I am undecided whether the screenwriters are stupid or whether they believe the citizenry are uneducated intellectual midgets. I have these questions because of what I have noticed throughout the years in the movies that Hollywood churns out.
In the latest iteration of Frank Herbert’s movie, “Dune,” I noticed that the writers disregarded Sir Isaac Newton’s third law of motion, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” We see this violation in a scene where the Harkonnen Guards are hunting the Fremen because of the Fremen’s disruption of Spice production. The Harkonnen Guards are closing in on a unit of Fremen. The Fremen activate a “thumper” to attract a giant worm. The Harkonnen Guards hear the thumps from the thumper and decide to leave the sand for the high ground of a large stone outcropping. The Harkonnen Guards levitate above the sand without any disturbance to the sand below, which is impossible. Then, the Harkonnen Guards begin to move without any signs of propulsion. That is a violation of Sir Isaac Newton’s First Law of Motion, often referred to as the Law of Inertia, which states: An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction, unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
In the “Mad Max” saga installments, I have noticed impossible feats and plot holes. A young girl is abducted by bandits on motorcycles. The young girl blows into a dog whistle to raise an alarm. The women, who are half a kilometer away, hear the young girl’s dog whistle and give chase on horseback. Somehow, the two women on one horse close enough distance to get within their rifle’s effective range. The mother of the girl takes a shot without making any range adjustments on the moving target, the man on one of the three motorcycles. The range looks to be about 1,200 meters. The girl’s mother scores a miracle hit which kills the man. There is a character named . Immortal Joe who was a Lieutenant Colonel before the fall of civilization. His name before the fall was Joe Moore. His backstory is that he was exposed to high levels of radiation. We see that . Immortal Joe has large growths on his skin and requires breathing assistance from a machine he carries. . Immortal Joe has a harem of wives and fathers many offspring. However, in reality, . Immortal Joe would have been rendered sterile by the radiation exposure.
In “Star Wars,” we witness spacecraft travel from planet to planet in other solar systems without refueling for the return trip. “Star Wars” spacecraft fly like airplanes in the vacuum of space, which is impossible. The spacecraft bank and change directions as though there was an atmosphere for the control surfaces to work against to change the direction of the spacecraft. The light sabers are also an impossibility because light cannot be limited to one length. Now we come to the Force that the Jedi Knights use. I can suspend my beliefs when a Jedi Knight moves a small object with the Force. Typically, a Jedi Knight extends his or her arm to move objects with the Force. That implies the Force becomes an extension of the Jedi’s arm. Therefore, the weight of the object must be transmitted by the Force to the arm of the Jedi. We don’t see any disturbances below the objects that Jedi Knights move, which proves the weight of the objects is borne by the Jedi Knights. Hence, a Jedi Knight using the Force could not move an object that they could not lift by their own strength.
After watching two episodes of “Kitchen Nightmares,” I began to believe that Gordon Ramsay was committing fraud against his viewers. Gordon time after time discovers filthy conditions in the kitchens and in the walk-in refrigerators. Restaurant Inspectors would have caught those conditions, I reasoned. I also reasoned that after the episode aired, the county Inspector would come to the restaurant. I did some research and discovered that indeed things in the show were being exaggerated for dramatic purposes.
In the “Terminator” franchise, the Terminators reflexively blink when firing guns. A machine would not blink. In the movie, “Oblivion,” starring Tom Cruise, we see the same nonsense about spacecraft. Jack Harper, played by Tom Cruise, flies the Bubble Ship all day on patrol without refueling when he returns to the base. The Bubble Ship never needs maintenance either! Jack Harper breaks from his patrol to go where the last surviving humans are to get a fission bomb to destroy the Alien machine in orbit called the Tet. Incidentally, the seventh letter in the Hebrew alphabet is called Tet, ט. Without refueling, Jack Harper sets course to the Tet which is in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Jack Harper almost flies straight up to the Tet. To achieve LEO, a craft has to speed up to 17,500 miles per hour. Jack Harper’s flight profile would have gotten him into space, but he would have fallen back to Earth because his lateral speed was not sufficient to remain in orbit. In the real world, this is how LEO is achieved.
The “angle of climb” for achieving Low Earth Orbit (LEO) isn’t a fixed angle in the traditional sense because the path to orbit involves multiple stages and can vary based on the launch vehicle, mission requirements, and specific launch site characteristics. However, we can talk about some general concepts:
Initial Ascent: When a rocket launches, the initial trajectory might have an angle of climb of around 80 to 90 degrees from horizontal (near vertical) to gain altitude quickly. This is to clear the launch pad and minimize aerodynamic drag in the lower atmosphere.
Pitch Over: Soon after lift-off, the rocket will “pitch over” or tilt to a lower angle of attack to gain horizontal velocity. This pitch over maneuver can start at angles like 80 degrees and might reduce to about 45 degrees or less as the rocket gains speed and altitude.
Gravity Turn: After the initial pitch, the rocket continues into what’s called a “gravity turn” where the trajectory becomes more horizontal due to gravity pulling the rocket back towards Earth while the engines thrust forward. This maneuver naturally decreases the angle of climb without additional control inputs, aiming for an optimal path that conserves fuel.
Final Orbit Insertion: By the time the rocket is nearly in orbit, the angle of climb relative to the horizon might be very small, almost parallel, as the spacecraft is now mostly gaining horizontal speed to achieve orbital velocity. The exact angle at this point isn’t critical since the spacecraft is transitioning into an orbital path.
Specific to LEO: For LEO, once the spacecraft is above most of the atmosphere, the angle of climb becomes less relevant as the focus shifts to achieving the necessary orbital velocity (about 7.8 km/s for LEO). The final stages might involve fine adjustments to achieve the desired orbit.
In the original 1951 film “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” Klaatu mentions that he traveled “250 million miles” from his planet to Earth. That distance was a big goof by the screenwriters. 250 million miles is the distance to Mars. Klaatu says his planet is a member of an interstellar community.
Lastly, we come to Wonder Woman’s island, Themyscira. The first Wonder Woman movie starts with a complete flyover of Themyscira. I noticed that there was not any farmland on the island nor any herds of cattle, sheep, or goats. The Amazons all had freshly shaved legs and underarms. According to Wonder Woman’s mother, the Amazons have been living on Themyscira with no contact with the outside world for ten thousand years. I also noticed there were no industrial buildings nor was there a fishing boat fleet.
I could go on for many more paragraphs about what I noticed in errors in Hollywood’s movies. If it’s okay with you, I will list three more errors for you to look for in the movies. No matter the time period, all women will have shaved legs and underarms. Look for smallpox vaccine scars on Aliens, and on people in times before the smallpox vaccine. I also look for evidence of modern dentistry in the actors’ mouths in movies where the time period precedes modern dentistry. Oh, oh, in Westerns, look for Eucalyptus trees.
Seeing Eucalyptus trees in Western movies set in the 19th century or earlier can indeed be considered an anachronism or historical inaccuracy for several reasons:
Timeline: Although Eucalyptus trees were introduced to California and other Western states during the Gold Rush era (around the 1850s), they would not have become widespread or mature enough in the landscape to be a common feature in the setting of many Western films, which often depict earlier periods or the immediate post-Gold Rush era.
Growth Rate: Eucalyptus trees, while fast-growing, especially in favorable climates like California’s, would not have dominated the landscape in the way mature trees might suggest in these films. It would take decades for them to reach significant sizes and numbers.
Visual Recognition: Even if planted, the recognition and prominence of Eucalyptus in the landscape might not have been as pronounced in the historical setting of many Westerns. The genre often aims for an authentic portrayal of the American West, where native species like oaks, pines, and various desert plants would have been more common.
Filming Locations: Many Westerns are filmed in locations where Eucalyptus trees have since become established or in areas where they were planted for scenic or environmental reasons. For instance, areas around Hollywood, where many Westerns were filmed, have eucalyptus trees that were planted long after the time period depicted in the films.
Aesthetic Choice: Sometimes, filmmakers choose to use Eucalyptus trees for their aesthetic qualities, unique appearance, or simply because they are available on location, even if it’s not historically accurate. This can also serve to depict a generic “wild” or “untamed” landscape without specific regard to botanical accuracy.
The inclusion of Eucalyptus in Western films is thus often more about the visual appeal or convenience rather than historical accuracy. It’s an example of how film often prioritizes storytelling, aesthetics, and practicality over strict adherence to historical detail.
In my previous article, in the first line, I implied that I was among the intellectuals. That was in jest for those who have known me for years. I don’t even have a college degree, and yet, I see numerous inaccuracies in Hollywood’s movies.
Hebrew:
אני לא מחליט אם התסריטאים טיפשים או שהם מאמינים שהאזרחות הם גמדים אינטלקטואליים חסרי השכלה. יש לי שאלות האלו בגלל מה ששמתי לב לו לאורך השנים בסרטים שהוליווד מייצרת.
בגרסה האחרונה של הסרט של פרנק הרברט, “כוונה”, שמתי לב שהתסריטאים התעלמו מחוק התנועה השלישי של סר אייזק ניוטון, “לכל פעולה יש תגובה שווה ומנוגדת.” אנו רואים את ההפרה הזו בסצנה בה שומרי הרקונן צדים את הפרמן בגלל הפרעת הפרמן בייצור התבלין. שומרי הרקונן מתקרבים ליחידת פרמן. הפרמן מפעיל “תופף” כדי למשוך תולעת ענקית. שומרי הרקונן שומעים את הנקישות מהתופף והם מחליטים לעזוב את החול לטובת מקום גבוה של יציאת סלע גדולה. שומרי הרקונן מרחפים מעל החול ללא כל הפרעה לחול מתחת, מה שאי אפשרי. ואז, שומרי הרקונן מתחילים לנוע ללא כל סימני דחיפה. זה הפרה של חוק התנועה הראשון של סר אייזק ניוטון, הנקרא לעיתים חוק ההתמדה, אשר קובע: גוף במנוחה יישאר במנוחה, וגוף בתנועה ימשיך בתנועה באותו מהירות ובאותה כיוון, אלא אם כן יפעל עליו כוח לא מאוזן.
בסדרת “מאד מקס”, שמתי לב לנסים בלתי אפשריים ולחורים בתסריט. ילדה צעירה נחטפת על ידי שודדים על אופנועים. הילדה מנשפת בשריקה לכלבים כדי להרים אזעקה. הנשים, שנמצאות חצי קילומטר מרוחקות, שומעות את שריקת הכלבים של הילדה ורודפות אחריה בסוס. מסיבה כלשהי, שתי הנשים על סוס אחד מקצרות מספיק מרחק כדי להיכנס לטווח יעיל של הרובה שלהן. האם של הילדה יורה מבלי לעשות התאמות טווח ליעד הנע, הגבר על אחד משלושת האופנועים. הטווח נראה כמו 1,200 מטרים. האם של הילדה מבקשת פגיעה נסית שמפילה את הגבר. יש דמות ששמה אימורטן ג’ו שהיה סגן-אלוף לפני נפילת הציוויליזציה. שמו לפני הנפילה היה ג’ו מור. הסיפור שלו הוא שהוא היה חשוף לרמות גבוהות של קרינה. אנחנו רואים שאימורטן ג’ו יש גידולים גדולים על העור שלו והוא זקוק לעזרה בנשימה ממכונה שהוא נושא. אימורטן ג’ו יש הרמון של נשים ומייצר הרבה צאצאים. עם זאת, במציאות, אימורטן ג’ו היה מעוקר בעקבות החשיפה לקרינה.
ב”מלחמת הכוכבים,” אנו רואים חלליות נוסעות מכוכב לכוכב במערכות שמש אחרות ללא תדלוק לטיסת חזרה. חלליות “מלחמת הכוכבים” טסות כמו מטוסים בחלל הריק, מה שלא אפשרי. הן מטות ומשנות כיוונים כאילו יש אטמוספירה לעבוד מולה לשינוי כיוון החללית. חרבות הלייזר גם הן בלתי אפשריות כי אור לא יכול להיות מוגבל לאורך אחד. עכשיו אנחנו מגיעים לכוח שהג’דיי משתמשים בו. אני יכול להשעות את אמונתי כאשר ג’דיי מזיז חפץ קטן עם הכוח. בדרך כלל, ג’דיי מושיט את זרועו כדי לזוז את החפצים עם הכוח. זה מרמז שהכוח הופך להיות הארכה של זרוע הג’דיי. לכן, המשקל של החפץ צריך להעביר על ידי הכוח לזרוע הג’דיי. אנחנו לא רואים כל הפרעות מתחת לחפצים שהג’דיי מזיזים, מה שמוכיח שהמשקל של החפצים נישא על ידי הג’דיי. לכן, ג’דיי שמשתמש בכוח לא יוכל לזוז חפץ שאינו יכול להרים בעצמו.
לאחר צפייה בשתי פרקים של “סיוטים במטבח”, התחלתי להאמין שגורדון רמזי מבצע הונאה כלפי הצופים שלו. גורדון שוב ושוב מגלה תנאים מלוכלכים במטבחים ובמקררים. מפקחי מסעדות היו תופסים את התנאים האלו, חשבתי. חשבתי גם שלאחר שידור הפרק, מפקח המחוז היה מגיע למסעדה. ערכתי מחקר וגיליתי שאכן
Published by Editor, Sammy Campbell.