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Bringing a film from script to screen is a massive, time-intensive endeavor. To streamline production and cut costs, some movies incorporate scenes from other films. While this reused footage is meant to go unnoticed, there are instances where it stands out glaringly to the audience.
1. Movie: Transformers: Dark of the Moon // Recycled footage from: The Island
In 2011, Michael Bay unveiled the third installment of the Transformers franchise, Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Known for his explosive action sequences, Bay also included repurposed scenes from his 2005 sci-fi film The Island, blending them into the high-octane narrative.
The scene in question from the Transformers movie showcased a high-speed car chase on a bustling highway, with Sam Witwicky and the Autobot Bumblebee evading Decepticon pursuers. Footage from a similar chase sequence in the latter half of The Island was integrated into Dark of the Moon, reworked to include battling Transformers instead of bounty hunters.
2. Movie: Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure // Recycled Footage from: War and Peace
The debut film in the Bill & Ted series utilized repurposed footage from the 1956 adaptation of War and Peace, starring Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda. As Bill and Ted journey through history with Rufus, they arrive in 1805, witnessing Napoleon Bonaparte’s French army clashing with Austrian forces. The scene’s establishing shot is directly borrowed from a battle sequence in War and Peace.
3. Movie: Overlord // Recycled Footage from: World War II stock footage and Newsreels
In Overlord, Stuart Cooper’s World War II film depicting the D-Day Normandy invasion, the director employed vintage Kodak film stock and German military camera lenses from the era to achieve an authentic visual style. Cooper also integrated thousands of feet of genuine World War II battle footage from England’s Imperial War Museum into the narrative. His efforts earned him the Silver Bear Award at the 25th Berlin International Film Festival in 1975.
4. Movie: Blade Runner // Recycled Footage from: The Shining
The theatrical version of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner concluded with Rachael and Deckard driving into the mountains. However, cloudy weather caused a mismatch between exterior and interior car shots. To resolve this, Scott borrowed footage from Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, specifically its opening credits sequence, which showcased clear skies and winding roads. Scott remarked, “Kubrick must’ve filmed every peak in Montana for The Shining with an exceptional helicopter crew... I’m sure he had weeks of aerial footage.”
5. Movie: Back To The Future Part II // Recycled Footage from: Back To The Future
Following a financial disagreement with the producers, Crispin Glover declined to return as George McFly in Back To The Future Part II. To address this, director Robert Zemeckis and producer Bob Gale cast a lookalike actor, enhanced with prosthetics, to resemble Glover. They also incorporated scenes from the original film into the sequel, creating the illusion that Glover was part of the movie.
Crispin Glover later sued the filmmakers for using his likeness without consent or proper compensation.
6. Movie: Time Bandits // Recycled Footage from: A Night To Remember
Time Bandits, the inaugural film in Terry Gilliam’s "Trilogy of Imagination," includes a sequence where Kevin and his dwarf companions end up aboard the RMS Titanic. This scene repurposes footage of the Titanic sinking from the 1956 British drama A Night To Remember.
7. Movie: Star Trek: Generations // Recycled Footage from: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
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The first Star Trek film featuring The Next Generation cast reused battle scenes between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Notably, the explosion of the Klingon Bird of Prey is identical in both films.
8. Movie: Citizen Kane // Recycled Footage from: The Son Of Kong
Widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, Citizen Kane also reused footage from another movie. In a lavish picnic scene featuring Charles Foster Kane and his wife Susan Alexander, the background is taken from the monster movie The Son of Kong. Observant viewers can spot animated pterodactyls flying in the background.
9. Movie: Raiders of the Lost Ark // Recycled Footage from: Lost Horizon
The famous map transitions in Raiders of the Lost Ark feature a DC-3 aircraft flying over the Himalayas, borrowed from the 1973 film Lost Horizon. Steven Spielberg opted to use this stock footage to cut production expenses.
Spielberg also incorporated scenes from the 1975 movie The Hindenburg to depict a 1930s street setting.
10. Movie: Robin Hood // Recycled Footage from: The Jungle Book and The Aristocats
In Disney’s early years, animators often reused footage from previous animated films. They would overlay new drawings on existing animation cells, creating scenes with characters that shared similar designs, traits, and movements.
The 1973 film Robin Hood incorporated scenes from 1970’s The Aristocats, 1967’s The Jungle Book, and 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. For instance, the dance sequence in Robin Hood mirrors the movements of Baloo and King Louie from The Jungle Book, with Little John and Lady Kluck performing identical steps. Similarly, Robin Hood and Maid Marian’s dance replicates that of Thomas O’Malley and Duchess from The Aristocats.
