Movie Easter Eggs

This scene comes just a few minutes into Oliver Stone’s “Talk Radio.”  Look closely at cover of Playboy, it promotes an interview with…Oliver Stone.

Here’s Stan Lee’s cameo in last summer’s “Thor.”  He plays a guy who tries to pull Thor’s hammer out of it’s hole in the ground with his pickup truck.

In this scene from Kevin Smith’s 2nd film “Mallrats,” TS Quint (Jeremy London) and Brodie (Jason Lee) take some time to browse at a flea market.  While looking over one booth, Quint picks up a hat bearing the name “Clerks,” which was Kevin Smith’s first film.  

By the way…these two character’s names come from “Jaws,” which is often referenced in Smith’s films.

This note in the Looney Tunes short “Canned Feud” is signed by Mrs. Chapin.  It’s no coincidence that one of the animators on this short was Ken Chapin.

That hand belongs to Billy Zane, and it’s just about to get bitten off in this scene from “Critters.”  But check out the titles on those cassette tapes.  ”Herek Chainsaw Masacre” is a reference to writer director Stephen Herek.  Meanwhile, the title on the other cassette, “Dudevoir, Hussman and Parra,” comes from First Assistant Director Leon Dudevoir, Second Assistant Director Perry Hussman, and Third Assistant Director George Parra.

“Midnight Madness” is a Disney film from 1980 that barely even got a theatrical release.  It had a bit of a new life when folks realized it was Michael J Fox’ first film and cable stations began airing it after “Back to the Future” was a huge hit.  David Naughton was the film’s true lead, however.  He first became famous for appearing in the “Wouldn’t you Like to be a Pepper too” series of commercials for Dr. Pepper.  So it’s no wonder he ends up sipping from a bottle of Dr. Pepper during this scene.

No self-respecting nerd could’ve missed this little Easter Egg from “Transformers: Dark of the Moon.”  Sentinel Prime, voiced by Leonard Nimoy, says that “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”  Nimoy knows that all too well, having spoken the line before in “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.”

Here’s another one from the world of Looney Tunes.  In Friz Freleng’s short “Canary Row” you can spot a billboard advertising a soft drink called “Friz.”  Ads for “Friz” appear in many of Freleng’s films.

Ah, “Critters,” one of the many little monster movies that came in the wake of “Gremlins.”  I just watched the movie and I would say it actually borrows more from “E.T.” including the fact that Dee Wallace Stone plays the mom in both films.  I wonder how she felt about this scene where a doll version of her alien costar from E.T. is devoured by one of the Critters.