Mental Floss

MOVIES

The Wilhelm Scream sound effect has been heard in everything from 'Star Wars' to 'Avatar.' But why do so many filmmakers use it?

Sean Hutchinson




Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy, and Stacey Dash in 'Clueless' (1995).

Whether you loved high school or hated it, filmmakers seem determined to give you as many opportunities as possible to relive it.

April Snellings




Robert Shaw, Robert Redford, and Paul Newman in The Sting (1973).

As Khan Noonien Singh once said, “revenge is a dish best served cold,” and cinema is filled with stories where vengeance and retribution gets served with chilling brutality and precision. Here are 25 of the best of those tales.

Todd Gilchrist


Keanu Reeves stars in John Wick (2014).

'John Wick,' the 2014 revenge thriller starring Keanu Reeves, started a film franchise full of bullets, chases, and plenty of ice baths for its leading man.

Jake Rossen








Betty White at a Los Angeles Zoo event in 2015.

'The Golden Girls' star Betty White met one spouse on a game show, broke an 'SNL' record, and loved animals more than anything.

Kristy Puchko


Meet the real 'Cocaine Bear.'

In 1985, authorities in Georgia found the decomposing body of a black bear next to 40 ripped-open packages of cocaine. No substantial quantities of the drug remained. How it happened is a story for the ages.

Kristin Hunt




The media mogul born ‘Orpah’ Winfrey has made quite a name for herself over the years.

Since making her national TV debut with ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show,’ Oprah has become a global icon. Discover more fascinating facts about her life here.

Rudie Obias