Strange Facts About Famous Movies The Wizard of Oz (1939) – Toxic Makeup The makeup used for the Tin Man originally contained aluminum powder, which caused actor Buddy Ebsen severe breathing problems. He had to be replaced by Jack Haley, and the makeup was reformulated to use aluminum paste instead. The issue wasn’t limited to just the Tin Man; the green makeup used for the Wicked Witch of the West contained toxic copper-based ingredients, which caused actress Margaret Hamilton to suffer from skin irritation and burns during the filming. Psycho (1960) – Chocolate Syrup for Blood Since Psycho was filmed in black and white, the iconic shower scene used chocolate syrup as a stand-in for blood. The syrup’s consistency and color translated well on film, creating a convincing visual effect. Director Alfred Hitchcock's choice to film in black and white was partly to downplay the gore and keep the movie within the censorship standards of the time, which further amplified the impact of the suspenseful scenes. The Godfather (1972) – Real Animal Blood In the infamous horse head scene, a real horse's head was used. Director Francis Ford Coppola received the prop from a dog food company, ensuring the scene was as shocking and authentic as possible. The cast was not informed about the use of a real horse head until the day of filming, which captured genuine reactions of horror and disbelief, making the scene even more memorable. Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) – Improvised Iconic Line Harrison Ford's famous line "I know" in response to Princess Leia's "I love you" was improvised. The original script had him responding with "I love you too," but Ford felt it wasn’t true to his character, Han Solo. This line has since become one of the most iconic moments in the Star Wars franchise, showcasing the rebellious and confident nature of Solo’s character and adding depth to his relationship with Leia. The Shining (1980) – Endless Takes Director Stanley Kubrick was notorious for his perfectionism. He made Shelley Duvall perform the baseball bat scene 127 times, making it one of the most retake-intensive scenes in film history. The stress of these numerous takes reportedly caused Duvall significant emotional distress. Kubrick's relentless pursuit of perfection also extended to Jack Nicholson’s scenes, where he would sometimes do over 50 takes to capture just the right moment of madness or intensity. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) – Reese's Pieces Product Placement M&M's were originally intended to be the candy used to lure E.T., but Mars, the company that makes M&M's, declined. Reese's Pieces were used instead, leading to a significant boost in sales for the candy. The success of this product placement is often cited as one of the earliest and most successful examples of how film can impact consumer behavior, with sales of Reese's Pieces increasing by 65% following the film's release. Titanic (1997) – Cold Water Immersion The water in the scenes depicting the sinking was actually kept cold to elicit genuine reactions from the actors. Kate Winslet, who played Rose, reported getting hypothermia during the filming of these scenes. Director James Cameron's commitment to authenticity also involved constructing a nearly full-scale replica of the Titanic and filming many scenes in a massive water tank, making the film one of the most expensive productions of its time. The Dark Knight (2008) – Real Explosion The hospital explosion scene was achieved using practical effects rather than CGI. An abandoned building was rigged with explosives and detonated in a single take, capturing the realistic destruction seen in the film. Heath Ledger, who played the Joker, stayed in character throughout the explosion, adding an improvised moment when the detonator initially seemed to malfunction, which further enhanced the chaos and unpredictability of the scene. Inception (2010) – Rotating Hallway The iconic hallway fight scene was filmed using a massive rotating set. This practical effect created the gravity-defying visuals without relying heavily on CGI, adding to the scene’s immersive impact. The set was built to rotate 360 degrees, and actors had to perform their choreography while the set moved, making the sequence both a technical and physical challenge that paid off in creating one of the film's most memorable moments. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Minimal CGI Despite the film’s futuristic setting, most of the stunts and effects were done practically, with minimal CGI. The crew used real vehicles and executed daring stunts, contributing to the movie’s raw and intense action sequences. Director George Miller's emphasis on practical effects extended to the elaborate costumes and makeup, which helped create a vivid and immersive post-apocalyptic world, earning the film widespread acclaim for its visual storytelling and action choreography.