1. Answer: The Day the Earth Stood
Still (1951)
The most famous phrase in sci-fi history, "Klaatu Barada Nikto!" was
spoken in Robert Wise's sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still
(1951). It was recited by single mother/widow Helen Benson (Patricia
Neal) to stop nine-foot tall, all-powerful metallic robot companion-protector
Gort (Lock Martin) from a destructive rampage after its benevolent,
humanoid, interplanetary alien companion Klaatu (Michael Rennie)
was killed.
2. Answer: Halloween
Michael Myers was the mute, mask-wearing killer in the slasher
Halloween horror films, beginning in 1978 (where he was first
known as The Shape) and continuing to the present day. He brought
terror to his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois, usually on
Halloween night.
3. Answer: Six
There were six Star Trek feature-length films, from 1979-1991,
which featured the Original Series cast. The next film, Star
Trek Generations (1994), was a transitional film from the original
cast to The Next Generation (TNG) cast, which was fully featured
in the next three films from 1996-2002.
4. Answer: They Shoot
Horses, Don't They? (1969)
Only one film has 9 nominations without a nomination for Best Picture—They
Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969). Five other films have the next
largest number of nominations - 8 - (without a nomination for Best
Picture). They are: The Dark Knight (2008), Dreamgirls (2006),
Ragtime (1981), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), and
The Poseidon Adventure (1972).
5. Answer: Susan Sarandon in Dead
Man Walking
Susan Sarandon won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role as Sister
Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking (1995). Other Oscar-nominated
actresses who have played a nun and have not won include: Meryl
Streep in Doubt (2008), Anne Bancroft in Agnes of God (1985), Peggy
Wood in The Sound of Music (1965) (P.S. technically, Julie Andrews
hadn't taken her vows yet), Audrey Hepburn in The Nun's Story (1959),
Deborah Kerr in Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957), Loretta Young
and Celeste Holm in Come to the Stable (1949), and Ingrid Bergman
in The Bells of St. Mary's (1945). The only other Oscar-winning
actress was Jennifer Jones for her role as a nun in The Song of
Bernadette (1943).
6. Answer: On Her Majesty's
Secret Service (1969)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) was the only James Bond
film starring George Lazenby as Agent 007.
7. Answer: Sudden Impact (1983)
During an armed robbery of the Acorn Cafe in Sudden Impact (1983),
rogue, vigilante SF cop Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) with
his .44 Magnum dared the lone surviving robber who was holding
a gun to his favorite waitress' head: "Go ahead. Make
my day".
8. Answer: The Wicker Man (1973)
Director Robin Hardy's The Wicker Man (1973) told about the unusual
residents of the island of Summerisle, who practiced open sexuality,
worshipped nature and practiced witchcraft.
9. Answer: Chinatown
(1974)
Director Roman Polanski appeared as a "man with knife" threatening
to slash the nose of LA gumshoe J.J. Gittes (Jack Nicholson) in
the neo-noir Chinatown (1974).
10. Answer: Love Me Tender
Elvis Presley's debut film was MGM's Love Me Tender (1956), although
he was soon inducted into the Army in 1958. There were over
a dozen Elvis Presley films released for youth audiences by
1964. His next three films were: Loving You (1957), Jailhouse
Rock (1957), and King Creole (1958).
11. Answer: Beach
Party
Avalon and Funicello were introduced together in AIP's first 'beach
party' film Beach Party (1963), and continued to appear together
in films including: Muscle Beach Party (1964), Bikini Beach (1964),
Pajama Party (1964) (Avalon had only a small cameo role), Beach
Blanket Bingo (1965), and Back to the Beach (1967).
12. Answer: Alien (1979)
Ridley Scott's science-fiction horror/thriller Alien (1979) featured
the memorable catchphrase in its advertising: "In space,
no one can hear you scream."
13. Answer: David Lean
Two-time Oscar winner David Lean has seven Best Director Oscar
nominations, reaching from Brief Encounter (1946) to A Passage
to India (1984), with wins for The Bridge on the River Kwai
(1957) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962). Alfred Hitchcock had
five Best Director Oscar nominations, while Stanley Kubrick
had four Best Director Oscar nominations - both never won.
Carol Reed, Ridley Scott, and Stephen Daldry all have three
Best Director nominations (Reed won Best Director for Oliver!
(1968)).
14. Answer: Jaws
Steven Spielberg's hit Jaws (1975) has generally been regarded
as the first modern-day blockbuster, surpassing $100 million
in ticket sales and becoming a summer 'event' film with a widespread
release and an extensive marketing campaign.
15. Answer: Spider-Man
The highest grossing film (in the US) in 2002 was Spider-Man, surpassing
the box-office revenues of its closest competitors that were
in 2nd-4th places, respectively: The Lord of the Rings: The
Two Towers (2002), Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
(2002), and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002).
16. Answer: A Countess
From Hong Kong
Charlie Chaplin's last directed film was Universal Studio's romantic
comedy A Countess From Hong Kong (1967), starring Marlon Brando
and Sophia Loren. In addition to being the film's director and
writer, he also appeared in a small cameo role.
17. Answer: Reservoir Dogs (1992)
In Tarantino's independent crime film Reservoir Dogs (1992), the
characters included Mr. White, Mr. Orange, Mr. Brown, Mr. Pink,
Mr. Blonde, and Mr. Blue.
18. Answer: On
the Town (1944)
Five days were spent shooting on location for the exteriors for
MGM's musical feature film On The Town (1949) the third and final
film to pair musical stars Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra.
19. Answer: Marty (1955)
Marty (1955) ended with the title character, middle-aged Italian-American
butcher Marty Piletti (Ernest Borgnine) in a phone booth calling
his new girlfriend Clara (Betsy Blair), refusing to be a social
outcast any longer.
20. Answer: Notorious (1946)
In Hitchcock's classic post-war psychological suspense/thriller
Notorious (1946), the MacGuffin was a sample of uranium concealed
in sand within wine bottles, a top-secret substance needed
to manufacture an atomic weapon.
21. Answer: Dial M For Murder (1954)
Dial M For Murder (1954) came at the tail-end of the trendy 3-D
film craze, and was only briefly screened in 3-D. The most
effective 3-D shot was the scissors murder sequence.
22. Answer: Red River (1948)
The last-screened film in the town was Howard Hawks' classic and
majestic Red River (1948). Larry McMurtry's novel, upon which
the film was based, actually closed with Universal's lesser
Western about outlaw Billy the Kid, The Kid From Texas (1950)
starring Audie Murphy in his debut movie role.
23. Answer: Cabaret (1972)
In the play's first movie adaptation (I Am A Camera, 1955, UK),
actress Julie Harris played the lead role of Sally Bowles. The
mid-50s British movie then inspired the 1966 Broadway musical
Cabaret and the 1972 movie, in which the Sally Bowles role was
famously reprised—and Americanized—by Liza Minnelli.
24. Answer: Mary Poppins (1964)
17 Cherry Tree Lane was the home of the Banks family, who were searching
for a nanny for their children, Jane and Michael, in Disney's
Mary Poppins (1964).
|