Mental Floss

MOVIES







Despite what you might have heard (or seen on the big screen), famed composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart probably wasn’t poisoned by Antonio Salieri—but he did spend time with a young Marie Antoinette and keep a starling as a pet.

Ailsa Ross


Nobody puts Nomi in a corner.

“Showgirls” was one of the biggest box-office bombs of the 1990s, but this 1995 erotic drama about an exotic dancer turned Vegas showgirl has since become the stuff of midnight movie gold.

Garin Pirnia
Moviegoers were donning these glasses to take in a 3D film way before you thought they were.

Discover the intriguing origins of everything from Oreos to Juicy Fruit gum to sparkling water, exploring their hidden histories and unexpected beginnings, from vaudeville fads to accidental inventions.

Ellen Gutoskey


George Miller at the premiere of "Three Thousand Years Of Longing"

Even after the success of 'Mad Max: Fury Road,' 'Happy Feet' remains George Miller's biggest hit.

Michele Debczak






The real-life 'Amityville Horror' house looks a little different these days.

Learn more about the supernatural incidents that inspired haunted house movies like ‘The Amityville Horror’ and ‘The Conjuring,’ and discover the truth behind the scares.

Garin Pirnia








Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder star in 'Blazing Saddles' (1974).

Mel Brooks’s audacious comedy was the first movie to incorporate audible flatulence (though the offending noises were muted when the film aired on television).

Mark Mancini
Meryl Streep.

Meryl Streep is one of the most acclaimed actresses in Hollywood history. Discover how this Oscar-winning star got her start—and how her first Academy Award ended up on a bathroom floor.

Jake Rossen