In any creative medium, designers will often interject small but noticeable
references that only the most attentive fans will find. Easter Eggs as they’re
sometimes called, these hidden secrets are most often found in movies and video
games. So to highlight some of the better known hidden gems, here’s our list of
massive movie secrets.
1. Stormtrooper Hits Head
Source:
Star Was Episode
IV: A New Hope
Not really an intentional secret but rather a sort of blooper, in a scene from
the original Star Wars R2-D2 and C-3PO are hiding from Imperial forces on the
Death Star when a squad of stormtroopers shows up. One of the troopers, likely
blinded by the poor view from his helmet, smacks his head right into an opening
blast door. Supposedly, the blooper was so humorous that the scene was preserved
and even edited to include a clucky sound effect.
2. Alfred Hitchcock Cameo
Source: Any Hitchcock film
A signature of sorts of the director’s playfulness,
Hitchcock‘s
speedy cameos in his movies could be considered one of the first Easter eggs
featured in movies, and one of the most famous. It has become such a tradition
that other directors have taken to following suit.
3. Nemo Cameo
Source:
Monsters,
Inc.
Pixar films are known for including secrets in its films for intrepid viewers to
find. One more obvious example is the inclusion of a Nemo plush Boo hands to
Sully near the end of the film.
4. Subliminal Messaging
Source:
The Lion King
Disney has received a lot of flack over the years regarding hidden messages and
content that went against its family friendly image. While many suggested that a
specific scene in The Lion King featured floating sand that spelled out
“sex”, the animators later revealed it spelled “sfx” and was considered a sort
of hidden signature of their work on the movie.
5. Hidden Passwords
Source:
The Matrix
Watch The Matrix until the final credit and you’ll notice it lists a web
address and a password. By visiting the sit and entering the password, you’re
giving another hint and asked for another password. This step is repeated until
you’re requested to watch another scene in the film, ultimately going full
circle in this conspiratorial mini-game.
6. Hidden Message
Source:
Fight Club
Featured on the Fight Club DVD, this hidden message is shown before the movie
even starts, passing itself off as a warning message much like those against
piracy. But unlike those messages, this one is from persuasive anarchist Tyler
Durden.
7. Club Obi-Wan
Source:
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
It’s a slight nod to fans of Lucas’ other franchise, but anyone who’s ever seen
Temple of Doom should recognize the name of the club Indiana starts his
adventure in. Now if only he had stayed at Motel Chewie.
8. Pac Man Cameo
Source:
Tron
Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that a movie about a video game would have a
cameo of a timeless video game character. It’s a quick scene, but on the bridge
of Sark’s battle cruiser there’s a schematic showing corridors, one of which
features Pac Man snacking on some pellets.
9. Homage to Zombie Movies
Source:
Shaun of
the Dead
As a movie dedicated to the zombie genre, it’s no surprise that there would be a
few winks and nods to prior films. Case in point: Shaun is shown working at
Foree Electronics, Ken Foree being one of the main stars of the classic zombie
flick Dawn of the
Dead.
10. Hidden Clock Tower
Source:
Back to
the Future
In some cute foreshadowing, the opening credits of Back to the Future has
the camera panning past many different clocks, one of them a recreation of the
famous scene of Harold Lloyd from
Safety Last! As
any aficionado of blockbusters can tell you, Doc Brown (Christopher
Lloyd) similarly puts safety last during BttF‘s climax.
