Question: After seeing this film, I have questions that need answering: 1) What are the differences between Fundamentalists, Conservatives, and Evangelicals? 2) What is a "mainline" church, as this is something I often hear from Evangelicals?
megamii
19th Jul 2004
Saved! (2004)
13th Jul 2004
The Prince of Egypt (1998)
6th Jul 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Trivia: While Gothmog (played by Lawrence Makoare) is the only Orc identified in the film, here are the names of those un-named, who appear in the films: 1) Gorbag: the Orc (played by Stephen Ure) that argues over the mithril shirt and then fights with the Uruk in the Tower at Cirith Ungol, and later Sam stabs in the Tower when rescuing Frodo; 2) Shagrat: the large Uruk (played by Peter Tait) that argues with Gorbag over the mithril shirt; 3) Snaga: is Grishnákh's lieutenant in The Two Towers (he's played by Jed Brophy). He is the Orc who argues over food - Merry and Pippin - and tries to sneak up behind the Hobbits, but is killed by Uglúk.
1st Jul 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Question: Did Denethor in the original book suffer from some form of mental illness?
Chosen answer: Not exactly. While this isn't stated in the film (unless it appears in the Extended Cut), Denethor has access to a palantir, like the one Saruman possessed that Pippin ultimately looks in. Denethor has used this palantir to follow events in Middle-Earth, but, just as Pippin did, he has encountered Sauron. The Dark Lord used this opportunity to mess with Denethor's mind, bringing him to the point of terrible despair, where he simply cannot conceive of anything other than defeat at Sauron's hands. This affects Denethor's judgement horribly, leading him to first send out Faramir's suicide mission, and then to break completely when he sees the Mordor forces arrayed against him.
30th Jun 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Question: What is the relationship between Grima Wormtongue and Saruman? Also, what being does Grima represent and why is he poisoning Theoden's mind? Is he the same race as Saruman and Gandalf?
Chosen answer: Grima is human - he acts as Saruman's agent in Theoden's court. He keeps Theoden weak (using what appears to be a combination of drugs and Saruman's sorcery) to make it easier for Saruman to influence him, and therefore effectively neuter the military power of Rohan.
30th Jun 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Question: They appear entering the Black Gates in the film, but what happened to the Men of Rhun (Easterlings) after this? They did not appear again. Also, what happened to the Wildmen after their meeting with Saruman?
Chosen answer: The Easterlings were most likely used in one of Sauron's other assaults, on Lorien or the dwarven kingdom of Erebor in the north. They also appear in the third movie, charging into Minas Tirith after the trolls. As for the Wildmen, Saruman seems to consider them to be expendable troops - sending them into Rohan to destroy villages, crops and so forth. Most likely they would have fallen at the hands of Rohirrim troops - they would, however, have taken some of those warriors with them, weakening Rohan as a whole for the later Uruk-Hai assault.
29th Jun 2004
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
25th Jun 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Question: Is there evidence that Peter Jackson was influenced by the 1996 PC game "Warcraft II" in how the soldiers of Gondor and the Orcs dress? The armored uniforms of the Gondorians resembled those of the humans in Warcraft.
Chosen answer: For practical armouring, there are only so many possibilities that you can go with - inevitably some of these will resemble each other. The Gondorian armour is described to a reasonable degree within the books - the designs would have been based on those descriptions, rather than any non-Tolkien influences.
25th Jun 2004
Anastasia (1997)
Trivia: Inspired by the story of Anna Anderson (died 1984) who claimed to be Archduchess Anastasia, which would have made her the only surviving daughter of the Czar and Czarina of Russia. Only DNA tests years after her death proved she was not Anastasia, but an imposter which European nobility had long suspected.
23rd Jun 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Question: I read that the character of Arwen is different in the film adaptation than from the books (including "Fellowship of the Ring"). In what ways? Second, did director/screenwriter Peter Jackson gave a reason why he expanded Arwen's presence in the film adaptation? Was it done for marketing purposes as some fans had claimed?
Chosen answer: Well, Arwen in the books really doesn't do a great deal - she's an extremely minor character. The first reason for increasing her role was simply to remove some of the myriad other characters from the book - for example, the elf Glorfindel, who, in the book, is the one who brings Frodo to Rivendell, then never appears again. Considering the sheer number of characters in the tale, it makes a certain sense to combine them occasionally. The second reason, and why they chose to use Arwen at this point, is that it fleshes out her character a bit, giving us a glimpse of her strength and power and allowing us to get a better glimpse at her relationship with Aragorn, making it clearer why he would love her. It has also given the tale another strong female character, which, yes, isn't bad for marketing purposes, but that consideration wasn't the primary reason for doing so.
23rd Jun 2004
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Question: It is known through articles and interviews that Mel Gibson is considered a traditional Catholic, one who rejects Vatican II. Since there are many traditional Catholic sects (ranging from those are affliated with the Pope to those who reject his authority), who does Gibson represent?
Chosen answer: Gibson is a member of a small independent congregation called "The Holy Family" - total membership is about 70, and they worship in a chapel that was paid for by Gibson himself. As with pretty much all the traditionalist groups, they celebrate Mass in Latin, not abolished, but the mass was now to be celebrated in the vernacular, by the Second Vatican Council in 1964/65. They appear to be quite moderate by the standards of traditional Catholics - the more extreme elements regard the Vatican as a hotbed of heresy - Gibson previewed his film for the Pope, which implies a certain amount of acceptance. The Holy Family has, at one point, had a falling out (reasons unclear) with the Society of St Pius X, the largest traditionalist group, so it's unclear precisely where they lie within the Catholic spectrum.
23rd Jun 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Question: Is there any more significance about the tree of Gondor other than what Pippin saw in a vision?
Chosen answer: Quite a lot of significance, yes. Okay, deep breath, here goes. Back before the First Age, there was a time referred to as "The Years of the Trees". At this time, before the sun and the moon, the domain of the Valar (local godlikes) was lit by the radiance of two revered and mystical trees. The elder tree, called Telperion, was known as the White Tree. Destroyed by Melkor, the first Dark Lord, shortly before the beginning of the First Age, its image was preserved by the Valar in a second tree, Galathilion, in the elven city of Tirion (and Telpirion's last flower was set in the sky, the light now known as the moon). Seedlings of Galathilion was the source of many trees throughout the kingdoms of men and elves. One of the most famous of these was the tree Nimloth that grew in the royal courts in the prosperous human kingdom of Numenor. Sauron's influence ultimately allowed him to take control of Numenor's government, and he had Nimloth burnt, seeing it as a link to the Valar, his enemies. However, Isildur saved one of the fruits of the tree and took it with him to Middle-Earth after the fall of Numenor. He planted it there, in the Gondorian citadel of Minas Ithil (later to fall to the Nazgul and become Minas Morgul). Seedlings from that tree was planted in Minas Tirith, and, since that time, a White Tree has always grown there. So the Gondorians see the tree as a link to their founders, to the fabled kingdom of Numenor and ultimately to the Valar themselves.
23rd Jun 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Question: Lord Denethor is not the king of Gondor, but a steward, a caretaker of the throne according to Gandalf. Does this means that he is acting as a regent?
Chosen answer: Effectively, yes - the Stewards rule in the absence of the rightful King of Gondor. That being said, the Stewards have now ruled Gondor for 26 generations of their family and believe the bloodline of the King to be destroyed, so, as we see with Denethor, they pretty much consider themselves to be the true rulers of the kingdom these days. As such, while they are technically fulfilling the role of regent, they might not actually consider that to be the case any more.
23rd Jun 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Question: What is the difference from Hobbiton and The Shire? Is The Shire a village, and Hobbiton the region where the Hobbits live?
Chosen answer: Actually, it's the other way around. The region is called Shire, the village Hobbiton. There are several other villages in the Shire, for example Buckland.
22nd Jun 2004
Finding Nemo (2003)
22nd Jun 2004
King Arthur (2004)
Trivia: According to negative test screening reports, the filmmakers were forced to make post-production changes to it, such as reshooting battles and adding a wedding scene to give an uplifting ending. The expensive post-production changes were done within three to four weeks before the film's North American release on July 7th.
21st Jun 2004
Dogma (1999)
Question: I am told that the film is satirizing Catholicism, what aspect it is satirizing?
Chosen answer: Many different aspects. For example, George Carlin's character portrays a grandstanding Cardinal who postures for the public. Rufus claims that, as a black man, the Church chose to ignore his role in history, as well as the fact that Christ was black (historians say this is more than likely, but it has never been acknowledged by the Church). The Mooby scene can also be seen as an analogy of the modern Church, obsessed with appearances and maintaining its image more than with the worship of God. Even at the climax, the action that solves the movie involves euthanasia of a terminally ill man, an action that the Church strongly believes is unethical for dogmatic reasons rather than Scripture. There are many more, too many to list here.
21st Jun 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Question: I understand that Faramir and Aragorn are both Rangers, but what is a Ranger as depicted in the "Rings" trilogy?
Chosen answer: Not as simple a question as it sounds, as, while Faramir and Aragorn are both described as Rangers, they're actually different types of Ranger. Faramir is one of the Rangers of Ithilien, a Gondorian group who specialise in using guerrilla tactics against the forces of Sauron in the land of Ithilien, between the Anduin river (which runs through Osgiliath) and the Mountains of Shadow that form the western border of Mordor. Aragorn is the current chieftain of the Rangers of the North, who came into being after the fall of the northern kingdom of Arthedain, ruled over by Isildur's descendants. After the loss of Arthedain, the people survived in the wild as the loose-knit organisation known as the Rangers. The two groups are related - both originate from the Dunedain, the long-lived descendants of the survivors of Numenor - but have been seperated for around 3000 years.
21st Jun 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
21st Jun 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Question: How does Smeagol over time becomes the hideous-looking Gollum? Did the One Ring radically changed his appearance? Also, what kind of Hobbit was Smeagol?
Chosen answer: Smeagol was believed to have been a Stoor, a branch of the hobbits known for being quite large and strong (by hobbit standards). His mutation is because of the Ring - precise reason unclear, but almost certainly related to the fact that it has prolonged his life far beyond a normal hobbit span (Gollum is around 580 years old when he dies, easily five times the normal lifespan)- note that Bilbo, who, while old, is still within a normal hobbit lifespan, looks physically normal. Smeagol, through use of the Ring, has been influenced by the wraithworld, in exactly the same manner that the kings of men who were given the nine rings ultimately became the Nazgul - in time, he would presumably have become a wraith-like being like them. Gollum's current appearance may be some intermediate stage.
21st Jun 2004
Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
Trivia: This film was Arnold Schwarzenegger's last acting role (in a cameo) before being elected governor of California.
21st Jun 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Trivia: According to the book, Frodo is the oldest of the Hobbits in the Fellowship, but Elijah Wood, who plays Frodo, is actually the youngest of all the Fellowship actors - he was seventeen when filming began. The actors who played the younger Hobbits (Merry, Samwise and Pippin) - Dominic Monaghan, Sean Astin and Billy Boyd - ranged in age from 23 to 31 at the beginning of filming. Ironically, in the book Pippin is the youngest of the four Hobbits, whereas Billy Boyd, who played Pippin was actually the oldest of the four actors portraying the Hobbits.
21st Jun 2004
Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
Trivia: The 2004 adaptation is a loose adaptation of the Jules Vernes novel. Instances include changing Phileas Fogg as an English gentleman into a gentleman-inventor; changing Passepartout to a Chinese thief from a French valet; and replacing an Indian princess with a French artist.
14th Jun 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Question: This is very absurd but some of my friends strongly think that Sam is a closet homosexual, and that his relationship with Frodo is more than loyality and friendship. They claim that Sam speaks of Rose Cotton as a way to "keep up with appearances." Can anyone tell me that Sam is not a homosexual?
14th Jun 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Question: I have yet to read the book, but what are the Corsairs?
Chosen answer: The Corsairs of Umbar are a piratical group, originally of Gondorian origin, whose founder, Castamir, was ousted as ruler of that land (he usurped the throne and had a vicious and cruel reign lasting ten years) some 1500 years before the events of the film. Since that time, they've held a great hatred for Gondor, fighting against them as much as possible. As a trivia note, forty years prior to the films, the Corsair fleets were all but destroyed by a devastating Gondorian attack led by a man named Thorongil. Thorongil was, in fact, Aragorn - he used this alias during his early life and his service to the lords of both Gondor and Rohan (as mentioned in the extended Two Towers film).
14th Jun 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Question: Is there a romantic relationship between Galadriel and Gimli? Also, it seems foolish, but is it true that Galadriel seems to have some sort of infatuation with Frodo? She seems pleased (by her come-hither looks) that Frodo is coming with her to the Undying Lands in the Grey Havens scene.
Chosen answer: Galadriel and Gimli? Bizarre mental image. Um, no, there's nothing going on there. Gimli does fall for her beauty, true, and she's flattered, but there's nothing else there. Do bear in mind that Celeborn, her husband, is around as well. No, she doesn't have an infatuation with Frodo either - her initial rapport with him would be down to them both being Ringbearers. Come-hither looks at the Grey Havens? I don't really see those - what I see is that she's excited about returning to Valinor, the land where she was born, and that she hasn't seen for seven thousand years. Nothing to do with Frodo going along, or any desire for hobbit lurve...
14th Jun 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Question: Are there hidden allegories (Christian, political, social, etc.) behind the stories of the Ring trilogy?
Chosen answer: None whatsoever. To quote Tolkien "As for any inner meaning or 'message', it has in the intention of the author none". He was strongly opposed to those who tried to read deeper meaning into the books.
9th Jun 2004
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie (2002)
Trivia: In the biblical book of Jonah, there is actually no whale that swallowed Jonah. The "whale" is a mistranslation of the Hebrew word for a big fish by the translators of the King James Version. Because of the prominence, respectability, and the wide distribution (it is in the public domain in the U.S., but not in the U.K.) of the King James translation over modern translations like the New International Version, the "whale" is what most Bible readers think of the sea creature that swallowed Jonah.
4th Jun 2004
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Trivia: Is currently the fastest major theatrical film to earn back its production and marketing costs ($55 million in three days). It is also the fastest film to earn a profit (grossing over the $110 million threshold within five days), since a film needs to earn twice the production and marketing costs to make a profit.
30th May 2004
Saved! (2004)
1st May 2004
Ten Commandments (1956)
Other mistake: In the Bible, Moses had two sons, not one (Gershom) as depicted in the film. He had both sons in Midian before he came back to Egypt to redeem the Jews.
Upvote valid corrections to help move entries into the corrections section.
22nd Apr 2004
All the King's Men (1949)
22nd Apr 2004
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
22nd Apr 2004
Titanic (1997)
22nd Apr 2004
Titanic (1997)
22nd Apr 2004
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Trivia: This film had the dubious honor as being the highest-grossing film to be nominated for "Razzie" awards, until "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" was released in 2018. It also has the dubious honor as one of a few films to be nominated for both "Razzie" (for directing, screenplay, picture, and acting roles) and Academy Awards (only for technical achievements) at the same year. While it did not win any Oscars, it won only one "Razzie" for "Worst Supporting Actor" (Ahmed Best who provided the voice of Jar-Jar Binks).
22nd Apr 2004
The Exorcist (1973)
Trivia: Was the highest-grossing R-rated film for about ten years until it was unseated by "Beverly Hills Cop" on March 1984.
22nd Apr 2004
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
Trivia: Was the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time for nearly twenty years until "The Matrix Reloaded" upseated it on June 3, 2003. In the history of R-rated films, it held the longest record for high grosser (19 years).
20th Apr 2004
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Trivia: Until October 2003, the film was originally called "The Passion" until Mel Gibson found that Miramax owns the rights to that name (from a romantic fantasy book), so he decided to add "of Christ" to it. Then a month latter, Gibson added an additional "the" between "of" and "Christ" which makes it "The Passion of the Christ," the title which was released in theaters.
19th Apr 2004
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
14th Apr 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
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?
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."
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.
23rd Jan 2004
Pokemon: The Movie 2000 (1999)
22nd Dec 2003
Druids (2001)
17th Nov 2003
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)
Trivia: Studio 69 is a reference to a real dance hall in New York City that was popular in the late 1970s - Studio 54. The "69" in Studio 69 refers to a sexual position. Mike Myers was also in a 1998 movie ("54") based on events at Studio 54.
11th Nov 2003
Saving Jessica Lynch (2003)
10th Nov 2003
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
9th Nov 2003
Bruce Almighty (2003)
29th Oct 2003
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984)
Trivia: All the female slaves' voices were done by male voice actors.
29th Oct 2003
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984)
Trivia: In Go-lion, at least one sentiment being dies before the end of most episodes.
29th Oct 2003
The Lion King (1994)
Trivia: The film characters and scenes are very similar to those found in a 1960s Japanese animated program, "Kimba the White Lion." The company that produced Kimba, Toho Studio, was aware of the similarites and threatened to sue Disney but dropped legal action because it could not afford a legal battle against the company.
28th Oct 2003
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984)
Trivia: In Go-lion, the people depicted as falling unconscious after contact with the flowers are dead.
28th Oct 2003
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984)
23rd Oct 2003
Battle Royale (2000)
21st Oct 2003
Shrek (2001)
15th Oct 2003
Memphis Belle (1990)
Trivia: The crewmembers of the Memphis Belle are not based on actual crewmembers. They are fictitious characters.
15th Oct 2003
Inherit the Wind (1960)
Trivia: This film is loosely based on the Scopes Case, where in 1925, a Tennesee subsitute teacher was accused of violating a law that prohibits the teaching of Darwin's theory of evolution. This case pitted Christian fundamentalists (who rejected the theory of evolution as they felt it contradict their literal belief of the Bible) against supporters of evolution.
14th Oct 2003
Spartacus (1960)
Trivia: The infamous "seduction" scene between Crassus and his servant Antoninus was deleted in original prints because of objections by censors who felt it showed a homosexual scene. It was finally restored in 1991, but Anthony Hopkins had to dub Crassus' lines (the soundtrack was lost) because Laurence Olivier (Crassus) died in 1989.
14th Oct 2003
How Green Was My Valley (1941)
Trivia: This film beat the soon-to-be classic "Citizen Kane" by winning the Oscar for "Best Picture" at the 1942 Academy Awards.
14th Oct 2003
Flash Gordon (1980)
14th Oct 2003
Chicago (2002)
Trivia: Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere all did their own dancing and singing.
14th Oct 2003
Anna and the King (1999)
Factual error: When speaking to the King of Siam or to the Royal Family, one speaks a special form of Thai called "Royal Thai." A person will never use everyday Thai to speak to the King as depicted in the film.
14th Oct 2003
Anna and the King (1999)
Factual error: The real King Mongkut was not tall as depicted in the film.
11th Oct 2003
Beast Wars: Transformers (1996)
8th Oct 2003
The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
1st Oct 2003
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
1st Oct 2003
Batman and Robin (1997)
1st Oct 2003
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
29th Sep 2003
Cannibal! The Musical (1993)
25th Sep 2003
Love Hina (2000)
The Hinata's New Resident Shinobu: Arrow Signs - S1-E2
Trivia: In the original comic version, Shinobu was already a resident of Hinata Inn.
25th Sep 2003
Love Hina (2000)
25th Sep 2003
Love Hina (2000)
Trivia: Keitaro Urashima's family name, Urashima, is a reference to "Urashima Taro," a Japanese fairy tail about a young fisherman who is taken to a sea kingdom by a large sea turtle after saving her from her tormentors.
25th Sep 2003
Love Hina (2000)
23rd Sep 2003
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984)
Trivia: The company that adapted "King of Beasts Go-lion" (Lion Force) and "Dairugger" (Vehicle Force) into "Voltron: Defender of the Universe" also wanted to dub another anime robot series called "Lightning God Albegas," but for some mysterious reason it never did. Some people speculated that the sexual perverted behavior of one of the major characters from Albegas, or the unaesthetic appearance of the six-armed robot may be the reason why the series was never dubbed. Interesting enough, toys based on Albegas were sold under the Voltron name.
23rd Sep 2003
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984)
Trivia: This series is commonly known as "Lion Force Voltron," because of the five robot lions that form Voltron.
23rd Sep 2003
V (1984)
23rd Sep 2003
Paper Moon (1973)
Trivia: Actress Tatum O'Neal, at age ten, became the youngest person to won an Oscar for an acting role. This excludes Shirley Temple, who won an honorary Oscar at age six in 1935.
23rd Sep 2003
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
23rd Sep 2003
Coming to America (1988)
Trivia: The armed man attempting to rob McDowell's is a then-unknown Samuel L. Jackson.
23rd Sep 2003
Coming to America (1988)
22nd Sep 2003
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984)
Trivia: This is the only episode that Prince Lotor does not appear in ever since he made his first appearance in "Yurak Gets His Pink Slip."
22nd Sep 2003
Ai Yori Aoshi (2002)
22nd Sep 2003
Ai Yori Aoshi (2002)
Trivia: The title, "Ai Yori Aoshi" literally means "Bluer Than Indigo" in Japanese. The phrase came from an old Chinese proverb that say something like this: blue dye is made from indigo colored grass, yet the blue dye's color is much deeper than the color of its origin. In simple terms, the student has exceeds the master.
22nd Sep 2003
Ai Yori Aoshi (2002)
19th Sep 2003
Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)
Trivia: The story in the film is not based on any Sherlock Holmes story.
19th Sep 2003
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984)
Trivia: This Voltron series is commonly known as "Vehicle Voltron."
19th Sep 2003
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984)
Space Explorers Captured - S1-E1
Trivia: This is the only Voltron episode which Princess Allura did not appear in.
19th Sep 2003
Ranma ½: Big Trouble in Nekonron, China (1991)
19th Sep 2003
Kull the Conqueror (1997)
Trivia: This film was supposed to be a sequel to "Conan the Destroyer" under the title "Conan the Conqueror" but Arnold Schwarzenegger refused to reprise the role. The film title was changed to "Kull the Conqueror" for television actor Kevin Sorbo.
19th Sep 2003
King of Kings (1961)
19th Sep 2003
Gia (1998)
17th Sep 2003
The Sting (1973)
Trivia: Producer Julia Phillips (died 2002) became the first female producer to win an Oscar for "Best Picture" for this film. The Oscar for "Best Picture" goes to the producers of the winning film since 1952. She shares the Oscar with fellow producers Tony Bill, and her then-husband Michael Phillips.
17th Sep 2003
Pearl Harbor (2001)
17th Sep 2003
Fantasia (1940)
17th Sep 2003
Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
Trivia: At 80 years old in 1990, Jessica Tandy became the oldest actress to win an Oscar for "Best Actress" and the oldest person to win an Oscar in an acting role.
17th Sep 2003
Chicago (2002)
17th Sep 2003
Moonstruck (1987)
17th Sep 2003
The Birth of a Nation (1915)
17th Sep 2003
The Birth of a Nation (1915)
Trivia: It has been reported that the positive depiction of the Klu Klux Klan in the film was responsible for its rebirth in 1915. Unlike the Klan that existed during Reconstruction (which is mostly anti-black and anti-Northern), the "Second Klan" (which survives today) is white supremist, anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, and anti-homosexual.
17th Sep 2003
The Birth of a Nation (1915)
17th Sep 2003
Full Metal Panic! (2002)
17th Sep 2003
Full Metal Panic! (2002)
Trivia: The anime TV series, originally scheduled to debut on Japanese television in October 2001, was delayed in respect for the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States. The Japanese release of an anime TV series about teenagers fighting international terrorists was considered tactless so soon after the attacks against the U.S. by international terrorists. It was released January 8, 2002, three months after its originally announced premier date.
17th Sep 2003
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984)
Trivia: While this series did use original animation, in most episodes, animation from the "first season" appeared on them so that the production company can save money. As a result of this, many episodes have very inconsistent animation, as most episodes were done by different animation teams.
17th Sep 2003
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984)
Trivia: Unlike the first series, the animation of the so-called "second season" was done by South Korean animators. This explains why the character designs are different from the previous Voltron season.
16th Sep 2003
The King and I (1956)
16th Sep 2003
Jetsons: The Movie (1990)
Trivia: 1980s teen idol Tiffany provided the voice of Judy Jetson. She also provided the songs found in the film. To her dismay, critics not only attacked the film, but the songs she sang.
16th Sep 2003
Enter the Dragon (1973)
16th Sep 2003
History of the World: Part I (1981)
16th Sep 2003
The Ring (2002)
16th Sep 2003
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
16th Sep 2003
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Trivia: After surpassing "The Blair Witch Project" in October 2002, the film became the highest grossing independent film of all time until "The Passion of the Christ" in March 2004. It took more than five months to reach that goal, as the film was originally released in the United States on April 21, 2002 and had a limited release.
16th Sep 2003
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Trivia: Nia Vardalos originally conceived "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" as a one-woman play.
16th Sep 2003
Life is Beautiful (1997)
Trivia: Roberto Benigni became the first Italian actor in more than 35 years to win an Oscar for an acting role. The last winner was Sophia Loren. His unexpecting Oscar win for "Best Actor" marked only the second time that an actor had directed himself in an Academy Award winning performance. The other was Laurence Olivier for Hamlet (1948). Benigni also became the first actor to win a best actor oscar for an non-English speaking role.
16th Sep 2003
Primary Colors (1998)
16th Sep 2003
Primary Colors (1998)
Trivia: When the original novel was published, the author was identified as "Anonymous." As a result of curious professors and investigative journalists trying to identify the author, the person was identified as Joe Klein, an American magazine columnist who was working for the newsmagazine Newsweek. Investigators had shown that the writing style found in "Primary Colors" is identical to the writing style found in Klein's Newsweek articles.
16th Sep 2003
From Hell (2001)
16th Sep 2003
Phone Booth (2002)
15th Sep 2003
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984)
Trivia: The reasons why the character designs differ from episode to episode is that several teams of animators worked in different episodes to complete 52 episodes within a six month period. Japanese animators (because of budget restraints and tight deadlines), must complete animation within a short time period, unlike Western animators who have the time and budget to finish their works within a year or two.
15th Sep 2003
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984)
Trivia: "Voltron: Defender of the Universe" is a loose English-language adaptation of a 1981 anime series called "The King of Beasts, Go-lion."
15th Sep 2003
Starship Troopers (1997)
Trivia: The view that people acquired citizenship and the right to vote through military service reflected the views of "Starship Troopers" author Robert Heinlein. His views were influenced by his years in military service during World War II, and what he saw as the supposed "laziness" of civilians.
15th Sep 2003
Red Dawn (1984)
15th Sep 2003
Psycho (1960)
Trivia: The film somewhat stirred controversy when it was released because it was the first time that a leading actress' (Janet Leigh) character dies during the first third of the film. Before Psycho, the leading actress' character either lives throughout the film or dies at the end. Her character never dies early in the film.
15th Sep 2003
The Pianist (2002)
Trivia: When director Roman Polanski won the Oscar for "Best Director" during the 2003 Academy Awards ceremony, he did not attend because of his statutory rape conviction in 1977. If he returns to the United States, Polanski will be immediately arrested once he steps into American soil. On late 2003, actor Harrison Ford presented the Oscar that Polanski won in March during the Deauville Film Festival in France.
15th Sep 2003
Monster's Ball (2001)
Trivia: For her role in the film, Halle Berry became the first black actress (even though she is actually bi-racial, as her mother is white) to win an Oscar for "Best Actress."
15th Sep 2003
The King and I (1956)
15th Sep 2003
The Killing Fields (1984)
Trivia: Haing S. Ngor became the first Cambodian and the second non-actor (he is a doctor by trade) to win an Oscar for an acting role. Unfortunately, Ngor was murdered in a gang-related robbery at his home on February 25, 1996.
15th Sep 2003
Immortal Beloved (1994)
Trivia: Beethoven never mentioned during his lifetime who was his "Immortal Beloved." The long-debated riddle of her identity was solved beyond reasonable doubt in 1977 by an American musicologist. The woman was identified as Antonie Brentano (1790-1869), the wife of a Frankfurt merchant and a mother of four.
15th Sep 2003
Great Expectations (1998)
15th Sep 2003
Gandhi (1982)
14th Sep 2003
44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out (2003)
14th Sep 2003
Daredevil (2003)
14th Sep 2003
The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)
Trivia: The real Larry Flynt appears as a judge in the film.
14th Sep 2003
The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)
Factual error: Jerry Falwell and Charles Keating never knew each other personally in real life.
14th Sep 2003
Collateral Damage (2002)
14th Sep 2003
What A Girl Wants (2003)
Trivia: When the film was released during the war with Iraq, the poster of the film was edited by airbrushing the peace sign that Amanda Bynes made. This was done by Warner Bros. so no one will think that the poster is a war protest, or make it seem that the studio is against the war.
14th Sep 2003
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
14th Sep 2003
The Queen of the Damned (2002)
Trivia: Singer/actress Aaliyah's brother Rashad Haughton provided her voice after her death from a plane crash on August 2001. "The Queen of the Damned" was the last film Aaliyah appeared in.
14th Sep 2003
Bull Durham (1988)
Trivia: When the film was shown during the 2003 Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony, Susan Sarandon and her partner Tim Robbins were not invited because of the controversy surrounding their anti-war views on Iraq.
13th Sep 2003
Julius Caesar (2002)
13th Sep 2003
Julius Caesar (2002)
Trivia: Actor Heino Ferch spent five hours in the wardrobe transforming into Vercingetorix every day.
13th Sep 2003
Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003)
13th Sep 2003
Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003)
13th Sep 2003
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
11th Sep 2003
Helen of Troy (2003)
Factual error: Contrary to what is depicted in the mini-series, the concept of a "high king" never existed in ancient Greece.
11th Sep 2003
Helen of Troy (2003)
Factual error: Chinese men are shown in the Trojan marketplace wearing Manchu-style clothing, something they would not wear until the Chin Dynasty (late 17th century until the early 20th). Also, there are no records of the Chinese ever traveling to the West during the time period of the Trojan War (circa 1000 B.C.).
11th Sep 2003
Helen of Troy (2003)
Factual error: In the Trojan marketplace where Paris goes to find his beloved black bull, South American parrots are displayed. Parrots of any kind were not introduced into Europe from the Americas until the 16th century.
10th Sep 2003
Lucy (2003)
Factual error: Arnaz told the studio audience at the end of his show's recording that Communists took over Cuba (his native country) when he was a child. That is untrue as it was the Batista rebels that took over Cuba (early 1930s) when Arnaz was a child, not the Communists. The Communist take over of Cuba actually occured in 1959, many years after Arnaz fled the country.
10th Sep 2003
Lucy (2003)
Factual error: Lucille Ball is portrayed as a victim to everyone around her in the film. Actually, she was a strong force to be reckoned with, bold, demanding and some would say controlling; arguably quite necessary with her being the powerful female head of a production company.
10th Sep 2003
Lucy (2003)
Factual error: Contrary to what is depicted in the film, producer Jess Oppenheimer and Desi Arnaz never saw eye-to-eye. They never liked each other personally and professionally.
10th Sep 2003
Lucy (2003)
Factual error: The final episode of "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour" when Lucy meets Ernie Kovacs, marks the finality for Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, and Fred and Ethel Mertz. By this time the shows weren't filmed before a live audience the way it's depicted in the movie. The producers of the show abandoned the live audience earlier than the final shows.
10th Sep 2003
Attila (2001)
Other mistake: In the party/orgy scene where Aetius is showing off Rome to Attila, one can see a woman with her back to us reveal herself to a man and woman. Despite her veil, one can see her thong underwear. This type of underwear is a 20th century innovation.
10th Sep 2003
Attila (2001)
Factual error: The Roman emperor Valentinian III did not kill Flavius Aetius after his victory over Attila. He killed the general one year after Attila's death, in 454 A.D.
10th Sep 2003
Attila (2001)
Factual error: Theodosius II, the Byzantine (Eastern Roman Empire) emperor was not alive when Attila died. He died in 450 A.D.
10th Sep 2003
Attila (2001)
Factual error: Attila was not poisoned by his new bride after his defeat in the Battle of Chalons in 451 A.D. He died naturally in 453 A.D after devastating Aquileia, Milan, Padua, and other cities in Italy.
10th Sep 2003
Attila (2001)
Factual error: Attila did not kill his brother Bleda in a duel, a day after his supposed coronation as King of the Huns, as depicted in the film. Nor did Attila become king after his brother's death. Historically, after the death of their uncle, King Rua, in 434 A.D., both Attila and Bleda shared the Hunnish throne until Attila killed his brother in 445 A.D.
10th Sep 2003
Attila (2001)
Factual error: Huns do not have brown hair and blue eyes as depicted in the film. They are a nomadic Asian people of Mongolian ancestry with dark hair and brown eyes.
10th Sep 2003
Attila (2001)
Audio problem: When Aetius first displays the Roman legions to Attila, the soldiers are marching out of step with the beat of the drums. Also, at the wedding of Attila and Ildico, the beat of the music is very much out of sync with the dancing and hand-clapping.
10th Sep 2003
Attila (2001)
Continuity mistake: From the time Attila became king of the Huns to his death, he does not age.
10th Sep 2003
Attila (2001)
Factual error: The clothes the Romans are wearing are not consistent with the time period. By the mid 5th century A.D., the Romans were beginning to wear dull and coarse clothing. The clothes the Romans are depicted wearing throughout the miniseries are typical of the early Empire (29 B.C. to 196 A.D.).
9th Sep 2003
Julius Caesar (2002)
9th Sep 2003
Julius Caesar (2002)
Trivia: Julius Caesar was married three times, not twice. His second wife (whom he divorced because of her alleged involvement in a religious scandal) was never mentioned in the miniseries.
7th Sep 2003
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Trivia: Contrary to common belief, "The Wizard of Oz" is not based on Populism (a mostly rural movement in the 1890s that challenged the interests of the railroads and big business) and its ideals. This myth originated from the fact that writer L. Frank Baum had been the editor of a Populist newspaper in Kansas prior to writing the Oz books.
6th Sep 2003
The Untouchables (1987)
6th Sep 2003
The Doors (1991)
Factual error: Morrison did finish film school in real life. He did not drop out as depicted in the film.
5th Sep 2003
Amistad (1997)
Factual error: No presidential candidate campaigned in person until William Jennings Bryan was nominated the Democratic candidate in 1896. Before Bryan, it was the practice that candidates campaign only in their hometown (candidates are to "stand" for office, not "run" for office) while their supporters campaign for them nation-wide.
5th Sep 2003
Glory (1989)
Factual error: The 54th Mass. actually consisted of educated, middle-class Northern blacks, not illiterate, runaway slaves as depicted in the film.
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Chosen answer: No way to answer this without over simplifying or offending someone, but here goes... To characterize the three types by their one particular focus (and ignoring all other differences and similarities), Conservatives' main focus is for values/practices/whatever to stay the way that they have traditionally been. Fundamentalists want change from tradition to a stricter, more literal interpretation of the Bible. Evangelicals main focus is to be close to God to convert others to Christianity. Of course there are all sorts of combinations of all three as well. "Mainline" churches are the large, well-established, well-accepted mainstream denominations, e.g. Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Episcopalian, etc. etc.
Myridon