12 Times Movies Were Hiding Hilarious Secrets Right Under Our Noses

Melody Carter
Apr 04, 2023
Apr 04, 2023

Are you sure that you've got a hawk's eye for spotting all the hidden gems in films? Think again, my friend! Even if you've got 20/20 vision and have been living and breathing Movies your whole life, there's a good chance you've missed some of the subtleties in your favorite flicks.
Filmmakers love to throw in all sorts of hidden goodies for those who are paying attention. These details can subtly draw attention to important plot points, enhance a character's personality, or just be a fun nod to the fans. But let's be honest, with all the explosions, chase scenes, and romantic embraces going on, who has the time to catch every little nuance?
Believe it or not, there's a whole world of movie details that have been hiding right under our noses, waiting to be discovered. So grab some popcorn, and get ready to laugh as we uncover some of the most hilarious examples of clever movie details that you probably missed!

#1 Vivian (Princess' Diary) attends a formal dinner in a scene from Pretty Woman

Source: Pretty Woman / Touchstone Pictures, © The Princess Diaries / Walt Disney Pictures

In Pretty Woman, Vivian attends a formal dinner and accidentally knocks over a snail, to which the waitress responds with a casual "It happens all the time." In The Princess Diaries, a character played by the same actor (Allan Kent) breaks a glass and receives the exact same response from the same waiter.

#2 La La Land has a reference to Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo

Source: Vertigo / Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, © La La Land / Summit Entertainment

After watching the classic film, director Damien Chazelle was inspired to create a scene where the characters sing "City of Stars" in green lighting similar to that of Vertigo. Chazelle even decided last-minute to dress Emma in a purple gown reminiscent of the one worn by Novak in the iconic movie.

#3 Joker inspects a painting (Batman, 1989). It is part of the Joker's room decor (Joker, 2019)

Source: Batman / Warner Bros., © Joker / Warner Bros.

#4 Ed and Lorraine Warren wear the same color palette and style in The Conjuring

Source: The Conjuring / New Line Cinema

For example, Lorraine's skirt and Ed's tie match, perhaps symbolizing the connection between the two characters.

#5 Gargantua (the black hole in Interstellar) took a team of scientists a whole year of calculate

Source: Interstellar / Paramount Pictures

The creation of Gargantua, the black hole in Interstellar, was a year-long project that involved a team of 30 scientists and tens of thousands of computers working on equations and simulations for months.

#6 The book shown the opening shots of Pride & Prejudice is the inspiration for the novel

Source: Pride & Prejudice / Focus Features

In the movie, the protagonist can be seen reading the final chapter of the book that inspired the novel. However, the book features different character names and locations. At the beginning of the movie, Elizabeth's role is primarily to read the conclusion of the book.

#7 Selina (Batman Returns, 1992) had the Catwoman mask painted over her face by the shadow of her eyeglasses

Source: Batman Returns / Warner Bros.

#8 The book MJ reads in Spider-Man: Homecoming includes a character resembling Peter Parker.

Source: Spider-Man: Homecoming / Columbia Pictures

In W. Somerset Maugham's novel Of Human Bondage (1915), an orphaned child is sent to live with his aunt and uncle. This is similar to Peter Parker's situation.

#9 In the movie about Queen Victoria, one of the bridesmaids is Princess Beatrice

Princess Beatrice plays the role of a bridesmaid in the film about Queen Victoria called The Young Queen. It marks her debut in the film industry, and Queen Victoria's physical appearance is said to resemble Princess Beatrice.

#10 The tune played in a casino scene (Iron Man, 2008) is a copy of the original Iron Man cartoon’s theme song (1966)

Source: Iron Man / Paramount Pictures

#11 13 Going on 30’s: Jenna’s dream came true

Source: 13 Going on 30 /Revolution Studios

In the movie's opening scenes, the 13-year-old Jenna reads a magazine with the words "30, flirty, and prosperous" on the cover. Not only does the magazine's message come true in Jenna's future, but she also uses it as inspiration for her apartment's decor when she turns 30.

#12 In the movie Mystic Pizza, when in Little Italy, actress Emma Roberts wore the same outfit as her aunt Julia Roberts (1988)

This is because Donald Petrie was behind both films, and he had the same creative idea.

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