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: Serafinowicz apparently hated working on "Phantom Menace" because it paid poorly, he was given limited direction, and he felt Jar Jar Binks was a racist caricature upon watching the film on release.

TedStixon

Also, Serafinowicz was annoyed that he wasn't invited to the film's premiere and had to pay for his own tickets and travel expenses.

Answer: There's nothing specific reported about them, but other actors have also expressed disliking working with Shelley Winters. Stella Stevens, who was also in Poseidon, mentioned not getting along with Winters on another movie they made together because she was drinking at the time. Winters had a rather ditzy and brash personality that annoyed some people, which is probably what Albertson was referring to.

raywest

Moreover, Albertson once said, "The happiest moment making the movie for me was when she died."

Answer: It's not uncommon for a lot of actors to want to retire after being in movies and TV shows for so many years.

Answer: Agree with the other answer, but also, most minor actors' careers tend to have a short time span. As they age, the roles just dry up and they can't find enough work or they have health issues. Many retire and move on to something else to earn an income.

raywest

Answer: Yes, she did. Fairly typical for actors to wear wigs for their characters, especially sci-fi/fantasy ones. It just makes wardrobe/hairstyling faster, more efficient, and consistent.

raywest

Question: When Gozer says, "Choose your destructor," Peter Venkman then says, "Whatever person or thing we think about, that's what'll appear to destroy us. If we think of J. Edgar Hoover, he'll appear to destroy us." Why then didn't a giant J. Edgar Hoover appear?

Answer: This question was huge in 1984 after the movie came out. The running theory was that Ray had already thought of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man before Venkman said his line. The delay in Gozer saying the choice was made was because she was determining if it was a viable choice.

Answer: Agree with the other answer but would add that Gozer specifically said to "choose." Venkman citing J. Edgar Hoover as an example was not an actual choice. Meanwhile, Ray silently decided on the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and the choice was made.

raywest

Question: In the book, Jack is constantly breastfed. One would assume this is to keep up his nutrition. Is this explained in the movie when he asks for it and she says no, not anymore?

Show generally

Question: Did all six actresses get along with each other during the show's run, or was there some bad blood between some of them?

Rob245

Answer: The original three (Jackson, Fawcett, Smith) apparently got along. It's well documented that Kate Jackson and Cheryl Ladd (Fawcett's replacement) often clashed. Jackson had a reputation of being the most difficult of all the Angel actresses, and Jacklyn Smith the nicest. Smith and Ladd are close friends to this day. There's nothing reporting that Shelly Hack or Tanya Roberts had any issues, though both were only on the show for one season each.

raywest

Answer: There seems to have been two different revolvers used, but both shot .38 specials.

Bishop73

Mad as a Hatter - S1-E24

Question: Why does the Mad Hatter's appearance change halfway through his debut episode? He starts out short with sandy white hair and blue eyes. Later on he's almost Batman's height with blond hair and no blue eyes.

Rob245

Question: It's been a long time since I've seen this movie - what powers did Dave get?

Answer: I'm not sure this is the whole list, but I remember him having super speed, enhanced reflexes, telekinesis, precognition, and invulnerability.

Clueless - S2-E15

Question: I'm very confused about something and please correct me if I'm wrong. Vincent and Charlotte both got herpes because he was on a toilet seat. After Charlotte found out how she got herpes, why did she take her ring off, put it on Cuddy's desk, and then leave the room? Clearly, Vincent was also shocked to find out how he got it and he probably never meant for it to happen.

Answer: Getting herpes from a public toilet seat is practically impossible. House made up the idea that's how one of them got it, and even Cuddy tries to correct him. Vincent thought the idea was plausible but Charlotte thought the idea was ridiculous. So House concluded that the husband cheated on his wife and got herpes from another woman and then gave it to his wife. Vincent was happy with the idea that he got it from a toilet seat because it "gave him an out", meaning an excuse to use instead of admitting the truth that he cheated.

Bishop73

Question: How did the CIA find out about the plot at Ft. Knox from the note Bond put in the "late" Mr. Solo's pocket after he was crushed inside the car and brought back to the farm to be "separated from the gold"?

Answer: This is actually addressed in the movie itself. When Felix asks James: "What made her call Washington?"

ChristmasJonesfan

Answer: Bond had asked Pussy Galore to contact the CIA, which is what she did.

raywest

Show generally

Question: My sister insists an episode exists where pirates arrive on the island looking for a long-lost buried treasure. She swears she remembers the pirates kidnapping Ginger and trying to make her tell them where the treasure was. Does anyone remember this?

Answer: There was an animated version of "Gilligan's Island" on the CBS Saturday Morning lineup in the 1970s. I don't remember the episodes, but maybe that's where the episode is from.

Answer: This could be Season 3, Episode 17, "Court Martial," where Gilligan dreams about being an admiral whose ship gets boarded by pirates Captain Hook, Long John Silver, and Captain Kidd. (https://gilligan.fandom.com/wiki/Court-Martial)

ctown28

She says that is not the episode she remembers. She said the pirates arrive on the island, don't find the treasure, kidnap Ginger, and hold her in a cave until she tells them where the treasure is. Appreciate the help though.

Question: At the end of The Hobbit: Battle Of The Five Armies, Bilbo lied to Gandalf and said he lost the ring. In this movie, how did Gandalf know that Bilbo still had it?

Answer: Gandalf knows the ring's insidious power and its seductive ability over most people. Bilbo is not known to be a liar, and Gandalf is acquainted enough to tell when he's being untruthful.

raywest

Details - S4-E12

Question: Who is the red-headed actress that plays Big Red, the belly dancer that flirts with Chet? She's also on Season 5 Episode 12 as the girl with binoculars, and Johnny borrows them to get a closer look at the guy strung between two buildings. She's got a very distinctive voice, but she's not identified in either episode. Thanks.

MrsSpock

Question: During the hilltop tornado scene, Preacher mentions "the cone of silence." What exactly is that?

Answer: In the context of the movie, I believe they're referring to a moment where it appears everything is over, but is about to start up again. In real life, the term is evidently a term for a specific area that weather radars can't necessarily pick... usually very close to the radar since being overhead would mean they're outside of the radar's angle.

TedStixon

Answer: In the TV series "Get Smart", there was a device called the "cone of silence." It's used so that no one could hear private conversations, but it never worked properly. It was most likely a cultural reference.

Question: Do storm chasers keep regular phone call communication with the staff at NSSL? It seems the staff at the weather station reports directly to the ground teams what their readings are.

Answer: They don't communicate with the storm chasers. They gather and release the information publicly. The storm chasers get the information from the public releases.

LorgSkyegon

Question: When the team hunts down what will become the hilltop tornado, we see the landscape change dramatically from flatlands to more hilly terrain in a matter of seconds. Was that just to dramatically show the passage of time on the hunt while listening to their radio conversation in real time?

Question: After the priest is impaled during the killer storm, the autopsy reveals he had the 666 birthmark on his thigh – what does this mean? Was he a child of the Devil too? Did he spend his life fighting against this knowledge and that's why he had his bedroom covered in Bible pages? Any explanation is welcome.

Jen Hen

Answer: The priest you're talking about is Father Brennan. After he became a priest, he would meet Father Spiletto and become a Satanist. Basically once Satan accepted him, Brennan developed the 666 mark. He was present when Damien was born. It was only later in life when he was suffering severely with health issues that he decided to warn the Thorns about who Damien really was in hopes Christ would forgive him. At that point, he was afraid evil spirits would get him, which is why he covered his walls and windows in Bible pages.

Bishop73

Thank you! It has always bugged me.

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