Not every film production is as simple as it appears. Sometimes there are many hidden stories behind them, which provide a huge share of surprises for the audience. However, some of those make it onto the screen, while others live quietly as untold stories. So let’s find out some of those stories.
1. The Matrix Code Comes from Sushi Recipes
Credit: The Matrix
The digital code that appears in The Matrix was generated from a Japanese sushi recipe. The Wachowskis were looking for a code that would be both visually striking and easy to remember, and they found it in a sushi cookbook.
2. The Exorcist Was Inspired by True Events
Credit: The Exorcist
William Peter Blatty’s novel The Exorcist was inspired by a real-life exorcism that took place in Maryland in the 1940s. Blatty was a student at Georgetown University at the time, and he interviewed the family and the priest who performed the exorcism.
3. The Godfather Was Originally Going to Be a Comedy
The Godfather was originally going to be a comedy, with Marlon Brando playing the head of a mafia family who was constantly bickering with his sons. However, Francis Ford Coppola decided to make it a drama, and the rest is history.
4. The Cat in The Godfather Was a Surprise
The cat that appears in The Godfather was not in the script but was added by Francis Ford Coppola after he saw it on the set. The cat belonged to one of the members of the crew, and Coppola thought it added a bit of realism to the film.
5. Buzz Lightyear Almost Had a Different Name
Credit: Lightyear
The character of Buzz Lightyear was almost named Lunar Larry, but the Toy Story team ultimately decided that Buzz fit the character better.
6. Forrest Gump Was Based on a True Story
Forrest Gump was based on a real person named Forrest Carter, who wrote a book called The Education of Little Tree. Forrest Gump author Winston Groom came across the book while he was working on a different project, and he was so struck by it that he decided to write his version of Forrest’s story.
7. The Silence of the Lambs Was Originally Going to Be a Prequel
The Silence of the Lambs was originally going to be a prequel, focusing on the relationship between Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling. However, the author of the Hannibal Lecter books, Thomas Harris, decided that he wanted to write a sequel instead, and the film was adapted from that.
8. E.T. Was Almost a Very Different Movie
E.T. was nearly significantly altered as a movie, with a much darker tone. In the original script, E.T. was going to be killed at the end, and the focus would have been on the kids’ reaction to his death. However, Steven Spielberg decided that he wanted a more uplifting ending, and so E.T. was saved.
9. Viggo Mortensen’s Pain in The Lord of the Rings Was Real
Caption: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Viggo Mortensen’s pain in The Lord of the Rings was real, as he broke two toes while filming the scene where he is chased by the Nazgûl. However, he decided to stay in character and continued filming, which is why his performance looks so convincing.
10. The Blair Witch Project was filmed without a script
The Blair Witch Project was filmed without a script, as the directors wanted to create an air of authenticity. The actors were given a general outline of the story, but they improvised their dialogue and actions.
11. The Shining was almost a Holocaust film
The Shining was likely to be a very different movie, as Stanley Kubrick originally wanted to make a film about the Holocaust. However, he decided that it would be too difficult to make a film about such a dark subject, so he chose to make a horror movie instead.
These are just some of the fascinating movie facts that you may not have known about. There are many more out there, waiting to be discovered. So next time you watch a movie, keep your eyes peeled for hidden Easter eggs and behind-the-scenes stories. You never know what you might find.
