Tis But A Reference: 30+ Often-Missed Details Hidden In Classic British Movies
At the risk of stating the obvious, it takes a lot of time, money, and energy to make a truly good film. Between the actors, directors, producers, props, costumes, and special effects teams, making a good movie is no small feat. As such, it takes extra effort to make a movie stand out.
One way to make a movie memorable is to imbue it with details that require focus, and even a few re-watches, to catch. It could be anything from a cultural reference to foreshadowing a dramatic plot twist within the first minute of the film.
The film sets in California aren’t the only places you’ll find such attention to detail. On the other side of the pond, British filmmakers are dropping gems into their films all the time. Today, we’ll take a look at some classic British films and the genius details you might’ve missed the first time around.
Keep reading to find some fascinating examples!
Dunkirk
Dunkirk is a movie that most people might have already watched. If not for the story, for Harry Styles. Directed by Christopher Nolan, it’s a war flick about the Dunkirk evacuation during the WWII. This movie isn’t all about dialogue, but there’s enough for you to figure out even without words.
Fans might have missed a few details like this one. If you remember, there was a scene where Collins crashed post his perspective. After that, you can see Farrier rocking his aircraft as if he’s waving back! This is a pretty emotional moment in the movie, assuming you didn’t miss it.
Die Another Day
According to most fans, Die Another Day is the best movie from the James Bond franchise. Also, this movie marked its 40th anniversary. That’s why this film has a reference to each of the former Bond films. There’s one very clear reference, though.
In a scene where Bond is in Cuba, he picks up the book that is seemingly just another book. What makes this scene the best is that this book was written by the real-life James Bond! In reality, he was an ornithologist and Ian Fleming named his spy after him. Quite an influential man.
Rocketman
If you were unaware of this fact, Rocketman was based on a true story. It’s about one Reginald Kenneth Dwight, who developed an interest in piano early in his life. He also taught himself how to play the instrument. And you probably know this man by a completely different name.
In this scene, you can see Reginald Kenneth Dwight, aka Elton John, sporting a pretty symbolic and aesthetic combination. If we break his outfit down, the blue suit and red slippers are for Dorothy, the silver shirt is for the Tin Man, and the hat and coat for the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion, respectively.
Dunkirk Again
Dunkirk has been featured multiple times in this list because it has many iconic scenes with subtle hints. The allied soldiers who the German Army surrounded were later evacuated during one of the battles in WW 2. This scene is from a movie that’s a lot like Dunkirk.
The movie is one of the best war flicks from the ’60s. In Battle of Britain, Michael Caine’s character’s name was Fortis Leader. In Dunkirk, Caine got a chance to bring the heroic role back to life in an audio cameo as the head of the Supermarine Spitfire formation.
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life
Holy Grail and Life of Brian were the first installments of the Monty Python movie franchise. Each movie had a coherent story. This movie’s release also marked the return of the classic sketch format after twelve years. There’s another one of these movies that were a series of comic sketches about different life stages.
This is a reference from the ’80s, which also includes Michael Caine, who turns out to be there for a cameo. It’s related to his first big role in Zulu from the ’60s. From this, we can infer that everybody wants Michael to play a cameo, and they’re all not wrong.
Notting Hill
This chick flick is full of cheesy moments, but not clingy ones. It’s a good kind of cheese. This movie is the best example of showing that sometimes, nothing beats the simple kind of entertainment. A small part of this movie is also about its hidden messages.
If you remember the wedding cake in the climax, it has a violinist goat. The goat is a reference to the painting that the couple owns in the movie! We all know the famous dialogue, “Happiness isn’t happiness without a violin-playing goat.” That’s why this movie was so successful with the public.
1917
This British war flick came out in 2019, and it’s loosely based on the stories that were told to the director by his grandfather about his time during the First World War. The Germans retreated during Operation Alberich to pursue two British soldiers and tell them to call off an attack.
You might have missed this detail in the middle of all the tension and fighting. The Indian soldier here uses an Indian-licensed version of the Lee-Enfield rifle instead of the regular Lee-Enfield rifles issued by the British Army. Was this intentional, or did the filmmakers forget about this detail?
Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead is a horror-comedy movie about an electronic salesman and his roommate whose unexciting lives are disrupted by a zombie apocalypse. This movie has fear, laughter, and, the best part, inside jokes about zombie movies! If you watched this movie, we bet you might have missed this detail.
In this scene of the movie, you can see Shaun telling the shopkeeper how much money he owes him. Unfortunately, he likely forgot to pay him back because of the apocalypse. That’s why you can see the shopkeeper asking for his money back!
T2 Trainspotting
This movie is a sequel to the 1996 banger Trainspotting. It follows the story of Mark Renton, who returns to Edinburgh after two decades to reunite with his buddies. But it isn’t really the happy reunion he was expecting, and he ends up opening a brothel with his best friend and his lover.
The movie will be spoiled for you if we reveal any more details. You can see this boy playing outside Renton’s home in this scene. The lightsaber color here is the same as the one Ewan MacGregor used in Star Wars! The connection is that Ewan MacGregor plays Renton, and he plays Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
Many people loved the costumes in this movie, and when the costume designer was asked about it, she said that she had found an amazing picture of somebody in a pantsuit, which reminded her of her mother’s curtains. Then comes the twist.
They designed the curtains in the apartment in brown, yellow, and creme shades. After that, they told the art department that they were going to make clothes using the curtains! The result of that is in front of you. That’s why this movie caused so much hype.
Skyfall
James Bond movies have always had that x-factor in them, and Skyfall is no different. This action-packed film has some very subtle hints that you probably would’ve missed out on because you were too busy watching Bond be Bond. The man in this image is looking at a stolen painting.
This painting is called “Woman with a fan,” and artist Amadeo Modigliani made it. In reality, that painting was actually stolen in 2010, and guess what? It is yet to be found. Thieves often target Modigliani’s work. Looks like only Bond can solve this mystery.
Dr. No
There’s a theme with these stolen paintings and Bond movies. Earlier, we saw an Easter egg in Skyfall, one of the more recent Bond movies. This reference is from Dr. No, the very first James Bond movie. You can see James Bond observing a painting in Dr. No’s lair.
Let us tell you that even this one was a stolen painting. It’s the “Portrait of the Duke of Wellington,” made by Francisco Goya. These guys were trying to jokingly imply that Dr. No could’ve stolen this painting in reality as well. The timeline matches because this painting was stolen in 1961.
Atonement
This movie is about Briony Tallis, a teenage writer who changes the course of many lives when she accuses her elder sister’s lover of a crime he never committed. The detailing is really subtle in this scene where she’s watching him getting dragged away by the police.
The girl’s observing the whole scene through a stained-glass window, somewhat like Matilda, who’s a patron saint of the wrongly accused. The director has put out the message pretty convincingly. If you want to find out why she did what she did, you must watch the movie!
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
This British comedy was inspired by the Arthurian Legend, which the Monty Python comedy group performed a long time ago. There’s a scene in this movie where the police show up to take all the folks to jail, but that’s what the scene ends with and nothing major really happens. Here’s why.
This scene ended that way because there were no funds to shoot a battle scene. So, a cop-out was the only feasible option these guys had back then. There were many more budget issues. Coconuts were used instead of horses in the movie for the same reason.
Hot Fuzz
The movie Hot Fuzz is about a cop who’s transferred to a village after angering his seniors. In the village, the officers object to his way of following rules as a string of horrendous murders take place. With that, there are also some details hidden for the audience to notice.
For instance, you can see in this scene that Michael Armstrong is lying in the freezer. Well, he had just been defeated by Nick Angle in the supermarket, which is why he’s lying like that in a freezer. He was just cooling off.
Dunkirk
You might have seen a few good references in this movie, but do you know when Nolan got the idea to make a movie about this evacuation? It was way back in 1992! He had sailed to the place with his then-girlfriend and decided to make a movie about the episode.
It doesn’t stop there. To make things as realistic as possible in his movie, Nolan used all of the eleven small boats that were actually used in the Dunkirk evacuation back in the day. These boats saved the lives of a lot of soldiers!
Mamma Mia
Mamma Mia is a piece of art. It is full of iconic moments, from Meryl Streep crying on a Greek Island to Christine Baranski’s high kicks, Colin Firth’s guitar ballads, and Pierce Brosnan’s singing. With all that, there are some mind-blowing references, too!
With the references, there are some legendary cameos in this movie as well! In both of the Mamma Mia movies, you can see Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson from ABBA gracing the screens. It kind of makes sense, considering the title of the movie is also the title of one of the group’s greatest hits.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python films are the best, despite the budget problems they had to face back in the day. Thanks to that, they had to work hard to get the funds, which resulted in the creation of a parodic tale of knights and magic in the Arthurian Times.
Speaking of Monty Python movies, in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the chain vests were made of knitted yarn! One of the fans noticed this detail recently, but guess how many times he watched this movie? Well, over 30 times! This detail was hidden really deep!
1917
Sam Mendes wrote this WWI epic, and it was dedicated to his grandfather and other veterans of the war. The movie is inspired by the true events that Sam heard from his granddad. There’s also a scene with an interesting detail you could’ve missed out on.
We’re talking about the scene where Schofield is running along a trench. During that moment, another soldier runs into Schofield, tripping over him. This accident was unscripted, as the actor accidentally ran into George MacKay! However, MacKay improvised on it and the result was brilliant.
Hot Fuzz
Let us take a look at another reference from Hot Fuzz. How many of you were aware of the fact that Nicholas Angel, played by Simon Pegg, was named after Nick Angel, the movie’s supervisor? That’s a cheeky reference only hardcore fans would’ve noticed.
Director Edgar Wright also said that Hot Fuzz takes up some aspects from the amateur movie Dead Right, which was also Wright’s last amateur movie. Also, Saxon, the police dog from the movie, was too nice to be a police dog in reality!
James Bond
James Bond has been portrayed by many legendary actors, from Sean Connery to Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan to Daniel Craig, and a few others in between. But, if there’s something that happens in all these Bond movies, it’s the appearance of this man.
Every movie has a different story, so he’s not linked to anything in particular. He has been in the background for three James Bond movies, and there’s a pattern. He sees Bond do a heroic act, and immediately after, he stares at his wine glass in disbelief. Quite relatable.
Attack the Block
Although this movie is widely regarded as a cult classic, it could only make half of its $11 million budget at the box office. But the critics loved the movie, and so did we. It should’ve done better commercially since it offered a once-in-a-blue-moon combination of sci-fi, comedy, and horror.
Nonetheless, it struck the right chord and helped launch the young actors to stardom. If you’ve seen this movie, we bet you didn’t know that one of the inspirations for the aliens in this movie was from the arcade cabinet artwork for Space Invaders.
Dr. No
Dr. No is a vintage classic that has had an enormous impact on movies as a whole. Firstly, it made Sean Connery an international sensation. Next, it was the very first movie from the James Bond franchise. But there were some very tricky details in a few scenes.
For instance, this scene with the huge aquarium and the big fish looks breathtaking, but guess what? It’s fake. They just projected some stock footage of fish on the screen! They had to maximize it to make the small fish look big. So, you’re actually looking at small fish that have been enhanced.
Hot Fuzz
The movie Hot Fuzz makes it to this list multiple times because it’s an action-comedy classic. It’s the second flick from the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, and it’s also the most successful movie from the franchise. Fun fact: over a hundred action flicks were used as an inspiration for this movie’s script.
If you’re going to make a movie based on so many action movies, you need to be very clear with your idea. Proper execution can lead to a successful film. If not, it will be a mess, like this swear box. The purpose is good, but they should’ve proofread their poster.
Love, Actually
This movie is the kind you watch on a movie marathon during a holiday. It is a wholesome story of love and loss with numerous details you’ll love knowing about! For instance, the movie’s opening montage is real footage of passengers reuniting with their loved ones at airports.
It’s not stock footage, as all of it was shot with hidden cameras. Director Richard Curtis said that whenever a special moment was caught on tape, the crew would rush to the people from the tape and ask for their permission to display their moment in the movie! Freshly reunited couples must’ve loved that.
Trainspotting
There was a phase in British cinemas where people started thinking that they lacked the element of thrill. Thanks to Trainspotting, British cinema regained the thrill factor in their movies. It’s a classic that’s as fresh as a new movie, although it’s 26 years old.
Did you know that the first twenty minutes of this movie had to be dubbed for its American audience? They had to do it because the Scottish accent was too thick for the audience to decipher. Here, you can see Mark’s mom being represented as a shadow, although she’s dead in the movie!
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
For those who didn’t know, Monty Python is the name of a comedy troupe that includes Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, and many other legends. These guys were commissioned to make Monty Python’s Flying Circus. There are numerous hints and details in this movie.
For starters, the group didn’t have enough money for an opening title sequence. The opening title sequence had to be white letters on a black background. Since they were out of money, they went with a joke instead! Can you spot the cheeky joke here?
Goldeneye
Goldeneye was the seventeenth movie from the James Bond franchise. It was the beginning of a new decade, and Timothy Dalton’s time as James Bond had come to an end with License to Kill. It was time for Pierce Brosnan to step in Bond’s shoes.
There are many hidden details in this movie. For example, the movie’s antagonist, Alec Trevelyan, was named after John Trevelyan. This man was the secretary of the board of the British Board of Film Censors, and he didn’t like James Bond movies. An excellent way to get back at him!
Dunkirk
Dunkirk is a film that’s full of interesting details. A few mentions won’t do justice to it. Did you know that the filming of this movie took place in the same location as the actual evacuation? That’s the level of effort Nolan put in for this movie.
The cast of this movie was also a very talented one. But in reality, the filmmakers had to use extras to shoot the evacuation scenes. One key detail is in this image, where an extra is smiling in the movie teaser. His expression was later edited to make him look worried in the movie.
Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead is a movie that’s indebted to many of George A. Romero’s zombie classics. Also, the reason why so many people love this movie is because of all the interesting references inside the movie. Oh, we also love it because it’s hilarious.
This detail was out there for a long time in this movie, so you might have noticed it before. You can see this nameplate that shows that Shaun is a sales adviser at Foree Electric. The name “Foree” is a reference to Ken Foree, who played Peter in Dawn of the Dead.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
This spy-comedy classic follows the story of the members of Kingsmen who team up with Statesmen, their American counterparts. They team up to save the world from Poppy Adams, who is holding the entire world hostage! This intense movie has a detail that most people could’ve missed.
When Charlie rips his robot arm off in a fight, Eggsy puts his right arm behind his back to fight equally. He also puts his ring on. Still, he fights with his left land like Charlie. The world is under siege, but these guys still haven’t forgotten their rules.
Yesterday
This movie has quite a fascinating plot. Actor Himesh Patel plays the role of a struggling musician who’s trapped in an alternate universe where The Beatles never existed. We certainly don’t want to imagine a world like that! When he plays The Beatles’ Yesterday in front of his friends, they think he wrote it.
If there’s a movie that’s perfect for hiding some cheeky details, it has got to be this one. A good example of such a scene would be the last scene. It shows Helter Skelter, a slide that wraps around a lighthouse. Do you know what’s Helter Skelter apart from that? A Beatles song!
Last Night in Soho
Last Night in Soho is about Ellie, an aspiring fashion designer who mysteriously gets transported to the ’60s, where she meets an aspiring singer. But it’s not all dance and song since things start to get darker. These references show a whole different side, though.
This still is from the very first shot, where Ellie sees Sandie through the mirror. But, we hope you didn’t know that it was all achieved by casting James and Oliver Phelps, who were twins. These guys were also famous for playing twins in the Harry Potter movies!
Hot Fuzz
This list has so many Hot Fuzz references that we might as well call it a Hot Fuzz list. But again, the references are so amazing! Were you aware of the fact that the Romeo and Juliet performance in this movie was styled like the performance from Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 movie?
You read that right. If you ask how that is possible, let us explain. The actors wore the same costumes, and they used guns and other props to show how terrible the actors were as well! Yet, they’re still copying a film, so you can’t expect perfection.
Diamonds Are Forever
In this movie, James Bond takes the disguise of Peter Franks, a smuggler and assassin, to uncover a diamond smuggling conspiracy. During this, Bond must also deal with his old foe, who wants the diamonds to construct a giant laser. There is an interesting detail here, though.
While filming the scene where the car rolls into the alleyway, they mistakenly shot the car entering the alley. The scene was shot with the car’s left wheels in the air, and the car leaves with the right wheels in the air. To fix it, they shot a scene where the car was lurching right.