Stamp on stamp: the most hackneyed movie clips in the world

A powerful explosion is heard and the main character effectively flies out of the building disintegrating into molecules. Sometimes with a pretty girlfriend. Nothing threatens the hero in a deadly situation. He will land successfully on the asphalt, will not break his bones, will not beat off his insides and will not even stain his suit.

Did you find out? Yes, that's it - a cliche. Let's talk today about cliches and cliches in cinema. About those very scenes and directing techniques that make the audience wince with annoyance - again??? Again, the heroine wakes up with a fresh face, styling and even with makeup? And this is after a stormy night at the bar and ten tequilas after…

It's hard to believe that movie clips were once original and fresh finds. These findings have become so popular that they are repeated from film to film. But in fact, their history lasts even longer and is rooted in theatrical practice.

Cliches in action movies

For example, an action hero cannot be defeated by a whole crowd of villains. Not only do they run up to him in turn, but they also drop dead at the slightest touch. Such scenes were ridiculed by the English writer Jerome Klapka Jerome at the end of the 19th century, when the first “cinematography” of the Lumiere brothers was six years away.

“Then he copes with two villains, three specially hired hooligans and four detectives in one fell swoop. If less than three people are knocked down by one of his blows, he is worried that he has fallen ill, and thinks: "Where does this strange weakness come from?"

What else can you say about this character? As a rule, he is a veteran of the special services or the police, is at rest or intends to leave immediately after the disclosure of the final case. Needless to say, it conceals a lot of unpleasant surprises. The hero certainly has a beautiful lover, often an ex-wife, whom he continues to secretly love, despite having a new boyfriend. The new boyfriend is a different type of person, a successful financier or lawyer, calm and boring. Most likely, he will die or brutally betray the woman he loves. After that, her troubled ex will save her.

The main character is not destined to die in a disaster movie or an action movie (although it is allowed in a drama). He is able to defuse the bomb, and at the last second of the countdown. Time bombs are found in the world of cinema much more often than others, although the global military industry can provide much more effective samples.

If a firefight starts in an action movie, then the hero will survive even in an open area. But professional killers sitting in hiding with sniper rifles are not.

If the hero has to fall from a great height, for example, from a cliff or from a helicopter, then there will be a pond at the bottom. In real life, this would not prevent the unfortunate from breaking into a cake in any way. But in the cinema - be sure! - he will dive beautifully, push off from the bottom and will soon be on the surface.

The rescue plan in a desperate situation is extremely complicated. It requires a huge number of life hacks and devices that are miraculously at hand. But the main thing is that we need such precision and coordination, such consistency of the team's actions, which are difficult to achieve even in months of training. Needless to say, not a single person in the team will screw up, will understand everything correctly, will do it right and will not even think to object to the main character.

There are epic failings in the life of a hero. He falls into the clutches of the main mafia or a rival psychopath. But the antagonist would not be such if, before the demonstrative execution, he did not begin to explain in detail to the hero the reasons and motives for his actions. This gives a gain in time and saves the hero's life.

Cliches in horror

But if the hero of an action movie or a disaster movie is an invulnerable person in principle, then the same cannot be said about the characters of horror films. If they are being chased by a maniac with a chainsaw, an anaconda mutant or the ghost of a devilish nun, then the doomed victims will absolutely stumble and fall, after which they will sob in impotence. Or they won't be able to start the car. Or they can, but they will leave at high speed with a maniac in the back seat. Or they will definitely split up with friends, and the weakest and unarmed will remain alone. 

It is possible to list horror cliches endlessly, it is in this genre that it is difficult to come up with something original. And if the director and screenwriter still manage to reverse the trend, they get the title of classics or representatives of the “new wave". So, for example, it happened with director Jordan Peele, who in his famous film “Away!” I made a bet on ridiculing cliches. And I did not lose!

If a horror movie is dedicated to the adventures of ghosts, then you can certainly see them in the mirror. The same applies to maniacs. Maniacs are generally slightly otherworldly creatures. Not only that, they enter the house silently, without disturbing a single living soul and knocking out the dog. In addition, they are also invulnerable. Try to do at least some harm to a serial killer in the movie! It is useless: fire does not take him, he does not sink in water, cold and firearms magically cease to act. Even if you inflict a wound on a maniac, he will pursue the victim for another forty minutes. Pain shock and weakness from blood loss are unknown to him.

In any self-respecting horror movie, there is a wise representative of the older generation. As a rule, a neighbor. His role is to warn about a bad house, forest, swamp, apartment, etc. In King's “Pet Cemetery", this is Judd, who, however, has not become a completely cliched character. After all, it was the story that started the chain of tragic events. But as a rule, such neighbors are needed only for a warning that the heroes do not hear, and for the role of one of the victims.

Cliches in romantic comedies

Romcoms are no less cliched than horror. First of all, the fact that the most beautiful actresses from the acting base are invited to the role of losers. Then they “shaggy” their hair, put on a stupid sweater and make them hunch over. This is how, according to some directors, a downtrodden ugly girl looks, which will be transformed by love. By the way, did the heroine Rosamund Pike in the thriller “Disappeared” really think that no one would recognize her if she dyed her hair and put on glasses?

Escaping directly from the altar is more than a hackneyed technique. Especially in American comedies. I do not argue, everything happens in life. But to run away from a ceremony that cost thousands, and sometimes millions? At the risk of getting a lawsuit for reimbursement of expenses?

If the characters have parted badly, then the repentant character needs to realize this at the last moment, when the object of his feelings gets on the plane. And then rush to the airport through the whole city, knocking down gawking old ladies and couriers with pizza. And then knock down a couple of policemen on control, which in real life can cause serious trouble. Call your mobile, apologize and offer to catch up with the next flight? No, that's not romantic!

The main characters of the romcom are people of average or near-average income. As a rule. But according to the same cliches, they do not live with their parents, not in a rented room with a crowd of neighbors behind the wall, but in a separate apartment decorated by a fashion designer. The cost of the apartment is wisely hidden, because the heroes have no extra money. However, if we are talking about the transformation of a plain girl, then in the middle of the film she will buy half of the clothes in top stores and sign up for the coolest hairdresser (sorry, stylist!) the city, the entry to which, as a rule, is 2-3 months in advance.

Surely you have seen at least one of these stamps on the screen and will be able to remember more than a dozen. And if, after all, it is not in the film, it is worth considering: is it not an art house, is it not an author's movie? Or congratulate yourself - you have found a masterpiece that is about to receive an Oscar for the originality of the idea.

Author - Nika Terentyeva