History Main / LocalReference

* Creator/AlfonsoCuaron included a few nods to his native Mexico in the third ''Film/HarryPotter'' film. For example, the courtyard fountain has [[http://outnow.ch/Media/Movies/Bilder/2004/HarryPotter3/movie.ws/03.jpg four statues of an eagle eating a snake]], a reference to the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Mexico Mexican coat of arms]].

* ''{{Rome}}'', despite being a BBC co-production with an almost full British cast and using different [[TheQueensLatin British accents]] to denote [[TranslationConvention class differences]] between the characters, was notoriously devoid of references to the British Isles... except for one. When Agrippa declares his love for Octavia, he says that he would willingly travel to Hell, [[SelfDeprecation or even worse, Britannia]], for her.

* Creator/JulesVerne was a French author who wrote in French. Many of his stories had minor (at least non-protagonist) French characters alongside protagonists of other nationalities. Examples are Michel Ardan in ''FromTheEarthToTheMoon'' and Jean Passepartout in ''AroundTheWorldInEightyDays''.

* Creator/AlfonsoCuaron included a few nods to his native Mexico in the third ''Film/HarryPotter'' film. For example, the courtyard fountain has four statues of an eagle eating a snake, which is the national symbol of Mexico.

* Creator/AlfonsoCuaron included a few nobs to his native Mexico in the third ''Film/HarryPotter'' film. For example, the courtyard fountain has four statues of an eagle eating a snake, which is the national symbol of Mexico.

* KevinSmith, a Jersey native, regularly makes nods to his home state, from mentioning local landmarks (e.g.: Monmouth College--now Monmouth University--is mentioned a couple of times ''{{Clerks}'' and ''{{Mallrats}}'', and most obviously the Quick Stop and RST Video stores in which the former mostly takes place) to towns that nobody outside the state could reasonably be expected to have heard of (Leonardo, both the setting and filming location of ''Clerks'', the suburb of Toms River being turned into [[IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom the Temple of Doom]] in ''ClerksTheAnimatedSeries'').

* In ''Film/TheMatrix'' the Wachowski brothers (who hail from [[TheWindyCity Chicago]]) make reference to "the Loop" and various other downtown Chicago place names including Balbo Drive - Chicago is the only major city in the world with a street named Balbo. (Named after Mussolini's heir apparant during the 1933 "Century of Progress" WorldsFair, on the occasion of his transatlantic flight from Rome to Chicago.)

** Averted in another Verne work, ''The Voyages and Adventures of CaptainHatteras''. Verne's editor wanted him to include a French sailor in the crew, but Verne was determined to make it an entirely "English" story. (However, translator and editor William Butcher notes that Captain Hatteras himself displays traditionally "French" characteristics in his temperament, etc.)

* {{Shakespeare}} did this all the time. For example, in ''{{Hamlet}}'', the king decides to send Hamlet to England because he is insane. The rationale is that Hamlet can recover there, and if he doesn't, nobody will notice since Englishmen are all mad anyway.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'': When Rita and Runt go to Iraq, Rita sings that it doesn't look like Burbank, more like Van Nuys. (Both are suburbs of LosAngeles. You can guess which one has higher property values.)

* In ''TheMatrix'' the Wachowski brothers (who hail from [[TheWindyCity Chicago]]) make reference to "the Loop" and various other downtown Chicago place names including Balbo Drive - Chicago is the only major city in the world with a street named Balbo. (Named after Mussolini's heir apparant during the 1933 "Century of Progress" WorldsFair, on the occasion of his transatlantic flight from Rome to Chicago.)

* In the 2009 ''Film/SherlockHolmes'' movie, the villain mentions during his EvilGloating that he has plans to take over America as well as Britain.

* ''FindingNemo'' director Andrew Stanton is from Rockport, Massachussets, so he included several references to it, including lamp replicas of two lighthouses in nearby Thacher Island and a photograph of "Motif Number One", a local landmark, as well as lobsters with [[HahvahdYahdInMyCah thick "Bahston" accents]].

[[AC:Live Action TV]]

* In ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure JoJo's Bizarre Adventure]]'', Hirohiko Araki always includes references to Japan or Japanese characters in every storyarc from Episode 3 on, whether the story is set in Japan or not. Some can be pretty sneaky references only people with knowledge of Japanese culture might get (Example: Guido Mista's belief in FourIsDeath).

* JulesVerne was a French author who wrote in French. Many of his stories had minor (at least non-protagonist) French characters alongside protagonists of other nationalities. Examples are Michel Ardan in ''FromTheEarthToTheMoon'' and Jean Passepartout in ''AroundTheWorldInEightyDays''.

[[AC:{{Video Games}}]]

* ''RenAndStimpy'' character "George Liquor", (who only showed up in a handful of episodes, and whose actual name was never completely said to the audience due to some ExecutiveMeddling by Nickelodeon censors) has a very strange name. The origin of the name, however, was the creator, JohnKricfalusi, having seen the street sign for a local liquor store in Van Nuys, California (Where Kricfalusi lived at the time while pre-developing the series) that read "GEORGE LIQUOR". John K was astounded, and immensely amused by the liquor store owner not even bothering to have so much as a contraction in the title to declare ownership of the liquor store as "George's Liquor" and the name stuck.

* In ''[[JoJosBizarreAdventure JoJo's Bizarre Adventure]]'', Hirohiko Araki always includes references to Japan or Japanese characters in every storyarc from Episode 3 on, whether the story is set in Japan or not. Some can be pretty sneaky references only people with knowledge of Japanese culture might get (Example: Guido Mista's belief in FourIsDeath).

* The first ''FullMetalAlchemist'' anime had one single offhand reference to an [[UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} "eastern island"]] from which {{Shogi}} was imported.

*** Knightsbridge is a district in London, which at the time of ''TheMikado'''s premiere was the site of a "Japanese village" exhibit. Newer productions generally substitute some local neighborhood for the reference.

* ''AroundTheWorldWithWillyFog'', a Spanish AnimatedAdaptation of ''AroundTheWorldInEightyDays'', adds a Spanish character, Tico, to the adventurers' party. At one point the heroes also encounter a Spanish balloonist, whom Tico enthusiastically greets as a compatriot.
* ''{{Animaniacs}}'': When Rita and Runt go to Iraq, Rita sings that it doesn't look like Burbank, more like Van Nuys. (Both are cities in Los Angeles. You can guess which one has higher property values.)
* ''BeavisAndButtHead'' at one point, encounters a VERY obscure, head-scratching example of this that left many viewers completely baffled and unaware of the meaning behind a single line for years. During one of their Music Video commentary segments, Beavis and Butt-Head watch a scene with elderly people. Beavis quips the line "I've got the V-C-Arrrrrr!!!" (VCR) in an extremely sarcastic voice. Butt-Head responds more or less with "Uhh What the hell are you talking about?". Beavis insists that it came from those old people "from that commercial.". Butt-Head insists that Beavis is making things up and he has no idea what he's talking about, he's never heard it before, and to shut up. Most viewers for the longest time had no idea what he meant by "I've Got The VCR". Especially anybody outside of a specific county in Albuquerque, Texas where a certain mercilessly overplayed amateurish local electronics store commercial from the early 90's, originated from.
* ''RenAndStimpy'' character "George Liquor", (who only showed up in a handful of episodes, and whose actual name was never completely said to the audience due to some ExecutiveMeddling by Nickelodeon censors) has a very strange name. The origin of the name, however, was the creator, John Kricfalusi, having seen the street sign for a local liquor store in Van Nuys, California (Where Kricfalusi lived at the time while pre-developing the series) that read "GEORGE LIQUOR". John K was astounded, and immensely amused by the liquor store owner not even bothering to have so much as a contraction in the title to declare ownership of the liquor store as "George's Liquor" and the name stuck.

* Beavis & Butt-Head at one point, encounters a VERY obscure, head-scratching example of this that left many viewers completely baffled and unaware of the meaning behind a single line for years. During one of their Music Video commentary segments, Beavis and Butt-Head watch a scene with elderly people. Beavis quips the line "I've got the V-C-Arrrrrr!!!" (VCR) in an extremely sarcastic voice. Butt-Head responds more or less with "Uhh What the hell are you talking about?". Beavis insists that it came from those old people "from that commercial.". Butt-Head insists that Beavis is making things up and he has no idea what he's talking about, he's never heard it before, and to shut up. Most viewers for the longest time had no idea what he meant by "I've Got The VCR". Especially anybody outside of a specific county in Albuquerque, Texas where a certain mercilessly overplayed amateurish local electronics store commercial from the early 90's, originated from.
* Ren & Stimpy character "George Liquor", (who only showed up in a handful of episodes, and whose actual name was never completely said to the audience due to some ExecutiveMeddling by Nickelodeon censors) has a very strange name. The origin of the name, however, was the creator, John Kricfalusi, having seen the street sign for a local liquor store in Van Nuys, California (Where Kricfalusi lived at the time while pre-developing the series) that read "GEORGE LIQUOR". John K was astounded, and immensely amused by the liquor store owner not even bothering to have so much as a contraction in the title to declare ownership of the liquor store as "George's Liquor" and the name stuck.

* Ren & Stimpy character George Liquor, (who only showed up in a handful of episodes and whose name was ever completely said (due to Nickelodeon censors) has a very strange name. The origin of the name, however, was the creator, John Kricfalusi, having seen the street sign for a local liquor store in Van Nuys, California (Where Kricfalusi lived at the time while pre-developing the series) that read "GEORGE LIQUOR". John K was astounded, and immensely amused by the liquor store owner not even bothering to have so much as a contraction in the title to declare ownership of the liquor store as "George's Liquor" and the name stuck.

* Beavis & Butt-Head at one point, encounters a VERY obscure, head-scratching example of this that left many viewers completely baffled and unaware of the meaning behind a single line for years. During one of their Music Video commentary segments, Beavis and Butt-Head watch a scene with elderly people. Beavis quips the line "I've got the V-C-Arrrrrr!!!" (VCR) in an extremely sarcastic voice. Butt-Head responds more or less with "Uhh What the hell are you talking about?". Beavis insists that it came from those old people "from that commercial.". Butt-Head insists that Beavis is making things up and he has no idea what he's talking about, he's never heard it before, and to shut up. Most viewers for the longest time had no idea what he meant by "I've Got The VCR". Especially anybody outside of a specific county in Albuquerque, Texas where a certain mercilessly overplayed amateurish local electronics store commercial from the early 90's that this line comes from.

* In the 2009 ''SherlockHolmes'' movie, the villain mentions during his EvilGloating that he has plans to take over America as well as Britain.

* When [[{{Animaniacs}} Rita and Runt]] go to Iraq, Rita sings that it doesn't look like Burbank, more like Van Nuys. (Both are cities in Los Angeles, I'm sure you can guess which one has higher property values.)

[[AC:AnimeAndManga]]

-->'''Ko-Ko:''' The fact is, he's gone abroad.
-->'''The Mikado:''' Gone abroad? His address!
-->'''Ko-Ko:''' Knightsbridge!

-->Knightsbridge is a district in London, which at the time of ''TheMikado'''s premiere was the site of a "Japanese village" exhibit. Newer productions generally substitute some local neighborhood for the reference.

* {{Shakespeare}} did this all the time. For example, in ''{{Hamlet}}'', the king decides to send Hamlet to England because he is insane. The rationale is that Hamlet can recover there, and if he doesn't, nobody will notice since Englishmen are all mad anyways.

* The later ''SakuraWars'' games, which are set in France (3, 4) and New York (V, ''Kimi Aru ga Tame''), always include at least one Japanese party member (besides the PC, who is always Japanese; the player is supposed to identify with him, after all).

* JulesVerne was a French author who wrote in French. Many of his stories had minor (at least non-protagonist) French characters alongside protagonists of other nationalities. Examples are Michel Ardan in ''FromEarthToTheMoon'' and Jean Passepartout in ''AroundTheWorldInEightyDays''.