One question, with a few moving parts, for you Monster Movie Geniuses.
Name the actor who played four of the classic Universal monsters in a period of two years (Frankenstein's monster, Dracula, the Mummy and the Wolfman.) Name the actor and the films in which he first played those four characters.
Happy Halloween!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
FOR NO GOOD REASON…QUESTIONS ABOUT OSCAR WINNERS FOR BEST SONG
For every question there is more than one answer. The more songs you can name, the better. Give yourself a point for each song you name that fits.
1) Best Song with a celestial body in the title.
2) Best Song with a title in a language other than English (nonsense words don’t count.)
3) Beat Song with nonsense words in the title.
4) Best Song with the name of a city in the title.
5) Best Song with a time of day in the title.
1) Best Song with a celestial body in the title.
2) Best Song with a title in a language other than English (nonsense words don’t count.)
3) Beat Song with nonsense words in the title.
4) Best Song with the name of a city in the title.
5) Best Song with a time of day in the title.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Wish Ivan Reitman a Happy Birthday Tomorrow (10/27)
Tuesday is the birthday of the director of many of our more quotable films, Ivan Reitman. So today’s task is simple. I’ll give a movie quote, and you name the Ivan film it comes from. Of course, some of these are tougher than others. But then, you’re a movie genius, aren’t you?
1) “Attention. Here's an update on tonight's dinner. It was veal. I repeat, veal. The winner of tonight's mystery meat contest is Jeffrey Corbin who guessed "some kind of beef."
2) “And we're walking, and we're walking, and we're stopping.”
3) “Last night as I was grading papers, I came across two gems both entitled "Cells are Bad" and both with just one paragraph which I unfortunately committed to memory: "Cells are bad. My uncle lives in a cell. It's ten foot by twelve and he has to read the same boring, old magazine everyday. The end." Although my standards are nowhere near where they used to be I could not bring myself to put A’s atop those beauties.”
4) “It's not a tumor!” (Pronounced “Toomer”)
5) “Of course not, and that is the whole problem with aliens is you just can't trust them. Occasionally you meet a nice once: Star Man, E.T... But usually they turn out to be some kind of big lizard!”
6) “Lighten up, Francis.”
7) “Let me shake hands with the man who would be Mom.”
8) “You're more like a game show host.”
9) “Thank you for the cookies. I look forward to tossing them.”
10) “That look in your eyes... pure blue steel.”
1) “Attention. Here's an update on tonight's dinner. It was veal. I repeat, veal. The winner of tonight's mystery meat contest is Jeffrey Corbin who guessed "some kind of beef."
2) “And we're walking, and we're walking, and we're stopping.”
3) “Last night as I was grading papers, I came across two gems both entitled "Cells are Bad" and both with just one paragraph which I unfortunately committed to memory: "Cells are bad. My uncle lives in a cell. It's ten foot by twelve and he has to read the same boring, old magazine everyday. The end." Although my standards are nowhere near where they used to be I could not bring myself to put A’s atop those beauties.”
4) “It's not a tumor!” (Pronounced “Toomer”)
5) “Of course not, and that is the whole problem with aliens is you just can't trust them. Occasionally you meet a nice once: Star Man, E.T... But usually they turn out to be some kind of big lizard!”
6) “Lighten up, Francis.”
7) “Let me shake hands with the man who would be Mom.”
8) “You're more like a game show host.”
9) “Thank you for the cookies. I look forward to tossing them.”
10) “That look in your eyes... pure blue steel.”
Friday, October 23, 2009
Characters from TV to Movies
Switching things up today, I’ll give the name of the actor who played a character in TV series, and if you are a movie genius, you’ll be able to name the actor who played the character when brought to the big screen.
1) Ernest Borgnine played Lt. Commander Quinton McHale in the TV show “McHale’s Navy”, who played the character in the 1997 movie?
2) June Lockhart (Lassie’s foster mom) played Maureen Robinson in the TV show “Lost in Space”, who played the character in the 1998 film?
3) Ross Martin played Artemus Gordon in the TV show “Wild, Wild West”, who played the character in the 1999 movie?
4) Florence Henderson played Carol Brady in the TV show “The Brady Brunch”, who played her in the 1995 movie?
5) Buddy Ebsen played Jed Clampett in the movie “The Beverly Hillbillies”, who played him in the 1993 movie? (Bonus genius points if you can remember which Oscar winning actor played a Clampett in the film.)
1) Ernest Borgnine played Lt. Commander Quinton McHale in the TV show “McHale’s Navy”, who played the character in the 1997 movie?
2) June Lockhart (Lassie’s foster mom) played Maureen Robinson in the TV show “Lost in Space”, who played the character in the 1998 film?
3) Ross Martin played Artemus Gordon in the TV show “Wild, Wild West”, who played the character in the 1999 movie?
4) Florence Henderson played Carol Brady in the TV show “The Brady Brunch”, who played her in the 1995 movie?
5) Buddy Ebsen played Jed Clampett in the movie “The Beverly Hillbillies”, who played him in the 1993 movie? (Bonus genius points if you can remember which Oscar winning actor played a Clampett in the film.)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Characters: Movie to TV (Part II)
For the second time this week, we tell you the name of the actor who played a character in a movie and if you are a Movie (& TV) genius you’ll know who played the character on TV.
1) Loretta Young played Katrin Holstrom in the movie “The Farmer’s Daughter”, who played Katrin on the TV show of the same name?
2) Everyone knows Humphrey Bogart played Rick Blaine in the movie “Casablanca”, but who played him in the 1983 TV show?
3) Jim Carry played Lloyd in the movie “Dumb and Dumber” but who provided the voice for the animated show based on the movie?
4) Roy Scheider played the helicoper pilot, Frank Murphy, in the movie “Blue Thunder” but who played the part on the TV show?
5) Yul Brynner played the part of Chris in the movie “The Magnificent Seven”, but who played the part in the TV show?
1) Loretta Young played Katrin Holstrom in the movie “The Farmer’s Daughter”, who played Katrin on the TV show of the same name?
2) Everyone knows Humphrey Bogart played Rick Blaine in the movie “Casablanca”, but who played him in the 1983 TV show?
3) Jim Carry played Lloyd in the movie “Dumb and Dumber” but who provided the voice for the animated show based on the movie?
4) Roy Scheider played the helicoper pilot, Frank Murphy, in the movie “Blue Thunder” but who played the part on the TV show?
5) Yul Brynner played the part of Chris in the movie “The Magnificent Seven”, but who played the part in the TV show?
Monday, October 19, 2009
Characters: Movie to TV
Here's a game we could play all week....In fact, we will. I'll name a character from a movie that was adapted into a TV show. Today, I'll name the actor from the movie and if you are a Movie Genius, you'll know who played the character on TV. We might switch it around on quizes later this week.
1) Jack Lemmon played Felix Unger in the movie "The Odd Couple", who played him on TV?
2) Cary Grant played Lt. Com. Matthew Sherman in the movie "Operation Petticoat", who played him on TV?
3) Jennifer Grey played Jeannie Bueller in the movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", who played her on TV?
4) Gene Tierney played Mrs. Muir in the movie "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir", who played her on TV?
5) Walter Pidgeon played Adm. Nelson in the movie "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea", who played him on TV?
1) Jack Lemmon played Felix Unger in the movie "The Odd Couple", who played him on TV?
2) Cary Grant played Lt. Com. Matthew Sherman in the movie "Operation Petticoat", who played him on TV?
3) Jennifer Grey played Jeannie Bueller in the movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", who played her on TV?
4) Gene Tierney played Mrs. Muir in the movie "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir", who played her on TV?
5) Walter Pidgeon played Adm. Nelson in the movie "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea", who played him on TV?
Friday, October 16, 2009
In Honor of Angela Lansbury's 84th Birthday
Today is the great actress’ birthday, so a simple game in her honor. At least to me, in her early films and a way into career, Ms. Lansbury always seemed older than she really was. Until the day came when she always seems younger than she really is. So if the Great Lady ever comes across this site, I hope she is not offended by this game of older younger. I’ll name a film and a co-star from that film. If you are a movie genius, you will know whether that person is (was) older or younger than Ms. Lansbury. Off we go:
1) “Gaslight” (1944) – Ingrid Bergman (was Angela younger or older?)
2) “The Harvey Girls” (1946) – Judy Garland
3) “The Court Jester” (1955) – Glynis Johns
4) “The Long, Hot Summer” (1958) – Joanne Woodward
5) “Blue Hawaii” (1961) – Elvis
6) “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962) – Laurence Harvey
7) “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” (1971) – David Tomlinson
8) “Sweeney Todd” (1982 – made for TV) – George Hearn
9) “The Pirates of Penzenze” (1983) – Kevin Kline
10) “Beauty and the Beast” (1991) – Jerry Orbach
1) “Gaslight” (1944) – Ingrid Bergman (was Angela younger or older?)
2) “The Harvey Girls” (1946) – Judy Garland
3) “The Court Jester” (1955) – Glynis Johns
4) “The Long, Hot Summer” (1958) – Joanne Woodward
5) “Blue Hawaii” (1961) – Elvis
6) “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962) – Laurence Harvey
7) “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” (1971) – David Tomlinson
8) “Sweeney Todd” (1982 – made for TV) – George Hearn
9) “The Pirates of Penzenze” (1983) – Kevin Kline
10) “Beauty and the Beast” (1991) – Jerry Orbach
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
DAY AND NIGHT
For each clue, think of a film title with ‘Day’ that fits the clue and a film with ‘Night’ in the title that fits the clue.
For instance, the clue might be, directed by Francois Truffaut. Then for the film with ‘Day’ title you could say ‘Day for Night’. And for the film with ‘Night’ in the title you could say, ‘Day for Night’. But it won’t always be this easy. For the five clues below, you will probably have to come up with two separate titles.
1) Directed by George Romero
2) Starring the Marx Brothers
3) Starring Sylvester Stallone
4) Starring Richard Burton
5) Directed by Fred Zinnemann
For instance, the clue might be, directed by Francois Truffaut. Then for the film with ‘Day’ title you could say ‘Day for Night’. And for the film with ‘Night’ in the title you could say, ‘Day for Night’. But it won’t always be this easy. For the five clues below, you will probably have to come up with two separate titles.
1) Directed by George Romero
2) Starring the Marx Brothers
3) Starring Sylvester Stallone
4) Starring Richard Burton
5) Directed by Fred Zinnemann
Monday, October 12, 2009
Name in the Title
Each puzzle has several titles with missing words. Your job, fill the words in the title. Then take the first letters of the words used to fill in the blanks. Unscramble them to find actor in all of the films.
(For example: “The Year of _______ Dangerously”, “Mad ____” and “____ of Darkness” [in production] – would be Living, Max and Edge – MEL for Mel Gibson)
1) “A Few Good ____”
“The Color ____ Money”
“______ Gun”
2) “The _________ Queen”
“Kid __________”
“The ______ Sleep”
“Knock ____ Any Door”
“_______ Drive By Night”
“The __________ Twenties”
3) “Sexy ________”
"Lucky ________ Slevin”
“Tuck ___________”
4) “Air Force _____”
“Blade _________”
“The ________ Own”
“______ Ten from Navarone”
5) “Dark _________”
“The Man Who Came to ________”
“The Corn _____ Green”
“Hush…Hush _______ Charolette”
“All ______ Eve”
(For example: “The Year of _______ Dangerously”, “Mad ____” and “____ of Darkness” [in production] – would be Living, Max and Edge – MEL for Mel Gibson)
1) “A Few Good ____”
“The Color ____ Money”
“______ Gun”
2) “The _________ Queen”
“Kid __________”
“The ______ Sleep”
“Knock ____ Any Door”
“_______ Drive By Night”
“The __________ Twenties”
3) “Sexy ________”
"Lucky ________ Slevin”
“Tuck ___________”
4) “Air Force _____”
“Blade _________”
“The ________ Own”
“______ Ten from Navarone”
5) “Dark _________”
“The Man Who Came to ________”
“The Corn _____ Green”
“Hush…Hush _______ Charolette”
“All ______ Eve”
Friday, October 9, 2009
MOVIE MATH
There are those who think a movie genius doesn’t need to know numbers, which just isn’t true. The numbers have been dropped from most of the titles. You must fill in the numbers to do the math problem.
For instance “Snow White and the _____ Dwarfs” (Disney’s first animated feature) plus “___” (animated post-apocalyptic feature released on 9/9/09) = ?
The answer would be ‘16’. (Seven plus 9)
So back to math class –
1) “The Last Angry Man” (Paul Muni, 1959) plus “_____ Angry Men” (Henry Fonda, 1957) times “______ Angry Men” (Raymond Massey, 1955) =
2) “The Scent of a Woman” (Al Pacino Oscar Winner) plus “____ Women” (Sophia Loren Oscar Winner) times “______ Women” (Shelly Duvall BAFTA and Cannes Winner) =
3) “_____ Graves to Cairo” (Billy Wilder directed) minus “Cradle ___ the Grave” (Andrzej Bartowiak directed) times “Plan ___ from Outer Space” (aka “Grave Robbers from Outer Space”) =
4) “____ Hours” (Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte) minus “____ Hours” (James Gardner and Rod Taylor) plus “Another ____ Hours” (Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte) =
5) “(____) Days of Summer” (2009 – contemporary romance) minus “_____” (2006 – historical action) times “How to Lose a Guy in ____ Days” (2003 – lousy romance)
For instance “Snow White and the _____ Dwarfs” (Disney’s first animated feature) plus “___” (animated post-apocalyptic feature released on 9/9/09) = ?
The answer would be ‘16’. (Seven plus 9)
So back to math class –
1) “The Last Angry Man” (Paul Muni, 1959) plus “_____ Angry Men” (Henry Fonda, 1957) times “______ Angry Men” (Raymond Massey, 1955) =
2) “The Scent of a Woman” (Al Pacino Oscar Winner) plus “____ Women” (Sophia Loren Oscar Winner) times “______ Women” (Shelly Duvall BAFTA and Cannes Winner) =
3) “_____ Graves to Cairo” (Billy Wilder directed) minus “Cradle ___ the Grave” (Andrzej Bartowiak directed) times “Plan ___ from Outer Space” (aka “Grave Robbers from Outer Space”) =
4) “____ Hours” (Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte) minus “____ Hours” (James Gardner and Rod Taylor) plus “Another ____ Hours” (Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte) =
5) “(____) Days of Summer” (2009 – contemporary romance) minus “_____” (2006 – historical action) times “How to Lose a Guy in ____ Days” (2003 – lousy romance)
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Last Films
Last year, Clint Eastwood made what he said would be his last film as an actor, “Grand Torino”. There something to be said for an actor going out on this on terms with a solid film. The films listed below are all remembered as decent to classic. If you are a movie genius, you’ll also remember which actor had the film as his swan song, his last theatrical release.
(The films are listed in alphabetical order. As a bonus, if you are a movie genius, you could put them in chronological order.)
1) “The Carpetbaggers”
2) “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”
3) “The Harder They Fall”
4) “The Iceman Cometh”
5) “Mister Roberts”
6) “On Golden Pond”
7) “Ride the High Country”
8) “The Shootist”
9) “S.O.B.”
10) “Walk Don’t Run”
(The films are listed in alphabetical order. As a bonus, if you are a movie genius, you could put them in chronological order.)
1) “The Carpetbaggers”
2) “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”
3) “The Harder They Fall”
4) “The Iceman Cometh”
5) “Mister Roberts”
6) “On Golden Pond”
7) “Ride the High Country”
8) “The Shootist”
9) “S.O.B.”
10) “Walk Don’t Run”
Monday, October 5, 2009
TRIPLE FEATURE
Here at the Big Hollywood Bijou, we always show triple features so you get your money’s worth. The only problem is we run out of letters for the marquee. So we try to put together titles wherein letters can do double duty.
For example, instead of advertising;
“Flower Drum Song
Song of the South
South Pacific”
Our marquee would read: “Flower Drum Song of the South Pacific”
To tell what’s playing next, we’ll give the marquee word count followed by three clues. You have to figure out the movies’ titles. Happy viewing!
1) 9 Words – Coen Brother’s 2001 noir with Billy Bob Thornton; Daniel Day-Lewis won a 2007 Oscar for his oily performance; this Coen feature was their first feature film
2) 8 Words – A kid lets the whale go; we’re talking the Gene Wilder classic, not the Johnny Depp remake; I’d be surprised if you saw this 2006 docudrama about socialite Edie Sedgwick and Andy Warhol
3) 9 Words – Amy Ryan won an Oscar for this Ben Affleck feature; producer David Selznick paid $5000 for the use of a profanity; Pythons Jones, Idle, Palin and Cleese worked together on this adaptation of the Kenneth Grahame children’s classic
4) 15 Words – Keanu Reeves starred in the 2008 remake of the 1951 Robert Wise classic; Meryl Streep was patient with psychiatrist Roy Scheider in this 1982 thriller; the only film based on a Vicki Lawrence hit single
5) 12 words – Sean Connery doesn’t attempt a Russian accent and Alec Baldwin doesn’t seem to care; Homer Hickam’s true story rockets to the screen; Lawrence Olivier had been dead 15 years when he joined Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow in this CGI epic
6) 9 words – In 2008, the star of “Shawn of the Dead” was directed by a “Friend” to be in a marathon; “Jason Bourne’s girlfriend” has 20 minutes to get money to her boyfriend – don’t worry, she gets more than one chance; Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster are not “sub” par in this WWII flick
7) 6 words – Ben Gates obviously wants to be Indiana Jones in this film and its sequel; Wallace Berry, Robert Newton, and Orson Welles, among others, have strapped on the peg leg to tell this classic Stevenson tale; the line “The natives are getting restless” has its origins in this 1932 telling of the H. G. Wells thriller
8) 9 words – The story of Theodore Geisel’s beloved pachyderm; Toon Town is where you can finally see Daffy and Donald Duck together; Bugs Bunny should have been stopped by this Australian barrier
9) 9 words – Elvis is a lover, not a Civil War fighter; Jason Robards has one of the worst names in all of cinema in this Fitzgerald adaption - Dr. Richard “Dick” Diver; Richard Burton is your tour guide in Mexico (watch out for the nocturnal reptiles)
10) 6 words – This 1978 film is not a remake of the 1943 film of the same name but rather 1941’s “Here Comes Mr. Jordan”; don’t you hate it when there’s heroin in your dolly?; we see the first half of this film through Humphrey Bogart’s eyes.
For example, instead of advertising;
“Flower Drum Song
Song of the South
South Pacific”
Our marquee would read: “Flower Drum Song of the South Pacific”
To tell what’s playing next, we’ll give the marquee word count followed by three clues. You have to figure out the movies’ titles. Happy viewing!
1) 9 Words – Coen Brother’s 2001 noir with Billy Bob Thornton; Daniel Day-Lewis won a 2007 Oscar for his oily performance; this Coen feature was their first feature film
2) 8 Words – A kid lets the whale go; we’re talking the Gene Wilder classic, not the Johnny Depp remake; I’d be surprised if you saw this 2006 docudrama about socialite Edie Sedgwick and Andy Warhol
3) 9 Words – Amy Ryan won an Oscar for this Ben Affleck feature; producer David Selznick paid $5000 for the use of a profanity; Pythons Jones, Idle, Palin and Cleese worked together on this adaptation of the Kenneth Grahame children’s classic
4) 15 Words – Keanu Reeves starred in the 2008 remake of the 1951 Robert Wise classic; Meryl Streep was patient with psychiatrist Roy Scheider in this 1982 thriller; the only film based on a Vicki Lawrence hit single
5) 12 words – Sean Connery doesn’t attempt a Russian accent and Alec Baldwin doesn’t seem to care; Homer Hickam’s true story rockets to the screen; Lawrence Olivier had been dead 15 years when he joined Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow in this CGI epic
6) 9 words – In 2008, the star of “Shawn of the Dead” was directed by a “Friend” to be in a marathon; “Jason Bourne’s girlfriend” has 20 minutes to get money to her boyfriend – don’t worry, she gets more than one chance; Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster are not “sub” par in this WWII flick
7) 6 words – Ben Gates obviously wants to be Indiana Jones in this film and its sequel; Wallace Berry, Robert Newton, and Orson Welles, among others, have strapped on the peg leg to tell this classic Stevenson tale; the line “The natives are getting restless” has its origins in this 1932 telling of the H. G. Wells thriller
8) 9 words – The story of Theodore Geisel’s beloved pachyderm; Toon Town is where you can finally see Daffy and Donald Duck together; Bugs Bunny should have been stopped by this Australian barrier
9) 9 words – Elvis is a lover, not a Civil War fighter; Jason Robards has one of the worst names in all of cinema in this Fitzgerald adaption - Dr. Richard “Dick” Diver; Richard Burton is your tour guide in Mexico (watch out for the nocturnal reptiles)
10) 6 words – This 1978 film is not a remake of the 1943 film of the same name but rather 1941’s “Here Comes Mr. Jordan”; don’t you hate it when there’s heroin in your dolly?; we see the first half of this film through Humphrey Bogart’s eyes.
Friday, October 2, 2009
The Movie Want Ads
With the unemployment rate as it is these days, people are looking everywhere for work, even at fictional companies. The problem is to locate the company in the proper fictional world. Can you remember in which film the following businesses appear?
So look through the movie want ads:
1) Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems
Negotiators for Defense Contracts – Need for intercultural relationship skills
2) Shenaniganz Restaurant Chain
Servers needed, must know 5 second rule
3) The Daily Bugle
Photographer needed; bonus for vigilant shots
4) Initech Software
Engineers needed to prepare for Y3K
5) World Wide Wicket Company
Mailroom help needed; opportunity for advancement
6) Maxford House Coffee Company
Advertising copy writer for holiday season
7) Capitol Pictures
Screenwriters needed – must be willing to compromise principals
8) The Tredway Corporation
Senior executive needed, some opera backstabbing skills a must
9) Zevo Toys
Toy models needed
10) Federal Broadcasting System
Researchers needed, must be familiar with new fangled “computers”
11) The Union Broadcasting System
Participants for reality show (terrorists skills a must)
So look through the movie want ads:
1) Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems
Negotiators for Defense Contracts – Need for intercultural relationship skills
2) Shenaniganz Restaurant Chain
Servers needed, must know 5 second rule
3) The Daily Bugle
Photographer needed; bonus for vigilant shots
4) Initech Software
Engineers needed to prepare for Y3K
5) World Wide Wicket Company
Mailroom help needed; opportunity for advancement
6) Maxford House Coffee Company
Advertising copy writer for holiday season
7) Capitol Pictures
Screenwriters needed – must be willing to compromise principals
8) The Tredway Corporation
Senior executive needed, some opera backstabbing skills a must
9) Zevo Toys
Toy models needed
10) Federal Broadcasting System
Researchers needed, must be familiar with new fangled “computers”
11) The Union Broadcasting System
Participants for reality show (terrorists skills a must)
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