You would think that continuity is something that most filmmakers would strive for. It sure means a lot though when screenwriters and directors go the extra mile and make sure that all of the small, blink-and-you’ll miss it kind of details in their films line up with the rest of the plotline.
A lot of classic flicks from the 80s like the Back To The Future trilogy and Terminator have some pretty astonishing continuity details that you likely didn’t pick up on before, but once we point them to you, you won’t be able to un-see them.
In today’s video, we’re going to take a closer look at some notable examples of faithfully-kept continuity in some of your favorite movies. Most of these films were made a few decades ago, but we’ve dug up the deets on some newer movies as well.
And even if some of these details weren’t explicitly intentional, they add a whole new level of intrigue to some of the most beloved films from yesteryear.
Stay tuned to see what some eagle-eyed fans were able to notice in iconic movies like Aliens, Indiana Jones, and Star Wars.
Doc Brown Left His Mark On The Clocktower
So, at the beginning of the first Back to The Future film, there’s no damage to the clocktower’s ledge. But at the end of the film, the ledge is clearly damaged. That’s because the Doc had to climb up there – and nearly fell to his death – when he was trying to send Marty back to his right timeline when they were both in 1955. The concrete crumbles when Doc climbs out on the ledge to channel the energy from the lightning rod to the Delorean.
Indy Was Healed In “The Last Crusade”
At the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade when Indy figures out which one of those goblets was the real Holy Grail, you can physically see the effects of the cup’s miraculous life-giving properties. When Indy first shows up, he’s got a big cut on the side of his head, after he drinks from the cup and hands it over to Henry Sr. you can clearly see that his wound has miraculously healed.
Louis The Keymaster Is No Longer Locked Out
1984s Ghostbusters is a veritable modern classic. But throughout the film that poor Louis keeps getting himself locked out of his apartment. Only after he becomes the Keymaster, does he stop running into this recurring problem. Towards the end of the movie when he goes to open Dana’s apartment, the door flies right on open.
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And make sure you stick around to find out why Star Wars is the reigning king of movie continuity – although Back To Future certainly deserves a shout-out as well.
Junior And Garth In Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade
This one might not click with you unless you’ve seen the movie recently, but in 1989s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Garth’s minion tries to point a rifle at Junior….errr I mean Indiana, but Garth holds it down.
Not to get too off topic, but did anyone else find it a little absurd that Kazim turned into a helpful monk-like figure for Indy even after he killed multiple of his ‘brothers’? Because yeah, that scenario would totally play out that way in real life….[sarc]
That One Extra From Back To The Future II
Remember that old guy at the beginning of Back To The Future Part II that was raising funds to save the clock tower in 2015. You know, the geezer that ends up giving Marty the idea to buy that sports almanac in the first place? Well, he’s actually the mechanic that scooped all of the horse manure out of Biff’s car back in 1955. Crazy right?
Bender’s Trail Of Destruction In The Breakfast Club
I mean this might not exactly blow anyone’s minds or anything, but it still counts.
Remember at the beginning of the movie when Bender is ‘rearranging’ the library card catalog and decides to throw one of the drawers of cards on the ground? Well, later on when Andy and Alison are bickering you can clearly see the empty slot in the card catalog in the background.
The Left Behind Gun In Alien
This is some seriously impressive attention to detail. In 1979s Alien, after Ripley sends the creature flying out of the airlock into open space with the help of a badass grappling gun, the door shuts just as the gun is about to fly out as well In the beginning of the 1986 sequel film, Aliens, that same gun can be seen at the base of the airlock.
The Terminator Loses His Brows
1984 was a good year for sci-fi films but a bad year for facial hair. In The Terminator, after Arnold jumps through fire, for the rest of the movie his eyebrows are burnt off.
What? Did they think we weren’t going to notice?
Then there’s the scene with the Xacto knife later on in the film. For safety reasons persuasively there was no blade in the knife.
Glad no one got hurt.
Doc Brown Loves Fast Food
In back to the future, Doc Brown’s lab is conveniently located next door to a Burger King.
You can tell that he’s got a thing for Whoppers by taking a look around the lab. Doc’s bed is literally covered in burger wrappers.
Somebody really ought to get that guy a trash can or something. If only the flux capacitor could be fueled by used fry grease, am I right?
The Walley World Glasses In ‘Christmas Vacation’
In the first National Lampoon movie, ‘Vacation’, the Griswold family takes a cross-country drive to go to a theme park called Walley World.
In the sequel, ‘Christmas Vacation, Clark and Eddie drink eggnog out of glasses picked up at the gift shop at said amusement park.
Saber Error
When Darth Vader throws his lightsaber at Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, the blade side of the weapon is extending out of the wrong end of the hilt. You would think that somebody would have noticed, but apparently not.
Now, I suppose you’re all saying that wasn’t really an example of George Lucas and company upholding continuity in his film – and you’d be right about that – but you have to admit you never noticed that little detail before.
Vader’s Mechanized Skeleton
When Darth Vader is struck by Emperor Palpatine’s lighting in Return of the Jedi, you can clearly see his skeleton for several frames from multiple different angles. You can clearly make out his mechanical right arm, three vertebrae implants, and his respirator.
Tootsie’s Juicy One Liner
In the 1982 film Tootsie, one of the producers mentions that they have to broadcast one of the scenes live because one of the editors just spilled juice on the tape. Earlier on in the film, you can see a guy in the editing room sipping on a cup of juice.
Vader’s Ignorance Was Showing
During the battle of Bespin scene in The Empire Strikes Back, Darth Vader rambles on and on about how Luke was trained by Obi-Wan. This proves that he knew nothing about how Luke was actually trained by Yoda. In fact, Vader didn’t even know that Yoda was even alive still.
Flipping Through The Channels
in 2017s Baby Driver, baby flips through the channels on TV for a while. At a later point in the movie, he repeats every line of dialogue that he heard while channel-surfing.
Who The Heck Is Blue?
In Love, Simon, Martin makes a witty little joke to Abby that actually reveals a huge clue as to who Blue is. He asks what you get when you mix Black and Jewish. The answer of course is blue-ish!
The Omen Of Death
In the Departed, an X appears on the screen every time right before a character dies. Personally, if I was a character in that film, I would book it if I walked into a room and there was a giant X painted on the wall. No way am I sticking around to see what that’s all about.
Ace Ventura’s Fruity Foreshadowing
In Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, a banana and two apples are cleverly placed on Lieutenant Lois Einhorn’s desk in a pretty suggestive arrangement. It might not be super clear, but this edible arrangement foreshadows the fact that she was actually born with male genitalia.
CareerGoals
In Iron Man 2, the little kid in the mask that Tony Stark saves grows up to be Spider-Man. Granted, you might be a little skeptical of this bit, but Tom Holland and Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios both confirmed this fact.
Speaking of Career Goals
In Toy Story 3, the trash man is actually Sid, the scary next-door neighbor kid from the first film. At least he found his place in life. For a minute there It sure seemed like he was going to grow up to be a sociopath.
Heath Ledgers Shout Out To His Kid
In The Dark Knight, The Joker’s nurse outfit has a name tag that says “Matilda”. Turns out that’s actually the name of Heath Ledger’s real-life daughter..
Hitting Small Children With Wooden Doors
Near the beginning of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, the owner of the candy shop accidentally hits a little girl in her face when he lifts up the door of his counter. The funny thing is she hardly reacts to it. She just pulls her head back and acts as nothing happened. At least she was a good sport about it.
Lone Pines Mall
In Back To The Future, the local shopping mall changes names from Twin Pines Mall to Lone Pine Mall after Marty McFly returns back from the year 1955. That’s because Marty ran over one of the farmer’s precious pine trees while he was in the past.
Don’t know about you, but some of this movie continuity Easter eggs have blown our minds.
Anyway, we’d love to hear from you! What’s your favorite film – or film franchise – that paid special attention to detail when it came to its continuity? Star Wars, Back To The Future, maybe?
Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
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