Factual error: One submission stated that when the Cuban hitman is killed with the arrow from Melina's crossbow, it goes in his back when it should have gone in his side. The corrector stated that we have no idea what angle she was firing from. Well, it is clear that she was standing at the left side of the pool (since we get a point of view shot from her) when he's about to dive in, and she shoots from there. She couldn't have got behind him that fast. So there is no way she could have got him squarely in the back.
Gavin Jackson
9th Jan 2010
For Your Eyes Only (1981)
18th Dec 2009
Rambo: First Blood (1982)
Question: I actually have two questions about this film. Firstly, does Rambo actually kill anyone in this film? Dennehy doesn't die and he didn't kill Galt so was there anyone else? And secondly when Rambo arrives at the cliff face, why didn't he simply run to his right or left? The police were only coming at him from behind (and even if one of them came from the side, Rambo could have used his skills to get past him). So why did he feel that going down the cliff was his only option?
25th Nov 2009
The Running Man (1987)
Plot hole: In the unedited video footage of the helicopter incident shown to the crowd, the last shot of Arnie getting knocked out is seen from his perspective and as such could never have been filmed by any camera.
9th Nov 2009
Casino Royale (2006)
Question: In this film Bond almost dies when he is poisoned and discovers that his portable defibrillator has a broken wire. My question is, has this been the only time in the entire bond series that a Bond gadget has had a fault and not worked properly, or have there been been other instances?
Answer: The defibrillator did not have a fault, due to the fact the Bond nearly falls unconscious he forgot to properly connect both cables to the main device.
Chosen answer: It isn't the first time a Bond gadget didn't work. Most notably, the machine guns mounted on a gyrocopter in You Only Live Twice, and a fake nipple (can't believe I just said that!). It should be noted though that this Bond gadget didn't have a fault, Bond just did not plug the two patches into the Defibrillator, which is what Vesper does when she runs up to the car, thus saving Bond's life.
Answer: In Never Say Never Again, Bond's explosive projectile-shooting pen fires at Fatima Blush, but the projectile that strikes her only explodes after an unexpected delay, leading both her and Bond to assume that it has malfunctioned.
9th Nov 2009
Backdraft (1991)
Question: Can someone please tell me why Kurt Russell is playing his own father in the flashback scenes. I just don't understand why.
Chosen answer: Why not? There's no reason why an actor couldn't play his own father at the same age - indeed, it can serve to emphasise a family resemblence between father and son. It can also serve as a swift way of letting the audience know that this is the father, rather than having a different actor come in and have to have the relationship established through dialogue.
20th Oct 2009
Mad Max 2 (1981)
Question: Where exactly are Humungous and his men getting their gas from? Given the amount of vehicles they have, it would take a fair amount of fuel to run them. But there is no explanation as to where they are getting it.
Answer: The answer could be referenced to the first movie "Mad Max." In that film it shows some members of the outlaw gang, though not necessarily the ones in "Road Warrior" stealing gas from a tanker by jumping onto the back of it and filling cans; apparently the driver of the tanker unaware. "Road Warrior" was a continuation of "Mad Max."
13th Oct 2009
Halloween (1978)
Question: I have wondered this for ages. Laurie went over to the Wallace house because she thought they were all playing a prank on her. So when she found the bodies in the bedroom, why did she never assume that this could all just be a practical joke set-up? How did she know straight away that it was the real thing?
Chosen answer: Because it was too graphic and elaborate for her to think it might be a prank. Not to mention that there was probably a very distinctive smell to the room.
7th Sep 2009
General questions
I am trying to find the name of a TV movie that I saw back in the 80's. It featured Ken Berry and Sean Marshall (who starred in Pete's Dragon). In the film, Ken's character sees Sean fishing on a beach and they strike up a friendship. Sean lives with his brother and divorced mum who works in a bank. Ken eventually becomes close to the family. At the end whilst in the bank, Sean's little brother dares him to step into the open safe and as a joke promptly closes it, locking him in. They are told that the safe is on a timelock and can't be reopened until the next morning. With no other option, Ken Berry attempts to open it with some tools and is successful. I remember that Max Showalter played the bank manager. I have been unable to find anything on IMDB that links all 3 actors but I know that the film exists. Has anyone else seen this film and knows which one I am talking about?
Chosen answer: It's Valentine's Second Chance (1977). It was an ABC Short Story Special. It's based off the O. Henry story "A Retrieved Reformation. See http://www.hollywood.com/tv/Valentines_Second_Chance/5194277.
11th Aug 2009
Public Enemies (2009)
Question: I must have missed something, but when Dillinger and his accomplice (can't remember his name) are escaping from the lodge, they both hitch a ride with Baby Face Nelson on the dirt road. Later Purvis and his men run Nelson's car off the road and kill him and another guy. Then we see Dillinger and his wounded accomplice with a car in town getting medical supplies. How's that possible?
Chosen answer: Baby Face Nelson doesn't pick up Dillinger. He picks up the characters played by Stephen Dorf and another associate. Dillinger and Hamilton escape through the woods and steal a car from an older man they come across in the forest. After the shootout, Dillinger and Nelson are never in the car together.
30th Jun 2009
Bullitt (1968)
Visible crew/equipment: When Bullitt gets out of the cab at the car wash, just before the big chase sequence, the cameraman's reflection is visible on the door window. (01:02:15)
8th Jun 2009
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
Question: Was the scene of a naked Wolverine arriving at the elderly couple's farmhouse supposed to be some kind of a reference to Superman? The couple seemed to resemble Ma and Pa Kent, the house and farm looked identical to the ones in the Superman films and Logan turning up naked seemed to mirror the fact that baby Clark was naked when he first arrived. So was it intentional?
Chosen answer: There is nothing that the filmakers have said to indicate that this is a reference to Superman. In addition, since this is a Marvel comic, and Superman was was/is a DC comic, it's unlikely.
5th Jun 2009
Terminator Salvation (2009)
Question: Was Bryce Dallas Howard actually pregnant when this film was made, or was she just wearing some kind of a cushion under her shirt? Just asking cause no one in the film seems to mention it.
Chosen answer: She wasn't pregnant, no. Her pregnancy, while unremarked upon in this film, will presumably assume greater significance in subsequent films.
Question: Could someone please explain to me exactly how the Millennium Falcon is being flown. It appears to swoop in such a way like someone is steering it, but no one on board seems to be doing much more than pressing the odd button here or there. And it can't be autopilot because it seems to be doing exactly what those on board want. So does anyone know?
Chosen answer: Han has the control board in front of him - he has everything he needs to fly the ship to hand. We never get a particularly good look at the console, so we don't know precisely what format the controls are presented in, but that's what he's using.
19th May 2009
Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Question: One of the early posters of this film shows a bearded guy (who is not in the film) coming through a wall crack and holding puppet strings with one hand. Who is this guy supposed to be and what does he represent?
Chosen answer: He does bear a striking resemblance to Stephen King. King was both the writer and director of this movie, and as such, was certainly the guy in charge of all the character's fates and pulling all the strings.
Answer: It is Stephen King.
17th May 2009
Back to the Future (1985)
Question: What did the cafe server mean when he said to Marty "I can't give you a tab unless you buy something"? I know that Marty was referring to the Tab soda (which didn't exist then), but what was the other guy talking about?
Chosen answer: A tab is the same as a bill. The server guy thinks Marty wants a bill for whatever he's ordered, although because Marty hasn't eaten or drunk anything yet, he can't give him one. Even though a bill for a restaurant meal can be referred to as a "tab", this term is more commonly used in bars. When someone "runs a tab," it means they pay the total cost as they're about to leave, rather than pay for each drink separately.
12th May 2009
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Question: I don't understand why Alex waits until Mrs. Alexander has unchained the opened front door and fully opened it, before he and his droogs break in. I'm sure the four of them could easily have broken the chain off with a bit of force. Is it simply part of Alex's nature to be invited in, before he starts his attack?
Chosen answer: It's part of the "fun element" of the crime to get the victim to open the door themselves.
3rd May 2009
The Greatest American Hero (1981)
The Greatest American Hero (1) - S1-E1
Continuity mistake: In one scene, Ralph is in a phone booth desperately trying to make a phone call. Ralph is nervous and panicky. But when you look at his reflection on the phone, you can see a big relaxed smile on him. When it cuts back to him, he is still acting nervous and panicky.
2nd May 2009
Jurassic Park (1993)
Question: Was there any truth to Hammond's comment that none of the rides at Disneyland worked when the park first opened? I just find that a little hard to believe.
Chosen answer: Yes. The first opening day of Disneyland in California was catastrophic. The pavement was fresh and the sun was so hot high-heeled shoes actually sunk into the walkways. Counterfeit tickets were made, resulting in more people than the park had room for. They ran out of food and drinks. Bathrooms clogged and shut down. Many of the rides broke down on opening day. The Storybook Land Canal Boats had to be pulled by cast members in rubber boots. At the time, there were no guide rails for Autopia; some of the cars crashed into each other, making them inoperable. A gas leak in Fantasyland lead to the land being temporarily closed for part of the day.
2nd May 2009
Jurassic Park (1993)
Question: Does anyone know what exactly what the meal was that was served in the conference room? The look on Ellie's face suggests something bad, but does anyone know for sure?
Chosen answer: It was Chilean sea bass; Ellie went a little green around the gills because she had just watched velociraptors tear a cow apart. I don't think I'd want to eat after that.
27th Apr 2009
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Question: This has baffled me for ages. Instead of tolerating John Bender, why doesn't Richard Vernon simply get him expelled? Vernon must have realised that Bender was not only uncontrollable and a potential threat to him, but also someone who didn't care about his education and was disruptive to others. So why didn't he take the simpler option of getting him out of the school, as opposed to giving him countless detentions?
Chosen answer: Vernon secretly cares about the kids. Pay attention to the scene where he talks to the janitor. He would rather see Bender stay in school and learn something instead of ending up in prison.
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Chosen answer: No he doesn't kill anyone. He didn't know if he was surrounded or not and if he did encounter one from the side they might have shot him.
Grumpy Scot