Tailkinker

23rd Aug 2009

General questions

I just borrowed a movie from my university library, and the cover of the DVD case reminded me of a query I've had for a long time about DVD cover/advertisement design. The movie is called The Island. It stars Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. And here's the thing: On the front of the DVD case, under the name Ewan McGregor is Scarlett Johansson, and under the name Scarlett Johansson is Ewan McGregor. Is this a mix-up? This has seemed, to me, to be a sign of a shoddily-made, generally crappy movie, but I liked this one. What's the deal? Thank you.

Answer: These are two totally unconnected items that you're discussing. McGregor is the lead and the biggest name in the film, so his name appears first, just as it will in the credits of the film itself. As for the picture, that's purely down to aesthetics, how they felt the cover image looked best. The cover designers aren't going to limit themselves by constraints about having to match the image of the individual to where their name appears, they'll go with what they think is the better image. If the image and name order happen to match up, that's a happy accident, nothing more than that. If they don't, no big deal.

Tailkinker

Question: If Optimus is a Prime, then how come he didn't know who/what the Fallen was? Or what its intentions towards Earth were?

Answer: Optimus isn't one of the original Primes who faced off against the Fallen, but is a descendant of that group. As such, it's reasonable that he should not be familiar with the Fallen, who has remained hidden for millenia, and its goals.

Tailkinker

26th Jul 2009

Doctor Who (2005)

Chosen answer: Yes, it is the same group, although the circumstances of his encounter with them have never been revealed.

Tailkinker

24th Jul 2009

Armageddon (1998)

Question: When asked if he had any family, Colonel Sharp replies that he has "2 girls" although there is no mention of a wife. Are there any clues to what happened to his wife in the rest of the film?

reedsangel

Chosen answer: No.

Tailkinker

As an addition to there being no mention, stating he has two girls could imply he also has a wife.

Not necessarily. He could be a widower.

24th Jul 2009

The Dark Knight (2008)

Question: When Batman rescues Harvey in the warehouse, Rachel says something but is cut off when the bomb explodes. "Harvey I have to tell you something. Som..." Does anyone know what is said? This is driving me crazy.

bam57bam

Chosen answer: Don't know what version of the film you were watching, but in the one I have, their final conversation runs like this. Rachel: "Harvey, just in case, I want to tell you something, okay?" Harvey: "Don't think like that, they're coming." Rachel: "I know they are, but I don't want them to. I don't want to live without you and I do have an answer for you. My answer is yes." Bruce then arrives and drags Harvey from the room and Rachel's final words are "Harvey, it's okay. It's alright. Listen. Som..." and then the bomb detonates. What Rachel tells Harvey is a reply to his proposal earlier in the film, telling him that she will marry him, something that she says quite successfully before she's killed. What she may have gone on to say is unknown, but she certainly got out what she had to tell him. As she speaks after discovering that someone's come to rescue Harvey, it seems likely she's about to say "someone will come for me too" or similar.

Tailkinker

23rd Jul 2009

Capricorn One (1977)

Question: Okay, so the three astronauts are on the run but only James Brolin makes good his escape. What happened to the other two? They're shown as being caught, but what happened after? Anybody know?

CCARNI

Chosen answer: It's never stated in the film, however, as the astronauts have been declared officially dead and therefore cannot ever be allowed to contact anybody, they were most likely executed as soon as they were captured.

Tailkinker

Answer: How were they able to fire their flares, then?

Dave Messer

They both had just enough time to fire their flares when they realised they were about to be captured and that there was no chance of escaping.

raywest

Answer: O.J. Simpson would have had time to shoot his flare to show he was caught. With Waterson harder to believe, he had climbed the side of the mountain and was just coming to the top with the planes coming into view. Either he would have been dropped and died on way down, not getting the chance to shoot the flare, or he was grabbed from the edge. Unlikely to have time also to shoot the flare before being intercepted.

23rd Jul 2009

Ratatouille (2007)

Question: Does anyone know anything about the theory that chefs hats represents the number of ways that they know how to prepare eggs? If this is correct, then why is Linguini allowed to wear a chef's hat when he, in fact, isn't one? Wouldn't he be wearing a different hat?

Shannon Jackson

Chosen answer: This is a legend, which states that the number of pleats on a chef's hat (or toque) represents the number of ways that they know how to prepare an egg. There's certainly no evidence that it's actually true - it would be highly impractical if it were, requiring a chef to get a replacement every time they learned a new method. Regardless, many toques are made with exactly 100 pleats, supposedly based on the idea that there are 100 ways to prepare an egg, however, chefs wear them regardless of their culinary skill in that department.

Tailkinker

Question: Is the gargoyle Laverne male or female? I assumed they were are all male, but then I heard that an elder actress did the voice for Laverne.

Answer: Laverne was indeed voiced by veteran actress Mary Wickes (with Jane Withers filling in some additional dialogue after Wickes passed away during production). This would suggest that the character should be considered female rather than male, although it does also prompt the obvious question of whether gender is actually a realistic concern when talking about an animated statue.

Tailkinker

Question: Dooku mentions that his and Obi-wan's paths have never crossed before. Does he mean that they have never met at all, or just not since Dooku left the order? Obi-wan was 20-something years old in Episode I, when Dooku was still a Jedi, so could they really have never met each other in that many years (especially with the connection of Dooku being Obi-wan's master's master?)

Answer: It's certainly entirely plausible that their paths have not crossed previously. Jinn and Kenobi spent the vast majority of their time together away from the Jedi Temple on various missions for the Council. Dooku, for his part, had become withdrawn and dissatisfied with the Jedi Order after a couple of politically-motivated battles that he felt the Jedi should not have involved themselves with and spent much of his time meditating and discussing his concerns with other Jedi Masters. As such, the pair would only rarely have been in the same star system, making it not remotely impossible that they never met, even with their shared connection with Qui-Gon. With that in mind, it seems likely that Dooku is speaking literally and this is their first meeting.

Tailkinker

Question: Why exactly did Dooku join Sidious, when Sidious was actually involved in Qui-gon's death (since his last apprentice killed Qui-gon)? Does he not really care?

Answer: Allowing nebulous emotions like caring to influence their actions is not generally part of the Sith game plan. Dooku joined up with Sidious after becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the Jedi Order and their allegiance to a Senate that he saw as fatally corrupted. After a couple of disastrous battles, which Dooku learned the Jedi had been manipulated into fighting by unscrupulous politicians seeking to advance their personal agendas, he refused to accept any further missions from the Council, becoming increasingly withdrawn and concerned about the course the galaxy was following. It seems that Palpatine first met with him at around this time, some years prior to the battle of Naboo, using their meetings to determine Dooku's suitability for recruitment and gradually bringing the disaffected Jedi into his circle, much as he would do with Dooku's eventual replacement Anakin Skywalker years later. After Qui-Gon's death on Naboo in what seemed to be yet another politically motivated battle, Dooku spoke out, publically denouncing the Senate, then resigned from the Jedi Order, returning to his home planet of Serenno and reclaiming his family title of Count. Shortly after that, Palpatine approached him, revealing himself as a Sith Lord. In a long discussion, Dooku realised that Palpatine's goal of bringing the galaxy under the control of a single powerful individual, rather than the corrupt and inefficient Senate, was not far removed from his own thoughts on how things should be. Accepting Qui-Gon's death as a regrettable but necessary sacrifice to bring order to the galaxy, he agreed to join Palpatine and become his new apprentice.

Tailkinker

21st Jul 2009

Bruno (2009)

Question: Can anybody tell me the name of the actor who portrayed O.J, what scenes involving him, if any, used a stunt double, and if not, any child safety or labour laws that could have been broken during the making of this film?

Answer: O.J. was played by twins Chibundu and Chigozie Orukwowu. No information is available on which scenes, if any, used some sort of double. As for the legal aspects, any major film production of this type will have legal experts on staff who will be more than capable of keeping the production safely within the law. So if you were planning on some righteous indignation, you're probably out of luck.

Tailkinker

Question: Is there any text or info on what happens to all the droid armies and the Separatist organizations that have been rendered leaderless, after the end of Episode III?

Answer: The droid armies were shut down by the Separatists, rendering them inert; they would presumably have been subsequently collected up and dismantled by the victorious Empire forces. While some other Separatist organisations would have remained active, without the droids that formed the vast majority of the Separatist strength, they would be effectively nullified as any sort of threat, so they would likely go dormant or underground.

Tailkinker

Question: After discovering the slaughter of the apprentice Jedi at the Jedi Council, why do Yoda and Obi-Wan decide to fight Palpatine and Anakin separately? Palpatine was ready at hand, at the Senate, while Anakin was in distant Mustafar. Stategically, it seems to me this would be their best option - Yoda loses the fight to Palpatine but not for much, managing to survive and flee; he most likely would have been able to win had Obi-Wan fought along. Then, Anakin would have certainly been defeated - the loss of his master impacting on him. If I understood it all correctly, this would have saved the Republic and allowed them to rebuild the Jedi Order from scratch (but not made any sense with IV, V, VI, which is why they didn't do it). But is there any in-plot explanation?

Answer: It boils down to the element of surprise. The clone troopers have shown that they're entirely capable of dealing with Jedi by that point - if either Palpatine or Anakin is able to surround themselves with a large and alerted clone trooper force, then Yoda and Kenobi will have no chance to get near them and that's game over. With Anakin seperated from his master, they're vulnerable, but if both Jedi attacked one target, the other would be alerted to the fact that Yoda and Kenobi had survived Order 66 and could take steps to protect themselves and unleash the military to hunt down their adversaries. By dividing their strength and attacking their targets simultaneously, Yoda gives them their best shot of taking out the Sith for good.

Tailkinker

Question: Is the Mouth of Sauron capable of seeing through his helmet? The design visibly does not incorporate eye holes, yet he nevertheless is able to accurately throw Frodo's mithril shirt at Gandalf and then recognizes Aragorn even though Aragorn does nothing to give away his identity, both conceivably would not be possible without keen eyesight.

Answer: We know very little about the Mouth of Sauron as he's portrayed in the film. While he's human in the book, his cinematic incarnation is of indeterminate species, so it's hard to say what he might or might not be capable of. The book version of the character is described as being a powerful sorceror - if the same holds true of the film Mouth, then possession of such strong magic could readily explain his ability to identify those around him and operate easily without eyesight.

Tailkinker

Question: When the final battle scene is over, Megatron is badly injured and vulnerable. Is there a reason why Optimus Prime doesn't finish him off, other than leaving room for another sequel?

Answer: Prime's priority is the Fallen. Megatron's a lesser threat at the time; Prime's focus elsewhere gives him time to get clear of the situation once the Fallen is eliminated. Plus, as you say, it does leave things open for a sequel.

Tailkinker

12th Jul 2009

Doctor Who (2005)

Doomsday (2) - S2-E16

Question: Why wasn't Pete sucked into the Void when he came back to rescue Rose? Also, how did he even know when and where to teleport to, or that she even needed saving at all?

Socks1000

Chosen answer: He was only there for a fraction of a second, so the Void didn't have a chance to drag him in. As for knowing when and where, it's one of those last-second rescues that fiction revels in. Improbable, but dramatically satisfying.

Tailkinker

Chosen answer: Her motives are never explained. One possibility would be curiosity, a simple experiment in human infant physiology. Another, perhaps more likely one from her subsequent look of apparent distress is that it was, in an odd way, an act of mercy, giving an innocent baby a swift death, rather than leaving it to die in the nuclear fire or of radiation poisoning afterwards.

Tailkinker

10th Jul 2009

The X-Files (1993)

Chosen answer: Yes.

Tailkinker

10th Jul 2009

General questions

I'm looking for the title of a show that has a scene in a stark white hospital room. The man is completely covered in bandages except for his nose and his eyes. He is in traction. A fly lands on his nose and his eyes go back and forth watching the fly. He is completely immobile except for his eyes. Can someone help?

nancynurse454

Chosen answer: Could be the last scene of Daredevil, where the injured Bullseye is seen doing precisely that.

Tailkinker

10th Jul 2009

The Prisoner (1967)

Chosen answer: 1) It's never made entirely clear, but it seems that the government, Six's employers, are involved. 2) Because they wanted to know why he resigned. 3) It's never revealed, although many fans assume that Six is really John Drake, McGoohan's character from the prior show Danger Man. McGoohan has, however, denied that this was the intent and there are some notable differences between the characters. 4) It's never revealed, although, as, in the final episode, Six and his companions are able to drive to London, it must logically be located within the British Isles. 5) No details are ever given as to who has ultimate authority over the Village.

Tailkinker

Answer: Hope I am not going on too much, but I was watching bits of "The Prisoner" on YouTube, and have some information in response to question three "What was Number Six's name?" In the opening sequence of "The Prisoner" Patrick McGoohan/The Prisoner/Number Six walks into an office and throws a resignation letter on the table. He then drives to his house and hurriedly packs a suitcase. You can see him throw a UK passport into the suitcase. Seconds later, knockout gas is pumped into his house. He falls unconscious, then revives in "The Village." If he has a UK passport this must give his name, so it can be inferred that his name might be known to, or available to, anybody who really wants to know. After all, it seems plausible that the people or organisation who ordered his removal to "The Village" would have made at least a rudimentary search of his house and found the passport. Subsequently, in "Arrival" the first episode of the series, Patrick McGoohan/The Prisoner/Number Six meets "Number Two" who shows him a series of photographs illustrating his life from his schooldays up till his resignation. I find it inconceivable that Number Two could have acquired such a comprehensive amount of information about Patrick McGoohan/The Prisoner/Number Six, and not known his name. Yet Number Two never once mentions his name. Occasionally, in later episodes, characters mention that they knew Number Six in the time before they were transported to "The Village." But, during all seventeen episodes of the series, neither Patrick McGoohan/The Prisoner/Number Six, nor anybody else, ever mentions his name. From all this, it is clear that it was deliberately intended that viewers of "The Prisoner" would never know his real name.

Rob Halliday

Answer: Patrick McGoohan was often asked these, and many other questions about The Prisoner. He always refused to answer. He said the programme contained the answers. But you might want to try reading "I Am (Not) A Number, Decoding The Prisoner" written by Alex Cox and published in the UK in 2017. I regret that I, personally, was not wholly convinced by everything in this book. However, Alex Cox makes a dedicated and conscientious effort to deal with some questions asked about this very enigmatic television series. Alex Cox argues that Patrick McGoohan intended that the 17 episodes of The Prisoner should be watched in the order in which they were filmed, as these fill in details along the way. Even so, many questions about The Prisoner may always remain unanswered. One obvious paradox is that Patrick McGoohan/The Prisoner/Number 6 always says "I am not a number", and it is quite clear that much of his life before he arrived in "The Village" is well known to everybody, but he never, not even once, ever mentions his real name.

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