Top 10 Uses of Foreshadowing in Movies
We definitely should have seen that coming! Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Instances of Foreshadowing in Film. For this list, we are looking at those big screen moments that seemed inconspicuous or irrelevant, but ended up predicting an important part of the movie. As you can expect, there are some MAJOR spoilers ahead, so spoiler alert!
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#10: Grace’s Death “Avatar” (2009)
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Sigourney Weaver playing a fierce, independent woman in space? Stop me if you’ve heard that one before. Weaver plays Dr. Grace Augustine who runs the Avatar Program on Pandora. Early in the film, when asked about the Tree of Souls, she boldly states “I’d die to get a sample”. While this was in line with her character’s nature, it would come full circle at the end of the film when she is mortally wounded and carried to the tree.
#9: Man’s Red Fire “The Jungle Book” (1967)
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While foreshadowing can be “hit-you-over-the-head” obvious, Disney went for the more subtle route in “The Jungle Book”. The “I Wanna Be Like You” number is one of the more memorable songs from the Disney pantheon, but it also revealed how the film would end. Wishing to be human, King Louie asks Mowgli to teach him to make fire, which he believes separates animals from man. Of course, Mowgli eventually defeats the ferocious Shere Khan by tying flaming branches to his tail, which proves Louie’s theory.
#8: Verbal Kint’s Story “The Usual Suspects” (1995)
You can’t have an incredible twist ending without subtle indicators throughout the film that make the audience say “I should have seen that coming” after a second viewing. In a movie littered with foreshadowing, one of the best examples is the gold lighter and watch that Keyser Soze has at the beginning of “The Usual Suspects,” which are given back to Verbal Kint as part of his personal belongings when he leaves the police station. You can also pick up on subtle clues like Kint looking at various objects in the detective’s office, including the bottom of a coffee cup with the name “Kobayashi” printed on it.
#7: Ed’s Plan “Shaun of the Dead” (2004)
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Whenever a break-up occurs, it seems like the advice given by the best friend is always the same: get drunk. While Ed’s plan seems entirely geared towards getting the pair hammered, it actually predicts the next day’s events perfectly. The pair kills a zombie named Mary, discovers that Shaun’s stepdad has been bitten on the neck by a zombie, rescues Liz and her friends Dave and Diane, and pretends to be zombies to get inside the Winchester Pub, where they end up making a last stand with a rifle. The plot of the entire film is revealed in literally less than 10 seconds.
#6: A Fistful of Dollars “Back to the Future Part II” (1989)
Marty McFly taking a page out of the Man with No Name’s book? How awesome is that! In the second installment of this trilogy, Marty confronts alternate-1985 Biff, who’s sitting in a hot tub a woman under each arm watching “A Fistful of Dollars”. The specific scene that appears on the television is when Clint Eastwood uses a hidden plate to block the bad guy’s bullets. It is clear Marty saw this scene as well, as he uses the exact same technique in the third film to save his own life in a duel against Biff’s ancestor, Buford “Mad Dog” Tannen.
#5: “You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” “The Dark Knight” (2008)
Anyone who knows the story of Batman was well aware of Harvey Dent’s impending downfall before the film even started. Still, that doesn’t make this quote by Harvey any less significant. When Batman saves Harvey after he is captured by the Joker, the decorated District Attorney begins to drift into madness due to the severe burns on his body and the guilt he feels over Rachel’s death. Robbed of his chance to die a hero, Harvey turns into Two-Face, and begins terrorizing those he blames for Rachel’s death by deciding their fate with a coin toss.
#4: X Marks the Spot “The Departed” (2006)
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The phrase “X marks the spot” usually signifies treasure or a reward. In Martin Scorsese’s world, however, X signifies impending doom. Scorsese scattered X’s throughout the crime drama – we see them in the form of graffiti, handwriting, floor patterns, and shadows, to name a few. All of the characters that appeared on-screen with an X in the frame ended up dying at some point in the movie. The only two main characters that never appeared on screen with an X? Alec Baldwin and Mark Wahlberg.
#3: Dr. Grant’s Raptor Story “Jurassic Park” (1993)
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“Jurassic Park” is a movie littered with foreshadowing, including a scene where Dr. Grant ties his seatbelt together, indicating how the dinosaurs found a way to breed despite the fact that they were all female. It is Dr. Grant’s story about Velociraptors at the beginning of the film, however, that earns a spot on our list. The paleontologist describes how raptors worked together in groups to trap their prey while also commenting on how clever they are. We later see this come to fruition when raptors ambush and kill Robert Muldoon, and when they corner the children in the kitchen.
#2: Luke’s Vision in the Cave “Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back” (1980)
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From Plato to Aladdin to Harry Potter, caves always seem to play an important role when they are featured in a story. When Luke enters the Dagobah cave, he asks Yoda what he will find, to which Yoda responds “Only what you take with you”. Luke sees a vision of Vader in the cave and strikes him down, only to see his own face under the mask, revealing what would happen if Luke turned to the dark side of the Force. This neat little piece of foreshadowing also hints at the deeper, soon-to-be-revealed relationship between Luke and Vader himself. Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions: - Loki’s Smirk “The Avengers” (2012) - Great with Animals “Fatal Attraction” (1987) - Opening Credits “Final Destination” (2000) - Taxidermy “Psycho” (1960) - Death by Coin “X-Men: First Class” (2011)
#1: Power Loader “Aliens” (1986)
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The top spot on our list goes to one of the best action films ever created. Sigourney Weaver makes another appearance in our countdown, this time as Ellen Ripley. Ripley’s claim that an alien killed all of the crew on the Nostromo is initially met with skepticism. In an effort to fit in with the marines, Ripley demonstrates her ability with a Power Loader, a powered exoskeleton that helps boost the endurance and strength of the wearer. Ripley’s prowess with the machine is important as she would later use it to help defeat the alien queen in an epic stand-off. Do you agree with our list? What is your favourite instance of foreshadowing in film? For more exhilarating Top10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.