Answered general questions about movies, TV and more

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I saw a movie recently on tv. It was a British or Irish movie and it had a young woman on it that worked in a bakery for her father and she had a friend that was dying and bedridden. Her dying friend had a video of the young woman singing but there was no sound. Her dying wish was to hear her friend sing. The young lady sang for her friend just before she died and at her funeral. Does anyone know the name of this movie?

Answer: That's 2001's "Very Annie Mary" starring Rachel Griffiths. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0188128/.

Myridon

I read that Cinderella was made into a movie 58 times. Does anyone know if this is a record? Or has something else been made more times?

Answer: The main problem with things along these lines are what actually counts. The Internet Movie Database listed 41 films and TV productions directly called "Cinderella", but there are many other productions that are based, to varying degrees, on the storyline, so it becomes rather questionable as to where you draw the line as what can be considered "Cinderella" and what's just too far away from the original storyline to be considered as a proper version of the tale. The most likely rival to the top slot, and it certainly cannot be disputed that Cinderella must be a good candidate for the position, would be Dracula, who has appeared in something like 200 films over the years. As with Cinderella, how many of those can be considered legitimate adaptations of the original story would be a matter of some debate.

Tailkinker

Answer: That would be "Hoodlum" from 1997.

papajim

I'm looking for the title of a movie from the 80's or maybe 90's. It seems to be set in the late 1800's or early 1900's and is about a unusually smart boy named Wendell. The only scene I'm certain about is when the boy gets off a train and is greeted by two older people. The man introduces himself and the lady as "Cornelia" and tells her Wendell's name. She says "Hello, Wendy." He replies, "Hello, Corny." She says (angrily) "Cornelia", he replies (exasperated) "Wendell." Thanks.

Grumpy Scot

Chosen answer: The film was called "The Wizard of Loneliness". Lucas Haas played Wendall.

Ioreth

I am trying to identify a move that I saw on TV in the '80s. I don't remember much about it other than one scene. The movie takes place on another planet where the sun comes out only once every so many years. Children are playing, and one of them gets locked into a shed before the sun comes out. The child can feel and see the sun only through the slats of the shed. That's all I remember - this has been bothering me for YEARS. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Answer: "All Summer In A Day" based on the short story by Ray Bradbury.

Phixius

I saw this film that was made around the 70's or 80's. It was set in Africa, and in one scene there were two Africans children who fell into a tank of water which was on a truck. These children had never seen water before. In another scene the younger brother was out in the wild and he was approached by an animal which looked like a dog. The animal stood up and if it was taller than him it would attack him. The boy knew this so he grabbed the stick and put it on top of his head. The animal backed down. It was a comedy. What is this film called?

gillian ahern

Chosen answer: Sounds like the movie "The Gods Must Be Crazy II".

SAZOO1975

Being an Australian, I'm unsure about American phone numbers. In American movies/TV shows, I always notice that people's phone numbers are '555' followed by four digits, but if every American's phone number was that, then it would only allow for 10 000 phone numbers. Please fill me in.

Blibbetyblip

Chosen answer: The main reason for this is that a range of numbers within the American '555' area code have been intentionally left unassigned for fictional use, with the aim of avoiding the inadvertant use of a real phone number; there have been cases of members of the public receiving numerous calls when film or TV companies have not used a 555-prefix. Other countries have similar setups - for example, Ofcom, the regulating body of the phone network in the UK has set aside a large number of numbers within various area codes specifically for use in fiction. You may well find that a similar policy exists in Australia as well.

Tailkinker

I am trying to identify the title a certain movie I saw as a child in the early 80s that has been etched in my mind for its disturbing content. I only remember bits and pieces, but I seem to remember a hero similar to "He Man" (in dress) who has a ring (it may have had an eye on it) that allows him see events transpiring in different places. I remember a fiery temple of some sort where the villains were sacrificing kids (and maybe adults also). The hero is called to save the innocent victims. Does anyone have an idea as to what this movie is?

Answer: That sounds like The Beastmaster staring Marc Singer. The ring, however, wasn't for his personal use. His enemy was actually using it to spy on him and his companions. When they found the eye in the ring, they poked it out with a burning stick. He did look a lot like He-Man, though.

Garlonuss

I am looking for a film I saw about 20 years ago. I do not know the name of this film or any of the actors' names. There is a blond haired woman and a dark haired woman in this fim. The blond haired one seems to be a nice person who tries to reason all the time with the dark haired one who is not so nice. I remember the last scene where their house goes up in fire. The dark haired woman is trapped in it. The blond gets outside and with people around her looks up at the burning house. I think this film was made in the 60's. It is not "Rebecca."

Answer: This sounds like one of the many move versions of the novel, "Jane Eyre."

raywest

In American movies, I sometimes notice little flag shaped things on people's letterboxes, that can be moved up and down. In Australia, where I live, I've never noticed these, nor have I noticed them in countries I've visited (I haven't visited America). What is the purpose of these flag shaped things, and are they solely American?

Blibbetyblip

Chosen answer: It's actually a very practical device, and they are mostly used in rural areas that have roadside letterboxes. The homeowner raises it when there is outgoing mail to be picked up. The postal carrier can put the flag in the "up" position when there's a delivery.

raywest

I've never heard of any mailman doing that. The signal flag is only for outgoing mail.

Bishop73

I think the question is about the "little flag" (usually yellow), not the standard red flag that the owner raises when s/he puts outgoing mail in the box and doesn't want the postal carrier to bypass the mailbox if there is no mail to be delivered to that address that day. Regarding the small yellow flag that is near the bottom of the door (whereas the red flag extends above the box to be more visible), the yellow flag pops up when the mail box's door is opened. The carrier doesn't have to "put the flag up" to indicate a delivery - it is automatic - again, the flag goes up when the door goes down (is opened). The yellow part usually faces toward the house so that the homeowner (or renter) can see from the window if any mail has been delivered. With mailboxes that do not have the little flag, people have to walk to the mailbox to see if there is any mail. The mailboxes with the little flags can be bought on-line but are becoming obsolete with "informed delivery" emails.

KeyZOid

Answer: Outgoing mail to be picked up? The US doesn't have post boxes? How strange.

The US does have post boxes, but if someone decides to install a full service mailbox, it's more convenient. Generally using the post box can be a bit faster since the mail carrier who picks up the mail might not return in time for the mail to be processed that day.

Bishop73

A film made in the 70's is about a man whose leg was cut off with a machine on the farm. he went on to become a high jumper with one leg. What's the name of this movie?

gillian ahern

Chosen answer: Crossbar seems to be it. A 1979 "made for tv" (Canada) movie.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079012/.

Rlvlk

I'm trying to find the name of a western I saw sometime in the early to mid 70's. There were several factions fighting over a gattling gun. I seem to recall a small number of cowboys, a bunch of soldiers and perhaps a Mexican army all trying to own the gun, the end of the movie is a big fight between them all. There might have been some nuns burying the dead at the very end but I might be confusing movies; it was a long time ago. Several people have suggested "The Gattling Gun" but I read a synopsis of that on imdb and it doesn't ring any bells. Any help would be most appreciated.

Answer: The Wild Bunch - 1969, directed by Sam Peckinpah.

ramjet

I saw a movie when I was younger and one scene stuck with me. I was not suppose to be watching the movie, I just happened to wake up and get a drink of water at the time, therefore I'm sure it was not a kid's movie. It was shown early in the evening on regular network TV (no cable back then) so I'm assuming it was either a very old movie for the time (pre-80's) and easily edited. This is all I remember for certain: there was a group of people on a train and people were being killed one by one. The scene I saw was of a man who was drugged or knock unconscious and placed, sitting up, next to the wheels of the train before it left the station so that the wheels would crush him as the train left. For some reason when I try to picture the guy, I think of Father Guido Sarducci from SNL.I don't know why. I'm fairly certain from the clothing, music, hairstyles and when I saw the scene on TV that it was made in the mid to late 70's. The things that stick in your brain, goodness. Please help me.

Answer: This sounds very much like Terror Train - 1980, Jamie Lee Curtis.

ramjet

Im trying to figure out the title to a movie I saw in the late 90's. A woman is sent on a mission in space and she is only person going. She gets sucked into a worm hole and ends up at a planet with a beach-like setting and she sees a ghost of her father as an alien form. Can anyone help me out? I would greatly appreciate it.

Answer: This would be the 1997 film Contact, starring Jodie Foster.

Tailkinker

A film made in the 70' about a man whose leg get cut off with a machine on the farm. He goes on to becomes a high jumper with one leg.

gillian ahern

Chosen answer: The movie is "Crossbar" - made in 1979 starring John Ireland and Brent Carver.

Zwn Annwn

I watched a movie late one night. It was in black and white and all the characters were played by dogs role playing as humans. Any clue as to the title of this film?

Answer: The film is called "Pound". More information can be found at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066234/.

Manky

This is a western type movie from the 70s: a group of guys take apart a boat and drag it across deserts and mountains to get to a river or lake. When they do get there, they find that there is no water.

Answer: This sounds like the 1982 film, "Fitzcarraldo," directed by Werner Herzog and starring Klaus Kinski.

raywest

A TV series during the 70's and 80's. I think it's about two brothers. One is a dwarf, very smart and thinks like MacGuyver. In one episode he's driving a car from the back seat and the driver in front doesn't know how the car is driving itself. Another involves them climbing walls. Anyone recognise this show?

gillian ahern

Chosen answer: Sounds like "The Wizard". http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090547/.

Grumpy Scot

This film is about ants. It was made around the mid 80's/very early 90's. In one scene, there is construction going on around a few houses. One of the men thinks he knows where the ants are coming from. He gets a diggers and starts digging into the ground. As soon as he is into the ground, the ants start coming out from the ground. Towards the end of the film two of the men get trapped in a room by the ants; they roll up paper to use as an oxygen pipe and are told not to move. What is the name of this film?

gillian ahern

Chosen answer: You're thinking of the 1977 made-for-TV movie called 'It Happened at Lakewood Manor'. The film also goes by the titles 'Ants' and 'Panic at Lakewood Manor'.

Blibbetyblip

Do you know the name of an old German film that has "007" in the title? Not sure what year but it was one of my mum's favourites as a child and she was born in 1952.

Answer: It might be the 1966 movie 'Eispraktor 007'.

Blibbetyblip

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