CMT Answer Update: Our August 31st 'actors in three trilogies' question from our continues to pull in feedback. Larry wrote in with a whole whack of two-trilogy actors, including Frank Oz in Star Wars and Muppets movies, and James Earl Jones in the Tom Clancy flicks and Star Wars. He also noted: "The only one who might come close to being featured in three trilogies might be Warwick Davis. He was featured in Star Wars, Leprechaun, and Harry Potter. Of course Harry Potter 3 isn't out yet. " (Cal note: pretty close, yes, but he was only in Jedi in the original trilogy and Episode I in the prequels). Good contributions- thanks!
CMT Answer Update: CMT reader Lou did some research of his own on the longest movie made, which was asked about way back in our May 21st column. Amongst other tidbits he wrote:
The 1967 Russian film natively called "Voyna i Mir" or translated, "War and Peace" is 507 minutes long (8h27m). Here is the AMG link. The DVD, however, isn't all 507 minutes, but "only" 6h43m (although it also says "373 min" but thats 6h13m). Still longer than the Director's Cut of Cleopatra.
Good find, that's definitely a long 'un...
CMT Answer Update: In another mail related to our May 21st column, one reader had asked for movies where characters ream off a list of items. Critic_w wrote in with the following contribution: The funniest, and perhaps longest, belongs to "The Blues Brothers" when Jake (played by John Belushi) is giving excuses to a machine-gun-totin' Carrie Fisher for why he left her standing at the altar. It is without a doubt the best of them all. "I couldn't find my tux, my car was double-parked, I couldn't find my keys...".
Thanks, man.
CMT Answer: I went to one of the most comprehensive sites I know dealing with new releases, which is VideoETA. They deal just with DVDs which is what I went by for answering your question. If you were wanting just VHS I would bet the number may be lower now than the DVD count.
I just counted up February's new releases and there were approximately 480. So as February is obviously a 4-week month that works out to about 120 a week. Month to month obviously will vary as well- but I don't think there are too many months with as slim a crop of good titles as this month. It's been pretty brutal both in the theaters and on video- I can't wait until we get into March with a couple good flicks and then the start of the summer season just around the corner. .
Because of the content of the movie: constant profanity, violence and drug lifestyles portrayed, the flick was given an X rating by the MPAA on three different occassions when director DePalma submitted it to the board. They finally relented and gave it an 'R', but the version DePalma and the studio distributed to theaters was the original version that was given an 'X'. Talk about the ultimate F you to the MPAA!
As far as the word itself goes, there are a few numbers I've come across relating to its use in the movie. The first is a well-known trivia tidbit that the band Blink-182 got the last part of their name from the number of times the F word is used in the movie. A variation on this fun fact is that it represents the number of times Al Pacino's character Tony Montana uses the word. Next, checking IMDb, they list the F bomb count as 206. Lastly I came across an FAQ on a Scarface fan page that lists the number as 218. The webmaster did a word count himself and disputes the 206 number. Also, if the 218 is correct, moving the first digit '2' to the last position will give 182, which fits with the punk bands name. You can find the FAQ for the Scarface fan page here. .
CMT Answer: I could not find another movie that references the current, although I wouldn't doubt there are at least a couple out there. While searching for your answer I came across this page which does do a little explanation about the current in relation to the movie.
If any CMT readers can think of a movie that references the current, lemme know! .
CMT Answer: Well I'm not a 100% sure, but the only one that seems to fit the bill would be "Jewel of the Nile", which was the 1985 sequel to the vastly-superior "Romancing the Stone". Douglas and Turner have starred together in three movies: 1984's Stone, 1985's Nile, and 1989's "War of the Roses". It's definitely not the 1989 black comedy, so we are left with Jewel of the Nile.
I've only seen it once in the theater when it originally played, remembered not liking it, and that's about it. I checked the IMDB user comments but no mention of the catalog suit or the painted natives, so as I said above this isn't the definitive answer, but if it is in fact those two actors in the movie, then by Sherlockian power of deduction we are left with Nile. .
CMT Answer: Well there are a few movies that fit the bill. The first one I came across was a 1976 movie called "Through the Looking Glass". The IMDB description reads "A rich socialite escapes her boring lifestyle when a ghost takes her to a sexual hell where anything goes." Sounded close but maybe not quite the version you were after, so a little further searching found a 1976 musical version written and directed by Bill Osco, apparently a bit of a legend if you're into 70's porn- he also created "Flesh Gordon". Anyhow, this is the one you are probably after.
As an interesting side note, a live musical version of this soft-core take on the story has just opened in New York on January 29th of this year, and is an 18 and over restricted admission.
As far as a DVD release goes, it doesn't look like it's out yet but there is a site you can order the VHS or a DVD-R version (meaning they most likely just copied their existing VHS copy onto a disc) of the flick. You can check it out here. .
Doing a little IMDB digging here are a few others: -Grouch Marx in 1968's "Skidoo" -Gene Hackman as the voice of God in 1983's "Two of a Kind" -Val Kilmer again as the Voice, in "Prince of Egypt" -Robert Mitchum in "Seven Deadly Sins"
There are of course many more but these seem to be some of the more notable actors or actresses in the role. If I'm missing any big names, I'm sure our readers will let me know! .
CMT Answer: No, he didn't. The star of the classic 1954 version was an unbelievably thin Marlon Brando, and the movie also featured Rod Steiger and Karl Malden. Newman did not appear in the movie in any role, although he may have appeared in a live performance of it as the flick has been adapted for the stage. . .
Please help if you can!
(1) In "The Shawshank Redemption", Andy gives Red directions for finding a box. What noun does he use to describe the rock under which the box lies?
(2) To Kill a Mockingbird was adapted from Harper Lee's classic story. In the movie Scout and Jem find trinkets that have been hidden by Boo Radley. In what object did Boo place the items?
Thanks -S Smith
CMT Answer: Well the answer to your (1) question is 'volcanic glass'. As in (allow me to quote from the script):
Andy: Promise me, Red. If you ever get out, find that spot. In the base of that wall you'll find a rock that has no earthly business in a Maine hayfield. A piece of black volcanic glass. You'll find something buried under it I want you to have.
As for number (2), well even though I usually only answer one question per reader per week, I'll humor ya. Boo hid them in the knothole of an oak tree. . .
In the movie The Graduate, what is Mrs. Robinson's first name? -David
CMT Answer: Whether you know it or not, this is a trick question. The famous Mrs. Robinson (played by Anne Bancroft), did in fact not have a first name in the movie. Even after all their sweaty encounters, Dustin Hoffman's character still addressed her by 'Mrs. Robinson', and we never do learn her first name during the course of the 1967 classic. . .
