Sometimes, random cameramen make it into a shot or a cast member’s hair grows three inches from one scene to the next. Here are some hilarious blunders in films and TV shows that prove human knowledge doesn’t necessarily grow with new technology.
“The Wizard of Oz” (1939)
Continuity issues arose during filming, including one that slipped through the cracks and made it into the final cut. We’re talking about Dorothy’s hair length in the scene where she first encounters the Scarecrow — it’s short, it’s long and then it’s short again.
“North by Northwest” (1959)
There was nothing surprising about the shooting scene in the 1959 film because before a gun is even whipped out, a kid in the background plugs his ears in preparation for the upcoming shots.
“Star Wars: A New Hope” (1977)
This might be the most famous blunder of all. In “A New Hope,” a Stormtrooper can be seen accidentally banging his head on a door ceiling — and it actually stayed in the movie.
“Halloween” (1978)
Apart from the infamous smoke error that was left in the movie, there are other editing blunders in this horror classic. When Laurie cries for help at Tommy’s house, the doorknob is on the right side of the door. But when Tommy opens the door from the inside, the doorknob is also on the right side (it should be on the left).
“Braveheart” (1995)
Set in the late 13th century, “Braveheart” for some reason featured a white van in the background of a scene. And in another, a guy wearing a baseball cap is seen walking across the frame.
“Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls” (1995)
As Ace is making his accusations to the Consulate and the camera pans back and forth, chess pieces on the chess board magically disappear from one scene to the next.
“Back to the Future” (1995)
While this film is all about time traveling, one unexplained time-jumping factor is Marty’s 1985 guitar — at his parents’ 1955 prom.
“Gladiator” (2000)
“Gladiator” may have won several Oscars, including for best visual effects, but it wasn’t error-proof. During a battle at the Colosseum, a chariot flips over, revealing a giant gas canister on the back of it. Those definitely did not exist in Ancient Rome.
“Gilmore Girls” (2000-2007)
In a Season 1 episode titled “Star-Crossed Lovers and Other Strangers,” Lorelai and Rory are talking in the kitchen when a microphone casually sneaks its way into the shot.
“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” (2002)
In the dueling scene between Harry and Malfoy during Professor Lockhart’s lesson, you can see a cameraman kneeling down amid other Hogwarts students.
“The Bourne Identity” (2002)
In one famous shot, Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne has to disappear from screen — but you can clearly see Damon running and ducking behind a moving car just to get out of the shot.
“Veronica Mars” (2004-2007)
When Logan and Weevil are fighting in one scene, you can literally see a cameraman’s elbow in the shot.
“Quantum of Solace” (2008)
This one is truly cringe-worthy. In one scene in the James Bond entry, a guy is sweeping the floor in the background, but he’s very clearly not even touching the ground with the broom (probably to prevent the camera from picking up dust in the shot).
“Modern Family” (2009-2020)
While this series contains many questionable storylines throughout its 11 seasons, fans might choose to forget that one episode where Manny and Jay go to the mall and have a heart-to-heart — while the same extra walks through the scene twice.
“Pretty Little Liars” (2010-2017)
The hit TV show had a bunch of timeline issues, but here’s a simple one: In one scene, Aria (Lucy Hale) picks up her phone, but it’s upside down. And no one bothered to fix it.
“Game of Thrones” (2011-2019)
Perhaps the most infamous blunder in TV history happened on one of the biggest TV shows, “Game of Thrones.” In the episode titled “The Last of the Starks,” a Starbucks coffee cup was spotted sitting on a table in front of Daenerys.
“The latte that appeared in the episode was a mistake. Daenerys had ordered an herbal tea,” HBO said in a cheeky statement following the error.
“Vanderpump Rules” (2013-2021)
Fans slammed the reality show when Ariana Madix’s hair seemed to grow three inches from one scene to the next.
“Dallas Buyers Club” (2013)
The film, set in 1985, features a poster of a Lamborghini Aventador — a car that was released in 2011.
“Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” (2013)
Even this famous franchise isn’t immune from movie blunders. In one scene, John and Catherine are shown in an airplane hangar next to a plane with a tail number of N3035C. Later, when the plane is in the air, the number is N9373F.
“Transformers: Age of Extinction” (2014)
In the battle between Lockdown and Optimus Prime, Mark Wahlberg’s character encroaches on the fight and hides behind a wall — only to have a random guy suddenly appear next to him before a blast goes off.
“American Sniper” (2014)
Despite the film’s critical acclaim surrounding its realistic war scenes, the fake baby cradled by star Bradley Cooper was heavily mocked by critics. In a now-deleted tweet, Jason Hall, the film’s screenwriter and executive producer, explained that the doll was the crew’s third choice, as the the first baby reported in sick and the second baby was a no-show.
“The Good Place” (2016-2020)
In Season 1 of the NBC show, Ted Danson’s Michael asks Janet for a roster — and you can see an on-set assistant literally hand Janet the document from off screen. How this made it past the editing room is unclear.
“Wonder Woman” (2017)
In the climax of the movie, when Diana meets Ares, she has him tied up in her lasso — but when he frees himself and Diana is thrown away from the blast, the lasso is seen perfectly wrapped up on her body.
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (2019)
In yet another Starbucks-related blunder, the Tarantino film includes a Starbucks sign in the background. The problem? The coffee chain was created in 1971, while the scene was set in 1969.
“Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019)
This superhero flick features a scene in Venice, Italy — an area that restricts guests and residents to pathways and canals and doesn’t allow motor vehicles. So something is a bit off when the audience sees Tom Holland and his classmates leaving on a bus.
