Captain Defenestrator

7th Aug 2020

General questions

It seems that since 2010-ish, more and more actresses have released music albums, and more female singers have acted in TV shows and movies. Especially those in their teenage years and twenties. Are there any suggestions as to why this is? Or has it always been somewhat common practice?

Answer: Actors going into music and vice versa has been around longer than TV shows and movies. With the need to cash in on trends quickly, it might be more common than before, but it's happened.

Captain Defenestrator

In particular, children in the "preteen" and young teenage years often want the range of products offered by the celebrities they like.

13th Jan 2016

General questions

I'm looking for the title of a movie about a man who murdered his wife, and seemingly got away with it, but a woman is pretending to be his living wife and all of their friends and family say the impostor really is his wife. Not sure if it was made for TV or not.

Answer: There are a couple of films that use this story. "One of My Wives is Missing" from 1976, starring Jack Klugman and Elizabeth Ashley could be it. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075015/) It was later remade in 1986 as "Vanishing Act, " starring Mike Farrell and Margot Kidder. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092148/). (SPOILERS) In both versions, everyone knows that he did it and made it look like an accident, but they didn't have enough proof to arrest him. The "wife" is a police detective who happened to be a dead ringer for his wife, and the friends and family are cooperating with the police to gaslight him into confessing.

Captain Defenestrator

Answer: Thank you! I've been wanting to ask this question for years. I remember watching this as a kid. I remember the ending where the husband went back to the car where he left his wife dead. Finally have the answer. Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWEwR6Yj8Zc.

Quite happy to help.

Captain Defenestrator

17th Aug 2015

General questions

There was a movie with Dabney Coleman. In this movie, he plays a man who had no knowledge that he was switched at birth. Because of this, he grows up and becomes a cop who is told one day, that he's only got 48 hours to live so he tries getting himself killed to make it quicker.

Answer: He wasn't switched at birth. He's a cop and he's about to retire when his test results get mixed up with someone else's and he's told he's got two weeks to live, but his insurance only pays if he gets killed in the line of duty, so he's trying to get killed on the job to pay for his son to go to Harvard. It's called "Short Time." (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100604/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1).

Captain Defenestrator

23rd Mar 2015

General questions

Just saw "outbreak" on TV, also saw it several years ago. There's a scene where the camera is passing through the various levels of a bio lab increasing in danger to the higher levels. I remember as the camera passed through each door it would list the various viruses (Ebola, anthrax, etc) that were worked on. When I saw the movie recently it did not list the viruses as it passes through each level. Did something change or am I thinking of another movie?

Answer: Movies tend to get edited for television not only for content, but to fit the standard US television hour: 45 minutes of film, 15 minutes of commercials. Outbreak is 127 minutes long, which means they had to lose 7-12 minutes for American television. The scene you describe doesn't sound particularly important to the plot, and thus, safe to cut. You might be thinking of the mini-series "The Stand," which begins with a similar scene on the base that the virus escapes from showing that everyone in the facility is dead. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108941/).

Captain Defenestrator

3rd Dec 2014

General questions

Why do I remember a scene where Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz tries to turn the hourglass over? She then says she can't, it won't move. Is it one of the later remakes like The Wiz?

Sajoe1

Chosen answer: I don't recall a version of Wizard of Oz where this happens, however, there is a scene in Flash Gordon where Dale tries to turn an hourglass over and is unable to. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080745).

Captain Defenestrator

14th Dec 2014

General questions

Why do so many shows, especially cartoons, end or get canceled after 13 episodes. Its like it really is the unlucky number for shows. More often than not, if a show is canceled early on, it's right after episode 13. Why is that?

Quantom X

Chosen answer: Generally, 13 episodes is, depending on the network, either a half-season or a whole one. If it's a half, by the time they finish the 13th episode, they have a decent enough sampling of the average ratings to determine if they want to buy more episodes or not.

Captain Defenestrator

26th Aug 2014

General questions

This was a black and white movie and there was a scene where the mother and daughter are being chased by a man and they hide in the garage. Similar to Cape Fear. It was so good!

Julie Williams Newton

Chosen answer: Cape Fear WAS a remake of a 1962 black & white film starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum. Might it be the original? (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055824/).

Captain Defenestrator

22nd Mar 2014

General questions

I'm looking for the title of a not so old movie, that starts with a couple going to rob a road restaurant, sitting inside that restaurant and discussing to do it or not.

Tom Edelweiss

Chosen answer: That's how "Pulp Fiction" begins. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110912/?ref_=nv_sr_1.

Captain Defenestrator

29th Dec 2013

General questions

What was the Christmas short film in the late 80s or early 90s about a lonely bachelor, a doll maker and a young woman? The man sees a lovely doll in a shop window and buys it. Via some 'magic' involving his doll (moving his car keys closer to him or leaving a note with an address on it), he drives to the address and the young woman who lives there looks like his doll. Coincidentally she has a male doll who looks like the man. The entire thing was arranged by the doll maker, and presumably they ended up happy ever after as a result.

bella466

Chosen answer: It was an episode of the TV show "Amazing Stories" entitled "The Doll," starring John Lithgow. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0511120/).

Captain Defenestrator

16th Dec 2013

General questions

I'm looking for a movie about a disease outbreak in a city and the husband goes to look for the wife but is not allowed in the city, so then he decided to take shelter in a house after a neighbor's gardener tells him it's safe. The wife eventually shows up and because she seems to be infected she goes outside and they talk, then the Feds show up. They get tested for the disease and it turns out he has it and she doesn't, so they kill him. I have searched Google and can not find it.

Yupthatcrazychick

Chosen answer: Sounds quite similar to the film "Right At Your Door." (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458367/).

Captain Defenestrator

9th Sep 2013

General questions

I am looking for this comedy movie that I saw back in the 90s. I remember one scene only and it's about a guy who pretends to be paraplegic to get money from a very rich girl. He tells her that the only one who can cure him is a German (or Austrian) professor and that costs a lot if money. His other friend is trying to expose him so he pretend to be the German professor and started hitting his legs with stick or a sword, but the other guy keeps denying any feelings.

Acmilan2007

Chosen answer: "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," starring Michael Caine and Steve Martin. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095031/?ref_=nv_sr_1).

Captain Defenestrator

20th Jul 2013

General questions

Chosen answer: No. Wayne disliked High Plains Drifter enough that he said he wouldn't want to work with Eastwood.

Captain Defenestrator

18th Mar 2012

General questions

Saw a movie in the late 90's or in the early 2000's. An adventure about an elder man and a kid (maybe two kids) that finds or are in possession of something - a book or medallion or something that made things from the past appear in their time. I remember lions and a hunter chasing them with bad intents. A lot of other things chased them as well, but I remembered those things specifically. I only remember one particular scene which involves the hunter entering a weapons shop trying to buy ammunition for his old rifle, and the clerk clarifies that the round the hunter displays has not been for sale in a long time.

Sweden

Chosen answer: Sounds like Jumanji, starring Robin Williams. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113497/)

Captain Defenestrator

18th Mar 2012

General questions

I am looking for the name of a dubbed French or possibly Italian film that I viewed as a youngster in the 60s or early 70s. Concerned everyday life in a city neighbourhood, where a not too bright middle aged man manages to know all the right answers to quizzes. Eventually he becomes a minor celebrity and everybody from politicians to business leaders seeks his advice.

JES47

Chosen answer: Sounds like "Being There," starring Peter Sellers. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078841/)

Captain Defenestrator

18th Mar 2012

General questions

I am trying to remember a film that I think takes place at a summer camp (or at least some place with lot of kids). In it there is a scene where several boys fake a groin injury so the attractive female nurse will touch them.

LorgSkyegon

Chosen answer: The scene you describe makes me think of the 1985 TV movie "Poison Ivy," starring Michael J. Fox (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089820/), or maybe the 1984 film "Oddballs".

Captain Defenestrator

18th Mar 2012

General questions

There is a movie I can't remember much of, and it's driving me bonkers. I think it is a parody of superhero movies, but I'm not sure. I only remember two scenes: in one, a guy opens a 'tornado in a can.'I think the can was green with white letters. In another, a man literally gets fried on a chair by the villain. Can anyone help me remember the name of this movie?

Answer: "Mystery Men," starring Ben Stiller and Geoffrey Rush. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0132347/)

Captain Defenestrator

18th Mar 2012

General questions

A clothed man is running on a beach being chased by huge balls. They seem to be giant inflatable balls, all yellow, with evil purpose. He is older and not athletic and I have the image of Peter Davison which makes me think its from a Doctor Who episode. I've searched every Doctor Who episode though and cannot find the scene. Does anyone know what episode or movie this is from?

Answer: If the ball is white rather than yellow, it could be "The Prisoner," starring Patrick McGoohan. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061287/)

Captain Defenestrator

16th Aug 2011

General questions

I'm trying to remember the name of an 80's movie where the guy is at a stop light, and a car with two Asian guys in suits pulls up beside him. The driver doesn't say anything but the passenger has a microphone and is announcing via a set of speakers on the roof.

troyfacto

Chosen answer: "Better Off Dead," starring John Cusack and David Ogden Stiers. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088794/)

Captain Defenestrator

27th Jun 2011

General questions

I been looking for the name of a romantic comedy about a man who creates a perfume that attracts people and he gives it to a girl who begins use it and eventually they fell in love. what the name of this movie?

miledi007

Chosen answer: "Love Potion No. 9," starring Sandra Bullock and Tate Donovan. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102343/)

Captain Defenestrator

14th Dec 2010

General questions

Looking for film where a young man (boy) is normal, but the government wants to give him a lobotomy to make him in line with society. One scene, goes to a house to read books, meets a girl, goes to play chess and gets arrested. All sports are for the handicapped, etc. In the end government asks him to help run things. Anyone know the title or the main actor?

neoneel

Chosen answer: "Harrison Bergeron," based on the story by Kurt Vonnegut, starring Sean Astin and Christopher Plummer. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113264/).

Captain Defenestrator

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