Answered questions about specific movies, TV shows and more

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Question: When Will mentions that Lecter was given sodium amytal in hopes of finding the location of a student that Lecter killed, Lecter instead gave them a recipe for dip. How was Lecter able to lie? Wouldn't giving him the amytal have made him tell the FBI where the student was?

Answer: So-called "truth serums" don't actually work like you think they do. They are super unreliable. Sure, they can sometimes make subjects more open and willing to talk... but just as often (if not more so), they can make the subjects super suggestible, which can lead to things like false memories, altered memories, and even false confessions. Or they can simply have no effect on the subject whatsoever besides making them a little high and groggy. There's a reason they typically aren't used and aren't always trusted. It's possible that Lecter either wasn't affected by the drug, or was simply able to keep a sound-enough mind to not divulge information. Of course, there's also the chance that Lecter hid the relevant information in the recipe... as he likes to hide information out in the open, disguised as other things... (Which he did several times in "The Silence of the Lambs").

TedStixon

Question: Why did young Michael kill the nurse? She saw a picture of Laurie as a baby and complimented her. Why would this drive Michael to kill her?

Answer: To be fair, she also makes a snide comment about how the cute baby "couldn't possibly be related" to Michael, implying he's ugly. (At least in the unrated version, which is the most widely available version on home video. Not sure if this line is in the theatrical cut.) So she did also insult Michael. But the fact of the matter is Michael is psychotic, and felt compelled to kill her for one reason or another. Whether it be because she insulted him, because the picture of his sister set him off, or simply because he just wanted to murder her... he acted on his impulse to kill. I don't necessarily think there's always a rhyme or reason as to why he kills in the Rob Zombie films... he simply kills anyone who gets in his way or that he comes across.

TedStixon

Question: Is there a symbolic reason why Alice and Anna are both American? Or was it just a coincidence with the choice of actresses?

Answer: I think it mostly has to do with the casting of Natalie Portman and Julia Roberts. In the original play, there's no mention of Alice or Anna being American.

Answer: This is not an official answer, but my interpretation is that them both being American makes them interchangeable, in a way. Whether Dan or Larry is involved with Alice or Anna, both men have issues that cannot be totally helped by a relationship with either woman. Although, Larry and Anna only spent a night together.

Answer: There wasn't one singular city used. It was shot in and around various locations in California, plus on a lot of sets and backlots. Ex. Some scenes were shot in LA, some in Pasadena, some in Santa Barbara, etc.

TedStixon

Answer: I think he did. That's what made everyone so uncomfortable during the meat locker scene. He even alludes to the bishop that he knows who made the threat in the confessional. The movie wasn't about him preserving his life, but him fulfilling his role as a priest and meeting people at their darkest spaces.

Question: What caused Joey to scream and swear when he came home to an empty house?

Answer: The fact that his wife left him with nothing.

Rob245

Why did his wife leave him? Was she cheating on him?

He was cheating on her.

raywest

She found out that he was cheating on her.

She found a picture of him cheating.

Question: As a janitor, when tending to the boy in the lift, the boy tells Kimble his chest hurts. Why does Kimble write the notes on the board - while pressing on his chest? He could've held the board in his hand.

Answer: I just watched the clip on YouTube. The paperwork is in a manilla (paper) folder, not on a clipboard, so it is practically weightless. Kimble places the folder on the boy's lower abdomen rather than the chest and opens it. He is holding the left-hand side of the folder with one hand, slightly lifting as he writes new instructions. He is not pressing on the boy's body at all. Because the folder is flimsy, Kimble could not have written on it efficiently if he was completely holding it up.

raywest

Question: When interviewed by the police, why did none of the doctors provide Kimble with an alibi, stating he'd been doing the operation at the time of his wife's murder? They all state how much of a great doctor Kimble is, but not once do they say he was doing an operation.

Answer: Because the surgery wasn't much of an alibi, the police and the prosecution are arguing that Richard killed Helen after the surgery. The time of Mrs. Kimble's death does line up with Richard coming home after the surgery and fighting Sykes. Since nobody but Richard and Sykes know the exact second Helen died, the police theorized that Richard came home from the surgery and killed his wife so his colleagues mentioning the surgery is meaningless.

BaconIsMyBFF

Question: I've heard that, because the film was shot in sequential order, some of the actors were unaware who the spy is until the last three days of filming. When they were offered their roles, wouldn't they have received a copy of the script to read in advance to learn their lines?

Cubs Fan

Answer: The cast would have received copies of the script but with parts of the last scene omitted. They would be given the missing pages during the last days of the shoot, in which time they learn their lines, rehearse, then film the ending. Considering the time involved in filming a movie, actors do not necessarily memorize the entire script beforehand, but do so as each scene is shot. Also, it's questionable as to whether or not any of the cast did not know the ending as the movie was based on the Broadway play.

raywest

Question: When did Erica and Harry switch eye glasses?

Answer: When they were trying to see what time it was the morning after they had slept together.

Question: Wouldn't it be against regulation for a house, especially of that size, to be built on a section of the beach that the tide would eventually come up to? A sturdy foundation is absolutely of the question with there being nothing but sand to build it on. When the tide came up to pull Bernie into the water, it definitely would've made contact with the house.

Answer: Yes it would, but Bernie was a greedy and selfish man, he would have bribed contractors and inspectors to get it built. He wanted to live the life of a big shot. Like "The Wolf of Wall Street."

Question: Why wouldn't Miss Hannigan sign the papers to have Annie adopted by Warbucks? I get she wanted Warbucks to like her but I'm still confused.

Answer: Because she was a mean and unhappy woman, if she can't be happy why should everyone else.

Cyrano de Tripper - S2-E8

Question: In this episode, Chrissy's Date Michael asks her (while eating a salad) "How did you introduce the dressing?" Chrissy responds, "I just said salad meet the dressing, dressing meet the salad." Although the response made for a very funny scene, my question is what did Michael actually mean by "introduce the dressing"?

Answer: Michael, being a chef who thinks Chrissy made everything, I think he's basically asking how she prepared the salad. Did she fold the salad into the dressing, drizzle it over the salad, etc.

Bishop73

Answer: Lord Farquaad said "The ogre has fallen in love with the princess!", meaning Shrek is in love with Fiona. To which she asks if that's true.

Bishop73

Question: What could Isabel Lahiri say to Matsui during the interrogation? Why he was so "upset" suddenly?

Answer: We have no idea, nor are we meant to. It's a joke.

It is a joke :) and it's good :) but what could it be? What could she say to his ear :) I'm asking just for curiosity and for mind exercise :).

She is good at her job and knows Matsui enough to have something on him that would make him talk and drop the act. Something personal.

lionhead

If I had to make my absolute best guess, I'd say it had something to do with that niece of his.

Question: Why can't the kids at the back of the school bus just tell the driver to stop for Tommy instead of letting him chasing it?

Trainman

Answer: He was the fat kid. I was teased in school for being the nerd who wore glasses and read books.

Answer: Because they're being mean and wanted to watch Tommy chase the bus.

Bishop73

Why were they so mean to Tommy?

Trainman

He's an overweight doofus, which makes him a prime target for bullying.

Phaneron

Question: Why can't Kevin just call the police that Harry and Marv is about to rob Duncan's toy chest at midnight instead of stopping them himself?

Trainman

Answer: There is no reason other than it would be an incredibly boring movie if he did that. Obviously that's what one would do in real life, but if one buys that Marv and Harry can survive the multiple fatal traps they encounter, then one can suspend disbelief enough to accept a questionable decision to advance the plot.

Answer: I think it's the same reason he didn't call the cops in the first film, he was afraid of the cops because he committed a crime himself. While it could be considered a stretch, it's not really explained in the films. In the first film he is chased by the cop for stealing a toothbrush and in the second film the hotel has found out Kevin was using a stolen credit card, so he flees. Of course, he ends up calling the cops in the first film and makes a recording of their confession for the cops in the second film.

Bishop73

Answer: What cop would believe a little boy that he knows that two escaped convicts, he single handedly captured before, we're going to rob a store.

Police are required to follow up on reports. They can't just disregard a report because they think it's unlikely.

Phaneron

Question: How come Kevin never told his parents or his family about the Wet Bandits? He also never told them in the sequel either.

Trainman

Answer: If your kid came to you and said he single handedly captured to two robbers, you'd believe him.

Answer: He never tells them onscreen, nor does the movie give any indication that they know, but realistically, Kevin was a witness to their crimes, and he would be called in to give statements and testimonies in order to put them away. So his parents would have to know about his encounters with them, otherwise it would be a major plot hole. Perhaps the film-makers thought it would be funnier and more in line with his character for Kevin to be secretive about it.

Phaneron

Not necessarily. The police caught them red-handed and one of the cops said their habit of flooding houses was proof as to which houses they hit. It's possible no-one knew Kevin's connection.

Brian Katcher

Good point.

Phaneron

Mr. Marley, the elderly next-door-neighbor, knew about it. He, too, was also a witness. It's highly unlikely that it would not come out that Kevin had some involvement. The burglars did break into the McCallister house, further adding to their crimes.

raywest

Answer: Adding to a previous answer, the cops arrested them at the site of a previous break-in. Even though Marley rescued Kevin, it's possible he didn't tell anyone about them either, so them breaking into the McCallister's house didn't matter. Not to mention, Marv blabbing about them having the calling card to the police didn't help their case either.

Answer: Why would he need to? The idea is that he outsmarted them alone, and his parents were none the wiser.

Question: When Scott starts slowly turning into Santa, everybody believes he's dressing up as Santa on purpose. Why didn't Scott simply tell people, "I don't think I'm Santa Claus. I'm not pretending to be Santa Claus. I know I'm not Santa Claus. I'm not even trying to look like him." Granted he could never tell anybody how it happened but if he simply said that he isn't pretending to be somebody he's not people might ease up a bit?

Answer: If he told people he was not deliberately trying to look like Santa Claus, that would cause them to be even more suspicious of Scott Calvin having a mental disorder, not a physical one. Remember, Scott went to see his family doctor, Pete, and Pete tried to explain to Scott his physical changes as a matter of changing his diet from milk and cookies, and Scott suffering from a hormone imbalance. Scott tried, but not even Doctor Pete, a professional in the medical field, could help him.

Scott215

This question is about his mental state. Not his physical transformation. In other words, he could say "There's nothing mentally wrong with me that would make me think for one second I am Santa." His physical transformation could be explained by people thinking he's overeating, growing facial hair and his hair turning white.

Except, Doctor Pete was incompetent. Nobody has the drastic physiological changes that Scott had, and Dr. Pete seems committed to blaming them on 'routine' aging and diet factors. In real life, a competent doctor would be submitting Scott to a continuous battery of tests, cancer screenings, CT scans, etc.

Question: Why is the secretary was so rude to Howard when he tried to find the job?

Trainman

Answer: As she said to Howard, she believed that he was using his "outlandish" appearance to be unable to find work and collect money through unemployment. She's probably dealt with people who did the same thing and was eventually sick of it.

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