilogies, such as The Hobbit, or giving each character their own standalone film, as seen in The Avengers.
2. Alan Smithee
When a director loses creative control over a film, they can request to be credited as ‘Alan Smithee.’ This practice began with the 1969 movie Death of a Gunfighter, which started under Robert Totten’s direction but was completed by Don Siegel after Totten was fired.
Neither director wanted to claim responsibility for the final product, arguing that lead actor Richard Widmark had effectively directed much of the film. To resolve the issue, the movie was credited to Alan Smithee, a pseudonym that allowed everyone to avoid embarrassment. The name, though fictional, was both distinctive and unremarkable, serving its purpose perfectly.
The Directors Guild of America had rules preventing directors who used the Alan Smithee credit from publicly discussing their reasons for disassociating themselves from a film. This led many to believe Alan Smithee was a real director, though the truth about the pseudonym eventually became widely known.
1. The Orange and Blue Contrast
Once I became aware of this, I couldn’t stop noticing it. Films often use orange and blue tones prominently in posters and promotional artwork. According to color theory, particularly Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s color wheel, blue and orange are complementary colors, as are red and green, and yellow and violet.
Complementary colors create a visually appealing contrast, making them ideal for grabbing attention on movie posters or DVD covers. While interpretations vary, orange is often associated with energy and excitement, while blue conveys calmness and coolness. Regardless of their specific meanings, filmmakers and marketers clearly believe in their effectiveness. A quick glance through your movie collection might reveal this recurring color scheme.
