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: How much money and work was required to build the cube? I know that only one actual cube was built. I'm asking this about the actual cube built in real life; not the in-universe cube.

Knever

Chosen answer: The cube cost approximately $20,000 (Canadian) to build.

Dra9onBorn117

Question: How exactly was Semos able to organize a rebellion against the humans, since he was just an ordinary ape who was trained for whatever assignment he would be needed for?

Answer: The dialogue recorded by one of the survivors of the Oberon tells that the apes, particularly Semos are much smarter than they had ever realized. He was not ordinary, he was the offspring of two chimps that had been genetically modified for increased intelligence. Semos had intelligence near or equal to humans.

Grumpy Scot

Question: In the original Superman television series, Superman created a duplicate of himself so that he could be in two places at once. However, as one went to pull the bars out of the wall, he had to have the other help, as the strength of one was half that of the original. That said, how is it that both Clark and Evil Superman have the same strength of the whole being after being split?

Movie Nut

Chosen answer: The effects of Red Kryptonite on Superman are always random and unpredictable. In the comics, the effect lasts 24 hours, however, for a film, they last as long as the writer needs them to. This time, it copied all of his powers as well to make the Evil Superman.

Captain Defenestrator

Question: Is Tommy supposed to be the "next" Jason? I'm really confused by the ending.

Answer: Yes, originally Tommy was going to be the new Jason. But the makers decided to go in a different direction for part 6.

Question: How did they do the trick where Mary takes the lamp and all of the other things out of her bag?

Answer: A false bottom in the bag and a hole in the table with a false background under it so we can't see the person handing the items up through the bag.

Captain Defenestrator

Dear Dad - S1-E12

Question: A number of times it is mentioned that the outfit is unarmed, yet several times, Frank has a rifle, or a pistol, and once Klinger had a grenade, and the guards and Klinger, while on sentry duty, has a rifle. Was this standard, or is this a mistake?

Answer: Even an Army field hospital would have SOME weapons for self-defense if the enemy attacked. What's meant is that it's not a combat outfit, and therefore wouldn't have enough weapons to actually attack anyone. (It's also mentioned a few times that the Officer of the Watch is supposed to carry a pistol at all times, but Hawkeye refuses to do it when he's in charge and Colonels Blake and Potter don't enforce the rule).

Captain Defenestrator

Answer: The Geneva Convention allows even doctors to carry a sidearm to be used in their self defense or the defense of their patients, however it is rare to do so.

stiiggy

Answer: As an old medical unit staffer, my experience is that med units have combat units assigned to defend them. Usually it was marines.

Answer: My old doctor (now deceased) served in Korea during the War. He was required to carry a sidearm anytime he was not in the hospital.

Question: What song was played in the beginning of the movie?

Kendollaz

Business Guy - S8-E9

Question: In the episode, Peter threatens to fire Lois, and she responds with "you wouldn't" and Peter then replies with "Oh really, does the name Lacey Chabert mean anything to you?" which in turn makes Lois go wide eyed and reply with "OK, I'll behave" and Peter then goes on to add "Yes you will" Can anyone explain this joke if it is a joke to comprehend?

Answer: Lacey Chabert was the actress who originally voiced Meg in early episodes. She left of her own accord due to being in school and other acting work; Seth MacFarlane has stated there was no tension with her leaving, but it makes for a handy joke for the show.

Jon Sandys

The Mouse - S4-E20

Question: The old man that comes in with his wife that can't breathe, the one that the head nurse tries to counsel and tempts him with a cup of coffee. I believe he is Alfred Hitchcock, though his name is not listed anywhere. Alfred Hitchcock is known for his cameo appearances in his own shows and in other shows. Can someone confirm that this is him? This is driving me nuts... It is toward the end of the episode, but I cannot give you times.

Answer: I believe you are speaking of the old man, Mr. Wilson. He's played by J. Pat O'Malley.

Bishop73

Correct, it was J. Pat O'Malley...he also played the grandfather with his grandson when their rocket exploded, and also played "Old Bill" in the episode with Ann Prentiss, where Gage saves the little girl from the burning tree house, and her mother falls in love with him.

Answer: She's a collector.

MasterOfAll

Question: Why didn't Jarvis alert Tony immediately that Selvig was in his building assembling the machine on the balcony to open the portal?

Gary Stewart

Chosen answer: Jarvis only has access to Tony through certain methods. The Iron Man helmet has speakers for Jarvis to speak through and buildings Jarvis is installed in as well. It's likely Jarvis warned Tony through other means, but either A) Tony figured it out by the time he got the message or B) In all the chaos of the attack on the Hellicarrier, Tony didn't see it.

Brad

Question: How is Eddie, as Venom, able to have his mask move on and off his face? Also, how is Harry able to do it too?

Answer: Eddie's suit is an alien symbiote that forms a telepathic bond with its host, much like it did with Spider-Man earlier in the film; it can remove itself from parts of the host at will (such as the face) or change form to take on the appearance of normal clothing, such as a jacket. Harry's mask has a hinge at the top that allows him to raise and lower it as necessary.

zendaddy621

Question: Jack steals a ring at Tia Dalma's when he is getting a jar of dirt from her in dead mans chest. Is this ring ever brought up again/mentioned/used? Possibly in a later movie?

zadoo1

Chosen answer: There is no indication that the ring will play any part in future story lines. Jack's taking the ring is just a means to show his character - he is a pirate and there is no honor among thieves. If he wants something, he feels entitled to take it, even if it is from a comrade of sorts.

raywest

Answer: There is significance to the ring Jack took. According to the wiki, the ring was originally a gift *from* Jack, to Angelica (who we meet in the 4th movie- On Stranger Tides). She traded that ring (the ring of Thieves) to Tia Dalma in exchange for the Ritual which would help her in her quest to find the Fountain of Youth (the plot of the fourth movie). Not to mention, when Jack takes the ring, you see Tia Dalma's locket, the one which Davy Jones also carries, which foreshadows quite a lot. Lots of significance to that small scene.

Question: Will's primary motive for rescuing Jack is so that he can trade the Black Pearl for his father. But why would Davy Jones want the Black Pearl at all, he already has a very good ship? Why does Will think this is the best way to rescue his father?

zadoo1

Chosen answer: Will says he needs the Black Pearl to free his father, he's not planning on trading him. The Pearl is the fastest ship in the Caribbean, so chances are he's planning to take the Flying Dutchman by force, and free his father that way.

Friso94

Chosen answer: Most likely because there was no reason for a scene of them together to tell the story. It is assumed that because Thomas and Vada are friends, that Harry has interacted with Thomas many times before. There could have been scenes filmed with the two actors together that was later cut from the final film. This often happens to quicken the film's pace, shorten the running time, etc.

raywest

Answer: Harry seemed to ignore Vada a lot of the time, would suspect her friends were included in him doing that also.

Question: Just before the final battle, the men were gathered around the fire singing "Oh My Lord." The soloist who sings the very first part of the song (about the animals marching two by two...) has the most beautiful voice. Who played that part?

Question: Is the bridge in the movie that crosses Lake Michigan supposed to be the Mackinac or Mackinaw bridge?

Pattie Carter

Answer: Mackinac bridge.

Impossible, it's like 300 miles away.

"Like 300 miles away" from what? In I, Robot they are using the dried up lake to store the robots, the bridge crosses the joining point between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

From Chicago.

Question: Not sure if anybody will have an answer to this, but I would appreciate any good guesses. I read the book and it describes Remus' suitcase as having the name "Professor RJ Lupin" in "peeling" letters, so the letters have been there for a while. Did he teach at Hogwarts in the past, or could there be smaller magical schools in Britain?

Answer: Lupin did not work at other schools as none would have allowed a werewolf to teach children. Only Dumbledore ever offered him a teaching position. Regarding the title "Professor" on his suitcase that had appeared to be there for some time, I believe this is actually a movie mistake. He did not previously have this title for any reason.

raywest

Question: In Snape's memory that Harry sees in the Pensieve, why does younger Snape take his exam outside with him instead of handing it in?

Answer: He hands in the answer paper and takes the questions out to read them again.

Question: When Christine commits suicide, there's a note that said something like "For my sister." My question is, why would the note say that? I know that Christine had a sister with some kind of condition but before that, Christine found out that Louis was responsible for Raoul's death and was very upset by it, so shouldn't the note have said something like, "For my Raoul" or "For Raoul"? Why was it for her sister? I'm confused by that part. Can someone please explain?

Answer: I believe the "for my sister" note referred to the jewelry she left behind, meaning to give it to her sister.

Greg Dwyer

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