Questions about specific movies, TV shows and more

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Answer: I watched the clip on YouTube, stopping and enlarging the image to scan it, but I did not see Cho sitting among the other students at Cedric's memorial scene. She may have been sitting in an area in the back or off to the side where the faces were less visible or else she was too distraught to attend the ceremony.

raywest

Question: Why does the play start with The Van Daans already at the Annex when it's clear that they arrive a week later in the diary?

Answer: Movies do not always exactly follow the books they are adapted from. Oftentimes scenes and/or characters are changed, deleted, or streamlined, often because there is a limited amount of time in a movie to tell the story. In this case, it just simplified the plot by having the Van Daans already at the Annex, eliminating the need for two separate arrivals and instead focusing on the Frank family's reactions to their situation.

raywest

Question: I was just wondering why the Death Eaters were so eager for the Dark Lord to return, but the moment he's resurrected (which happens in this film and in the book), they are suddenly really afraid of him. I mean they go on and on about how they can't wait for him to return but the moment he does, it's almost like they wish he hadn't e.g. the scene in this film in the graveyard where Voldemort calls out Lucius Malfoy or the scene at the start of "The Deathly Hallows part 1" where they're all having a meeting at Malfoy Manor and Voldemort is walking and talking amongst them and they're all fearful of him.

Answer: Voldemort works on fear and hate. His minions are full of that. They hate muggles and wish they could dominate them, to crush their world. Voldemort promised them that, so they follow him, to reach that goal since he is a powerful dark wizard with followers and the ambition to go as far as he can. But Voldemort likes people being afraid of him, even his minions, so he is harsh on them, punishes any tiny mistake severely, does cruel things to them. So they fear him, are very submissive in his presence because of his cruelty and magic prowess. but he does lead them to their ultimate goal.

lionhead

Question: How in the world did Jake escape from prison so easily? Why didn't the guard who came to release him for lunch call in backup when he saw Jake hanging, and why weren't there any other guards around that could stop the escape attempt? How did no police see Francis pouring gasoline right outside the police station? How in the world did no police see Jake escaping between his cell and the front door? When Jake was getting into the Jeep, about 4 prison guards came out putting on their jackets, but where were they during the escape?

Answer: The reason the escape unfolded this way is because it is a movie, and movies often use plot devices that have little resemblance to reality. This is called "suspension of disbelief." That means the audience accepts a certain premise that they know is unrealistic in order to allow the story to unfold. For example, in a Sci-Fi movie, we know that spaceships are unable travel to different solar systems in a mere matter of days (i.e. Star Trek). If Jake was unable to escape from prison as easily as he did, that would be the end of the movie.

raywest

Question: After Tom Ripley kills Freddy with the statue, how is it possible to have carried him out with Freddy being much heavier than Ripley and also without that nosy landlady seeing it?

Anthony Lemons

Answer: I'm thinking that with all the adrenaline pumping through Tom's veins after having committed the murder would be more than enough to take care of the strength issue. As for the nosy landlady - she was probably asleep. Or otherwise occupied.

Alan Keddie

Answer: Yes they did. In addition to selecting football players from Marshall's Junior Varsity team, the coaches also recruited several players from other sports. Some of those athletes had never played on an organized football team previously.

BaconIsMyBFF

Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't it have been awfully risky to recruit athletes who've never played football in their lives?

Not necessarily. Since they were already collegiate level athletes, it is likely they were quite physically fit. Those who had little football experience were likely used as bench players and saw little on field action.

BaconIsMyBFF

I don't know that your statement that those who had little football were likely used, as bench players and saw little on field action is true. See, most of Marshall's experienced football players were killed in the plane crash which the movie is about.

There were about 20 freshmen players and several upperclassmen from the varsity team who weren't on the tragic flight that played the 1971 season. The majority of the team were at the very least, experienced high school players. The number of athletes on the team that had NEVER played on a football team before was low, but it was noteworthy.

BaconIsMyBFF

Question: Why was the name Max used for the helmet? Does it connect to one of the other 6 movies?

Answer: Yes the third movie Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo there is a character in the movie named Max.

Yes, but that Max didn't have two X's in his name, plus he was a thief trying to steal Herbie, not race him with a big racing suit.

Question: What is written on the back of Norma's shirt when she brings the attendance slips to Ms Collins?

Answer: It's either cycnus X*1, or cygnus X*1. I have no idea what that references, but according to Google, cygnus X-1 relates to a black hole. An in-joke maybe, or simply a coincidence, since quirky-lettering shirts were fairly standard in the 70s.

Purple_Girl

Question: Besides saying "Quiet" and "He warned you", does 8 have any other lines of dialogue?

Answer: Nope. Only some sounds (like the magnet scene).

YellowBird

Question: Do we know the human casualties by the end of the war?

Answer: No such numbers are ever discussed in the novel or in the subsequent radio and movie treatments. What we may surmise, however, is that the human casualties were comparatively minor. Once the Martians were exposed to earthly microbes, they were wiped out pretty quickly.

Charles Austin Miller

Voiceover by Morgan Freeman at the end of the movie: by the toll of a billion lives.

Morgan Freeman says "By the toll of a billion deaths, man had earned his immunity, his right to survive among this planet's infinite organisms." He is saying that Mankind evolved with microorganisms for countless generations on Earth, making Mankind immune to most of those microorganisms. Perhaps a billion humans or more died of bacterial and viral plagues throughout human history; but, as a species, we gained immunity. Freeman's quote has nothing to do with the number of Martians that died because they had no immunity.

Charles Austin Miller

Answer: The ending dialog states a death of 1 billion.

The billion deaths spoken of don't refer to those that died in the alien attack but the billion deaths from the microorganisms that killed the aliens. "By a billion deaths man earned his immunity."

Bishop73

I feel that he meant that the organisms that killed the aliens killed a billion humans first before we got our immunity from them.

They are saying that.

lionhead

You are correct that he means humans, over tens of thousands of years, naturally gained immunity to many disease-causing organisms after billions of other people had died from them. The aliens had no immunity whatsoever and is why they died.

raywest

Answer: He had to stay, to ensure the fleet would make the jump to light-speed. Finn knew the ship's layout and Rose was needed to disable the tracker. Poe stayed to convince Holdo that it was safe to use light-speed again.

Answer: There was no reason all three had to go. Poe was more useful staying behind and helping with the resistance.

raywest

Question: What is the dance the actors are dancing at the public ball where Charles Bingley, Caroline Bingley, and Mr. Darcy arrive late? Everyone stops dancing when they appear and then take up where they left off and finish.

Question: Why can't they just build a trap to hunt the beasts down?

Answer: We see in the family's basement that the father had gradually been learning about the monsters. He may have planned to trap them at some point in the future, but as it stood, he didn't know enough about their weaknesses. The monsters were shown tearing through a truck and a grain silo like tin foil, so any trap that they would use would have to be extremely strong.

Phaneron

Answer: Although it's rather vague, the plot premise is that there are hoards of these creatures that have taken over most of the country, if not the entire planet. Trapping the ones that are in the family's vicinity would have little effect overall and no doubt they'd merely be replaced by other creatures.

raywest

Question: I've always wondered why the actors (and Truman) wear 1950's style clothing even though the movie was filmed in 1998. Does Truman believe he's living in the fifties?

Answer: He wouldn't have known he was driving a modern car since his world consisted of whatever was brought in for him.

Well 50's looks includes 50's technology. If he really thought he lived in the 50's a 90's car would seem out of place. He doesn't get shown much from the real world but surely they have car magazines, kitchen appliances, gardening tools. Can't keep it all 50's. Plus, they want to sell stuff they have in the show, but 50's cars aren't made anymore and wouldn't be made specifically for the show, so they have modern technology. Therefor, he knows its the 90's. I'm sure he was taught proper history at school as well.

lionhead

Everything in his world is fabricated to what the shows producers want him to believe. If they are able to build a set that is visible from space, surely having magazines from the 50s or having him taught in 50s format is not impossible.

Ssiscool

Might be possible. But do you think Truman believes he is in the 50's? What kind of history did they teach him? Surely they can't censor domestic and world politics (like elections) and natural disaster events, which requires images to see. Sure they censor the studio, but they can't keep all images from the outside world away from him. Besides, I just put in a movie mistake myself that shows they at last have taught him world history the proper way.

lionhead

I didn't put the mistake in as the Truman show can take place in the future. What I found out that there is a scene of Truman as a kid in school and the teacher pulls down a map of the world, a 90's map. So they do teach him proper history. And since its a 90's map the Truman show takes place in the future and its the 2010's or something. But it shows Truman knows in what era he lives.

lionhead

Answer: It's all part of the set of the fictional show that Truman is unwittingly a part of. The '50s were viewed (by some) as a wholesome, uncomplicated time, so it makes sense that the show's producers would choose it for their wholesome, uncomplicated show. And if Truman did believe it was the 1950s, well, why not? He has no outside frame of reference.

Well, he did drive a modern car.

lionhead

Which is irrelevant. Truman wouldn't know the difference. A modern car was likely one of the many product-placement deals the show had.

Again though, during the segment where they look back at Truman's ambitions to become an explorer they show a world map which is accurate for the time. Also, it would be impossible to convince him anything in the world is different even if they would control the news and TV shows (history books), what about elections for example?

lionhead

Answer: You need to think outside the box. you know 50s stuff is different and modern appliances would stand out but for Truman, it doesn't. Magazines, TV broadcasts etc would all be controlled by the director so he has no reference to question that anything is out of place or "not of that era." To him, its not different.

The_Iceman

Answer: Dude how are you not getting this? They can tell him anything they want. He doesn't have any form of reference to say it's out of place. His entire world is what they've told him since he was a baby. They can tell him it's 2020 but still have 1950s equipment. To Truman, that's 2020 equipment. He doesn't know about all the advances since them. You, me and all the viewers know its out of era but Truman doesn't since he's grown up with it being relevant to whatever year theyve told him it is.

Are you talking to me? if you are, what are you rambling about? The question was if Truman believed he was in the 50's. I argued he didn't. That's all. According to you that's true even. Relax.

Answer: They created his world: the clothing, cars, electronics, everything around him is conceived by the producers of the show. You see some people dresses like the 50's and some like the 80's, and then his TV is 50's but the cars are 90's. He doesn't have a frame of reference so it seems normal to him.

Question: Why wasn't Bud, the police detective who was shot but not killed, treated as a hero but instead is shown leaving town with the Veronica Lake look-alike played by Kim Bassinger? It doesn't make and sense.

Answer: To cover up the corruption and protect the department's image, the LAPD hid Smith's crimes by claiming that he died as a hero in the shootout. Exley also bargained to be hailed a hero and received a medal for bravery.

raywest

Question: Why didn't Carlos turn into a zombie when he got bitten on the leg like Sgt. Peyton?

Roman Curiel

Answer: As shown in the first film, the virus doesn't necessarily hit at a consistent rate. It depends on the individual subject and the severity of the wound. Carlos managed to survive just long enough to get the anti-virus. Also, Peyton was shot and killed by Nemesis, thus he re-animated at a quicker rate, as his body shut down.

TedStixon

Question: When Tyranus incapacitates Skywalker and Kenobi, why didn't Dooku kill Anakin and Obi-Wan when he had the chance?

DFirst1

Answer: Well in the case of Anakin it's simple, since Dooku was under orders from Darth Sidious not to kill him, as Sidious saw him as a potential Sith apprentice. Obi-Wan, could be several reasons. It could simply be that Dooku held them alive as hostages because he knew Yoda was coming. It's also possible Obi-Wan is part of the Sidious' plan to keep Anakin's training stable and on schedule so he can be turned. If Anakin got a new master or went rogue he might be harder to turn. It's also possible Dooku didn't want to waste time with Obi-Wan, as he didn't see him as a threat.

lionhead

Do you have any evidence of this?

DFirst1

Of Dooku not being allowed to kill Anakin? Of course. Darth Sidious has had his eye on Anakin since Naboo when he met him as a young child, feeling the power he has. Since then he has been training him, teaching him, influencing him to go to the dark side. Obviously he doesn't want any harm to come to him. So, Dooku was not allowed to kill Anakin. Either Dooku himself saw Anakin as a potential Sith (considering his dialogue with Anakin during their final duel) and apprentice or Dooku was told by Sidious not to kill Anakin but try to persuade him to switch sides. As for Obi-wan its like I said, just speculations. Perhaps someone else can elaborate better, perhaps take it to the Forum? I can open a book or 2 about this, but better in the Forum than as a reply here.

lionhead

What's the source of this? Is it from the Novel?

DFirst1

No I got this information from watching the movies. It's just logical conclusions to the events that lead up to the final Dooku vs Anakin duel. Dooku didn't expect to kill Anakin, but turn him. This is the reason he incapacitates Obi-Wan and starts talking to Anakin. But again, maybe a conversation for the Forum.

lionhead

But how did Sidious know that Anakin and Obi wan would fight Tyranus?

DFirst1

When? On Geonosis? He didn't know, Palpatine didn't know all Dooku was doing on that planet whilst he secured the start of the war, but he knew Obi-Wan and Anakin would go after him, knowing he is a Sith. The events at Geonosis with the Jedi and the clone troops came a bit early for Palpatine I suspect, but proved to be working for his plans rather than against it. He wanted Dooku to reveal himself as a Sith to Obi-Wan and Anakin of course. Obi-Wan had some experience fighting Sith and Anakin was eager to prove himself, knowing that, Palpatine took the necessary measures to make sure Anakin wasn't killed, and probably didn't care much for Obi-wan's fate come to think of it. It's likely Dooku didn't see Anakin's potential until he fought him either, immediately understanding (but not fully) why his master wanted him to live.

lionhead

Question: Who is Luke talking about when he covers up his hand and says that he has a promise to keep to an old friend? Who is the old friend?

Tyler R

Answer: Yoda. When he was departing for Cloud City to save his friends in the previous film, he promised Yoda that he would return to Dagobah to complete his training.

Phaneron

OK. But I thought he was talking about the holeish thing in his hand since he covered it up when he said it. I must have misunderstood it.

The hole in Luke's robotic hand reminds him that he got that robotic hand in the first place because he lost his duel with Darth Vader at Cloud City - a confrontation Yoda warned him he was not ready for.

TonyPH

Question: Are we to assume Tito dies from his gunshot wound?

Answer: I don't think so, a gunshot wound to the thigh is hardly fatal unless you hit a major artery.

lionhead

And if you do hit an artery you don't have very long to live.

Ssiscool

Question: Why does Hermione think Crouch is very lucky no one knows about him firing Winky (which she defines as being mean to elves)? A smart person like Hermione should know they'd care more about the dark mark than Winky being fired. I know how Hermione is with elves and I know it's weird to just fire her to Hermione (who did not know the whole story), But why does she think Winky being fired not getting out is lucky for Crouch when Voldemort's sign has just been shown for the first time in 13 years?

THE GAMER NEXT DOOR

Answer: Hermione is saying that Crouch is a bad person for treating his house elf like that and that people would think the same if they knew it. She's not saying that the Dark Mark doesn't matter.

Greg Dwyer

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