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Movie references and other pop culture nods by GRRM in ASOIAF


Khal Pono

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Most of us agree that GRRM has scattered occasional pop culture references throughout his ASOIAF books, primarily of the film-related variety. Some of these knowing are little winks at the reader, while others may be unitentional echoes of works that have influenced him.

Please try to list all the references you believe you have picked up on.

The first ones that come to my mind are (I know these have probably been mentioned before, but I thought it would be fun to collect them all in one therad):

* Early sequences in book 1 involving Jon Snow, Sam and Alliser Thorne seem to draw heavily on the brutal drill instructor trope that has appeared in many war films, but most memorably in Full Metal Jacket. Like in that movie, we have the fat and inept new recruit, the insult-spewing sergeant, the thoughtful more competent recruit who tries to befriend the fat one, and a scene involving late night hazing/threatening in the barracks

* Oberyn Martell's repetitive dialogue in Tyrion's seond trial by combat was almost certainly influenced by the "you killed my father, prepare to die" catch phrase spoken by Indigo Montoya in The Princess Bride.

* I think there was a Monty Python and the Holy Grail reference in ADWD. Something about farting in someone's "general direction"

I'm sure there are a lot more movie references; music and comic books too. Which have you noticed?

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When Catelyn makes her citizen's arrest of Tyrion at the Inn in the Riverlands, three of the men are called Lharys, Mohor, and Kurleket; if you know anything about the Three Stooges you'll recognise these guys as Larry, Mo and Curly.

One of the Volantine triarches is called Belichio, who had an unbeaten ring of triumphs until giants ate him. This is a reference to Bill Belichick; coach for the New England Patriots, who almost had a perfect season in 2007, only to lose the Superbowl to the New York Giants.

You can take some characters names and get interesting references; the two faced Janos Slynt resembles Janus, the two faced God. The Kettleblack brothers, who accuse Margaery of treason when they know full well they and Cersei have committed treason invoke the old phrase "pot calling the Kettle black". Lancel is similar to Lancelot, the legendary knight who was cuckolding Queen Guinevere behind King Arthur's back, like Lancel is doing with Robert.

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Valar Morghulis.

There were a few LotR nods other than that, but at the moment I cannot recall them.

Having a character called Sam that has a strong relationship with a protagonist for one. One of the Night's Watch towers is called Oakenshield as well.

The books are actually loaded with literary references. There's an Archmaester who wrote "time is a wheel" called Rigney, the Wheel of Time author Robert Jordan's real name is Rigney.

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I'll have to put some thought into it, but the "nipples on a breastplate" line I thought was a reference to the old Batman movies. Batman and Robin, I believe.

For some reason I associate Euron Greyjoy with an evil Captain Jack Sparrow, but perhaps that is my own imagination. :lol:

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Alys Karstark kneeling down and saying to Jon,

“You are my only hope, Lord Snow. In your father’s name, I beg you. Protect me.”

Always makes me think of princess Leia saying 'help me, Obi Wan, you're my only hope'.

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