Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with cliche

Examples of image zooming/enhancement cliché from movies/tv.

dunk — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:30:01 -0800

I'm looking for examples of the film and tv cliché where images from surveillance video or photos are magnified and enhanced (usually to a ridiculous degree). I know about Enemy of the State and this clip from CSI (I'm guessing one of many examples from that show) is what made me think of compiling a list. They don't necessarily have to be things that are impossible in the real world, I'm more interested in the dialogue than the image being enhanced. If I get enough good ones I may make a supercut.

Words of Wisdom, From a Guy That Doesn't Know A Whole Lot.

backseatpilot — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:52:09 -0800

I'm looking for cliches and stereotypes from movies and television about weddings, marriage, home ownership, raising children... As best man at my younger brother's wedding, I have to give a speech at the reception. I've decided on a theme: "things your older brother is responsible for teaching you, except you've gone and done it before him". Brother is getting married, they bought a house, and I fully expect him to have children soon; I have done none of these things.

So, for part of the speech, I plan on imparting some life lessons to him and his bride. Having never done any of the things that I need to be teaching him about, I plan to take all of these "life lessons" from popular movies and television. I'm looking for some cliches and stereotypes that fit the bill. Think of the "Things I Learned From the Movies" list that was very popular back in the early days of the internet, e.g. "Every trip to the grocery store always includes at least two loaves of French bread". I want things like that, applied to marriage, owning a home, and children (and anything else that fits within the theme).

If you have still photos that exemplify the cliche, I'd love to see those. There will be PowerPoint.

Strike the floor jogging

Franklin76 — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:22:33 -0800

I loathe the phrase "[I will] hit the ground running." What can I say in a cover letter that conveys that point without any of the cliche?

Step Up and Give 110%

TheSecretDecoderRing — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 22:35:04 -0800

What are some good sarcastic comebacks for those tired phrases you hear a million times? Eg, "Not that there's anything wrong with that!" "Think outside the box" or "Does this make me look fat?" One of my favorite examples was from Newsradio, where Dave, when given the ol' "But I'd have to kill you" line, quips, "Okay, but it better be good." Anything along those lines?

Personally, I wish an athlete whose team is down 0-3 in a playoff series would go, "Forget one game at a time, we're gonna try to win all four games tonight. It may be unorthodox, but it's our best shot."

How can I quit using overused words and phrases?

relucent — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 12:19:45 -0800

How can I avoid using common, cliché words and phrases in my speech and writing, and come up with better ones? Orwell says, "Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print." (Politics and the English Language) He applies it to the "buzz phrases" of his time: the sensational war rhetoric like "jackboot" and "hammer and anvil", and others like "toe the line" and "melting pot". He says that these common figures of speech are already prefabricated so that the author doesn't have to even think about what he is writing. As a result, most journalistic writing has become boring and contrived, and full of tired imagery.

I'd like to take this even further than Orwell and eliminate normal, yet overused phrases from my vocabulary. I realized this a couple of days ago when I was reading a book and the author said that he had "no quarrel with" certain people who believed differently about his ideas. It was the tiniest thing, but it caught my attention, because if I am expressing approval or indifference, I will ALWAYS use some form of "[to have] no problem with". Always. "I have no problem with you taking off early this afternoon." "If his car is in the shop, I don't have a problem with him using mine." I also tend to exaggerate a lot, using words like "totally" or "completely" to express emphasis on my part ("he was completely wrong to do that"). Since these are also common expressions, it's understood that I am not referring to wholeness or completeness — but it still bugs me because I say them a lot.

I guess I would like to become more active and deliberate in my word choice. I would like to incorporate into my vocabulary more phrases like "no quarrel" — words that catch people's attention, even slightly, because they are just a little bit more picturesque. I want to put more a little more thought into what I say (or write), so that people have to put a little more thought into listening (or reading).

And in all of this, I want to stay interesting: I don't want to replace x with y so that "no quarrel with" to become the new "no problem with"; I want a larger bank of words to draw from. I also don't want to sound formal or dry. I have more of a journalistic style of writing, in that I don't use complex sentence structures or unnecessarily big words. I want to preserve the style but make it more unique and compelling.

I need to do three things: identify these phrases; come up with more creative alternates; and engage my mind more when I talk (or write) so I can use them. How can I accomplish these? Good books on the topic, past MeFi posts, resources for interesting phrases... anything! Thanks!

Xmas spirit all though the year

neroli — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:48:06 -0800

What are some actual examples of this Christmas-time cliche? "If only we could keep the spirit of this day all year round..."

I know this hackneyed sentiment has been expressed in tons of Christmas-themed narratives. But when I try to think of specific examples, I come up blank.

What are some books, movies, songs, etc. where someone expresses the wish that the "spirit of Christmas" isn't just a once-a-year event?

Avoiding the "One-man wedding band" trap

anthom — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:31:48 -0800

Help me find some well-known songs to cover that don't suck! I'm a keyboardist/singer/songwriter who's recently started playing open mics again for the first time in years. I've got a relatively big catalog of originals that I play, but I've found myself wanting to throw some good covers into the mix as well, if only to have something people will recognize.

The problem is, my tastes tend toward the more obscure side of things. I want to try and cover songs I'd love to have written, but an average coffeehouse audience isn't necessarily going to be won over with American Music Club, or "Ballad of El Goodo." I've covered Bruce Cockburn's "Lovers in a Dangerous Time" and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" (which themselves verge on overdone cover status, but people seemed to like them, and I didn't feel dirty for singing them), but I want to expand the repertoire.

There's nothing wrong with "Candle in the Wind" or "Piano Man," but I'd rather not have to play stuff like that just because I happen to use a keyboard instrument.

...and so I call upon the hive mind: can you think of songs that would sound good in a piano/vocal arrangement with some semi-universal familiarity that aren't uber-cheesy?

As slow as ... what?

Fuzzy Skinner — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:29:27 -0800

What are some good - or bad - similes for slowness? (Like "As slow as molasses in January" but not so archaic.)

Don't trust the messenger

Araucaria — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:10:17 -0800

EpigramFilter: What's the converse of "Don't kill the messenger"? You frequently hear the expression
Don't blame the bearer of bad news.
But you don't often hear the converse, and I believe it is equally valid:
A scoundrel or a fool can make the best of news seem bad.
"Don't judge a book by its cover" is the usual way of saying this, but it doesn't really convey the emotional weight of situations like

A brilliant symphony is premiered by an unsympathetic or incompetent orchestra and its genius remains unrecognized for years.
A child abandons her faith because her only reference point for the religion is her hypocritical family
An admirable proposition can be distorted into ridiculous Straw Man argument.
A new or nuanced idea is almost certainly going to be greeted with ridicule when it is first presented, especially if it threatens the status quo.

Surely this is an ancient insight. Am I just missing the obvious adage?

If you can answer this, then you aren't just another...

girlpublisher — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 20:45:25 -0800

Does anyone know the origin of the phrase "not just another pretty face"? I've tried searching online, but all I get are sites that use the phrase. I added search terms such as "origin", "source", "history", etc. to no avail. I also tried a couple of sites devoted to English language cliches. Help? Suggestion for search terms or non-online sources?

Why do surgeons have attitude?

Robert Angelo — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:35:29 -0800

Why do surgeons have "attitude?" I know the question relies on a cliche: The all-knowing, all-powerful, god-complex surgeon who lords it over patients and other members of the medical community. You see them on TV and sometimes encounter them in person. And of course this is not true of all surgeons, perhaps not of most, perhaps even of just a minority.

To the extent that there is a grain of truth to the cliche, why are some surgeons like that? Is it a result of their training? Or a lack of empathy? Or does the profession simply draw those who are more self-confident or ego-driven? Is there a generational change between older and younger surgeons? Are there studies of surgeons attitudes and manner, as perceived by patients? And if so, have those studies caused any change in the training of surgeons?

(And my apologies to any offended surgeons out there: Of course you aren't the one I'm asking about. And my sympathies to patients who have encountered one of these...)

Suddenly.... HAND SHOOTS OUT OF THE GROUND

ckolderup — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 07:45:37 -0800

Where does the "hand shooting up from out of the grave" movie cliché come from? I was talking to my fiancée about this recently and we were trying to recall all the movies, TV shows, etc. where we remember seeing this. I know it's been in lots of things, but the first two I came up with were the Gorillaz music video for "Clint Eastwood" and the end of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2. I couldn't remember if that specific image was part of the grave escape scene in Kill Bill Vol. 2 or not.

Is there some classic horror movie that started the trend?

Help me identify this cliche

lalalana — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 13:07:39 -0800

Help me identify/find examples of this movie/tv relationship cliche: attractive, intelligent, uptight, bossy woman plus attractive, jocky, loose cannon, cocky-funny guy equals sparks fly, with arguing ? Maybe like Moonlighting? I haven't seen the show since I was a kid, but it seems right. Maybe also like Baloo and Rebecca from the Disney TV show TailSpin (except sexier and not as, you know, furry)? Maybe like X-Files except Mulder's not flirty enough and Scully's too nice?

Any examples? This is a cliche, right?

STOP, in the name of a heated discussion!

nervestaple — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:26:35 -0800

Can you really push the "stop elevator" button without getting in trouble? I've been wondering about this romantic-comedy cliche: can you really stop an elevator without summoning the fire department? It seems like movie characters can simply jam the "stop elevator" button, have a discussion (or a "discussion"), then continue on their merry way. Sometimes a ringing bell sounds while the elevator is stopped, but there don't seem to be any repercussions after the fact.

What REALLY happens, besides forcing other annoyed patrons to use the stairs? Is only the local control system alerted, or does it notify emergency services? Or nothing at all?

Ring Around the Rosy

blue grama — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 13:05:17 -0800

What movie first used the two-person romantic ring-around-the-rosy routine? Where did this movie cliche originate? Two characters stand facing each other, grasp each others' hands, and swing each other round and round. We see the twirling through the eyes of one of the characters (looking at the other). The characters are deliriously happy.

Also, what would you call that?

Annoying Hollywood cliches?

Acey — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 03:12:17 -0800

After reading this question from last week I began to wonder: Are there any conventions/cliches in fiction that stray so far from reality that they distract you from the believability of the story and have no story telling merit? I am very interested in writing fiction, and I know that there are some things that crop up again and again in stories that are pure inventions of "Hollywood" and are carried over from one work to the next and would never happen in the real world, but still are rarely corrected or questioned. For instance, a car would very rarely explode in a crash or even when shot at, and it annoys me when it happens in fiction, sometimes so much so that it spoils my enjoyment (assuming it is meant to be taken as serious). So the question is: are there any examples of things that are often included in serious fiction that annoy you? I love it when a writer surprises the audience by presenting them with a style that makes the cliches really stand out, so what should I avoid?

Classical cliches

hoverboards don't work on water — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 10:57:30 -0800

Name some ubiquitous classical music for me, please. There are some pieces of classical music which have become almost cliches of the genre because of their popularity and continued ubiquitous use in film and TV. For example, there is Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, often used as a leitmotif for posh, stately, aristocratic characters and scenes, Orff's O Fortuna, usually used in horror films, and Pachelbel's Canon in D Major, used absolutely everywhere...

These are songs which probably 99% of the population has heard, but most couldn't name. At least, I'm sure that's true for me, as there are lots of other tunes like this which I can hum, but can't track down.

Can you name some of these classical cliches? And perhaps mention where they are used, or if there's a particular use that has propelled them to fame? Thanks!

How to find cliche background music that sounds like fake old TV commercials

Wild_Eep — Sat, 20 Aug 2005 20:45:49 -0800

Audio Production filter: I'm looking for background music for an audio project. The problem is, I don't know how to describe it. It's what I would call '1950's americana marketing music' or maybe 'bouncy happy super-retro cliche music'. See inside for a link to an example... I swear, this stuff is all over the place, but because I don't know how to describe it, I don't know how to find it! Anyway, I heard an example of it on a podcast and isolated it. (The podcast is "Distorted View", and not something I listen to anymore. I tried emailing the host of the podcast but got no response.) Can someone help me find a source for more of this cliche music? Or even a few words that would describe this genre better? As promised, here's the example.

In Soviet Union, $noun $verbs you!

adzm — Fri, 06 May 2005 00:44:21 -0800

In Soviet Union, $noun $verbs you! What is the origin of this meme? It's everywhere online. Searching google and mefi/askmefi havn't helped... someone must know!

my life is becoming a cliche.

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Apr 2005 15:26:36 -0800

I have this embarassing problem related to being a 40 year old male. I am a 40 year old married male with four kids. Life isn't bad. But I can feel this midlife crisis just over the horizon, and it's terribly embarassing because it's such a cliche. I want to get a motorcycle, or a miata. I sometimes notice the women at work. I have the urge to get a tacky body piercing, or a tattoo. The thing is, I love my family, don't really want to die in a fiery car accident, cheat on my wife, become a gold-medallioned swinger, join a monastery, etc.

I feel essentially selfish and emotionally retarded bringing this up, because it sounds like such a tacky joke.

So--have you felt a midlife crisis coming on? Any tips for moving past it? Is there a good book on this that I could read? Is there some sort of aversion therapy involving repeated viewings of American Beauty that I need to do? Despite my tone, I really am looking for good advice about this.

In movies and tv, why does a phone go to dial tone after someone hangs up?

stopgap — Sun, 16 Jan 2005 20:20:01 -0800

In movies and on TV, why does a phone go to dial tone after someone hangs up? Is there a phone system somewhere that really does that?

What's the origin of "Long time x, first time y?"

majick — Wed, 22 Dec 2004 11:25:52 -0800

What is the origin of the awkward sentence fragment construction "Long time [something], first time [something else]?" I've been seeing it written (here and elsewhere) with increasing frequency over the last couple of years. It has the ring of a catch phrase being parroted, but as someone with a patchy at best grasp on pop culture, I'm unable to determine its roots. I've found there are too many variants of this phrase to effectively Google up a source, unfortunately. I don't even know the actual phrase that I suspect is being [mis]parroted!