Movie Cliches

[underjoyed]

shriekingeel, that reminds me of my main problem with James Bond films (apart from all the sexism and stupidity, that is). Why, when the Main Bad Guy has captured and is going to kill Bond, does he always trust to his Fiendish Devices to finish him off? All they do is give the current Female Love Interest enough time to come in and help him, or give him the time to talk the Bad But Beautiful Love Interest into setting him free.

Once you've got him, shoot him in the head.

Hee. That reminds me of an entertaining link I stumbled across, which covers that and similar science fiction/spy movie cliches - a list of things to do if you ever become an evil overlord. I think my favourite is:

"I will not use any plan in which the final step is horribly complicated, e.g. 'Align the 12 Stones of Power on the sacred altar then activate the medallion at the moment of total eclipse.' Instead it will be more along the lines of 'Push the button.'"

That particular cliche always bugged me. So impractical.

[pepper67]

underjoyed, I love the Evil Overlord rules. The original site has extra rules though, in cellblock A and B.

So many Evil Overlords would have succeeded if they'd followed those rules.

I love this one:

If I ever talk to the hero on the phone, I will not taunt him. Instead I will say this his dogged perseverance has given me new insight on the futility of my evil ways and that if he leaves me alone for a few months of quiet contemplation I will likely return to the path of righteousness. (Heroes are incredibly gullible in this regard.)

Actually, film makers would do well to read and follow those rules too!

ETA the URL for Evil Overlord.

[chiqui]

Mexican people in movies are always dressed like they walked out of the barrio, or something kinda ethnic looking, like a full skirt and a shawl, or a bandana. No one ever wears a business suit or other professional attire. Never.

[mrpancake]

Well, Chiqui, perhaps they look like they came from the barrio because in every single movie they make all Hispanic/Latino characters come from the barrio. I hate it. They never have them cast as middle to upper class characters, they have to be at the bottom of the social totem pole. Sigh....

[tinyshoes]

In every rom-com, the couple has to have the kiss at the end with the latest Top 40 (or adult contemporary, depending on demographic) ballad playing in the background.

Also, in the morning-after-sex scene, the couple always wakes up kissing, as if nobody had morning breath.

[underjoyed]

Also, in the morning-after-sex scene, the couple always wakes up kissing, as if nobody had morning breath.

So true. Everytime I see that kind of scene, instead of thinking "awww, how romantic", I just think "eeeew, stinky." As much as I hate rom-coms, and especially rom-coms starring Julia Roberts, I liked the bit in America's Sweethearts where, when she and John Cusack wake up the-morning-after, she pulls the sheet up over her mouth while she's talking to him. Nice touch.

[tinyshoes]

I also hate when they have those sex in the bathtub scenes, or sex scenes in the pool. Sure, it looks sexy on screen, but in real life, once the lube gets all watered down, it feels like you've been masturbating with a cheese grater.

[mostlyharmless]

Reading the Evil Overlord rules I remembered the James Bond Type Baddie in The Simpsons, who spent all his time making sure his employees were happy and content, even while engaged in a running gun battle with special forces. Such a great twist on the cliche.

[Deleted]

mostlyharmless said:

Reading the Evil Overlord rules I remembered the James Bond Type Baddie in The Simpsons, who spent all his time making sure his employees were happy and content, even while engaged in a running gun battle with special forces. Such a great twist on the cliche.

Oh! I remember that! And when Homer quit the job, instead of executing him for his disloyalty, didn't the guy buy him a football team as a going-away present?

And speaking of the Evil Overlord rules, there was one that a friend and I actually picked up years ago: We were watching some movie where the bad guy began to feel the hero was getting the better of him, so he decided to pull out some super-sophisticated deadly weapon as a last resort. We were both asking, "Well, why didn't you use that to begin with?" Doesn't it make more sense to bring out the "big gun" first to get the job over with quickly, and then if it doesn't do the job, start resorting to other means?

[monsterzero]

Oh! I remember that! And when Homer quit the job, instead of executing him for his disloyalty, didn't the guy buy him a football team as a going-away present?

In Hank Scorpio's defense, it was an awful football team. "You just wouldn't understand, Marge."