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.

Chosen answer: For scenes like when Bill Murray is covered with it and it gets in his mouth, it's gelatin mixed with food coloring. For other scenes it's various plastics.

Question: Just something that has interested me for a while. Did all the people in the town grow up with Truman (eg. his classmates) or are they all different actors? Also do all the actors live on set or do they have lives outside the show?

Heather Benton

Chosen answer: Clearly, in his media interviews, Truman's best friend, Marion, indicates that he did, indeed, grow up with Truman since they met in elementary school. One could extrapolate that his classmates did, as well. A sudden change of actor from one day to the next would be too much of tip-off to Truman. As actors leave the show, there is a story along with it. His father is presumed to have died, and returns later. I'm sure others move away. The main characters (Truman's wife, parents, close co-workers, and other key figures in his life) also appear to live "in world" and have devoted their entire lives to the Truman project. It is not made clear about the extras, though.

Michael Albert

It's kinda hard to believe though that a little boy (Marion) is faking it all so well for all these years since his childhood without raising any suspicion.

He probably didn't get to know it until a late age. In the bus, a little girl was confused and almost tell her mum that there was Truman, so a kid can't keep up the secret. I'm pretty sure they don't know it. But on the other hand, when he says he wants to be an explorer all the classmates freak out, as if they knew it would put in danger the show. So maybe the classmates and even the best friend had been selected after making sure they wouldn't mess up and reveal the secret.

Answer: In a deleted scene, "Marlon" explained that he didn't realise he was auditioning for the show. Only that his mother was the casting director and told him that he would be in this class with Truman and that he would be known as Marlon from then on. In regards to the classmates, they weren't freaking out, they were laughing at the prospect of Truman wanting to be an explorer. With the other actors, only his family, Marlon, and a few close friends/co-workers would live on set. If they want to have a break to visit their friends/family on the outside I'm sure they would have been allowed to. Just come up with a story of why you are leaving for X time and Truman would buy it.

Question: Did Kelly Van Ryan really love Sam Lombardo or was she trying to use him to get her mom's money? Or both?

Answer: Yes, Kelly WAS in love with Sam. And the money was just a bonus.

ChristmasJonesfan

Answer: Kelly loved Sam and hated her mom. She wanted the money that was left to her by her grandfather and this was the only way to get it without her mom dying.

Greg Dwyer

Question: I noticed that Harry's scar hurts when he comes close to Professor Quirrell, but why is this not happening when he meets him for the first time in Diagon Alley? Wasn't Voldemort on his head yet?

Loesjuh1985

Chosen answer: Voldemort is not on his head in Diagon Alley as explained in the books. He attaches himself to Quirrell when he learns that Quirrell was unsuccessful in getting the Philosopher's Stone from the vault, in attempt to keep an eye on him.

But in the movie when they met in Diagon Alley, Quirrel refused a handshake because it would kill him.

It's never explained in the movie that that is why he doesn't shake hands. In the books, hagrid says that Quirrel hasn't been right since he met a few vampires in the black forest.

Ssiscool

Question: If I understand correctly, Lily Potter's "love" protection no longer keeps Harry safe after the graveyard ritual, due to Voldemort getting some of Harry's blood. Why, then, doesn't Voldemort attack Harry at the Dursleys' house in the summer?

Answer: Voldemort's spell undid the Sacrificial Protection that Lily bestowed on Harry, but the Bond of Blood is a separate protection bestowed if the person sacrificing their lives is a relative. THAT spell is still renewed as long as Harry keeps returning to the Dursleys until age seventeen. Voldemort has removed one protection, but a second is still in place.

Captain Defenestrator

Question: What kind of aircraft are Rusty and Isabel in at the end of the movie? It kind of looks like a Global Express.

Mike Boyer

Chosen answer: Gulfstream G5.

Question: Why did the coach act so paranoid about safe sex if he was actually sleeping with a student?

Answer: Precisely because he was sleeping with a student. Getting her pregnant would bring their affair out into the open and create a scandal for the whole nation to know what he was up to. Therefore safe sex was really important to him.

The_Iceman

True, but since he was spending time with her, he could make sure that birth control was being used (i.e. him using a condom). I think he was trying to appear "uptight" about sex, so he could be the least likely suspect.

Answer: He wanted to appear to be strict and "uptight" about sex, so people would be less likely to believe any rumors about him.

Question: Gabe's wife in the movie is called T.K. or Mrs.Law. On Wikipedia and other places I look, I only see her listed as T.K. Law. Anybody know what here full name actually is? What the T.K. stands for?

Quantom X

Chosen answer: TK's full name is unknown. It's quite common that minor fictional character's full names are not given. It simply isn't important to the overall plot. This is such an example.

raywest

Answer: Obi-Wan is Kenobi's real first name. It is explained in the Clone Wars television series that Satine Kryze, a Mandalorian Duchess whom Obi-Wan once saved the life of, had an affair with him after Kenobi became a Jedi Knight. Their relationship did not last, but her pet name for him was "Ben" and he adopted the name in tribute.

Darius Angel

Answer: It is explained that the ever watchful Sidious/Palpatine had his eye on Dooku as a potential apprentice even before the events of The Phantom Menace. Indeed, Palpatine's own master Darth Plagueis was also familiar with Dooku and had actually met him twenty years prior to TPM (though he did not reveal himself as a Sith Lord). It is stated that Plagueis introduced Dooku to Palpatine during this time (again, with their public faces) and the latter two had a friendly relationship thereafter. Palpatine approached Dooku shortly after Qui-Gon Jinn's death, revealed himself as a Sith Lord and finally took Dooku as his apprentice (after many years of careful cultivation).

Darius Angel

Question: When Aragorn confronts the King of the Dead with Anduril (the reforged sword), The King of the Dead says, "That *something* was broken!" I am almost sure he says, "Blade" (referring to the reforged sword), but the subtitles on my Region 4 disc say, "Line" (presumably referring to Aragorn's ancestry). What does he really say? Do the subtitles on discs of a different region say otherwise?

Blibbetyblip

Chosen answer: The King of the Dead says, "That line was broken." Aragorn replies, "It has been remade." Their comments are referring to Aragorn's royal lineage that was believed to have died out. The reforged sword symboilizes Aragorn's return as king. There is a video clip of this scene on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfh9Ypgfp7Q.

raywest

Question: At the beginning of the movie, Peter asks Voldemort if they can perform the ritual without Harry. Why? Does he now feel bad for betraying Harry's parents?

Answer: There are several reasons here. Peter Pettigrew regretted betraying the Potters and knows he is a lowly coward for having done so and for obeying Voldemort out of fear. He also knows that Harry spared his life during the confrontation in the Shrieking Shack (in Prisoner of Azkaban) when Lupin and Sirius were about to kill him. Because of Harry's mercy, Pettigrew is now magically bound to Harry with a life debt. In the books, this will later cost Pettigrew his life when he hesitates to kill Harry (in Deathly Hallows) and his silver hand instead fatally strangles him for defying Lord Voldemort.

raywest

In the movies, Pettigrew NEVER regretted betraying Harry's parents and, on the contrary, was actually proud of doing so.

Where did you get that idea from? He is a coward and cowardice controls him. Not pride.

lionhead

It is mentioned on the internet sites like TV Tropes, Villains Wiki, and Pure Evil Wiki. These sites mention that movie version of Pettigrew is far more evil than his book version.

None of those sites indicate he was proud of what he had done or does. They just mention the movies don't show Peter having regrets like he does in the books. Doesn't mean he doesn't have it. We see very little of him in any of the movies anyway. He is still only known as a coward and nothing more of him is shown than that.

lionhead

In the books, he betrayed James and Lily out of cowardice, while in the films, he betrayed them willingly.

Question: When Christof and his employees examine the basement where Truman is supposedly asleep (just before Marlon is sent there), Christof discovers something under the chair that obviously reveals to them that Truman is gone. What is it that they discover?

Answer: Christof sees Truman's hand as he is sneaking away. This means that he can't be under the blanket.

Greg Dwyer

Question: Going along with another question that was submitted, why did Bellatrix teach Draco how to do Occlumency? Anyone who knows her character knows that she wouldn't want to conceal his thoughts and plans from the Dark Lord, she'd be going against the master she loves.

Answer: So nobody else, aka Dumbledore, could read his thoughts and know he was going to kill Dumbledore. She assumes Voldemort will be able to see if he is trying to hide something from him, so she's not worried in that aspect.

Question: Why do all of the Death Eaters hesitate to lend Lord Voldemort a wand? In "Chamber of Secrets", when Ron's wand was damaged, Professor McGonagall just said he would need to replace it. So I am assuming that purchasing a new wand is not particularly unusual or difficult.

Answer: Normally replacing a wand is easy, but there are only a few wizards who can make them. Voldemort has kidnapped Mr. Olivander, tortured him, and destroyed his shop, so he is not currently in a position to be making new wands. The Death Eaters fear offering their own wands to Lord Voldemort because he often strikes out, often fatally, at anyone who fails or displeases him. If someone gives him their wand and it does not perform adequately, they know there may be severe repercussions. Voldemort is also gauging his Death Eaters' reaction to his request so he can judge their loyalty and willingness to do his bidding. Most also realize that the request is mostly aimed at Lucius Malfoy, who has fallen from Voldemort's favor. Voldemort is taunting him.

raywest

Question: A couple times throughout the film the phrase "I had to make the call" is used. It is first used by Dom at the beginning of the film directed towards Brian: "You had to make the call, huh?" and then towards the end of the film by Brian when the car chase ends and he saves Dom and says "I had to make the call." So my question is: what exactly were the calls that were made? I'm assuming the second one was Brian letting Hobbs know what was going on since he arrives seconds after Brian kills Zizi.

Answer: They don't mean a call as in a telephone call, they mean it as in a judgement call. The first one is that Brian went along with Vince on the job, and the second one is when he turned around to help Dom instead of leaving him behind.

Friso94

Question: What is the point of so many dream layers to get to the "inception" of the idea? I guess the movie would lose all of its intricacy without it, and would be much less appealing. So what is the excuse to use that trick from the director?

AnthonyA

Chosen answer: For inception to work the idea must be planted very deeply within the subconscious. The more dream layers there are, the deeper into the subconscious you get.

Phixius

Question: I really don't get the ending. Can someone please explain it to me? Thank you.

Answer: The Maitlands and the Deetzes have agreed to share the house peacefully. Meanwhile, Beetlejuice is returned to the afterlife waiting room after the sandworm "kills" him again; he then angers a witch doctor who shrinks Beetlejuice's head, thus adding insult to injury.

zendaddy621

Question: Seeing how most of Christopher Nolan's movies are filled with symbolism, themes, and deeper meanings, what exactly was Nolan trying to say with the brief introduction of the copy-cat Batmen? I ask because it would seem to contradict the recurring theme of "Anyone can be Batman", but I doubt Nolan would include something like that without having a reason that goes beyond simple plot reasons.

Answer: Batman has inspired others to take up the cause of vigilantism, but they're taking it to an extreme and crossing lines that he never would.

Captain Defenestrator

Question: How does the security boss of the firm listen to the conversation between the wife of Cruise and the secretary of the private detective, in the last scene of the hotel in the Bahamas? Why did he have any reason to suspect anything in the first place?

AnthonyA

Chosen answer: At first the security guy doesn't suspect Mitch any more than any other new associate hired by the firm. His job is to keep a close watch on all new associates to see if they realize the firm has mafia ties. He starts watching Mitch (Tom Cruise) more closely after he was approached by the government agents who wanted him to spy on the firm. He knows that Mitch now suspects there are illegal activities going on and may decide to aid the government. It is also shown that Mitch's house was being bugged, and it can be assumed the resort cabana regularly used by the firm in the Bahamas would also be bugged.

raywest

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