Making of a Blockbuster: 35 Wacky Behind the Scene Facts of Hollywood Movies – Part 9

The Matrix' government lobby scene was real. There is no CGI in the scene, just the actors with special effects. All the explosions are real. The office building was a real set, the helicopter on wires, all the firing, real as well as the water pouring all over the place.

In the movie "Good Will Hunting", the therapy scene caused Johnny (the cameraman) to laugh so hard that the camera's POV can actually be seen moving up and down slightly as it shows Damon breaking character by also laughing so hard.

The 1972 hit movie 'The Godfather' does not contain the words ‘mafia’ or 'la cosa nostra’ because of a deal struck between the producer and the real mafia.

During the filming of 'Shaun of the Dead', one of the zombie extras walked up to Edgar Wright, and not knowing he was the director & co-writer, whispered in his ear and joked "Oof, straight-to-video for this one!"

For the 1990 film "Arachnophobia," advertisers were uncertain as to whether they should market the film as a thriller or a comedy. Therefore, television spots promoting the film billed it as a "thrill-omedy".

The set of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was a real mental hospital and many of the extras were authentic mental patients.

In the famous 'Casablanca' scene where French refugees defy the Nazis by singing their national anthem, many are played by actual refugees who had just fled the Nazis, which is why many are visibly weeping as they sing.

The pool under the gym floor from "It's a Wonderful Life" is a real pool, and it is still in operation today at Beverly Hills High.

During the filming of the movie "The Viking" (1931) 25 crew members and a stowaway were killed when the ship SS Viking exploded among icebergs. It is still the largest loss of life in film-making history.

The "Burning of Atlanta" scene in "Gone with the Wind" was shot with full-size burning facades and all of the only seven Technicolor cameras in existence at the time.