But how the hell did they get out of there?

[Icehaven]

Just watching Superman 2, and it's never explained how Lois and the newly de-powered Superman/Clark get away from the middle of icy nowhere where his special crystal house is, which I presume is in Alaska or something. One minute they're there and the next they're driving along in her car despite the fact he flew them there. It reminded me of the (generally awful) X Files film where they manage to get out of the underground bit, Scully is practically dying, and it even has a birdseye view shot to establish how they're in the middle of a vast arctic wasteland, but in the next scene they're back at the FBI with no explanation whatsoever as to how on earth they managed to get back alive. Did aliens give them a lift or something? Any other good examples of films with apparent casual teleportation?

[kidsick5000]

The Matrix has a huge glaring HTHDTGOOT.
Cypher pops into the Matrix to make a deal with Agent Smith in the restaurant, undetected by his crewmates. How?
You need another person to jack you into the system, another to get you out yet he's solo and unmonitored apparently.

[wheatgod]

Similar one I can remember from recent years is The Dark Knight, where Joker has taken over the party and chucked Rachel out the window. Batman saves her... but Joker is still in the party. What the frippacino happened?

[SavageHedgehog]

I also didn't quite get how he managed to get out of his cell

[An tSaoi]

In The Silence of the Lambs, Lecter is being prepared for transport to Memphis. He's in a straitjacket, strapped to a gurney, and has a cage over his face. He spots Dr Chilton's pen on the bed. When they land, Chilton can't find his pen. It later transpires that Lecter has stolen it, and he uses to pin the pick his handcuffs and escape.

Well... how did he get the pen?

[Serge]

I think you're meant to assume that Chilton leaves the pen on the bed, because his mind is full of ideas for furthering his own reputation and he's distracted by the conversation with Hannibal. Of course, logically, Barney would spot the pen and remove it before they freed Lecter from his restraints, but you're not meant to think of that. In terms of what the film shows, it's meant to be: Chilton leaves the pen and that's how Hannibal gets it. But it doesn't hold up to thinking about it.

If I remember rightly, in the book, he's meant to have had a pen nib hidden for a while, biding his time waiting for a moment to use it, but I guess that would have been harder to show in the film.

[An tSaoi]

I think you're meant to assume that Chilton leaves the pen on the bed, because his mind is full of ideas for furthering his own reputation and he's distracted by the conversation with Hannibal. Of course, logically, Barney would spot the pen and remove it before they freed Lecter from his restraints

But do they even free him from his restraints between then and Memphis? Why get him all strapped up only to untie him, then re-tie him again before they leave? I assumed he stayed in the straitjacket from the pen on the bed moment right until they put him in the cage. I think I need to rewatch it now...

Moving on, there's a particularly agitating example of this from The Simpsons. Homer has been tricked into missionary work on a tropical island, and after his attempt to introduce gambling fails, he gets the natives to build a church. The island volcano erupts, surrounding the spire, which begins to topple over into the lava. Just as it looks like Homer is facing certain death... they cut away as a joke and it's never explained. Similarly, the Lord of the Flies episode. The Moe explanation is just lazy.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Homer has been tricked into missionary work on a tropical island, and after his attempt to introduce gambling fails, he gets the natives to build a church. The island volcano erupts, surrounding the spire, which begins to topple over into the lava. Just as it looks like Homer is facing certain death... they cut away as a joke and it's never explained

Though to be honest it's already so awful most sane people should've stopped watching it by that point.

[SavageHedgehog]

Someone pointed out that Moe rescuing the kids could tie into the ending of The Homer They Fall. I don't believe for a second that's what the writers intended, but it's a cute idea

[Serge]

But do they even free him from his restraints between then and Memphis? Why get him all strapped up only to untie him, then re-tie him again before they leave? I assumed he stayed in the straitjacket from the pen on the bed moment right until they put him in the cage. I think I need to rewatch it now...

Oh yes, he's definitely freed between the two scenes. I haven't seen it for a while either, but I got the impression that there was meant to be a day or so between the cell scene and the Memphis scene. Of course, another objection is that Chilton would surely have noticed his missing pen before Memphis - presumably moving Lecter would necessitate paperwork? It's a fairly clumsily handled scene though, now you point it out. It makes sense in the movie, but falls apart when you try to apply the real world to it!

[phantom_power]

The Matrix has a huge glaring HTHDTGOOT.
Cypher pops into the Matrix to make a deal with Agent Smith in the restaurant, undetected by his crewmates. How?
You need another person to jack you into the system, another to get you out yet he's solo and unmonitored apparently.

he could have met with smith while doing some other bit of business in the matrix. not really a plot hole i would say, just something that hasn't been completely explained

[Serge]

I just mentioned Spielberg's 'War Of The Worlds' in another thread, and remembered a classic example of 'HTHDTGOOT' - Tom Cruise's son, last seen running over a hill towards the MARTIAN DEATH MACHINES locked in combat with HEAVY FUCKING ARTILLERY, somehow gets through that to make it to Boston before Tom does. BUT HOW?

[Dead kate moss]

Slightly tangentially, Return of The Jedi which I caught on TV yesterday, possibly has the most 'Bond-esque' You've got the heroes captured... just shoot them now! Don't imprison them, kill them! aaah, they escaped again ..." moments...

Not to mention The Emperor sitting on an explodable space-station with a shield-generator on a nearby moon protected by about thirty people... in a room with a huge power-reactor drop, and no guards to shoot Vader if he decides to not see his son killed....
ah, it was shittier than I remembered.

Oh and on-topic, how did Luke get off the Death Star? Nobody looked at him and dying Vader's direction for some reason in the hangar.

[Zero Gravitas]

Oh and on-topic, how did Luke get off the Death Star? Nobody looked at him and dying Vader's direction for some reason in the hangar.

Whenever you see something strange with continuity in Star Wars, a Jedi did it.

[Jumble Cashback]

Well, I've mentioned it before, but BOTH the original King Kong and the Peter Jackson remake fail to explain just how Denholm and his cohorts manage to get a church-sized ape to fucking New York with only a small (and heavily weathered in the latter film) fishing vessel as transportation.  What, you can add over an hour's running time, Jacko, but you can't throw in some explanatory dialogue?  You FUCK!

[Ignatius_S]

.....Oh and on-topic, how did Luke get off the Death Star? Nobody looked at him and dying Vader's direction for some reason in the hangar.

Given that the great big spaceship they were all on was about to blow up, I think their attention was with other matters.

[Gulftastic]

In The Silence of the Lambs, Lecter is being prepared for transport to Memphis. He's in a straitjacket, strapped to a gurney, and has a cage over his face. He spots Dr Chilton's pen on the bed. When they land, Chilton can't find his pen. It later transpires that Lecter has stolen it, and he uses to pin the pick his handcuffs and escape.

Well... how did he get the pen?

More improtantly, out of all the places they could have locked Lector up (police cell, secure mental hospital, prison), why did they think that a giant cage on the top floor of a library was the best idea?

[An tSaoi]

Oh yes, he's definitely freed between the two scenes. I haven't seen it for a while either, but I got the impression that there was meant to be a day or so between the cell scene and the Memphis scene.

One last question: why exactly did they tie him up in the cell scene anyway rather than have Chilton talk to him through the glass?

[kidsick5000]

he could have met with smith while doing some other bit of business in the matrix. not really a plot hole i would say, just something that hasn't been completely explained

But when they're in there, they are monitored all the time by the crew to watch out for agents in their vicinity.
Maybe it because I haven't got a decent answer for over 10years that's clouded my mind, but I'm sticking with major plot hole.

[kidsick5000]

I just mentioned Spielberg's 'War Of The Worlds' in another thread, and remembered a classic example of 'HTHDTGOOT' - Tom Cruise's son, last seen running over a hill towards the MARTIAN DEATH MACHINES locked in combat with HEAVY FUCKING ARTILLERY, somehow gets through that to make it to Boston before Tom does. BUT HOW?

Very annoying moment too, because other than that crappy addition, WOTW would have been a great film.
Especially annoying because had he just run over the hill, their'd be juuuuust a fraction of a possibility that he could have kept running and got away from the mayhem. But there is the mother of all fireballs that eliminate any atom of possible escape.
The ony brightside is that Spielberg does save it till the absolute very end of the film

[Dead kate moss]

Given that the great big spaceship they were all on was about to blow up, I think their attention was with other matters.

yea... and but nobody on the ship was supposed to check that The Emperor and Darth Vader are ok? The Emporer and Vader are off fighting somewhere with no troops gurading outside the door... 'How did they get out of there?'  (also, it should never been about to blow up, the rebels had no good way of destroying such a huge heavily armed destroyer, )

It's the shittiest trap in the universe. Needlessly dangerous and illogical. The Emp wants Luke to give in to his anger, kill Vader or try to kill him, Empie Palpitations, and his journey to The Dark Side will be complete... er, not it won't. Why would it? Luke could kill, justifiably and even calmy,  all those who have been killing his friends, and ruling the universe viciously,  then go home happy.

[Zero Gravitas]

But when they're in there, they are monitored all the time by the crew to watch out for agents in their vicinity.
Maybe it because I haven't got a decent answer for over 10years that's clouded my mind, but I'm sticking with major plot hole.

I haven't seen it in a while but in that instance isn't he using a keyboard and screen to control his interaction rather than the head plug thing. I think Neo comes up behind him during that scene and disturbs him?

[Serge]

One last question: why exactly did they tie him up in the cell scene anyway rather than have Chilton talk to him through the glass?

So they could have him leave his pen in the room!

Well, alright, you can make a case for it being Chilton on a power trip, it's certainly in keeping with his character that he'd want Lecter trussed up when there's no reason for it, just to let him know who's in charge.

Okay, I've just looked it up in the book. Lecter has to be taken out of his cell so that they can clean it, and when they go back in, Chilton is waiting for him, ready to taunt him. Chilton could have spoken to him from outside the cell, but likes his little power games.

More improtantly, out of all the places they could have locked Lector up (police cell, secure mental hospital, prison), why did they think that a giant cage on the top floor of a library was the best idea?

Again, something that's explained better in the book. Lecter agrees to go to Memphis in the book because Chilton has let it slip that he'll be in the custody of the police. Lecter knows that the police aren't going to be as watchful over his every move as Barney, which means he'll only have to bide his time before he can use his 'handcuff key'. The part about where he's being held reads as follows:

The Tennessee authorities were taking no chances with Hannibal Lecter. They were determined to hold him securely without exposing him to the dangers of the city jail.
Their answer was the former courthouse and jail, a massive Gothic-style structure built of granite back when labor was free. It was a city office building now, somewhat over-restored in this prosperous, history-conscious town.
Today it looked like a medieval stronghold surrounded by police.

I do remember that the reason there are only two cops guarding him on the night he escapes is explained better in the book. Lecter acts in a way that makes them believe he's a feeble, broken old man, and not being used to his mind games, the police don't see him as being as threatening as he really is.

[An tSaoi]

Excellent work Serge.

[kidsick5000]

I haven't seen it in a while but in that instance isn't he using a keyboard and screen to control his interaction rather than the head plug thing. I think Neo comes up behind him during that scene and disturbs him?

I guess he could set up the meet that way, ie making a phone next to an agent ring, but the actual get-in/get-out? Always shown as a minimum 2-person job.

[Saucer51]

Just watching Superman 2, and it's never explained how Lois and the newly de-powered Superman/Clark get away from the middle of icy nowhere where his special crystal house is

I'd like to know how General Zod and his cohorts can speak English.

In Trainspotting, how did convicted thief Renton get a job in London as an estate agent?

[lipsink]

I'd like to know how General Zod and his cohorts can speak English.

As a kid I thought Zod was saying to Marlon Brando: "You will bow down before me! Both you, and then one day, your ass!"

[Serge]

In Trainspotting, how did convicted thief Renton get a job in London as an estate agent?

I got the impression that the firm he was working for were slightly dodgy anyway, and probably didn't look at his (undoubtedly forged) references too closely. He's a better educated guy than he often lets on, though again, this is something that comes across better in the book than the film.

[An tSaoi]

Why did Diane's parents not bat an eyelid at their underage child bringing a strange man back to the house (even if she made him sleep in the hall)?

[gmoney]

Again that's something that's explained better in the book. Her parents are aware she goes clubbing and basically disapprove but are resigned to it, Renton paints himself as a friend of a friend who Diane let stay at hers because he's locked himself out. He manages to convince them he's harmless through his skill in blagging under pressure. Also in the book, it's the weekend and she doesn't come down in her school uniform, so it's not quite as jarring.