Question: How much material was added for Peter Jackson's Hobbit movies that wasn't in the original novel?
LorgSkyegon
22nd Mar 2021
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
22nd Mar 2021
300 (2006)
Question: How accurate is this film in relation to the actual Battle of Thermopylae?
Answer: Remember that even in the film, it's not really treated as a true story. It's Dilios telling a propaganda tale meant to boost the spirits of his fellow Greek warriors at Plataea.
Answer: It's based on Frank Miller's comic 300, rather than Herodotus' recounting of the actual battle. Almost nothing is accurate beyond Leonidas leading 300 Spartans to the Hot Gates and fending off Persians until Ephilates (not a hunchback) exposes the goat path. Xerxes is certainly not a tall Latino man, the Persians never used elephants, rhinos and explosives or mutants and Leonidas' former co-king actually sided with the Persians after getting kicked out of Sparta. In addition, 1000 Thespians also stood beside the Spartans and also died besides them. The Persians also did not have an 'inside man' in the Spartan government nor did they pay off the Ephors to tell Leonidas not to march; in reality it was a religious festival so the army had to stay home. Gorgo was also an accomplished wrestler and charioteer and would not have been raped so easily, especially by a politician.
Answer: According to the director it is 90 percent accurate. But in reality there are many things going on in this movie that are totally fantastical. One of the biggest problems are the costumes, diplomacy and tactical situation of the actual battle (the 300 did not in fact stand alone). Also, the movie includes elephants, which the Persians did not use in that battle, and certainly not rhinoceros. Also, Xerxes' portayal is completely fictional.
10th Oct 2017
The Patriot (2000)
Question: At the end of the movie, Martin stabs Tavington in the stomach, and then in the throat. How does he know Tavington is really dead this time? Earlier in the film, Tavington pretended to be dead twice after Martin's sons shot him.
Answer: Guns were less powerful during Revolutionary times and the wounds were more survivable. Deep and ripping knife stabs to areas like the abdomen and the neck area are more likely to be fatal. Tavington may not die instantly, but he would probably bleed out and/or bleed internally fairly quickly.
Would being stabbed in the stomach, and in the throat have been enough to kill a person as tough as Tavington?
Absolutely. A deep stab to the stomach/intestinal area would be very deadly even today. Being stabbed directly in the throat would kill someone very fast due to a lack of air and inhaling blood into the lungs.
27th Feb 2021
My Cousin Vinny (1992)
Question: Joe Pesci figures out from the photographs that Marisa Tomei took of the tire tracks that his defendants' car couldn't have made those tracks. But Marisa Tomei didn't realise it before Pesci got her on the stand, even though she saw the pictures before Pesci did as she took them and had them developed and then only showed them to Pesci. Why didn't she realise this, was she just not looking as carefully as Pesci was?
Answer: She didn't notice because she wasn't looking for it. When he asked her if the Skylark could have made the tracks, she realised it was impossible.
31st Jan 2021
Apollo 13 (1995)
Question: Why couldn't the crew put on their spacesuits, then go out and assess the damage?
Answer: That would involve depressurizing the command module and LEM. Given that a substantial percentage of their on-board O2 supply just got vented into space, wasting more at that point to only confirm what they already knew wasn't worth the trouble.
Answer: Even if they could go out and assess the damage, they didn't have the tools, materials, or knowledge to actually be able to fix it.
10th Aug 2007
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Question: What are Palpatine and Dooku's first names?
Answer: Palpatine's first name was Sheev. Dooku is a mononym, like Cher or Madonna.
4th Aug 2008
Demolition Man (1993)
Question: When Spartan is asking about his daughter, all I hear is "(mumble-mumble) happened to her?" Does anyone know what he actually says?
Answer: He says "I had a daughter. What happened to her?"
22nd Jan 2021
Apollo 13 (1995)
Question: Since it was so cold on the return journey to Earth, why didn't the astronauts wear their full space suits they wore on lift-off to keep warm? The just seem to be wearing their lightweight flight overalls.
Answer: Because they need to be able to move quickly through the confined space of the module, and the full suits would be far too bulky in an emergency.
The older Apollo missions all splashed down with full suits and helmet on. Just the launch suits, not the much bulkier EVA (moon walk) suits.
Answer: According to Jim Lovell in a later interview about the mission, the crew considered putting on their space suits but in addition to them being too bulky, there was concern the suits would make them perspire too much, thus making them wet and even colder. It wasn't quite as cold as depicted in the movie, it was always above freezing, and there were no icy windows or frozen hot dogs.
According to Lovell in his book, there actually were frozen hot dogs.
Answer: Don't remember the source (the actual movie or one of many books) but I do remember there were only two moon suits on board (the CMP, Swigert, doesn't land on the moon). I believe they decided to suffer together. I misread the question, but the option for wearing the Lunar EVA suits was considered. IIRC, they did actually wear the boots at one point.
Answer: In addition, since they have to leave the ship after landing, the suit filling with water would be very dangerous.
The launch abort mode was for an ocean landing, so they would have been just as vulnerable at the start of the mission. I get your line of thinking though.
14th Jan 2021
Seven Pounds (2008)
17th Jan 2021
Seven Pounds (2008)
Question: Why does Tim go by his brother's name instead of using his own?
Answer: He is stealing his brother's identity as an IRS agent to research the people he wants to help.
8th Jan 2021
Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)
Question: When Zeus is on the phone with Simon in the subway, Zeus says that McClane was on his way. Simon responds that they weren't playing by the rules, hangs up and a few moments later the bomb goes off. McClane states that Simon wanted the subway bomb to go off. Why would McClane think it was Simon's intention to have the bomb go off whether they both show up or not?
Answer: Because Simon basically gave them an impossible task. Given NYC traffic, getting 90 blocks in 30 minutes is a Sisyphean task.
26th Dec 2020
300 (2006)
Question: The Spartans come across a village destroyed by Persians, and not long afterwards they arrive at the Hot Gates where they see the Persian army arriving by sea. Granted I wasn't paying full attention, what's going on with the geography?
Chosen answer: The village was destroyed by a Persian scouting party. The emissary talking to the Spartans at the Phocian wall told Dienekes that the hills were swarming with scouts. It would make sense that they had a large party going ahead of the partial army on the ships.
25th Nov 2003
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Question: Does anyone know why Belle's 'The Love Is Gone' song was deleted from the UK release of this movie? (It may be in some versions, but isn't in others).
Answer: The song was originally deleted from the theatrical release, but included on the VHS and widescreen version of the LaserDisc. On the early DVDs, it's included in only the full screen versions. It is not included on the original Blu Ray release because the original master and negative were lost. However they were found and Disney has said the song will be included on future 4K releases.
Answer: I have the UK version on video and the song is on mine but I watched it when it was shown on TV and the song wasn't on it, maybe it's something to do with the length of the film? I dunno but it's definitely on the UK release that I've got.
28th Nov 2014
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Question: How did Jack save Sally and Santa Claus in Oogie Boogie's lair by transporting them from the lava pit to the Iron Maiden? Wouldn't they be killed by the Iron Maiden?
Answer: Except they're a reanimated corpse and a skeleton. They are either already dead (or undead), or, given how things seem to work, the normal natural laws don't apply to Halloweentown.
But how did Santa survive the Iron Maiden? Especially with how big he is, he certainly would have been killed.
You're trying to apply the rules of the real world to fictional magical beings.
Answer: Maybe when Oogie Boogie lifted the platform that Sally and Santa were on, Jack probably moved them to the Iron Maiden, given that Jack is super-fast.
Answer: He was hiding behind Sally.
18th Nov 2020
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Question: What happened to Luke's hand after Vader cut it off?
Answer: It fell into the reactor shaft alongside his lightsaber, unrecoverable. It probably fell outside like Luke did and dropped into the clouds of the gas giant Bespin.
Well, what about the thing that fell after Luke landed on the satellite dish outside? Was that Luke's hand?
No, nothing as macabre as that. Probably a piece of cloth or something that fell out of his pocket. Or, possibly, his lightsaber. But I doubt they would have him watch his own hand fall.
I always assumed that was his blaster, falling out of the holster.
In the Legends continuity someone found Luke's severed hand and used it to create Luke's evil clone, known as Luuke.
Answer: In the books before Disney, the hand was recovered by an Ugnaught (the pig-like people in Cloud City) and was taken with his lightsaber to the Emperor's secret storehouse on the planet Wayland. It was later used (in the Thrawn trilogy) to create a clone of Luke.
6th Dec 2020
Stand By Me (1986)
Question: In the train dodging scene, why didn't the loco crew brake at all? They definitely saw the boys in front. I know that trains have very long stopping distances compared to road vehicles, but still. And why didn't the boys try to signal the driver to stop? I get it that they panicked, but still wouldn't that be the first thing coming to one's mind in such a situation?
Answer: No, it wasn't that big of a train. He didn't even attempt to get off the throttle. That's all it would have taken for the boys to make it fairly easy. It was a straight-away track, no chance of it derailing by hitting the brakes. Like the man said above, if trains derailed that easily, we wouldn't be using them.
Answer: To add to the other fine answers, and as mentioned, any attempt to make a sudden stop could have resulted in derailment. The conductor knew the train was about to go over an elevated track, and if it derailed, it would have plunged into the deep ravine, killing the boys anyway, as well as those on aboard. The best he could do was blow the whistle, gradually slow the train, and hope the boys survived.
Can't agree with the arguments about derailment. If trains derailed so easily, they would derail all the time. The train had only 4 or 5 cars. It would not have needed miles to stop. Simply reducing the throttle would have resulted in significant slowing. Plus, they did not stop to determine if anyone was hurt. That is criminal behavior.
Answer: Throwing on brakes that heavily gives the train a chance of derailing and the train still wouldn't stop in time.
Answer: A train that size would have needed miles to stop, and rapid braking could have caused derailment. The engineer was blowing his whistle so he saw the boys; there was no need for them to signal. The engineer and the boys knew their only chance was to get off the bridge.
6th Dec 2020
Constantine (2005)
Question: Why was Constantine denied entry to heaven?
Answer: Because he committed suicide as a teenager. He didn't just attempt, he was dead for several minutes. Suicide is a cardinal sin in Catholicism. He also doesn't have true faith, just knowledge.
Answer: Constantine committed suicide when he was younger (although he was revived by paramedics). Suicide is considered a mortal sin.
20th Nov 2020
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991)
Question: How did Hector Savage get killed in Jane's apartment?
Answer: Frank stuck a fire hose in his mouth and turned it on, causing Savage to explode.
Why couldn't Savage just remove the fire hose, especially when he began inflating with the water? Plus, how could water possibly be spraying from his chest?
Because this a ridiculous parody movie and it's funny.
Answer: How did a dead lobster claw the first lady's boob? Why was Daniel Boone at a police shootout? It's a silly, cartoonish movie.
20th Nov 2020
Jumanji (1995)
Question: Why didn't Alan show the board game to his parents?
Answer: Why would he? He knew what happened to Sarah when she told people about it, and his parents hardly seem like the sort who would a) believe him, or b) indulge him in his "fantasy." Better to simply get rid of it (as he and Sarah do).
I was pertaining when Alan was still a kid not as an adult.When he discovered the game and he went home immediately. Remember his mother called him and then Alan keep the Jumanji under the sofa.
Given their wealth and status, Alan's parents may not appreciate him bringing home stuff he found buried. In addition, he's probably having difficulty himself believing the game is making the drum noises and wants to investigate first.
23rd Oct 2020
Cinderella (1950)
Question: Near the end of the movie, the grand duke calls the footman to bring him the glass slipper, so he can try it on Cinderella. But Lady Tremaine trips the footman, causing the slipper to fly and shatter. Then Cinderella reveals she has the other slipper. The grand duke tries it on her, and find that it fits. I have a problem with that because how did he know the glass slipper Cinderella had was the same size as the one that broke?
Answer: Cinderella's entire outfit was magically created by the Fairy Godmother. Not only was the spare shoe Cinderella had in her possession identical to the other one, it likely would be charmed so that she is the only one who can wear it. It's similar to young Arthur being the only person who could pull Excalibur from the stone because he was the true king. No other woman who attended the ball wore glass slippers. If they had, they'd be able to also produce the spare shoe as proof.
Answer: Add in that how many possible glass slippers could there possibly be? It would be an incredibly uncommon type of shoe that would be amazingly difficult to make.
Answer: Probably because it looked the same to him, and he had been handling it a lot for all the trying-ons, plus how many people have glass slippers in their closet? But you are right it heavily suggests she is the person, not proves it. But then again how many women's feet would it have already fit? He should have found many matches long before getting to Cinderella. Cinderella can't be the only woman in the kingdom with her size foot.
Answer: Quite a bit, though much of what was added was alluded to in the film as being done elsewhere, especially scenes with Gandalf. This was likely to pad the length, as the book is rather short (around a quarter the length of the Lord of the Rings). Galadriel, Radagast, Saruman, and the Necromancer are not seen in the books, though Radagast and the Necormancer mentioned. Azog is already dead by this time. Tauriel is a new character. Legolas is never mentioned, but as Mirkwood is his home, he was likely there. Dain Ironfoot is mentioned as there, but isn't seen doing anything except taking kingship after the death of Thorin. The White Council scene is also mentioned but not seen.
LorgSkyegon