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.

Answer: He murdered his wife for the insurance money, and avoided splitting marital assets in a divorce.

raywest

Question: Why were some words in the film changed to signs/symbols years after the film's release (e.g. KID-TASTROPHE being changed to a toxic sign with a child on it)?

Answer: There was a US/English language version and an international version of the movie. Also, several edits of signs and other graphics have been made over the life of the movie. Check IMDb for details.

Question: Why did Marie say "Fly back to me" to Paulie? (04:00:00 - 04:59:59)

Answer: Because Marie's father was getting rid of the bird.

Question: I actually have two questions. On the commentary for Back to the Future around when Doc breaks the clock tower ledge, Bob Gale mentions that the 4 on the clock is IV and not IIII. I just need a better understanding of how he is talking about it being a mistake. Is it really a mistake? Because I will submit it as a mistake. What kind of mistake would this fall under? Continuity, factorial error, plot hole, or other? If it's not a mistake, then I won't submit it.

Richie

Answer: Romans used both numerical styles for the number four. Romans used IIII for vertical lists, on stone columns, etc. It was supposedly easier to add the extra "I" rather than IV. For horizontal writing, the IV was used. Bob Gale is apparently referring to how old clock faces typically used the IIII instead of the more familiar IV. The clock tower in the movie was supposed to be 100 years old, so "IIII" is what should have been used in the 1800s instead of "IV," so that appears to be the mistake. As far as the type of mistake, probably "Factual Error."

raywest

Fun fact, my mom has a clock that uses Roman numerals, and the 4 is indeed IIII on it, not IV. If it is a mistake, it is one that is common and not unique to the movie. I think it is used in clocks traditionally since the Romans used to use it on their sundials.

lionhead

Most cuckoo clocks use Roman numerals and still have the IIII.

raywest

Question: Is it really possible to fall asleep while walking? Sure, one can stand up and walk around while sleeping (sleepwalking), but does it work the other way around too?

Dangar

Answer: Yes, it's possible. People with a neurological disorder called narcolepsy can fall asleep while standing or walking. Some can even engage in complex activities like driving a car.

raywest

But what if you aren't narcoleptic? Can a normal person fall asleep while walking just because of general fatigue?

Dangar

Yes, it is possible for a person to fall into a state of semi-sleep or "doze" while walking without having narcolepsy, especially under extreme conditions like those shown. When the brain is severely deprived of sleep, it can involuntarily enter microsleeps. These are brief, uncontrolled episodes of sleep lasting from a fraction of a second up to about 30 seconds.

No, there would have to be some underlying neurological issue that caused it. Normal people cannot fall asleep for an extended time period while walking and remain upright and mobile. Microsleep only lasts a few seconds, but a person has to have been extremely sleep deprived for many hours and they cannot function normally during an episode like with narcolepsy or sleepwalking.

raywest

Yes, they can. When the brain is severely deprived of sleep, it can involuntarily enter microsleeps. These are brief, uncontrolled episodes of sleep lasting from a fraction of a second up to about 30 seconds.

Question: In first classroom scene, Cochise has his head down on the desk. His blue sweatshirt has K. Davis stenciled on the back. Why?

Answer: It stands for his name.

geabrat@gmail.com

Answer: It was the youth-stealing process.

Question: Is there a name for the little dance move that Frank performs after calling the second strike, where he shuffles to his right while waving his hand?

Phaneron

Answer: Isn't that the classic "jazz hands" move?

Dangar

Answer: No, that is not an official dance move; he was just using the gesture to enhance his strike call for the crowd.

Answer: It looks like the dance moves are based on Michael Jackson's "Moonwalk" routine.

raywest

That move itself is part of Michael Jackson's moonwalk routine? I just want to be sure we're on the same page because the moonwalk itself is the dance move that Frank performs after calling the third strike.

Phaneron

Question: Why did the Kothoga sometimes have a wheezing breath?

Answer: It's gasping for air. It's gasping for life. It needed the packing leaves to sustain itself. Like an addict going through withdrawal. That's why it went for the human hypothalamus, but it wasn't enough; it needed more.

Happy Hank's Giving - S4-E7

Question: Luanne asks the flight attendant about the curtain, which separates the first class section from coach. Then she wants the curtain closed. Is there a joke that I'm missing?

Answer: Because Luanne has a stereotypical "trashy" background, I think she was enjoying her chance to be in first class and wanted to feel more separated from coach.

Question: Shortly after the plane landed in the river, why was the air traffic controller removed from his terminal and replaced while the supervisor says someone will come down to administer standard tests?

raywest

Answer: Air Traffic Controllers have to be on top of their game at all times and not compromised. When something goes wrong, like a plane crashing that a particular ATC is overseeing, it is treated similarly to when a cop is involved in a shooting. They are temporarily relieved of duty and taken to be evaluated and drug tested to make sure the ATC was not on any drugs or substances that would have interfered with his or her ability to do the job, as well as to take the ATC out of a stressful situation and get someone fresh onto the job. My dad is a former ATC for the Marine Reserves.

Quantom X

Thanks.

raywest

Question: If Meredith was initiating the sexual encounter mainly for the purpose of setting Tom up to be fired and set up for her incompetence, why does she become so angry and threatening when she is rejected by him, as she is already intending to get rid of him? Especially considering that she's even more volatile and aggressive in this scene in the novel?

Movielover1996

Answer: She considers Tom's refusal to have sex with her an insult to herself, in addition to messing up her plans.

LorgSkyegon

Bats! - S4-E7

Question: During the song, 2 cute bats are seen with 'Jude'. When the cute bat couple is shown again, Jude is nowhere to be seen. The couple doesn't look at all concerned. When Applejack was singing "These creatures have a one-track mind!", Fluttershy appeared without Jude and couldn't take him or her home and then come back in about 5 seconds. So, where did Jude go?

Answer: He wasn't there in the first place. It was probably someone else.

Question: Why didn't the guards reveal that Diane was the Crimson Paw or that she aided in the bad guys escaping prison? A good majority were not knocked out when they were thrown in to the prison cells. Surely even if they didn't see her face, the bad guys exclaiming her name in shock as well as removing her mask would have seriously put her identity in jeopardy. (01:00:01 - 01:03:00)

NeoMatrix

Answer: Before she took off the mask, she started to fight the police officers. They were probably too dizzy to even reconsider the fact that Diane took off her mask, and the fact that the Bad Guys blurted out her name really loudly.

Episode 11 - S1-E11

Question: The aliens that capture Andor and the other escaped prisoner in the web gun at first are talking about turning them in for money or killing them. They talk about then poisoning the water with the prisons. Hard to understand them, and Andor begs them to be let go. Then suddenly, the two aliens are not only letting Andor and his friend go, but they let them take their ship. We're confused and don't understand why they suddenly helped Andor and let him take the ship.

Quantom X

Answer: I agree that the aliens' motivation is not clear, and this may all be a writer's shortcut to get Andor and Melshi on to the next part of the story. But I believe they are very disgruntled with the Empire, and I suspect they may be pretending to be more hostile than they really are, just to wind Andor and Melshi up. So - with no other evidence - I think they give up their ship because it messes with the Empire, it helps some mistreated prisoners escape, and the aliens have nothing better to do than walk back to their homes.

Question: In the World War 2 segment of this film, a Predator pilot starts having aerial dogfights with a bunch of WW2 fighter planes. There's no subtlety about it at all, and it shoots down several and even chases the main hero through an active battlefield. Is this not very out of character for a Predator to make such a public display like that?

Quantom X

Answer: At best, it's a cool trivia. As a mistake, it's very thin, considering we don't know if it could be documented at all. For all we know, this was a city or area laid to ruins with no survivors, either by bombs or the Predators (as we know, they like to clean up their mess with MOABs). It's all just speculation. But I understand what you are thinking, and personally, I didn't enjoy that scene.

Mortug

Answer: Yes, the way we are used to seeing the Predators portrayed, this is very much out of character. We are used to seeing them as stalky hunters lurking unseen. However, this scene could have been added as a cool dramatic effect. Or the Predators have other ways of earning their "badges," i.e., aerial battles like this.

Mortug

Indeed, but would this be considered a mistake as it's very lore-breaking with how a Predator would behave? And considering it's WWII era, and set in the same continuity as the other films, it should have been something documented or mentioned in later stories. Especially Predator 2 when Peter Keyes is talking about their activity he's been tracking. And we know from the newly altered ending to the film that Predator 1 and 2 are both canon in this timeline with Arnie and Danny Glover.

Quantom X

Answer: It's a cartoon, and it's funny that every time Spongebob leaves the station, even for a second, that's when the bus arrives. It's comedy, and there's no logic behind it.

Brian Katcher

Question: If someone broke into her residence and started killing people, wouldn't the first thing the Secret Service do be to drag the president either to a safe room or out of the building? They didn't even enter the room until after her son had been killed.

The_Iceman

Answer: That is a very good point, and something I didn't think of when watching it recently. You are right, the Secret Service would have immediately dragged her to a safe location or even to Marine 1 (the helicopter) to get her safe in the air. As we've even seen in recent history when President Trump was shot in the ear, instantly the Secret Service were on him and dragging him off to safety. This would be a logical mistake breaking what the Service usually would do, but then the climax of the movie couldn't happen if they did it. So it is also likely a deliberate mistake. Good catch.

Quantom X

Question: Why did the farmer try to kill Phillipe?

Answer: Wasn't specified, but probably to rob him.

raywest

Question: Why did Will and "Emily" get divorced? Is the only hint her comment about "feeling lost when it comes to relationships", implying she wasn't very good at them?

Jon Sandys

Answer: It's never revealed why they actually got divorced.

bucade