Den of Geek

100 movie clichés that just won’t die…

Mark Pickavance


Mark highlights the cliches that the movies just won't be without...

Published on Jun 1, 2009

Movies, by their nature, rely on certain conventions to keep things moving alone. But here are 100 cliches that tend to get relied on over and over again...

1. Cars are never locked, and contain the keys needed to start them.

2. A person who is about to be attacked will refuse to look in the obvious direction from where the threat will come.

3. An aircraft will fall from the sky if left unattended for 10 seconds.

4. A moving vehicle can only be stopped either with a rocket launcher or goods train.

5. London is foggy.

6. Women can run in whatever footwear they're got on.

7. The FBI always arrive by helicopter, irrespective of where they came from.

8. However threatening its predicament, the dog won't die.

9. The immediate reaction of anyone in the path of something life threatening is to stand completely still and stare at it.

10. The bad guy always has an English accent.

11. In a horror movie, if a person is advised against any action, they then do that exact thing.

12. The biggest solider will die first and the stupidest officer will usually survive.

13. Automatic weapons are useless when confronted by a pistol.

14. Stolen cars are always fully fuelled.

15. The hero must have a friend who is a social outcast.

16. Bullets fired in aircraft cause explosive decompression.

17. Young kids are always smarter than adults.

18. Summer camps are filled with the musically gifted and psychopathic.

19. Remote places of the world contain unknown giant versions of animals.

20. If a person knocks another out and takes their uniform, it will fit perfectly, irrespective of the relative size, sex or even species

21. Anything alien that turns up on our planet uninvited is invariably out to kill us all.

22. Once a horse sees a rattlesnake, it will throw the rider off in the snake's direction.

23. Dying people always live long enough to say something moving or significant.

24. Girls named after fruit are easy.

25. Zombies are deceptively rapid walkers.

26. In a group of teenagers being stalked, girls who can scream well won't die first.

27. It's easy to open the door of an aircraft while in flight.

28. A truck is almost indestructible, apart from the brakes which are incredibly fragile.

29. Any drug deal usually involves multiple fatalities.

30. Reading any book aloud usually has catastrophic consequences.

31. Mobile phones work almost anywhere unless it's important that they do.

32. People that carry guns consider ammunition to be a optional accessory.

33. If a car is shot it will explode.

34. Horses are both bullet and arrow proof.

35. When people fall from high buildings, they always look back at where they came from.

36. People pursued by the most dogged policeman or FBI agent are invariably innocent.

37. In any fight between two men, the one with the least practical weapon will win.

38. Anyone dying of a gunshot wound in a high place will fall, even if it involves getting themselves over a wall or through a doorway.

39. Abducted people always call for their father, never their mother.

40. Asking the question ‘do you think we'll get out of this?' never illicits an honest answer.

41. Two spacecraft meeting in deep space always agree what orientation is up and down before doing so.

42. A performer can spot a loved one in a crowd of 20,000 people instantly

43. A soldier carrying a personal memento of a loved one, such as a jewellery or photo, has no chance of returning alive.

44. After sex, women suddenly become coy and cover their bodies up.

45. 50% of henchmen are mute.

46. Shooting at a lock with a pistol opens it really easily.

47. All white street gangs have one black kid, but black street gangs don't reciprocate on that deal.

48. High schools always have a socially inept outcast who is secretly talented.

49. People who don't know their parentage turn out to be either very rich or aristocracy.

50. When e-mail arrives, the entire screen of the computer animates a huge envelope opening

51. Irrespective of the windowing OS in use, a computer is solely operated by using the keyboard and typing commands.

52. All expeditions must be led by an old and experienced guide with a facial scar who dies horribly before the end.

53. Giant mutant creatures always head for ‘down town' locations, presumably to shop.

54. The more people who make disparaging remarks about two people getting together, the more likely it is to happen.

55. In a two cop partnership, only one of them can be streetwise, own a cool car or have a family.

56. A theatre can only be saved from demolition by staging a musical extravaganza at very short notice.

57. Spies hide their occupation by driving the most expensive cars, eating in the top restaurants, staying in the most luxurious hotel suites and having tailored clothing.

58. When people come to say goodbye to others leaving on an aeroplane or boat, that means they're not coming back.

59. Pilots who have a pet dog suffer a 100% attrition rate.

60. Each small town in America has a bitter and twisted individual whose sporting career was cut short by an unfortunate accident.

61. Falling from the roof of a moving train is much more likely when the train crosses a high bridge with a river below.

62. A dam has only one purpose, to break.

63. Natural disasters only occur where they can cause the most damage and casualties.

64. Old men die of heart attacks, old women in their sleep.

65. All superheroes leave a ‘calling card' so others don't take credit for their work.

66. Men will do more for a woman who has divorced him than any other.

67. In any Mexican-standoff between two people with guns there is always a third person out of shot who will actually fire.

68. Given an easy opportunity to kill the hero, any villain will decline, and justify this by suggesting that they ‘might be useful' at some point. They never are.

69. Explosive decompression on a plane will cause the overhead bins to open which then are full of loose paperwork, the same thing happening in space will make your head explode.

70. All Victorian street urchins don't own shoes, but they all have a hat.

71. Staying more than a day in the wilderness will involve meeting a hungry bear.

72. People marooned on desert islands soon learn to make almost anything from bamboo.

73. All cops carry the right equipment for picking locks and have a friend who sees this is a poor light.

74. People who retire always buy a boat.

75. In a mountain climbing expedition, those scared of heights will generally be fine, but those who are confident will fall to their deaths.

76. Failing businesses are run by old people, successful ones by greedy ones.

77. Women reduced to wearing a man's shirt as a dress will always find a belt to accessorize.

78. People falling from high buildings always land on a car.

79. However hard the hero is beaten he'll always ask ‘is that the best you can do?'

80. All government agencies have computer systems where their logo is a prominent feature.

81. Native Americans always say very little and when they do speak it's to give sage-like comments.

82. All explosive devices have a handy visual timer and a sneaky redundant circuit to fool anyone trying to defuse it.

83. Grenades are always given plenty of time to explode, even if the idea is to throw them just before they go off.

84. Decisions to murder people are usually made on the golf course.

85. When the hero is confronted by 10 opponents, they agree to only attack him one or two at time.

86. When the hero destroys something in a spectacular explosion, he never watches his handiwork. He's either walking or driving away looking in the opposite direction.

87. People told to stay somewhere never do.

88. Those characters who talk about what they'll do after the movie ends never live long enough to do those things.

89. Women always have an ex-boyfriend who can fix cars.

90. Men who have been wrongly imprisoned never have anyone meet them when they're released.

91. Bank tellers always give away the location and their intent to press the panic button by glancing repeatedly at it, until the bank robber threatens them not to press it.

92. Young cops carry semi-automatic pistols, while old cops always have a pump action shotgun handy.

93. Breakfast is always cooked each morning but the husband never has time to eat it.

94. When a cop is close to solving a case, he'll be suspended from duty, which he'll ignore.

95. It's easy to knock someone unconscious using blunt force trauma or even asphyxiation without causing any permanent problems.

96. Girls given firearms to defend themselves either ‘grew up on a farm' or learn incredibly quickly when given brief training on how to aim, fire and reload.

97. All funerals are attended by the person responsible for the death, who arrives in a limo.

98. Female abductees always try to be nice to the kidnapper, and then when that doesn't work they tell them that they're boyfriend/brother/father will kill them when they arrive.

99. Underground trains are just about to leave the station when you arrive on the platform or the station is totally deserted.

100. A person waking from a nightmare will only have woken in reality about 10% of the time. Usually they're still having the nightmare.

Add your own in the comments!


Click here for a list of ALL the lists at Den Of Geek...

 

Tags

Users Comments

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By cordas 1 June 1, 2009 08:48:55 AM

101. All cars, lorries, vans, motorbikes can go as fast in reverse as they can forward. 102. It doesn't matter what the hero drives it is no faster, has the same handling abilities and acceleration as what the bad guys drive. 103. In a chase sequence you can always catch back up within seconds after you make a mistake. 104. All vehicles have an extra gear that you can only use when alongside an opponent in a race / chase. 105. Teachers have no clue about time, and will always be surprised as they start a new topic of study as the bell rings.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:08:32 AM

106. The bad guy always has a Russian accent. 107. The bag guy always has a Middle Eastern accent.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:10:34 AM

108. In sci-fi movies, if a character has been a coward throughout they will sacrifice their life for the others who despise him.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:12:10 AM

109. In action movies (and computer games) all barrels will contain explosives that blow up when shot at. These will never harm the hero.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:14:06 AM

110. All dowdy looking females who then take off their glasses and let their hair down become the most attractive person in the film.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:17:06 AM

111. If somebody is asked if they want anything from 'the shop' the answer is always 'Cornetto'.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:21:31 AM

112. Criminals are evil scum.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:21:53 AM

113. Criminals with an elaborate plan are heroes.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:23:28 AM

114. All heroes reveal their secret identity to someone despite the risk of death to themselves, the person , and/or the world.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:32:21 AM

115. In the courtroom criminals who have denied and carefully concealed their crimes will always angrily admit to them if shouted at enough.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:33:44 AM

116. Monkeys either outwit humans to hilarious effect or cause killer diseases to spread rapidly.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:34:30 AM

117. The chosen one always denies that he is the chosen one.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:34:54 AM

118. ..unless his name is Brian and then he isn't the chosen one.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:36:56 AM

119. A soldier who plans to marry his girl 'after the war' will die in the war.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:37:59 AM

120. A soldier who plans to run a farm 'after the war' will die in the war.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:39:36 AM

121. Disobeying orders is always the right thing to do.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:45:32 AM

122. Virgins are always good, honest, and kind people.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:48:48 AM

123. Adults believing Santa really exists is a good thing that makes them a better person and not at all disturbing or weird.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By durdle2000 1 June 1, 2009 10:48:49 AM

123. When you crash a vehicle at speed into a wall or another vehicle, it will always set the horn off. Regardless of the driver's body position.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By durdle2000 1 June 1, 2009 10:49:07 AM

124. No one under the age of 19 attends High School

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By durdle2000 1 June 1, 2009 10:49:44 AM

125. Anyone who does attend high school is also given a locker the size of a small semi detached house.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:50:35 AM

124. You can get out of any tricky situation by performing Y.M.C.A. by the Village People with 3-5 friends.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:52:03 AM

125. Hacking into top secret computer information requires guessing a password. This will take no more than 3 attempts.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:56:32 AM

126. Gangsters will try to kill women they think will rat on them unless it is before 1950 where they will marry them first.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By picknmix 1 June 1, 2009 10:59:04 AM

123. Prostitutes are always good, honest, and kind people.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Disco 1 June 1, 2009 10:59:52 AM

127. The biggest concern american fathers have are that their child may be secretly dancing.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By ThePastyKid 1 June 1, 2009 11:11:57 AM

Exposure to lethal radiation will grant you superpowers

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By ThePastyKid 1 June 1, 2009 11:14:34 AM

There is always one cop / soldier 2 weeks from retirement

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By ThePastyKid 1 June 1, 2009 11:14:57 AM

Danny Glover is always too old for this shit

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By kittysgremlin 1 June 1, 2009 11:16:49 AM

122. In a school the goth or social outcast character will have by the end of the film be dressing in normal clothes & prob dating one of the popular students.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By varoh 1 June 1, 2009 11:17:32 AM

128. Every vehicle driver refuses to use the top gear/ push the gas pedal fully down, until he's at the climax of the race regardless of peril throughout.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By ThePastyKid 1 June 1, 2009 11:17:43 AM

http://www.empireonline.com/empireblog/Post.asp?id=546

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Soupie 1 June 1, 2009 11:59:33 AM

#133(??) In suspense/thriller/horror movies the batteries always die in the torch and theres never any spares near by

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By blat210 1 June 1, 2009 01:04:15 PM

135, ish No hero`s engine will explode, even if said hero changes down a gear when said vehicle is at maximum speed. Said vehicle will increase in speed to rate that is beyond maximum speed, without engines valve train exploding through the bonnet and 3 of the 8 pistons entering planets orbit. This rule does NOT apply to baddy, who`s engine WILL explode when said baddies car travels above 12.5 MPH.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By blat210 1 June 1, 2009 01:06:28 PM

136 or there about All American cars, no matter how large are faster than the Ferrari that is chasing them. Especially the Hummer.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By blat210 1 June 1, 2009 01:12:37 PM

137 All American cars sound like a supercharged V8. Even if it is a Ford Fusion Hybrid.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By cordas 1 June 1, 2009 01:26:00 PM

138. American cars only roll when driven by bad guys. 139. Anyone who invades America is going to be stopped by the sheer awesomeness of the american people, whether its kids hiding in the hills, drunk crop duster pilots or lonny scientists. 140. All scientific crisis can be solved by the application of lots and lots of high explosives.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By chewedmelon 1 June 1, 2009 01:52:00 PM

141 - If the hero is an orphan, then he will be betrayed by his father figure, mentor, his father's best friend, or his father's business partner.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By gudge 1 June 1, 2009 02:15:15 PM

Arnold Schwarzenegger will be back

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By gudge 1 June 1, 2009 02:21:41 PM

Bruce Campbell will say something offensive (but we don't mind)

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Ibashdaily 1 June 1, 2009 03:33:51 PM

All prisons are located in a nonspecific desert. Anyone returning to the scene of a crime will find something that the 30 forensics workers/detectives missed. Henchmen are one shot kills, but to heroes, bullets are just temporary setbacks. Any superpowers are never fully utilized until the very end. Every hostage negotiator requires a hostage be released "as a sign of good faith." And in a brief moment of clarity, the criminals do it.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By redryder 1 June 1, 2009 04:36:42 PM

Whenever someone says they are not going to do something, the very next scene will show them doing it.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By redryder 1 June 1, 2009 04:38:11 PM

Whenever someone walks up to a bar and asks for a beer, they never mention a specific brand.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By vader100 1 June 1, 2009 04:42:08 PM

147) A tramp seeing something strange will a) always be drunk and b) do a double take looking at the bottle in his hand and/or comment about laying off the booze

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By vader100 1 June 1, 2009 04:44:22 PM

147) A tramp seeing something strange will a)be drunk and b) do a double take looking at the bottle and/or comment about giving up the booze

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By redryder 1 June 1, 2009 04:46:56 PM

If a guy meets a woman who is engaged to someone else, he will always run into the church at the last minute and stop the wedding.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By jpburry 1 June 1, 2009 05:03:30 PM

I dare anyone not to find an example for each one. Too funny.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By moakle 1 June 1, 2009 05:05:47 PM

I'd recommend reading The Bigger Little Book of Hollywood Cliches by Roger Ebert for anyone that liked this article. Great book

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By cordas 1 June 1, 2009 08:31:06 PM

If we are ever invaded by aliens the world will wait for the USA to lead the fight back.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By RebelDog 1 June 1, 2009 10:45:10 PM

In any fight scene, whenever one of the guys is thrown he ALWAYS goes through a glass door or window. In a bedroom scene, the bed cover is always a special L shape that covers the lady up to her neck and the guy up to his belly. Drunk people can snap into being sobre very quickly, especially if something serious happens. Couple can have great sex even with their underwear on.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By miladyblue 1 June 2, 2009 04:21:04 AM

Revolvers will ALWAYS fire more than 6 shots. (Shot counting in Westerns is one of the funniest things in the world)

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By RobGordon23 1 June 2, 2009 06:05:40 AM

There are more things wrong with this list than I can count. Other than Anchorman, the dog always dies (Jaws for example). And i've never once heard anyone dying call out for there father (Saving Private Ryan for instance). I won't even go into how many others there are. Maybe i'm just not in the right mood to read this, but this is a subpar list...i was happier with the comments than i was with the actual list.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By dimes 1 June 2, 2009 06:49:56 AM

How about a similar list for TV? My favourite soap opera cliche (yes, I know that's shooting fish in a barrel)is that in any given situation someone will be put the worst possible interpretation on any action, even (especially?)if performed by someone they are supposed to love and understand.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By blat210 1 June 2, 2009 08:53:44 AM

RebelDog, you forgot the subsection where, once the guy has been thrown through the glass door/window, He then always gets up and walks away from the fight. he does not need an ambulance/major surgery for horrendous lacerations/severed major arteries/glass in eyes/severed fingers etc. In fact said guy must not have a scratch on him... Oh and he must always be drunk.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By DamonD 1 June 2, 2009 09:41:25 AM

If a woman fights, it will be martial arts. No brawling here, expect lots of kung fu and back flips.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By roncook 1 June 2, 2009 12:49:02 PM

The guards working for evil masterminds (and owners of Death Stars) cannot shoot straight... Cameras following men climbing down a ladder will track head to toe while with a woman they will track toe to head linger in her buttocks....people punched recover in seconds...martial artists can fight for 20-30 minutes non stop...the evil mastermind's woman will always find the good guy attractive...No one can take over the world without a massive underground base, complete with dining room and computer banks...chief henchmen always have a quirk of some kind albeit, not talking, a steel bowler hat or belonging to the same special forces cadre as the hero... No one needs the loo.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By tommo 1 June 2, 2009 05:04:15 PM

Any photographs of family members will appear very much like actors' headshots from a casting directory.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By ta_scott 1 June 2, 2009 11:03:37 PM

160/ Secret data files, criminal records, etc. from any government agency can be Googled!

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By picknmix 1 June 3, 2009 07:20:00 AM

161, People working in catering have a career path that started in the special forces.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By tim-van-dam 1 June 3, 2009 01:27:01 PM

is this from an old isue of Neon?

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By capt_1ntens0 1 June 3, 2009 02:02:13 PM

Any family, business owner, petrol pump attendant or farm worker living in the countryside of America will be flesh-eating, near industructible, compeletely insane (and happy about it), oh and have really bad teeth.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By capt_1ntens0 1 June 3, 2009 02:03:13 PM

People going for really long drives through the insane backwaters of America will also always forget to fill up their car, charge their mobile phone and tell anyone where they are going. Plus they'll ignore highways and always go down the half-built, bush-covered back roads where possible.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By capt_1ntens0 1 June 3, 2009 02:09:11 PM

Previously complete strangers meeting in a romantic comedy will all of a sudden bump into each other every where they go no matter how large or busy the city they live in.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By capt_1ntens0 1 June 3, 2009 02:21:35 PM

Every movie character over 40 loves Elvis and listens to nothing else. The Beatles onwards never happened.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Wayne_H 1 June 3, 2009 03:56:47 PM

-All really hot women are not married, have no children, have no boyfriend, no living parents, live alone, and are willing to jump into bed with any guys who shows any interest in them. -All really hot women will/must have a boys nick name. -All super hero all very tortured by their powers and are very unhappy in general. -No matter how well trained anyone in a action movie no one can ever hit anything, no matter how many bullets they fire.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By DarkWillow 1 June 4, 2009 10:43:51 PM

Anyone who has just went to the grocery store will always have that long loaf of french bread peeking out of the top of their bag.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By explodingzebras 1 June 7, 2009 01:46:28 AM

Whenever something explodes in space it's a huge fireball and a massive bang, despite there being no atmosphere in space so no way for sound waves to travel.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By Yankgeek 1 June 7, 2009 05:40:08 AM

-Joe Detective will inevitably find a parking space directly in front of whatever house or building he's going to. -Strippers will date customers. -Hookers are never more sleazy than they are hot. -Waitresses, supermarket checkers, and fast-food workers somehow afford shabby-chic one bedroom flats without any roommates. -Earnest young cops with spouses and families might as well be redshirts on "Star Trek." -The CIA does nothing but spy on Americans.

Re: 100 movie clichés that just won’t die…
Posted By chica 1 February 2, 2010 03:58:32 AM

The morning after a night of passionate and steamy sex, the man will get up and take a shower. However, the woman will get up and put the same clothes back on from the day before, apply her makeup and style her hair and go to work, all without showering or brushing her teeth!
Post a Comment
 

Mis-matched cops? Surely not?

Follow Den of Geek on

Related Articles

SEARCH

Broadband

Mobile Broadband

Compare over 100 mobile broadband & broadband deals online!

Mobile Phones

LG ArenaHTC Magic

Compare over 250 mobile phones &
52,000 deals!

Click Here