Movies & TV Facts for Kids
Behind-the-scenes facts from film and TV
Most fake blood used in horror films is made from corn syrup, red food coloring, and a small amount of blue or green dye to make it look more realistic under different lights. The recipe has barely changed since the 1970s.
Jim Carrey's Grinch makeup in 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' (2000) took three hours to apply every single day. The process was so uncomfortable that Carrey's team taught him techniques used by CIA agents to cope with psychological discomfort.
The opening and closing sections of 'The Wizard of Oz' (1939) are often called black and white, but they are actually filmed in a warm sepia tone. The switch to full Technicolor when Dorothy arrives in Oz was meant to feel magical and dreamlike.
'The Shawshank Redemption' (1994) was considered a box office failure when it was released, earning just $16 million in theaters. After it was nominated for seven Academy Awards and released on home video, it became one of the most loved films of all time.
Before making 'Cars' (2006), Pixar director John Lasseter drove the entire length of Route 66 with his family to experience the roadside culture of America firsthand. The film was partly inspired by the decline of small towns along old highways.
'Dumbo' (1941) is the shortest Disney animated feature at only 64 minutes long. Disney made it quickly and cheaply after the expensive failures of 'Fantasia' and 'Pinocchio.'
Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke only 17 lines in the original 'Terminator' (1984) — the most famous being 'I'll be back.' The simple line was almost changed, but Schwarzenegger insisted on keeping it.
Tiana in 'The Princess and the Frog' (2009) was Disney's first Black princess. The film was also a return to traditional hand-drawn animation after Disney had moved entirely to computer animation.
Director James Cameron hired a linguist to create a fully functional language called Na'vi for the alien characters in 'Avatar' (2009). The language now has thousands of words and a community of fans who speak it fluently.
Some historians believe Cinderella's famous glass slippers may be the result of a translation mix-up in old French stories. The word 'vair' (meaning squirrel fur) was changed to 'verre' (meaning glass), though scholars still debate this.