Question: Help me out if I'm wildly off: The Ugandan gangster attacks LeChiffre in his hotel, who Bond later kills. LeChiffre then continues with the game and panics when Mr. White demands the money. I was under the assumption that LeChiffre only owed money to the gangster and therefore needed to win the game to pay him back. Why does he continue with the game after the gangster is killed?
Tailkinker
11th Sep 2011
Casino Royale (2006)
2nd Sep 2011
Doctor Who (2005)
Question: This is actually for Doctor 1 but I couldn't find it anywhere. I heard it somewhere that they were going to do only 10 series, but when Doctor 1 fell ill they put in the idea he can regenerate. Is this true? Also is this why a lot of the later episodes were destroyed?
Chosen answer: The show was intended to be ongoing, with no particular plan as to how many series might be involved. But you are indeed correct that William Hartnell's failing health was the principal factor that led to the concept of the regeneration being introduced, with Hartnell himself suggesting Patrick Troughton as his successor, a suggestion that was taken up. This is not, however, why many episodes from that era are missing. At the time, it simply wasn't standard policy to keep episodes indefinitely after transmission, due to the limitations in storage space, and thus many early episodes were simply wiped.
27th Aug 2011
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Question: Why would Andy get Hadley arrested? He saved him from the sisters. And what happened to Hadley after he got arrested? Was he put in Shawshank?
Chosen answer: Hadley was a cruel, brutal man who repeatedly beat inmates, in some cases so badly that they died. He was directly responsible for, or an accomplice to, multiple crimes up to and including premeditated murder. By any standards, the guy deserves arrest, conviction and punishment. He may have saved Andy from the Sisters, but that was purely because Andy was useful to both him and the warden with his financial acumen. Hadley stepping in was purely down to self-interest, not any interest in inmate welfare. After all, the Sisters have clearly targetted other prisoners prior to Andy, without any apparent reaction from the prison staff. As for Hadley's eventual fate, it's not revealed.
27th Aug 2011
Titanic (1997)
Question: During the lunch scene, Ismay says that Titanic was the largest moving object made by man. Was that true? At least, at the time?
Answer: Yes, it was. At the time, the big cruise lines were all trying to outdo each other with the largest and most opulent cruise ships. The Olympic class ships were the White Star Line's entry in the size race, with Olympic, the first built, taking the title in 1911, before losing it to her sister ship, the Titanic, the following year.
12th Aug 2011
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Question: I'm just curious, but at Helm's Deep, when Legolas says to Gimli "Shall I get you a box to stand on?" or words to that effect, was that line improvised by Orlando Bloom or was it in the script?
Answer: There's nothing to indicate that it wasn't in the script. It seems in line with much of the humour displayed throughout the trilogy, so was likely there from the start.
30th Jul 2011
Red Dwarf (1988)
Question: In various episodes in the first series it is mentioned several times that the crew numbered 169 crewmembers aboard the ship. However, when the mindprobe convicts Rimmer of second degree murder it states that he is guilty of 1,167 counts. Where did the other 1,000 casualties come from?
Chosen answer: This is an example of the rather lax attitude to continuity that Red Dwarf subscribed to. Early on, the crew was stated as numbering 169; in later series of the show, this was deemed to be more than a little low, given the huge size of the ship, and the count was upped to 1169. Various arguments have been put forward to try to explain this, most commonly that the ship had 169 registered crew, but families, passengers and so forth boosted the actual number of people on board to the higher level, but, in The End, it's simply an intentional change in continuity by the show's writers.
3rd Aug 2011
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Question: Shouldn't Anakin be angry when, after he finally converts to the Dark Side and kills Mace, Palpatine/Sidious reveals that he really doesn't know how to save someone from death, but if they work really really really hard, maybe they can figure it out? Shouldn't Anakin fly into a rage at this? He has no reaction, just kneels and says he will pledge himself to the Emperor's teaching.
Chosen answer: He probably is, but he's out of options at that point. Having acted directly against the Jedi by participating in Windu's death, he can no longer turn to them for help. If he wants to save Padme, he has no choice but to sign up with Sidious and hope that they can figure it out, no matter what his feelings on the matter might be.
8th Aug 2011
The Boat That Rocked (2009)
Question: When the boat first starts sinking, some nameless crew members are shown trying to sort things out. But I don't remember them appearing again, even when the DJs were being rescued. Did they drown?
Chosen answer: They can be seen in a couple of long shots of the ship's prow as the DJs shelter there. It's reasonable to assume, given that they were present when the rescue flotilla arrived, that they were picked up as well, just off-screen while the film focused on the main characters.
30th Jul 2011
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
Trials and Tribble-ations - S5-E6
Question: Wouldn't Sisko have created a paradox by identifying himself by his real name to James T. Kirk before returning to the future?
Chosen answer: No. He's given his name, that's all. Nothing there that might lead to a paradox. If he's gone into detail about his time travelling, that might cause an issue or two, but simply stating his name does nothing.
Answer: No more so than Sisko posing for a photo in the 21st century while pretending to be Gabriel Bell.
Answer: His last name is something Kirk will forget, since he was on temporary assignment and essentially passing through.
9th Jul 2011
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Question: It is clear from the last scene that Kobayashi was not a made up character just his name, but what would have happened if McManus had killed him in the building? Surely that was not part of the plan. Also, was it Verbal at the start that killed Keaton? I saw the killer had a gold lighter, which may or may not be connected to the items Verbal later picked up upon leaving the police station. And if it was Verbal, then why didn't Keaton look for an exclamation because wouldn't Verbal have fooled them also with his "act".Did Verbal kill the other usual suspects?
Chosen answer: McManus could have killed "Kobayashi", it's true, but any plan has an element of risk. By bringing in Edie Finneran to consult on the case, they're making it clear to Keaton that any deviation from their wishes will result in her death, relying on his feelings for her to get him to force the others to toe the line. Kobayashi then forces the issue further by revealing what he knows about their families, making it clear that, if they kill him, their loved ones will suffer. While much of the truth behind the film is a little fluid, it does appear that Verbal was indeed Keaton's killer - when he finally sees his attacker's face, Keaton's look of disbelief followed by resigned acceptance would seem to indicate that he's finally figured out what's been happening, that he's been manipulated from the start, but the realisation is too late for him to do anything. As for the other three "suspects", it seems likely from what's shown in the film that Verbal killed Hockney and McManus personally. Who killed Fenster is somewhat less obvious; most likely he was slain by "Kobayashi", or agents working for him, after he tried to run.
One little note: close inspection shows Kevin Spacey behind the gun that kills Keaton.
It not, it's Gabriel Byrne. Dean Keaton.
30th Jun 2011
X-Men: First Class (2011)
Question: Why is Charles okay with Mystique joining Magneto's side? They're supposed to be brother and sister but he doesn't even attempt to talk her out of it.
Chosen answer: He's not okay with it, but he knows that Erik's views appeal strongly to her. To all intents and purposes, she's already made her decision - to try to stop her would likely only lead to an argument, which is not how he'd want them to part. Plus there is the somewhat major side issue that Charles has just been shot, so it's not really the right time for a discussion on conflicting mutant philosophies.
16th Jun 2011
X-Men 3 (2006)
Question: I have a few questions. Firstly the latest X-men film showed that although looking only 30ish, Mystique is as old as Professor X. That can only be cause of her mutation. So why after she was cured didn't she age into an older woman? Secondly, if Wolverine had been cured (assuming it would even have worked, given his healing ability), would it have killed him? Given his age and all the adamantium inside him, i couldn't imagine it, but am I wrong?
Chosen answer: Both Wolverine and Mystique's mutations cause them to age slowly; effectively the normal human body deterioration is slowed for them, giving them a younger physical age than their actual chronological age. If that mutation was removed, then the factor that slowed their ageing would no longer function, but they wouldn't abruptly "catch up" with their actual age, they would simply possess a body at their current physical age which would age as a normal human after that point. As for the adamantium lacing Logan's bones, were his healing factor removed, he might well swiftly suffer extreme levels of toxic shock, which would likely prove fatal.
21st May 2011
General questions
My wife is looking for the title of a film involving a deranged old man and a little girl going on different adventures, on of which involving a giant floating head. The old man also has a horse and gives the little girl a rose. It looks as if they're journeying through different dimensions or time periods. Any thoughts?
Answer: This is Terry Gilliam's 1988 film, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, starring John Neville as the titular Baron and Sarah Polley as his young companion Sally. The supporting cast includes an uncredited Robin Williams, as the King of the Moon (the giant floating head that your wife remembers), Oliver Reed and a pre-fame Uma Thurman. More information can be found here.
21st May 2011
Titanic (1997)
Question: I heard they did film an alternative ending, but it was only shown once in a preview session in San Bernadino. In it, Jack swam to and climbed on to the iceberg. He found a polar bear, killed it and ate it and wore its fur until the iceberg floated close to shore. He then swam to land and trekked to an inuit village. They nursed him back to health and 5 years after the crash he found his way back to Rose. If this is true, where can i find it?
Answer: Not even slightly true. And utterly ridiculous. The only known alternate ending is simply a longer version of the existing one, where, before Old Rose throws the diamond into the ocean, Brock and some of his crew try to talk her out of it. Rose convinces Brock to let her do it, explaining that real treasure lies in love, family and friends rather than in jewels. She lets him hold the diamond briefly, then takes it from him and throws it overboard.
7th May 2011
Vegas Vacation (1997)
Question: How does playing blackjack in casinos work? There is a scene where Clark gets a blackjack but the dealer keeps drawing cards for himself until he gets 21 and calls it a tie. I thought when you get blackjack you automatically win, unless the dealer also gets blackjack then it is a push. However someone told me that if the dealer gets blackjack the dealer automatically wins, even against a player who also has blackjack and it is not a push. Clarification please?
Chosen answer: There are numerous rule variations for blackjack, but most casinos will rule that blackjack beats any other hand, even one of 21, and if both player and dealer have blackjack, then a push is given. There are certain rulesets where a tie is awarded to the dealer, but these are rarely used except occasionally in charity events where dealer takings go to the nominated charity.
4th May 2011
The Matrix (1999)
Question: I get that people in the matrix, who have not been freed, are not ready to be freed, and I know at one point when Morpheus is explaining the matrix to Neo (I believe during the woman in the red dress test) he says something along the lines of: The matrix is a system, that system is our enemy. The matrix is filled with minds we are trying to save, but until we do they are still part of that system and that makes them our enemies. Many of them are so dependent on that system they will fight to defend it.- I am paraphrasing, but it is something like that. As I'm sure everyone knows he also says "The body cannot live without the mind." And therefore if you die in the matrix you die in the 'real' world. My question is, do they ever address the ethical questions that could arise from the fact that they kill mind after mind of police officers, SWAT teams, security guards, innocent humans just doing their jobs? I understand that sometimes it may be necessary, and that Neo doesn't have much choice but to fight agents and kill their hosts at times. But things like Mouse, knowing he is going to die so he grabs machine guns and takes out as many people as he can. Or when Neo and Trinity, on their way to save Morpheus, cover them selves in guns and take out that whole building of guards and pretty much end up with one gun each. The guards were completely prepared to let them enter the building freely if they passed the metal detector, could they not have went empty handed and just taken out two guards later, and used their weapons? It just seems like a pretty bad way to go about a mission to save people. Unless perhaps I missed a speech about sacrificing some minds for the cause or the needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few type deal. Just wondering if that is ever addressed.
Chosen answer: No, they don't address it, other than Morpheus' speech during the test. It's not something that they have any realistic choice about, so they just have to accept it and do what they need to do. Mouse, yes, he chooses to defend himself when cornered, but who wouldn't? These may be innocent victims of the Matrix he's shooting at, but they're still there to kill him - he's hardly going to stand there and accept his fate meekly. There's also no indication that the guards were "completely prepared" to let Neo and Trinity into what's clearly a high security building, undoubtedly they would have been asked for identification, what their purpose was there and so forth and turned away if, as seems likely, their answers weren't satisfactory. Shooting their way in from the start is likely their only option. Yes, it's absolutely ethically unfortunate, but if they're going to resist the machines successfully, it's not something they have any choice about. A necessary evil.
4th May 2011
Inception (2010)
Question: Near the end of the movie, when Cobb is home, he gives his totem a spin and it shortly starts to decay in its spin. Then as the movie ends it pans to his totem still spinning smoothly but then it starts to wobble again. So, what are we suppose to conclude? Is it left intentionally ambiguous?
Chosen answer: Yes, it's an ambiguous ending, so we can conclude whatever we want, based on our reading of the film. There are plenty of theories around the internet, so feel free to have a read and decide which one works best for you. However, according to Christopher Nolan it is supposed to signify how Cobb is leaving the dreams behind and doesn't care.
20th Apr 2011
The Dark Knight (2008)
Question: During the bank robbery scene one of the clown henchmen in the bank is wearing the purple coat, trousers and leather gloves the Joker wears for the rest of the film. Does this mean once he is hit by the bus the Joker stripped him of the clothes or dragged his body onto the bus when he was off-camera to take the clothes later? Because as he says to the Mob bosses that "the suit isn't cheap, you should know you bought it", so does this mean he had a replica suit made?
Answer: Yes, the implication is very strong that he had the suit, which is far nicer and better made than the vaguely similar one worn in the opening heist, using the money that he stole from the mob bosses.
20th Apr 2011
Speed (1994)
Question: I don't quite understand the part of the movie regarding the camera recording inside of the bus. It seems obvious they can pick up the signal to the bus via UHF, then tape it, then make the loop so the same tape runs over and over, fooling Dennis Hopper long enough to facilitate the rescue. But how do they transmit the images from the loop back to Hopper's safehouse?
Answer: Payne obviously has some sort of transmitter attached to the camera, feeding the picture back to him. By broadcasting from the much more powerful TV van transmitter on the same frequency, they would effectively swamp the camera signal with their own, so Payne would see their looped tape, rather than the real images from the camera. Although not shown, Jack could also simply have disconnected Payne's camera as soon as the looped tape ran, to prevent the possibility of the real signal getting through and revealing their ruse.
20th Apr 2011
Inception (2010)
Question: How do the people in the film share a dream? I understand that the briefcase contains sedatives to put everyone to sleep, but how do they get inside a certain individuals dream? How do they end up being in the same dream together?
Chosen answer: The details are never explained in the depth, but all the dreamers are connected via the briefcase, so it seems likely that the briefcase acts in some way as a networking hub for them to share the dreamspace.
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Chosen answer: Le Chiffre operates as the banker for Mr White's entire organisation. The Ugandan is only one of many individuals and groups for whom Le Chiffre provides financial services; killing him does little to solve the problem of the missing money. Plus there's the question of trust - if Le Chiffre can't keep the money safe, then Mr White's organisation have no use for him and, as we see in the movie, will readily eliminate him. Le Chiffre's desperate to recover the money to prove his trustworthiness and save his own life.
Tailkinker ★