Question: Some people have said that J.R.R. Tolkien wrote the "Rings" novels to make a point regarding 20th century society. What is it?
megamii
14th Apr 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
2nd Apr 2004
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Trivia: Not only is the film the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time in North America, it was the first to pass the $300 million mark on March 24, 2004. However, it is only second ($609 million) to 2003's "The Matrix Reloaded" ($739 million) as the highest-grossing R-rated film worldwide.
2nd Apr 2004
South Park (1997)
Question: With many references to homosexuality (e.g. Saddam Hussein, Mr. Garrison, Big Gay Al, etc.), are the creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker homosexuals?
Chosen answer: No, they're not. Homosexual jokes are generally pretty funny, and they usually stir up a lot of controversy, which is always good for ratings and box office returns.
2nd Apr 2004
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Question: Was the lesbian relationship in the film between two characters removed because the director did not want to offend her fellow Indians? After all, homosexuality is a taboo subject in Indian culture.
Chosen answer: Since one of the Indian characters in the film (Tony) is gay, and the possibility of a lesbian relationship is a fairly major subplot, I doubt Chadra was worried about people being offended. Some stories just don't fit in and get dropped.
25th Mar 2004
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Trivia: Is the highest-grossing ($370 million) R-rated film in North American box office history, breaking the previous record held by "The Matrix Reloaded" (2003).
24th Mar 2004
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
24th Mar 2004
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Trivia: The film has become the highest grossing foreign-language film in North America, grossing more than Cantonese-language film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000).
22nd Mar 2004
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Trivia: As of September 5, 2004, the film has become the highest-grossing independent (not owned by a major Hollywood studio) film of all time, surpassing "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (2003).
18th Mar 2004
Gods and Monsters (1998)
Trivia: Ian McKellen became the first openly-homosexual actor to be nominated for an Academy Award for "Best Actor" for his performance in this film.
15th Mar 2004
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
4th Mar 2004
Lost in Translation (2003)
Trivia: Even though she did not win an Oscar for "Best Director," Sofia Coppola became the first American female director and the second female director to be nominated for that award. No woman had ever won "Best Director." Interesting enough, she was nominated nearly exactly a decade after the first female director (for "The Piano") was nominated.
23rd Feb 2004
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Trivia: James Caviezel spent between four to eight hours in the makeup chair each shooting day transforming into his role as Jesus.
19th Feb 2004
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Trivia: Director/producer Mel Gibson wanted the film to look like the paintings from the Italian baroque painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1573-1610). The artist is known for works marked by intense realism and revolutionary use of light. His best work is the "Deposition of Christ" (1604).
19th Feb 2004
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
4th Feb 2004
Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
Trivia: This film is based on Pentagon lawyer Adrian Cronauer's life as a DJ during the Vietnam War. He is worked in the Pentagon in its MIA/POW office until his death on July 18, 2018.
4th Feb 2004
Deep Impact (1998)
Trivia: In a recent American TV airing of the film (January 2004), any scene depicting the former World Trade Center towers were removed, due to existing September 11 sensibilities.
4th Feb 2004
Dexter's Laboratory (1996)
4th Feb 2004
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! (1989)
28th Jan 2004
Futurama (1999)
Question: Was it true that Futurama was on hiatus around 2002 before it was finally cancelled? If so, what is the reason for the hiatus?
Chosen answer: The hiatus and the cancellation were for the same reason, a dispute over ownership between Matt Groening and Fox. Fox actually own the majority of the interest in the Simpsons, but their stake in Futurama is much more limited. This gives Groening more bargaining power with the show, and unfortunately Fox were unhappy with this so put the show on hiatus and then cancelled it.
28th Jan 2004
South Park (1997)
Question: I am aware that Canada and Mormons appear frequently in South Park. Is there a reason for them to appear?
Chosen answer: Trey Parker and Matt Stone have said that they're making fun of the media; Canadians are very similar to Americans, yet the US media often portrays them has being very different. Trey Parker apparently grew up around a lot of Mormons and, we can infer, organised religion didn't make a good impression on him.
Answer: For the Mormon thing, there's the fact that it's set in Colorado, which is next door to Utah, the center of Mormonism.
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Chosen answer: The people who have said such a thing are incorrect. Tolkien stated that the work's inspiration was primarily linguistic in nature, and strongly disagreed with the meanings that other people saw in the books - the Ring as allegory for the nuclear bomb, et cetera. Tolkien's exact words, from a foreword to one of the editions of the books: "As for any inner meaning of 'message', it has in the intention of the author none. It is neither allegorical nor topical....I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history, true or feigned, with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers. I think that many confuse 'applicability' with 'allegory'; but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author."
Phil C.