User:A-Dust/Sandbox4
There are many references to the real world film industry within the Grand Theft Auto series, appearing throughout the series from Grand Theft Auto 1 to Grand Theft Auto IV. These are mainly in missions featuring similar stories and elements of actual films or in-game films featuring similar plots and/or names. Video games from the series have also appeared in films subsequent to the games release.
Grand Theft Auto
- References
- Taxi Driver: Travis, one of the protagonist options, has a similar appearance to Travis Bickle, the films main character, both sporting mohawks.
- Speed: A side mission in the game features the protagonist having to drive a bus at high speed to avoid the vehicle from exploding.
- Referenced
- Blackwoods: The game is played in the film.
- The Toybox: The game is referenced in the film.
- Du and jag: The game is referenced in the film.
- Skeleton Key 2: 667 Neighbor of the Beast: The game is referenced in the film.
- Funny People: The game is referenced in the film.
- The Other Guys: The game is referenced in the film.
- References
Film name | Release year | Reference |
---|---|---|
Taxi Driver | 1976 | Travis, one of the protagonist options, has a similar appearance to Travis Bickle, the films main character, both sporting mohawks. |
Speed | 1994 | A side mission in the game features the protagonist having to drive a bus at high speed to avoid the vehicle from exploding. |
- Referenced
Film name | Release year | Reference |
---|---|---|
Blackwoods | 2002 | The game is played in the film. |
Resident Evil Apocalypse | 2004 | One of characters, when running past a zombiefied police officer, shouts "GTA, motherfucker, 10 points" in reference to the ability to score points introduced in the first Grand Theft Auto game. |
The Toybox | 2005 | The game is referenced in the film. |
Du & jag | 2006 | The game is referenced in the film. |
Skeleton Key 2: 667 Neighbor of the Beast | 2008 | The game is referenced in the film. |
Funny People | 2009 | The game is referenced in the film. |
The Other Guys | 2010 | The game is referenced in the film. |
Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 & Grand Theft Auto: London 1961
- References
Film name | Release year | Reference |
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Goldfinger | 1964 | The James Bomb is a reference to James Bond and is similar to the Aston Martin DB5. |
Thunderbirds Are Go | 1966 |
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Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery | 1997 | The Jug Swinger is based on the Jaguar E-Type used by Austin Powers, including the Union Jack paint work. |
The Avengers | 1998 | The Jugular E is similar in appearance to the Jaguar E-Type seen in the film, and is also available in the same colour. |
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The James Bomb.
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The Fab.
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The Jug Swinger.
GTA III Era
- References
Film name | Release year | Reference |
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The Simpsons Movie | 2007 | Homer Simpson is seen playing Grand Theft Walrus, which features a similar logo to that used in the Grand Theft Auto series since Grand Theft Auto III. |
Grand Theft Auto III
- References
Film name | Release year | Reference |
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42nd Street | 1933 | The film is referenced with a poster for a play called 69th Street. |
Guys and Dolls | 1955 | Along with the musical, the film is referenced with a poster for a play called Guys and Dogs. |
My Fair Lady | 1964 | Along with the musical, the film is referenced with a poster for a play called My Fair Ladyboy. |
Play Misty for Me | 1971 | The mission Drive Misty For Me is named after the film. |
The Godfather | 1972 | The names of Leone Family, Salvatore Leone and Joey Leone are references to the Corleone Family, Vito Corleone and Michael Corleone. |
Saturday Night Fever | 1977 | The film is referenced with a poster for a play called Saturday Night Beaver. |
Annie | 1982 | The film and the musical are referenced with a poster for a play called Fannie. |
The Pirates of Penzance | 1983 | Along with the musical, the film is referenced with a poster for a play called Pirates in Mens Pants. |
Scarface | 1983 | Most of the songs from the film are played on Flashback FM. |
This is Spinal Tap | 1984 | An advertisement for the Dormatron mentions setting 'it to 11', a reference to the phrase 'up to eleven' popularised in the film This is Spinal Tap. |
Goodfellas | 1990 | The film is referenced through an in-game poster for the film Badfellas. The poster also features an image of Salvatore Leone, voiced by Frank Vincent who appeared in the film. |
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer | 1990 | The closing cutscene of GTA III, after The Exchange, features Claude and Maria Latore walking into the Cochrane Dam before the screen goes black and a gun shot is heard. The possibility of Claude killing Maria is similar to Henry (played by Michael Rooker) in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, who kills his girlfriend at the end of the film. |
Boyz n the Hood | 1991 | The film is referenced through the Toyz van, which features the a logo reading Toyz'N The'Hood. |
Cats | 1998 | Along with the musical, the film is reference with a poster for a play called Rats. |
Payback | 1999 | The plot line of the film involves a criminal (Porter, played by Mel Gibson) being left for dead after being shot during an armed robbery by his partners in crime. The films main gang also sends out a hit squad to kill Porter and the film ends with Porter and call girl Rosie leaving for their new life after the death of the gangs leaders. This is similar to how Claude is shot and left for dead by Catalina and Miguel, before killing Catalina and leaving with Maria Latore. Claude is also attacked by a Colombian Cartel death squad. |
- Referenced
Film name | Release year | Reference |
---|---|---|
Stuart Little 2 | 2002 | George Little, played by Jonathan Lipnicki, and his friend can be seen playing the game. |
Malibu's Most Wanted | 2003 | Brad "B-Rad G" Gluckman, played by Jamie Kennedy, sees off an ambush from a rival gang. He later states he learnt how through GTA III. |
The Return of the Forest Monster | 2003 | A character in the film can be seen playing the game. |
Kuya | 2004 | Ferdie, played by Oyo Boy Sotto, can be seen playing the game. |
National Lampoon's Adam & Eve | 2005 | The GTA III game case can be seen during the film. |
This is... Amir | 2009 | Amir, played by Amir Bradley, can be seen playing the game. |
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The 69th Street poster.
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The Guys and Dogs poster.
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The My Fair Ladyboy poster.
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The Saturday Night Beaver poster.
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The Fannie poster.
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The Pirates in Mens Pants poster.
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The Badfellas poster, featuring Salvatore Leone (left).
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The Toyz'N The'Hood logo.
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The Rats poster.
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The final cutscene of GTA III during The Exchange, similar to Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and Payback.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- References
Film name | Release year | Reference |
---|---|---|
Dracula | 1931 | A poster inside Funeraria Romero is taken from the film, featuring Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula, with graffiti added in pen. |
Casablanca | 1942 | The last line of the film, "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship", is used in the final mission Keep Your Friends Close.... Tommy Vercetti tells Ken Rosenberg, "You know, Ken. This could be the beginning of a beautiful business relationship". |
Easy Rider | 1969 | The Angel, with its patriotic paint work, is similar to the motorcycle owned by Peter Fonda in the film. |
The Godfather | 1972 | In the mission Supply & Demand, Tommy Vercetti shouts that he hopes the people in a rival boat "Sleep with the fish", a reference to the film where Luca Brasi is 'sleeping with the fishes' after being murdered. |
The Godfather Part II | 1974 | The mission Keep Your Friends Close... is a reference to the line "He taught me: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer." from Michael Corleone. |
Jaws | 1975 |
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Smokey and the Bandit | 1977 | Burt Reynolds voices Avery Carrington who has a similar appearance and acts in a similar way to Bandit, Reynolds character in the film. |
Grand Theft Auto | 1977 | A mansion with a Porsche appears in the film while a mansion with a similar appearance appears on Starfish Island with a parked Comet, which is based on the Porsche 911. |
Close Encounters of the Third Kind | 1977 | The film is paradied with an in-game poster for the film Closer Encounters. |
The Driver | 1978 |
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Warum die UFOs unseren Salat klauen | 1980 | The UFO seen at the InterGlobal Studios is similar in appearance to the one featured in the film. |
Mommie Dearest | 1981 | The anger shown by Maude Hanson towards children is a reference to the films depiction of Joan Crawford's (played by Faye Dunaway) anger towards her adopted daughter Christina. |
Nice Dreams | 1981 | The film features Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong selling drugs while posing as ice cream vendors. In the game Maude Hanson and later Tommy Vercetti use The Cherry Popper Ice Cream Factory as a front to distribute drugs. |
Friday the 13th Part III | 1982 | In the film serial killer Jason Voorhees first acquires his infamous hockey mask, which appears as part of the outfit used during The Job. |
All the Right Moves | 1983 | The movie is referenced on removal vans for Haul with the slogan "The Right Moves". |
Scarface | 1983 |
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Red Dawn | 1984 | A radio advertisement for Ammu-Nation refers to the film, involving a fictional Soviet invasion of the United States, as being a documentary. |
This Is Spinal Tap | 1984 | The band Love Fist are a parody of Spinal Tap. |
Rambo: First Blood Part II | 1985 |
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Commando | 1985 | The movie is parodied with Exploder: Evacuator Part II, both featuring soldiers whose families are kidnapped. |
Top Gun | 1986 | The movie is referenced with the Top Fun vehicle. |
Wall Street | 1987 | A pedestian in Vice City, who has a similar appearance to the films main character Gordon Gekko, states "Greed is good". |
Alien Nation | 1988 | The film features a human and an alien working together as police officers, which is used as the plotline for the in-game television series Yuppie and the Alien. |
The Serpent and the Rainbow | 1988 | Haitian gangsters in the game can be heard saying "I want to hear you scream!", a line from the movie, which is set in Haiti. |
Reservoir Dogs | 1992 | The game features a phone contact Mr. Black and a hitman named Mr. Teal, much like criminals in the film use colours as code names to avoid arrest from the police. |
Demolition Man | 1993 | The film name is used for a mission from Avery Carrington. |
Carlito's Way | 1993 | The character of Ken Rosenberg is based on the character David Kleinfeld from the film, played by Sean Penn. As well as physical similarities, they are both cocaine addicts and have similar looking offices. |
No Escape | 1994 | A mission of the same name appears in the game. Both also feature Ray Liotta (who voices Tommy Vercetti). |
Speed | 1994 | The films storyline, of having to drive a vehicle above a certain speed to avoid detonating a bomb placed inside a vehicle, is used in the mission Publicity Tour. |
Heat | 1995 | The film features a bank robbery performed by a small crew who are ambushed as they leave by the police. The crews getaway driver Donald Breedan (played by Dennis Haysbert) is also killed in a gun fight outside the bank. This is similar to the mission The Job, where a small crew (Tommy Vercetti, Phil Cassidy, Cam Jones and Hilary King) rob a bank. The police later arrive and kill the getaway driver, King. |
Donnie Brasco | 1997 | The film features "Sonny Black", having lost the money of "Sonny Red" in a sting in Florida, stating that when they find the man responsible they'll "cut his prick off". This is similar to Tommy Vercetti, having lost Sonny Forelli's money in an ambush, promising to "mail you the dicks of those responsible" |
- Referenced
Film name | Release year | Reference |
---|---|---|
The Football Factory | 2004 | A character in the film can be seen playing GTA Vice City. |
The Last Run | 2004 | Jack, played by Steven Pasquale, mentions playing the game. |
Mean Creek | 2004 | A poster appears in the George's (Josh Peck) room. |
Spider-Man 2 | 2004 | Peter Parker (Spider-Man, played by Tobey Maguire) does several odd jobs to earn money, including delivering pizzas, much like the player can have Tommy Vercetti do. |
National Lampoon's Adam & Eve | 2005 | A number of posters for GTA Vice City appear inside the frathouse. |
Spider-Man 3 | 2007 | Spider Man (Peter Parker, played by Tobey Maguire), makes reference to in-game clothing. |
Drillbit Taylor | 2008 | Bob "Drillbit" Taylor (played by Owen Wilson) raps "I'm the king of Vice City". |
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The poster of Bela Lugosi from Dracula and the same image in Funeraria Romero.
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The Angel motorcycle.
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Poster for the film Bite.
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Poster for the film Closer Encounters.
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Tommy Vercetti attempting to hire Hilary King as a getaway driver.
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Maude Hanson displaying her anger towards children while talking to Tommy Vercetti.
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Tommy Vercetti distributing drugs from an ice cream truck.
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The Bank Job Outfit featuring a hockey mask similar to that worn by Jason Voorhees.
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The Haul logo with the slogan "The Right Moves".
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Tommy Vercetti in a Hawaiian shirt, similar to Tony Montana.
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Tommy Vercetti wearing the Mr. Vercetti Outfit.
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Tommy Vercetti and Lance Vance about to kill Ricardo Diaz, much like Tony Montana kills his former boss in Scarface.
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The office inside the mansion owned by Tommy Vercetti.
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The bloody bathroom in Apartment 3C with a chainsaw also present.
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The interior of the Malibu Club, similar to the Babylon club in Scarface.
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The office inside the Malibu Club, featuring the large mural (left).
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The shootout during Keep Your Friends Close....
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Love Fist, a parody of Spinal Tap.
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A poster for the Exploder: Evacuator Part II poster.
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The Top Fun van.
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A Yuppie and the Alien poster.
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Ken Rosenberg inside his office.
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Tommy Vercetti and Love Fist listening to a tape recording from The Psycho during Publicity Tour.
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Hilary King falling to the ground after being killed by police during The Job.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- References
Film name | Release year | Reference |
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Psycho | 1960 | A caller to the Lonely Hearts show on West Coast Talk Radio says tells host Christy MacIntyre "I'm watching you Marion in the shower", a reference to the death of Marion Crane in the film. |
Easy Rider | 1969 | The Truth, voiced by Peter Fonda, is a parody of Wyatt, played by Fonda, from the film. |
Farewell My Lovely | 1975 | The films name is used for the name of a mission, Farewell, My Love.... |
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope | 1977 | The line "Great kid! Don't get cocky!" from Han Solo (played by Harrison Ford) is used by Zero in the mission Air Raid. |
Moonraker | 1979 | The parachute in the game is identical to the one used by James Bond (played by Sir Roger Moore. |
Easy Rider | 1969 | The Truth, voiced by Peter Fonda, is a parody of Wyatt, played by Fonda, from the film. |
First Blood | 1982 | Angel Pine is similar to the town of Hope, Washington (filmed in Hope, British Columbia) that John Rambo escapes from. |
Scarface | 1983 | Tony, the parrot inside Caligula's Palace, says "I never fucked anyone over in my life who didn't have it coming to 'em" in Intensive Care, much like Tony Montana. |
Red Dawn | 1984 | A radio advertisement for Ammu-Nation refers to the film, involving a fictional Soviet invasion of the United States, as being a documentary. |
To Live and Die in L.A. | 1985 | The car chase from the mission Just Business, involving Big Smoke and Carl Johnson attempt to escape the attention of the Russian Mafia is taken from the film. |
Film personnel
Film name | Date of birth | Reference |
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Arnold Schwarzenegger | July 30, 1947 | Arnold Schwarzenegger is paradied in Grand Theft Auto III by Chuck Schwartz, who appears in advertisements for the film Half-Cocked, which is a likely reference to Schwarzenegger's previous steroid use and testicular atrophy, a known of steroid use. The films tagline is "One Man, One Night, One Gun", a reference to Schwarzenegger's usual action film roles. |
Quentin Tarantino | March 27, 1963 | The "trunk shot", involving a camera looking up at characters from within the boot of a car, is viewed as a trademark of Tarantino, as a director and an actor. The trunk shot appears in Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, From Dusk till Dawn, Kill Bill Volume 1 and Inglorious Basterds. The trunk shot appears during the mission Rub Out as Tommy Vercetti and Lance Vance prepare to kill Ricardo Diaz, most resembling the trunk shot from Pulp Fiction. |
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The Half-Cocked film poster.
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The "trunk shot" in the mission Rub Out.
Other
Name | Date | Reference |
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Slasher films | 1980s | The slasher film genre, most popular in the 1980s, is parodied in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City with the film Knife After Dark. Slasher film series of the 1980s include Friday the 13th, Halloween (although the first film was released in 1978) and A Nightmare of Elm Street. |
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The Knife After Dark poster.