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The devil is in the details... Join us as we count down the most significant hidden details in movie backgrounds that you probably missed! Our list includes subtle clues from "The Godfather," "Pulp Fiction," "Back to the Future," and more! Did you catch any of these on your first watch? Let us know in the comments below!
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00:03Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down things you can find in movies that are practically unnoticeable, but carry
00:10huge significance.
00:11Be careful of spoilers.
00:20Number 20. Arthur's Dark Reflection, Joker
00:35This alternate origin focused on Joaquin Phoenix's Oscar-winning performance, but it didn't forget how closely tied the Joker is
00:42to the Dark Knight.
00:43Not only are we shown Bruce Wayne's origin story, there are also subtle hints at their future rivalry.
00:47Just watch the opening scene where Arthur is applying clown makeup.
00:50If you look closely, there's two lights reflected in a mirror that's split at the top.
00:55The darkness of the room makes these items look like a pair of white eyes and sharp black ears.
01:00Which of course resembled Batman's cow.
01:01The Joker did always say that their fates are intertwined.
01:05I don't want to kill you.
01:07What would I do without you?
01:09Go back to ripping off mob dealers?
01:11No, no.
01:12No.
01:13No, you.
01:14You complete me.
01:17Number 19.
01:18Doom's Yellow Ink, Who Framed Roger Rabbit
01:20Since I've had Toontown under my jurisdiction, my goal has been to rein in the insanity, and the only way
01:28to do that is to make Toontown's respect for the law.
01:32The film's murder mystery begins with an investigation into a murder at the Acme factory.
01:36The police conclude that Toontown character Roger Rabbit is the culprit.
01:40Their evidence?
01:40A splotch of yellow paint.
01:42What's that?
01:43Paint from the rabbit's glove.
01:45We're led to believe that it's from Roger's gloves, but we later learn that Judge Doom, who's revealed to be
01:50a Toont himself, was the actual murderer.
01:52Most viewers probably forgot about the yellow paint by the story's climax.
01:55For those paying attention, however, they might have noticed that Doom's gadgets are all yellow.
01:59The ink from his cartoon body might have rubbed off on the murder weapon.
02:03Additionally, you can see Doom melting into a yellow liquid when he's finally defeated.
02:07I've been at camp for 37 years, and I've never seen a mess like this.
02:13What was that, a rubber mask?
02:15Yeah, and this is the rope from the safe that was dropped on Acme.
02:19Number 18.
02:20The 51st State.
02:21Watchmen.
02:31When you're making a period piece, every detail can make the world feel more immersive.
02:35Set in an alternate history where America won the Vietnam War, Watchmen deconstructs the superhero genre of the 80s.
02:42The plot begins with the death of Edward Blake, a.k.a. The Comedian, a government-sanctioned superhero.
02:47Due to his service, his coffin is draped over by an American flag.
02:51People talking without speaking.
02:56People hearing without listening.
02:59If you take the time to count every star on it, you'll see that there are 51 of them instead
03:04of 50.
03:04This minor detail references America claiming Vietnam as its newest state.
03:09It's also a subtle reminder of the role the comedian played in the politics of Watchmen.
03:13It's a joke.
03:15It's all a joke.
03:18Oh, forgive me.
03:38Throughout Paul Thomas Anderson's three-hour epic drama, the numbers 8 and 2 recur in various stories.
03:44A condemned inmate bears number 82, a pilot's aircraft is marked 82, a blackjack dealer turns an 8 where a
03:512 is needed.
03:52All I need is a 2.
03:53All you need is a deuce.
03:55All right.
03:57That is an 8.
03:58And rope coil beside a troubled teen is in the shape of an 82.
04:01The pattern echoes in a weather forecast, street signage, and a phone number.
04:05These numbers seem to point to the moment when frogs start raining from the sky.
04:14The surreal omen was foretold in the Bible in Exodus 8-2.
04:18It's a bit of foreshadowing that proves just how careful and clever director Paul Thomas Anderson is.
04:23Okay.
04:24Whatever that meant.
04:26Sure, it's real helpful, Ice-T.
04:28Number 16, Continental Parking.
04:30John Wick, Chapter 2.
04:31I'd like to see the manager.
04:33How good to see you again so soon, Mr. Wick.
04:37Shall I announce you?
04:39Yes, please.
04:40The continuity in this assassin saga is tighter than you might think.
04:43In the sequel to 2014's John Wick, the vehicles parked outside the Continental Hotel are the exact same ones seen
04:50in the first film.
04:51That's not a reused shot or a production shortcut.
04:53It's a clue that indicates the timeline of these movies.
04:56I have you for two nights?
04:58Depending on business, it may be more.
05:01Of course, sir.
05:02The first two films unfold over only a few days, with Chapter 2 following almost immediately after the first finale.
05:08Reusing the same lineup of cars anchors it all in a continuous stretch of time,
05:12showing us just how little rest there is between the gunfights.
05:16It's a blink and you'll miss it touch that sells just how relentless the Baba Yaga's world is.
05:21A man can stay here a long time and never eat the same meal twice.
05:27Jonathan, just walk away.
05:32Yeah, Jonathan.
05:37Number 15, The Count's Shadow.
05:40Bram Stoker's Dracula.
05:41Do you see me?
05:45Do you see me?
05:51Hospitality takes an ominous turn when the Count welcomes a guest into his castle.
05:55Although most viewers probably noticed Dracula apparating from time to time,
05:59few saw that his shadow was moving independently.
06:01Do you believe in destiny?
06:07That even the powers of time can be ordered for a single purpose.
06:15You can see a gesturing towards Jonathan Harker, while the Count remains poised and courteous.
06:20That creepy mismatch hints at the blood-sucking monster that's beneath the surface,
06:24showing his evil intent long before he drops the act.
06:27The old-school in-camera effect makes the old vampire feel even creepier,
06:31and more of a nightmare than we initially thought.
06:34I will take no refusal.
06:45Number 14, Dallas's Former Employer, Aliens.
06:49The analysis team, which went over the lifeboat centimeter by centimeter,
06:52found no physical evidence of the creature you described.
06:55Good.
06:56That's because I blew it out of the goddamn airlock.
06:59A quick glance at some Nostromo files links two sci-fi classics.
07:02As Ellen Ripley briefs her employers on the events of the previous alien,
07:06you can see bios of her deceased crew behind her.
07:09The computer cycles through them all, including Captain Dallas.
07:12His bio lists work with the Tyrell Corporation, the android manufacturer from Blade Runner.
07:17They're just questions, Leon.
07:20In answer to your query, they're written down for me.
07:22Although Ridley Scott didn't direct Aliens himself,
07:25it seems that James Cameron wanted to pay tribute to Scott's other sci-fi gem.
07:28The crossover may be telling of android history in this universe.
07:31While Blade Runner was set in 2019,
07:34the Alien franchise takes place around a century after.
07:36The Tyrell Corp mention could mean
07:38that they were the first synth building company that paved the way for Weyland-Yutani.
07:42These proceedings are closed.
07:45Number 13, Marvel's Earth Number, Thor The Dark World.
07:49My gravimetric spikes can stabilize the focal point of the convergence.
07:54This time, the alignment and all the other worlds would just pass us by.
08:00It's beautiful.
08:01Although it took some time for it to delve into the multiverse,
08:04the MCU hinted at other dimensions early on.
08:07When Eric Selvig gives a lesson on the Nine Realms,
08:09he writes down everything there is to know on a chalkboard.
08:12On it, he's drawn diagrams, equations,
08:15and a numerical designation for their reality.
08:17616.
08:18Yeah, can I have my shoe back?
08:21This is not only a reference to the label of the Marvel Comics universe,
08:24but also the first indication of what the MCU would be called.
08:27The same number would pop up again in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,
08:31confirming Selvig's theory.
08:33Our universe is 838, and we've designated yours 616.
08:37Oh, you guys sure must know a lot about the multiverse
08:40if you've got someone going around naming realities.
08:43Yes.
08:44Me.
08:45Number 12, Exes and Hearts, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.
08:48If we're going to date, you may have to defeat my seven evil exes.
08:52You have seven evil ex-boyfriends?
08:53Seven evil exes.
08:54Edgar Wright's cult classic action comedy is known for its attention to detail,
08:58one of them being that Ramona's exes each have clothing that links them with a unique number.
09:02Even more subtle are the symbols that tease the core romance.
09:06As they ride home on a bus, Ramona Flowers tells Scott that he has to defeat her seven evil exes.
09:11And I have to fight?
09:12Defeat?
09:13Defeat your seven evil exes if we're going to continue to date?
09:17Pretty much.
09:18In the background, you can see some out-of-focus bouquets that appear to be accidental camera effects.
09:23If you look closer, you can tell that many of them are actually the letter X, symbolizing the evil exes.
09:28Then when the two officially get together, the light suddenly becomes heart-shaped,
09:32marking the beginning of their romance.
09:34So what you're saying right now is we are...
09:38Dating?
09:40Uh, I guess.
09:44Number 11, Orange Symbolism, Reservoir Dogs.
09:47You don't have to take me in, just strap me up to the front.
09:51Strap me on the sidewalk.
09:53I take care of myself.
09:54Upon a close rewatch, you can figure out pretty quickly that Mr. Orange was an undercover officer.
09:59As Mr. Pink and Mr. White chat about their botched heist, take a look at what's on the table next
10:04to them.
10:04Pink, white, and orange bottles.
10:07Strangely, the orange ones sit far away from the rest of the bottles.
10:10The obvious division foreshadows that Mr. Orange betrayed the group to the cops.
10:14As soon as I heard the alarm, I saw the cops.
10:16No, I'm telling you, it wasn't that soon, okay?
10:17They didn't let their presence be known until after Mr. Blonde became a madman, all right?
10:21I'm not saying they weren't there.
10:23I'm saying they were there.
10:23Later, as Eddie rants on the phone about a possible rat, an orange balloon conveniently drifts by his car.
10:29Despite their superstitions, we can't blame the robbers for not seeing these things sooner.
10:33Hey, look, I've known Joe since I was a kid, okay?
10:35And me saying he definitely had nothing to do with it is ridiculous.
10:38I mean, I can say I definitely didn't do it because I know what I did or I didn't do.
10:41But I cannot definitely say that about anybody else because I don't definitely know.
10:44Number 10.
10:45Ticks per second.
10:46Interstellar.
10:47Go, go, go, go, go.
10:49Seven years per hour here.
10:51Let's make it count.
10:52In Nolan's iconic space odyssey, the Endurance crew land on a planet where the giant tidal waves are the least
10:58of their worries.
10:59Due to the time dilation, every hour that's spent there is seven years past on Earth.
11:03Hans Zimmer's score captures this time passage in a way that you probably didn't catch.
11:08About every 1.25 seconds, you can hear a distinct ticking sound.
11:12That one's moving away from us.
11:19That rhythm isn't random, as each tick represents roughly one day on Earth.
11:24This dials up the urgency tremendously and turns one of the film's most harrowing scenes into a countdown.
11:29Go!
11:30Hey, go get her!
11:37Go!
11:37Number 9.
11:38The New Monarchy.
11:39Children of Men.
11:40The son of Marcelo and Silvio Ricardo, a working-class couple from Mendoza.
11:45He struggled all his life with the celebrity status thrust upon him as the world's youngest person.
11:52Britain's monarchy has quietly shifted by the time this dystopian future unfolds.
11:56One of the early indicators is a police officer seen at the beginning of the film.
12:00The man's helmet bears the royal cipher CR instead of ER.
12:04The initials stand for Charles Rex, implying that Charles III sits on the throne in the alternate 2027 timeline.
12:10This wasn't an accurate prediction, as the real-life Elizabeth II passed away in 2022, 16 years after Children of
12:17Men was released.
12:18In any case, the helmet is a practically invisible bit of world-building that's much appreciated.
12:2320 days, 16 hours, and 8 minutes old.
12:27Number 8.
12:29Copy and Paste Extras.
12:30The Matrix.
12:31You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged.
12:36And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it.
12:43With a plot about questioning the world you live in, there are sure to be surreal clues that make you
12:47doubt reality.
12:48As Morpheus runs Neo through a bustling city simulation, identical people appear multiple times in the passing crowd, all played
12:54by twins and triplets.
12:56It's another training program designed to teach you one thing.
13:00If you are not one of us, you are one of them.
13:03What are they?
13:05Sentient programs.
13:06The duplicates hint that the environment isn't a living world, but a program reusing the same human templates.
13:12The background extras even wear similar black and white color schemes.
13:15The developer probably took shortcuts instead of making original characters.
13:19None of these flaws are directly mentioned on screen, but the Wachowskis confirmed how it was all shot without digital
13:24effects.
13:24Are you listening to me, Neo?
13:26Or were you looking at the woman in the red dress?
13:29I was...
13:29Look again.
13:32Freeze it.
13:35Number 7.
13:36Trash Ticket.
13:37Home Alone.
13:38Heather!
13:39Did you count heads?
13:40Eleven, including me.
13:42Five boys, six girls, four parents, two drivers, and a partridge in a pear tree.
13:46People spent years questioning how the McAllisters could leave Kevin behind.
13:50This quick shot may be a perfect explanation that almost no one caught.
13:54After Kevin fights with Buzz in the kitchen, milk spills across the table, and the family scrambles to clean up
13:59the mess.
14:05In the chaos, a stack of red napkins is swept away and thrown in the trash.
14:10For just a second, you can see that in that pile is a plane ticket.
14:13Without that one ticket, no one in the family could notice a missing seat on their way to the airport.
14:18It's a great use of a prop that makes Kevin's abandonment a little more believable.
14:22Did we miss the flight?
14:23No, you just made it.
14:24Yeah!
14:26Single seats, don't leave a coach.
14:27Take whatever's free.
14:29Number 6.
14:30Horizon Crash Down.
14:32Cloverfield.
14:51The mystery of the Cloverfield monster captured audiences' imaginations for years.
14:56The biggest clue that points towards its origin happens at the end of the film.
15:00A month before the monster attacks the city, we're treated to footage of the main characters on Coney Island.
15:06The camera pans to the ocean in what first seems like scenic B-roll.
15:09Admit it, you are going to miss me a little bit, right?
15:11Oh, yeah, I will.
15:14On the horizon, there's an object that falls from the sky and lands in the ocean.
15:18The almost unnoticeable object spawned many theories online.
15:22However, Matt Reeves confirmed years later that the mysterious item was indeed the monster crashing down from space.
15:28Oh!
15:29Oh no!
15:30Oh!
15:33Oh!
15:36Oh!
15:38Number 5.
15:39Coffee Cups.
15:40Fight Club.
15:41With insomnia, nothing's real.
15:44Everything's far away.
15:46Everything's a copy of a copy of a copy.
15:50In David Fincher's capitalist commentary, there are various statements on consumerism throughout.
15:54Branded coffee cups from Starbucks appear in several of the film's settings, the office, the streets, and support group meetings.
16:01They're rarely in the foreground, but once you spot one, the rest becomes just a bit easier to find.
16:06Fincher intentionally planted these cups to show how corporate branding permeates daily life.
16:11The visual motif is so essential to workplaces that they've practically become invisible.
16:15As Fincher once said in an interview with Empire,
16:18I don't have anything personal against Starbucks. I think they're trying to do a good thing. They're just too successful.
16:23Here's your flight coupons. Call me from the road if there's any snags.
16:26He was full of pep. Must have had his grande latte enema.
16:30Number 4. Riddle's Rocks. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
16:34In all the years Tom's been here, he's never once had a family visitor.
16:38There have been incidents with the other children. Nasty things.
16:42The wizarding Dark Lord appears to have been up to no good since he was a child.
16:45In a flashback where we see a young Tom Riddle, you might have been too distracted by the sight of
16:49Kid Voldemort to spot what's on the windowsill.
16:52Collected by Riddle are a small collection of seven small objects.
16:55Don't.
17:01At a glance, we're probably meant to assume that they're just items he stole from other orphans.
17:06However, we count that he possesses seven of these rocks.
17:09The amount likely reflects Voldemort's seven Horcruxes, the sacred items that hold fragments of his soul.
17:15The simple piece of set design hints at his fixation on immortality and control.
17:19A Horcrux is an object in which a person has concealed part of their soul.
17:25But I don't understand how that works.
17:30One splits one's soul and hides part of it in an object.
17:34Number 3. New timeline, new mall. Back to the future.
17:38Ah, excuse me.
17:43Sorry about your barn.
17:47There are various ways in which the timeline changes in Back to the Future.
17:51Before Marty McFly leaves 1955 for the present, he makes some changes to history.
17:55It's not until he returns home that he sees the ripple effects.
17:58What about all that talk?
18:00About screwing up future events?
18:02Does space-time continue them?
18:05Well, I figured.
18:07What the hell?
18:07But did you know you can see one of them as soon as he arrives in 1985?
18:11On his way to save Doc, he passes by a sign that says, Lone Pine Mall.
18:15The sign can be seen earlier in the film, but with the name, Twin Pines Mall.
18:19That's because when Marty travels back in time, he runs over one of two pine trees.
18:24I'm fine!
18:25Why you?
18:28You crazy bastard!
18:30You killed my pine!
18:32We didn't notice it at first, but at least Marty didn't either.
18:35Number two, Vincent's first appearance, Pulp Fiction.
18:39Want some bacon?
18:40No, man, I don't eat pork.
18:42Are you Jewish?
18:43No, I ain't Jewish.
18:44I just don't dig on swine, that's all.
18:46Non-linear narratives can be hard to keep track of.
18:48Once you get it down after a first viewing, you can find some neat attention to continuity.
18:52Take, for instance, the opening scene.
18:54Just before Pumpkin and Honey Bunny start their robbery, you can see Vincent Vega in the background heading to the
18:58bathroom.
18:59Customers sitting there with food in them house.
19:01I don't know what's going on.
19:02One minute, they're having a Denver omelet.
19:04Next minute, someone's sticking a gun in their face.
19:06He's out of focus and easy to miss if you don't know where to look.
19:09When the story finally returns to the same holdup, Vincent returns from the bathroom and into the standoff, tying the
19:14two scenes together.
19:15Vincent!
19:16Be cool!
19:18Yolanda!
19:19It's cool, baby!
19:20It's cool!
19:21We're still just talking.
19:23Come on, point the gun at me!
19:24Number one, Fruity Foreshadowing.
19:26The Godfather.
19:27You don't understand.
19:29Johnny Fontaine never gets that movie.
19:33That part is perfect for him.
19:35It'll make him a big star.
19:37I'm gonna run him out of the business.
19:39This classic Oscar winner has a notable harbinger of brisly events.
19:43Throughout The Godfather, various oranges can be found.
19:46Production designer, Dean Tavalaris, says that the citrus fruits served an aesthetic purpose, but they may do more than lend
19:51color to dark scenes.
19:53There are oranges sitting in Jack Woltz's dining room before he finds his prized horse decapitated.
19:58Oranges also tumble into his street right before Don Corleone gets shot at.
20:08Even more oranges can be found at the meeting of the five families, the wedding reception, and Corleone's garden.
20:14The sequels continue the symbolism, by placing oranges in even more scenes.
20:18If we were in that crime family, we'd stay away from that fruit from now on.
20:21They're arranging a meeting in Brooklyn.
20:24Tessio's ground.
20:27Where I'll be safe.
20:28Did you have a sharp enough eye to catch any of these on your first watch?
20:32Let us know what details you spotted in the comments below.
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