Answered questions about specific movies, TV shows and more

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Chosen answer: He burned Nero's original plans for his New Rome, inspiring Nero to burn down Rome to rebuild.

Captain Defenestrator

Question: In Mrs. Lovett's song "By the Sea," near the end she sings "Bring along your chopper!" What is the word "chopper" supposed to mean? Sweeney can bring his what?

Answer: His knife/razor/sharp edge to kill someone with.

Chosen answer: Because Dalek toilet technology is the only area where they are inferior to the rest of the universe. Approximately 1960's. You'd have to ask the designer of The Daleks. It is shown in the new series to be a very nasty weapon indeed, some sort of point singularity projection device, like a mini-black hole launcher.

Grumpy Scot

There are lots of documentaries and DVD special features about The Daleks and how they made. It was due to budget costs that they use the plunger the idea was that it was able to suck or stick to anything push and pull.

Dan23

Question: How could McClane tell that the ammo in the blue labeled magazine were blanks?

Answer: If you listen, he says something to the effect of "I know I had that guy in my sights", meaning he is amazed he missed. So he checks the bullets in the magazine to see if that's the problems. Blanks are simply shells with no bullet that are crimped shut to hold the powder in. The difference between blanks and live rounds is very obvious even at a glance.

Grumpy Scot

Answer: Just before the attack on the church, Grant and his team switch the red taped clips from their weapons with blue taped clips. The blue clips carried blanks and the red clips carried real ammo. After firing on a guy but not hitting him, McClane checked the clip and realised that the gun he used had blanks and that Grant and his team were involved with freeing Esperanza.

Chosen answer: It could be from many reasons. Speaking from my own experience, when an elderly family member has been in a long decline, has suffered from illness and/or age-related maladies, not only is their death expected, but it also comes as a relief that the person is no longer suffering. That may well be the case with the Gellers. We also don't know how long the Gellers mourned, it's not shown. Also, being a comedy show, it's unlikely this is something that will be ongoing in the storyline.

raywest

Question: In the Christmas party scene, when Harry and Cormac are behind the curtain talking, Cormac pops a dragon tart in his mouth then says something weird while his mouth is full. What did he say? I listened to that line over and over but couldn't make it out.

Answer: If I remember correctly, he says something along the lines of "what is this I'm eating?".

Cubs Fan

Question: Is there a reason why the white bird in the cupboard died? Also, why did it turn black when it came back to life?

Answer: There are two birds, as we see in the cage early on. Draco uses them to test whether the link between the two vanishing cabinets is working - with the white bird, the link is unsuccessful, so the bird dies. After working on it further, he tests it again using the black bird, which survives, telling him that the link is up and running.

Tailkinker

Chosen answer: Because he's a giant meat-eating spider. His love for Hagrid stops him and his children from attacking Hagrid. But beyond that, they simply want to eat whoever just meanders into their lair.

Garlonuss

Question: If Claude came to the US from Manchester when he "dropped out", why does he have an American accent?

lensloon

Chosen answer: Claude did not come from Manchester, England. He is from Oklahoma in the movie although in the original stage musical he is from Flushing, NY.

Myridon

Question: How does the "Lovely Bunch of Coconuts" song go after the line "Ones as big as your head!"?

Answer: The lyrics go: --- I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts / There they are, all standing in a row / Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head / Give 'em a twist, a flick of the wrist / That's what the showman said. --- There's much more to it, but that's how that section goes. For more, look here.

Garlonuss

Question: When it is mentioned that Ilia is Deltan, a couple of the male Enterprise crew members (Sulu in particular) look very interested when they hear that. Why? Also, why was it necessary for her to say that she has taken an oath of celibacy?

Answer: Deltans exude an intensely potent and effective chemical substance known as pheromones, which act as signals arousing an intense sexual reaction in other species (in other ST material it's inferred that its potency is so extreme that a non-Deltan risks insanity in a sexual encounter with a Deltan). Upon entering Starfleet, Deltans must swear "an oath of celibacy" so as not to influence or take advantage of crewmembers. That is why Lt. Ilia stated that her "oath of celibacy" was on record.

Super Grover

Question: So what tricks does Blackwood use to make the girl try to kill herself at the beginning? I don't get that part. Thanks.

Answer: While it's never stated explicitly, drugs and hypnotic suggestion are most likely.

Grumpy Scot

Question: Did journalists disappear by 2113? Why didn't Jake and the scientists try and contact someone on Earth (or even upload the whole thing on Youtube of the future)?

Answer: Because it wouldn't really do any good. Firstly, as is observed in the film, while bad publicity isn't ideal, it's worse to come back with no profits. A successful mining mission, even with some local casualties, would swiftly override any negative publicity from actions taken to secure the prize. Plus, they're six years away from Earth. Even if they could somehow get a message out through a communications system that's likely rigidly monitored by the company running the operations, it's not as if any backup could rush to help them - all they have to work with is what's right there on-planet.

Tailkinker

Question: Although it is not mentioned in the film, I assume that unobtainium has antigravity properties, since it floats in the air in Parker's office. If this is the case, the logical thing to do would be to mine the floating rocks in the hallelujah mountains, which obviously contain loads of the stuff. Why mine it out of the ground at a much higher expense?

Answer: Unobtanium is a superconductor which creates an antigravity effect in a magnetic field. The places where the rocks are floating indicate that the magnetic field is stronger there, which reduces the effectiveness of the human machines and makes using them more dangerous. In fact, they specifically mention that fact when hiding among the floating rocks. They can't be tracked as easily so the odds shift a bit in their favor. Add to that the fact that human technology is geared toward surface mining, not mining floating rocks.

Garlonuss

Question: Why doesn't Maroowd want Withnail accompanying him to the train station? I thought they were supposed to be friends?

MovieBuff09

Chosen answer: I'm not sure they are friends, they were just thrown together by circumstance. Withnail treats Marwood badly throughout the film. When Marwood gets his role, he smartens himself up and can't wait to get out of there, not even bothering to move his stuff out, saying his dad will do it. I think that they both realise that it's the end of their relationship, and Marwood just wants to get it over with.

Madstunts

Answer: I think Marwood is possibly embarrassed by Withnail, by him being drunk and looking dishevelled and that's why he doesn't want him him walking him to the station.

Chosen answer: According to Cinefex magazine, most of the suit was a one-piece spandex unitard with the webbing made out of molded foam latex soaked in black dye and hand-glued to the spandex.

Madstunts

Question: This goes along with the previous question about that song that starts at :33 on the first trailer. Does anyone know what kind of music genre it would be under so I might find an album that sounds like it?

HulkObsessedChick

Chosen answer: I can do better than that. The track is called "The World Waits" by Edmund Choi, from the soundtrack to the movie "The Dish". If you're in the UK, the track can be downloaded here for 70p: http://is.gd/5KgJb.

Madstunts

Show generally

Question: In "Spongebob vs. the Big One", at one point, the Flying Dutchman is in Davey Jones' Locker. While there, an old man comes out (not animated, a real person), he says something to the Flying Dutchman, then "Daydream Believer" by the Monkees starts playing. Is he supposed to be one of the Monkees or something?

Answer: He is indeed--he was lead singer of the Monkees and his name (of course!) is Davy Jones.

Chanteuse66

Question: What's the deal with R2-D2's 'short circuit' after he's shot while trying to override the shield generator's doors? Did the blast cause him to go haywire or is he having a panic attack?

Answer: The impact of the energy shot on Artoo's data-access arm has caused a short in his systems, so he's just going through an overload.

Tailkinker

Question: When Bella is bitten by James, Jasper also comes and rescues her - by killing James - but how is it that Jasper does not react to Bella's blood? Is it because of "heat of battle?" I also think of New Moon, where she only had a paper cut (but he still freaked out).

IdaMarieSmithLarsen

Chosen answer: There's no definitive answer. Most likely it was because the conditions between the two scenarios were very different. When the Cullens saved Bella, Jasper was intensely focused on defeating James, exerting all his energy into killing him. He would have gone into battle knowing there could be bloodshed. He may also have not been "hungry" at the time, therefore, less affected by the scent of blood. At the birthday party, Bella cutting her finger was so totally unexpected that it caught Jasper by surprise, and he instinctively reacted to it. He still struggles with being a "vegetarian," and is constantly watched by the other Cullens.

raywest

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