Getting Rid of the Cell

Here's an observation you might want to comment on..then again maybe not.

With today's technology you can place a call from anywhere in the world just by pulling out your cellular phone. I have come to realize that this will no doubt be a problem for modern movies, especially horror movies.

For example: a main character is in a dire situation, say an old house where a killer is ready to pounce at any second. After successfully trapping the killer in the basement, the lead character pulls out her cellphone and dials 911. End of movie--or end of suspense scene.

"Getting Rid of the Cell" is a phrase I made up that describes how a character will eliminate the use of his/her cellphone early on in the movie. When this happens, you know the character will inevitably need it later on in the picture.

What will be interesting to me is how film makers will "get rid of the cell". One movie I saw had a character try her phone only to have the words "No network available" flash on her display. In yet another movie, a man's phone simply reads "Low Battery".

So watch as writers and directors "get rid of the cell" in upcoming pictures.

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r66-The member who always asks WHY?

Intersting concept. but if you take it a bit further, this has been a problem all along in the greater scheme of writing. As you may be aware "Man vs Technology" one of the four prodoment themes. So the idea of cell phones is just a logical progression for it. In the 1970's for example, one could have asked "how to get rid of the LAN line".

I think your idea though is thought provocing to say the least. The obvious difference is in mobility. My movie for instance in from the <cough>classic</cough> "Enough" where J-Lo's charecter used a cell phone transmitting single jamming device.

Though this in of itself cant be used each time because really who would have such a device to pull out of their back pocket? lol

They can always just have the darn thing cut off right in the middle of a conversation like mine does…

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Another funny thing is how in some horror movies they try to explain to the police exactly what is going on and they never belive em. I want to say to the characters to just tell em your getting attacked and give em address, they will come. Dont tell em some mutant has just ate your best friend, they might laugh at you

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“The gladdest moment in human life, methinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton

Thought I'd bump this because it seems more true now than ever in movies. Every Horror movie made now (unless it's a period piece) has that scene in it where the cell phone is discussed, gotten rid of, or has no service.

don't forget the "damaged", "lost", or "battery dead" cell phones!

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Perhaps this isn't news, but I've noticed a slight uptick in the number of plot-related events centered around cell phones lately. That is to say, cell phones actively aid the characters (or villains) in inventive ways.

The Departed is a recent, obvious example. Characters throughout the film are repeatedly using their cell phones...the act of turning a phone off, sending a text message, or monitoring incoming cell phone calls all come into play at crucial moments. As does the act of calling someone only to learn they're nearby by recognizing their ringtone (though I suppose we can thank Jurassic Park III for that one, as well).

More recent still is Casino Royale, wherein Bond...


Personally, I dig it. These sorts of uses are interesting and ring true (no pun intended) as realistic techniques that spies, gangsters and government agents may actually use.

Forget the expletives in this clip, who knew there was an Open Water 2? And don't forget, these devices were once called "portable phones"...

note: there is use of the "f" word in this clip, I won't post the video here, but here's the link: