Tag Archives: movie facts

1/6th of the Time Spent Filming Alfred Hitchcock’s Movie Psycho was Spent Shooting the Shower Scene

Text Version: In Alfred Hitchcock’s movie, Psycho, the shower scene was made up from 90 different shots using 70 different camera angles. The entire movie only took six weeks to shoot, however, that one shower scene took just over 1 week to complete.  It was believed that Hitchcock used cold water in the shower to make Janet Leigh scream seem more […]

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“To Boldly Go Where No One Has Gone Before” is Thought to Have Been Inspired by a Line from a White House Pamphlet on Space

Today I found out the famous Star Trek line “…to boldly go where no one has gone before” is thought to have been inspired by a passage in a White House issued pamphlet on space. Specifically, it is thought to be from this passage in the pamphlet, “Introduction to Outer Space“: It is useful to distinguish among four factors which […]

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Peter Jackson Didn’t See the Completed Theatrical Version of the Return of the King Until Watching the Premiere in New Zealand

Peter Jackson didn’t see the completed theatrical version of the Return of the King film from start to finish until watching it at the premiere in New Zealand.  This was due to the fact that the final theatrical version of that film wasn’t completed until just five days before that premier.  Interestingly, Jackson actually continued to film the Return of […]

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What Arwen is Saying (in English) After Crossing the River When Chased by the Ringwraiths in the Fellowship of the Ring

In Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship of the Ring, when Arwen defeats the Ringwraiths after crossing the river, the words she speaks in that scene translate into English thus: “Waters of the Misty Mountains, hear the word of power, rush, waters of Bruinen (Loudwater), against the Ringwraiths!” (Nîn o Chithaeglir lasto beth daer; rimmo nín Bruinen dan in Ulaer!) […]

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It’s a Wonderful Life was Based on a “Christmas Card” Short Story by Philip Van Doren Stern

Today I found out It’s a Wonderful Life was based on a “Christmas Card” short story by Philip Van Doren Stern, which was originally sent out to around 200 of Stern’s friends and family in December of 1943. The short story was called The Greatest Gift and was inspired by a dream Stern had one night in the 1930s.  Stern, […]

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The Real Life “George Bailey” Who Founded Bank of Italy which Became Bank of America

Today I found out about the real life “George Bailey” (It’s a Wonderful Life), who founded the Bank of Italy which became Bank of America. The man was A.P. Giannini who was said to be who Capra modeled the character of George Bailey as well as the bank president in Capra’s 1932 movie, American Madness, after.  At the age of […]

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