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: Why does James vomit before each race?

Answer: It's a case of bad nerves before a race and has developed into a habitual behavioral pattern.

raywest

Question: If the Sultan of Turkey needed 1,000 boys to be trained for his army, then why not just use the Turks' own children? Why demand the children that were under Vlad's protection?

Answer: It was very common in the Middle Ages for those who ruled over an area to demand various forms of tribute, a very common one being soldiers or children to train as soldiers.

Greg Dwyer

Chosen answer: Bruce has always been the character's middle name. In the comics he is Robert Bruce Banner, here he is David Bruce Banner. Apparently the executives behind the show preferred the name David.

Question: To elaborate on the question regarding Drago facing criminal charges for killing Apollo: when he pushes the ref aside you say that in real life the fight would have been stopped, however, he almost lands the fatal blow right afterwards so he didn't give anyone time to stop it, wouldn't he be charged with criminally negligent manslaughter or something similar? I can understand him not facing charges if it had happened during the normal course of the fight, but the fact that he didn't allow the ref to stop the fight leads me to believe that he was negligent and thus responsible for Apollo's death.

Answer: Unless Drago did something deliberately illegal to increase damage (altering his gloves or wraps like Luis Resto), then no. Risk of severe injury is a standard for contact sports and boxing especially.

Greg Dwyer

Answer: Yes. Not only would Drago have been suspended from boxing indefinitely for pushing the ref aside, but, he also would have been charged with manslaughter considering that Drago landed the blow that killed Apollo immediately after the official stopped the fight. If the blow that killed Apollo had occurred during the fight however, Drago wouldn't have faced any charges.

In reality, Rocky was responsible for Apollo's death because he would not throw the towel when begged to. Furthermore, had this been a real fight, Apollo's entire corner would have flooded the ring since it got so out of hand. So, there wouldn't have been a fatal blow; it would have been total chaos with one corner coming to the defense of their fighter.

Chosen answer: Although Bob intended to kill Charles (to obtain his wife and wealth), they unexpectedly were struggling for survival in the wilderness. Working together increases their chances of rescue, and Bob cannot survive without Charles' help. He therefore saves him from the rapids. Plot-wise, this makes Charles think that his suspicions about Bob may be wrong. Also, Bob is not a born killer, and may be hesitant about actually committing murder, particularly someone he had admired and respected. Bob likely planned to kill Charles when rescue was imminent and then claim Charles died accidentally. Regarding the title, because the movie is not based on a book of that name, the filmmakers probably chose it for its marketing value because it sounded dramatic. This is a suspense/adventure movie, and "edge" can have multiple meanings, such as being "on the edge," as to whether or not Bob will carry out his plan. It can also refer to the razor-sharp edge of a weapon, an "edgy" emotional situation, and so on.

raywest

Answer: It is called the edge because Charles had a mental edge on Bob.

Answer: Two reasons for the title: They had an edge on the bear with their human intelligence, and they utilized the edge on that knife with it. Two edges.

roy sandefur

Question: I have seen and heard this movie referred to as both Philosophers Stone, and Sorcerer's Stone. Why and when are both used and what is correct? Why is the wrong one also used?

Quantom X

Chosen answer: Here is the explanation on IMDb'S website: To appeal to the American audience. This was a marketing decision made by author Rowling and Scholastic, the publishing house that released the novel in the United States. The decision to change Philosopher to Sorcerer was made because, in the U.S., a philosopher connotes a scholar of philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, logic, and other related fields. Philosopher does not typically connote an alchemist or magician, and magic is essential to the Harry Potter books. Consequently, the publisher suggested using another word with a more magical connotation, and Rowling suggested Sorcerer. Rowling gives this explanation: "Arthur Levine, my American editor, and I decided that words should be altered only where we felt they would be incomprehensible, even in context, to an American reader. The title change was Arthur's idea initially, because he felt that the British title gave a misleading idea of the subject matter. In England, we discussed several alternative titles and Sorcerer's Stone was my idea." For the movie, the different titles were used in different markets, and each scene where the Stone's name is used had to be filmed twice, once with "Philosopher's Stone" in the dialogue and once with "Sorcerer's Stone."

lartaker1975

Question: I just want to know the name of a song. When Cruise goes into his house to tell his wife it's bugged there's a jazz song playing. You know, the one where he turns up the volume and whispers in her ear. Then she takes off running. Who sings that song? I can't find it anywhere!

mp73

Chosen answer: M-O-N-E-Y by Lyle Lovett.

Question: Is it true that Voldemort's eyes are not red in the movies so that he will be less scary for younger viewers?

Answer: Not at all. In fact, David Heyman made the decision for his eyes to be blue in the films for him to be more scary! They felt that his red eyes in Sorcerer's Stone did not show enough emotion to make him an evil character. It was felt in Goblet of Fire that the light blue eyes would be perfect to show his evil in the moonlight, and they kept it on for later films.

Answer: True story.

Question: In the first chapter Frank Bryce overhears Wormtail and Voldemort's plans about killing Harry. Voldemort tells Wormtail "Come Wormtail, one more death and our path to Harry Potter is clear." A couple pages later it is mentioned again... "One more murder...my faithful servant at Hogwarts...Harry Potter is as good as mine." Whose murder/death are they talking about?

Answer: Voldemort considered the only person between him and Harry Potter was Albus Dumbledore. That is who he is referring to. The "faithful servant" was Barty Crouch, Jr., who was disguised as "Mad Eye" Moody. He was supposed to kill Dumbledore.

raywest

Question: How old are Howard Stark and Tony Stark supposed to be? Howard seems to be in his twenties during ww2 in this movie however his son looks like he's in his late 30's in the Iron Man movies. My grandparent were born during the war and their kids are now in their 50's/60's themselves, for Howard to have been in his early 20's during the war and still have a son who only around 40 in the 2010's then he must have had Tony when he was in his 60's maybe late 50's. Am I mistaken or has the movie kind of glossed over the fact that the ages don't quite match up?

strikeand

Chosen answer: Howard Stark was born in 1917, making him 25 around the time of the film. Tony was born in 1970. Making Howard 53 when Tony was born. Their ages match fine. As an industrialist it's likely he fathered Tony at a higher age, and men have fathered children at much higher ages.

MasterOfAll

Question: When Punjab is following the kidnapper's truck, he calls Mr. Warbucks to tell him where the truck is. How do either of them have phones when car phones weren't invented until the 40's at the very earliest?

Answer: Two-way mobile radios were invented in the 20s. With Mr. Warbucks' money, he would have been able to put two-way radios in all of his vehicles, and the microphone/speaker in the shape of a telephone receiver would then be an aesthetic choice.

Captain Defenestrator

Question: Why does Sato's nephew Chozen take an immediate dislike to Daniel?

Answer: Miyagi and Sato were once close friends who became bitter enemies when they loved the same woman; Chozen's instant dislike of Daniel is simply because Daniel is the student of his uncle's enemy.

zendaddy621

Question: After Dutch defeats the alien and decides not to smash his face with the rock he asked the alien "what the hell are you." Can anybody make out with the alien is trying to say, because in previous scenes we can hear what the alien is saying in English?

cbdellett

Answer: The predator says the same thing Arnold said "What the hell are you."

Chosen answer: The predator wasn't speaking in English, it was mocking Dutch by playing recordings of his now-dead team. When Dutch says "What the hell are you?", the predator plays back that question, although it sounds distorted as its systems are damaged.

Sierra1

It said "What the hell are you?" in a very distorted voice. When the Predator got his ass whooped by small inferior Arnold lol... he was clearing thinking the same thing Arnold was. Like "wtf is going on?!" Thus committing honorable suicide. Attempting to take out Arnold as well.

Answer: He's insisting that he joins in on Peter and Lois having sex. Usually sex between three people would be called a "three way", but since Stewie is only a baby and hasn't fully grown up yet, he would only be a quarter of a person, which would equal up to two and a quarter people.

Casual Person

Question: Snape informed Voldemort that there was a prophecy that a wizard would cause the end of his reign. What made Voldemort believe that it was Harry, when it could have actually been any wizard at any time?

Answer: It couldn't have been any wizard. The prophecy was very specific. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches" - so it was someone who was going to be born soon. "Born to those who have thrice defied him" - his parents must have escaped Voldemort three times. "Born as the seventh month dies" - and they must be born at the end of July. At this point, it could only have been Harry or Neville, as only they fit the requirements. "And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal" - Voldemort chose Harry because they were both half-bloods. "But he will have power the Dark Lord knows not" - this refers to Harry's amazing capacity to love.

Greg Dwyer

Question: At the end of the movie, when White is crawling towards Orange, you can hear Pink in the background. He already ran out and you could hear him having a shootout with the cops. At some point it sounds likes he gets shot and is ordered to surrendered by the cops. My question is: did Pink surrender and get arrested, or did he pretend to surrender and continue to shoot? Also because next the cops ran in on White and Orange, does that mean that Pink is dead or being chased by other cops?

Answer: He gets shot and then arrested outside the warehouse. (If you turn up the volume, you can hear it happening outside during the standoff).

Captain Defenestrator

Question: Of all the times Neo saved Trinity, why couldn't he do so at the end? And what happened to Neo at the end? He's just gone. I heard it explained but I still don't understand.

Answer: Neo couldn't save Trinity that last time because he wasn't in the Matrix when she was injured, so his power was very limited. Neo's body did not disappear and the end, so I don't know what you mean by "gone". Within the Matrix he was taken over by Smith, a program that had gone rogue and disconnected itself from the machines' source. By jacking into the Matrix through the machines' source and allowing Smith to take over his avatar, Neo tricked Smith into reconnecting himself to the machines' source, at which point the machines were able to delete Smith's program and restore the Matrix. This sacrifice from Neo to save the Matrix brought peace between the machines and the humans.

Phixius

Question: At the end when Satan reveals himself, what is the name of the beat that is playing and who performs it?

lartaker1975

Question: Gretchen and Frank are both manipulated dead, but why is it that other people can see Gretchen, yet no one can see Frank and he's known as Donnie's 'imaginary friend'?

Answer: According to Roberta Sparrow's book, Frank is an example of the Manipulated Dead. Apparently, those who die within the confines of the Tangent Universe are given some level of knowledge of the catastrophe to come and serve to some extent as the Chosen One's guide. There seems to be some variation in the level of understanding given to the Manipulated Dead; Gretchen, for example, the other Manipulated Dead, seems to have an inkling that something terrible is going to happen but doesn't have the detailed comprehension Frank does. Nor does Gretchen's spirit appear to Donnie behind any kind of watery barrier. Nor does she dress up in a bunny suit. (Taken directly from www.ftvstudy.com/page9/page33/page33.html).

Question: I don't recall Gretchen ever meeting Rose, yet they seem to recognise each other at the end. Is it implied that they had met in the TU?

Answer: They don't recognize each other specifically. Gretchen knows Rose as a woman whose son just died, and Rose might just assume Gretchen is a neighbor. It's possible that they feel some connection, but it is not made explicit.

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