General questions about movies, TV and more

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There was a movie in the early 90s, it was a scary movie and it was about a woman who wanted to lose weight. She ordered this special diet package that came with ear buds, glasses, and finally a needle and thread. The ear buds make her hear the food, the glasses make her see the food, and when neither of them work she sews her lips shut. Help please?

Answer: "Love Hungry" - episode in "Tales from the Darkside".

smpr

What film from the 1940s features a teenage girl who marries a much older male writer to keep her from being sent to a sort of institution, but the two end up falling in love?

Answer: The film is called "Susan Slept Here". Debbie Reynolds played the teenager.

Ioreth

I remember a horror film where these girls were being mean to one girl (teenagers) and she is trying to be part of their clique. They left her in some cemetery/mausoleum as a kind of hazing to get her to be in their clique. One of the popular girls was African American and always had a toothbrush in her mouth. Since they were mean to the girl, bad things started to happen to them at the cemetery. What is the name of this film?

Tricia Webster

Chosen answer: The film you're referring to is "One Dark Night", a 1983 horror film. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086050/.

How is it possible that Gary Fitzgerald was nominated for both Leading and Supporting Actor Oscars for Going My Way?

Cubs Fan

Chosen answer: The initial nominations process involves each member of the Academy nominating those within their own field for the various awards appropriate to what they do. From these, the shortlists are drawn up for the second round of voting. In the case of Barry Fitzgerald, opinion was apparently divided as to whether his role qualifies as a lead role or a supporting role. Ultimately, he received a sufficiently high number of nominations from his fellow actors and actresses that he ended up on the shortlist for both categories. Since then, the rules have been changed to prevent it from happening again.

Tailkinker

I am a fan of Midsomer Murders. I am trying to find the title of one of its episodes. In this episode Barnaby discovers that three children committed the murders. Before this discovery one of the children tries to strangle Barnaby. It then transpires that these children killed their own father years before. I would be grateful if someone would tell me what this episode is called.

Answer: It's called "Death and Dreams" from season six, 2003.

Ioreth

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

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

Answer: That would be "Hoodlum" from 1997.

papajim

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

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'm trying to find the title to a film I saw on television in the early 80's. A crazy young woman lives alone in a remote unpopulated area. A man (possibly a local authority) drives his truck to her house once in a while to check on her. The woman seems to have the mind of a child and her interactions are awkward and somehow threatening. There are a lot of long uneasy silences. At the end, the woman is walking around outside in just panties and shirt. The title was something like "The Madness of Emily" or "The Psychosis of Sara" or "The Neurosis of Ana Rose". I can't remember the actual name. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: I believe you're thinking of the Jodie Foster movie "Nell".

CCARNI

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

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

This is a b/w film, late 50's: a small group of people is in everglades-type surrounds. One gets attacked by a huge snapping turtle, one has to climb a tree to get away from an alligator, but the best part is a guy gets an earwig in his ear, goes into a fever, and after several days the earwig comes out of his ear. But he's told that it was a female and had laid eggs in his head. This was a movie, not a tv show. Any help please.

ramjet

Chosen answer: This was a TV series of Night Gallery by Rod Serling. The name of the episode was "The Caterpillar".

sniff_my_butt

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

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

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

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