Haha! Some awesome ones in here.

PHONES CLICHÈS

    * All phone numbers begin with 555.

    * People speaking on the phone never introduce themselves, and never ever say "good-bye" at the end of a conversation.


    * When a phone line is broken or someone hangs up unexpectedly, communication channels can be restored by frantically beating the cradle and saying "Hello? Hello?".

    * The Movie Telephone Time Vortex.
      How often have you seen something like this:
      Phone rings. Hero/Heroine picks it up. "Hello. Yes. O.k. Right. Thanks, Goodbye." (Total elapsed time on phone: 5 seconds.)
      Hero/Heroine turns to other character: "That was John. He says that the Marilyn left for the lawyer's office about an hour ago, and she should have been there by now. He's called the lawyer's office but Marilyn apparently never got there. He also called Bill's, thinking she'd stop by there, but Bill hasn't seen her. John says he's going to call Anne, as Marilyn said she and Ann were going to go shopping sometime today. If she's not at Anne's, he's going to call the police. He suggests that we drive over to Mario's and check with him as to whether or not Marilyn told Wally about the statue. However, he thinks this is unlikely as Marilyn doesn't trust Wally, she only trusts us and Fransisco. John also suggests we try to get in touch with Fransisco . . . ."
    
* On the subject of phones, how about variations of the Bob Newhart-style conversation where we only get to hear one side of the conversation, as in: Marilyn hasn't shown up at the lawyer's office yet? (PAUSE) And you already called Bill's? (PAUSE) What did he say? (PAUSE) He hasn't seen her either. (PAUSE) So, John's getting nervous? (PAUSE) He's going to call the police...
      If I'm not mistaken, the conversation must have gone like this:
      "Marilyn hasn't shown up at the lawyer's office yet."
      "Marilyn hasn't shown up at the lawyer's office yet?"
      "No, and I've already called Bill's."
      "And you already called Bill's?"
      "Yes."
      "What did he say?"
      "He hasn't seen her either."
      "He hasn't seen her either."
      "John's getting pretty nervous about this."
      "So, John's getting nervous?"
      "Yes, he's going to call the police."
      "He's going to call the police..."
    

lol. That one about the phone is spot on.

Here's couple more....dunno if they've been mentioned:

-If a character is extremely good-willed, so good willed he/she could pass for an angel, he/she will die. Guaranteed. Even if it is the film's protagonist  (Pay it Forward). Or, if the character has a sudden epiphany or something really good happens in his/her life, it about 90% guaranteed that character will die too (Cruel Intentions) or lose a loved one.

-Horror: The toughest-lookin' SOB is always the first to go.  

-In movieland, you can meet, fall in love with a girl/guy, and have sex with him/her in a matter of days. And in some other times, even hours, despite the fact that the two characters did not express the least bit of interest in each other at any previous point in the movie. All this while one of the characters had been preaching for the whole movie to "wait for the right person".

-Coughing is an immediate sign of death approaching (Blade).

-Completely evil Villians that have no redeeming qualities are more likely to get away and escape the movie alive (or at least last longer) than the villians who actually show a glimpse of remorse for what they do.  

Quoted from Death Monkey PHONES CLICHÈS

The one I really hate -- but I don't think there is any way around it -- has occurred since the advent of the cell phone.

Every single horror movie or thriller of the last decade -- and from now on, I suppose -- is obligated to include a scene where it is established that thier cell phones are not working.

I just sit there waiting for it -- you know it's coming -- and once that is finally out of the way they can proceed with the story.

I am still trying to figure out something new to do with one of those scenes -- turn it on its ear somehow.

Quoted from bert I just sit there waiting for it -- you know it's coming -- and once that is finally out of the way they can proceed with the story. I am still trying to figure out something new to do with one of those scenes -- turn it on its ear somehow.

Make all your characters Amish.

Quoted from bert The one I really hate -- but I don't think there is any way around it -- has occurred since the advent of the cell phone. Every single horror movie or thriller of the last decade -- and from now on, I suppose -- is obligated to include a scene where it is established that thier cell phones are not working. I just sit there waiting for it -- you know it's coming -- and once that is finally out of the way they can proceed with the story. I am still trying to figure out something new to do with one of those scenes -- turn it on its ear somehow.

I think the cell-phone is the single most detrimental invention to screenwriting. This little annoying contraption makes sure your characters are in contact with civilization or law-enforcement where ever they go, UNLESS, as you mention you throw in a cliché about how it's not working or there's no coverage.

Consequently I'm setting all my scripts in the 1980's. A simpler time.

I saw a classic one in ‘We are Marshall’ the other night. Two friends are at the airport and there is only one seat left on the plane, so one can catch the plane and the other has to take a long drive home. They both selflessly offer the plane ride to each other. Eventually one of them accepts. When this happens you always know the plane is going to crash.

The Top 100 Things I'd Do If I Ever Became An Evil Overlord

That pretty much covers it.


Phil

Randomly scanning the thread I saw the reference to 555 phone numbers.  

As a sort of an FYI, all telephone numbers used in tv and film are (area code) 555-01XX.  Those are the only numbers that are cleared for use by the federal government.  It keeps your grandmother in Topeka from being called at 3AM when someone watches an episode of JERICHO.

I think cliches are pretty hard to avoid in trying to write a 90 page script because of act structure.
You have to have a certain criteria to fullfill and it seems cliches are almost as vital as the structure of the script itself when it comes to the crunch.

Its a shame because I reckon a lot of these movies that come out nowadays probably were without all these cliches until it falls into the hands of the producers - who want to rely on the formula that works and X ammount of rewrites then distort the script into just another genre movie.

Just looking at film adaptions of books - it's pretty rare that a movie is better, and possibly because of the time restraints and the structure that a movie needs. It's almost impossible to put an entire book into a film so you need the cliche as a short cut to get the nitty gritty.

Although horror films have a bad rep for cliches, and rightfully so, a lot of them go against the grain. It's probably why I find that genre so interesting because sometimes, the ending is not always a cliche of the good guy coming out victorious.

Quoted from Death Monkey I think the cell-phone is the single most detrimental invention to screenwriting. This little annoying contraption makes sure your characters are in contact with civilization or law-enforcement where ever they go, UNLESS, as you mention you throw in a cliché about how it's not working or there's no coverage. Consequently I'm setting all my scripts in the 1980's. A simpler time.

I was thinking this exact thought this morning, I am currently trying to write an adaptation of a novel that was written in the 70's but set in the near future. No matter how hard I try I just cannot get the story to work knowing what we now know and it is all to do with modern communications technology. it is a fantastic story but the plot just falls apart when you start thinking about mobile phones and the Internet. (The biggest problem with Blade Runner now for instance is the scene where he uses a pay phone!!) The only solutions I have at the moment Is that mobile phones are too expensive for the majority of people to afford or that they have been banned by the government - both ideas too weak.

Anyway my point was that I was watching 'No Country For Old Men' the other day and I marveled at how the Coen brothers dared make a movie with no mobile phones, no internet, no laptops etc.. and thought it would be really great to just pretend these things don't exist. But surely only the Coen brothers could get away with it?

And this morning i found out that the movie was actually set in the 80's, but I have no idea where that comes from because I have seen it twice now and read the script and at no point do i remember ever seeing or hearing a date mentioned - the only thing is that the novel must be set in the 80's so people just assume the movie is.

But it made the movie so much better, so much simpler.


Anyway talking about my current project brings me onto another cliche which i am trying to avoid - All cars in the future must float or fly - none of them can have wheels!!

Quoted from Tierney Randomly scanning the thread I saw the reference to 555 phone numbers.   As a sort of an FYI, all telephone numbers used in tv and film are (area code) 555-01XX.  Those are the only numbers that are cleared for use by the federal government.  It keeps your grandmother in Topeka from being called at 3AM when someone watches an episode of JERICHO.

That's fascinating. Thanks for the FYI!

Quoted from Death Monkey (very first post on this thread) I’ve never taken anyone to this place before… Here’s one from romantic comedies especially. Every Freddy Prinze Jr. flick has one of these moments. He’s on a date with his love-interest and he takes her to this amazing remote and magical place like a secluded orchard where he ”used to look at constellations and try to figure out the world” and he’s NEVER EVER taken anyone there before.

True, that is kind of dumb and ridiculous in a screenplay.  But that shit works in real life.  I think I've pulled that on just about every chick I've been with out at my uncle's lake.

One thing, though, as of only lately, that is starting to irk me is in every movie, when somebody says something cool-sounding, but out of character to somebody right before they kill them.

If you do it in real life, I have to admit... It's awesome and works really well.  But it's just sounding forced nowadays in movies.

eg. -  (HERO stares at the beat up VILLAIN on his knees.)    HERO: Step into my office.    VILLAIN: Why?    (HERO holds up his makeshift rubberband coolwhip can and sprays binaca on it.  VILLIAN goes up in flames.)  HERO: Cause you're fired.

Quoted from Murphy I was thinking this exact thought this morning, I am currently trying to write an adaptation of a novel that was written in the 70's but set in the near future. No matter how hard I try I just cannot get the story to work knowing what we now know and it is all to do with modern communications technology. it is a fantastic story but the plot just falls apart when you start thinking about mobile phones and the Internet.

One idea I'm slowly developing involves three people being chased through wine country.  I'll be setting it in the mid-seventies so no one has cell phones and the three would be isolated.

Also, the music of the time is so much better.



Phil

Quoted from dogglebe I'll be setting it in the mid-seventies so no one has cell phones

Crap.  I just wrote a story that's set in the mid-70's.  I have to go back and take the cell phone out.
Anybody have any ideas now how to rescue a hitchhiker being attacked by the driver?

And speaking of cliche's...

Quoted from rc1107 Anybody have any ideas now how to rescue a hitchhiker being attacked by the driver?

Don't pick up hitchhikers in the '70's, except if they have a six pack of Bud Light along with the bloody chainsaw...

Trucker might have seen something suspicious in the car and CB'd for help...