Mental Floss

POP CULTURE

You might want to give those 'Born in the U.S.A.' lyrics another look.

Bruce Springsteen's 'Born in the U.S.A.' isn't the patriotic anthem you think it is, and it turns out that 'Gangnam Style' has a real message behind it.

Erik van Rheenen, Scott Beggs


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










Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran rocks a mull—er, bi-level haircut.

Whether you lived through the ‘80s or merely have absorbed some details via 'Stranger Things,' take a look at some of the myths surrounding the "me decade."

Jake Rossen








Don’t let your favorite pop star drain your bank account.

There is a way to get those elusive tickets without the opening-day frenzy and having to empty your bank account—it all comes down to knowing when to buy concert tickets. 

Alexia Kontolemos


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