Buzz
Spotting errors in films is an endlessly entertaining activity. There's a unique joy in noticing a mistake, turning to a friend with a sly, triumphant smile, and asking, 'Did you see that?' With countless blunders to uncover, it's no surprise given the complexity of movie production. Thousands of elements must align perfectly, and since humans are involved, errors are inevitable.
From misplaced objects and people in scenes to continuity errors with sets, awkward editing choices, and even extras bumping into doors, the possibilities for mistakes are endless. Whether they're subtle slip-ups tucked away in the background or glaring plot holes, it's a delight to channel your inner critic, analyze every detail, and enjoy pointing them out.
With that in mind, here’s a list of ten of the most noticeable movie mistakes ever captured on screen.
10. Stormtrooper Head-Bonk
The tension reaches its peak. Luke, Han, and Leia have broken into the Death Star, rescued Leia, and fled—only to end up trapped in the trash compactor. As the walls close in and the dianoga threatens Luke, their last hope, C3PO, isn’t responding. The audience is on edge as the camera shifts to ‘3PO’s unattended mic, revealing stormtroopers storming the droids’ hiding spot… and one of them clumsily bumps his head on the blast door.
The mistake is glaringly obvious, emphasized by a distinct sound effect. Legend has it that George Lucas didn’t catch the error until after the film’s release, and he decided to embrace it by adding the comical thud in the 2004 DVD version. This humorous moment lightens the intense ‘Supreme Ordeal’ (as Joseph Campbell, Lucas’s favorite scholar, would describe it) that the heroes are facing.
9. Holes Before Bullets
Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 classic “Pulp Fiction” (which surprisingly lost Best Picture to “Forrest Gump”) is a complex tale. The film weaves together three interconnected storylines across seven non-chronological segments. Given its intricate structure, it’s remarkable that there aren’t more continuity errors. However, one stands out as both noticeable and frustrating: the mysterious bullet holes.
In the second-to-last segment, The Bonnie Situation, Jules and Vincent execute Brett in his apartment. When one of Brett’s friends emerges from the bathroom and fires six shots at the hitmen, all miss. The wall shows six bullet holes, which Jules interprets as proof of a divine miracle. However, if you rewind and watch closely, the holes are already there before the shooting even begins.
8. Spider-Man’s Lamp
In Sam Raimi’s 2002 film “Spider-Man,” Tobey Maguire portrays the iconic web-slinger, showcasing the classic superpower-discovery phase. Peter realizes he no longer needs glasses, gains a muscular build, can cling to surfaces, and shoot webs. He experiments with his new abilities in his bedroom, firing webs everywhere, including at a lamp on his dresser, which he pulls and shatters. The noise prompts Aunt May to investigate, but in the next shot…
The lamp is miraculously intact and back on the dresser. While lamps aren’t usually a focal point for criticism, this one was central to the scene. Its destruction was meant to highlight Peter’s lack of control over his web-shooting, which ultimately draws Aunt May’s attention.
7. Two Ant-Men
Speaking of Marvel’s insect-themed heroes, Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man makes an appearance in the climactic battle of “Avengers: Endgame.” After emerging from the ruins of Avengers Headquarters, he grows to a massive size, joining the lineup of heroes as they prepare for combat. During the fight, he uses his enlarged form to crush enemies before shrinking back to normal size to repair his van/time machine…
However, moments later, he’s depicted still towering over the battlefield at a massive size. Within a short span of time, the film shows two Ant-Men simultaneously—one gigantic version battling space-eels and another regular-sized version working on an old van. This oversight is somewhat forgivable, considering the overwhelming number of CGI characters the filmmakers had to coordinate.
6. Old Scottish Battle-Car
The 1995 film “Braveheart” contains several noticeable errors, such as a crew member in a baseball cap appearing among the historically accurate extras. One mistake, however, stands out—literally the size of a car.
During the crucial scene where Mel Gibson’s William Wallace leads his Scottish troops against the English, a white car is visible in the background as the English cavalry charges. Parked just behind the charging horses, it occupies the empty space left by their movement. Spotting this modern vehicle certainly undermines the historical authenticity of the scene.
5. To Help a Raptor
In 1993, “Jurassic Park” was released, turning a relatively average book into a cinematic masterpiece. Even after 28 years, the practical effects in the film remain impressive, often outshining much of the CGI produced in recent years. However, practical effects sometimes need a little assistance—in this instance, quite literally.
When the two raptors ‘learn’ how to open doors (thanks, Ellie) and enter the kitchen where the children are hiding, a hand is clearly visible in the shot, pushing one of the raptors forward and supporting it. The hand gently holds the raptor’s underside, which would be endearing if it didn’t shatter the immersion and hint at the children’s impending doom.
4. “Your Mother’s Eyes”
The “Harry Potter” films are as riddled with errors as they are filled with magic, which is understandable given the eight-movie series and their massive, on-location productions. Alongside production mistakes, there are numerous continuity and lore issues from the books themselves (hello, time-turner). However, the most glaring error in the films is the repeated claim that Harry has ‘his mother’s eyes,’ despite clear evidence to the contrary.
Throughout the series, several key characters mention that Harry has his mother’s eyes, suggesting this resemblance is why they feel so connected to him. Yet, in a flashback showing young Lily, her eyes are dark brown—completely different from Harry’s light blue eyes. Oddly, this inconsistency arose after another actress, who had the correct blue eyes, had already portrayed Lily.
3. The Turtle with Two Mouths
The 1990 film “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” is a remarkable yet often underappreciated entry in the comic book movie genre. However, it’s packed with errors. Observant viewers can catch stunt doubles in shots, stray cameras, visible wires, rubber weapons, missed fight choreography, and numerous appearances by Splinter’s puppeteer(s). But the most infamous mistake is the now-legendary double-mouth scene.
There are several instances of this, but the most glaring occurs when Donatello jokes about Raph and Leo’s hug being a “Kodak moment,” laughing so hard he leans back. As his turtle mouth opens, a human mouth is clearly visible behind it. The sight of teeth within teeth is deeply unsettling. One can only imagine the confusion of any child who noticed this in theaters, possibly questioning if the turtles were secretly Xenomorphs.
2. The Missing Hedge Maze
“The Shining” is a horror masterpiece, culminating in Jack Torrance—wounded, deranged, and wielding an ax—pursuing his son Danny through the Overlook Hotel’s iconic hedge maze. The maze is a central element of the scene, almost as important as the characters themselves. Despite being shown and referenced earlier in the film, it’s conspicuously absent at a critical moment.
The opening scenes of the film feature sweeping aerial shots of the hotel and its surroundings. These helicopter views clearly reveal the hotel without any trace of the hedge maze. It’s ironic that Stanley Kubrick, who famously made Shelley Duvall reshoot the staircase scene 127 times for perfection, overlooked including the hedge maze in these establishing shots despite its significance later in the film.
1. What Octopus?
“The Goonies” is a beloved 80s adventure film, brimming with nostalgia and chaotic charm. However, its screenplay is far from flawless, leading to one of the most notorious movie mistakes. Near the end, when the Goonies recount their adventure to reporters, Data starts by saying, “The octopus was very scary. It was very dangerous.” The issue? No octopus appears in the final cut of the film.
Interestingly, an octopus scene was filmed but ultimately cut before the movie’s release. In the deleted sequence, the Goonies encounter a giant octopus in the grotto near One-Eyed Willy’s ship. After much chaos, they defeat the creature by—in a bizarre twist—forcing it to eat a tape player, whose music drives it insane. While cutting the scene was wise, leaving Data’s reference to it was not.
