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: When Coach Haskins allows players to "play their way" why is the team more effective?

Answer: Because it's a bi-racial team. While he worked to build a unified team, he recognizes that there are many differences between the members. He realises he needs to also allow them to play to their natural abilities and individual strengths, making them more effective players.

raywest

Answer: I've read a few comments about this on other websites. Whether the show's creators had a specific reason for making Tammy look like Peggy Bundy, is anyone's guess.

Question: Since I didn't notice it for a long time, I wanna make sure I'm right about this, so am I seeing a real tear roll down Hermione's face as she and everyone claps for Hagrid at the end?

Answer: Yes there is a tear you can see on her face. I think it is meant to be a happy tear because Hagrid is a kind and caring person to her and others at Hogwarts.

De-Kahnstructing Henry - S3-E13

Question: When Minh says that Dale can buy the panda radio, and she tells him to address a check to her, why does he pretend not to know her name?

Answer: Dale probably wasn't serious about buying the radio. He was teasing Kahn by asking what Minh's name is. He is enjoying the fact that Kahn and Minh need to sell stuff at a yard sale, because they are normally arrogant, condescending people.

Question: Why is this movie parodied online?

Answer: The "Hitler in the bunker" scene is iconic for historical reasons, being something most people understand the significance of. Being subtitled in the film means it's very easy for people to keep the original excellent acting while simply replacing the words onscreen to change the context entirely. It also ends up being a bit self-reinforcing, once people get wind of it as a "template", they then start getting their own ideas. And there's the arguable "Streisand Effect", when the film company issued a wave of copyright takedowns in 2010, a lot of people "retaliated" by making and uploading even more.

Answer: Presumably, due to its popularity.

Computer Terror - S6-E9

Question: Does anyone know the name of the actress that plays Thaddeus (the dog's) Mom on season 6's "Computer Terror?" I don't think I've seen her anywhere else. I looked it up on IMDb and it's not listed (uncredited). I even tried google but no luck. Also, does anyone know the name of the actor who played her husband? He does look familiar, but can't place him.

retiredfiregirl

Answer: The husband, Wilbur, is actor Frank Aletter. The wife, Marion, is played by Sandy Balson.

Super Grover

Question: After the end of the 74th Hunger Games, Haymitch and Katniss are having a conversation on a balcony and after Haymitch tells Katniss she showed them up, the camera moves to a wide shot of them and during Katniss' response, something can be seen moving inside of her dress that looks similar to a hand, but both character's hands can be seen resting on the ledge. Do you know what it is? (02:09:36)

Answer: I watched this scene multiple times on YouTube. There is definitely something moving that probably is not supposed to be seen. I'd agree with your assessment that it looks like a hand. Most likely a film crew member is crouched on the floor performing some technical function during the filming. Just what it is impossible to tell. You should submit it as a "movie mistake."

raywest

Question: Everyone at the Magic Castle Inn wanted to go and see the abandoned condos that caught on fire, except for Scooty. There are so many people around that tourist area. Anyone could have done it. What makes Ashley (Scooty's mother) think that Scooty was the one that caused the fire?

Answer: Because Scooty was nervous and didn't want to see it. If he wasn't the one that did it, he more than likely would have been curious and watched it with his mom.

Question: Excluding plot device, when Lanie goes to see Prophet Jack a second time, why didn't she simply ask him how she was going to die?

Answer: Probably one of many reasons. It could be fear, denial, inevitability, accepting one's fate, and so on. Not many people want to know exactly when and how they will die.

raywest

Question: When does Eisenheim give Sophie the liquid that revives her? It had to be after the Chief Inspector examines her, but we don't see him approach the wagon before going to speak with the Chief Inspector, and the wagon had left after the conversation. (01:02:11 - 01:43:09)

Question: Why is Las Vegas left abandoned for five years as shown on the screen by Dr Emma Russell when it was damaged by the MUTO? Why can't everyone just fix the damage to the city so the tourists can go there again or even repopulate it?

Trainman

Answer: I don't remember if either Godzilla 2014 or Godzilla: King of the Monsters directly said that this was the case, but the MUTOs were feasting on nuclear radiation and warheads, meaning that their presence and deaths in the area would most likely unleash a ton of radiation. Radiation can make entire areas uninhabitable for years.

Rage - S6-E17

Question: Would Elliot have even been allowed to be a cop considering how violent he is? He told Cragen how he slapped Maureen when she was little for spilling juice on a new carpet, has constantly beaten suspects and innocent people and even admitted to thinking about killing child molesters.

Answer: In theory, you would not want a person with his temper problems to be a cop, but just like in real life, the show has shown corruption in the force by having people work there who should not be several times throughout the series.

Question: Just a curiosity question, but in the scene where Michael Myers is walking around the school yard following Tommy, was Nick Castle actually wearing the mask during filming?

Gavin Jackson

Question: Why does the bartender tell Doc "you know what happened last 4 of July" when he offered him a shot of whiskey if he's only been there 1 week?

Answer: In the letter Marty gets, Doc says he's been living in 1885 for the past 8 months. It's dated September 1. Marty in 1955 finds out that Doc dies one week after he wrote the letter (Sept 7th), not one week after he got to 1885. Marty then goes to Sept 2, 1855, one day after Doc wrote the letter.

Bishop73

Answer: Marty's only been there a week. Doc has been there for months.

Brian Katcher

Wham, Bam, Thank You, Mammy - S6-E5

Question: According to this episode, Mammy Watkins and Blanche's father were in love for 50 years. And they would have been married "in another time and place." However, Blanche's father married a different woman in Season Two ("Big Daddy's Little Lady"). Why would he not have married Mammy Watkins after Blanche's mother died?

Answer: My interpretation is that Blanche's father didn't feel quite the same way about the relationship. Blanche only has Mammie's word that they "would have been married" in another life. I've heard of situations where a person had a longtime affair with someone, but refused to leave their spouse, for whatever reason (maybe finances and reputation/image in their community). This actually happens to Dorothy in another episode: she dates a married man who wants a secret relationship with her, while keeping his marriage because it's predictable and safe.

Azalea

Answer: Because a lot of people, especially in the southern US, simply would not have accepted an interracial marriage. Depending when Blanche's mother died, it might not have even been legal at the time; the last anti-miscegenation laws in their home state of Georgia were struck down in 1967.

Brian Katcher

The episode "Mother's Day" shows Blanche visiting her mother, who is age 89, and Blanche does not look any younger than she does in the present. Apparently her mother died in the late 70s or the 80s. However, I live in the southern US. Even now, in 2023, there are still many people who would object to an interracial marriage. Another factor could be guilt; maybe Blanche's father felt too guilty to marry Mammy Watkins after betraying Blanche's mother for so long.

That is a good point. Marrying someone he's known for years...tongues would wag. 'How long was THAT going on?'.

Brian Katcher

Question: What does Colonel O'Connell yell to his Legionnaires in French as the cavalry charge nears? And why does he then continue in English ("Steady, Steady...Fire!").

Answer: He is in the French Foreign Legion, which is a corps in the French army which allows foreigners to sign up. But, it is mostly led by French and a lot of French nationals are still a part of it. So hence why he speaks in multiple languages, being trained by French.

lionhead

Yes, I know, but what does he yell in French? Does anyone have the text? It's not in the script. Fraser is fluent in French, maybe it was his improvisation. I'd still like to know what he said.

tovangar

Ah yes, sorry. I was too focussed on the second question. He says "Prenez vos positions." Which means "take your positions!"

lionhead

Question: Towards the end, when the bald buff vampire fights Eben and the deputy, the deputy eventually tackles the vampire into that chipper machine...yet he can be seen again in the final battle between Eben and the head vampire?

Answer: Copying the answer that was posted in the corrections section: The Vampire tossed into the Muffin-Monster is named Arvin, played by actor Andrew Stehlin. The Vampire in the final scene is named Archibald and played by Tim McLachlan. They look similar due to the prosthetics and CGI used to make the actors look less human, but they are not the same character. You are supposed to use the fact that Archibald wears a black jacket and Arvin wears a grey shirt to differentiate them.

Torie White

Question: Why would Bill be carrying around buckets of fish in his truck? They're not refrigerated or on ice, so he can't sell them after they've been sitting around for hours. Can anyone who's done commercial fishing explain?

Question: When Alex went back in time why didn't we see his machine when 1899 Alex and Philby were talking in the lab?

Answer: He was only focused on saving his fiancée, he didn't think of anything else. If he did he would have thought about it.

Question: The whole basis of the film is that Max is suddenly aware of hidden evidence that impacted his sentencing. However, his lawyer claims he wouldn't have known and hurried the case to keep it hidden. The question remains: how did Max find out about the evidence while in prison?

Answer: As I remember it, Sam Bowden, Max's lawyer, knew his client was a rapist. He did not want Max to go free, so he buried the evidence that could have exonerated him. At that time, Max was illiterate, and Bowden assumed he'd never know about the hidden information. While in prison, Max, who was actually highly intelligent, learned how to read and also studied law. He later mounted his own unsuccessful appeals, which presumably gave him access to all previous evidence.

raywest

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