Answered questions about specific movies, TV shows and more

These are questions relating to specific titles. General questions for movies and TV shows are here. Members get e-mailed when any of their questions are answered.

Question: Is/was it really possible to smoke a cigarette on a submarine? (01:57:10 - 01:58:20)

Answer: Smoking was allowed on U.S. Navy subs up to 2010, though not when a sub was submerged. During WWII, there were restrictions about smoking on deck because the enemy could detect a glowing cigarette ember at night. After 2010, smoking was banned entirely. Foreign navies would have different rules, of course.

raywest

Answer: The engineering officer comes off as a bit of a rebel and the captain tolerates it as he is good at his job and is also one of the conspirators to defect.

Answer: On the show, orange uniforms are worn by the new inmates, while the khaki is the longer-term population. Generally, there's no standardized meaning of the colors as every prison has their own color-coding system. For example, red could mark more dangerous inmates. Other colors could indicate lower-risk prisoners, ones with health issues, area designations, and so on.

raywest

Question: When Little John is cutting everybody free from the gallows, he calls them milksops. Why was this word censored when it was shown on TV?

Answer: There's no reason it should be bleeped out, though maybe censors misinterpreted it. The word merely refers to someone who is weak or timid.

raywest

Question: Why does Hulk agree to give David his power near the end of the movie?

Answer: Because he knew it would overwhelm him.

lionhead

Well to be honest, I have no clue why David wanted the Hulk power so badly instead of being satisfied with the being he's become at the end of the movie. The guy can turn into anything he wants.

Because he always wanted more. He is a greedy character. Even though he was that powerful, he felt Hulk was more powerful than him, and he wanted that power.

lionhead

Question: What exactly did David transform into after biting into a cable?

Answer: His power is that he basically absorbs elements. Thus, when he bit the cable, he absorbed the electrical energy and became a giant electrical being. Then, throughout the fight, he absorbs other elements (rock, water, etc.) and takes on their form.

TedStixon

Question: Shouldn't there be more people on bicycles? I think a lot of people rode bicycles during this time. At least in the Monterey area. Probably not on the farm as much. People became very car happy in the 50s. Also, the haircuts are very 1940s / early 1950s.

Answer: Many earlier Hollywood movies were often less concerned about recreating a precise historical time period and instead evoked the era's atmosphere. Audiences then were less discerning or knowledgeable about history and details regarding hairstyles, makeup, clothing, manners, etc. which were sometimes diluted, glossed over, and often wrong. More people may have ridden bicycles during that era but many had cars, though it's unessential to the plot either way.

raywest

Question: Why did the businessman think he was going to get to his meeting late since first class was closed?

Answer: He doesn't; he's just an asshole who likes to complain.

Question: When Max comes to the hospital after his wife Jessie and their son are run over by the bikers, there is a moment when you can hear the doctor tell a nurse, "Tell him she's going to be all right." Does this mean Jessie actually lives?

Answer: Jessie was initially comatose but later died of her injuries.

raywest

Question: Is the uncredited actor who plays the post office van driver who "kills" Jimmy's scooter Derek Martin (Charlie Slater in Eastenders)?

eric 64

Answer: Yes.

Question: When Tina enters the bank, with the camera in her purse, why does she walk away from Charlie and ask Stanley to help her? She came there to film the inside, and she doesn't know Stanley. Why does she care if Charlie or Stanley helps?

Answer: She was there to film the safe and Stanley's desk was right across from it, giving her the best view of the safe.

Bishop73

Show generally

Question: Just rewatched the series and in the episode where they are operating on President Kirkman to remove the bullet fragments I noticed what I think was a secret service agent in the background of the OR. Is this normal practice for when a president is under anaesthetic or a medical procedure, or was this just because it was after an attempted assassination?

The_Iceman

Answer: Yes, it's normal. When President Reagan was shot, they were in the OR with him.

Answer: It would be normal procedure, yes. The Secret Service accompanies the president everywhere, except in very limited circumstances (for example, they don't go into the bathroom with him, or stand in his room while he sleeps). When Bill Clinton had an operation to fix a torn tendon, there was an agent in the operating room throughout the procedure.

Question: Why was this filmed in Canada and not in Salt Lake City like the first movie was?

Answer: Likely for a variety of reasons but probably mostly for cost reasons. It is cheaper to film movies in Canada due to the currency exchange rate.

raywest

Question: Regarding the scene with the highly offended customer, is the actor deliberately hamming it up, or is he just a bad actor?

Phaneron

Answer: I think it's a combination of both of those. He's played by Walt Flanagan, who also plays three other characters in the movie. Flanagan was a friend of Kevin Smith who filled in for several roles. He's definitely playing the part a little hammy... but I also think some of his reactions are a little off because it was (obviously) his first film, and he was inexperienced. (Though to be fair, he appeared in similar small roles in several other Smith films, and his acting improved over time).

TedStixon

Show generally

Question: Given how long it ran and its popularity, was there ever talk of a crossover with Dynasty regardless of different networks?

Rob245

Answer: No, back then such things were unheard of. Too much politics, contract disputes and what would the characters do if they met.

Show generally

Question: Does anyone know why Gambit was featured less and less in episodes as the show went on? He was one of the most popular characters in not just X-Men, but all of Marvel Comics around the time this series first aired, so unless it had something to do with his voice actor's contract, it seems odd they wouldn't have utilized him more.

Phaneron

Answer: Chris Potter, the original Gambit voice actor, did indeed quit the role in the 4th season. His last episode was The Phalanx Covenant Part 1 so it seems reasonable that Fox would limit the use of the character even though it was recast. It doesn't appear that Potter left the role due to animosity, he stated in an interview that he wished to play Gambit in the first live action X-Men film.

BaconIsMyBFF

Question: In the hardware store when Scott hears the dog whistle, why doesn't his Dad, who is also a werewolf, hear it or react?

Answer: His dad is either not currently in the room or further away in the same room so most likely not as loud for him. Also, the dad is used to being a werewolf, so he is more used to the sound than Scott (to whom this sound is brand-new).

Answer: And, for wolves and humans, as they get older their high frequency hearing is diminished.

Question: Does the Red October not have a signal light on the periscope like the Dallas? It's a little ridiculous that they have to ping them to acknowledge them.

Answer: Red October would certainly have a signal light. If Dallas thought they were talking to the ready to defect Captain, I can't think of a more dangerous way to ask him to reply. Ordering the sonar signal certainly alerted the entire crew that something very unusual was going on. Plot error for sure.

Question: Why does Tom Cruise constantly flash his doctor's ID card like he thinks he works for the FBI?

Answer: To convince others that he is going about legitimate business and to demonstrate that he is trustworthy because of his professional status. At a deeper level, he does it to reassure himself as he finds himself in progressively more bizarre circumstances.

Question: I've noticed a few times in the film they mention "Phase 2." For example, when Fury is talking to the council they bring it up and Fury says "Phase 2 isn't ready." Given that the MCU was broken up into phases, with this being the last film in Phase One (with Iron Man 3 released a year later as the first film in Phase Two), was this an inside joke or nod about the MCU phases, or just coincidence and I'm reading too much into it?

Bishop73

Answer: Phase 2 in the movie refers to the plan executed in Captain America: Winter Soldier, Project Insight which is their next phase for total security of Earth (along with Stark's Ultron program). It is coincidental that it is the same term used for the MCU itself.

lionhead

Question: Before Paxton escapes he sees guards talking to the police outside the building. I'm confused to why he says "oh shit" - is it because they pay the police to keep it quiet and that is why he doesn't shout for help to the police?

Answer: Exactly, yes. This interaction tells him that the police are in on the operation, and will not help him.

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