Question: Was the minigun used by Jesse Ventura in Predator the same one (as in the same physical prop, not just the same model and/or configuration) later used by Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2?
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: Was it true that Futurama was on hiatus around 2002 before it was finally cancelled? If so, what is the reason for the hiatus?
Chosen answer: The hiatus and the cancellation were for the same reason, a dispute over ownership between Matt Groening and Fox. Fox actually own the majority of the interest in the Simpsons, but their stake in Futurama is much more limited. This gives Groening more bargaining power with the show, and unfortunately Fox were unhappy with this so put the show on hiatus and then cancelled it.
Question: I am aware that Canada and Mormons appear frequently in South Park. Is there a reason for them to appear?
Chosen answer: Trey Parker and Matt Stone have said that they're making fun of the media; Canadians are very similar to Americans, yet the US media often portrays them has being very different. Trey Parker apparently grew up around a lot of Mormons and, we can infer, organised religion didn't make a good impression on him.
Answer: For the Mormon thing, there's the fact that it's set in Colorado, which is next door to Utah, the center of Mormonism.
Question: Could someone please explain the ending of this movie? Am I right when I conclude that Rusty Nail planted the Ice Truck guy's body in the driver's seat and then got away leaving cops to think the Ice Truck guy was the killer? I think I'm missing something here because that ending would be ridiculously unrealistic. Thank you.
Chosen answer: That's exactly what happened leaving room for the sequel, if they make one.
But the kidnapped girl-Charlotte-would have told the police what Rusty Nail did and what he looked like. And, since Rusty Nail would have fled on foot, he would have been easy to find. Also, in order to pull off this stunt, Rusty Nail would have needed to find a way to floor the gas pedal. Finally, it would be easy for the police to identify who owned the truck Rusty Nail crashed into the motel. He either owned it or the owner of the truck knew who was driving it.
Question: Does anyone know what kind of pistols Martin Blank uses in this film? Also, is the gunfire sound they make accurate? It's very distinctive.
Chosen answer: His pistols are 9mm Glock 17's (http://www.glock.com/g17.jpg). No movie firearm shot is authentic as it would sound very flat and unexciting because the blank rounds used are very quiet (not much louder than clapping your hands actually). The shot sounds are added in post production.
Question: Does anyone know who played the knight that hit people over the head with a dead chicken?
Chosen answer: That would be Terry Gilliam, who played a lot of non-speaking roles in the series, and some speaking ones like Cardinal Fang in 'The Spanish Inquisition.' He did all the animation as well, but I'm sure you knew that.
Question: I heard this movie was a remake or a compilation of different themes used in 1950's mars B-movie remakes. What are some of the themes of the movies that this movie takes? Such as, In Mars Attacks they use the music to kill the aliens I believe is a rip from a 50's movie where they use sound waves to down martian spaceships. What movie was that?
Chosen answer: While the movie is a parody of the 50's sci-fi B-movies, the film is actually based on the Topps 1962 science fiction trading card collection called "Mars Attacks!", which tells the tale of the Martians' attack.
Question: How does Raymond Dufayel aka Glass Man know Amélie is looking for Bretodeau/Bredoteau aka The Box Man. He says "I've lived here for five years. This is the first time we've met." Then adding that he never goes out on the landing, they're all creeps. So my question is who told him Amélie was looking for The Box Man? Lucien the grocer boy maybe? As he delivers to his flat. Or maybe Madeleine Wallace the Concierge. (00:26:20)
Chosen answer: The Glass Man isn't as reclusive as he tells Amelie; he obviously talks to many people and spies on them with his binoculars (he knows all about Amelie's revenge on the grocer and the letter she wrote to Mrs. Wells). It isn't revealed where he got the specific information about Amelie's search for Dominique Bredoteau.
Question: A trivia entry for this movie reads: "One of the droids in the arena battle has 1138 written on his back." Forgive my ignorance, but this means... what, exactly?
Chosen answer: George Lucas first movie (made in college I think) was called THX-1138. It is referenced from time to time in a lot of his movies.
Question: When the Witch King and the main orc are looking at Minas Tirith from Osgiliath, the Witch King says, "Do not stop the attack until the city is taken..." and so on, but I couldn't catch what the orc said after that, followed by the Witch King saying, "I will break him." What does he say?
Answer: He says "What of the white wizard?".
Question: What does Ada say to her daughter at the table at the end of the film?
Question: At the start of the film, when Cameron is in Ms Perky's office she tells him Padua won't be any different from his old school and then points at the window. What does she say at this point?
Answer: She says "Same little a*s-wipe sh*t for brains everywhere."
Question: During the battle at Minas Tirith, what are those red dots that flash in the center of the screen? They appear when one of Gondor's catapults is fired, then when a couple of the orc's catapults are fired, also when the tower door is lowered for the orcs that attack Gandalf & Pippin.
Answer: The red dots you see are part of a really stupid scheme to foil internet piracy of movies. They are known as the CAPS code and were developed by Kodak. Lately they have been showing up more and more often in films. A good discussion can be seen at http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htforum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=162471 if you are interested in learning more.
Question: The Episode titled The Rowdyruff Boys was banned from YTV in Canada. Why?
Answer: A representative for the broadcast company refused to say why, only that it was the "content" of the episode. A search of the term 'rowdyruff' on a search engine returns a multitude of XXX related sites. Perhaps this may lean to an explanation.
Question: What is the translation of 006's words when he holds the gun to Bond's head in the dark toward the beginning of the movie?
Answer: "Don't even breathe. Where are the others?"
Question: When Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey are at the laundromat, they are playing cards. All of a sudden the old man in the background starts laughing. Then Bette and Barbara start laughing? Is this a laugh fest?
Answer: He overheard CC say that a man would never do a woman's laundry no matter how much he loved her. Which is true.
Answer: The man laughs because he is mentally challenged, and Bette and Barbara just begin to laugh at him. A bit un-PC.
Answer: First of all, it was a woman. Second, she heard CC say that men never want to do laundry not even for their woman.
The Regina Monologues - S15-E4
Question: Whatever happened to the scene where Prime Minister Tony Blair hands Homer a cup of tea and Homer pours it on the carpet behind his back? I saw a picture of this in a newspaper and I was slightly disappointed this didn't appear.
Answer: A lot of scenes are filmed for the show and cut out for various reasons, yet still make it into ads for the show. This was probably one of them.
Question: What happened to Marrion from the first series? She wasn't seen or mentioned in series two.
Answer: She's not in it. There is a woman called Joyce, who could be seen as a replacement, but she has a much smaller part. I haven't heard why this happened.
Question: Julia Roberts refers to the term "snow blowing" and states that she heard it described in a movie. Is this really a reference to a movie?
Answer: You can see the reference in Kevin Smith's first movie Clerks. Whether or not she's referencing that particular movie or not is debatable.
Chosen answer: Check out http://www.montysminiguns.com/MoviePage.htm. This site confirms that the same minigun is used in both movies, and is (or was) on display at the Allegheny Arms and Armor Museum in Smethport, Pennsylvania.
J I Cohen