Movie Quiz!

Yes, it's that time again! Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule hosts a film quiz. This time, I'll post my answers on my own blog.

1) William Demarest or Broderick Crawford?
"Definitely the same dame," and definitely Demarest.

2) What movies improve when seen in a state of altered consciousness? (Patrick Robbins)
All of them. Fantasia comes to mind.

3) Favorite studio or production company logo?
The Universal Pictures planet with aeroplane - or maybe the RCA planet with the huge radio tower. Any logo with a planet, I guess.

4) Celeste Holm or Joan Blondell?
Joan Blondell, if only for Topper Returns.

5) What is the most overrated "classic" film? (Tony Dayoub)
I suppose that Magnificent Ambersons is a safe choice.

6) What movie do you know for sure you saw, but have no memory of seeing? (Patricia Yokoe Cozzalio)
I had the opposite experience with Hideo Gosha's Goyokin - As soon as I saw the credits, I remembered the whole movie, but had no memory of ever having watched it before. I was convinced it was just deja vu for the first half, but eventually had to assume I had watched it and then forgot.
As for movies that I know I saw but can't remember anything from, that's a tough one - by definition. I know I saw Underworld, but can't remember anything but vague dissatisfaction.

7) Favorite Hammer Film?
I don't think I've seen any of the classic Hammer horrors, but perhaps the 1937 Legosi The Phantom Ship counts?

8) Gregory Itzin or Joe Pantoliano?
Joey Pants. Just for the nickname.

9) Create a double feature with two different movies with the same title. No remakes. (Peter Nellhaus)
How about the Korean epic Musa (The Warrior) (review to come) and teen gang classic The Warriors? No? Partial credit?

10) Akiko Wakabayashi or Mie Hama? (Ray Young)
Pass.

11) Can you think of a (non-porn) movie that informed you of the existence of a sexual act you had not known of prior? (Bob Westal)
Claire's Knee introduced me to kneecrophilia.

12) Can you think of a black & white movie that might actually improve if it was in color? (Patrick Robbins)
Yeah, Manhattan. What's up with that? It's not 1932 anymore, Woody!
Just joking. Put down the big stick...

13) Favorite Pedro Almodovar Film?
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. But we liked Labyrinth of Passion a lot, too.

14) Kurt Raab or Udo Kier?
Udo Kier, for classing up The Story of O. Also, I've never heard of Kurt Raab.

15) Worst main title song (Peter Nellhaus)
I considered the theme to the Ross Hagen biker flick Hellcats (as presented by Mystery Science Theater 3000). But that was actually better than expected for an Anthony Cardoza production. On the other hand, take one of the world's greatest songwriters, working on one of the world's classic film franchises, and come up with "Live and Let Die"?

16) Last movie you saw in a theater? On DVD, Blu-ray or other interesting location/format?
Haven't been to the theater since the last quiz. Last DVD from Netflix was Night at the Museum 2 (blog review to come).

17) Favorite movie reference within a Woddy Allen movie? (Larry Aydlette)
Mrs. Spenser says all of Play It Again, Sam. I say, all of Stardust Memories (but I love Fellini).

18) Mary Astor or Claudette Colbert?
No real contest. Colbert, just for Midnight. What does Astor have other than Maltese Falcon?
(Oh jeeze - I just looked her up and Astor was in Midnight too. I think that just proves my point.)

19) Favorite trailer (provide YouTube link if possible)?
Black Dynamite! I can't find the old trailer with the tagline, "He wears a hundred dollar suit and drives a thousand dollar car!". "He's super cool and he knows kung fu!" This had us salivating for months until it was released.

20) Oddest double bill you either saw or saw listed in a theater
Like Romeo and Juliet and Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice? Wait, that was just a joke. I think all the double bills I've seen made some kind of sense.

21) Favoite Phil Karlson film?
I'm pretty sure I haven't seen any.

22) Favorite “social problem” picture?
You mean like the zombie apocalypse issue in Shaun of the Dead or Zombieland?

23) Your favourite Harryhausen film/monster? (Ali Arikan)
Giant scorpions in Clash of the Titans.

24) What was the first movie you saw with your significant other? (Patrick Robbins)
We saw a lot of movies together in college (Dartmouth Film Society, 1976-78), but not as a couple. Our first movie "date" was Woody Allen's Interiors. A bit of a bummer. I think we might have watched the Brando Mutiny on the Bounty on TV that weekend as well.

25) John Payne or Ronald Reagan?
Even though Reagan played George Murphy's son in This is the Army, I'll go with John Payne, because he is not Ronald Reagan.

26) Movie you feel a certain pressure or obligation to see that you have not yet actually seen
A lot of influential movies from the last 20 odd years are somewhat repellent to me, like Fight Club or The Usual Suspects. I've also skipped all of the Godfather movies. But I guess I don't really feel an obligation. I get pressure to see a lot of lousy movies (or movies I expect will be lousy), from friends with rotten taste, but just ignore them. (Hi Gyl!)

27) Favorite “psychedelic” movie (Hey, man, like, define it however you want, man…)
2001. No, Zardoz. No, wait, I'm going with the answer to number 2, Fantasia.

28) Thelma Ritter or Eve Arden?
Our Miss Arden.

29) Favorite iconic shot or image from a film?
My number 1 favorite image in all cinema? You're killing me!

30) What is the movie that inspired the most memorable argument you ever had about a movie?
The More the Merrier with Charles Coburn, Jean Arthur and Joel McRea. It was one of the Film Society movies I mentioned in question 24. The young woman now known as Mrs. Spenser wished that it could have had a happy ending. Instead, Arthur marries the jerk played by Joel McRea. She would have preferred her to kick him straight to the curb. I felt that it was a simple formal requirement of a comedy that the couple, however unlikely, must end up married.
It was decades before she could enjoy many screwball comedies due to this issue.

31) Raquel Torres or Lupe Velez?
Torres was in Duck Soup and all, but Velez was the Mexican Spitfire. So, Velez.

32) Favorite adaptation of Shakespeare to a film?
I could go with a quirky adaptation, like Throne of Blood or Legend of the Black Scorpion. But seriously, I love Branagh and Thompson's Much Ado about Nothing. Some of Michael Keaton and Keanu Reeves' best work, as well.

33) Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein (in 3D)-- yes or no?
Oh hell no.

34) Favorite movie rating?
X, XX, XXX, or as many Xs as you got!

35) Olivia Barash or Joyce Hyser?
Pass.

36) What was the movie that convinced you your favorite movie genre was your favorite movie genre?
Seven Samurai for samurai movies? Bringing Up Baby for screwball? No, I choose Chaplin's The Kid for slapstick.

37) Favorite Blake Edwards movie?
A Shot in the Dark, which I saw at a drive-in, in my pajamas from the backseat of the my parent's stationwagon. That might affect my choice, but it really is the most nearly perfect Clouseau, after the canon is established, but before it becomes too stylized.

That's it. Back to my Netflix queue, already in progress.