We’ve all got our favorite moments from our favorite movies. Sometimes we think “wow,
the screenwriter was really onto something!” But
did you know that there are many accidental movie bloopers that became iconic moments?
That’s right! Many of your favorite movie moments were actually bloopers. Yet,
the filmmakers had the foresight to know that these would be great additions for the movie.
Whether it was an iconic catchphrase or a furry friend who wanted more screentime,
these bloopers are what added the icing on the cake.
Today, we’ll look back at some of these happy accidents that made some of the best scenes in our
favorite films. Also, if you’re looking for great movie recommendations you’re in the right place!
Join FactsVerse to learn about the accidental movie bloopers that became iconic moments…
CALVIN CANDIE’S CUT
If you’ve seen Django Unchained, you know that one of the most sadistic
characters is Calvin Candie, played by Leonardo DiCaprio.
There’s one scene where he grabs onto a glass and he holds it so firmly that it breaks. The
shard of glass cut Leonardo DiCaprio’s hand and he started bleeding. But ever the professional,
Leo continuing to remain in character and his bleeding showed up in the film.
Quentin Tarantino decided to keep the scene as it was – he felt this would add to the
intensity of the film and the character. It certainly did and one could say that this
scene is one of the many reasons why Calvin Candie is one of Tarantino’s greatest creations.
Even after cutting his hand and as he bleeds, Calvin Candie continues to talk
and threatens the other characters. He remains menacing even in a moment
that seems like it might weaken him. It seemed that Leo knew exactly what made a
great Tarantino villain and that he didn’t dare stop acting just because of some gushing blood!
HERE KITTY KITTY
Even the most frightening characters in cinema have a softer element to them. Or, you
can even say that these seemingly softer moments are what makes the character so frightening.
In From Russia With Love, we never see Blofeld’s face. But we know that he is
menacing and we mostly see him stroking a cat – which makes him even more menacing. This same cat
ploy was used when we first meet Don Corleone in The Godfather. But this was an accidental blooper!
A cat somehow entered the set and jumped on Marlon Brando’s lap. Rather than asking
Francis Ford Coppola to yell ‘cut’ – Marlon Brando continued to act with the cat in his lap. This
showed a juxtaposition between the intensity of Don Corleone but also the gentleness that
we would see in moments of the film. It was a perfect introduction on who the character was.
Perhaps the cat should have been mentioned in the credits!
“I’M WALKIN’ HERE!”
One of the most famous scenes in Midnight Cowboy is when Joe Buck and Ratso are walking
down the street. As they cross the street, a taxi almost hits Ratso. He hits the taxi,
screams at the driver and screams “I’m Walkin’ here!”
This was a tense scene in the movie and remains one of the most iconic moments in the film.
But what’s really interesting is that it was an accidental blooper. The taxi driver almost did hit
Dustin Hoffman and his apprehension and anger was real. The line “I’m walkin’ here” was improvised
by Dustin Hoffman who managed to stay in character even after almost getting hit by a car!
This is a great example of what makes a professional actor. Even
after almost getting injured was he remained in character and made one of
the most memorable scenes in the film. We wonder what happened to the taxi driver?
“BUT WHY MALE MODELS?”
One of the biggest nightmares for an actor is if they keep forgetting their
lines. Take after take will have to be taken and this is a major stressor on a film set.
But what happens if forgetting a line actually makes the scene more interesting?
In one scene in Zoolander, Ben Stiller asks the question “So Why Male Models?” Afterward,
Will Ferrell’s character gives a lengthy answer to this question.
Unfortunately, Ben Stiller completely forgot the correct response that the
screenwriter had written. As a result, he simply responded by saying “But why
male models?” – pretty much the same thing he had asked first.
While this was an accidental blooper, it actually made the scene even funnier. It showed Derek
Zoolander’s air headedness and went perfectly with the character and the overall movie. So sometimes,
forgetting a line isn’t such a bad thing. But if you’re an actor – don’t get too many ideas!
MRS. DOUBTFIRE’S FACE
You know that Robin Williams had a hand in creating Mrs. Doubtfire
as he did all his characters. We know that his improvisation is what made his characters rich.
But he was also a master of improvising even when
things went wrong. The accidental blooper in Mrs. Doubtfire wasn’t a challenge for him.
There’s one scene where he’s wearing cream on his face and the lighting from the movie set began to
melt the cream – making it look awkward. However, Robin Williams stayed in character and improvised
his lines – coming up with an explanation as to why the cream was rolling down his face.
He was always a genius at coming up with new lines
and this accidental blooper added extra comedy to one of his funniest films.
WANT AN ORANGE, ROCKY?
One of the greatest scenes in Rocky is when he does his exercise montage as he
prepares for the big fight. In one scene in the montage, he’s running through the streets
of Philadelphia and the locals didn’t realize that this was an actor who was playing a role.
One street vendor tosses Sylvester Stallone an orange which he catches.
This is one of the most memorable moments in the film but its an accidental blooper and
it worked just perfectly for the montage. One wonders if the orange seller knew that he was
tossing an orange at someone who would become one of the biggest movie stars of all time.
The best actors know how to improvise when such happy accidents happen during the
shooting of a scene. While Sylvester Stallone was still a newbie when Rocky was being made,
it was clear that he already had the workings of a professional.
WHAT DO YOU CALL PEOPLE FROM HAITI?
We all know that people from Haiti are called Haitians. But apparently, Alicia Silverstone
did not know this when she was filming one of the funniest scenes in the film Clueless. Her
character is giving a presentation when she refers to the people of Haiti as “Hate-e-ans.” This may
seem that it was written for the character who was, as the film’s title suggest, clueless!
However, this was an accidental blooper. It was a genuine mispronunciation by
Alicia Silverstone and it was enough to get one of the big laughs in the film.
This shows that the director knew that the mistake worked perfectly with the
essence of the character and the film. It’s a scene that you’ll enjoy time and
time again if you enjoy a great laugh. Just don’t take it as advice if you’re a Geography teacher.
KELLY CLARKSON!
One of the most uncomfortable scenes in The 40 Year Old Virgin is when Andy,
played by Steve Carrell, is being waxed. What’s
even more shocking is that Steve Carrell was actually getting waxed in the scene.
His professionalism is what kept him in character even while he was
going through this uncomfortable process. However,
there was one accidental blooper when he shouted out a line that hadn’t been scripted.
Throughout the scene, he screams many expletives to express his pain. Yet,
one “expletive” that wasn’t written in and is rather odd is when Andy screams “KELLY CLARKSON!”
It was unusual, uncalled for, and unforgettable. This was an accidental
blooper that has somehow become one of the most iconic moments in the film.
THE FALL OF THE PRINCESS
One of the most memorable movies that deals with a Royal is The Princess Diaries. Anne
Hathaway plays Mia – who thinks of herself as an ordinary teenager – and certainly not a Princess.
Therefore, it was necessary for the film to show her vulnerabilities and even her goofiness.
There was one scene where she was climbing up the bleachers that had been wet due to
heavy rain. The actress slipped and this was obviously not scripted. But this accidental
blooper was kept in the film as it was a perfect way to show her vulnerability.
The filmmaker understood the character and the story and realized that this actual
accident was indeed a happy accident and worked perfectly for the movie.
It brought the princess down to earth – literally!
MARTY’S PARENTS DON’T RECOGNIZE HIM
We’re not sure whether this is an accidental blooper or
something that we have to think about a bit more.
In Back to the Future, Marty goes back in time to meet his parents. When he returns to the future,
he is not recognized by his parents. This is something we just accept and
Back to The Future remains a successful film and franchise.
Whether this is an accidental blooper, something the creators didn’t think about,
or something that has a hidden meaning – perhaps we’ll never
know. But this is arguably one of the most interesting factors about this great film.
Are you a fan of any of these movies? It’s quite amazing that these accidental
bloopers became happy accidents and went on to become the most iconic moments from the film.
Now, here’s what we’d like to hear from you:
Do you think that today’s films are just as experimental as some of these classics?
Or do today’s filmmakers try to play it safe and not
consider how accidental bloopers can help them?