Questions about specific movies, TV shows and more

These are questions relating to specific titles. General questions for movies and TV shows are here. Members get e-mailed when any of their questions are answered.

Question: I listened to the scene where Harry goes to visit Ron and Hermione at the end after he gets out of the hospital wing. Ron and Hermione apparently have a conversation that's not appropriate for a PG rated movie, and I turned it up as loud as I could, and I heard Ron say something like, "I have this black shirt." Can anyone tell me what he really is saying?

leyesalot82789

Chosen answer: While he stands at the top of the stairs with Hermione, Ron says, "I had a resurrection!!", referring to his 'near death' experience on the chess board earlier in the film. Some people mis-hear it as a reference to "an erection" which is why you may have heard people think it's inappropriate.

Super Grover

Question: Why all the build up of John having sent the Russian eye-surgeon guy to jail, suggesting that he will hurt John; only to have him successfully complete the operation, and take care of John afterwards?

Nick N.

Chosen answer: It's what's known as a McGuffin; a plot element that seems to be important when introduced, but serves no purpose other than to intrigue/distract the audience. The term was popularised by Alfred Hitchcock.

J I Cohen

That's not *quite* what a MacGuffin is. A MacGuffin not only seems important, it *is* important; in fact, one of its two diagnostic characteristics is that a MacGuffin is something around which the entire plot revolves. The other property fundamental to what makes something a MacGuffin is the fact that the origin, purpose, function, and, in some cases, even identity of the object is left either vague or completely undefined. The briefcase in Pulp Fiction is a classic example (although there *is* a compelling argument that the object in the briefcase is in fact a specific artifact).

Well, according to the doctor when the operation is beginning, the doctor reveals that in prison, he spent all of his time in the library, including books on medicine and technology. As a result, he found his "true calling", and is thankful to John for helping him see that.

Question: Why is your face blurred in pictures one you've seen the tape? Just a sign that you'll be dead soon?

Ral0618

Chosen answer: Yes, the blurred faces do indicate that you've been cursed by the video. It has to do with Samara's face always being covered by her hair, which is also the reason behind infected people unconsciously scribbling over the faces of people in pictures. It also foreshadows the victim's fate (hence the distorted face) if they don't copy and send the cursed tape to someone else.

Shay

Question: What was the deal with all the horses drowning? Was it just because Samara was evil and she was causing it? What about the horse Rachel sees on the ship that freaks out? Is it scared of Rachel because she's been "infected" by the tape? She's already showed the tape to Noah, so she should be okay at that point, right?

Krista

Chosen answer: When Samara was sent to sleep in the barn the horses kept her up at night. Therefore they have ended being negatively affected by her and the video.

wolfchild

Answer: After Samara was released from Eola, she returned to the Morgan's house but was sent to sleep in the barn because Richard wanted to keep her as far as humanly possible from Anna who was suffering from horrible hallucinations caused by her. Since the horses kept her up at night, she drove them to suicide, but she had also told her doctor that her daddy loved the horses not her, so she probably drove them crazy out of childish jealousy as well. As for Rachel, she was affected by the curse and by Samara and as a result her presence drove the horse crazy.

Question: The phantoms can kill with the merest touch and can reach through any material - floors, walls, aircraft fuselage etc. Why then do the soldiers bother to don heavy, clunky body armour whenever they go out to battle? They'd do just as well in T-shirts and fatigues.

Oscar Bravo

Chosen answer: The environment has become too hazardous for humans to tolerate.

Paul Plesser

Question: When Michael is doing his first "godfather-job" they are in a very big church/cathedral. Does anyone know what that is named?

don_corleone

Chosen answer: The church is St Anthony's in Staten Island. It's no longer in use.

Answer: Mount Loretto Catholic Church. It burned down in 1973 and rebuilt later on with just the front stone kept of the original structure.

Question: When Aragorn is crowned at the ceremony, he sings a hymn in what I beleive is Elvish. What are the lyrics? I am currently reading The Lord of the Rings but it will be a while before I get to that part of the story.

furious1116

Chosen answer: The Elvish text is: "Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta." This translates as: "Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world." It is a Gondorian tradition, echoing the words of Aragorn's ancestor Elendil on his first arrival in Middle-earth, and shows that Aragorn has fully accepted his heritage and is at last willing to claim the kingship.

Ioreth

Question: During the fight on top of the truck, Morpheus loses his balance and grabs onto the agent's tie to keep from falling. Why didn't the agent simply allow himself to fall as well? Agent Smith stood in front of a train in the original Matrix in an attempt to kill Neo.

Answer: Because the Agent's main job at the time is to kill the Keymaker - if he's got to find another body (who then won't be on top of the truck) the Keymaker will have time to escape.

Jon Sandys

Question: In the scene where Marty is being chased around Twin Pines mall by the Libyans why is Marty driving straight towards the 1hr Photo Booth? I'm assuming he doesn't realise the time circuits were on, as he accidentally engaged them when changing gear. If he DID know, why drive 88+ mph knowing you don't have enough plutonium to get back from 1955? (00:30:00)

Paul Andrews

Chosen answer: He could have been planning on veering aside at the last second, hoping the Libyans would crash. In any case, it provides a convenient solution to the problem of the Libyans threatening our heroes when Marty returns from the future. :)

Krista

Question: What is the title of the track that is playing when Hal gets into the taxi with Katrina, and he looks at her, noticing how beautiful she is?

Sharon Murray

Chosen answer: "The Edge of the Ocean" by Ivy.

Question: What was the name of the song Gideon was first playing on the organ?

Piemanmoo

Chosen answer: The music is Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring".

jle

Question: I have a question about the scene where Sidney receives the ham from the President. At the theatre I believe someone read the note aloud, but my video cut that part. Does anyone know what the note said?

Answer: Sydney mouths the words to the note and laughs, but she doesn't say the words outloud.

ChiChi

Question: After Ruth comes back home, she is driving out to the emu farm whilst listening and jiving along to some tune. Can anyone tell me what tune it is, and who it is by?

Answer: The tune is "You Oughta' Know" by Alanis Morrisette.

Question: What is the title and artist of the song that plays when Gwyneth Paltrow is taking off her clothes for Jack Black? It also plays at the end right after Jack says "Which is why I'm going with you."

Answer: It is "This is my World" by lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish, Darius Rucker. Who also appears as the maitre'd at the restaurant where Hal sees the real Rosemary while out with his neighbor, Jill.

Question: What is the name of the movie(s) that Kevin watches in Home Alone 1 and 2? Is it the same movie?

Answer: The name of the movie is "Angels with Filthy Souls," but it is not actually a real film at all and was created especially for the franchise.

David Mercier

Answer: Angles with Filthy Souls, and its sequel; Angles with Even Filthier Souls. Neither are real movies.

Danny Duignan

Question: I could not figure out why Red borrowed $20.00. Could someone fill me in?

Answer: Red asked for $10 because he needed to see a dentist, and Howard gave him $20.

Question: A friend of mine has just told me that there is a famous actress who has a cameo as an Elf in this movie, but he won't tell me who it is. Apparently, I have to find out for myself. Is he just being deliberately annoying, or does someone out there know if this is true and who he is talking about?

Answer: If this is true, then it's not mentioned anywhere in the commentaries or other additional materials on the Extended DVD. Your friend may just be being annoying.

Tailkinker

Question: During the freeway chase, what kind of car is Trinity driving? Also what kind of car do the twins drive?

Answer: Trinity is driving a Cadillac CTS. The Twins drive a Cadillac Escalade EXT. The EXT wasn't in production at the time of filming, so the GM people had to create it with fiberglass Cadillac parts fitted onto prototype Chevy Avalanche pickup trucks.

Phil C.

Question: What film is the footage of the young Michael Caine from? And is the footage of him playing with a small boy in the 'Musical Number' deleted scene from his home videos or a film?

Answer: The footage of Michael Caine is from the 1967 film Hurry Sundown.

David Mercier

Question: In the scene where we first see Dr. Solomon, a movie is playing on the projection screen. What movie is it?

Answer: It's a 1955 film named House of Bamboo.

Tailkinker

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