Question: Did the OC2 gauge really drop to zero after fuel cells 1 and 3 were closed, as shown in the movie?
stiiggy
6th May 2020
Apollo 13 (1995)
13th Feb 2008
Apollo 13 (1995)
Question: When Aquarius is descending during re-entry, why is the Navy preparing Search & Rescue instead of the Coast Guard?
Chosen answer: Aquarius was most likely going to splashdown in international waters; since the U.S. Coast Guard only has jurisdiction within American waters, the Navy would have to rescue them.
Answer: Because the Navy was assigned the Search, Rescue and Recovery task for all of NASA's space program. Imagine how long it would take the Coast Guard to get to the other side of the world.
24th Oct 2006
The Day of the Jackal (1973)
Question: What is cordite? And does it really work?
Chosen answer: According to Wikipedia: "Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants made by combining two high explosives: nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin, i.e. it is a double-base propellant. However, Cordite N, a triple-base propellant is also used. Cordite is classified as an explosive, but it is normally used as a propellant for guns and rockets." So yes, it works.
Answer: Yes, cordite is classified a an explosive, but it's rarely used as such. It's a common propellant for artillery shells etc. Realistically, the Jackal would have used a plastic explosive such C4 or Semtex for a bomb. And the mercury fulminate tipped rounds are a fantasy, it's so unstable, it would explode before it had left the barrel.
19th Jul 2004
We Were Soldiers (2002)
Question: The early versions of the M16 had severe problems with jamming. There may have been several causes; instructions issued that the rifle was "self-cleaning", improper ammunition design, improper magazine design (therefore in a later stage 18 rounds instead of 20 were used in the mag). It is not necessarily a mistake, certainly not by the filmmaker, but there are several writers mentioning serious casualties amongst fighting troops specifically because of jamming M16 rifles. Why does this book/film not even include a hint of that problem which surely must have existed at that time and place?
Chosen answer: There is no definitive information on this topic, and although factually accurate, a technical problem with a weapon was probably not enough to build an entire sub-plot, and would not hold the interest of the moviegoer. There were enough casualties without having to take into consideration weapon malfunction.
Answer: The M16's used in this battle were second generation M16A1's easily distinguished by the forward bolt assist on the right hand side of the rifle. The original M16 had no bolt assist and the jamming was caused by a different propellant that made the weapon very dirty.
18th Dec 2017
Apollo 13 (1995)
Question: Why couldn't the fuel cells be opened again once they were closed?
Answer: The reactant valves to the fuel cells could not be re-opened once they were closed (except by ground servicing) because they are very delicate and must be precisely calibrated. Although CAPCOM tells Lovell to manually close the valves for cells 1 and 3, they had already failed and closed so this had no effect.
Did they really try closing fuel cells 1 and 3 like in the movie?
Answer: Yes they did. And as in the movie, it was futile since the reac valves had failed anyway.
14th Nov 2019
General questions
Many actors and actresses have openly admitted that they hated the movies they starred in. If they felt that way, why do they agree to be in them?
Answer: There could be a handful of reasons. Perhaps they entered the project believing it could have been a good movie, but later realised the end product wasn't good or wasn't what they were expecting. Maybe the studio interferes and it goes through reshoots or rewrites. Or maybe they didn't really have that much investment in the project to begin with and were only doing it for the money.
Answer: Another possibility is to try to diversify and/or avoid being stuck in a particular type of role. For example, Daniel Radcliff did not want to be known forever as Harry Potter, so got involved in other types of movies (more adult roles) in order to continue having a career as an actor. (I'm not claiming that he didn't like the new roles - I'm only giving an example of why actors try to move on).
Answer: Because they were contracted by the film company or studio and had to be in the movie whether they wanted to or not. A classic example is Val Kilmer, who didn't want to be in Top Gun, but was contractually obliged to. https://news.sky.com/story/val-kilmer-i-didnt-want-to-be-in-top-gun-but-begged-to-appear-in-reboot-11977483.
Answer: To expand on the other fine answers, actors will take roles in mediocre movies solely because they need the money. They have to support a lavish lifestyle or their careers have peaked and, no longer being offered plum roles, take any job they can get, often in low-budget horror or mediocre sci-fi movies.
Answer: Some actors will accept almost any role in order to work under a particular well-known/famous director or alongside a superstar, hoping to become better performers via the experiences and, in turn, get better offers in the future. (It doesn't always work out, so there may be regrets).
9th Jun 2018
Zulu (1964)
Question: I first saw the movie in a cinema when it was first released. I'm quite sure I saw a scene which was later edited out, perhaps to accommodate the ratio of television screens. Before the attack various soldiers stop to listen to a strange sound echoing over the hills - "like a train" someone says. After we hear the sound twice my memory is that the movie cut to a panoramic view of thousands of Zulu warriors running across the veld, banging their shields with their spears, on their way to Rorke's Drift. This is what was causing the "train" sound, a phenomenon that is not explained subsequently anywhere in the edited version of the film. The dramatic effect of the shot, panning across what looks like thousands of armed Zulus, was riveting and served to emphasise the impossible odds faced by the British. Am I the only one who recalls this scene?
Answer: Absolutely correct. This exact scene is in my DVD of Zulu. They may have changes when the TV version aired, but this definitely in the original.
3rd Sep 2018
Darkest Hour (2017)
Question: In the 'War Room' scene, there appeared to be a sheet of plastic or acetate covering the wall with the map of the enemy's movements. Was that premature for plastic to be available in that size for that time frame?
23rd Nov 2018
Patton (1970)
Question: When Patton arrives at corps headquarters, a lieutenant says they have a new commander due. What is he talking about? Was their previous commanding general fired?
Answer: Patton was put in charge of the American II Corps in North Africa after the Americans were badly defeated at the 1943 Battle of the Kasserine Pass. The lieutenant apparently does not realise that Patton has been sent to replace the previous commander and will begin enforcing strict discipline into the troops.
OK, but what about the other part of the question? Was their previous commanding general fired?
The previous commanding general was not "fired" he was replaced. It was Major General Lloyd Fredendall who was in command of the II Corps, at the Battle of Kasserine Pass. He was reassigned stateside, then about three months later was promoted to lieutenant general. For the rest of the war he was in command of training assignments in the US.
He was effectively "fired", as in removed, from his commanding position, due to his weak leadership, but that did not mean to say he was fired from the U.S. Army. The term "fired" is relative here.
I feel the need to clarify the point that my original reply was to the person who asked this question: "OK, but what about the other part of the question? Was their previous commanding general fired? " Please know that my reply was not meant to come off as butting heads with your answer, raywest, I was merely answering the submitter's question and acknowledging their use of the word "fired" within their question. But since you responded directly to my original reply, I'll respond. You state in your reply to me, "He was effectively "fired", as in removed, from his commanding position, due to his weak leadership, but that did not mean to say he was fired from the U.S. Army. The term "fired" is relative here." Okay, well I really don't agree with that, because I can't see the term "fired" as being relative here, IMO. In civilian life, when a civvie is "fired" from their job it means getting laid-off, being unemployed. To say a servicemember is "fired" from the military, it would basically mean being dishonorably discharged. The OP's question was regarding Lloyd Fredendall. After his reassignment, Major General Fredendall even received a promotion and became Lieutenant General Fredendall within a few months. Anyway, those are my personal thoughts on the matter. :) Be well, raywest. With warm regards, Rikki.
Not fired, just relieved of command and transferred elsewhere.
24th May 2019
Behind Enemy Lines (2001)
Question: Rather than leaving Stackhouse behind in the area where the Serbians could find him, wouldn't it have made more sense for Burnette to pick Stackhouse up, and help him get up the hill?
Answer: Because in escape and evasion, as opposed to combat, you are taught to get away from where you have landed as fast as possible. And Stackhouse probably believed his pilot would be treated humanely under the Geneva Convention.
Answer: Stackhouse is badly hurt. Burnett would have known better than to move him. Plus, with the way he speaks to Stackhouse it's clear they weren't expecting company so quickly.
So what if Stackhouse has an injured leg, why not just help in him walk? Soldiers in combat help their follow soldiers walk when they have injured legs.
4th Jul 2019
Operation Pacific (1951)
Question: Why do they look into the scope soon as it starts to rise? The view part would still be in the water.
Answer: A good submarine skipper ensure he always has a low periscope profile, as it's easily seen when out of the water too much. That's why he looks through the scope even while underwater, so the scope is only just out of the water.
6th Jul 2019
White House Down (2013)
Question: At least a couple of times the grenades make a clear "clockwork" noise before going off, which I don't recall happening in many other films. Do any grenades actually make a noise like that? Or is it actually accurate, and silent grenades are the inaccurate "movie" versions?
Chosen answer: Grenades generally do not make any sound until they detonate. When you release the spoon (lever) as you throw it, it can make a "ping" sound as its separates from the grenade. No clockwork noises. (I'm ex Army).
23rd Jan 2017
Cars (2006)
Question: At the beginning, what caused McQueen's rear tires to burst?
Chosen answer: Blown tires are common in NASCAR and usually the result of exactly what McQueen did, run too long, too fast, on old tires. They show him not taking new tires during the yellow caution, and then all the green pit stops, he only took gas. Excess heat from high speed driving can increase a tire's pressure, and with "old" tires, it couldn't handle the stress.
Absolutely incorrect. Tyres bursting in NASCAR is an absolute rarity, and it is usually caused by vehicle to vehicle contact. You cannot get a race tyre so hot that it bursts unless you start at ridiculously high pressures, which would make car impossible to drive anyway. The tyre probably had a puncture from running over debris.
That's why I used the word blown and not bursts. Obviously the film exaggerated a blown tire, but I thought that would be obvious to the viewer where everything is exaggerated.
2nd Feb 2020
Cars (2006)
Question: Is it really possible to turn on dirt simply by turning right to go left?
Answer: The idea of drifting is that you are swinging the back end around and losing traction on the rear wheels while counter-steering with the front wheels to maintain control. Once you enter into the left drift, you turn your wheels right to point them forward.
I know what the idea of drifting is. What I'm asking is whether or not it's possible to drift on dirt.
Answer: It's a rally move know as the "Scandanavian Flick" where you throw the car back end first into the corner and then counter the slide with opposite lock and flick the car around. I'm advanced driving instructor and it's one of the thing we teach pretty much straight away on a skidpan.
23rd Sep 2018
Cast Away (2000)
Question: What is that green thing that Chuck tries to break open by throwing it against a rock wall, and then by hitting it with a rock? Is it really that difficult to break open?
Answer: They were coconuts. Coconuts come in a green shell which is their husk and they are hard to open up, especially when they get older. Most people use a machete or pick ax to get the husk off.
Is the shell as difficult to break open as shown in the movie?
The film does seem to accurately depict how hard it would be for someone who has never opened one before to get into a green coconut. I've never tried throwing one against a rock wall before though.
I was asking if the shell is as difficult to break open by hitting it with a rock as shown in the movie.
For someone who has never tried opening a green coconut, yes it would be.
The inner shell itself is not that difficult to open. Using a pointed rock, you can break through the round-shaped holes at the end to pour out of the liquid. By hitting the coconut's seam running lengthwise down the shell hard against a rock, it will completely split the shell in two around the circumference.
I'm talking about opening the outer shell, not the inner shell.
Answer: It sure is. You have to be gentle when you break it so all the water doesn't just go everywhere, like it would if you pounded it with say, a large rock.
16th Oct 2019
Apollo 13 (1995)
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Answer: Yes it's absolutely true. The crew didn't realise that the REAC valves had already been damaged by the explosion which is why shutting the valves achieves nothing.
stiiggy