Questions and Answers about
Classic Movies
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Who directed the 1985 cinematic gem, “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure”?
Answer: Tim Burton directed “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” in 1985. This was before he became the go-to guy for all things delightfully macabre, like “Beetlejuice,” “Edward Scissorhands,” and the recent Netflix series “Wednesday.” Sadly, Paul Reubens, who brought Pee-wee Herman to life, passed away on July 31, 2023, after a private battle with cancer.
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Which film is the highest-grossing stop-motion animated film ever?
Answer: Released in 2000, “Chicken Run” not only had chickens plotting an escape but also managed to soar high, becoming the highest-grossing stop-motion animated film of all time, raking in over $225 million. And guess what? These chickens are back in the coop with a sequel, “Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget,” set to premiere…
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In the iconic “Rocky” film series, what is the Sylvester Stallone portrayed character’s last name?
Answer: Rocky Balboa, the underdog boxer with a heart of gold, catapulted Sylvester Stallone to stardom in the 1976 classic “Rocky.” The Netflix documentary “Sly” premiered on Nov. 3, 2023, and delves into the actor’s rise to fame, including the pivotal moments of the “Rocky” series._x000D__x000D_
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Which Hollywood studio film was the first to be officially uploaded on TikTok (in 23 parts)?
Answer: “Mean Girls” celebrated “Mean Girls Day” on Oct. 3, 2023, by launching the entire film on TikTok, divided into 23 parts. It’s the first Hollywood studio film adapted for TikTok. Fans celebrate this day due to a notable scene where Cady Heron (played by Lindsay Lohan) informs Aaron Samuels (Jonathan Bennett) that the date…
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In what year did the original Indiana Jones movie take place?
Answer: The new “Indiana Jones” is coming out on June 30, 2023, and it’s the fifth film in the franchise. As the first Indiana Jones film took place in 1936, Harrison Ford was digitally de-aged to transport back to 1944 for 2023’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” ‘s opening scene. James Mangold directed this…
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What was the name of the hippie leader played by Treat Williams in the 1979 musical film Hair?
Answer: Treat Williams starred as George Berger, a charismatic hippie, in the film, directed by Milos Forman and based on the Broadway musical Hair. Some of his other notable appearances include Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead, Deep Rising, and TV’s Everwood. Williams died on June 13, 2023, at 71, after a motorcycle…
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What was Gina Lollobrigida’s first English-language movie?
Answer: One of the post-World War II era’s first major European sex symbols. Gina Lollobrigida, died on Jan. 16, 2023, in Rome, at 95. Lollobrigida’s first English-language movie was John Huston’s 1953 camp drama, “Beat the Devil,” in which she played Humphrey Bogart’s wife and partner in crime. Lollobrigida also had a diverse second career…
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What was “Avatar” praised for upon its release?
Answer: “Avatar” was praised in 2009 for its groundbreaking visuals and environmental message. It focused on the importance of preserving the environment and respecting Indigenous cultures. It was also one of the first films made almost entirely through hyper-realistic motion capture technology. “Avatar” was nominated for nine Oscars and won three: Best Art Direction, Best…
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Which movie starred Ray Liotta, Paul Sorvino, and Tony Sirico?
Answer: Ray Liotta, Paul Sorvino, and Tony Sirico appeared in Martin Scorsese’s 1990 hit movie “GoodFellas,” along with Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Lorraine Bracco. Liotta, Sorvino, and Sirico passed away in 2022.
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Which two 90s movies feature Anne Heche and Vince Vaughn?
Answer: Return to Paradise and the Psycho remake were both released in 1998, and both starred Anne Heche and Vince Vaughn.How did Anne Heche die?Anne Heche died from inhalation injury and burns and was removed from life support on Aug. 11, 2022, after her car accidentally jumped a curb and smashed into a west Los…
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What was George Clooney’s and Julia Roberts’s first movie together?
Answer: George Clooney’s and Julia Roberts’s first movie together was 2001’s Ocean’s Eleven. However, they both appear in 1998’s Murphy Brown’s last episode – Him in a nod to his role in ER, and her as one of the characters’ love-interest. Clooney and Roberts pair up in 2022’s Ticket to Paradise, set for release on…
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What was Jennifer Grey’s character name on 1987’s Dirty Dancing?
Answer: Jennifer Grey, 62, was “Baby” Houseman in 1987’s “Dirty Dancing.” Grey’s memoir, titled “Out of the Corner,” references Patrick Swayze’s immortal line in the movie, “Nobody puts Baby in the corner.” The book is out in May 2022.
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The high school in the ’70s hit musical “Grease” was named what?
Answer: In “Grease,” Rydell high school was named for Bobby Rydell. A star of radio, television, and the movie musical “Bye Bye Birdie,” Rydell was among a wave of wholesome teen idols who emerged in the late ’50s and early ’60s after Elvis Presley and before the Beatles’ rise._x000D_
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Who was “Goose” in the original Top Gun movie?
Answer: ER’s Anthony Edwards was Top Gun’s “Goose.” In 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick, Miles Teller portrays “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s (Tom Cruise) late friend Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.” Paramount Pictures released a new official trailer for Top Gun: Maverick on March 29, 2022.
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Who was the first Latina to win an Oscar?
Answer: Rita Moreno won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1962 for her role as Anita in “West Side Story,” making her the first Latina ever to win an Oscar. 60 years later, in 2022, Ariana DeBose became the second Latina and first Afro-Latina actor to win the award – for the same role in…
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Which movies earned the late William Hurt three consecutive best actor Oscar nominations?
Answer: William Hurt won the best-actor Oscar for the 1985 film “Kiss of the Spider Woman.” “Children of a Lesser God” and “Broadcast News” earned him best-actor Oscar nominations in 1983 and 1984, meaning he was nominated for the award in three consecutive years. Hurt died at his home in Portland, Oregon, on March 13,…
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He’s the director responsible for creating the big screen duo Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito.
Answer: Ivan Reitman, the filmmaker and producer behind “Animal House” and “Ghostbusters,” was also the director behind Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito’s “Twins” and “Junior.” In Sept. 2021, it was announced that a sequel, “Triplets,” was in the works, with Reitman directing his original cast, plus Tracy Morgan as their long-lost brother. Reitman died peacefully…
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Which 90s movie features the characters of Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson?
Answer: Hocus Pocus, starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, premiered in 1993, telling the story of the three Sanderson sisters in Salem, Mass., who spent 300 years asleep before being resurrected on All Hallow’s Eve. The film failed at the ’93 box offices but gained massive fan recognition over countless Halloween reruns
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Who was the first African American to win the Academy Award for Best Actor?
Answer: Sidney Poitier was the first African American and first Bahamian to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for Lilies of the Field. He died on Jan. 6, 2022, in Los Angeles. He was 94._x000D_
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How many Latin actresses were in the main cast of the 1961 classic movie “West Side Story”?
Answer: The only Latin actress in the main cast of the original 1961 “West Side Story,” a story of love and rivalry involving a gang of white teens and a gang of Puerto Rican immigrants, was Rita Moreno. She won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Anita. More answers inside!
