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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
12 Super Well-Known Movie "Facts" That Everyone Has Heard, But Are Actually Very, Very False
famous "SEX" dust cloud in The Lion King was a hidden message, but it didn't say sex — it actually spells "SFX" as a subtle shoutout to the film's special effects team. The myth of the hidden word, according to Snopes, spread after rumors that a 4-year-old boy from New York or Louisiana spotted the word "S-E-X" in the dust cloud while watching The Lion King and told his mother or aunt. However, that doesn't make much sense because how could a child that young spell, make out the spelling, or understand the word? The "discovery" was likely framed as "a child saw it" to make it more alarming and to fuel outrage by someone or somebodies who wanted to criticize Disney. is a widely circulated myth that one of the Munchkin actors hanged himself on camera in The Wizard of Oz, specifically during the scene where Dorothy and the Scarecrow meet the Tin Man. In reality, what people often mistake for a hanging figure is actually a large bird — likely a crane — that was part of the set to make the forest appear more lifelike. According to Snopes, this urban legend dates back to 1989, when the film was re-released on VHS for its 50th anniversary. OK, now, if you were watching this on video in 1989, the resolution would have been, well, shit, so it would be easy to not be able to make out shadows in the background and interpret them as something else. In the 30-plus years since then, the movie has been remastered and cleaned up several times, and if you watch it today you can clearly make out that it's just an exotic bird walking in the background. Men and a Baby was not filmed in a haunted New York apartment, and there's no ghost lurking in the background of any scene. The "ghost" people often point to is actually a cardboard cutout of Ted Danson's character, which was part of a deleted storyline. The movie was filmed on a soundstage in Toronto, not in a real apartment, haunted or otherwise. Just like The Wizard of Oz, Munchkin one, this urban legend started after the film was released onto home video. The story went that a 9-year-old boy had killed himself in the apartment where the movie was filmed and that he can be seen hiding behind the curtains as the camera quickly pans across the room. But the "ghost" is actually a cardboard cutout of Ted Danson's character (which can be seen earlier in the film). There are a few theories as to how this rumor started — like how it was the studio trying to drive up VHS rentals. It could just be that, again, just like in the case of The Wizard of Oz, the low resolution of VHS tapes, and the fact that TVs were smaller in the '80s and '90s, made it hard to determine what the figure was. a common misconception that Heath Ledger stayed in character as the Joker 24/7 while filming The Dark Knight. While Ledger did immerse himself deeply in the role — notably spending weeks alone in a hotel room developing the Joker's voice, mannerisms, and personality — he did not remain in character off-camera throughout the entire shoot. Cast and crew members, including Christian Bale, have said that while Ledger took the role very seriously and delivered an unforgettable performance, he was professional, collaborative, and able to step out of character between takes, where he cracked jokes and skateboarded. The myth of him being consumed by the role (and it leading to his death) adds to the film's mystique, but in reality, Ledger approached the part with intense preparation, not constant method acting. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, the scene where Indy shoots the swordsman was not improvised because Harrison Ford was tired of doing takes of it and refused to do anymore. Ford and the actor who played the swordsman had actually trained for a much longer scene that was going to be elaborate and just be between the whip and the sword. However, Ford was combating dysentery and was not feeling well, so the night before the shoot, he approached the film's director, Steven Spielberg, about shortening the scene (as it was going to take at least two to three days to shoot) by just having Indy shoot the swordsman. Spielberg had had a similar idea, so the scene was cut down before it was even shot. DiCaprio did read for the part of Max in Hocus Pocus. However, he never turned down the role because he couldn't even accept it, as he was already committed to filming two other movies. Barry King / WireImage / Getty Images, Buena Vista Pictures / ©Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection It's a bit convoluted, but he was asked to come in to read for it, with director Kenny Ortega being fully aware that he was unavailable to do the movie because he was already committed to filming What's Eating Gilbert Grape and This Boy's Life. According to Ortega, DiCaprio was brought in to read for the role because the casting people knew he would be very good and that it would inspire Ortega to find the right guy to play Max. producer of Gone With the Wind, David O. Selznick, was not fined $5,000 for including the word "damn" at the end of the movie because it violated a Motion Picture Association Production Code. "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn," is one of the most iconic lines in cinematic history. However, Selznick didn't have to pay a fine because he didn't violate anything. He wanted to stick to the book as much as possible, so he got special permission from the Motion Picture Association to use the words "damn" and "hell" in specific situations in the film. But, just in case he didn't get the permission, Selznick and story editor Val Lewton came up with a list of alternate lines that Rhett could say to Scarlett at the end of the movie. Max: Fury Road had a script, contrary to internet rumors that said director George Miller used only storyboards to make the film. Obviously, this is not true, because it would be impossible to make a movie like Fury Road without a script. In an Oct. 2020 email to IndieWire, Miller shut down the rumor once and for all, saying, "I'm not sure how the notion that Fury Road had no script came about. I suppose it's because of the [photo of the] room lined with storyboards. Of course, there was a script! How else could we have presented the project to a studio, cast, and crew to elicit their interest?" Jackson never demanded that Tupac Shakur get an HIV test before he kissed her for their film Poetic Justice. While this didn't happen, it does have an origin; according to the film's writer-director, the late John Singleton, it was actually a joke (not the most tasteful joke, I know) he started when they were filming. The backstory is that both he and Tupac had HUGE crushes on Jackson (who was not interested in either of them, 'cause she was secretly married at the time), and he would jokingly say, "We're gonna have to get you an AIDS test for you to kiss my actress!" as a way to one-up Tupac. The joke became a rumor even before the movie was released. Also, it's important to note that HIV/AIDS had been a known disease for over a decade-plus when the movie was filmed — it was already a known fact that you could not transmit the disease through kissing, so it doesn't even make sense. had high hopes for Jaws, and knew it would be a hit (obviously not the massive blockbuster film it would become). The movie was based on a bestselling novel, and the studio believed the thrilling concept and beachside setting would have a strong appeal for summer audiences, which is exactly why they chose to release it in the summer. At the time of its release, 1975, summer was considered a dead zone for movies, with studios typically dumping lower-priority releases during those months. In the decades since, this has led to the misconception that Universal didn't expect much from Jaws. Additionally, Universal backed the film with an aggressive marketing campaign, which was unusual for the time. The campaign included an unprecedented number of TV and radio spots, which helped build nationwide buzz. to popular belief, Cleopatra was not a box office bomb. In fact, the 1963 epic starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton was the highest-grossing film of that year, earning around $57 million at the box office, which was an impressive figure for the time. The misconception largely stems from the film's behind-the-scenes chaos, production problems, and notoriously bloated budget, which ballooned to close to $44 million (roughly $460 million today with inflation), making it the most expensive movie ever made up to that point. The movie struggled to make an immediate profit due to its staggering production costs. But Cleopatra eventually recouped its budget through re-releases and international earnings. lastly, no, a disgruntled Disney employee who had just found out they were fired did not secretly draw penises on the VHS cover of The Little Mermaid — despite what you may have heard as a kid. The now infamous image, which appears to show phallic shapes hidden in the castle towers, was actually the result of an innocent mistake by a freelance artist hired to create the marketing artwork. In 1998, Snopes interviewed the artist responsible for the original Little Mermaid VHS cover to get to the bottom of the infamous "phallic castle" rumor. The artist, who had previously worked on other official promotional materials for the film — including the theatrical poster, CD artwork, and Happy Meal boxes — insisted it was purely accidental. He explained that he was rushing to finish the artwork around "four in the morning" and didn't notice anything unusual in the castle design. In fact, that exact castle illustration had already been used in the film's original poster (below) and was simply reused for the VHS cover, with only Ariel, Prince Eric, Sebastian, and Flounder being newly redrawn.
CNA
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Why is True Singapore Ghost Stories still so popular after more than 35 years?
It's been over two decades since I read The Almost Complete Collection Of True Singapore Ghost Stories (TSGS), but I still remember being, well, haunted by its local lore for months after finishing a book. These 'true' story contributions, published under the pseudonym Russell Lee, ranged from tales about taxi drivers encountering long-haired female passengers along particular roads to the misadventures of teenagers at beachside chalets. But the average reader knew it wasn't what happened in the stories per se that struck terror in our bones. We had probably been exposed to more spine-chilling legends during school camps. Rather, the most terrifying thing was knowing these stories allegedly happened to ordinary Singaporeans in ordinary places during an otherwise ordinary day – and therefore it could happen to any one of us. This hyperlocal relatability is perhaps a reason TSGS gained a loyal fanbase, following its inception in 1989. With fact-checking more crucial than ever with information today, however, the series has also since received its share of criticism on social media. Commenters on a Reddit thread from five years ago, for example, questioned the veracity of the stories. Some claimed they knew people whose 'fake' story submissions were published. Others may argue that publishing under a pen name could mean less accountability or credibility, especially since keeping Lee's identity a secret is part of the allure. Yet, readers don't seem bothered. Book 27, the latest edition that was released in 2023, topped the National Library Board's (NLB) list of most borrowed physical adult books last year, while Book 1 placed third, according to NLB's 2024 Year-In-Review released in April. Books from the series have ranked amongst the Top 10 most borrowed physical adult books 'almost every year for the past 10 years', said an NLB spokesperson. To me, more fascinating than whether TSGS is legitimate or who's the person (or people) behind the 'Russell Lee' mask is what makes the series one of the most enduring pieces of Singapore literature. 'SIMPLE' LANGUAGE, WRITING STYLE When I leafed through a TSGS book for the first time in over 20 years, it was obvious to me that a key reason for its popularity is its wholehearted embrace of what I call the template Singaporean writing voice. The sentences are simple, short and direct, most sticking to a basic subject-verb-object structure. They also don't vary much in length or complexity, which tends to flatten the natural rhythm of the prose. Similarly, the language is utilitarian, with scant use of descriptive flourish. It leans towards observational rather than experiential writing too, minimising personal perspective or reflection. While many, including myself, may find this produces writing that lacks oomph, I suspect that is precisely why others devour book after book. In an email interview with CNA Lifestyle, Lee said Singapore has put its own spin on the English language and created one of its 'most wonderful varieties'. Singlish is a 'beloved aspect' of this Singapore version of English. 'It is this simple language that is employed by Russell Lee. It makes an immediate connection with Singaporeans,' he wrote over email, where he declined to reveal identifying personal details beyond the known fact that he's Singaporean. Besides, being anonymous has helped him to 'better connect' with readers, he said. The 'entire focus' of the TSGS series has been to 'provide entertainment' from the start, and this focus remains unchanged. TSGS was the brainchild of his publisher at Angsana Books, he recalled. Its popularity was followed by other notable local series, such as Mr Midnight by James Lee and Classic Singapore Horror Stories by Damien Sin. Each TSGS book receives 'hundreds of submissions', Lee said, in addition to those from his team of writers and the interviews he conducts. He also seeks submissions from younger readers, whose views can be 'incisive and thought-provoking', to encourage them to read and write. Once a story is in the bank, it's then chosen for publication based on 'entertainment levels', he said. As the books are for a general audience, one of his challenges is getting the 'fear factor' right, ensuring he doesn't go over the top. In this respect, it seems TSGS continues to be bang on the money. Findings from NLB's 2021 National Reading Habits Study indicate that thrillers, folklore and horror are popular fiction genres enjoyed by adult readers. These are elements featured in TSGS and 'might have contributed to its enduring popularity' amongst adult readers, said the NLB spokesperson. 'Of course,' Lee added, 'my interest in the supernatural and related topics gives the books focus and direction, and an underlying wholesome feel.' TSGS' readability is enhanced by its relevant and relatable cultural backdrop. It's an ingredient that, admittedly, hasn't always led to successful storytelling in other books and movies. It can feel off-putting to see Singapore represented in ways that may be easily perceived as forced authenticity, after all. But being, in my opinion, 'too close to home' appears to have worked in TSGS' favour. Many stories are situated in, say, the confines of Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats and local landmarks. All this provides 'very familiar context for the paranormal to happen', Singaporean writer Gwee Li Sui said in an NLB video promoting his 2021 online lecture series, How To Fall In Love With Classics. 'We have all these urban myths floating around all the time in our lives. And it's really very much part of being a Singaporean that we consume this on a daily, almost weekly, basis … It fuels who we are, how we enjoy a sense of place in Singapore.' Singapore's multicultural landscape is also 'grist for the mill', said Lee. 'It is a unique situation, unlike anywhere else in the world.' TSGS deals with 'very interesting intersections', added Dr Gwee in the NLB video. For one, Singapore's multiculturalism results in stories about the different ghosts we have in this part of the world, while our urban changes set the stage for various 'possibilities of the supernatural here'. Still, Lee said setting a story in Singapore is but one aspect that has made TSGS so popular. He admits there was 'no way anyone could have known the series would be loved by Singaporeans and that it would go on for more than 35 years'. The books have a readership in Malaysia as well, and Singaporeans living and studying abroad continue to buy the books, he said. For him, the most rewarding achievement has been to see Singaporeans reading TSGS for leisure. Many readers have also said the series led to their 'improved grades in English', and that it was an 'affordable alternative' to private tuition. So the longstanding series may have its detractors – albeit likely for the same reason its fans continue to uphold its cult following. Dr Gwee in the NLB video introducing his lecture series How To Fall In Love With Classics had acknowledged that certain people believe TSGS doesn't deserve to be deemed classic. But it's clear that TSGS has become a 'beloved feature of Singaporeana', according to Lee. This typically means something has hyperlocal flavour, often appealing to shared memory or identity. I can see why too, though I'm not its target demographic. Chiefly, TSGS doesn't pretend to be what it's not. Despite the country's myriad changes over several generations, the series remains unapologetically Singaporean at its core, down to its plain-spoken voice. Perhaps its enduring popularity has also 'something to do with who Russell Lee is', Lee himself suggested. Pointing to the 'truly multicultural environment' where he grew up, he recalled fewer distractions in Singapore's kampungs, which meant children loved to read. The introduction of National Service then became a 'unifying experience among Singaporeans and … a rite of passage', he added. 'Singapore was in a state of extreme flux. It was fertile ground for the imagination and the stories that were to follow,' he said. 'Shared stories have the ability to unite us. They create fond memories of Singapore. Memories which remain throughout our lives, and stay with us wherever we may travel to. The TSGS books have done this. 'This phenomenon is completely spontaneous and a grassroots miracle, a rarity in Singapore. In a sense, this series belongs to Singapore.' So, the burning question: Will there be more? Book 28 'might well be my last', Lee said – though he hopes not. 'You give a bit of your life for each story. I wish I had more time. The time is short and I work one book at a time. There will come a time, not long from now, when I have to finally stop, take off my mask and put down my pen.'
