Cinema isn’t just about the story itself or the performances delivered by the actors and actresses. It also isn’t just about the lighting or the musical score. More often than not, the sets, the props, and even the clothes that actors wear can significantly influence how the movie might be received. From props used for the wrong time period, misappropriated cultural details, wrong costumes, or issues with continuity—there’s no shortage of filming blunders that you can find. With such huge investments put into the creation of movies, we’re surprised that these even got past the editing room! Here are our favorites:
TROY
This 2004 film was a success in the box-office but got a lukewarm reception when it came to the critics. Inspired by Homer’s epic, Iliad, there were high expectations long before it was even in the theatres. Given the period in which it was set—everything had to be grand in scale, yet grounded in realism. This is where the movie missed the mark; going so far as featuring a luxurious pink parasol in one scene, which didn’t really exist in Ancient Greece at the time. One need not have a degree to get this right, a simple online search would have cleared it up.
Another obvious mistake was when Ajax was fighting Hectors in front of Troy’s wall. He shoves his weapon towards Hector, and he falls back, part of the wall is then gone in the next shot. A bit of the crew’s scaffold could also be seen.
I DREAM OF JEANNIE
The story of one adorable genie and her mortal husband is one that has fascinated audiences and made fans laugh during the 1960s. The show made use of practical effects to portray “magic”, but it doesn’t always work out as planned. There’s that one episode where Jeannie had scenes with her evil twin—which meant that Barbara Eden had to appear onscreen for both characters, simultaneously. The team did use a stand-in, but in one scene, the magic is revealed when the double’s face appears in full view. It just goes to show the degree of improvement that special effects have gone through within the last few decades!
There was one error that could really not be ignored—the ocean behind Tony was actually a printed backdrop. The waves were not moving at all. With today’s technology, that could already be edited—but factual errors are more difficult to correct. At the end of the episode, when Major Nelson leaves his beach, a mountain could be seen. There are no mountains in that area.
PULP FICTION
A film that is loved globally and across different generations, Pulp Fiction is an absolute classic. Some fans of the director and the movie might even go so far as call it perfect—but it isn’t without its flaws. In this case, it’s a timing fluke that might put off a few people. In one of the film’s most memorable scenes, you’ll notice that even before the bullets hit anything, the wall behind our Jules and Vincent were already riddled in holes. It’s not that easy to spot unless you already know what to look for, so to their credit—this one’s forgivable.
This film is riddled with continuity errors, one of which was right in the opening scene. When the camera focuses on Yolanda, a yellow Jeep could be seen in the background, but it changed to a large white delivery van in the next shot.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
When dealing with time travel in any movie, a lot of things can easily go wrong. Much research is needed in order to get accurate details. Whilst Back To The Future is an iconic piece of cinema, it still “sinned” when it came to the time dilemma. Remember that scene during prom where Marty performed a guitar solo? Sure, it was electrifying—but the guitar he was using shouldn’t even exist in that time period. The Gibson ES-345 wasn’t made until 1958, while the movie was set in 1955. Nevertheless, the film was so successful it made more than double the investment money.
In the third installation of the film, we can see Clara wear rather revealing clothes, which today’s standards are modes. Nonetheless, no school teacher of that era would wear that kind of clothing. Another factual error happened when the flag of California was seen in the background. There should be no problem with it, only that the flag was not made official until 1911 when the scene was supposed to be set in 1885.
PRETTY WOMAN
One of the most notable things about Julia Roberts, as an actress, is her refusal to do nude scenes in movies. It has been this way since she started, so wardrobe malfunction is pretty terrible—if looked at from that perspective. There was a shot of her character, Vivian, wearing a thin gown that’s about as close to nudity as one can get. Given her history, it’s safe to assume that this was not part of the script. After this scene, one of her breasts got exposed, too. We have to give her credit for turning that faux-pas into a career-launcher, though.
One mistake most would not miss was when Vivian and Edward first met. After they drove off, the driver kept changing. In addition, both of them put on seatbelts when they got in the car, but in the next shot, Vivian was free of it.
SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN
Back when the internet wasn’t as easily accessible as it is now, doing research for films would have been a particularly tedious task—even if you were experienced. For this iconic movie, very few things can be considered a flaw, but there is one detail that many wardrobe historians would always frown upon. It would be that pink dress, worn by Debbie Reynolds while portraying Kathy Selden, which didn’t fit in the 1920s at all. Luckily, it didn’t affect her stellar performance. We should all be grateful that we can even take online classes to learn about fashion history these days!
A mistake that is hard to ignore is an audio problem such as the case when a much more dissonant combination of notes were heard when Donald O’Connor was supposed to be playing the piano. Music enthusiasts would have a fit with that one.
FORREST GUMP
A true American classic, this film has reached cult status since it was first released. Like the others on this list, it is still beloved by today’s generation of moviegoers and subject to their scrutiny as well. Few can fault this film, but for the discerning, one scene where Forrest is finally reunited with Jenny is one they probably wish they could reshoot. You’ll notice that in the background there’s an iron set upright on an ironing board—within the next moment it is shown lying flat. Thankfully, it’s just a minor continuity issue that doesn’t really affect the film’s value to any degree.
In one of the scenes, Lt. Dan and Forrest caught a bunch of junk. Viewers didn’t mind it at all until they noticed a Mello Yello can, which was not on the stores until 1979. Another similar error noted was during the 1972 New Year’s Eve, Forrest was spotted drinking a Dr. Pepper with a logo that has not been designed yet.
TITANIC
It can be considered one of the most ambitious film projects ever; the film had a huge budget to work with, one of the greatest film directors at the helm, a stellar cast of actors, and a team of experts making sure that everything is perfect. But even professionals can experience lapses—in this case, it’s a switch-up when it comes to Rose Dawson’s beauty mark. First, it was on the left, but somehow it got moved to the right after some time. Looks like money management isn’t the only thing they had to worry about; someone should have kept an eye on Rose’s mole, too.
Could it be that Jack was a time traveler? One mistake we noticed in the movie was he talked about fishing in a lake near Chippewa Falls—but that artificial lake was not constructed until 1918. This would take considerable effort, but if the frames were slowed down, the stunt wires used when the ship was sinking could be seen in some of the shots.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Set during biblical times, this movie took plenty of liberties when it comes to wardrobe. Just take their use of lacy underwire bras for example. This wouldn’t have been too bad had it not been visible underneath the actress’ dress! Starring as Nefertiti, Anne Baxter’s beauty was only highlighted further by the vivid blue of her dress. Unfortunately, such a color would have been an impossible feat during those times—since commercial dyes didn’t really exist unlike in the present. Still, we have to give this movie credit for creating some truly memorable set pieces and beautiful costumes despite not being fully accurate.
Dummies are used all the time in movies, but in a scene where Rameses puts his son’s body on the statue close to his throne, it was apparent they were using a dummy, as evidenced by the plastic hair and eyes.
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
More often than not, film extras fade into the background of a scene. This is how it should be, after all. They are meant to help create the mood or atmosphere, helping establish the place and situation our main characters are in. For this particular faux-pas, however, the extra stands out because of how out of place they appear. The film is set in 1936 and whilst everyone else is wearing appropriate garb, you have one guy just hanging out in his shirt and jeans. We’ll give this guy credit—he makes for a great Easter egg that film lovers would enjoy trying to find.
Chases are public favorites. Sometimes, though, they could be unrealistic such as what happened in the scene where Indiana was running away from a South American Indian tribe. They were only a few meters behind him in one shot, but the next, they were at least a good 50 meters away.
PEARL HARBOR
One of the biggest challenges when it comes to making historical films is getting things right. Pearl Harbor received much criticism for glaring mistakes when it comes to this. The film was set in 1941, so stylists should have paid more attention to what the women were wearing. There were a number of scenes where they had bare legs— except the fashion-savvy women of this time would’ve worn nylon stockings with dresses. Even during the nylon shortage, they would paint thin lines down the back of their legs to mimic the look. Investments should have been made for accuracy, too, not just in beauty.
Military men, especially generals and admirals, never complain in front of enlisted men. In this case, there was a scene where Admiral Kimmel started complaining about their orders. It might have been for a dramatic feel, but the Army or the Navy would not be too enthusiastic about it.
GLORY
This critically-acclaimed film depicted one of the darkest moments in U.S. history—the American Civil War. Due to the number of accolades it has received, for both the acting and the overall design of the movie, it isn’t without flaws that observant viewers would have noticed early on. In the midst of all the action, you’ll notice a soldier right in the foreground—his arm raised in the air. Nothing wrong with that until you notice the digital watch on his wrist! The degree of influence this particular mistake has on that scene is very minor and only a few people managed to spot it.
Careful research is needed so that factual errors are kept to a minimum. In this case, during the Fort Wagner assault, the regiment was seen attacking from the wrong side. The correct one was attacking from the south. The moment’s seriousness, in addition, is taken away every time the bayonet quivers—revealing that they are made of plastic.
GLADIATOR
Choreographing the fight scenes for this period film must have been quite the feat to accomplish, but there’s no denying— it was well worth it. Gladiator is one of the most visual films out there; everything so visceral and realistic that it places viewers in the “sandals” of our main characters. That’s before it pulls you out of the fantasy, once you spot Russel Crowe’s exposed Lycra shorts in one of the scenes. Rome made many things fashionable—but we’re certain these fearsome warriors wouldn’t go around wearing these. We have to give Russel credit for making it look good, though.
Another dress-related mistake was during the time Maximus threw the sword into the crowd. As the camera pans, a cameraman wearing a shirt and jeans is seen standing next to his camera. Many of the movie’s errors are related to visible crew or clothing not appropriate for the era—which to some extent is understandable.
SEABISCUIT
This film is one of those classics that goes well with moviegoers across all ages. It received plenty of accolades when it was first released and was, overall, a real feel-good film that you’ll likely watch a few times again. Unless you’re the type to fixate on filming mistakes; if that is so, you won’t be able to tear your eyes away from one minor wardrobe issue: the strapped helmets. It may be inaccurate for the time, but we’re sure this was done for the safety of the actors and stunt doubles. No one wants insurance claims that could have been avoided, after all.
One other mistake historical buffs would be crazy about was the use of modern-day plastic binoculars throughout the movie. Another error that made it post-production was when Red had an accident, where a stuntman’s face could be seen.
AMADEUS
Another cult favorite, this 1984 film isn’t just beautifully shot in black and white—it also has one of the most fascinating stories to boot. The director did take a number of creative liberties, which include historical inaccuracies that didn’t sit quite well with critics. Viewers who may not be knowledgeable about period dress wouldn’t notice it, but those in the know will immediately point out the zippers in the costumes. These didn’t exist during Mozart’s time and wouldn’t be available in the market until 1918! Who knows? This minor faux-pas aside, we have to credit the movie for being an absolute masterpiece.
Crew members becoming visible is a standard error in many films. This also happened to Amadeus and was evident when Mozart and his family visited a parody on several operas. On one part of the show, little people were shown, and as they enter the stage, a man in jeans could be seen walking behind the set.
HELLO, DOLLY!
There’s plenty to love when it comes to this 1969 musical; from the beautiful dresses to the nostalgic set design, it really brings to life the time period it is set in. With this, it isn’t so much about choosing the wrong wardrobe or someone being seen in plain clothes on screen— but rather, in missing small details when it comes to continuity. You’ll find this in the scene where Cornelius is seen dancing with a girl whose red dress seemed to transform from having a dirty hem that dragged across the flooring to being completely tidy the next! A minor mistake that’s easily missed.
Dolly is perhaps wealthy because she handed money to the cashier twice as she was buying a ticket to Yonkers in one of the scenes! Another similar continuity error was when Dolly picked up her napkin twice after sitting down at the table at the Harmonia Gardens.
THERE WILL BE BLOOD
This next mistake requires an observant eye in order for you to spot it. This 2008 film might be widely acclaimed and considered by many as a cinematic classic, but it isn’t without its flaws. Look at the photo above—see anything wrong with it? Try looking down, to the bottom of Daniel Plainview’s boots. You won’t find anything gross down there, but you’ll notice the pattern of the soles. Those are waffle soles and for the time period the film was set, which was 1898, it wasn’t supposed to exist yet. Bet you’ll pay more attention to the flooring in films next time.
There were also continuity errors in the film, such as when Eli Sunday drinks from one of the three glasses in the bowling room. He got up afterward, and the next shot showed two empty glasses instead of one. We have to praise the editing team, though, as this movie is among those with the least number of errors!
UNFORGIVEN
When it comes to Quentin Tarantino, the director has such a distinct way of putting his films together. There’s action, plenty of thrills, and his own brand of offbeat humor. In Django Unchained, there’s no shortage of these—including a fashion accessory that we’re sure was put in the film on purpose. It simply has to be. Take note of Jamie Foxx’s sunglasses, something that was not available during the period in which the film was set. But it is this type of quirkiness that fans have come to love about Tarantino films. Besides, give Jamie some credit for making it look natural.
We’re letting this one slide, but only because the film is a work of art that belongs in the Western canon. Directed by Clint Eastwood, Unforgiven is a masterpiece that received four Academy Awards, and it is assured to go down in history as one of the great Westerns.
DJANGO UNCHAINED
When it comes to Quentin Tarantino, the director has such a distinct way of putting his films together. There’s action, plenty of thrills, and his own brand of offbeat humor. In Django Unchained, there’s no shortage of these—including a fashion accessory that we’re sure was put in the film on purpose. It simply has to be. Take note of Jamie Foxx’s sunglasses, something that was not available during the period in which the film was set. But it is this type of quirkiness that fans have come to love about Tarantino films. Besides, give Jamie some credit for making it look natural.
The revisionist Western Django Unchained is one of Tarantino’s best works. The film follows a liberated slave as he works as a bounty hunter before freeing his wife from her captors. The picture was a multi-award winner and is widely known as Tarantino’s most accomplished directorial effort.
BRAVEHEART
Another period film classic that is still beloved by many today. It tells of William Wallace’s story, a role that Mel Gibson portrayed to perfection— going into battle while proudly sporting a kilt. However, this is where the issue arises. The kilt is strongly associated with the Scottish people, but it didn’t exist back in 1280— the period when the film was set. Is it a forgivable mistake? Not quite. For the sake of historical accuracy and with respect to the Scottish folk, more investments towards research should have been done prior to designing the costume for the film. That’s just our two cents, though.
Gibson’s portrayal of Scotland’s folk hero was released 25 years ago, cementing its position in Scottish cinema history. Although the historical epic has become part of Scotland’s cultural identity, historians have always been keen to point out the film’s flaws.
THE DOORS
Unlike the sunglasses from Django Unchained, this was certainly a case of oversight when it comes to appropriating the right accessories for the time period. Detailing the life of Jim Morrison and The Doors, set back in the ‘60s and ‘70s before his death. Val Kilmer plays the role impressively but was wearing Ray-Ban sunglasses that were not released until a decade after the events of the movie have taken place. It is a fitting tribute to the rock and roll legend, but we do wish more investments were made into fine-tuning the details. It would’ve made the film even better!
Oliver Stone’s tribute to the ‘60s rock band, The Doors, also serves as a biography of the group’s late frontman. The “Electric Poet ” is a curly-haired Southern California beach lad with a charming pout and a notepad full of poetry emerging from the sun’s glare.
THE NOTEBOOK
More than a decade after its release, this film still manages to make hearts flutter and remains a favorite for movie dates. As beautiful as this film is, even its romanticism cannot make us look past some of its flaws. This one’s fairly minor and only noticed by those who paid keen attention to the very handsome Lon Hammond, Jr. You might find his hair switching from black to brown in various scenes. It is a minor flaw, but it could have significant issues had it been more obvious. We’re sure the producers are glad that this oversight didn’t cause the production’s bankruptcy!
This narrative of forbidden and forgotten love has remained a classic in film romances to this day, and you’d be baffled to find any that comes close to it. Maybe that’s why we skipped over these minor details the first time we saw this film masterpiece. It doesn’t matter because we now have an excuse to re-watch The Notebook!
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
Devout fans of both the novel and film will tell you that this masterpiece is as close to perfection as it can get. Close, because it does have some flaws that, though minor, can really take you out of the story once you spot it. Just take one of the scenes where we’re shown an adorable little baby—it’s one of the many heartwarming moments in the film until you notice that the baby is wearing a modern diaper! It isn’t really all that terrible and was likely an oversight during editing. At least they didn’t mistakenly include other modern conveniences such as electricity, right?
Sense and Sensibility was released in the UK more than 20 years ago and is best renowned for its brilliant direction and Oscar-winning writing. The movie explores the romantic relationships of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood while providing a realistic image of 19th-century middle-class life.
THE LAST SAMURAI
It may not have been the biggest film of 2006, but it did receive decent numbers in the box office and fared quite well when it comes to the critics. Well, mostly. See, whilst the film was excellently put together, there’s one wardrobe inaccuracy that really put some people off. This would be Tom Cruise’s samurai gear. At first glance, the intricate piece of armor is a real beaut, but the style does not fit in with the 1876 period the film was set in. The 1600s armor would’ve been obsolete by then. To their credit, they did manage their mistakes.
The Last Samurai successfully blends a Western and a samurai film and choreographs enormous scenes with hundreds of extras and intimate moments. The story of Japan’s 19th-century movie alters various historical events and personalities. Yet, it is Cruise’s scene that makes the enormous on-screen blunder.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER
It’s easy for the small details to get lost in the flash and bang of special effects when it comes to superhero movies, which is why some simply go by unnoticed. In 2011’s Captain America movie, however, there is one glaring mistake that it is said to have ruined the experience for some viewers. The error? Soldier Jim Morita’s earpiece. Considering the film took place during World War II, this tech wouldn’t have existed then. Fortunately, despite mixed reactions to the error, it wasn’t enough to push the film into potential bankruptcy. Everybody loves the Captain, after all – so we also forgive this one.
The Captain America films, out of all the movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, have the most influence on the franchise as a whole. As a result, some observant fans believe Marvel has committed many errors during the film’s climactic fight scenes.
ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES
Alright, so this next film wasn’t exactly critically-acclaimed and was received with mix reviews for the most part. It did make a lot of money in the box office, however. A whopping $390.5 million, in fact. However, one scene certainly left viewers frowning and questioning what it was they were seeing exactly. It begins with a telescope, one that is completely out of place for the period the film is set in. If we’re being specific, these weren’t even invented until the 17th century. A small error, but the degree of influence it had over that moment was quite impactful – but sadly, in a negative way.
In the early ‘90s, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was one of the two popular movie adaptations of the Robin Hood fable. Here, Kevin Costner plays the famous medieval knight famed for stealing from the rich and giving to the needy.
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
The epic picture Saving Private Ryan conveyed the courage, sacrifice, and misery of World War II in a way that earlier Hollywood efforts had either missed or avoided. The war sequences, directed by Steven Spielberg himself, were gruesome and realistic. Spielberg is famous for his attention to detail, so it is unexpected when he makes a mistake.
One of the most beloved World War II films, it earned various accolades and has moved
audiences to tears globally. Movie enthusiasts liken it to a masterpiece, owing to the amount of thought and detail that was put into every scene. That said, amidst the chaos of war, there is one error that’s a little hard to overlook—despite everything else that’s happening in the movie. Check the soldiers with their black boots. Nothing out of the norm? Wrong. For that time period, they would have been wearing brown ones. Nevertheless, the film still deserves credit for showing us the painful reality of war.
I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER
One of the original horror films of the ‘90s is I Know What You Did Last Summer. It helped generate a rebirth of the “slasher”-themed movies that worked so effectively in the ‘80s, and it was released shortly after Scream.
If you’re one of the people who had their eyes half-covered during this film, then you likely missed this particular wardrobe malfunction. Note the scene where Sarah Michelle Gellar is seen distraught and climbing up a rope. The perspective here switches to that of the cameraman, where audiences are given more than a little peek into what her ill-fitted dress should have been hiding. We’re thinking this one was unintentional so we have to wonder why it got past the cutting room floor. We’re not sure what the budget was for this movie, but investments in better and more appropriate dresses should’ve been considered.
THE TERMINATOR
The Terminator franchise may not be a box office powerhouse, but there’s no denying the series’ iconic status over the last 30 years. For science fiction and action lovers, the film was an instant hit. Arnold’s stature and size made him the ideal assassin; however, there was one catch.
It isn’t just female actresses who experience wardrobe malfunctions whilst on set. Just take Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator. In one of the film’s most memorable scenes, his character walks up to a group of punks—whilst stark naked. The scene might have been shot from afar, but audiences certainly saw more than what they were expecting. Still, given the quality of the ‘80s version, you’d have to look really hard to see anything. For that, you’ll have to get the remastered Blu-ray version. People were surprised when this was first released. We hope no heart attacks occurred; pretty sure insurance doesn’t cover this one.
GANGS OF NEW YORK
Gangs of New York was a perfect fit for Martin Scorsese because violent criminals and the Big Apple are two of his favorite things. The film tears up the postcards of American history and reassembles them into a blood-soaked tale of our rough-and-tumble past.
Plenty of big Hollywood names were attached to this film, with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Cameron Diaz, to mention a few. The film is set in 1863, during the New York Draft riots, making it a piece that was subject scrutiny when it came to historical inaccuracies. Particularly, in the uniforms that the firefighters wore. Audiences noted that it appeared no different from what firemen wear today. A glaring mistake considering that many of its features would have been unavailable back then. Aside from this faux-pas, the film does deserve credit for its realistic portrayal of the historical event.
CLOSER
And we have more wardrobe malfunctions! This time, it happened to Natalie Portman on the 2004 film, Closer. One of the most memorable characters, the actress plays a stripper with cotton candy hair, a feature that’s become just as iconic as the movie itself. For such a risqué role, the actress really only showed off a fair amount of skin. Nothing too scandalous – at least, not intentionally. See, there was one scene where there was an issue with her undergarment—exposing the actress accidentally. We have to give Natalie credit for maintaining her composure and not missing a beat despite the little mishap, though.
Patrick Marber’s critically acclaimed theatrical tour de force Closer is an erotically charged drama of love, loneliness, and betrayal with an all-star cast. It is a significant step forward for Portman, especially in comparison to her previous darker flicks.
INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE
Dr. Indiana Jones, a renowned archeologist and occult researcher returns in the third and final Indiana Jones film. Indiana goes off to find the Holy Grail with the help of his father. The Nazis are wanting the same prize once more and are attempting to thwart Indiana’s intentions.
The second Indy film on our list! This film raked in a total of $474 million despite only having a budget of $50 million. That might seem like chump change considering how much other action-packed movies cost, but it is still a hefty amount. Which is why we cannot overlook this one historical inaccuracy that editors missed. We’re talking about the medals pinned onto the uniforms of the Nazi soldiers—they wouldn’t be seen with those until the end of the war. It’s completely out of place in the movie’s timeline. Online classes in history would have probably helped avoid this little error.
VANILLA SKY
Released in 2001, Vanilla Sky has always been a fantastic brain teaser. The film introduced the concept of lucid dreaming in the most elite yet confusing way possible, leaving generations puzzled as to how much of the film is not a dream.
There’s more than enough thrills in this 2001 film to keep audiences engaged, so an unintentional nip slip could have easily gone unseen. Well, this wasn’t quite the case as many moviegoers were quick to point it out. It’s in that scene where Tom Cruise’s character captures Julie and is seen tying her to the bed. Cameron Diaz’s character is dressed in a sheer gown, which eventually slips and reveals her breast. The actress was quick to remedy this, but the scene still made it to the theaters anyway. We can credit Cameron for her professionalism; but, again, we wonder how this got past editing.
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN III
The Pirates Of The Caribbean has spent an excessive amount of money on the production of its five films. This is especially true when employing some of the world’s most well-known actors, such as Johnny Depp, who played Captain Jack Sparrow. Skills, however, do not equate to perfection, and an actor’s performance is simply one element of a much larger process.
It’s one thing to have a minor detail of your film be historically inaccurate, but to have an entire plot based upon an error is just a bit much. The people behind the movie franchise probably didn’t think it through when they thought it was a good idea to put the Black Pearl’s crew on a quest to Singapore during the 1700s. Unfortunately, Singapore was not an established country at the time and hadn’t even been given that name. Given the fictional setting, some would think nothing big of it. However, it would have been better had they made investments in a bit of realism.
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Pride and Prejudice is a 2005 classic piece of English literature written with biting humor and excellent character portrayal. It centers on the stormy relationship between Elizabeth Bennet, the daughter of a country gentleman, and Fitzwilliam Darcy, a wealthy aristocratic landowner.
Beautifully shot scenes, memorable lines, stellar performances—these are some of the things that truly make this adaption of Jane Austen’s novel a classic. The director may have taken certain creative liberties and often strayed from the novel itself, we can’t quite look past the historical inaccuracies shown in the movie. Such is the case with Lizzie’s rubber boots—these weren’t even invented at the time. A minor detail and is mostly hidden under the character’s long dresses, but each time they are shown? Our heart breaks just a little. Nonetheless, we give credit where it is due. The costumes in this film are stunning!
American Sniper
Since its inception, the film industry has introduced us to many beloved movies. While a good number of them are purely works of fiction, some of these flicks we enjoy watching also have a degree of realism to them. With that in mind, it comes as no surprise we now have numerous biopics to choose from, narratives based on journeys and challenges experienced by real people. One recent example would 2014’s American Sniper.
Directed by famous actor-filmmaker Clint Eastwood, American Sniper revolves around the titular character Chris Kyle, impressively portrayed by Bradley Cooper. Although it focuses on Kyle, who is considered to be the greatest marksman the US military has ever had, the movie still missed one crucial detail. In one scene, Kyle cradled his baby daughter in his arms. Now, as touching as this sounds, this father-daughter moment would have landed a stronger punch if it was a real baby – and not a doll.
Avatar
Besides entertaining us with compelling stories and adventures, many movies also provide us with gorgeously breath-taking visual spectacles. For this, studios and producers spend astounding amounts of investment money on visual effects, which can be done practically and digitally. With that said, one movie that has since become one of the industry’s greatest crowned jewels is James Cameron’s 2009 epic Avatar.
As impressive as its visuals are, however, the film is not without its flaws. In fact, there are a couple. For now, though, we’ll focus on just one, which takes place when the movie is just about to end. By that point, the protagonist Jake Sully was set to transfer his consciousness, via a ritual, from his human body to a Na’Vi’s. This takes place in the alien planet Pandora, meaning humans need oxygen masks to live in its ecosystem. Despite this established rule, though, Jake took the ritual without wearing any air-supplying masks – he must be good at holding his breath for hours.
Dirty Dancing
The great thing about stories is that they can take place anytime and anywhere. It’s all up to its creators. While many are set in the present setting, some give us a chance to glimpse at the possibilities the future holds, while others provide a more nostalgic glance back to the past. One movie that tackles the latter is the movie Dirty Dancing, starring Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze.
Although the film was released in 1987, its story was set in 1963. Well, credits to the movie’s cast and crew since they did the time period justice – for the most part, at least. Along with the characters dancing to a song that wasn’t even out in the early ’60s, another notable error would be their fashion choices. Throughout the film, Jennifer’s character Baby had a perm, a hairstyle that only became an in-thing in the ’80s.
Frozen
Besides live-action movies shot with real people, the film industry has also introduced us to numerous animated masterpieces. Of course, one of the most famous names in this category would undoubtedly be Walt Disney. Beginning with hand-drawn cartoons, the company has since produced many 3D computer-animated films, with one of their more recent works being 2013’s Frozen.
A story inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen, Frozen garnered a skyrocketing degree of popularity upon release, making it one of the most successful animated features of all time. However, despite that title, it’s no stranger to a couple of overlooked mistakes here and there. They don’t necessarily ruin the experience, but they’re pretty fun to look for. With that said, one such goof that made its way to the movie was when Elsa let down her hair while performing the now-hit song Let It Go. For some reason, even modern-day physics can’t answer how her hair went through her arm.
Grease
At this point, most of us have probably heard of the term “movie magic.” This is often associated with the fact that most things that happen in movies stay in movies. They are near-impossible to recreate in a real-life scenario. For one such example, let’s take a look at the iconic musical film Grease.
Released in 1978, Grease focuses on the ever-developing relationship of its main characters, Danny and Sandy – acting credits go to John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, respectively. Of course, in this genre, it’s a given that there’ll be several entertaining dance numbers and catchy tunes. At one part, however, a little movie magic takes place on Travolta’s shirt. During he and Olivia’s You’re The One That I Want dance number, Travolta falls to the ground and gets stepped on by Olivia right after. Well, for some reason, the dirt on his belly area suddenly disappeared as if he never fell in the first place.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
More often than not, we remember various things about the people we’ve met along the way. It could be the way they walk, talk, or the way they look. Another vital feature we would recall is their eyes. It turns out, though, not everyone agrees on this sentiment.
Fans of the Harry Potter series know that one of the titular hero’s prominent features is that he has the same eyes as his mother. During its second film installment, titled The Chamber of Secrets, it seems like the film crew wasn’t sure with which eye color to settle. Throughout the movie, Harry Potter, famously portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe, has his eyes changing from blue to green, the latter being the actor’s natural eye color. Even so, it’s just a tiny error, and the series to this day takes credit for being one of the greatest the industry has ever made.
Hitch
With enough talent and determination, anything you can think of can become a job. Such was the case with the 2005 movie Hitch, starring Will Smith. The actor portrays the titular character, who focuses his investments on his work as a professional date doctor. While his tips may have worked wonders for his clients, the same can’t be said for him and his journey to get the girl of his dreams.
Hitch falls in love with a girl named Sara, portrayed by Eva Mendes. Eventually, the two finally went on their first date, which ended on a somewhat high note. As Sara gets into a taxi, Hitch’s shirt gets caught on the door. Instead of just slipping off, it gets ripped right off of him. On the bright side, though, it looks like Sara got it cleaned. To top it off, she somehow undid the tear, too!
It’s a Wonderful Life
The film industry has undoubtedly brought us numerous feel-good and wholesome films through the years. One such example would be the Christmas family drama feature, It’s a Wonderful Life. While it didn’t attract much attention during its earlier weeks of release, It’s a Wonderful Life eventually garnered a skyrocketing degree of recognition when it made its way to the public domain. In fact, it has since become regarded as one of the most inspirational films Hollywood has ever made!
During one scene, the movie has its protagonist George Bailey answering the phone. Before doing so, though, he places the wreath on his arm on the table. Despite that, the wreath still found its way back to him. Well, with the film also incorporating some fantasy elements, perhaps this disappearing and reappearing act was just a magic trick George did to entertain himself.
Legally Blonde (ELLE’s hair)
The stories we love are often categorized into different genres, such as action, adventure, comedy, romance, and horror. While many of them usually focus on one, it’s not a strange occurrence for creators to want to mix things up sometimes.
Legally Blonde is a film released in 2001. Mainly a comedy, the movie also dabbles in the law side of things, hence the title. The main character is Elle Woods, a fashionista/aspiring lawyer. Despite the fact, though, Legally Blonde still has a couple of continuity errors that were so obvious they were criminal. One example is during Elle and Brooke’s conversation in prison. At first, Elle’s hair was below the phone, covering her ears. In the next shot, the phone somehow warped its way and is now under her hair. This funny little goof happens throughout the conversation, and perhaps it was even intentional.
Legally Blonde (brooke’s flowers)
At this point in the article, it’s safe to say we’ve come to accept that there are no perfect movies. As good as they are, there are still a few goofs here and there. Even so, they don’t necessarily ruin the experience. It just goes to show that the ones behind these investments are people just like us.
Now with that out of the way, the next continuity error we have is still in 2001’s Legally Blonde. Not only that, but it also takes place in the same scene! While Elle’s magical hair is quite noticeable, there is another more subtle one. During her visit, Elle gives Brooke a basket filled with flowers and a magazine. If we look closely, we could see that one of these flowers is standing upright, all proud and blooming. As the camera shifts to a new angle, though, that same flower is now slouching as if it was sad.
Lord of the rings: Return of the King
Along with the Harry Potter series, another title that has since become a cinema masterpiece would undoubtedly be the Lord of the Rings trilogy. With each movie clocking in at more than three hours, however, it’s no surprise that a couple of slip-ups were overlooked along the way.
While each installment has its fair share of goofs, let’s take a look at its concluding installment, Return of the King. One notable flaw is quite scientific in nature. The film’s heroes, Frodo and Sam, enter Mount Doom. The landform is an active volcano that oozes lava as hot as 2000 degrees Celsius. Well, along with being relatively resistant to heat, another error that was right under our noses was Frodo’s scar. Knowing that he and Sam have been through a lot throughout the journey, it’s no surprise he’s accumulated a couple of wounds. By the looks of it, though, his facial scar also went on an adventure of its own – around his face, that is.
Mean Girls
Along with movies revolving around wizards, superheroes, and cosmic entities, more than a couple of famous works are set in the real world. When done right, slice-of-life dramas can resonate deeply with audiences. Well, a portion of this credit would undoubtedly go to its well-written characters and the things they go through. With that said, one notable example would be the 2004 movie Mean Girls.
Of course, the film is also not without its few hubbubs. While the movie gives a good look at what high school life can be like, a couple of continuity errors can be found. One such example is when Cady says she still has to take Spanish class, only for the scene to transition to her studying German instead. Plus, Cady can also be seen tying her hair into a ponytail. The thing is, sometimes the ponytail is tied differently than when she originally did it – movie magic.
Miss Congeniality
It’s no surprise that genres and plot premises tend to crossover from time to time. A couple of pages ago, we had the fashionista-turned-lawyer journey of 2001’s Legally Blonde. This time, let’s take a look at the Sandra Bullock-led 2000 flick Miss Congeniality.
At the start of the movie, we learn that Sandra’s character, Grace Hart, is a skilled special agent working for the FBI. Due to one thing leading to another, though, Grace was tasked to work undercover as a contestant for that year’s Miss United States beauty pageant. With that said, a hilarious continuity error happens during the coronation segment of the event. As Grace attempts to take the crown away from Cheryl, Cheryl hits her with a bouquet of roses. Petals flew all over the place as a result. Even so, when Cheryl warded Grace off a second time, the roses somehow grew their petals back.
Never Been Kissed
It’s safe to say high school dramas never get old. They only go through varying degrees of change to get with the times. With that said, another movie that fits this category would be Never Been Kissed, starring Drew Barrymore.
Released in 1999, Barrymore’s character, Josie Geller, works as a copy editor. The story kicks off right when she’s assigned to pose as a high-schooler for work-related reasons. Along the way, Josie is reminded of her not-so-memorable high school days. Having experienced bullying back then, she remembers one moment when a couple of her schoolmates poured Sprite onto her bag’s contents. Despite it being a flashback, however, the Sprite can’s design wasn’t of that period, but that of the late ’90s. Even so, perhaps we could still cut it some slack, especially since her memories took place roughly ten years prior. It would’ve been worse if it was 50 years ago when Sprite wasn’t even a thing yet.
Ocean’s Eleven
Movies can make us feel many things. They can make us happy, sad, scared, and even tense with excitement. Many iconic flicks come to mind for the latter, some of them landing in the heist genre.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Ocean’s Eleven is the first installment of his iconic Ocean’s trilogy. The film focuses on a group of con men planning to do a $160 million heist on one of Las Vegas’ casinos. Of course, thoroughly preparing beforehand is undoubtedly a great investment to be made. For this to work, plenty of things need to happen on the dot. This includes distractions, one of which involves balloons and the Malloy brothers, portrayed by Casey Affleck and Scott Caan. Due to a staged fight between the two, Virgil Malloy lost hold of his balloons. The camera then shows them floating up to the ceiling. Not long after, though, Virgil quickly grabs hold of them, like the balloons were just a few inches above him.
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
While Pirates of the Caribbean might be high-budget and its script developed over a two-year period, journalists actually expected it to flop! This is because the pirate generation has not been successful prior to this. But despite its many successes, those with a keen eye for details will actually notice small details that were missed post-editing that actually kind of ruins the movie a bit. One of these was Elizabeth Swann’s nails which have grown considerably since her rescue and then shown as trimmed when she reunites with Jack Sparrow.
Another chronological error was when Jack Sparrow was engineering his escape from the boat. The English men were firing what appeared to be repeating rifles, something that has not been invented until 1860. The movie was set in the 1700s. Apart from the apparent time-travel, there was also the case of Will Turner’s tattoo that was shown in the Elven script, an obvious credit to J.R.R. Tolkien, which the actor Orlando Bloom got when they were shooting The Lord of the Rings.
PITCH PERFECT
With the word “perfect” in the title, we would expect no less than a great degree of accuracy from the movie. As with any regular film, however, Pitch Perfect also has its own shares of faux-pas. For example, when Aubrey was informing the Bellas that they would need to practice continuously, the board behind her says they have Sunday off. There was also a continuity and prop mistake when Beca was seen going into the radio station for her shift. As she unlocks the door, a handbag was seen, but she was already wearing a backpack when she entered the booth.
One of the most noticeable perhaps was Fat Amy’s wardrobe malfunction in Pitch Perfect 2, where the actress Rebel Wilson accidentally rips her pants in front of US President Barack Obama. On a minor note, during the scene of the Finals of the International Championships, crew members could be seen reflected in Donald’s glasses at one point.
SHE’S ALL THAT
The modern equivalent of My Fair Lady, She’s All That is one of the teenagers’ favorite movies in the 1990s. Like many films in that era, however, many set and continuity mistakes that were not apparent then stand out on closer inspection today. One of them was when Laney asked who would nominate him, and then she proceeds to read the flyer, her hair was tucked behind her ears, but in another shot, it was all over the place.
There was also a character and prop mistake, as in several scenes before Rachel Leigh Cook cut her lengthy hair, it was apparent she was wearing extensions as the line where they joined was noticeable. The character, however, would never bother to extend her hair artificially. There is yet another continuity error as in a scene where Laney and Zach were leaving, and it was sunset. In the following scenes, the lighting appears to be mid-afternoon. We still credit the production team as they could pull off a movie that earned $103.2 million.
SOUL SURFER
Those who invested in Soul Surfer had a modest return as the movie earned $47.1 million from the $18 million they had to work with initially. Despite the budget, there were still some errors that made it post-production to the final scenes. One of them was a revealing error. When Bethany was coming home from the hospital after she lost her arm, the outline of her whole arm was visible as she was getting out of the car.
Too many tomatoes on set? Cut them multiple times. Well, at least that what appears to have happened in the scene when Bethany’s mom asked who wanted sandwiches. Bethany makes the first cut, the tomato falls to the flooring, and then on the next shot, the mother makes another first cut. There was also a major error that well-traveled individuals would notice. In the scene in Thailand, the woman was supposed to be speaking Thai, but it was actually Indonesian, a totally different language.
SPIDER-MAN
There have been many iterations of this favorite Marvel character, but perhaps the most loved version is the Spider-Man, released in 2002. The film is not Aladdin, but there appears to be a magic lamp seen here when a lamp that has already shattered seemed to be whole again during the next shot. On a more serious note, during a fight scene with the Green Goblin, Spider-Man was grappling with a blade, but it begins to jiggle like a kid’s toy—ruining the moment. Of course, they are not supposed to use actual blades, but it does break the illusion to a degree.
Also, we can’t really expect Tobey Maguire to be present at all times and do all the stunts. This became apparent when at the time Mary Jane was rescued, those with solid attention to detail noticed that MJ was actually hugging a mannequin and not a person. At least they could have used a human double, right?
THE FIFTH ELEMENT
Bruce Willis and Mila Jovovich might be the perfect partners in The Fifth Element, but this did not mean there were no errors in the film. Perhaps one of the most glaring was when Korben sticks a mine to the ceiling and proceeds to ask Ruby to count. After the mine explodes, the aliens suddenly became dummies before they were burned “alive.” In another scene, the police are chasing Leeloo and Korben in a taxi, with the driver flooring the fuel pedal, they supposedly used a video display map of Manhattan Second District, but on the next shot, the image was reversed, as if it were reflected in a mirror.
On a more mundane level, just when Dallas first meets Ruby, their arms were intertwined. In almost every scene, the person who is “escorting” whom switches. The exact transposition was noticed when Zorg was first seen walking. At first, the audible clank came from his right foot, and then it changes to his left foot.
THE WIZARD OF OZ
This movie is so old that mistakes are actually forgivable on this movie. Examining the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz movie is like finding treasure in the attic. There are just so many interesting things, such as the fact that according to websites, there were 432 mistakes in this movie alone. One impacting error was an audio slip, when at the end of “We Welcome You to Munchkin Land,” someone got too excited and shouted before the explosion happens.
In another scene, Glinda sends Dorothy on his way and instructs her to follow the yellow brick road. The next scene shows Dorothy walking through a shadow of the camera crane. There was also a continuity mistake when the Tin Man crowns the Lion. The wide shot showed the Tin Man’s hand still on the crown, but just a split second after, in a close-up, his hand was gone. Despite the errors, we credit the crew for coming up with a movie children all over the world love up until today.
TWISTER
Science-fiction lovers have asked whether Twister was scientifically accurate. While it was primarily fiction, the characters of Jo and Bill were actually inspired by real-life scientists, as were the record-breaking events happening in Oklahoma depicted in the plot. This does not mean that there were no mistakes in the film, as eagle-eyed viewers did notice a few. Perhaps the most glaring was when a camera and a cameraman were spotted at the bottom right corner of the truck door just as Melissa dodges a truck that has fallen from the sky.
There was also the case of a disappearing RV. The antagonist, Jonas, has a fleet of vehicles, among them an RV, but in various shots, this RV seems to disappear and then reappear. Going back to trucks, in one of the scenes, we see the truck being driven on an empty road, with water on both sides. In a shot of the occupants, the road was shown as dry and a Red Chevy Trailblazer driving by in the opposite direction, with the driver probably pressing on the gas pedal hard.
WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (CANDY MAN)
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is an adaptation of the 1964 novel of the same title written by Roald Dahl. The filming of the movie happened in Munich, running on a budget of only $3 million. The investment was barely break even at that time, but many are re-watching the movie as an adult, and needless to say, with this renewed enthusiasm, were some surprising finds as well.
One of the mistakes seen in the movie was when the candy man, breaking out into a song, opens the counter to let the children in. He accidentally hits one of the children in the face, and the scene was not cut either. The candy man also appeared unperturbed, but the kid very candidly threw his face away from the counter’s edge. In today’s age, this would have been met with strong criticism from some sectors of society.
WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (GRANDPA JOE)
There are mixed opinions on the character Grandpa Joe, with some considering him one of the worst characters in the movie. There are merits to the arguments, but we wanted to examine deeper some of the mistakes in the film that involved Grandpa Joe. In one of the scenes, when Grandpa Joe and Charlie drank the fizzy lifting drink and were seen floating in the air, one of the wires holding Charlie up was visible.
There might be another reason for this other than the production team failing to pay their electricity bill, but in one of the scenes, the TV just turns off, for no apparent reason as Charlie turns to Grandpa Joe to talk to him about the golden ticket contest. It did not seem to be part of the plot, either. Another mistake noted was when Grandpa Joe gives Charlie a candy bar he bought with tobacco money. Grandpa Joe’s hands shifted positions, with not enough time to move.