Question: In the film, Officer Robbie seems to have heavily modified his police cruiser, including adding nitrous. In real life, could an officer actually modify his or her vehicle, even if it's at their own expense? The examples of modified police cars I could find online are never real cop cars (they're for a car show, just a stunt, or hoax of some sort).
Questions about specific movies, TV shows and more
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Question: Why did Captain Von Trapp order Maria to go back to the Abby?
Answer: He was displeased by everything Maria had been doing with the children while he was away, such as making play clothes for the kids using the window curtains, taking them on outings around Salzburg, having them singing, going boating, and generally having fun, all of which he, as a strict disciplinarian father, considered frivolous behavior. The captain also thought Maria was being impertinent for suggesting that he become closer to the children.
Question: Did Max know the tanker was full of sand before it crashed?
Answer: No, Max even puts his hand under the stream of sand pouring out of the trailer as he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Answer: No, because it was necessary for Max to believe he was hauling the tanker filled with fuel so that the ruse leading the marauders away from the settlers' compound could work. After Max drove the decoy tanker away with the marauders in pursuit, the settlers were able to smuggle the fuel away in oil drums concealed in other vehicles.
It wasn't necessary for Max to believe he was hauling the tanker filled with fuel for the ruse to work. He could have known but still chosen to go along with the plan.
Question: In the hardware store when Scott hears the dog whistle, why doesn't his Dad, who is also a werewolf, hear it or react?
Answer: His dad is either not currently in the room or further away in the same room so most likely not as loud for him. Also, the dad is used to being a werewolf, so he is more used to the sound than Scott (to whom this sound is brand-new).
Answer: And, for wolves and humans, as they get older their high frequency hearing is diminished.
Question: Was Nick supposed to kill Laurel in Boston?
Answer: He was supposed to kill a politician's girlfriend, because the politician supported the IRA, a dangerous politician who never had to see bloodshed with his own eyes. Nick couldn't kill him because they have mutual friends and this might be risky for their own interests; turning friends against them. So he was assigned to kill the girlfriend as a warning. While I've not seen the Godfather; I believe it's similar to the whole waking up with your horse's head in your bed kind of warning.
Answer: No, he was going to assassinate someone in Boston but it wasn't Laurel. It was the girlfriend of a politician in Boston who was funding the IRA.
Question: What happened to the real Sean Fentress?
Answer: He died in the train bombing along with all the other passengers. If you're asking what happened to the real Sean Fentress in the alternate time line created at the end of the movie, Colter took over his body and continued to live the life that Fentress had been living.
Question: Where was Kairi all this time?
Question: Whose car were Barney and Floyd driving in this episode? If this was Floyd's car, why was he not driving?
Answer: When Floyd and Barney have run out of gas, Barney chides Floyd by saying, "Why didn't you put gas in this car? If you're gonna drive through the country, you're supposed to make sure the tank is filled." This suggests it's Floyd's car. Since Barney insisted he knew a shortcut, Floyd let him drive the car.
Question: After Rapunzel realises Gothel had kidnapped her, she turns away and looks like she is leaving to save Eugene. However, the next scene we see Rapunzel chained up and gagged by Gothel. How is this so? Wouldn't Rapunzel have fought against Gothel? Even if we didn't see her be chained up, she still could have run.
Answer: True, but she is still a young lady. Except for using a frying pan she had no real fighting skills and Gothel had centuries to learn how to fight and defend herself.
Answer: Gothel probably knocked Rapunzel out very quickly, since her back was turned.
Question: Just before Doc shows his plan with the DeLorean and the train Marty checks the walkie-talkies and Doc confirms it that they work. How are they able to get the walkie-talkies to work in 1885? I'm thinking Doc invented something so Doc and Marty can communicate with each other with them.
Answer: Given Doc's scientific ability (and some suspension of disbelief) it would be easy enough to rig up a makeshift battery that would last long enough. Or indeed they've just got lucky and the walkie-talkies' batteries still have enough life in them. They're not mobile phones, they don't need masts or any infrastructure, they just connect directly to each other.
Like you said, walkie-talkies work independently of any infrastructure, which is what I think the question was more about. However, the battery was invented way before 1885 with the first lead acid rechargeable battery being invented in 1859 with pasted electrode batteries being invented in the 1880's. So it's less about Doc rigging up a battery and just using what's already available or charging the batteries it came with (if we are assuming the batteries ran out of power).
The best batteries they had in those days were crude, wet batteries made out of earthenware and filled with sulphuric acid. They were cumbersome, dangerous and didn't have a lot of voltage or low current. Hardly suitable for a walkie-talkie that needs at least 9 volts. But I suppose it's possible Doc had some charged self-made batteries sitting at home to keep them going.
Definitely not "crude", certainly not as advanced as today, but the lead acid battery is the same technology a lot of batteries use today. They even had electric vehicles prior to 1885. My point was Doc didn't have to invent technology that didn't exist (as opposed to what some say he would have to do to get an 80's camcorder to play on a 50's TV). They had rechargeable batteries back then so it wouldn't be a stretch that Doc could recharge the batteries he had.
Answer: 1955 Doc got him some new batteries ("Just in case, fresh batteries for your walkie talkie. Oh what about that floating device?") They only used them on the train so the batteries would still be charged. In regards to how they work, they don't rely on phone masts, satellites, WiFi etc as they send radio waves to each other and not to any sort of base station.
The Victim - S4-E17
Question: During the trial, Matlock says that he paid a man to follow Bret which is how they were able to find the rope that Bret used. Would what Ben did to prove that Bret was the killer actually be allowed?
Answer: I did not see this episode, but YES. Both prosecution and defense lawyers use investigators to search for and uncover evidence that is legally admissible.
Question: What game are the three guys playing at the table where Matthew Lillard slaps Randall Batinkoff for no apparent reason?
Answer: Russian Beer Roulette. The scene is meant to be a recreation/tribute of "The Deer Hunter", where they slapped a lot. Instead of a revolver with one round in the chamber, one beer can is shaken up and put in with unshaken up ones so that the "loser" gets sprayed when opening the wrong one.
Question: How does Daniel go from barely knowing any karate at all to being able to defeat blackbelts and win a tournament in just a few months?
Answer: The win seems implausible, but I think the special training / unique techniques learned from Miyagi were meant to get him a competitive edge or at least quickly bring Daniel to a level of skill that would otherwise have taken years to attain/master. At first, Daniel wasn't even aware the chores Miyagi gave him were designed to give him quick (automatic) reflexes that would enable him to block blows. The final "crane" kick was created for dramatic purposes, but gave an image of an earned victory.
Question: At the end of the last movie, "A New Beginning", Tommy was possessed by Jason (or perhaps he just went completely insane, who knows) and is about to kill Pam. Yet in this film he's (somewhat) normal and in control, and is going to cremate Jason's corpse. So, what happened in between?
Answer: Plotwise, we only see him stalk her with a knife. Most likely Tommy came back to his senses, or alternatively fought off the possession, and set the knife down. The realization of what he'd almost done prompted him to try to cremate Jason's remains, to rid himself of Jason's evil influence once and for all.
Answer: Tom McLoughlin decided to ignore Part 5 when he became director/writer of Part 6.
Question: How can Michael recognize Laurie as his younger sister since he wouldn't have seen her since she was only two years old?
Answer: There is a scene where Laurie dreams about meeting Michael as a young teen. It's unknown whether this is an actual memory of real events, but since nothing indicates otherwise, we could assume the he saw her at an older age when she looked closer to her 17-year-old self.
Question: How can Michael possibly know how to drive a car if he's been locked away in an insane asylum since the age of six?
Answer: He likely saw his parents drive before he killed his sister and remembered it. After all, in America 96% of people drive automatics which would be a lot easier to understand at that age than a manual (stick shift).
I'm not sure where you got your random 96% number. But that sounds like a figure from 2020 where less than 4% of vehicles sold are manual. This film takes place in 1978 (where Michael would have been 6 in 1963). Even in the late 90's, more than 25% of cars sold were manuals.
Question: Why does Satipo follow Indy into the boobytrap-filled temple at the beginning of the film, if he's aware of the danger and is terrified to go in?
Answer: He was greedy and probably assumed Indy would disable all the boobytraps getting to the idol, thus clearing the way for him. As for Satipo acting afraid, he was probably faking it so Indy would not suspect that he intended to steal the idol and trap him inside the temple. It also deliberately misleads the audience as to his duplicity, making his betrayal an unexpected twist. He may actually have been afraid but was it was the price for obtaining what he wanted.
Question: Right after Richard shaves his beard off, he runs into a cop who shows him his own photo, and he asks if Richard ever saw that face. Richard then says, "Every time I look in a mirror. Except the beard." Why would Richard say that? Isn't that him practically confessing he's the guy they're looking for?
Answer: He's being flagrant, so he'll be the last person the cop suspects. The officer is assuming his man will be nervous and would run like hell when he saw a cop. By being friendly and playing up his resemblance to the suspect, Richard looks like a guy who has no reason to be afraid.
Question: Why does Luke offer to sell the droids to Jabba the Hutt at the beginning? Would Luke actually have left C-3PO and R2-D2 with Jabba if Jabba had agreed to give Han back in exchange for them?
Answer: The Droids were his inside men. All part of his plan to free Han. Why do you think R2-D2 had the light saber hidden within him? C-3PO knew nothing of it.
Answer: In his hologram message, Luke offered the two droids to Jabba as a "gift" to show his supposed good faith before he arrives to bargain for Han. He was not offering to sell or exchange the droids for Han. Of course, Luke had no intention of giving up the droids and knew Jabba would never hand over Han. Luke's rescue included retrieving Han and the droids.
Question: When Luke finds R2-D2 after R2 runs away from Luke's home, and then R2 starts beeping something and C-3PO says, "There are several creatures headed from the southeast!" Why then does Luke go to take a closer look instead of simply getting the droids in his speeder and getting out of there?
Answer: Luke is focused on finding Obi Wan and delivering Princess Leia's recorded message, which has intrigued him. Also, Luke is young, adventurous, and rather rash; he's curious to know what he's up against and whether or not it's necessary to flee or stay and continue his mission. He has a Jedi Knight's nature, and they do not run at the first sign of danger.
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Answer: A major police department would probably not allow modifications to an official vehicle, even if it was assigned permanently to a particular officer, due to safety or insurance concerns. That said, many departments do use high performance or exotic vehicles seized during crimes under various forfeiture laws. Most times these are for promotional purposes, but I do know of a Florida department that used a souped-up Dodge Hemi-Charger painted in standard department livery for traffic enforcement.