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In general, when talking about film, people will always talk about actors first and foremost. Also expect a lot of people's admiration to be more for the characters they portray on the screen too. Directors may be referenced too if the movie was made by someone who has a very distinctive visual style and appears in the media a lot. Other people involved in the film process (script writers, cinematographers, camera men, visual effects artists, choreographers, composers, stuntmen, producers,...) will be usually only be discussed by film critics or hardcore cinephiles.
Film will usually be a synonym for Hollywood pictures only. And to the general audience preferably not works older than a mere thirty years and strictly box office blockbuster films. British films may get some attention, but film industries of other countries are already more a niche market.
When referring to film awards the only ones everybody knows are the [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscars]]. The Palme d'Or in Cannes is a close second. The [[UsefulNotes/{{BAFTA}} BAFTA Awards]] in Britain, the Golden Bear of Berlin, the Golden Lion of Venice and the Césars in France are well known too.
When referring to film classics people usually think or black-and-white pictures from the UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood. This will usually be either a Creator/CharlieChaplin film, a Creator/FredAstaire and Creator/GingerRogers picture, ''Film/KingKong1933'', ''Film/CitizenKane'' and/or ''Film/{{Casablanca}}''. If you need an old color movie it will be ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'' and/or ''Film/TheWizardOfOz''.
[[AC:Film Genres]]
* Action movies? Anything with Creator/SylvesterStallone, Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger or Creator/BruceWillis.
** Typical examples: ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'', ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'', ''Franchise/DieHard'', ''Franchise/LethalWeapon'' and ''Franchise/DirtyHarry''.
* Animal movies? Rin Tin Tin, ''Franchise/{{Lassie}}''.
* Animation? AllAnimationIsDisney.
** Though when people think of specific animation clichés they're usually envisioning ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'', ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' and work by Creator/TexAvery.
** Black-and-white animation will always be ''WesternAnimation/FelixTheCat'' or ''WesternAnimation/BettyBoop''. Never mind the fact that most cartoons from the 1900s throughout the 1930s were still in black-and-white.
* {{Anime}}? Anything by Creator/HayaoMiyazaki, usually ''Anime/SpiritedAway'', and ''Manga/{{Akira}}''.
* Arthouse movies and/or independent movies? Creator/IngmarBergman (usually ''Film/TheSeventhSeal'', ''Film/{{Persona}}''), Creator/JeanLucGodard (''Film/{{Breathless}}'') and Creator/FrancoisTruffaut (''Film/The400Blows''). German arthouse is Creator/WernerHerzog and Creator/WimWenders, Italian Creator/PierPaoloPasolini and Creator/FedericoFellini, American Creator/DavidLynch, Creator/TerrenceMalick, Creator/JimJarmusch and Creator/WesAnderson. Also expect everyone who references these to mock these films as if they are boring, difficult, experimental and only enjoyed by snobby film critics and poseurs, usually without having seen any of them in full.
* B-movies? Will be everything in 1950s fashion with men in rubber suits and monsters hanging on wires. If you need one director it will be Creator/RogerCorman.
* Bible movies? ''Film/TheTenCommandments''.
* {{Blaxploitation}}? ''Film/{{Shaft}}'' and ''Film/SweetSweetbacksBaadasssssSong''.
* {{Bollywood}} movies? Outside India there aren't any famous stars but Creator/RajKapoor and even he is only known to very extreme cinephiles or fans of the genre.
* CannibalFilm? ''Film/CannibalHolocaust''.
* CGI movies? Anything by Pixar and/or Dreamworks. Also note that most people wouldn't consider live-action movies with CGI special effects to be this.
* Children's movies? Also tends to differ from generation to generation, but Creator/WaltDisney and Creator/ShirleyTemple are the typical examples. In the 1980s and 1990s Creator/ChrisColumbus was the most famous director in this field. Some children movie classics still watched to this day are ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', ''Film/MaryPoppins'', ''Film/StarWars'' (also watched by adults), ''Film/HarryPotter'' and ''Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory'' (and it will ''always'' be the original).
* Claymation movies? Anything by Creator/NickPark (''Franchise/WallaceAndGromit'').
* Comedians? This tends to differ from generation to generation. Also the most famous ones aren't always neccessarily the most popular or good ones.
** The 1910s to the 1930s? Creator/CharlieChaplin, Creator/BusterKeaton, Creator/HaroldLLoyd, Creator/LaurelAndHardy, Creator/TheMarxBrothers, Creator/WCFields.
** The 1940s? Creator/BobHope, Creator/AbbottAndCostello, Creator/DeanMartin and Creator/JerryLewis.
** The 1950s? Creator/JerryLewis.
** The 1960s? Creator/PeterSellers as Inspector Clouseau in ''Franchise/ThePinkPanther'' movies.
** The 1970s and 1980s? Mostly Creator/MontyPython, Creator/MelBrooks, Franchise/PoliceAcademy, Series/SaturdayNightLive based movies. For intellectuals Creator/WoodyAllen. Since the 1980s Creator/EddieMurphy.
** The 1990s? Creator/JimCarrey, Creator/MikeMyers, and Creator/RobinWilliams.
** The 2000s? Creator/AdamSandler and Creator/WillFerrell.
* ConcertFilm? ''Film/{{Woodstock}}''.
* Cult movies? This also varies from generation to generation and depends on whom makes the reference and what his criteria would be. However, the most typical and undeniable iconic example of a CultClassic will be ''Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow''.
* Detective films? ''Film/SherlockHolmes''.
* Disaster movies? ''Film/TheToweringInferno'', ''Film/{{Airport}}'',... A 21st century example would be ''Film/TheDayAfterTomorrow''.
* Epic Movies? Even though the genre has existed since the early 20th century the definition of what it exactly is tends to differ from viewer to viewer. Usually the term is used for movies about some great adventure that usually take more than two hours in length or will need a few sequels to tell everything. ''Film/StarWars'' and ''Film/LordOfTheRings'' are the most typical examples.
* Erotic movies? The ''Film/{{Emmanuelle}}'' franchise.
* Exploitation movies? Also depends on what specific genre you're talking about, though the general examples will also be horror movies with a sensationalist streak from the 1970s.
** {{Mondo}} is unmistakeningly a typical exploitation movie example.
* FilmNoir? Anything with Creator/HumphreyBogart and/or Creator/LaurenBacall.
* Film Serials? Film/FlashGordonSerial, Film/ThePhantom1943, Film/TheGreenHornetSerials.
* FrenchNewWave? Anything by Creator/FrancoisTruffaut, Alain Resnais, Creator/JeanLucGodard.
* Found Footage movies? ''Film/TheBlairWitchProject''.
* Gangster movies? From the 1920s until the 1950s: anything with Creator/EdwardGRobinson, Creator/HumphreyBogart and Creator/JamesCagney. Since the 1970s ''Film/TheGodfather'' has become ''the'' gangster movie to compare all other gangster movies ever since with. ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}'' is the most recent example of a frequently referenced gangster movie.
* GermanExpressionism: ''Film/TheCabinetOfDrCaligari'', ''Film/{{Nosferatu}}, ''Film/{{M}}'' and ''Film/{{Metropolis}}''.
* {{Giallo}}? Anything by Creator/DarioArgento, Mario Bava and/or Creator/LucioFulci.
* Glamour? Usually movies from the 1920s until the 1950s, starring Creator/GretaGarbo, Creator/ClarkGable, Creator/MarleneDietrich, Creator/CaryGrant, Creator/JeanHarlow, Creator/LaurenBacall, Creator/HumphreyBogart, Creator/KatherineHepburn, Creator/BetteDavis, Creator/FredAstaire, Creator/VivienLeigh, Creator/GingerRogers, Creator/GraceKelly.
* Horror movies? ''Film/{{Dracula 1931}}'', ''Film/{{Frankenstein 1931}}'', ''Film/TheWolfMan1941'', ''Film/TheMummy1932'', ''Film/{{Psycho}}'', ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'' (far more than its sequels) ''Franchise/TheTexasChainsawMassacre'', ''Film/TheExorcist'', ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'', ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'', ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet'' are the most iconic examples. Horror pictures that use monsters (''Film/KingKong'', ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}''), real life horrors (''Film/SilenceOfTheLambs'', ''Film/{{Jaws}}''), stuff that you don't really see most of the time (''Film/TheShining'', ''Film/CatPeople'', ''Film/ParanormalActivity'') science fiction horror (''Film/{{Alien}}'') are usually not seen as the most typical examples of a ''standard'' horror movie. A fantastical creature in a Gothic setting seems to be most people's idea of horror.
** Horror movie actors? Creator/BelaLugosi, Creator/LonChaneySr, Creator/LonChaneyJr, Creator/BorisKarloff, Creator/ChristopherLee, Creator/PeterCushing.
** Horror movie directors? Film/HammerHorror and Creator/WesCraven.
* Kaiju movies? ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}''. For specialists: ''Film/{{Mothra}}, Film/{{Rodan}}'' and ''Franchise/{{Gamera}}''.
* Martial arts films will always star Creator/BruceLee or [[BruceLeeClone someone who resembles him]].
** Specific examples? ''Film/EnterTheDragon'' and ''Film/The36thChamberOfShaolin''.
* Monster movies? Film/KingKong or Franchise/{{Godzilla}} (which explains why ''Film/KingKongVsGodzilla'' is the highest-grossing film in the latter's franchise).
* Musicals? ''Film/{{Oklahoma}}'', ''Film/SinginInTheRain'', ''Film/WestSideStory'' and ''Film/TheSoundOfMusic'' are the most often cited examples. The only musical actors that apparently exist are Creator/FredAstaire, Creator/GingerRogers, Creator/GeneKelly and Creator/LizaMinnelli. Directors and choreographers are even more difficult to namedrop: Creator/BusbyBerkeley will be the sole one. For an eccentric musical: ''Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow''.
* {{Nazisploitation}}? ''Film/IlsaSheWolfOfTheSS''.
* Neo-realistic films? ''Film/BicycleThieves''.
* Pirate movies? In the old days anything with Creator/ErrolFlynn. Since the 2000s, ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''.
* Porn movies? ''Deep Throat'', ''Debbie Does Dallas'', ''Behind The Green Door''. They tend to get confused with erotic movies, though. ''The Italian Stallion'' might get mentioned because of Creator/SylvesterStallone.
** Porn actors? Linda Lovelace, John Holmes, Traci Lords, Jenna Jameson, Lolo Ferrari (if you need one with huge breasts) and Ron Jeremy. At all other times references to specific pornographic films will typically be limited to ParallelPornTitles (whether real or fictional). And, oh yeah, all porn movies referenced will be heterosexual porn.
* Propaganda films? ''Film/TriumphOfTheWill'' and ''Film/BattleshipPotemkin''.
* Puppet movies? ''Franchise/TheMuppets''. In Eastern Europe Creator/JanSvankmajer.
* Revenge movies? ''Film/DirtyHarry'', ''Film/DeathWish'', ''Film/KillBill'' are the most famous examples.
* RoadTripPlot? ''Film/BonnieAndClyde'', ''Film/{{Badlands}}'', ''Film/ThelmaAndLouise''.
* Rock 'n' Roll movies? ''Film/JailhouseRock'', ''Film/TheGirlCantHelpIt'' and ''Film/AHardDaysNight''. Throw in ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' and ''Film/PinkFloydTheWall'' too.
* Romance movies? ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'', ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'', ''Film/WestSideStory'', ''Film/LoveStory'', ''Film/PrettyWoman'', ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}''. Also note that in most of these examples the romances end tragically. In the 1930s anything directed by Creator/ErnstLubitsch. In the 1950s and 1960s anything starring Creator/DorisDay and Creator/RockHudson. In the 1990s anything starring Creator/JuliaRoberts.
* Samurai movies? Anything by Creator/AkiraKurosawa, but specifically ''Film/{{Rashomon}}'' and ''Film/TheSevenSamurai''.
* Science fiction movies?
** Fun SF? ''Film/TheDayTheEarthStoodStill1951'', ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'', ''Franchise/StarWars'', ''Franchise/StarTrek''.
** Horror SF? ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'', ''Literature/WarOfTheWorlds''
** Intellectual/thought provoking SF? ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'' is all you need.
* Screwball Comedies? Anything with Creator/KatherineHepburn and Creator/CaryGrant.
* Silent movies? Will typically be thought of as slapstick movies with Creator/CharlieChaplin and PieInTheFace gags.
* A {{slasher|Movie}} film? Anything starring [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]]. Or [[Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet Freddy Krueger]] and [[Franchise/{{Halloween}} Michael Myers]]. Except Jason will [[HockeyMaskAndChainsaw frequently]] have a [[Franchise/TheTexasChainsawMassacre chainsaw]].
* Slapstick movies? Creator/CharlieChaplin, Creator/LaurelAndHardy and Creator/TheThreeStooges. If you're a bit more specialized you'll probably reference Creator/BusterKeaton, Creator/HaroldLloyd, Creator/TheMarxBrothers and Creator/WCFields too.
* SoBadItsGood movies? Anything by Creator/EdWood, especially ''Film/Plan9FromOuterSpace''. Other campy cult movies haven't quite penetrated pop culture on the same levels, except for ''Film/ManosTheHandsOfFate'' IF people have watched the ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' episode. A more modern example is ''Film/TheRoom''.
* Spaghetti Westerns? Anything by Creator/SergioLeone [[Film/OnceUponATimeInAmerica except his last film.]].
* Spectacle films? Creator/CecilBDeMille (for the first half of the 20th century), Creator/StevenSpielberg, Creator/GeorgeLucas, Creator/JamesCameron and Creator/MichaelBay (more modern variants).
* Spy movies? ''Franchise/JamesBond''.
* {{Swashbuckler}} films? Anything starring Creator/DouglasFairbanks or Creator/ErrolFlynn.
* StonerFlick? Pick any Creator/CheechAndChong movie.
* SwordAndSandal? ''Film/BenHur1959'', ''Film/{{Spartacus}}'' and ''Film/{{Cleopatra}}''.
* Teen movies/ ComingOfAge films? ''Film/TheWildOne'', ''Film/RebelWithoutACause''. They mostly seem associated with TheFifties, nevertheless. Examples from the 1980s are works by Creator/JohnHughes. There aren't any real stars too, because they quickly outgrow the genre that launches their career. The only exception would be Creator/JamesDean, who was killed by a car accident very quickly.
* Thrillers? Anything by Creator/AlfredHitchcock.
* TorturePorn? ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'', ''Film/{{Hostel}}''.
* War movies? Typically only set during the American Civil War and UsefulNotes/WorldWarII for some tales of glory and heroism. If set during UsefulNotes/WorldWarI and/or the Vietnam War it will usually be more WarIsHell.
** Typical examples of war movies: ''Film/TheLongestDay'', ''Film/InWhichWeServe'', ''Film/TheBridgeOverTheRiverKwai'', ''Film/{{Patton}}'', ''Film/ApocalypseNow'', ''Film/{{Platoon}}'' and ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan''.
* [[TheWestern Westerns]]? ''Film/TheGreatTrainRobbery'', ''Film/{{Stagecoach}}'', ''Film/{{Shane}}'', ''Film/TheSearchers'', ''Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly'', ''Film/OnceUponATimeInTheWest'' and ''Film/{{Unforgiven}}'' are the most frequent cited examples. Western film directors are only Creator/JohnFord and Creator/SergioLeone. Western actors are typically Creator/JohnWayne, Creator/RoyRogers, Creator/LeeVanCleef and Creator/ClintEastwood. You're bound to hear some EnnioMorriconePastiche music in parodies.
* Zombie movies? ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'' to name the most iconic ones.
[[AC:Actors]]
* Whenever an actor is referenced they will always be the A-list stars from Hollywood.
* Creator/AbbottAndCostello: They are mostly remembered for their ''Who's On First?'' sketch. Modern audiences may be surprised to learn that they also appeared in a lot of movies.
* Creator/WoodyAllen: Nervous, talks about life, death, psychiatry, women, sex. Point of reference is ''Film/AnnieHall'' and ''Film/{{Manhattan}}''.
* Creator/JulieAndrews: Point of reference ''Film/MaryPoppins'' and ''Film/TheSoundOfMusic''. Will be squeakingly clean and talk and sing in TheQueensLatin.
* Creator/FredAstaire and Creator/GingerRogers: All they did in their movies was tap dance with each other in a large white ball room.
* Creator/LaurenBacall: Point of reference is ''Film/TheBigSleep'' and/or ''Film/KeyLargo''. Has a SmokingIsGlamorous scene.
* Creator/JosephineBaker: Dances around in the nude, wearing a banana skirt.
* Creator/BrigitteBardot: Only movie referenced is ''Film/AndGodCreatedWoman''. Pouts her lips.
* Creator/HumphreyBogart: Will be smoking, wearing a hat and rain coat and usually dialogue from ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'' is referenced.
* Creator/MarlonBrando. Only points of reference are ''Film/TheWildOne'', ''Film/OnTheWaterfront'', ''Film/AStreetCarNamedDesire'', ''Film/TheGodfather'' and ''Film/ApocalypseNow''. Will mumble his dialogue and be shown as enormously obese, even though his body weight only got worse after ''Film/TheGodfather''. Usually goes on how he could have been a contender or making offers nobody can refuse.
* Creator/CharlesBronson: Only appeared in vigilante movies like ''Film/DeathWish''.
* Creator/NicolasCage: Has at least one scene in which he is ChewingTheScenery, shouting lines and eye bulging.
* Creator/JimCarrey: It's rather sad that he is still most associated with making silly faces and the three films from the beginning of his career: ''Film/TheMask'', ''Film/AceVentura'' and ''Film/DumbAndDumber'', despite having tried to act in more serious films ever since.
* Creator/CharlieChaplin: Will always be in the Tramp costume. Will be seen twirling his cane, walking into the sunset, EatingShoes and running and falling. Only films he made are apparently ''[[Film/TheKid1921 The Kid]]'', ''Film/TheGoldRush'', ''Film/CityLights'', ''Film/ModernTimes'' and ''Film/TheGreatDictator''.
* Creator/SeanConnery: To older people and Bond fans he is basically remembered as Franchise/JamesBond. In references his Scottish accent will be his only unique characteristic.
* Creator/PeterCushing: Will be portrayed as Van Helsing and/or Sherlock Holmes.
* Creator/RobertDeNiro: Is always shown as Travis Bickle in ''Film/TaxiDriver'', Jake La Motta in ''Film/RagingBull'', or a gangster.
* Creator/JohnnyDepp: Appears in a Creator/TimBurton movie, period. Only other point of reference is Jack Sparrow in ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''. Will typically have scenes in which he is acting weird and cute at the same time.
* Creator/MarleneDietrich: ''Film/TheBlueAngel'' is the only point of reference. Will smoke, wear a high hat and have some bisexual tension with other women.
* Creator/WaltDisney: WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse, WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck and/or WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs are the only point of reference.
* Creator/KirkDouglas: Only point of reference is ''Film/{{Spartacus}}''.
* Creator/MichaelDouglas: ''Film/WallStreet'', ''Film/FatalAttraction'' and ''Film/BasicInstinct''.
* Creator/ClintEastwood: Only points of reference are cowboy movies and ''Film/DirtyHarry''. Will squint his eyes, show a PhallicWeapon and say a BadassBoast, always with a famous line that shows he is pretty pissed off.
* Creator/DouglasFairbanksSr: Apparently only appeared in swashbuckler films.
* Creator/WCFields: Appears in high hat, bulbous nose and has a lot of jokes about alcoholism.
* Creator/ErrolFlynn: Appears in swashbuckler films. (His son was a Vietnam War photographer, but who ever knew that?)
* Creator/ClarkGable: Only point of reference is ''Film/GoneWithTheWind''.
* Creator/GretaGarbo: Won't smile, but will say that she wants to be ''alone'', always in a heavy Swedish accent.
* Creator/TomHanks: ''Film/ForrestGump'', ''Film/{{Philadelphia}}'', ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'', that's about it. People will probably be amazed if you tell them that he actually started out playing in goofy comedies.
* Creator/AudreyHepburn: Point of reference ''Film/BreakfastAtTiffanys'' and ''Film/RomanHoliday''.
* Creator/DustinHoffman: Despite a long career he is still associated with just three roles: ''Film/TheGraduate'', ''Film/MidnightCowboy'' and ''Film/RainMan''.
* Creator/BobHope: Appeared in ''Road To...'' movies, told jokes with a golf club in his hand and played in front of military troops.
* Creator/SamuelLJackson: Point of reference, ''Film/PulpFiction''. Will shout some BadassBoast line and have a ScaryBlackMan stare, while pointing a gun at somebody.
* Creator/JerryLewis. Will act goofy in glasses and buck tooth, shout ''Nice lady!'' in an equally silly voice. References will be made to the fact that he is revered in France. Only film remembered is ''Film/TheNuttyProfessor''.
* Creator/BusterKeaton: Pokerfaced at all times. If one film is referenced it will be the shot of the building falling down upon him in ''Film/SteamboatBillJr''.
* Creator/LaurelAndHardy: Hardy will fall, bump his head, get something on his head, while Laurel looks and watches bewildered, scratching his hair. Expect one scene where Laurel pokes Hardy in the eye and Hardy looking straight in the camera with an exasperated look. Their most famous films are ''Film/TheMusicBox'', ''Film/WayOutWest'' and ''Film/SonsOfTheDesert''.
* Creator/BruceLee: Either in a yellow jump suit or bare chested. Will make FunnyBruceLeeNoises and amazing quick kicks.
* Creator/ChristopherLee: Will be portrayed as Dracula.
* Creator/PeterLorre: Point of reference is ''Film/{{M}}'' and ''Film/TheMalteseFalcon'', will typically be nervous and squeaky voiced, though more in the style of Creator/MelBlanc's parodies.
* Creator/HaroldLloyd: Nowadays he is mostly remembered for one image from one film he made: ''Film/SafetyLast'', in which he is hanging on to a large clock on top of a skyscraper.
* Creator/BelaLugosi: Will be portrayed as Dracula, even though he only played the part twice.
* Creator/TheMarxBrothers: Groucho will wisecrack and insult Margaret Dumont, Chico plays piano and Harpo plays harp, after that chases women with a cow horn and all of them evoke complete mayhem. Also note that Zeppo is often forgotten or ommitted.
* Creator/MalcolmMcDowell: ''Film/AClockworkOrange'' is the only point of reference. Everything he did before or after is less well known.
* Creator/MarilynMonroe: Will be reduced to ''Film/SomeLikeItHot'' and ''Film/TheSevenYearItch'', in which she does the MarilynManeuver.
* Creator/MontyPython: Whenever the name of this comedy group is dropped people will instantly begin quoting scenes from ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'', as if this is the only (good) thing the group ever did. Often you'll encounter so-called ''fans'' of Monty Python who actually just mean they like ''Holy Grail'' and are even totally unaware that the group also made other films and even had a TV series. Some of them even think Monty Python was a person! Usually Creator/JohnCleese is the only foremost member everybody can name, except when you're a Python fan, of course.
* Creator/LaurenceOlivier: Will be seen in a Shakespearean role.
* Creator/JuliaRoberts: Stars in romantic movies or movies with weddings or both of these. Point of reference will likely be ''Film/PrettyWoman''.
* Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger: Shows off his muscles, blasts people down with his guns and talks in an awful Austrian accent. Point of reference is ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'' or maybe ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian1982''.
* Creator/PeterSellers: Despite his versatile career to most people he is just Inspector Clouseau in ''Franchise/ThePinkPanther''.
* Creator/SylvesterStallone: Only points of reference are ''Franchise/{{Rocky}}'', ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'' and quotes that sound brainlessly monosyllabic.
* Creator/SharonStone: Known for one scene in ''Film/BasicInstinct'' that is actually more the result of people's overactive imagination.
* Creator/TheThreeStooges: Will poke each other in the eye, hit each other on the head and the following lines should be mentioned: "Soitenly", "I was a victim of soicumstance", "Wiseguy, huh?", "Woob Woob Woob", "Yuk Yuk Yuk".
* Creator/ElizabethTaylor: Only point of reference is ''Film/{{Cleopatra}}'' and ''Film/WhosAfraidOfVirginiaWoolf''. References may be made to her weddings.
* Creator/ShirleyTemple: Always referenced as a little girl below the age of 10. Will be singing ''The Good Ship Lollipop''.
* Creator/JohnTravolta: Point of reference is ''Film/SaturdayNightFever'', ''Film/{{Grease}}'', or ''Film/PulpFiction''. Will talk in a ''awww jeesh...'' accent and have a dance scene.
* Creator/RudolphValentino: Only point of reference is ''Film/TheSheik''. Abducts women and takes them to his tent.
* Creator/JohnWayne: Either a cowboy or a military sergeant. Will talk in slurry brawl and walk in his characteristically slouchy way. Likely to call everyone "[[Film/TheManWhoShotLibertyValance pilgrim]]" or possibly say "[[Film/TheSearchers That'll be the day]]."
* Creator/JohnnyWeissmuller: Franchise/{{Tarzan}}, including the iconic yell.
* Creator/MaeWest: Will say DoubleEntendre one-liners and utter the phrase ''come up to see me one time'' at least once.
* Creator/RobinWilliams: Will talk with lips between his teeth. Has either MotorMouth improvisations or a heartwarming speech about being accepted.
[[AC:Film Directors]]
* Famous film directors?
** From before the 1940s Creator/DWGriffith or Creator/CecilBDeMille.
** In the 1940s-1970s Creator/AlfredHitchcock.
** From the 1970s onward Creator/StevenSpielberg and Creator/MartinScorsese.
** Since the 1990s Creator/QuentinTarantino.
* An example of a famous film director whose career has been in the dumps ever since he started? Creator/OrsonWelles had that fame for his entire career.
* Black film directors? Creator/SpikeLee.
* Asian film directors? Creator/AngLee, Creator/ZhangYimou, Creator/AkiraKurosawa.
* For examples by country, see below.
* Creator/WoodyAllen: Makes intellectual romantic comedies set in New York City, with himself in the starring role and references to Creator/IngmarBergman. When people refer to his films it's usually ''Film/AnnieHall'' and/or ''Film/{{Manhattan}}''.
* Creator/RalphBakshi: Made cartoons for adults full of gratuitous sex and drug use. Point of reference is still only ''WesternAnimation/FritzTheCat''
* Creator/MichaelBay: Makes only special effects blockbusters. Point of reference is ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'': a franchise everybody hates, yet all go and watch every time a new installment is made, just to bitch about it on Internet forums afterwards.
* Creator/IngmarBergman: Black-and-white, difficult, boring, subtitled. Only point of reference, especially in spoofs, are ''Film/TheSeventhSeal'' and ''Film/{{Persona}}''. Sometimes ''Film/CriesAndWhispers'' too.
* Creator/BusbyBerkeley: Made films that apparently only consist of long shots of groups of dancers performing a BusbyBerkeleyNumber only.
* Creator/MelBrooks: ''Film/TheProducers'', ''Film/BlazingSaddles'', ''Film/YoungFrankenstein'' and ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}''. Will typically be remembered for being full of bad taste comedy, farts, tits and very Jewish oriented jokes.
* Creator/LuisBunuel: ''Film/UnChienAndalou'' and only the eye splicing scene.
* Creator/FrankCapra: Made only happy feel good movies about ordinary people overcoming their troubles. Typical points of reference are ''Film/MrSmithGoesToWashington'', ''Film/MrDeedsGoesToTown'' and ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife''.
* Creator/FrancisFordCoppola: All he ever did in popular culture is direct ''Film/TheGodfather'' trilogy (or duology) and ''Film/ApocalypseNow''.
* Creator/DavidCronenberg: Makes bizarre horror movies about icky things.
* Creator/JoeDante: Still only namedropped for ''Film/{{Gremlins}}''.
* Creator/SergeiEisenstein: Synoymous with ''Film/BattleshipPotemkin''.
* Creator/FedericoFellini: ''Film/LaDolceVita'' for the general public, ''Film/EightAndAHalf'' for film critics. Associated with GrotesqueGallery and EarWorm music.
* Creator/JohnFord: Only made westerns. If you have to reference one it will be ''Film/TheSearchers''. If ''Film/HowGreenWasMyValley'' is mentioned it's only to talk about the ''Film/CitizenKane'' Oscar snub.
* Creator/JeanLucGodard: Directed ''Film/{{Breathless}}'' and ''Film/BandeAPart'', that's it.
* Creator/DWGriffith: Only known nowadays for ''Film/{{The Birth of a Nation|1915}}'' and ''Film/{{Intolerance}}'', though the first one is the most famous for all of the controversy surrounding it.
* Creator/WernerHerzog: Made only movies with Creator/KlausKinski acting weird.
* Creator/AlfredHitchcock: Made only suspense thrillers and the only ones who are always referenced and parodied are ''Film/RearWindow'', ''Film/NorthByNorthwest'', ''Film/{{Psycho}}'' and ''Film/TheBirds''.
* Creator/JohnHughes: Best known for his teenage coming of age movies, with ''Film/TheBreakfastClub'' and ''Film/FerrisBuellersDayOff'' as the most common points of reference.
* Creator/PeterJackson: Only directs Creator/JRRTolkien movies.
* Creator/StanleyKubrick: Reduced to ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', ''Film/AClockworkOrange'' and ''Film/TheShining''. Most self declared Kubrick fans nowadays only refer to these movies, not the less sensational films he made.
* Creator/AkiraKurosawa: ''Film/{{Rashomon}}'' and ''Film/TheSevenSamurai''.
* Creator/FritzLang: Directed ''Film/{{M}}'' and ''Film/{{Metropolis}}'', nothing else.
* Creator/SpikeLee: Directs ''angry black man'' movies. Point of reference is always reduced to ''Film/DoTheRightThing''.
* Creator/SergioLeone: Only directed spaghetti westerns in the popular consciousness.
* Creator/GeorgeLucas: All he ever did was make ''Film/StarWars'' and while fans adore the franchise in almost religious fashion he is nowadays hated for singlehandedly destroying everything what was great about it in the first place.
* Creator/DavidLynch: Makes weird movies for intellectuals. Point of reference is usually ''Film/BlueVelvet'', ''Series/TwinPeaks'' and/or ''Film/MulhollandDrive''.
* Creator/GeorgesMelies: ''Film/ATripToTheMoon'', which has a scene where the rocket hits the moon's eye.
* Creator/MichaelMoore: Makes sensational left-wing documentaries that criticize everything right-wing people like, which explains why he is a polarizing figure. The only points of reference are ''Film/BowlingForColumbine'' and ''Film/FahrenheitNineEleven''. Typically most people who criticize Moore have only seen one or none of his movies and base their ''satire'' or criticism more on the fact that he is obese than anything else.
* Creator/PierPaoloPasolini: Despite a versatile career with many great and thought provoking movies most people now him solely for ''Film/SaloOrThe120DaysOfSodom'' and even in that case more for the controversy around it.
* Creator/MartinScorsese: Has made movies in many genres, but is most associated with gangster movies. Whenever Scorsese is referenced it will ''Film/TaxiDriver'', ''Film/RagingBull'' and ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}''.
* Creator/StevenSpielberg: ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' and ''Film/JurassicPark''. ''Film/SchindlersList'' if you want to refer to a serious more adult movie.
* Creator/OliverStone: Makes left-wing conspiracy theory heavy movies about the Sixties and Seventies or that criticize the American government, capitalism and/or the army.
* Creator/QuentinTarantino: Still mostly associated with ''Film/PulpFiction'' and blood splattering violence, even though this aspect only takes up a small part of his movies and usually happens off screen and/or in a comic book fashion hard to take seriously.
* Creator/PaulVerhoeven: Typically people refer more to his Hollywood movies than the ones made in the Netherlands. Most refer to him as someone who just makes action packed violent movies and/or saucy erotic films, typically not looking much deeper into it.
* Creator/LarsVonTrier: Makes depressing ItsNotPornItsArt movies, or is it the other way around?
* Creator/OrsonWelles: ''Film/CitizenKane'' seems to be the only film he ever made in popular culture. All other references are about his voice and/or his weight. Or the fact that he made some TV commercials later in life.
[[AC:By country]]
* Usually the movies where the country itself is very visible in the background.
* American movies? Before the 1970s all American movies seemed to be either {{Glamour}} or {{Western}}. After that date they have become synonymous with big spectacle blockbuster movies with a lot of gratuitous bullet rains, explosions and badass lines.
* Austrian movies? We only know two Austrian actors: Creator/JohnnyWeissmuller and Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger. Creator/ChristophWaltz also comes to mind.
* AustralianMovies? ''Film/PicnicAtHangingRock'', ''Film/MadMax'', ''Film/CrocodileDundee'',''Film/TheAdventuresOfPriscillaQueenOfTheDesert''
** All Australian films are {{Ozploitation}}.
** Australian Actors? Creator/HughJackman, Creator/CateBlanchett, Creator/HeathLedger, Creator/NicoleKidman, and [[Creator/ChrisHemsworth Chris]] and Creator/LiamHemsworth.
* BelgianFilms? All Belgian movies are set on a farm. The most famous Belgian movie, however, isn't: ''Film/ManBitesDog''.
** Belgian directors? The Brothers Dardenne.
** Belgian actors? Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme (Creator/AudreyHepburn was ''born'' there but isn't Belgian).
* BritishFilms? Anything starring Franchise/JamesBond, Film/HammerHorror, Film/CarryOn, Franchise/HarryPotter, Ealing Comedies, Creator/MontyPython, and/or Literature/SherlockHolmes. The rest is either a historical costume movie set in a manor or a socially conscious piece about a working class neighbourhood struggling in [[UsefulNotes/MargaretThatcher Thatcherite]] Britain. Many are not aware that a number of popular American films were actually shot in Britain: ''Franchise/StarWars'' and ''Film/{{Batman}}'', to give just two examples.
** British film actors? Creator/CharlieChaplin[[note]] often mistaken for an American, since he hardly ever spoke in his films and nearly 80 percent of his show-business career was spent in the United States [[/note]], Creator/AlecGuinness, Creator/JohnGielgud, Creator/LaurenceOlivier, Creator/MichaelCaine, Creator/RichardBurton (who was Welsh), Creator/HughGrant, Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/EwanMcGregor (who is Scottish), Creator/JohnCleese, Creator/AnthonyHopkins, Creator/PeterOToole, Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter. Those who have seen ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap'' often [[FakeBrit mistakenly believe]] that Michael [=McKean=], Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer are British. You might not know Cary Elwes is British if you seen [[FakeAmerican only]] ''Film/HotShots'' or ''Film/LiarLiar'' - not ''Film/ThePrincessBride'' or Film/''Film/RobinHoodMenInTights''.
** British film directors? Creator/DavidLean, Creator/RichardAttenborough, Creator/MichaelPowell and Emeric Pressburger, Creator/JamesIvory, Creator/MikeLeigh.
* ChineseFilms? Martial arts films and/or Wuxia films set in ImperialChina.
** Chinese directors? Creator/AngLee, Creator/ZhangYimou.
** Chinese actors? Creator/JetLi, Creator/MingNaWen, or anyone listed in the Hong Kong section below.
* Danish films? All UsefulNotes/{{Dogme 95}} movies. Directed by Creator/LarsVonTrier.
** Danish actors? [[Creator/LarsMikkelsen Lars]] and Creator/MadsMikkelsen, Creator/BrigitteNielsen, Creator/ViggoMortensen, and Creator/NikolajCosterWaldau.
* DutchFilms? All films with gratuitous nudity and lewd acts.
** Dutch actors? Sylvia Kristel, Creator/FamkeJanssen. Creator/RutgerHauer. Creator/JeroenKrabbe, and Creator/CariceVanHouten.
** Dutch film directors? Creator/PaulVerhoeven.
* FrenchFilms? All LeFilmArtistique and/or FrenchNewWave
** French actors? Creator/MauriceChevalier, Creator/GerardDepardieu, Creator/JeanReno, Creator/CatherineDeneuve, Creator/BrigitteBardot, Creator/JacquesTati, Creator/JeanGabin, Creator/JeanPaulBelmodo, Creator/AlainDelon, Creator/LouisDeFunes, and Creator/{{Fernandel}}. Modern day French actors include Creator/AudreyTautou, Creator/VincentCassel, Creator/JeanReno, and Creator/MarionCotillard (Creator/MelanieLaurent ''might'' get a mention if only as a poor woman's Cotillard).
** French film directors? Creator/FrancoisTruffaut, Creator/JeanRenoir, Alain Resnais, Creator/JeanLucGodard, Creator/LouisMalle, Creator/JacquesTati, Creator/LucBesson.
* GermanFilms? GermanExpressionism or arthouse. The most famous German films worldwide are ''Film/TheBlueAngel'', ''Film/DasBoot'', ''Film/RunLolaRun'' and ''Film/{{Downfall}}'' (and that is only for the WebVideo/HitlerRants meme).
** German film actors? Creator/MarleneDietrich and Creator/KlausKinski. Older film fans may remember Creator/EmilJannings. Creator/DianeKruger and Creator/MichaelFassbender are modern-day representatives of the nation (and Creator/ChristophWaltz is just as likely to be associated with Germany as with Austria). Within German borders, the definitive modern-day German actor is Creator/TilSchweiger.
** German film directors? Creator/FritzLang, Creator/JosefVonSternberg, Creator/FriedrichWilhelmMurnau, Creator/WernerHerzog, Creator/WolfgangPetersen.
* Greek movies? ''Film/ZorbaTheGreek'' and ''Film/{{Z}}''.
** Greek directors? Creator/EliaKazan.
** Greek actors? Nia Vardalos, with John Aniston only known as [[Creator/JenniferAniston Jennifer]]'s dad.
* HongKongFilms? Anything starring Creator/BruceLee, Creator/JackieChan, Creator/SonnyChiba, or Creator/ChowYunFat, and ''maybe'' Creator/StephenChow or Creator/DonnieYen. Director is likely going to be Creator/JohnWoo.
* Indian movies? BollywoodMovies. Period. If you have to namedrop one example: ''Film/{{Sholay}}''. If you need a non-Bollywood example: ''Film/PatherPanchali'', ''Film/SlumdogMillionaire'', or ''Film/LifeOfPi''.
** Indian actors? Creator/RajKapoor, Creator/AmitabhBachcan, Creator/SalmanKhan, or Creator/IrrfanKhan. Dalip Singh Rana has showed up in some pretty big American movies, but of course he's better known as Wrestling/TheGreatKhali.
** Indian film directors? Creator/SatiyajitRay.
* Irish actors? Creator/LiamNeeson. ''Maybe'' you'll get Creator/ColinFarrell and Creator/PierceBrosnan.
* ItalianFilms? Either neo-realistic, SpaghettiWestern or {{Giallo}}.
** Italian directors? Creator/MichelangeloAntonioni, Creator/SergioLeone, Creator/FedericoFellini, Creator/RobertoRossellini, Creator/PierPaoloPasolini, Creator/VittorioDeSica.
** Italian actors? Creator/SophiaLoren, Creator/MarcelloMastroianni, Creator/RobertoBenigni, Terence Hill, or Isabella Rossellini.
* Jamaican movies? ''Film/TheHarderTheyCome''.
* Japanese movies? Samurai films, {{Anime}}, {{Kaiju}} and since the 1980s Japanese horror and science fiction have also gained notoriety.
** Creator/Japanese actors? Creator/ToshiroMifune, Creator/SonnyChiba, or more recently Creator/KenWatanabe.
** Japanese animators? Creator/OsamuTezuka and Creator/HayaoMiyazaki.
** Japanese film directors? Creator/AkiraKurosawa.
* Mexican movies? All films starring ProfessionalWrestling/ElSanto. More recently, ''Film/PansLabyrinth''
** Film directors? Creator/RobertRodriguez ,Creator/GuillermoDelToro, Creator/AlfonsoCuaron, and Creator/AlejandroGonzalezInarritu.
** Actors? Creator/SalmaHayek and Ricardo Montalban.
* New Zealand actors? Creator/RussellCrowe. Directors? Creator/PeterJackson.
* Russian movies? All propaganda pieces, directed by Creator/SergeiEisenstein.
* Polish films?
** Polish directors? Creator/RomanPolanski, Creator/AgnieszkaHolland, Creator/AndrzejWajda, and Creator/KrzysztofKieslowski.
* Puerto Rican actors? Creator/BenicioDelToro and Creator/RitaMoreno.
* Scottish actors? Creator/SeanConnery. For modern day examples, we have Creator/EwanMcGregor, Creator/JamesMcAvoy, and Creator/GerardButler.
* SerbianFilms? ''Film/ASerbianFilm'', unfortunately.
** Serbian film directors? Creator/EmirKusturica.
* South African actors? Creator/CharlizeTheron.
* Spanish films?
** Spanish film actors? Creator/PenelopeCruz, Creator/JavierBardem and Creator/AntonioBanderas
** Spanish film directors? Creator/PedroAlmodovar, Creator/LuisBunuel.
** In Spain itself, it is common to say (especially among the right-wing) that Spanish films are all about "whores, fags and the [[SpanishCivilWar Civil War]]". The first two are an unsubtle jab at Almodóvar.
* Swedish films? Anything by Creator/IngmarBergman.
** Swedish actors? Creator/GretaGarbo, Creator/IngridBergman, Creator/MaxVonSydow, Creator/DolphLundgren, Creator/PeterStormare, Creator/NoomiRapace, and [[Creator/StellanSkarsgard Stellan]] and Creator/AlexanderSkarsgard.
* Ukranian actors? Creator/MilaKunis, Creator/MillaJovovich, and Creator/OlgaKurylenko
* Vietnamese films? ''Three Seasons'', and only because Creator/HarveyKeitel is in it.
[[AC:Targets for Parody or Reference]]
* If you are going to reference or parody a movie, make sure it is one of these choices: ''Film/KingKong'', ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'', ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'', ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', ''Film/{{Psycho}}'', ''Film/JamesBond'', ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', ''Film/TheSeventhSeal'', ''Franchise/StarWars'', ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', ''Film/TheShining'', ''Franchise/IndianaJones'', ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'', ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'', ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}'', ''Franchise/JurassicPark,'' ''Film/PulpFiction'', ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}'', ''Film/TheMatrix'', ''Film/HarryPotter'', and ''Film/TheDarkKnight''.
* 95% of Film/JamesBond parodies are a parody of the Creator/SeanConnery era films. The remaining 5%, at least nowadays, are the Bonds of the nineties and two-thousands; Creator/PierceBrosnan or Creator/DanielCraig. Roger Moore, George Lazenby, and Timothy Dalton? Who are they? (If you grew up at any time between 1975 and 1995, feel free to mentally delete Roger Moore from the above list. He was undoubtedly the most successful James Bond of the late Cold War years.) The one-film Lazenby is ALWAYS mentioned whenever someone wants to sound extremely knowledgeable about the Bond Franchise.
* Does a movie feature misfits in grotesque makeup interacting in an AnachronismStew setting? Creator/TimBurton must have done it.
* All teen comedies were by Creator/JohnHughes. (Amy Heckerling might get a mention if the reference is a little more "indie.") Plus, you would have a hard time finding a casual Creator/JohnHughes fan who could remember any members of his repertory of teen actors other than Creator/MollyRingwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy, Creator/EmilioEstevez, Creator/JuddNelson, Jon Cryer, or Andrew [=McCarthy=], even though there were many, many more. (And no, knowing the name of a character, such as "Long Duk Dong," doesn't count; the person has to know the name of the actor.) And that doesn't even include young actors who became famous ''outside'' of Hughes's works, and are associated with him only due to RetroactiveRecognition (Creator/RobertDowneyJr, for example). Lampshaded by the 1997 book ''Pretty in Pink'' (about 1980s teen movies), which ended with an appendix listing many of the unsung Brat Packers that was wittily titled [[Film/TheBreakfastClub "Don't You Forget About Me."]]
!!Notable exceptions of this trope from films and this trope PlayedWith in film:
* Creator/QuentinTarantino's movies are full of {{shout out}}s and {{homage shot}}s to movies most people do not even know exist, such as ''Goke, Body Snatcher From Hell'', where he got the idea for the red background during the flight scene in ''Film/KillBill Vol. 1''.
* The indie film ''Film/LittleMissSunshine'' features a Proust scholar as a main character. He talks about Proust during an important character moment.
* Creator/CharlieKaufman likes to include high-brow literary references in his films. In ''Film/BeingJohnMalkovich'', Creator/JohnCusack performs a puppet adaptation of Alexander Pope's ''Eloisa to Abelard''. Pope's story also provided the title and theme for ''Film/EternalSunshineOfTheSpotlessMind''.
* Parodied in the 1965 film version of ''The Loved One'', in which Dennis Barlow romances Aimee Thanatogenous by quoting classic poetry to her and claiming it to be his own work.
* In ''Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper'', Animal is described as being upset that he missed the Rembrandt exhibit at the National Gallery. Animal corrects him: "''Renoir! Renoir!''"
* A rare humorous moment in ''Film/{{Se7en}}'', when Creator/BradPitt's character has never heard of the Creator/MarquisDeSade, and mispronounces his name "Shah-day", like the Nigerian singer Music/{{Sade}}.
* {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in ''Film/{{Dogma}}'' with an appearance by the Metatron, the angel who speaks for God to humans who would be destroyed by the power of God's voice. The heroine attempts to make up for not knowing who he is by mentioning the Ten Plagues, to which the Metatron remarks "You people! If it's not in [[Film/TheTenCommandments a Charlton Heston movie]], it's not worth knowing, is it?"
----
Film will usually be a synonym for Hollywood pictures only. And to the general audience preferably not works older than a mere thirty years and strictly box office blockbuster films. British films may get some attention, but film industries of other countries are already more a niche market.
When referring to film awards the only ones everybody knows are the [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscars]]. The Palme d'Or in Cannes is a close second. The [[UsefulNotes/{{BAFTA}} BAFTA Awards]] in Britain, the Golden Bear of Berlin, the Golden Lion of Venice and the Césars in France are well known too.
When referring to film classics people usually think or black-and-white pictures from the UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood. This will usually be either a Creator/CharlieChaplin film, a Creator/FredAstaire and Creator/GingerRogers picture, ''Film/KingKong1933'', ''Film/CitizenKane'' and/or ''Film/{{Casablanca}}''. If you need an old color movie it will be ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'' and/or ''Film/TheWizardOfOz''.
[[AC:Film Genres]]
* Action movies? Anything with Creator/SylvesterStallone, Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger or Creator/BruceWillis.
** Typical examples: ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'', ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'', ''Franchise/DieHard'', ''Franchise/LethalWeapon'' and ''Franchise/DirtyHarry''.
* Animal movies? Rin Tin Tin, ''Franchise/{{Lassie}}''.
* Animation? AllAnimationIsDisney.
** Though when people think of specific animation clichés they're usually envisioning ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'', ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' and work by Creator/TexAvery.
** Black-and-white animation will always be ''WesternAnimation/FelixTheCat'' or ''WesternAnimation/BettyBoop''. Never mind the fact that most cartoons from the 1900s throughout the 1930s were still in black-and-white.
* {{Anime}}? Anything by Creator/HayaoMiyazaki, usually ''Anime/SpiritedAway'', and ''Manga/{{Akira}}''.
* Arthouse movies and/or independent movies? Creator/IngmarBergman (usually ''Film/TheSeventhSeal'', ''Film/{{Persona}}''), Creator/JeanLucGodard (''Film/{{Breathless}}'') and Creator/FrancoisTruffaut (''Film/The400Blows''). German arthouse is Creator/WernerHerzog and Creator/WimWenders, Italian Creator/PierPaoloPasolini and Creator/FedericoFellini, American Creator/DavidLynch, Creator/TerrenceMalick, Creator/JimJarmusch and Creator/WesAnderson. Also expect everyone who references these to mock these films as if they are boring, difficult, experimental and only enjoyed by snobby film critics and poseurs, usually without having seen any of them in full.
* B-movies? Will be everything in 1950s fashion with men in rubber suits and monsters hanging on wires. If you need one director it will be Creator/RogerCorman.
* Bible movies? ''Film/TheTenCommandments''.
* {{Blaxploitation}}? ''Film/{{Shaft}}'' and ''Film/SweetSweetbacksBaadasssssSong''.
* {{Bollywood}} movies? Outside India there aren't any famous stars but Creator/RajKapoor and even he is only known to very extreme cinephiles or fans of the genre.
* CannibalFilm? ''Film/CannibalHolocaust''.
* CGI movies? Anything by Pixar and/or Dreamworks. Also note that most people wouldn't consider live-action movies with CGI special effects to be this.
* Children's movies? Also tends to differ from generation to generation, but Creator/WaltDisney and Creator/ShirleyTemple are the typical examples. In the 1980s and 1990s Creator/ChrisColumbus was the most famous director in this field. Some children movie classics still watched to this day are ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', ''Film/MaryPoppins'', ''Film/StarWars'' (also watched by adults), ''Film/HarryPotter'' and ''Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory'' (and it will ''always'' be the original).
* Claymation movies? Anything by Creator/NickPark (''Franchise/WallaceAndGromit'').
* Comedians? This tends to differ from generation to generation. Also the most famous ones aren't always neccessarily the most popular or good ones.
** The 1910s to the 1930s? Creator/CharlieChaplin, Creator/BusterKeaton, Creator/HaroldLLoyd, Creator/LaurelAndHardy, Creator/TheMarxBrothers, Creator/WCFields.
** The 1940s? Creator/BobHope, Creator/AbbottAndCostello, Creator/DeanMartin and Creator/JerryLewis.
** The 1950s? Creator/JerryLewis.
** The 1960s? Creator/PeterSellers as Inspector Clouseau in ''Franchise/ThePinkPanther'' movies.
** The 1970s and 1980s? Mostly Creator/MontyPython, Creator/MelBrooks, Franchise/PoliceAcademy, Series/SaturdayNightLive based movies. For intellectuals Creator/WoodyAllen. Since the 1980s Creator/EddieMurphy.
** The 1990s? Creator/JimCarrey, Creator/MikeMyers, and Creator/RobinWilliams.
** The 2000s? Creator/AdamSandler and Creator/WillFerrell.
* ConcertFilm? ''Film/{{Woodstock}}''.
* Cult movies? This also varies from generation to generation and depends on whom makes the reference and what his criteria would be. However, the most typical and undeniable iconic example of a CultClassic will be ''Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow''.
* Detective films? ''Film/SherlockHolmes''.
* Disaster movies? ''Film/TheToweringInferno'', ''Film/{{Airport}}'',... A 21st century example would be ''Film/TheDayAfterTomorrow''.
* Epic Movies? Even though the genre has existed since the early 20th century the definition of what it exactly is tends to differ from viewer to viewer. Usually the term is used for movies about some great adventure that usually take more than two hours in length or will need a few sequels to tell everything. ''Film/StarWars'' and ''Film/LordOfTheRings'' are the most typical examples.
* Erotic movies? The ''Film/{{Emmanuelle}}'' franchise.
* Exploitation movies? Also depends on what specific genre you're talking about, though the general examples will also be horror movies with a sensationalist streak from the 1970s.
** {{Mondo}} is unmistakeningly a typical exploitation movie example.
* FilmNoir? Anything with Creator/HumphreyBogart and/or Creator/LaurenBacall.
* Film Serials? Film/FlashGordonSerial, Film/ThePhantom1943, Film/TheGreenHornetSerials.
* FrenchNewWave? Anything by Creator/FrancoisTruffaut, Alain Resnais, Creator/JeanLucGodard.
* Found Footage movies? ''Film/TheBlairWitchProject''.
* Gangster movies? From the 1920s until the 1950s: anything with Creator/EdwardGRobinson, Creator/HumphreyBogart and Creator/JamesCagney. Since the 1970s ''Film/TheGodfather'' has become ''the'' gangster movie to compare all other gangster movies ever since with. ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}'' is the most recent example of a frequently referenced gangster movie.
* GermanExpressionism: ''Film/TheCabinetOfDrCaligari'', ''Film/{{Nosferatu}}, ''Film/{{M}}'' and ''Film/{{Metropolis}}''.
* {{Giallo}}? Anything by Creator/DarioArgento, Mario Bava and/or Creator/LucioFulci.
* Glamour? Usually movies from the 1920s until the 1950s, starring Creator/GretaGarbo, Creator/ClarkGable, Creator/MarleneDietrich, Creator/CaryGrant, Creator/JeanHarlow, Creator/LaurenBacall, Creator/HumphreyBogart, Creator/KatherineHepburn, Creator/BetteDavis, Creator/FredAstaire, Creator/VivienLeigh, Creator/GingerRogers, Creator/GraceKelly.
* Horror movies? ''Film/{{Dracula 1931}}'', ''Film/{{Frankenstein 1931}}'', ''Film/TheWolfMan1941'', ''Film/TheMummy1932'', ''Film/{{Psycho}}'', ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'' (far more than its sequels) ''Franchise/TheTexasChainsawMassacre'', ''Film/TheExorcist'', ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'', ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'', ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet'' are the most iconic examples. Horror pictures that use monsters (''Film/KingKong'', ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}''), real life horrors (''Film/SilenceOfTheLambs'', ''Film/{{Jaws}}''), stuff that you don't really see most of the time (''Film/TheShining'', ''Film/CatPeople'', ''Film/ParanormalActivity'') science fiction horror (''Film/{{Alien}}'') are usually not seen as the most typical examples of a ''standard'' horror movie. A fantastical creature in a Gothic setting seems to be most people's idea of horror.
** Horror movie actors? Creator/BelaLugosi, Creator/LonChaneySr, Creator/LonChaneyJr, Creator/BorisKarloff, Creator/ChristopherLee, Creator/PeterCushing.
** Horror movie directors? Film/HammerHorror and Creator/WesCraven.
* Kaiju movies? ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}''. For specialists: ''Film/{{Mothra}}, Film/{{Rodan}}'' and ''Franchise/{{Gamera}}''.
* Martial arts films will always star Creator/BruceLee or [[BruceLeeClone someone who resembles him]].
** Specific examples? ''Film/EnterTheDragon'' and ''Film/The36thChamberOfShaolin''.
* Monster movies? Film/KingKong or Franchise/{{Godzilla}} (which explains why ''Film/KingKongVsGodzilla'' is the highest-grossing film in the latter's franchise).
* Musicals? ''Film/{{Oklahoma}}'', ''Film/SinginInTheRain'', ''Film/WestSideStory'' and ''Film/TheSoundOfMusic'' are the most often cited examples. The only musical actors that apparently exist are Creator/FredAstaire, Creator/GingerRogers, Creator/GeneKelly and Creator/LizaMinnelli. Directors and choreographers are even more difficult to namedrop: Creator/BusbyBerkeley will be the sole one. For an eccentric musical: ''Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow''.
* {{Nazisploitation}}? ''Film/IlsaSheWolfOfTheSS''.
* Neo-realistic films? ''Film/BicycleThieves''.
* Pirate movies? In the old days anything with Creator/ErrolFlynn. Since the 2000s, ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''.
* Porn movies? ''Deep Throat'', ''Debbie Does Dallas'', ''Behind The Green Door''. They tend to get confused with erotic movies, though. ''The Italian Stallion'' might get mentioned because of Creator/SylvesterStallone.
** Porn actors? Linda Lovelace, John Holmes, Traci Lords, Jenna Jameson, Lolo Ferrari (if you need one with huge breasts) and Ron Jeremy. At all other times references to specific pornographic films will typically be limited to ParallelPornTitles (whether real or fictional). And, oh yeah, all porn movies referenced will be heterosexual porn.
* Propaganda films? ''Film/TriumphOfTheWill'' and ''Film/BattleshipPotemkin''.
* Puppet movies? ''Franchise/TheMuppets''. In Eastern Europe Creator/JanSvankmajer.
* Revenge movies? ''Film/DirtyHarry'', ''Film/DeathWish'', ''Film/KillBill'' are the most famous examples.
* RoadTripPlot? ''Film/BonnieAndClyde'', ''Film/{{Badlands}}'', ''Film/ThelmaAndLouise''.
* Rock 'n' Roll movies? ''Film/JailhouseRock'', ''Film/TheGirlCantHelpIt'' and ''Film/AHardDaysNight''. Throw in ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' and ''Film/PinkFloydTheWall'' too.
* Romance movies? ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'', ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'', ''Film/WestSideStory'', ''Film/LoveStory'', ''Film/PrettyWoman'', ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}''. Also note that in most of these examples the romances end tragically. In the 1930s anything directed by Creator/ErnstLubitsch. In the 1950s and 1960s anything starring Creator/DorisDay and Creator/RockHudson. In the 1990s anything starring Creator/JuliaRoberts.
* Samurai movies? Anything by Creator/AkiraKurosawa, but specifically ''Film/{{Rashomon}}'' and ''Film/TheSevenSamurai''.
* Science fiction movies?
** Fun SF? ''Film/TheDayTheEarthStoodStill1951'', ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'', ''Franchise/StarWars'', ''Franchise/StarTrek''.
** Horror SF? ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'', ''Literature/WarOfTheWorlds''
** Intellectual/thought provoking SF? ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'' is all you need.
* Screwball Comedies? Anything with Creator/KatherineHepburn and Creator/CaryGrant.
* Silent movies? Will typically be thought of as slapstick movies with Creator/CharlieChaplin and PieInTheFace gags.
* A {{slasher|Movie}} film? Anything starring [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]]. Or [[Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet Freddy Krueger]] and [[Franchise/{{Halloween}} Michael Myers]]. Except Jason will [[HockeyMaskAndChainsaw frequently]] have a [[Franchise/TheTexasChainsawMassacre chainsaw]].
* Slapstick movies? Creator/CharlieChaplin, Creator/LaurelAndHardy and Creator/TheThreeStooges. If you're a bit more specialized you'll probably reference Creator/BusterKeaton, Creator/HaroldLloyd, Creator/TheMarxBrothers and Creator/WCFields too.
* SoBadItsGood movies? Anything by Creator/EdWood, especially ''Film/Plan9FromOuterSpace''. Other campy cult movies haven't quite penetrated pop culture on the same levels, except for ''Film/ManosTheHandsOfFate'' IF people have watched the ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' episode. A more modern example is ''Film/TheRoom''.
* Spaghetti Westerns? Anything by Creator/SergioLeone [[Film/OnceUponATimeInAmerica except his last film.]].
* Spectacle films? Creator/CecilBDeMille (for the first half of the 20th century), Creator/StevenSpielberg, Creator/GeorgeLucas, Creator/JamesCameron and Creator/MichaelBay (more modern variants).
* Spy movies? ''Franchise/JamesBond''.
* {{Swashbuckler}} films? Anything starring Creator/DouglasFairbanks or Creator/ErrolFlynn.
* StonerFlick? Pick any Creator/CheechAndChong movie.
* SwordAndSandal? ''Film/BenHur1959'', ''Film/{{Spartacus}}'' and ''Film/{{Cleopatra}}''.
* Teen movies/ ComingOfAge films? ''Film/TheWildOne'', ''Film/RebelWithoutACause''. They mostly seem associated with TheFifties, nevertheless. Examples from the 1980s are works by Creator/JohnHughes. There aren't any real stars too, because they quickly outgrow the genre that launches their career. The only exception would be Creator/JamesDean, who was killed by a car accident very quickly.
* Thrillers? Anything by Creator/AlfredHitchcock.
* TorturePorn? ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'', ''Film/{{Hostel}}''.
* War movies? Typically only set during the American Civil War and UsefulNotes/WorldWarII for some tales of glory and heroism. If set during UsefulNotes/WorldWarI and/or the Vietnam War it will usually be more WarIsHell.
** Typical examples of war movies: ''Film/TheLongestDay'', ''Film/InWhichWeServe'', ''Film/TheBridgeOverTheRiverKwai'', ''Film/{{Patton}}'', ''Film/ApocalypseNow'', ''Film/{{Platoon}}'' and ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan''.
* [[TheWestern Westerns]]? ''Film/TheGreatTrainRobbery'', ''Film/{{Stagecoach}}'', ''Film/{{Shane}}'', ''Film/TheSearchers'', ''Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly'', ''Film/OnceUponATimeInTheWest'' and ''Film/{{Unforgiven}}'' are the most frequent cited examples. Western film directors are only Creator/JohnFord and Creator/SergioLeone. Western actors are typically Creator/JohnWayne, Creator/RoyRogers, Creator/LeeVanCleef and Creator/ClintEastwood. You're bound to hear some EnnioMorriconePastiche music in parodies.
* Zombie movies? ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'' to name the most iconic ones.
[[AC:Actors]]
* Whenever an actor is referenced they will always be the A-list stars from Hollywood.
* Creator/AbbottAndCostello: They are mostly remembered for their ''Who's On First?'' sketch. Modern audiences may be surprised to learn that they also appeared in a lot of movies.
* Creator/WoodyAllen: Nervous, talks about life, death, psychiatry, women, sex. Point of reference is ''Film/AnnieHall'' and ''Film/{{Manhattan}}''.
* Creator/JulieAndrews: Point of reference ''Film/MaryPoppins'' and ''Film/TheSoundOfMusic''. Will be squeakingly clean and talk and sing in TheQueensLatin.
* Creator/FredAstaire and Creator/GingerRogers: All they did in their movies was tap dance with each other in a large white ball room.
* Creator/LaurenBacall: Point of reference is ''Film/TheBigSleep'' and/or ''Film/KeyLargo''. Has a SmokingIsGlamorous scene.
* Creator/JosephineBaker: Dances around in the nude, wearing a banana skirt.
* Creator/BrigitteBardot: Only movie referenced is ''Film/AndGodCreatedWoman''. Pouts her lips.
* Creator/HumphreyBogart: Will be smoking, wearing a hat and rain coat and usually dialogue from ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'' is referenced.
* Creator/MarlonBrando. Only points of reference are ''Film/TheWildOne'', ''Film/OnTheWaterfront'', ''Film/AStreetCarNamedDesire'', ''Film/TheGodfather'' and ''Film/ApocalypseNow''. Will mumble his dialogue and be shown as enormously obese, even though his body weight only got worse after ''Film/TheGodfather''. Usually goes on how he could have been a contender or making offers nobody can refuse.
* Creator/CharlesBronson: Only appeared in vigilante movies like ''Film/DeathWish''.
* Creator/NicolasCage: Has at least one scene in which he is ChewingTheScenery, shouting lines and eye bulging.
* Creator/JimCarrey: It's rather sad that he is still most associated with making silly faces and the three films from the beginning of his career: ''Film/TheMask'', ''Film/AceVentura'' and ''Film/DumbAndDumber'', despite having tried to act in more serious films ever since.
* Creator/CharlieChaplin: Will always be in the Tramp costume. Will be seen twirling his cane, walking into the sunset, EatingShoes and running and falling. Only films he made are apparently ''[[Film/TheKid1921 The Kid]]'', ''Film/TheGoldRush'', ''Film/CityLights'', ''Film/ModernTimes'' and ''Film/TheGreatDictator''.
* Creator/SeanConnery: To older people and Bond fans he is basically remembered as Franchise/JamesBond. In references his Scottish accent will be his only unique characteristic.
* Creator/PeterCushing: Will be portrayed as Van Helsing and/or Sherlock Holmes.
* Creator/RobertDeNiro: Is always shown as Travis Bickle in ''Film/TaxiDriver'', Jake La Motta in ''Film/RagingBull'', or a gangster.
* Creator/JohnnyDepp: Appears in a Creator/TimBurton movie, period. Only other point of reference is Jack Sparrow in ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''. Will typically have scenes in which he is acting weird and cute at the same time.
* Creator/MarleneDietrich: ''Film/TheBlueAngel'' is the only point of reference. Will smoke, wear a high hat and have some bisexual tension with other women.
* Creator/WaltDisney: WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse, WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck and/or WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs are the only point of reference.
* Creator/KirkDouglas: Only point of reference is ''Film/{{Spartacus}}''.
* Creator/MichaelDouglas: ''Film/WallStreet'', ''Film/FatalAttraction'' and ''Film/BasicInstinct''.
* Creator/ClintEastwood: Only points of reference are cowboy movies and ''Film/DirtyHarry''. Will squint his eyes, show a PhallicWeapon and say a BadassBoast, always with a famous line that shows he is pretty pissed off.
* Creator/DouglasFairbanksSr: Apparently only appeared in swashbuckler films.
* Creator/WCFields: Appears in high hat, bulbous nose and has a lot of jokes about alcoholism.
* Creator/ErrolFlynn: Appears in swashbuckler films. (His son was a Vietnam War photographer, but who ever knew that?)
* Creator/ClarkGable: Only point of reference is ''Film/GoneWithTheWind''.
* Creator/GretaGarbo: Won't smile, but will say that she wants to be ''alone'', always in a heavy Swedish accent.
* Creator/TomHanks: ''Film/ForrestGump'', ''Film/{{Philadelphia}}'', ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'', that's about it. People will probably be amazed if you tell them that he actually started out playing in goofy comedies.
* Creator/AudreyHepburn: Point of reference ''Film/BreakfastAtTiffanys'' and ''Film/RomanHoliday''.
* Creator/DustinHoffman: Despite a long career he is still associated with just three roles: ''Film/TheGraduate'', ''Film/MidnightCowboy'' and ''Film/RainMan''.
* Creator/BobHope: Appeared in ''Road To...'' movies, told jokes with a golf club in his hand and played in front of military troops.
* Creator/SamuelLJackson: Point of reference, ''Film/PulpFiction''. Will shout some BadassBoast line and have a ScaryBlackMan stare, while pointing a gun at somebody.
* Creator/JerryLewis. Will act goofy in glasses and buck tooth, shout ''Nice lady!'' in an equally silly voice. References will be made to the fact that he is revered in France. Only film remembered is ''Film/TheNuttyProfessor''.
* Creator/BusterKeaton: Pokerfaced at all times. If one film is referenced it will be the shot of the building falling down upon him in ''Film/SteamboatBillJr''.
* Creator/LaurelAndHardy: Hardy will fall, bump his head, get something on his head, while Laurel looks and watches bewildered, scratching his hair. Expect one scene where Laurel pokes Hardy in the eye and Hardy looking straight in the camera with an exasperated look. Their most famous films are ''Film/TheMusicBox'', ''Film/WayOutWest'' and ''Film/SonsOfTheDesert''.
* Creator/BruceLee: Either in a yellow jump suit or bare chested. Will make FunnyBruceLeeNoises and amazing quick kicks.
* Creator/ChristopherLee: Will be portrayed as Dracula.
* Creator/PeterLorre: Point of reference is ''Film/{{M}}'' and ''Film/TheMalteseFalcon'', will typically be nervous and squeaky voiced, though more in the style of Creator/MelBlanc's parodies.
* Creator/HaroldLloyd: Nowadays he is mostly remembered for one image from one film he made: ''Film/SafetyLast'', in which he is hanging on to a large clock on top of a skyscraper.
* Creator/BelaLugosi: Will be portrayed as Dracula, even though he only played the part twice.
* Creator/TheMarxBrothers: Groucho will wisecrack and insult Margaret Dumont, Chico plays piano and Harpo plays harp, after that chases women with a cow horn and all of them evoke complete mayhem. Also note that Zeppo is often forgotten or ommitted.
* Creator/MalcolmMcDowell: ''Film/AClockworkOrange'' is the only point of reference. Everything he did before or after is less well known.
* Creator/MarilynMonroe: Will be reduced to ''Film/SomeLikeItHot'' and ''Film/TheSevenYearItch'', in which she does the MarilynManeuver.
* Creator/MontyPython: Whenever the name of this comedy group is dropped people will instantly begin quoting scenes from ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'', as if this is the only (good) thing the group ever did. Often you'll encounter so-called ''fans'' of Monty Python who actually just mean they like ''Holy Grail'' and are even totally unaware that the group also made other films and even had a TV series. Some of them even think Monty Python was a person! Usually Creator/JohnCleese is the only foremost member everybody can name, except when you're a Python fan, of course.
* Creator/LaurenceOlivier: Will be seen in a Shakespearean role.
* Creator/JuliaRoberts: Stars in romantic movies or movies with weddings or both of these. Point of reference will likely be ''Film/PrettyWoman''.
* Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger: Shows off his muscles, blasts people down with his guns and talks in an awful Austrian accent. Point of reference is ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'' or maybe ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian1982''.
* Creator/PeterSellers: Despite his versatile career to most people he is just Inspector Clouseau in ''Franchise/ThePinkPanther''.
* Creator/SylvesterStallone: Only points of reference are ''Franchise/{{Rocky}}'', ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'' and quotes that sound brainlessly monosyllabic.
* Creator/SharonStone: Known for one scene in ''Film/BasicInstinct'' that is actually more the result of people's overactive imagination.
* Creator/TheThreeStooges: Will poke each other in the eye, hit each other on the head and the following lines should be mentioned: "Soitenly", "I was a victim of soicumstance", "Wiseguy, huh?", "Woob Woob Woob", "Yuk Yuk Yuk".
* Creator/ElizabethTaylor: Only point of reference is ''Film/{{Cleopatra}}'' and ''Film/WhosAfraidOfVirginiaWoolf''. References may be made to her weddings.
* Creator/ShirleyTemple: Always referenced as a little girl below the age of 10. Will be singing ''The Good Ship Lollipop''.
* Creator/JohnTravolta: Point of reference is ''Film/SaturdayNightFever'', ''Film/{{Grease}}'', or ''Film/PulpFiction''. Will talk in a ''awww jeesh...'' accent and have a dance scene.
* Creator/RudolphValentino: Only point of reference is ''Film/TheSheik''. Abducts women and takes them to his tent.
* Creator/JohnWayne: Either a cowboy or a military sergeant. Will talk in slurry brawl and walk in his characteristically slouchy way. Likely to call everyone "[[Film/TheManWhoShotLibertyValance pilgrim]]" or possibly say "[[Film/TheSearchers That'll be the day]]."
* Creator/JohnnyWeissmuller: Franchise/{{Tarzan}}, including the iconic yell.
* Creator/MaeWest: Will say DoubleEntendre one-liners and utter the phrase ''come up to see me one time'' at least once.
* Creator/RobinWilliams: Will talk with lips between his teeth. Has either MotorMouth improvisations or a heartwarming speech about being accepted.
[[AC:Film Directors]]
* Famous film directors?
** From before the 1940s Creator/DWGriffith or Creator/CecilBDeMille.
** In the 1940s-1970s Creator/AlfredHitchcock.
** From the 1970s onward Creator/StevenSpielberg and Creator/MartinScorsese.
** Since the 1990s Creator/QuentinTarantino.
* An example of a famous film director whose career has been in the dumps ever since he started? Creator/OrsonWelles had that fame for his entire career.
* Black film directors? Creator/SpikeLee.
* Asian film directors? Creator/AngLee, Creator/ZhangYimou, Creator/AkiraKurosawa.
* For examples by country, see below.
* Creator/WoodyAllen: Makes intellectual romantic comedies set in New York City, with himself in the starring role and references to Creator/IngmarBergman. When people refer to his films it's usually ''Film/AnnieHall'' and/or ''Film/{{Manhattan}}''.
* Creator/RalphBakshi: Made cartoons for adults full of gratuitous sex and drug use. Point of reference is still only ''WesternAnimation/FritzTheCat''
* Creator/MichaelBay: Makes only special effects blockbusters. Point of reference is ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'': a franchise everybody hates, yet all go and watch every time a new installment is made, just to bitch about it on Internet forums afterwards.
* Creator/IngmarBergman: Black-and-white, difficult, boring, subtitled. Only point of reference, especially in spoofs, are ''Film/TheSeventhSeal'' and ''Film/{{Persona}}''. Sometimes ''Film/CriesAndWhispers'' too.
* Creator/BusbyBerkeley: Made films that apparently only consist of long shots of groups of dancers performing a BusbyBerkeleyNumber only.
* Creator/MelBrooks: ''Film/TheProducers'', ''Film/BlazingSaddles'', ''Film/YoungFrankenstein'' and ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}''. Will typically be remembered for being full of bad taste comedy, farts, tits and very Jewish oriented jokes.
* Creator/LuisBunuel: ''Film/UnChienAndalou'' and only the eye splicing scene.
* Creator/FrankCapra: Made only happy feel good movies about ordinary people overcoming their troubles. Typical points of reference are ''Film/MrSmithGoesToWashington'', ''Film/MrDeedsGoesToTown'' and ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife''.
* Creator/FrancisFordCoppola: All he ever did in popular culture is direct ''Film/TheGodfather'' trilogy (or duology) and ''Film/ApocalypseNow''.
* Creator/DavidCronenberg: Makes bizarre horror movies about icky things.
* Creator/JoeDante: Still only namedropped for ''Film/{{Gremlins}}''.
* Creator/SergeiEisenstein: Synoymous with ''Film/BattleshipPotemkin''.
* Creator/FedericoFellini: ''Film/LaDolceVita'' for the general public, ''Film/EightAndAHalf'' for film critics. Associated with GrotesqueGallery and EarWorm music.
* Creator/JohnFord: Only made westerns. If you have to reference one it will be ''Film/TheSearchers''. If ''Film/HowGreenWasMyValley'' is mentioned it's only to talk about the ''Film/CitizenKane'' Oscar snub.
* Creator/JeanLucGodard: Directed ''Film/{{Breathless}}'' and ''Film/BandeAPart'', that's it.
* Creator/DWGriffith: Only known nowadays for ''Film/{{The Birth of a Nation|1915}}'' and ''Film/{{Intolerance}}'', though the first one is the most famous for all of the controversy surrounding it.
* Creator/WernerHerzog: Made only movies with Creator/KlausKinski acting weird.
* Creator/AlfredHitchcock: Made only suspense thrillers and the only ones who are always referenced and parodied are ''Film/RearWindow'', ''Film/NorthByNorthwest'', ''Film/{{Psycho}}'' and ''Film/TheBirds''.
* Creator/JohnHughes: Best known for his teenage coming of age movies, with ''Film/TheBreakfastClub'' and ''Film/FerrisBuellersDayOff'' as the most common points of reference.
* Creator/PeterJackson: Only directs Creator/JRRTolkien movies.
* Creator/StanleyKubrick: Reduced to ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', ''Film/AClockworkOrange'' and ''Film/TheShining''. Most self declared Kubrick fans nowadays only refer to these movies, not the less sensational films he made.
* Creator/AkiraKurosawa: ''Film/{{Rashomon}}'' and ''Film/TheSevenSamurai''.
* Creator/FritzLang: Directed ''Film/{{M}}'' and ''Film/{{Metropolis}}'', nothing else.
* Creator/SpikeLee: Directs ''angry black man'' movies. Point of reference is always reduced to ''Film/DoTheRightThing''.
* Creator/SergioLeone: Only directed spaghetti westerns in the popular consciousness.
* Creator/GeorgeLucas: All he ever did was make ''Film/StarWars'' and while fans adore the franchise in almost religious fashion he is nowadays hated for singlehandedly destroying everything what was great about it in the first place.
* Creator/DavidLynch: Makes weird movies for intellectuals. Point of reference is usually ''Film/BlueVelvet'', ''Series/TwinPeaks'' and/or ''Film/MulhollandDrive''.
* Creator/GeorgesMelies: ''Film/ATripToTheMoon'', which has a scene where the rocket hits the moon's eye.
* Creator/MichaelMoore: Makes sensational left-wing documentaries that criticize everything right-wing people like, which explains why he is a polarizing figure. The only points of reference are ''Film/BowlingForColumbine'' and ''Film/FahrenheitNineEleven''. Typically most people who criticize Moore have only seen one or none of his movies and base their ''satire'' or criticism more on the fact that he is obese than anything else.
* Creator/PierPaoloPasolini: Despite a versatile career with many great and thought provoking movies most people now him solely for ''Film/SaloOrThe120DaysOfSodom'' and even in that case more for the controversy around it.
* Creator/MartinScorsese: Has made movies in many genres, but is most associated with gangster movies. Whenever Scorsese is referenced it will ''Film/TaxiDriver'', ''Film/RagingBull'' and ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}''.
* Creator/StevenSpielberg: ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' and ''Film/JurassicPark''. ''Film/SchindlersList'' if you want to refer to a serious more adult movie.
* Creator/OliverStone: Makes left-wing conspiracy theory heavy movies about the Sixties and Seventies or that criticize the American government, capitalism and/or the army.
* Creator/QuentinTarantino: Still mostly associated with ''Film/PulpFiction'' and blood splattering violence, even though this aspect only takes up a small part of his movies and usually happens off screen and/or in a comic book fashion hard to take seriously.
* Creator/PaulVerhoeven: Typically people refer more to his Hollywood movies than the ones made in the Netherlands. Most refer to him as someone who just makes action packed violent movies and/or saucy erotic films, typically not looking much deeper into it.
* Creator/LarsVonTrier: Makes depressing ItsNotPornItsArt movies, or is it the other way around?
* Creator/OrsonWelles: ''Film/CitizenKane'' seems to be the only film he ever made in popular culture. All other references are about his voice and/or his weight. Or the fact that he made some TV commercials later in life.
[[AC:By country]]
* Usually the movies where the country itself is very visible in the background.
* American movies? Before the 1970s all American movies seemed to be either {{Glamour}} or {{Western}}. After that date they have become synonymous with big spectacle blockbuster movies with a lot of gratuitous bullet rains, explosions and badass lines.
* Austrian movies? We only know two Austrian actors: Creator/JohnnyWeissmuller and Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger. Creator/ChristophWaltz also comes to mind.
* AustralianMovies? ''Film/PicnicAtHangingRock'', ''Film/MadMax'', ''Film/CrocodileDundee'',''Film/TheAdventuresOfPriscillaQueenOfTheDesert''
** All Australian films are {{Ozploitation}}.
** Australian Actors? Creator/HughJackman, Creator/CateBlanchett, Creator/HeathLedger, Creator/NicoleKidman, and [[Creator/ChrisHemsworth Chris]] and Creator/LiamHemsworth.
* BelgianFilms? All Belgian movies are set on a farm. The most famous Belgian movie, however, isn't: ''Film/ManBitesDog''.
** Belgian directors? The Brothers Dardenne.
** Belgian actors? Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme (Creator/AudreyHepburn was ''born'' there but isn't Belgian).
* BritishFilms? Anything starring Franchise/JamesBond, Film/HammerHorror, Film/CarryOn, Franchise/HarryPotter, Ealing Comedies, Creator/MontyPython, and/or Literature/SherlockHolmes. The rest is either a historical costume movie set in a manor or a socially conscious piece about a working class neighbourhood struggling in [[UsefulNotes/MargaretThatcher Thatcherite]] Britain. Many are not aware that a number of popular American films were actually shot in Britain: ''Franchise/StarWars'' and ''Film/{{Batman}}'', to give just two examples.
** British film actors? Creator/CharlieChaplin[[note]] often mistaken for an American, since he hardly ever spoke in his films and nearly 80 percent of his show-business career was spent in the United States [[/note]], Creator/AlecGuinness, Creator/JohnGielgud, Creator/LaurenceOlivier, Creator/MichaelCaine, Creator/RichardBurton (who was Welsh), Creator/HughGrant, Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/EwanMcGregor (who is Scottish), Creator/JohnCleese, Creator/AnthonyHopkins, Creator/PeterOToole, Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter. Those who have seen ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap'' often [[FakeBrit mistakenly believe]] that Michael [=McKean=], Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer are British. You might not know Cary Elwes is British if you seen [[FakeAmerican only]] ''Film/HotShots'' or ''Film/LiarLiar'' - not ''Film/ThePrincessBride'' or Film/''Film/RobinHoodMenInTights''.
** British film directors? Creator/DavidLean, Creator/RichardAttenborough, Creator/MichaelPowell and Emeric Pressburger, Creator/JamesIvory, Creator/MikeLeigh.
* ChineseFilms? Martial arts films and/or Wuxia films set in ImperialChina.
** Chinese directors? Creator/AngLee, Creator/ZhangYimou.
** Chinese actors? Creator/JetLi, Creator/MingNaWen, or anyone listed in the Hong Kong section below.
* Danish films? All UsefulNotes/{{Dogme 95}} movies. Directed by Creator/LarsVonTrier.
** Danish actors? [[Creator/LarsMikkelsen Lars]] and Creator/MadsMikkelsen, Creator/BrigitteNielsen, Creator/ViggoMortensen, and Creator/NikolajCosterWaldau.
* DutchFilms? All films with gratuitous nudity and lewd acts.
** Dutch actors? Sylvia Kristel, Creator/FamkeJanssen. Creator/RutgerHauer. Creator/JeroenKrabbe, and Creator/CariceVanHouten.
** Dutch film directors? Creator/PaulVerhoeven.
* FrenchFilms? All LeFilmArtistique and/or FrenchNewWave
** French actors? Creator/MauriceChevalier, Creator/GerardDepardieu, Creator/JeanReno, Creator/CatherineDeneuve, Creator/BrigitteBardot, Creator/JacquesTati, Creator/JeanGabin, Creator/JeanPaulBelmodo, Creator/AlainDelon, Creator/LouisDeFunes, and Creator/{{Fernandel}}. Modern day French actors include Creator/AudreyTautou, Creator/VincentCassel, Creator/JeanReno, and Creator/MarionCotillard (Creator/MelanieLaurent ''might'' get a mention if only as a poor woman's Cotillard).
** French film directors? Creator/FrancoisTruffaut, Creator/JeanRenoir, Alain Resnais, Creator/JeanLucGodard, Creator/LouisMalle, Creator/JacquesTati, Creator/LucBesson.
* GermanFilms? GermanExpressionism or arthouse. The most famous German films worldwide are ''Film/TheBlueAngel'', ''Film/DasBoot'', ''Film/RunLolaRun'' and ''Film/{{Downfall}}'' (and that is only for the WebVideo/HitlerRants meme).
** German film actors? Creator/MarleneDietrich and Creator/KlausKinski. Older film fans may remember Creator/EmilJannings. Creator/DianeKruger and Creator/MichaelFassbender are modern-day representatives of the nation (and Creator/ChristophWaltz is just as likely to be associated with Germany as with Austria). Within German borders, the definitive modern-day German actor is Creator/TilSchweiger.
** German film directors? Creator/FritzLang, Creator/JosefVonSternberg, Creator/FriedrichWilhelmMurnau, Creator/WernerHerzog, Creator/WolfgangPetersen.
* Greek movies? ''Film/ZorbaTheGreek'' and ''Film/{{Z}}''.
** Greek directors? Creator/EliaKazan.
** Greek actors? Nia Vardalos, with John Aniston only known as [[Creator/JenniferAniston Jennifer]]'s dad.
* HongKongFilms? Anything starring Creator/BruceLee, Creator/JackieChan, Creator/SonnyChiba, or Creator/ChowYunFat, and ''maybe'' Creator/StephenChow or Creator/DonnieYen. Director is likely going to be Creator/JohnWoo.
* Indian movies? BollywoodMovies. Period. If you have to namedrop one example: ''Film/{{Sholay}}''. If you need a non-Bollywood example: ''Film/PatherPanchali'', ''Film/SlumdogMillionaire'', or ''Film/LifeOfPi''.
** Indian actors? Creator/RajKapoor, Creator/AmitabhBachcan, Creator/SalmanKhan, or Creator/IrrfanKhan. Dalip Singh Rana has showed up in some pretty big American movies, but of course he's better known as Wrestling/TheGreatKhali.
** Indian film directors? Creator/SatiyajitRay.
* Irish actors? Creator/LiamNeeson. ''Maybe'' you'll get Creator/ColinFarrell and Creator/PierceBrosnan.
* ItalianFilms? Either neo-realistic, SpaghettiWestern or {{Giallo}}.
** Italian directors? Creator/MichelangeloAntonioni, Creator/SergioLeone, Creator/FedericoFellini, Creator/RobertoRossellini, Creator/PierPaoloPasolini, Creator/VittorioDeSica.
** Italian actors? Creator/SophiaLoren, Creator/MarcelloMastroianni, Creator/RobertoBenigni, Terence Hill, or Isabella Rossellini.
* Jamaican movies? ''Film/TheHarderTheyCome''.
* Japanese movies? Samurai films, {{Anime}}, {{Kaiju}} and since the 1980s Japanese horror and science fiction have also gained notoriety.
** Creator/Japanese actors? Creator/ToshiroMifune, Creator/SonnyChiba, or more recently Creator/KenWatanabe.
** Japanese animators? Creator/OsamuTezuka and Creator/HayaoMiyazaki.
** Japanese film directors? Creator/AkiraKurosawa.
* Mexican movies? All films starring ProfessionalWrestling/ElSanto. More recently, ''Film/PansLabyrinth''
** Film directors? Creator/RobertRodriguez ,Creator/GuillermoDelToro, Creator/AlfonsoCuaron, and Creator/AlejandroGonzalezInarritu.
** Actors? Creator/SalmaHayek and Ricardo Montalban.
* New Zealand actors? Creator/RussellCrowe. Directors? Creator/PeterJackson.
* Russian movies? All propaganda pieces, directed by Creator/SergeiEisenstein.
* Polish films?
** Polish directors? Creator/RomanPolanski, Creator/AgnieszkaHolland, Creator/AndrzejWajda, and Creator/KrzysztofKieslowski.
* Puerto Rican actors? Creator/BenicioDelToro and Creator/RitaMoreno.
* Scottish actors? Creator/SeanConnery. For modern day examples, we have Creator/EwanMcGregor, Creator/JamesMcAvoy, and Creator/GerardButler.
* SerbianFilms? ''Film/ASerbianFilm'', unfortunately.
** Serbian film directors? Creator/EmirKusturica.
* South African actors? Creator/CharlizeTheron.
* Spanish films?
** Spanish film actors? Creator/PenelopeCruz, Creator/JavierBardem and Creator/AntonioBanderas
** Spanish film directors? Creator/PedroAlmodovar, Creator/LuisBunuel.
** In Spain itself, it is common to say (especially among the right-wing) that Spanish films are all about "whores, fags and the [[SpanishCivilWar Civil War]]". The first two are an unsubtle jab at Almodóvar.
* Swedish films? Anything by Creator/IngmarBergman.
** Swedish actors? Creator/GretaGarbo, Creator/IngridBergman, Creator/MaxVonSydow, Creator/DolphLundgren, Creator/PeterStormare, Creator/NoomiRapace, and [[Creator/StellanSkarsgard Stellan]] and Creator/AlexanderSkarsgard.
* Ukranian actors? Creator/MilaKunis, Creator/MillaJovovich, and Creator/OlgaKurylenko
* Vietnamese films? ''Three Seasons'', and only because Creator/HarveyKeitel is in it.
[[AC:Targets for Parody or Reference]]
* If you are going to reference or parody a movie, make sure it is one of these choices: ''Film/KingKong'', ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'', ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'', ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', ''Film/{{Psycho}}'', ''Film/JamesBond'', ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', ''Film/TheSeventhSeal'', ''Franchise/StarWars'', ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', ''Film/TheShining'', ''Franchise/IndianaJones'', ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'', ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'', ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}'', ''Franchise/JurassicPark,'' ''Film/PulpFiction'', ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}'', ''Film/TheMatrix'', ''Film/HarryPotter'', and ''Film/TheDarkKnight''.
* 95% of Film/JamesBond parodies are a parody of the Creator/SeanConnery era films. The remaining 5%, at least nowadays, are the Bonds of the nineties and two-thousands; Creator/PierceBrosnan or Creator/DanielCraig. Roger Moore, George Lazenby, and Timothy Dalton? Who are they? (If you grew up at any time between 1975 and 1995, feel free to mentally delete Roger Moore from the above list. He was undoubtedly the most successful James Bond of the late Cold War years.) The one-film Lazenby is ALWAYS mentioned whenever someone wants to sound extremely knowledgeable about the Bond Franchise.
* Does a movie feature misfits in grotesque makeup interacting in an AnachronismStew setting? Creator/TimBurton must have done it.
* All teen comedies were by Creator/JohnHughes. (Amy Heckerling might get a mention if the reference is a little more "indie.") Plus, you would have a hard time finding a casual Creator/JohnHughes fan who could remember any members of his repertory of teen actors other than Creator/MollyRingwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy, Creator/EmilioEstevez, Creator/JuddNelson, Jon Cryer, or Andrew [=McCarthy=], even though there were many, many more. (And no, knowing the name of a character, such as "Long Duk Dong," doesn't count; the person has to know the name of the actor.) And that doesn't even include young actors who became famous ''outside'' of Hughes's works, and are associated with him only due to RetroactiveRecognition (Creator/RobertDowneyJr, for example). Lampshaded by the 1997 book ''Pretty in Pink'' (about 1980s teen movies), which ended with an appendix listing many of the unsung Brat Packers that was wittily titled [[Film/TheBreakfastClub "Don't You Forget About Me."]]
!!Notable exceptions of this trope from films and this trope PlayedWith in film:
* Creator/QuentinTarantino's movies are full of {{shout out}}s and {{homage shot}}s to movies most people do not even know exist, such as ''Goke, Body Snatcher From Hell'', where he got the idea for the red background during the flight scene in ''Film/KillBill Vol. 1''.
* The indie film ''Film/LittleMissSunshine'' features a Proust scholar as a main character. He talks about Proust during an important character moment.
* Creator/CharlieKaufman likes to include high-brow literary references in his films. In ''Film/BeingJohnMalkovich'', Creator/JohnCusack performs a puppet adaptation of Alexander Pope's ''Eloisa to Abelard''. Pope's story also provided the title and theme for ''Film/EternalSunshineOfTheSpotlessMind''.
* Parodied in the 1965 film version of ''The Loved One'', in which Dennis Barlow romances Aimee Thanatogenous by quoting classic poetry to her and claiming it to be his own work.
* In ''Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper'', Animal is described as being upset that he missed the Rembrandt exhibit at the National Gallery. Animal corrects him: "''Renoir! Renoir!''"
* A rare humorous moment in ''Film/{{Se7en}}'', when Creator/BradPitt's character has never heard of the Creator/MarquisDeSade, and mispronounces his name "Shah-day", like the Nigerian singer Music/{{Sade}}.
* {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in ''Film/{{Dogma}}'' with an appearance by the Metatron, the angel who speaks for God to humans who would be destroyed by the power of God's voice. The heroine attempts to make up for not knowing who he is by mentioning the Ten Plagues, to which the Metatron remarks "You people! If it's not in [[Film/TheTenCommandments a Charlton Heston movie]], it's not worth knowing, is it?"
----
to:
Film will usually be a synonym for Hollywood pictures only. And to the general audience preferably not works older than a mere thirty years and strictly box office blockbuster films. British films may get some attention, but film industries of other countries are already more a niche market.
When referring to film awards the only ones everybody knows are the [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscars]]. The Palme d'Or in Cannes is a close second. The [[UsefulNotes/{{BAFTA}} BAFTA Awards]] in Britain, the Golden Bear of Berlin, the Golden Lion of Venice and the Césars in France are well known too.
When referring to film classics people usually think or black-and-white pictures from the UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood. This will usually be either a Creator/CharlieChaplin film, a Creator/FredAstaire and Creator/GingerRogers picture, ''Film/KingKong1933'', ''Film/CitizenKane'' and/or ''Film/{{Casablanca}}''. If you need an old color movie it will be ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'' and/or ''Film/TheWizardOfOz''.
[[AC:Film Genres]]
* Action movies? Anything with Creator/SylvesterStallone, Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger or Creator/BruceWillis.
** Typical examples: ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'', ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'', ''Franchise/DieHard'', ''Franchise/LethalWeapon'' and ''Franchise/DirtyHarry''.
* Animal movies? Rin Tin Tin, ''Franchise/{{Lassie}}''.
* Animation? AllAnimationIsDisney.
** Though when people think of specific animation clichés they're usually envisioning ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'', ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' and work by Creator/TexAvery.
** Black-and-white animation will always be ''WesternAnimation/FelixTheCat'' or ''WesternAnimation/BettyBoop''. Never mind the fact that most cartoons from the 1900s throughout the 1930s were still in black-and-white.
* {{Anime}}? Anything by Creator/HayaoMiyazaki, usually ''Anime/SpiritedAway'', and ''Manga/{{Akira}}''.
* Arthouse movies and/or independent movies? Creator/IngmarBergman (usually ''Film/TheSeventhSeal'', ''Film/{{Persona}}''), Creator/JeanLucGodard (''Film/{{Breathless}}'') and Creator/FrancoisTruffaut (''Film/The400Blows''). German arthouse is Creator/WernerHerzog and Creator/WimWenders, Italian Creator/PierPaoloPasolini and Creator/FedericoFellini, American Creator/DavidLynch, Creator/TerrenceMalick, Creator/JimJarmusch and Creator/WesAnderson. Also expect everyone who references these to mock these films as if they are boring, difficult, experimental and only enjoyed by snobby film critics and poseurs, usually without having seen any of them in full.
* B-movies? Will be everything in 1950s fashion with men in rubber suits and monsters hanging on wires. If you need one director it will be Creator/RogerCorman.
* Bible movies? ''Film/TheTenCommandments''.
* {{Blaxploitation}}? ''Film/{{Shaft}}'' and ''Film/SweetSweetbacksBaadasssssSong''.
* {{Bollywood}} movies? Outside India there aren't any famous stars but Creator/RajKapoor and even he is only known to very extreme cinephiles or fans of the genre.
* CannibalFilm? ''Film/CannibalHolocaust''.
* CGI movies? Anything by Pixar and/or Dreamworks. Also note that most people wouldn't consider live-action movies with CGI special effects to be this.
* Children's movies? Also tends to differ from generation to generation, but Creator/WaltDisney and Creator/ShirleyTemple are the typical examples. In the 1980s and 1990s Creator/ChrisColumbus was the most famous director in this field. Some children movie classics still watched to this day are ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', ''Film/MaryPoppins'', ''Film/StarWars'' (also watched by adults), ''Film/HarryPotter'' and ''Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory'' (and it will ''always'' be the original).
* Claymation movies? Anything by Creator/NickPark (''Franchise/WallaceAndGromit'').
* Comedians? This tends to differ from generation to generation. Also the most famous ones aren't always neccessarily the most popular or good ones.
** The 1910s to the 1930s? Creator/CharlieChaplin, Creator/BusterKeaton, Creator/HaroldLLoyd, Creator/LaurelAndHardy, Creator/TheMarxBrothers, Creator/WCFields.
** The 1940s? Creator/BobHope, Creator/AbbottAndCostello, Creator/DeanMartin and Creator/JerryLewis.
** The 1950s? Creator/JerryLewis.
** The 1960s? Creator/PeterSellers as Inspector Clouseau in ''Franchise/ThePinkPanther'' movies.
** The 1970s and 1980s? Mostly Creator/MontyPython, Creator/MelBrooks, Franchise/PoliceAcademy, Series/SaturdayNightLive based movies. For intellectuals Creator/WoodyAllen. Since the 1980s Creator/EddieMurphy.
** The 1990s? Creator/JimCarrey, Creator/MikeMyers, and Creator/RobinWilliams.
** The 2000s? Creator/AdamSandler and Creator/WillFerrell.
* ConcertFilm? ''Film/{{Woodstock}}''.
* Cult movies? This also varies from generation to generation and depends on whom makes the reference and what his criteria would be. However, the most typical and undeniable iconic example of a CultClassic will be ''Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow''.
* Detective films? ''Film/SherlockHolmes''.
* Disaster movies? ''Film/TheToweringInferno'', ''Film/{{Airport}}'',... A 21st century example would be ''Film/TheDayAfterTomorrow''.
* Epic Movies? Even though the genre has existed since the early 20th century the definition of what it exactly is tends to differ from viewer to viewer. Usually the term is used for movies about some great adventure that usually take more than two hours in length or will need a few sequels to tell everything. ''Film/StarWars'' and ''Film/LordOfTheRings'' are the most typical examples.
* Erotic movies? The ''Film/{{Emmanuelle}}'' franchise.
* Exploitation movies? Also depends on what specific genre you're talking about, though the general examples will also be horror movies with a sensationalist streak from the 1970s.
** {{Mondo}} is unmistakeningly a typical exploitation movie example.
* FilmNoir? Anything with Creator/HumphreyBogart and/or Creator/LaurenBacall.
* Film Serials? Film/FlashGordonSerial, Film/ThePhantom1943, Film/TheGreenHornetSerials.
* FrenchNewWave? Anything by Creator/FrancoisTruffaut, Alain Resnais, Creator/JeanLucGodard.
* Found Footage movies? ''Film/TheBlairWitchProject''.
* Gangster movies? From the 1920s until the 1950s: anything with Creator/EdwardGRobinson, Creator/HumphreyBogart and Creator/JamesCagney. Since the 1970s ''Film/TheGodfather'' has become ''the'' gangster movie to compare all other gangster movies ever since with. ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}'' is the most recent example of a frequently referenced gangster movie.
* GermanExpressionism: ''Film/TheCabinetOfDrCaligari'', ''Film/{{Nosferatu}}, ''Film/{{M}}'' and ''Film/{{Metropolis}}''.
* {{Giallo}}? Anything by Creator/DarioArgento, Mario Bava and/or Creator/LucioFulci.
* Glamour? Usually movies from the 1920s until the 1950s, starring Creator/GretaGarbo, Creator/ClarkGable, Creator/MarleneDietrich, Creator/CaryGrant, Creator/JeanHarlow, Creator/LaurenBacall, Creator/HumphreyBogart, Creator/KatherineHepburn, Creator/BetteDavis, Creator/FredAstaire, Creator/VivienLeigh, Creator/GingerRogers, Creator/GraceKelly.
* Horror movies? ''Film/{{Dracula 1931}}'', ''Film/{{Frankenstein 1931}}'', ''Film/TheWolfMan1941'', ''Film/TheMummy1932'', ''Film/{{Psycho}}'', ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'' (far more than its sequels) ''Franchise/TheTexasChainsawMassacre'', ''Film/TheExorcist'', ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'', ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'', ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet'' are the most iconic examples. Horror pictures that use monsters (''Film/KingKong'', ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}''), real life horrors (''Film/SilenceOfTheLambs'', ''Film/{{Jaws}}''), stuff that you don't really see most of the time (''Film/TheShining'', ''Film/CatPeople'', ''Film/ParanormalActivity'') science fiction horror (''Film/{{Alien}}'') are usually not seen as the most typical examples of a ''standard'' horror movie. A fantastical creature in a Gothic setting seems to be most people's idea of horror.
** Horror movie actors? Creator/BelaLugosi, Creator/LonChaneySr, Creator/LonChaneyJr, Creator/BorisKarloff, Creator/ChristopherLee, Creator/PeterCushing.
** Horror movie directors? Film/HammerHorror and Creator/WesCraven.
* Kaiju movies? ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}''. For specialists: ''Film/{{Mothra}}, Film/{{Rodan}}'' and ''Franchise/{{Gamera}}''.
* Martial arts films will always star Creator/BruceLee or [[BruceLeeClone someone who resembles him]].
** Specific examples? ''Film/EnterTheDragon'' and ''Film/The36thChamberOfShaolin''.
* Monster movies? Film/KingKong or Franchise/{{Godzilla}} (which explains why ''Film/KingKongVsGodzilla'' is the highest-grossing film in the latter's franchise).
* Musicals? ''Film/{{Oklahoma}}'', ''Film/SinginInTheRain'', ''Film/WestSideStory'' and ''Film/TheSoundOfMusic'' are the most often cited examples. The only musical actors that apparently exist are Creator/FredAstaire, Creator/GingerRogers, Creator/GeneKelly and Creator/LizaMinnelli. Directors and choreographers are even more difficult to namedrop: Creator/BusbyBerkeley will be the sole one. For an eccentric musical: ''Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow''.
* {{Nazisploitation}}? ''Film/IlsaSheWolfOfTheSS''.
* Neo-realistic films? ''Film/BicycleThieves''.
* Pirate movies? In the old days anything with Creator/ErrolFlynn. Since the 2000s, ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''.
* Porn movies? ''Deep Throat'', ''Debbie Does Dallas'', ''Behind The Green Door''. They tend to get confused with erotic movies, though. ''The Italian Stallion'' might get mentioned because of Creator/SylvesterStallone.
** Porn actors? Linda Lovelace, John Holmes, Traci Lords, Jenna Jameson, Lolo Ferrari (if you need one with huge breasts) and Ron Jeremy. At all other times references to specific pornographic films will typically be limited to ParallelPornTitles (whether real or fictional). And, oh yeah, all porn movies referenced will be heterosexual porn.
* Propaganda films? ''Film/TriumphOfTheWill'' and ''Film/BattleshipPotemkin''.
* Puppet movies? ''Franchise/TheMuppets''. In Eastern Europe Creator/JanSvankmajer.
* Revenge movies? ''Film/DirtyHarry'', ''Film/DeathWish'', ''Film/KillBill'' are the most famous examples.
* RoadTripPlot? ''Film/BonnieAndClyde'', ''Film/{{Badlands}}'', ''Film/ThelmaAndLouise''.
* Rock 'n' Roll movies? ''Film/JailhouseRock'', ''Film/TheGirlCantHelpIt'' and ''Film/AHardDaysNight''. Throw in ''Film/{{Tommy}}'' and ''Film/PinkFloydTheWall'' too.
* Romance movies? ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'', ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'', ''Film/WestSideStory'', ''Film/LoveStory'', ''Film/PrettyWoman'', ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}''. Also note that in most of these examples the romances end tragically. In the 1930s anything directed by Creator/ErnstLubitsch. In the 1950s and 1960s anything starring Creator/DorisDay and Creator/RockHudson. In the 1990s anything starring Creator/JuliaRoberts.
* Samurai movies? Anything by Creator/AkiraKurosawa, but specifically ''Film/{{Rashomon}}'' and ''Film/TheSevenSamurai''.
* Science fiction movies?
** Fun SF? ''Film/TheDayTheEarthStoodStill1951'', ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'', ''Franchise/StarWars'', ''Franchise/StarTrek''.
** Horror SF? ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'', ''Literature/WarOfTheWorlds''
** Intellectual/thought provoking SF? ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'' is all you need.
* Screwball Comedies? Anything with Creator/KatherineHepburn and Creator/CaryGrant.
* Silent movies? Will typically be thought of as slapstick movies with Creator/CharlieChaplin and PieInTheFace gags.
* A {{slasher|Movie}} film? Anything starring [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]]. Or [[Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet Freddy Krueger]] and [[Franchise/{{Halloween}} Michael Myers]]. Except Jason will [[HockeyMaskAndChainsaw frequently]] have a [[Franchise/TheTexasChainsawMassacre chainsaw]].
* Slapstick movies? Creator/CharlieChaplin, Creator/LaurelAndHardy and Creator/TheThreeStooges. If you're a bit more specialized you'll probably reference Creator/BusterKeaton, Creator/HaroldLloyd, Creator/TheMarxBrothers and Creator/WCFields too.
* SoBadItsGood movies? Anything by Creator/EdWood, especially ''Film/Plan9FromOuterSpace''. Other campy cult movies haven't quite penetrated pop culture on the same levels, except for ''Film/ManosTheHandsOfFate'' IF people have watched the ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' episode. A more modern example is ''Film/TheRoom''.
* Spaghetti Westerns? Anything by Creator/SergioLeone [[Film/OnceUponATimeInAmerica except his last film.]].
* Spectacle films? Creator/CecilBDeMille (for the first half of the 20th century), Creator/StevenSpielberg, Creator/GeorgeLucas, Creator/JamesCameron and Creator/MichaelBay (more modern variants).
* Spy movies? ''Franchise/JamesBond''.
* {{Swashbuckler}} films? Anything starring Creator/DouglasFairbanks or Creator/ErrolFlynn.
* StonerFlick? Pick any Creator/CheechAndChong movie.
* SwordAndSandal? ''Film/BenHur1959'', ''Film/{{Spartacus}}'' and ''Film/{{Cleopatra}}''.
* Teen movies/ ComingOfAge films? ''Film/TheWildOne'', ''Film/RebelWithoutACause''. They mostly seem associated with TheFifties, nevertheless. Examples from the 1980s are works by Creator/JohnHughes. There aren't any real stars too, because they quickly outgrow the genre that launches their career. The only exception would be Creator/JamesDean, who was killed by a car accident very quickly.
* Thrillers? Anything by Creator/AlfredHitchcock.
* TorturePorn? ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'', ''Film/{{Hostel}}''.
* War movies? Typically only set during the American Civil War and UsefulNotes/WorldWarII for some tales of glory and heroism. If set during UsefulNotes/WorldWarI and/or the Vietnam War it will usually be more WarIsHell.
** Typical examples of war movies: ''Film/TheLongestDay'', ''Film/InWhichWeServe'', ''Film/TheBridgeOverTheRiverKwai'', ''Film/{{Patton}}'', ''Film/ApocalypseNow'', ''Film/{{Platoon}}'' and ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan''.
* [[TheWestern Westerns]]? ''Film/TheGreatTrainRobbery'', ''Film/{{Stagecoach}}'', ''Film/{{Shane}}'', ''Film/TheSearchers'', ''Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly'', ''Film/OnceUponATimeInTheWest'' and ''Film/{{Unforgiven}}'' are the most frequent cited examples. Western film directors are only Creator/JohnFord and Creator/SergioLeone. Western actors are typically Creator/JohnWayne, Creator/RoyRogers, Creator/LeeVanCleef and Creator/ClintEastwood. You're bound to hear some EnnioMorriconePastiche music in parodies.
* Zombie movies? ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'', ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'' to name the most iconic ones.
[[AC:Actors]]
* Whenever an actor is referenced they will always be the A-list stars from Hollywood.
* Creator/AbbottAndCostello: They are mostly remembered for their ''Who's On First?'' sketch. Modern audiences may be surprised to learn that they also appeared in a lot of movies.
* Creator/WoodyAllen: Nervous, talks about life, death, psychiatry, women, sex. Point of reference is ''Film/AnnieHall'' and ''Film/{{Manhattan}}''.
* Creator/JulieAndrews: Point of reference ''Film/MaryPoppins'' and ''Film/TheSoundOfMusic''. Will be squeakingly clean and talk and sing in TheQueensLatin.
* Creator/FredAstaire and Creator/GingerRogers: All they did in their movies was tap dance with each other in a large white ball room.
* Creator/LaurenBacall: Point of reference is ''Film/TheBigSleep'' and/or ''Film/KeyLargo''. Has a SmokingIsGlamorous scene.
* Creator/JosephineBaker: Dances around in the nude, wearing a banana skirt.
* Creator/BrigitteBardot: Only movie referenced is ''Film/AndGodCreatedWoman''. Pouts her lips.
* Creator/HumphreyBogart: Will be smoking, wearing a hat and rain coat and usually dialogue from ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'' is referenced.
* Creator/MarlonBrando. Only points of reference are ''Film/TheWildOne'', ''Film/OnTheWaterfront'', ''Film/AStreetCarNamedDesire'', ''Film/TheGodfather'' and ''Film/ApocalypseNow''. Will mumble his dialogue and be shown as enormously obese, even though his body weight only got worse after ''Film/TheGodfather''. Usually goes on how he could have been a contender or making offers nobody can refuse.
* Creator/CharlesBronson: Only appeared in vigilante movies like ''Film/DeathWish''.
* Creator/NicolasCage: Has at least one scene in which he is ChewingTheScenery, shouting lines and eye bulging.
* Creator/JimCarrey: It's rather sad that he is still most associated with making silly faces and the three films from the beginning of his career: ''Film/TheMask'', ''Film/AceVentura'' and ''Film/DumbAndDumber'', despite having tried to act in more serious films ever since.
* Creator/CharlieChaplin: Will always be in the Tramp costume. Will be seen twirling his cane, walking into the sunset, EatingShoes and running and falling. Only films he made are apparently ''[[Film/TheKid1921 The Kid]]'', ''Film/TheGoldRush'', ''Film/CityLights'', ''Film/ModernTimes'' and ''Film/TheGreatDictator''.
* Creator/SeanConnery: To older people and Bond fans he is basically remembered as Franchise/JamesBond. In references his Scottish accent will be his only unique characteristic.
* Creator/PeterCushing: Will be portrayed as Van Helsing and/or Sherlock Holmes.
* Creator/RobertDeNiro: Is always shown as Travis Bickle in ''Film/TaxiDriver'', Jake La Motta in ''Film/RagingBull'', or a gangster.
* Creator/JohnnyDepp: Appears in a Creator/TimBurton movie, period. Only other point of reference is Jack Sparrow in ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''. Will typically have scenes in which he is acting weird and cute at the same time.
* Creator/MarleneDietrich: ''Film/TheBlueAngel'' is the only point of reference. Will smoke, wear a high hat and have some bisexual tension with other women.
* Creator/WaltDisney: WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse, WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck and/or WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs are the only point of reference.
* Creator/KirkDouglas: Only point of reference is ''Film/{{Spartacus}}''.
* Creator/MichaelDouglas: ''Film/WallStreet'', ''Film/FatalAttraction'' and ''Film/BasicInstinct''.
* Creator/ClintEastwood: Only points of reference are cowboy movies and ''Film/DirtyHarry''. Will squint his eyes, show a PhallicWeapon and say a BadassBoast, always with a famous line that shows he is pretty pissed off.
* Creator/DouglasFairbanksSr: Apparently only appeared in swashbuckler films.
* Creator/WCFields: Appears in high hat, bulbous nose and has a lot of jokes about alcoholism.
* Creator/ErrolFlynn: Appears in swashbuckler films. (His son was a Vietnam War photographer, but who ever knew that?)
* Creator/ClarkGable: Only point of reference is ''Film/GoneWithTheWind''.
* Creator/GretaGarbo: Won't smile, but will say that she wants to be ''alone'', always in a heavy Swedish accent.
* Creator/TomHanks: ''Film/ForrestGump'', ''Film/{{Philadelphia}}'', ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'', that's about it. People will probably be amazed if you tell them that he actually started out playing in goofy comedies.
* Creator/AudreyHepburn: Point of reference ''Film/BreakfastAtTiffanys'' and ''Film/RomanHoliday''.
* Creator/DustinHoffman: Despite a long career he is still associated with just three roles: ''Film/TheGraduate'', ''Film/MidnightCowboy'' and ''Film/RainMan''.
* Creator/BobHope: Appeared in ''Road To...'' movies, told jokes with a golf club in his hand and played in front of military troops.
* Creator/SamuelLJackson: Point of reference, ''Film/PulpFiction''. Will shout some BadassBoast line and have a ScaryBlackMan stare, while pointing a gun at somebody.
* Creator/JerryLewis. Will act goofy in glasses and buck tooth, shout ''Nice lady!'' in an equally silly voice. References will be made to the fact that he is revered in France. Only film remembered is ''Film/TheNuttyProfessor''.
* Creator/BusterKeaton: Pokerfaced at all times. If one film is referenced it will be the shot of the building falling down upon him in ''Film/SteamboatBillJr''.
* Creator/LaurelAndHardy: Hardy will fall, bump his head, get something on his head, while Laurel looks and watches bewildered, scratching his hair. Expect one scene where Laurel pokes Hardy in the eye and Hardy looking straight in the camera with an exasperated look. Their most famous films are ''Film/TheMusicBox'', ''Film/WayOutWest'' and ''Film/SonsOfTheDesert''.
* Creator/BruceLee: Either in a yellow jump suit or bare chested. Will make FunnyBruceLeeNoises and amazing quick kicks.
* Creator/ChristopherLee: Will be portrayed as Dracula.
* Creator/PeterLorre: Point of reference is ''Film/{{M}}'' and ''Film/TheMalteseFalcon'', will typically be nervous and squeaky voiced, though more in the style of Creator/MelBlanc's parodies.
* Creator/HaroldLloyd: Nowadays he is mostly remembered for one image from one film he made: ''Film/SafetyLast'', in which he is hanging on to a large clock on top of a skyscraper.
* Creator/BelaLugosi: Will be portrayed as Dracula, even though he only played the part twice.
* Creator/TheMarxBrothers: Groucho will wisecrack and insult Margaret Dumont, Chico plays piano and Harpo plays harp, after that chases women with a cow horn and all of them evoke complete mayhem. Also note that Zeppo is often forgotten or ommitted.
* Creator/MalcolmMcDowell: ''Film/AClockworkOrange'' is the only point of reference. Everything he did before or after is less well known.
* Creator/MarilynMonroe: Will be reduced to ''Film/SomeLikeItHot'' and ''Film/TheSevenYearItch'', in which she does the MarilynManeuver.
* Creator/MontyPython: Whenever the name of this comedy group is dropped people will instantly begin quoting scenes from ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'', as if this is the only (good) thing the group ever did. Often you'll encounter so-called ''fans'' of Monty Python who actually just mean they like ''Holy Grail'' and are even totally unaware that the group also made other films and even had a TV series. Some of them even think Monty Python was a person! Usually Creator/JohnCleese is the only foremost member everybody can name, except when you're a Python fan, of course.
* Creator/LaurenceOlivier: Will be seen in a Shakespearean role.
* Creator/JuliaRoberts: Stars in romantic movies or movies with weddings or both of these. Point of reference will likely be ''Film/PrettyWoman''.
* Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger: Shows off his muscles, blasts people down with his guns and talks in an awful Austrian accent. Point of reference is ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'' or maybe ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian1982''.
* Creator/PeterSellers: Despite his versatile career to most people he is just Inspector Clouseau in ''Franchise/ThePinkPanther''.
* Creator/SylvesterStallone: Only points of reference are ''Franchise/{{Rocky}}'', ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'' and quotes that sound brainlessly monosyllabic.
* Creator/SharonStone: Known for one scene in ''Film/BasicInstinct'' that is actually more the result of people's overactive imagination.
* Creator/TheThreeStooges: Will poke each other in the eye, hit each other on the head and the following lines should be mentioned: "Soitenly", "I was a victim of soicumstance", "Wiseguy, huh?", "Woob Woob Woob", "Yuk Yuk Yuk".
* Creator/ElizabethTaylor: Only point of reference is ''Film/{{Cleopatra}}'' and ''Film/WhosAfraidOfVirginiaWoolf''. References may be made to her weddings.
* Creator/ShirleyTemple: Always referenced as a little girl below the age of 10. Will be singing ''The Good Ship Lollipop''.
* Creator/JohnTravolta: Point of reference is ''Film/SaturdayNightFever'', ''Film/{{Grease}}'', or ''Film/PulpFiction''. Will talk in a ''awww jeesh...'' accent and have a dance scene.
* Creator/RudolphValentino: Only point of reference is ''Film/TheSheik''. Abducts women and takes them to his tent.
* Creator/JohnWayne: Either a cowboy or a military sergeant. Will talk in slurry brawl and walk in his characteristically slouchy way. Likely to call everyone "[[Film/TheManWhoShotLibertyValance pilgrim]]" or possibly say "[[Film/TheSearchers That'll be the day]]."
* Creator/JohnnyWeissmuller: Franchise/{{Tarzan}}, including the iconic yell.
* Creator/MaeWest: Will say DoubleEntendre one-liners and utter the phrase ''come up to see me one time'' at least once.
* Creator/RobinWilliams: Will talk with lips between his teeth. Has either MotorMouth improvisations or a heartwarming speech about being accepted.
[[AC:Film Directors]]
* Famous film directors?
** From before the 1940s Creator/DWGriffith or Creator/CecilBDeMille.
** In the 1940s-1970s Creator/AlfredHitchcock.
** From the 1970s onward Creator/StevenSpielberg and Creator/MartinScorsese.
** Since the 1990s Creator/QuentinTarantino.
* An example of a famous film director whose career has been in the dumps ever since he started? Creator/OrsonWelles had that fame for his entire career.
* Black film directors? Creator/SpikeLee.
* Asian film directors? Creator/AngLee, Creator/ZhangYimou, Creator/AkiraKurosawa.
* For examples by country, see below.
* Creator/WoodyAllen: Makes intellectual romantic comedies set in New York City, with himself in the starring role and references to Creator/IngmarBergman. When people refer to his films it's usually ''Film/AnnieHall'' and/or ''Film/{{Manhattan}}''.
* Creator/RalphBakshi: Made cartoons for adults full of gratuitous sex and drug use. Point of reference is still only ''WesternAnimation/FritzTheCat''
* Creator/MichaelBay: Makes only special effects blockbusters. Point of reference is ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'': a franchise everybody hates, yet all go and watch every time a new installment is made, just to bitch about it on Internet forums afterwards.
* Creator/IngmarBergman: Black-and-white, difficult, boring, subtitled. Only point of reference, especially in spoofs, are ''Film/TheSeventhSeal'' and ''Film/{{Persona}}''. Sometimes ''Film/CriesAndWhispers'' too.
* Creator/BusbyBerkeley: Made films that apparently only consist of long shots of groups of dancers performing a BusbyBerkeleyNumber only.
* Creator/MelBrooks: ''Film/TheProducers'', ''Film/BlazingSaddles'', ''Film/YoungFrankenstein'' and ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}''. Will typically be remembered for being full of bad taste comedy, farts, tits and very Jewish oriented jokes.
* Creator/LuisBunuel: ''Film/UnChienAndalou'' and only the eye splicing scene.
* Creator/FrankCapra: Made only happy feel good movies about ordinary people overcoming their troubles. Typical points of reference are ''Film/MrSmithGoesToWashington'', ''Film/MrDeedsGoesToTown'' and ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife''.
* Creator/FrancisFordCoppola: All he ever did in popular culture is direct ''Film/TheGodfather'' trilogy (or duology) and ''Film/ApocalypseNow''.
* Creator/DavidCronenberg: Makes bizarre horror movies about icky things.
* Creator/JoeDante: Still only namedropped for ''Film/{{Gremlins}}''.
* Creator/SergeiEisenstein: Synoymous with ''Film/BattleshipPotemkin''.
* Creator/FedericoFellini: ''Film/LaDolceVita'' for the general public, ''Film/EightAndAHalf'' for film critics. Associated with GrotesqueGallery and EarWorm music.
* Creator/JohnFord: Only made westerns. If you have to reference one it will be ''Film/TheSearchers''. If ''Film/HowGreenWasMyValley'' is mentioned it's only to talk about the ''Film/CitizenKane'' Oscar snub.
* Creator/JeanLucGodard: Directed ''Film/{{Breathless}}'' and ''Film/BandeAPart'', that's it.
* Creator/DWGriffith: Only known nowadays for ''Film/{{The Birth of a Nation|1915}}'' and ''Film/{{Intolerance}}'', though the first one is the most famous for all of the controversy surrounding it.
* Creator/WernerHerzog: Made only movies with Creator/KlausKinski acting weird.
* Creator/AlfredHitchcock: Made only suspense thrillers and the only ones who are always referenced and parodied are ''Film/RearWindow'', ''Film/NorthByNorthwest'', ''Film/{{Psycho}}'' and ''Film/TheBirds''.
* Creator/JohnHughes: Best known for his teenage coming of age movies, with ''Film/TheBreakfastClub'' and ''Film/FerrisBuellersDayOff'' as the most common points of reference.
* Creator/PeterJackson: Only directs Creator/JRRTolkien movies.
* Creator/StanleyKubrick: Reduced to ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', ''Film/AClockworkOrange'' and ''Film/TheShining''. Most self declared Kubrick fans nowadays only refer to these movies, not the less sensational films he made.
* Creator/AkiraKurosawa: ''Film/{{Rashomon}}'' and ''Film/TheSevenSamurai''.
* Creator/FritzLang: Directed ''Film/{{M}}'' and ''Film/{{Metropolis}}'', nothing else.
* Creator/SpikeLee: Directs ''angry black man'' movies. Point of reference is always reduced to ''Film/DoTheRightThing''.
* Creator/SergioLeone: Only directed spaghetti westerns in the popular consciousness.
* Creator/GeorgeLucas: All he ever did was make ''Film/StarWars'' and while fans adore the franchise in almost religious fashion he is nowadays hated for singlehandedly destroying everything what was great about it in the first place.
* Creator/DavidLynch: Makes weird movies for intellectuals. Point of reference is usually ''Film/BlueVelvet'', ''Series/TwinPeaks'' and/or ''Film/MulhollandDrive''.
* Creator/GeorgesMelies: ''Film/ATripToTheMoon'', which has a scene where the rocket hits the moon's eye.
* Creator/MichaelMoore: Makes sensational left-wing documentaries that criticize everything right-wing people like, which explains why he is a polarizing figure. The only points of reference are ''Film/BowlingForColumbine'' and ''Film/FahrenheitNineEleven''. Typically most people who criticize Moore have only seen one or none of his movies and base their ''satire'' or criticism more on the fact that he is obese than anything else.
* Creator/PierPaoloPasolini: Despite a versatile career with many great and thought provoking movies most people now him solely for ''Film/SaloOrThe120DaysOfSodom'' and even in that case more for the controversy around it.
* Creator/MartinScorsese: Has made movies in many genres, but is most associated with gangster movies. Whenever Scorsese is referenced it will ''Film/TaxiDriver'', ''Film/RagingBull'' and ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}''.
* Creator/StevenSpielberg: ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'' and ''Film/JurassicPark''. ''Film/SchindlersList'' if you want to refer to a serious more adult movie.
* Creator/OliverStone: Makes left-wing conspiracy theory heavy movies about the Sixties and Seventies or that criticize the American government, capitalism and/or the army.
* Creator/QuentinTarantino: Still mostly associated with ''Film/PulpFiction'' and blood splattering violence, even though this aspect only takes up a small part of his movies and usually happens off screen and/or in a comic book fashion hard to take seriously.
* Creator/PaulVerhoeven: Typically people refer more to his Hollywood movies than the ones made in the Netherlands. Most refer to him as someone who just makes action packed violent movies and/or saucy erotic films, typically not looking much deeper into it.
* Creator/LarsVonTrier: Makes depressing ItsNotPornItsArt movies, or is it the other way around?
* Creator/OrsonWelles: ''Film/CitizenKane'' seems to be the only film he ever made in popular culture. All other references are about his voice and/or his weight. Or the fact that he made some TV commercials later in life.
[[AC:By country]]
* Usually the movies where the country itself is very visible in the background.
* American movies? Before the 1970s all American movies seemed to be either {{Glamour}} or {{Western}}. After that date they have become synonymous with big spectacle blockbuster movies with a lot of gratuitous bullet rains, explosions and badass lines.
* Austrian movies? We only know two Austrian actors: Creator/JohnnyWeissmuller and Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger. Creator/ChristophWaltz also comes to mind.
* AustralianMovies? ''Film/PicnicAtHangingRock'', ''Film/MadMax'', ''Film/CrocodileDundee'',''Film/TheAdventuresOfPriscillaQueenOfTheDesert''
** All Australian films are {{Ozploitation}}.
** Australian Actors? Creator/HughJackman, Creator/CateBlanchett, Creator/HeathLedger, Creator/NicoleKidman, and [[Creator/ChrisHemsworth Chris]] and Creator/LiamHemsworth.
* BelgianFilms? All Belgian movies are set on a farm. The most famous Belgian movie, however, isn't: ''Film/ManBitesDog''.
** Belgian directors? The Brothers Dardenne.
** Belgian actors? Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme (Creator/AudreyHepburn was ''born'' there but isn't Belgian).
* BritishFilms? Anything starring Franchise/JamesBond, Film/HammerHorror, Film/CarryOn, Franchise/HarryPotter, Ealing Comedies, Creator/MontyPython, and/or Literature/SherlockHolmes. The rest is either a historical costume movie set in a manor or a socially conscious piece about a working class neighbourhood struggling in [[UsefulNotes/MargaretThatcher Thatcherite]] Britain. Many are not aware that a number of popular American films were actually shot in Britain: ''Franchise/StarWars'' and ''Film/{{Batman}}'', to give just two examples.
** British film actors? Creator/CharlieChaplin[[note]] often mistaken for an American, since he hardly ever spoke in his films and nearly 80 percent of his show-business career was spent in the United States [[/note]], Creator/AlecGuinness, Creator/JohnGielgud, Creator/LaurenceOlivier, Creator/MichaelCaine, Creator/RichardBurton (who was Welsh), Creator/HughGrant, Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/EwanMcGregor (who is Scottish), Creator/JohnCleese, Creator/AnthonyHopkins, Creator/PeterOToole, Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter. Those who have seen ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap'' often [[FakeBrit mistakenly believe]] that Michael [=McKean=], Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer are British. You might not know Cary Elwes is British if you seen [[FakeAmerican only]] ''Film/HotShots'' or ''Film/LiarLiar'' - not ''Film/ThePrincessBride'' or Film/''Film/RobinHoodMenInTights''.
** British film directors? Creator/DavidLean, Creator/RichardAttenborough, Creator/MichaelPowell and Emeric Pressburger, Creator/JamesIvory, Creator/MikeLeigh.
* ChineseFilms? Martial arts films and/or Wuxia films set in ImperialChina.
** Chinese directors? Creator/AngLee, Creator/ZhangYimou.
** Chinese actors? Creator/JetLi, Creator/MingNaWen, or anyone listed in the Hong Kong section below.
* Danish films? All UsefulNotes/{{Dogme 95}} movies. Directed by Creator/LarsVonTrier.
** Danish actors? [[Creator/LarsMikkelsen Lars]] and Creator/MadsMikkelsen, Creator/BrigitteNielsen, Creator/ViggoMortensen, and Creator/NikolajCosterWaldau.
* DutchFilms? All films with gratuitous nudity and lewd acts.
** Dutch actors? Sylvia Kristel, Creator/FamkeJanssen. Creator/RutgerHauer. Creator/JeroenKrabbe, and Creator/CariceVanHouten.
** Dutch film directors? Creator/PaulVerhoeven.
* FrenchFilms? All LeFilmArtistique and/or FrenchNewWave
** French actors? Creator/MauriceChevalier, Creator/GerardDepardieu, Creator/JeanReno, Creator/CatherineDeneuve, Creator/BrigitteBardot, Creator/JacquesTati, Creator/JeanGabin, Creator/JeanPaulBelmodo, Creator/AlainDelon, Creator/LouisDeFunes, and Creator/{{Fernandel}}. Modern day French actors include Creator/AudreyTautou, Creator/VincentCassel, Creator/JeanReno, and Creator/MarionCotillard (Creator/MelanieLaurent ''might'' get a mention if only as a poor woman's Cotillard).
** French film directors? Creator/FrancoisTruffaut, Creator/JeanRenoir, Alain Resnais, Creator/JeanLucGodard, Creator/LouisMalle, Creator/JacquesTati, Creator/LucBesson.
* GermanFilms? GermanExpressionism or arthouse. The most famous German films worldwide are ''Film/TheBlueAngel'', ''Film/DasBoot'', ''Film/RunLolaRun'' and ''Film/{{Downfall}}'' (and that is only for the WebVideo/HitlerRants meme).
** German film actors? Creator/MarleneDietrich and Creator/KlausKinski. Older film fans may remember Creator/EmilJannings. Creator/DianeKruger and Creator/MichaelFassbender are modern-day representatives of the nation (and Creator/ChristophWaltz is just as likely to be associated with Germany as with Austria). Within German borders, the definitive modern-day German actor is Creator/TilSchweiger.
** German film directors? Creator/FritzLang, Creator/JosefVonSternberg, Creator/FriedrichWilhelmMurnau, Creator/WernerHerzog, Creator/WolfgangPetersen.
* Greek movies? ''Film/ZorbaTheGreek'' and ''Film/{{Z}}''.
** Greek directors? Creator/EliaKazan.
** Greek actors? Nia Vardalos, with John Aniston only known as [[Creator/JenniferAniston Jennifer]]'s dad.
* HongKongFilms? Anything starring Creator/BruceLee, Creator/JackieChan, Creator/SonnyChiba, or Creator/ChowYunFat, and ''maybe'' Creator/StephenChow or Creator/DonnieYen. Director is likely going to be Creator/JohnWoo.
* Indian movies? BollywoodMovies. Period. If you have to namedrop one example: ''Film/{{Sholay}}''. If you need a non-Bollywood example: ''Film/PatherPanchali'', ''Film/SlumdogMillionaire'', or ''Film/LifeOfPi''.
** Indian actors? Creator/RajKapoor, Creator/AmitabhBachcan, Creator/SalmanKhan, or Creator/IrrfanKhan. Dalip Singh Rana has showed up in some pretty big American movies, but of course he's better known as Wrestling/TheGreatKhali.
** Indian film directors? Creator/SatiyajitRay.
* Irish actors? Creator/LiamNeeson. ''Maybe'' you'll get Creator/ColinFarrell and Creator/PierceBrosnan.
* ItalianFilms? Either neo-realistic, SpaghettiWestern or {{Giallo}}.
** Italian directors? Creator/MichelangeloAntonioni, Creator/SergioLeone, Creator/FedericoFellini, Creator/RobertoRossellini, Creator/PierPaoloPasolini, Creator/VittorioDeSica.
** Italian actors? Creator/SophiaLoren, Creator/MarcelloMastroianni, Creator/RobertoBenigni, Terence Hill, or Isabella Rossellini.
* Jamaican movies? ''Film/TheHarderTheyCome''.
* Japanese movies? Samurai films, {{Anime}}, {{Kaiju}} and since the 1980s Japanese horror and science fiction have also gained notoriety.
** Creator/Japanese actors? Creator/ToshiroMifune, Creator/SonnyChiba, or more recently Creator/KenWatanabe.
** Japanese animators? Creator/OsamuTezuka and Creator/HayaoMiyazaki.
** Japanese film directors? Creator/AkiraKurosawa.
* Mexican movies? All films starring ProfessionalWrestling/ElSanto. More recently, ''Film/PansLabyrinth''
** Film directors? Creator/RobertRodriguez ,Creator/GuillermoDelToro, Creator/AlfonsoCuaron, and Creator/AlejandroGonzalezInarritu.
** Actors? Creator/SalmaHayek and Ricardo Montalban.
* New Zealand actors? Creator/RussellCrowe. Directors? Creator/PeterJackson.
* Russian movies? All propaganda pieces, directed by Creator/SergeiEisenstein.
* Polish films?
** Polish directors? Creator/RomanPolanski, Creator/AgnieszkaHolland, Creator/AndrzejWajda, and Creator/KrzysztofKieslowski.
* Puerto Rican actors? Creator/BenicioDelToro and Creator/RitaMoreno.
* Scottish actors? Creator/SeanConnery. For modern day examples, we have Creator/EwanMcGregor, Creator/JamesMcAvoy, and Creator/GerardButler.
* SerbianFilms? ''Film/ASerbianFilm'', unfortunately.
** Serbian film directors? Creator/EmirKusturica.
* South African actors? Creator/CharlizeTheron.
* Spanish films?
** Spanish film actors? Creator/PenelopeCruz, Creator/JavierBardem and Creator/AntonioBanderas
** Spanish film directors? Creator/PedroAlmodovar, Creator/LuisBunuel.
** In Spain itself, it is common to say (especially among the right-wing) that Spanish films are all about "whores, fags and the [[SpanishCivilWar Civil War]]". The first two are an unsubtle jab at Almodóvar.
* Swedish films? Anything by Creator/IngmarBergman.
** Swedish actors? Creator/GretaGarbo, Creator/IngridBergman, Creator/MaxVonSydow, Creator/DolphLundgren, Creator/PeterStormare, Creator/NoomiRapace, and [[Creator/StellanSkarsgard Stellan]] and Creator/AlexanderSkarsgard.
* Ukranian actors? Creator/MilaKunis, Creator/MillaJovovich, and Creator/OlgaKurylenko
* Vietnamese films? ''Three Seasons'', and only because Creator/HarveyKeitel is in it.
[[AC:Targets for Parody or Reference]]
* If you are going to reference or parody a movie, make sure it is one of these choices: ''Film/KingKong'', ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'', ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'', ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', ''Film/{{Psycho}}'', ''Film/JamesBond'', ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', ''Film/TheSeventhSeal'', ''Franchise/StarWars'', ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', ''Film/TheShining'', ''Franchise/IndianaJones'', ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'', ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'', ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}'', ''Franchise/JurassicPark,'' ''Film/PulpFiction'', ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}'', ''Film/TheMatrix'', ''Film/HarryPotter'', and ''Film/TheDarkKnight''.
* 95% of Film/JamesBond parodies are a parody of the Creator/SeanConnery era films. The remaining 5%, at least nowadays, are the Bonds of the nineties and two-thousands; Creator/PierceBrosnan or Creator/DanielCraig. Roger Moore, George Lazenby, and Timothy Dalton? Who are they? (If you grew up at any time between 1975 and 1995, feel free to mentally delete Roger Moore from the above list. He was undoubtedly the most successful James Bond of the late Cold War years.) The one-film Lazenby is ALWAYS mentioned whenever someone wants to sound extremely knowledgeable about the Bond Franchise.
* Does a movie feature misfits in grotesque makeup interacting in an AnachronismStew setting? Creator/TimBurton must have done it.
* All teen comedies were by Creator/JohnHughes. (Amy Heckerling might get a mention if the reference is a little more "indie.") Plus, you would have a hard time finding a casual Creator/JohnHughes fan who could remember any members of his repertory of teen actors other than Creator/MollyRingwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy, Creator/EmilioEstevez, Creator/JuddNelson, Jon Cryer, or Andrew [=McCarthy=], even though there were many, many more. (And no, knowing the name of a character, such as "Long Duk Dong," doesn't count; the person has to know the name of the actor.) And that doesn't even include young actors who became famous ''outside'' of Hughes's works, and are associated with him only due to RetroactiveRecognition (Creator/RobertDowneyJr, for example). Lampshaded by the 1997 book ''Pretty in Pink'' (about 1980s teen movies), which ended with an appendix listing many of the unsung Brat Packers that was wittily titled [[Film/TheBreakfastClub "Don't You Forget About Me."]]
!!Notable exceptions of this trope from films and this trope PlayedWith in film:
* Creator/QuentinTarantino's movies are full of {{shout out}}s and {{homage shot}}s to movies most people do not even know exist, such as ''Goke, Body Snatcher From Hell'', where he got the idea for the red background during the flight scene in ''Film/KillBill Vol. 1''.
* The indie film ''Film/LittleMissSunshine'' features a Proust scholar as a main character. He talks about Proust during an important character moment.
* Creator/CharlieKaufman likes to include high-brow literary references in his films. In ''Film/BeingJohnMalkovich'', Creator/JohnCusack performs a puppet adaptation of Alexander Pope's ''Eloisa to Abelard''. Pope's story also provided the title and theme for ''Film/EternalSunshineOfTheSpotlessMind''.
* Parodied in the 1965 film version of ''The Loved One'', in which Dennis Barlow romances Aimee Thanatogenous by quoting classic poetry to her and claiming it to be his own work.
* In ''Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper'', Animal is described as being upset that he missed the Rembrandt exhibit at the National Gallery. Animal corrects him: "''Renoir! Renoir!''"
* A rare humorous moment in ''Film/{{Se7en}}'', when Creator/BradPitt's character has never heard of the Creator/MarquisDeSade, and mispronounces his name "Shah-day", like the Nigerian singer Music/{{Sade}}.
* {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in ''Film/{{Dogma}}'' with an appearance by the Metatron, the angel who speaks for God to humans who would be destroyed by the power of God's voice. The heroine attempts to make up for not knowing who he is by mentioning the Ten Plagues, to which the Metatron remarks "You people! If it's not in [[Film/TheTenCommandments a Charlton Heston movie]], it's not worth knowing, is it?"
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* Pirate movies? In the old days anything with Creator/ErrolFlynn. Since the 2000s ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''.
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* Pirate movies? In the old days anything with Creator/ErrolFlynn. Since the 2000s ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''.2000s, ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''.
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* Creator/JohnnyDepp: Appears in a Creator/TimBurton movie, period. Only other point of reference is Jack Sparrow in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''. Will typically have scenes in which he is acting weird and cute at the same time.
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* Creator/JohnnyDepp: Appears in a Creator/TimBurton movie, period. Only other point of reference is Jack Sparrow in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''.''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''. Will typically have scenes in which he is acting weird and cute at the same time.
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* Creator/DWGriffith: Only known nowadays for ''Film/TheBirthOfANation'' and ''Film/{{Intolerance}}'', though the first one is the most famous for all of the controversy surrounding it.
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* Creator/DWGriffith: Only known nowadays for ''Film/TheBirthOfANation'' ''Film/{{The Birth of a Nation|1915}}'' and ''Film/{{Intolerance}}'', though the first one is the most famous for all of the controversy surrounding it.
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* {{Anime}}? Anything by Creator/HayaoMiyazaki, usually ''Anime/SpiritedAway'', and ''Anime/{{Akira}}''.
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* {{Anime}}? Anything by Creator/HayaoMiyazaki, usually ''Anime/SpiritedAway'', and ''Anime/{{Akira}}''.''Manga/{{Akira}}''.
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* SwordAndSandal? ''Film/BenHur'', ''Film/{{Spartacus}}'' and ''Film/{{Cleopatra}}''.
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* SwordAndSandal? ''Film/BenHur'', ''Film/BenHur1959'', ''Film/{{Spartacus}}'' and ''Film/{{Cleopatra}}''.
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** The 1960s? Creator/PeterSellers as Inspector Clouseau in the Franchise/PinkPanther movies.
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** The 1960s? Creator/PeterSellers as Inspector Clouseau in the Franchise/PinkPanther ''Franchise/ThePinkPanther'' movies.
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** British film actors? Creator/CharlieChaplin[[note]] often mistaken for an American, since he hardly ever spoke in his films and nearly 80 percent of his show-business career was spent in the United States [[/note]], Creator/AlecGuinness, Creator/JohnGielgud, Creator/LaurenceOlivier, Creator/MichaelCaine, Creator/RichardBurton (who was Welsh), Creator/HughGrant, Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/EwanMcGregor (who is Scottish), Creator/JohnCleese, Creator/AnthonyHopkins, Creator/PeterOToole, Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter. Those who have seen ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap'' often [[FakeBrit mistakenly believe]] that Michael [=McKean=], Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer are British. You might not know Cary Elwes is British if you seen [[FakeAmerican only]] Film/''HotShots'' or Film/''LiarLiar'' - not Film/''ThePrincessBride'' or Film/''RobinHoodMenInTights''.
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** British film actors? Creator/CharlieChaplin[[note]] often mistaken for an American, since he hardly ever spoke in his films and nearly 80 percent of his show-business career was spent in the United States [[/note]], Creator/AlecGuinness, Creator/JohnGielgud, Creator/LaurenceOlivier, Creator/MichaelCaine, Creator/RichardBurton (who was Welsh), Creator/HughGrant, Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/EwanMcGregor (who is Scottish), Creator/JohnCleese, Creator/AnthonyHopkins, Creator/PeterOToole, Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter. Those who have seen ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap'' often [[FakeBrit mistakenly believe]] that Michael [=McKean=], Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer are British. You might not know Cary Elwes is British if you seen [[FakeAmerican only]] Film/''HotShots'' ''Film/HotShots'' or Film/''LiarLiar'' ''Film/LiarLiar'' - not Film/''ThePrincessBride'' ''Film/ThePrincessBride'' or Film/''RobinHoodMenInTights''.Film/''Film/RobinHoodMenInTights''.
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* Creator/ErrolFlynn: Appears in swashbuckler films.
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* Creator/ErrolFlynn: Appears in swashbuckler films. (His son was a Vietnam War photographer, but who ever knew that?)
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** Indian actors? Creator/RajKapoor, Creator/AmitabhBachcan, Creator/SalmanKhan, or Creator/IrrfanKhan.
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** Indian actors? Creator/RajKapoor, Creator/AmitabhBachcan, Creator/SalmanKhan, or Creator/IrrfanKhan. Dalip Singh Rana has showed up in some pretty big American movies, but of course he's better known as Wrestling/TheGreatKhali.
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* Vietnamese films? ''Three Seasons'', and only because Creator/HarveyKeitel is in it.
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** British film actors? Creator/CharlieChaplin, Creator/AlecGuinness, Creator/JohnGielgud, Creator/LaurenceOlivier, Creator/MichaelCaine, Creator/RichardBurton (who was Welsh), Creator/HughGrant, Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/EwanMcGregor (who is Scottish), Creator/JohnCleese, Creator/AnthonyHopkins, Creator/PeterOToole, Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter.
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** British film actors? Creator/CharlieChaplin, Creator/CharlieChaplin[[note]] often mistaken for an American, since he hardly ever spoke in his films and nearly 80 percent of his show-business career was spent in the United States [[/note]], Creator/AlecGuinness, Creator/JohnGielgud, Creator/LaurenceOlivier, Creator/MichaelCaine, Creator/RichardBurton (who was Welsh), Creator/HughGrant, Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/EwanMcGregor (who is Scottish), Creator/JohnCleese, Creator/AnthonyHopkins, Creator/PeterOToole, Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter. Those who have seen ''Film/ThisIsSpinalTap'' often [[FakeBrit mistakenly believe]] that Michael [=McKean=], Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer are British. You might not know Cary Elwes is British if you seen [[FakeAmerican only]] Film/''HotShots'' or Film/''LiarLiar'' - not Film/''ThePrincessBride'' or Film/''RobinHoodMenInTights''.
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* BritishFilms? Anything starring Franchise/JamesBond, Film/HammerHorror, Film/CarryOn, Franchise/HarryPotter, Ealing Comedies, Creator/MontyPython, and/or Literature/SherlockHolmes. The rest is either a historical costume movie set in a manor or a socially conscious piece about a working class neighbourhood struggling in [[UsefulNotes/MargaretThatcher Thatcherite]] Britain.
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* BritishFilms? Anything starring Franchise/JamesBond, Film/HammerHorror, Film/CarryOn, Franchise/HarryPotter, Ealing Comedies, Creator/MontyPython, and/or Literature/SherlockHolmes. The rest is either a historical costume movie set in a manor or a socially conscious piece about a working class neighbourhood struggling in [[UsefulNotes/MargaretThatcher Thatcherite]] Britain. Many are not aware that a number of popular American films were actually shot in Britain: ''Franchise/StarWars'' and ''Film/{{Batman}}'', to give just two examples.
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* War movies? Typically only set during the American Civil War and WorldWarTwo for some tales of glory and heroism. If set during WorldWarOne and/or the Vietnam War it will usually be more WarIsHell.
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* War movies? Typically only set during the American Civil War and WorldWarTwo UsefulNotes/WorldWarII for some tales of glory and heroism. If set during WorldWarOne UsefulNotes/WorldWarI and/or the Vietnam War it will usually be more WarIsHell.
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** The 1990s? Creator/JimCarrey and Creator/RobinWilliams.
** The 2000s? Creator/AdamSandler
** The 2000s? Creator/AdamSandler
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** The 1990s? Creator/JimCarrey Creator/JimCarrey, Creator/MikeMyers, and Creator/RobinWilliams.
** The 2000s? Creator/AdamSandler and Creator/WillFerrell.
** The 2000s? Creator/AdamSandler and Creator/WillFerrell.
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** Typical examples: ''Franchise/TheTerminator'', ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'', ''Franchise/DieHard'', ''Franchise/LethalWeapon'' and ''Franchise/DirtyHarry''.
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** Typical examples: ''Franchise/TheTerminator'', ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'', ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'', ''Franchise/DieHard'', ''Franchise/LethalWeapon'' and ''Franchise/DirtyHarry''.
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* Creator/AudreyHepburn: Point of reference ''Film/BreakfastAtTiffanys'' and ''Film/RomanHoliday''.
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** From the 1970s onward Creator/StevenSpielberg.
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** From the 1970s onward Creator/StevenSpielberg.Creator/StevenSpielberg and Creator/MartinScorsese.
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* Danish films? All {{Dogme95}} movies. Directed by Creator/LarsVonTrier.
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* Danish films? All {{Dogme95}} UsefulNotes/{{Dogme 95}} movies. Directed by Creator/LarsVonTrier.
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* Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger: Shows off his muscles, blasts people down with his guns and talks in an awful Austrian accent. Point of reference is ''Franchise/{{TheTerminator}}'' or maybe ''Film/{{ConanTheBarbarian}}''.
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* Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger: Shows off his muscles, blasts people down with his guns and talks in an awful Austrian accent. Point of reference is ''Franchise/{{TheTerminator}}'' ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'' or maybe ''Film/{{ConanTheBarbarian}}''.''Film/ConanTheBarbarian1982''.
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** Australian Actors? Creator/HughJackman, Creator/CateBlanchett, Creator/HeathLedger, Creator/NicoleKidman, and [[Creator/ChrisHemsworth Chris]] and Creator/LiamHemsworth.
** Chinese actors? Creator/JetLi, Creator/MingNaWen, or anyone listed in the Hong Kong section below.
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* HongKongFilms? Anything starring Creator/BruceLee, Creator/JackieChan, Creator/SonnyChiba.
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* HongKongFilms? Anything starring Creator/BruceLee, Creator/JackieChan, Creator/SonnyChiba. Creator/SonnyChiba, or Creator/ChowYunFat, and ''maybe'' Creator/StephenChow or Creator/DonnieYen. Director is likely going to be Creator/JohnWoo.
* Irish actors? Creator/LiamNeeson. ''Maybe'' you'll get Creator/ColinFarrell and Creator/PierceBrosnan.
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** Creator/Japanese actors? Creator/ToshiroMifune or more recently Creator/KenWatanabe.
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** Creator/Japanese actors? Creator/ToshiroMifune Creator/ToshiroMifune, Creator/SonnyChiba, or more recently Creator/KenWatanabe.
* New Zealand actors? Creator/RussellCrowe. Directors? Creator/PeterJackson.
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** Polish directors? Creator/RomanPolanski, Creator/AgnieszkaHolland, Creator/Andrzej Wajda, and Creator/KrzysztofKieslowski.
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** Polish directors? Creator/RomanPolanski, Creator/AgnieszkaHolland, Creator/Andrzej Wajda, Creator/AndrzejWajda, and Creator/KrzysztofKieslowski.
* Scottish actors? Creator/SeanConnery. For modern day examples, we have Creator/EwanMcGregor, Creator/JamesMcAvoy, and Creator/GerardButler.
* South African actors? Creator/CharlizeTheron.
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* If you are going to reference or parody a movie, make sure it is one of these choices: ''Film/KingKong'', ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'', ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'', ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', ''Film/{{Psycho}}'', ''Film/JamesBond'', ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', ''Film/TheSeventhSeal'', ''Franchise/StarWars'', ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', ''Film/TheShining'', ''Franchise/IndianaJones'', ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'', ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'', ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}'', ''Franchise/JurassicPark,'' ''Film/PulpFiction'', ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}'', and ''Film/TheMatrix''.
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* If you are going to reference or parody a movie, make sure it is one of these choices: ''Film/KingKong'', ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'', ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'', ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', ''Film/{{Psycho}}'', ''Film/JamesBond'', ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', ''Film/TheSeventhSeal'', ''Franchise/StarWars'', ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', ''Film/TheShining'', ''Franchise/IndianaJones'', ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'', ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'', ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}'', ''Franchise/JurassicPark,'' ''Film/PulpFiction'', ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}'', ''Film/TheMatrix'', ''Film/HarryPotter'', and ''Film/TheMatrix''.''Film/TheDarkKnight''.
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** Swedish actors? Creator/GretaGarbo, Creator/IngridBergman, Creator/MaxVonSydow, Creator/DolphLundgren, Creator/PeterStormare, Creator/NoomiRapace, and [[Creator/StellanStarsgard Stellan]] and Creator/AlexanderStarsgard.
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** Swedish actors? Creator/GretaGarbo, Creator/IngridBergman, Creator/MaxVonSydow, Creator/DolphLundgren, Creator/PeterStormare, Creator/NoomiRapace, and [[Creator/StellanStarsgard [[Creator/StellanSkarsgard Stellan]] and Creator/AlexanderStarsgard.Creator/AlexanderSkarsgard.
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* Creator/CharlieChaplin: Will be seen twirling his cane, walking into the sunset, EatingShoes and running and falling. Only films he made are apparently ''[[Film/TheKid1921 The Kid]]'', ''Film/TheGoldRush'', ''Film/CityLights'', ''Film/ModernTimes'' and ''Film/TheGreatDictator''.
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* Creator/CharlieChaplin: Will always be in the Tramp costume. Will be seen twirling his cane, walking into the sunset, EatingShoes and running and falling. Only films he made are apparently ''[[Film/TheKid1921 The Kid]]'', ''Film/TheGoldRush'', ''Film/CityLights'', ''Film/ModernTimes'' and ''Film/TheGreatDictator''.
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* Creator/RobertDeNiro: Is always shown as Travis Bickle in ''Film/TaxiDriver'' or a gangster.
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* Creator/RobertDeNiro: Is always shown as Travis Bickle in ''Film/TaxiDriver'' ''Film/TaxiDriver'', Jake La Motta in ''Film/RagingBull'', or a gangster.
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* Creator/JuliaRoberts: Stars in romantic movies or movies with weddings or both of these.
* Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger: Shows off his muscles, blasts people down with his guns and talks in an awful Austrian accent.
* Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger: Shows off his muscles, blasts people down with his guns and talks in an awful Austrian accent.
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* Creator/JuliaRoberts: Stars in romantic movies or movies with weddings or both of these.
these. Point of reference will likely be ''Film/PrettyWoman''.
* Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger: Shows off his muscles, blasts people down with his guns and talks in an awful Austrian accent. Point of reference is ''Franchise/{{TheTerminator}}'' or maybe ''Film/{{ConanTheBarbarian}}''.
* Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger: Shows off his muscles, blasts people down with his guns and talks in an awful Austrian accent. Point of reference is ''Franchise/{{TheTerminator}}'' or maybe ''Film/{{ConanTheBarbarian}}''.
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* Creator/JohnTravolta: Point of reference is either ''Film/SaturdayNightFever'' or ''Film/PulpFiction''. Will talk in a ''awww jeesh...'' accent and have a dance scene.
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* Creator/JohnTravolta: Point of reference is either ''Film/SaturdayNightFever'' ''Film/SaturdayNightFever'', ''Film/{{Grease}}'', or ''Film/PulpFiction''. Will talk in a ''awww jeesh...'' accent and have a dance scene.
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* Creator/FrancisFordCoppola: All he ever did in popular culture is direct ''Film/TheGodfather'' trilogy and ''Film/ApocalypseNow''.
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* Creator/FrancisFordCoppola: All he ever did in popular culture is direct ''Film/TheGodfather'' trilogy (or duology) and ''Film/ApocalypseNow''.
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* Creator/JohnFord: Only made westerns. If you have to reference one it will be ''Film/TheSearchers''.
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* Creator/JohnFord: Only made westerns. If you have to reference one it will be ''Film/TheSearchers''. If ''Film/HowGreenWasMyValley'' is mentioned it's only to talk about the ''Film/CitizenKane'' Oscar snub.
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** Belgian actors? Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme.
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** Belgian actors? Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme.Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme (Creator/AudreyHepburn was ''born'' there but isn't Belgian).
** Danish actors? [[Creator/LarsMikkelsen Lars]] and Creator/MadsMikkelsen, Creator/BrigitteNielsen, Creator/ViggoMortensen, and Creator/NikolajCosterWaldau.
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** Dutch actors? Sylvia Kristel, Creator/FamkeJanssen. Creator/RutgerHauer. Creator/JeroenKrabbe.
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** Dutch actors? Sylvia Kristel, Creator/FamkeJanssen. Creator/RutgerHauer. Creator/JeroenKrabbe.Creator/JeroenKrabbe, and Creator/CariceVanHouten.
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** French actors? Creator/MauriceChevalier, Creator/GerardDepardieu, Creator/JeanReno, Creator/CatherineDeneuve, Creator/BrigitteBardot, Creator/JacquesTati, Creator/JeanGabin, Creator/LouisDeFunes, and Creator/{{Fernandel}}. Modern day French actors include Creator/AudreyTautou, Creator/JeanReno, and Creator/MarionCotillard (Creator/MelanieLaurent ''might'' get a mention).
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** French actors? Creator/MauriceChevalier, Creator/GerardDepardieu, Creator/JeanReno, Creator/CatherineDeneuve, Creator/BrigitteBardot, Creator/JacquesTati, Creator/JeanGabin, Creator/JeanPaulBelmodo, Creator/AlainDelon, Creator/LouisDeFunes, and Creator/{{Fernandel}}. Modern day French actors include Creator/AudreyTautou, Creator/VincentCassel, Creator/JeanReno, and Creator/MarionCotillard (Creator/MelanieLaurent ''might'' get a mention).mention if only as a poor woman's Cotillard).
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* GermanFilms? GermanExpressionism or arthouse. The most famous German films worldwide are ''Film/TheBlueAngel'', ''Film/DasBoot'', ''Film/RunLolaRun'' and ''Film/{{Downfall}}''.
** German film actors? Creator/MarleneDietrich and Creator/KlausKinski. Older film fans may remember Creator/EmilJannings. Creator/DianeKruger and Creator/MichaelFassbender are modern-day representatives of the nation (and Creator/ChristophWaltz is just as likely to be associated with Germany as with Austria).
** German film actors? Creator/MarleneDietrich and Creator/KlausKinski. Older film fans may remember Creator/EmilJannings. Creator/DianeKruger and Creator/MichaelFassbender are modern-day representatives of the nation (and Creator/ChristophWaltz is just as likely to be associated with Germany as with Austria).
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* GermanFilms? GermanExpressionism or arthouse. The most famous German films worldwide are ''Film/TheBlueAngel'', ''Film/DasBoot'', ''Film/RunLolaRun'' and ''Film/{{Downfall}}''.''Film/{{Downfall}}'' (and that is only for the WebVideo/HitlerRants meme).
** German film actors? Creator/MarleneDietrich and Creator/KlausKinski. Older film fans may remember Creator/EmilJannings. Creator/DianeKruger and Creator/MichaelFassbender are modern-day representatives of the nation (and Creator/ChristophWaltz is just as likely to be associated with Germany as with Austria). Within German borders, the definitive modern-day German actor is Creator/TilSchweiger.
** German film actors? Creator/MarleneDietrich and Creator/KlausKinski. Older film fans may remember Creator/EmilJannings. Creator/DianeKruger and Creator/MichaelFassbender are modern-day representatives of the nation (and Creator/ChristophWaltz is just as likely to be associated with Germany as with Austria). Within German borders, the definitive modern-day German actor is Creator/TilSchweiger.
** Greek directors? Creator/EliaKazan.
** Greek actors? Nia Vardalos, with John Aniston only known as [[Creator/JenniferAniston Jennifer]]'s dad.
** Greek actors? Nia Vardalos, with John Aniston only known as [[Creator/JenniferAniston Jennifer]]'s dad.
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* Indian movies? BollywoodMovies. Period. If you have to namedrop one example: ''Film/{{Sholay}}''. If you need a non-Bollywood example: ''Film/PatherPanchali''.
** Indian actors? Creator/RajKapoor.
** Indian actors? Creator/RajKapoor.
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* Indian movies? BollywoodMovies. Period. If you have to namedrop one example: ''Film/{{Sholay}}''. If you need a non-Bollywood example: ''Film/PatherPanchali''.
''Film/PatherPanchali'', ''Film/SlumdogMillionaire'', or ''Film/LifeOfPi''.
** Indian actors?Creator/RajKapoor.Creator/RajKapoor, Creator/AmitabhBachcan, Creator/SalmanKhan, or Creator/IrrfanKhan.
** Indian actors?
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** Italian directors? Creator/FedericoFellini, Creator/RobertoRossellini, Creator/PierPaoloPasolini, Creator/VittorioDeSica.
** Italian actors? Creator/SophiaLoren, Creator/MarcelloMastroianni, Creator/RobertoBenigni, Terence Hill, or Isabella Rossellini.
** Italian actors? Creator/SophiaLoren, Creator/MarcelloMastroianni, Creator/RobertoBenigni, Terence Hill, or Isabella Rossellini.
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** Italian directors? Creator/MichelangeloAntonioni, Creator/SergioLeone, Creator/FedericoFellini, Creator/RobertoRossellini, Creator/PierPaoloPasolini, Creator/VittorioDeSica.
** Italian actors? Creator/SophiaLoren, Creator/MarcelloMastroianni, Creator/RobertoBenigni, Terence Hill, or Isabella Rossellini.
** Italian actors? Creator/SophiaLoren, Creator/MarcelloMastroianni, Creator/RobertoBenigni, Terence Hill, or Isabella Rossellini.
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* Mexican movies? All films starring ProfessionalWrestling/ElSanto.
** Film directors? Creator/RobertRodriguez and Creator/GuillermoDelToro.
** Film directors? Creator/RobertRodriguez and Creator/GuillermoDelToro.
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* Mexican movies? All films starring ProfessionalWrestling/ElSanto. More recently, ''Film/PansLabyrinth''
** Film directors? Creator/RobertRodriguez ,Creator/GuillermoDelToro, Creator/AlfonsoCuaron, and Creator/AlejandroGonzalezInarritu.
**Film directors? Creator/RobertRodriguez Actors? Creator/SalmaHayek and Creator/GuillermoDelToro. Ricardo Montalban.
** Film directors? Creator/RobertRodriguez ,Creator/GuillermoDelToro, Creator/AlfonsoCuaron, and Creator/AlejandroGonzalezInarritu.
**
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** Polish directors? Creator/RomanPolanski and Creator/KrzysztofKieslowski.
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** Polish directors? Creator/RomanPolanski Creator/RomanPolanski, Creator/AgnieszkaHolland, Creator/Andrzej Wajda, and Creator/KrzysztofKieslowski. Creator/KrzysztofKieslowski.
* Puerto Rican actors? Creator/BenicioDelToro and Creator/RitaMoreno.
* Puerto Rican actors? Creator/BenicioDelToro and Creator/RitaMoreno.
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** Swedish actors? Creator/GretaGarbo, Creator/IngridBergman, Creator/MaxVonSydow.
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** Swedish actors? Creator/GretaGarbo, Creator/IngridBergman, Creator/MaxVonSydow.
Creator/MaxVonSydow, Creator/DolphLundgren, Creator/PeterStormare, Creator/NoomiRapace, and [[Creator/StellanStarsgard Stellan]] and Creator/AlexanderStarsgard.
* Ukranian actors? Creator/MilaKunis, Creator/MillaJovovich, and Creator/OlgaKurylenko
* Ukranian actors? Creator/MilaKunis, Creator/MillaJovovich, and Creator/OlgaKurylenko
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* Creator/JohnWayne: Either a cowboy or a military sergeant. Will talk in slurry brawl and walk in his characteristically slouchy way. Likely to call everyone "[[Film/TheManWhoShotLibertyValance pilgrim]]" or possibly "[[Film/TheSearchers That'll be the day]]."
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* Creator/JohnWayne: Either a cowboy or a military sergeant. Will talk in slurry brawl and walk in his characteristically slouchy way. Likely to call everyone "[[Film/TheManWhoShotLibertyValance pilgrim]]" or possibly say "[[Film/TheSearchers That'll be the day]]."
