movies that namecheck another movie

[zombie no.one]

I was watching ALIEN AUTOPSY (2006) and there's a scene where one of the two main characters tries to get someone to buy a pirated dvd copy of TIMECOP (1994)

any other examples of this phenomenon?

(I mean the title of the movie has to be said out loud... I'm not talking about movies where you can see a poster for another movie, or where another movie happens to be playing on a tv screen, etc)

 

[Trevor]

There's a South African film where the producer shows the actors in that film watching a film that the producer directed a decade previously 😄🐢

[claws]

In The Lost Boys: The Tribe (2008) the Mom character wants to have a movie night, she rented and is holding up the DVD of The Goonies (1985). I believe she also says the title out loud.

[Dalmatian Bobby Samaritan]

That John Cusack movie Must Love Dogs. You know that film where he makes old time canoes for a living. I mean seriously. Who does that? I don't even think someone like Bill Gate's son could get away with that. Hey babe come over to my lovely pad. Oh what do you do for a living? Oh I make these wonderful old time canoes. Yeah it's a modest profession..

Yeah sure. In what universe. Well anyway. Oh yeah Must Love Dogs John Cusack keeps talking about Dr. Zhivago. I mean gets to the point where it is halfway annoying. Like the whole movie is a Dr. Zhivago cult or something. It's like seriously. You mean you want to live in Russia when that whole Bolshevik revolution was happening. There was obviously a dark side to that, it wasn't just all about some lovey dovey romance. Must Love Dogs — Dr. Zhivago. Umm..That's all I can think of. I will be on the look out for this though. Do I get money or points though if I can keep coming up with them? Does the movie Timeline ever reference a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court? Or are we just supposed to know that that is what the movie is supposed to be?

[Dalmatian Bobby Samaritan]

(I mean the title of the movie has to be said out loud... I'm not talking about movies where you can see a poster for another movie, or where another movie happens to be playing on a tv screen, etc)

I was going to say Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles (1990) When Rafael or one of the Ninja Turtles is walking around you can see a Poster or a Movie Theatre Marquee banner for Critters. But you say that doesn't count. Ok. Well I always thought that part of the movie was humorous and I fantasize that it is like an easter egg or something for some future Ninja turtles movie where they have to fight the Critters.

[zombie no.one]

(I mean the title of the movie has to be said out loud... I'm not talking about movies where you can see a poster for another movie, or where another movie happens to be playing on a tv screen, etc)

I was going to say Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles (1990) When Rafael or one of the Ninja Turtles is walking around you can see a Poster or a Movie Theatre Marquee banner for Critters. But you say that doesn't count. Ok. Well I always thought that part of the movie was humorous and I fantasize that it is like an easter egg or something for some future Ninja turtles movie where they have to fight the Critters.

yeah I think we did have a thread once dedicated to movies which feature posters of other movies...

we definitely had one for movies where you see someone watching another movie on a tv screen.

that kind of thing seems a bit more subtle and incidental though. whereas if they're actually saying the other movie's name out loud
then it's cleary a more intentional and direct reference (erm...or something?  )

[Dalmatian Bobby Samaritan]

that kind of thing seems a bit more subtle and incidental though. whereas if they're actually saying the other movie's name out loud
then it's cleary a more intentional and direct reference (erm...or something?  )

It seems like you are sort of inferring there is a bit of a sociopath connotation with the "naming" or name checking — like there is something more behind it..

Yeah I just figure when I watch a movie and the characters are sitting around a TV and watching something that most people recognize, that it is just filler. Although sometimes it is meant to be ironic because of whatever the movie is about. Like Fright Night they are watching some Dracula Movie with Christopher Lee.

One thing that I learn about Internet forums, and it seems especially ones dedicated to movies is that ideas are brought up that would make for some really solid lectures or even a college course. Instead of just Bleh, "History of Film." Or History of Avant Garde.

I feel like there should be something called the Jaws exception Clause. Like in Name checking, because I know I can't count the amount of times I have seen some monster movie and Jaws is used as a mocking metaphor for what they are up against. Usually the movie in subject is way inferior to Jaws and so they use something that is a superior product to I guess give theirs more credibility. So it is whatever. I don't know if there is a blurred line between name checking and riffing. Because Jaws is used so many times in horror movies that it is almost like a riff. Funny though, I can't off hand think of a movie where the characters blurt out Jaws as some comparison or whatever about what they are about to face. But I know I heard it! Usually when I do hear it I immediately click that movie off. To me that is like that movie is saying, we have no ability to stand on our own we have to riff something..

Full Metal Jacket at the End they sing the Mickey Mouse Theme song. That stands out in my mind. That's not really name checking though. But more like something I guess ingrained in the cultural milieu or mindset. The movie Fantasia has Mickey Mouse but I don't believe they ever sing the Mickey Mouse theme song in it. The TV show/TV movie, whatever V there is a scene where a High School or college band is playing the theme to Star Wars. I kind of wondered when I watch that — how they are allowed to do that, because of copyright. Unless Name checking or gymnastically promoting something else (which I guess that is what that was) is encouraged. It's a folic community. Ace Ventura whenever he feels like it, he can be William Shatner and do the impersonation. Supposed to denigrate..But what has stood the test of time. Ace Ventura (either of them) or Star trek? That's easy.

[zombie no.one]

I feel like there should be something called the Jaws exception Clause. Like in Name checking, because I know I can't count the amount of times I have seen some monster movie and Jaws is used as a mocking metaphor for what they are up against. Usually the movie in subject is way inferior to Jaws and so they use something that is a superior product to I guess give theirs more credibility. So it is whatever. I don't know if there is a blurred line between name checking and riffing. Because Jaws is used so many times in horror movies that it is almost like a riff. Funny though, I can't off hand think of a movie where the characters blurt out Jaws as some comparison or whatever about what they are about to face.

agreed,in fact I was also trying to think of a movie where JAWS was mentioned by name, and none sprang to mind either!

[Dalmatian Bobby Samaritan]

agreed,in fact I was also trying to think of a movie where JAWS was mentioned by name, and none sprang to mind either!

Masters of the Universe the 2026 one. They reference or Name check The Highlander. Like my friend OldSoul on another forum I go to says, "Not too much else to say about that."
Basically..A lot of building up angst going on about Masters of the Universe and since this is a Bad movie forum I thought that I would mention that too. About the jokes in the movie. The Highlander was a movie made in 1986 with Christopher Lambert. And it sort of made the term Kurgan famous or infamous. Although if you are an archaeologist I am sure that there is some disgruntlement about that because they have known about Kurgan for a long long time. Funny how the Kurgan culture got replaced by the so called Indo European culture. And then now lately, as per Martin Furholt and Eske Willerslev and Joe Rogan (yesh I feel like I am losing a year of my life anytime that I have to mention that guy's name. But I literally feel like I have to here and it might be relevant to the whole name checking Phenomenon. Joe Rogan and those types are instrumental in that.) and so thousands of others they call it the Yamnaya.

I want my own royalties. For having to put up with Michael in Victorville on the savage nation, and all of the books he has written but has never been able to prove.

It's like WTAF. Please no one ever Name check The Highlander again. Gosh. I love The Highlander.