Best movie factual errors of 1999

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Bowfinger picture

Factual error: The whole Bowfinger scenario is impossible. They are using a 35mm Panavision cine camera which cannot be focused through the lens; it needs precise measurements on the set in order to be properly in register. Then there are the light readings required to ensure proper exposure. Wouldn't Kit Ramsay notice the man with the light meter, or the one with the tape recorder? Both measurements would have to be done with him or an identically dressed and made up stand-in (a "lighting double") on the spot. Then there is the sound. Any sound recordist worth his salary will have the microphone within centimetres of his subject, and he'll have a boom operator keeping in there. We don't even see a microphone in use! Please don't tell me this is based on the clandestine filming of Mary Pickford during her Russian visit: that was done with old black and white film which has very wide tolerance to exposure and most of all it was silent, and she was aware of the camera crew, she just thought they were news crews. (And the results were rubbish anyway).

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Double Jeopardy picture

Factual error: Ashley Judd is convicted of murdering her husband for the insurance money and that would make it a first degree murder charge (first degree meaning she planned the murder). Because of that there is no way she would have been eligible for parole after just 6 or 7 years.

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Suggested correction: It's never stated that she was charged with 1st degree murder, nor that she killed her husband for the insurance money. It was only brought up in trial as motive. Nick's accident was ruled "wrongful death" and the fact she did get paroled further show she was never convicted of 1st degree murder.

And what about the phone call from prison the Libby makes to Angie, and Angie says she "was just about to call her" or she tried calling her like how the heck can you call someone in prison!?

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Never Been Kissed picture Never Been Kissed mistake picture

Factual error: In the montage sequence showing Drew Barrymore hanging out with the math club, they have a Pi poster with 3.1457869986. Only the first 3 digits are actually correct. (Pi = 3.1415926535897...) (00:25:20)

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The Matrix picture

Factual error: When Trinity is being arrested, you hear the cops all burst into the room and cock the hammers on their Glocks. The Glock doesn't have an external hammer. To load the weapon, you have to pull the slide back and release it. (00:01:50)

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The Talented Mr. Ripley picture

Factual error: A copy of Miles Davis' album "Tutu" is sitting on a counter. Odd since the recording wasn't made until 1986.

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The Green Mile picture

Factual error: This movie is set in 1935. Back then, executions were done by hanging. The Louisiana Legislature changed the method from hanging to electrocution in 1940.

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Girl, Interrupted picture

Factual error: When Suzanna and Lisa are at Daisy's house, Daisy lays out money for Lisa so that she can get pancakes, and the bill she laid down is one of the new bills. This movie is set in the 60s so of course they wouldn't have the new bills, considering they didn't start making them until 1998.

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Anna and the King picture

Factual error: The movie is set in the 1860s. During a performance for English guests, Anna has the King's children perform "Bicycle Built For Two". That song, otherwise known as "Daisy Belle" was written by Harry Dacre in 1892. (00:57:50)

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Galaxy Quest picture

Factual error: Laredo drives the ship out of the starship docking station and scrapes the main hull on the walls. This would not be possible without either scraping the wings first, as they are much wider than the main ship, or turning nearly sideways, which they clearly don't.

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The Blair Witch Project picture

Factual error: A girl is playing with a Tamagotchi virtual pet in the scene set in 1994, but the toy was not released in Japan until 1996 (it wasn't officially available in the USA until May 1997).

Rev.Erebus

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Three Kings picture

Factual error: It is said in the film that Ice Cube's character works in an airport in Detroit. When the scene shows Ice Cube at work as a baggage handler, there are mountains in the background. There are no mountains in the Detroit area. (00:14:10)

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Deep Blue Sea picture

Factual error: Near the beginning when the boat pulls up and the guy on the boat tells the blond convict he's got a beauty 13 foot "Tiger shark" that's up in some sort of sling, the so called tiger shark is actually the same robot mako shark from the rest of the movie, just with stripes on it. Tiger sharks have a blunt rounded nose, not a pointed one like a great white. (00:07:35)

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The Mummy picture

Factual error: In the gunfight on the Nile-boat, you can often see (and hear) Rick fire his revolvers 20-24 times in totum without reloading. The guns he has would only take 6 rounds per gun (MAS 1873 revolvers).

Budoshi

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Detroit Rock City picture

Factual error: In the scene where Mystery is playing "Rock & Roll All Nite" in the basement, Hawk is playing an Epiphone Special II guitar. The movie is set in 1978, and this guitar did not hit the market until 1996.

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Tarzan picture

Factual error: When the humans are capturing the gorillas, Clayton fires about 15 rounds from his double rifle. This is pretty impressive, considering this is the early 1900's.

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End of Days picture

Factual error: The priest says that St. John saw the number 666 in his vision, but it was actually 999 inverted. St. John wouldn't read modern Arabic numerals like we do, it would be Roman numerals. The number 666 would actually be DCLXVI. (01:05:40)

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Cruel Intentions picture

Factual error: During one scene where Ronald is giving lessons, he tells Cecile to play a G major scale. After he says this, he adds, "Remember the third note, it's sharp." In a G major scale the third isn't sharp. The seventh is. (00:18:35)

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Suggested correction: When playing the cello, there can either be one finger space between the two notes or two. The first G would be just the G string with no fingers. The second note would be A, which means just putting a finger in the correct space on the string. The third note is B. The third note would use the third finger. The alternative, which would be wrong, would be to use the second finger. What Ronald is saying is, rather than use the second finger, you should use the third finger.

This correction seems to validate the mistake. There's nothing in the quote to indicate he's talking about finger positioning, you're not playing a sharp on the 3rd note.

Bishop73

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Varsity Blues picture

Factual error: Right after Lance gets hurt and Mox replaces him Mox's first play is a 40 yard pass for a first down after which everyone starts yelling he needs to stop the clock and the camera shows the clock moving. The problem is that in high school football the clock stops on first downs while they reset the chains so the clock should have stopped running until the first down markers were moved and the ref set the ball.

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The World is Not Enough picture

Factual error: At the beginning of the film, with the boat chase down the River Thames, Bond manages to get from the Vauxhall HQ of MI6 to Docklands in a remarkably short time. To travel the distance in the time that it takes him, you would need to be going at about 700 mph.

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South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut picture

Factual error: During the press conference, the president says that at 5:00 AM the Baldwin residence was bombed. However, the Baldwins were sunning themselves. And, if the president was referring to Eastern time, it would have been 2:00 AM in Hollywood (sign in the background). (00:26:35 - 00:27:45)

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