Corrected entry: The "Wonderful World" segment of the documentary has several inaccuracies. 1) The Emir of Kuwait is not a dictator, but the legal ruler of his country. In fact, Kuwait is considered one of the freer Middle Eastern countries. 2) The U.S. government never gave aid to Taliban-ruled Afganistan. It actually gave that money to U.S. and international agencies that distributed humanitarian aid to the people of Afganistan. 3) Panama dictator Manuel Noriega was never a CIA agent. He was a CIA informant who used to provide intelligence to the United States. 4) Chile President Salvador Allende was not assassinated; he committed suicide with a gun.
megamii
24th Jun 2004
Bowling for Columbine (2002)
14th Sep 2003
Gandhi (1982)
Corrected entry: British actor Ben Kingsley who played Mahatma Gandhi is of Indian and English descent.
Correction: This is trivia about Ben Kingsley, not about the film Gandhi.
14th Sep 2003
12 Angry Men (1957)
Corrected entry: Nowhere in the film or in the original play is it ever indicated that the murder defendant is Puerto Rican.
Correction: Pointing out what is obvious to anyone watching the film is not trivia.
26th Sep 2003
Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002)
Corrected entry: The film and its title is a parody of Bruce Lee's film, "Enter the Dragon."
Correction: Actually, as has been stated, the film is a parody of martial-arts films in general, and not specifically "Enter the Dragon." In fact, the film uses footage from another film entirely, titled "Tiger and Crane Fist", which holds no relation to "Enter the Dragon." This trivia entry was mere speculation. Also, the subtitle "Enter the Fist" is too obvious a nod to "Enter the Dragon" to be considered trivia.
10th Sep 2003
Lucy (2003)
Corrected entry: While Arnaz is known as a womanizer during his marriage to Ball, Ball herself was known to have extra-matrial affairs in the last few years of their marriage. She is depicted as a faithful wife in the film which is untrue in real life.
Correction: "Untrue in real life" is just an opinion, thereby not valid. Though some have made claims, such as Zsa Zsa Gabor's allegation, Lucille Ball's lack of marital fidelity has never once been substantiated, whereas Desi's has.
6th Apr 2004
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Corrected entry: Even though the film was banned in Kuwait and Bahrain for religious reasons, it was surprisingly allowed in some other Arab countries (Egypt, Lebanon, etc.) which would have also banned it for similar religious objections. Some have speculated that these countries hypocritically permitted the film to be shown, because they can use it as propaganda to encourage more anti-Semitic/anti-Israeli sentiment among Arabs because of the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Correction: Actually the movie was accepted in Lebanon due to the fact that 45% of all Lebanese are Catholics and also because they own the majority of the media in the country (LBC for example).
14th Oct 2003
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Corrected entry: This film is based on a satirical novel by French novelist Pierre Boulle. The satire of the film was against institutions and people of the 20th century.
Correction: How is this trivia? Pierre Boulle's novel is listed in the credits as the source material.
19th Sep 2003
Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000)
Corrected entry: None of the actors depicting the Flintstones and Rubbles in the first film appeared in the sequel.
Correction: Rosie O'Donnell, who played Betty in the Flinstones, voiced the octopus that gave Wilma and Betty their massages.
26th Sep 2003
The Scarlet Letter (1995)
Corrected entry: This film is a very loose adaptation of the Nathaniel Hawthorne novel.
Correction: Not trivia. It even says in the opening credits "Freely adapted from the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne", so it's really too obvious.
9th Nov 2003
Zoolander (2001)
Corrected entry: This film was banned in Malaysia because of using a fictional Malyasian president as an object of assassination. It was also banned in neighboring Singapore.
Correction: Just a correction from a previous trivia entry - This film was banned in Malaysia for the already mentioned reasons, but extensive editing has gone underway and they have now released the movie in Singapore, roughly 2 years after it was released everywhere else. It now only runs for about half of the normal time.
24th Jun 2004
Bowling for Columbine (2002)
Corrected entry: Contrary to the cartoon segment ("A Brief History of the United States") of the documentary, no one was ever burned to death for being a witch in America. In Colonial America, the punishment for witchcraft was death by hanging. Only in Europe is where witchcraft was punished by burning at the stake.
Correction: The cartoon segment is essentially a satrical look at American history and its facts seems to be exaggerated more for a comedic look at America. As for burning witches in Colonial America, the facts of how some were the executed of witches is very much a disputed subject. While its believed many were hanged as opposed to being burnt as it was more humane, there are historians who believe some were burnt. A quick search on Google will show this but this is one site that talks about the execution of witches. Burning Times.
28th Sep 2003
24 (2001)
Corrected entry: When the series was shown on the U.K., all references that "events occur in real-time" were omitted, as the BBC does not have adverts during or between programs. The only exceptions are the first few episodes of series 1 (probably because no-one realised it wasn't accurate), and the first episode of series 2, shown without adverts in the US and hence a full real-time hour in both countries.
Correction: Not quite true. Although the first episode of season two in the USA was shown without commercial interruption, there were long Ford ads before AND after the episode and a promo for "John Doe" and scenes for the next episode making it 51:43. A shorter version shown in reruns is 43:56. See http://www.tv.com/24/day-2-800-a.m.-900-a.m./episode/161143/trivia.html.
15th Sep 2003
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984)
Corrected entry: Each of the five lions that form Voltron represents the five elements recognized in Chinese culture: a) Red Lion represents fire. Its attacks involve fire b) Green Lion represents wood. Its attacks involve anything associated with wood c) Blue Lion represents water. Its attacks involve water. d) Yellow Lion represents earth. Its attacks involve anything associated with earth (e.g. sand) e) Black Lion represents air. Its attacks involve anything associated with air (e.g. lightning)
Correction: In fact, Air is not an element recognised by the Chinese. The five elements are Fire, Wood, Water, Earth and Metal. This is probably an attempt on the part of the writers to make Voltron more western.
23rd Sep 2003
Coming to America (1988)
Corrected entry: When Akeem and Semmi went to the local singles bar, they met a woman who told them that she is the wife of a death row inmate. That woman is singer Donna Summer who went uncredited for that brief role.
Correction: The woman is not 1970s disco quenn Donna Summer. Her name is Carla Earle.
13th Sep 2003
Julius Caesar (2002)
Corrected entry: Until the time of the Christian dominance of Rome, the Romans cremated their dead. There is no historical record that Caesar and Pompey buried their wives as depicted in the miniseries.
Correction: Actually, cremation was the preferred "burial" method, but burials (inhumation) did happen. After the 3rd century, burials became the preferred method. And since there is no historical documentation, the screenwriters are granted some artistic leeway. http://library.thinkquest.org/26602/ceremonies.htm.
10th Sep 2003
Attila (2001)
Corrected entry: Aetius was in real life a very respected general, not a scheming opportunist who regains his lost reputation through questionable means.
Correction: It's a fact Aetius supported the usurper Johannes against Placidia, the baby Valentinian and Theodosius in 423. When Johannes was executed, Aetius used his army of mercenary Huns to become comes (count) of Gaul. In 432 Placidia fired him, after which he fled back to the Huns and their king Ruga, who provided him with an army. With this army he regained his position, personnally killing his rival Bonifatius in a duel. So I think the movie is quite accurate in pointing out Aetius had a darker side to him.
10th Sep 2003
Attila (2001)
Corrected entry: Trebuchets were not invented until at least the 8th century (most references say 12th or 13th). Some of Attila's "catapults," however, are small trebuchets.
Correction: Trebuchets were presumably invented in China between the 5th and 3rd century BC. Attila is reported to have used them when he succesfully besieged (and thereafter sacked) Naissus (present day Nis).
11th Sep 2003
Helen of Troy (2003)
Corrected entry: When Odysseus and Menelaus came to King Priam for the return of Helen, Odysseus addressed Priam as "High King Priam." The problem is that Troy does not have a high king and that the Greeks (who traded with Troy) should know that.
Correction: Odysseus never addresses Priam as High King and neither does Menelaus.
4th Mar 2004
Hidalgo (2004)
Corrected entry: Contrary on what the film claims to be based on "an incredible true story," the story of an American cowboy participating in a trans-Arabian horse race is based on fabricated stories. The cowboy, Frank Hopkins, was known as a "pathological liar."
Correction: Although the movie does add things that are untrue, Frank Hopkins did participate in a 3,000 mile endurance race in Arabia in 1890. He also competed in and won over 400 endurance races, and trained and was an advocator for preserving mustangs. Go to www.frankhopkins.com for information on his life.
6th Sep 2004
Troy (2004)
Corrected entry: Coins did not exist during the period of the Trojan War. They were first used in Lydia in the 8th century B.C. as an alternative to bartering precious metals or goods.
Correction: This movie is based, at least partly, on Greek mythology. In the Greek myths, coins were placed on the eyes of the dead so the person could pay Charon to ferry them across the river Styx.
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Correction: 1) Kuwait's Emir isn't a dictator. He is a beloved figurehead, much like the Queen of England and has no political or legal power. In fact, Kuwait's National Assembly can approve his appointment or not as well as remove him and move to a different successor if need be. The Kuwait government has a full democratic system, based off the UK template since they were a protectorate of the crown. 2) CIA gave money outside what the humanitarian organizations gave. They continued to do so until four months after 9/11. 3) CIA officially denies Noriega was an agent, but some former CIA members have given statements that he was/is. 4) To which most independent investigations except the US's claims the "suicide" was false and that he was indeed murdered.