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Answers To Science Fiction Movie Quiz

March 3 2008

Here are the answers to the SF movie quiz that I posted yesterday.

1. In Stanley Kubrick's film 2001 A Space Odyssey, what artifact did the aliens leave on the Moon for humans to find?

The aliens left behind a huge black obelisk. The humans didn't realize that the thing was redeemable for a free pizza.

2. In which movie did one character say the words "Klaatu barada nikto."?

The Day The Earth Stood Still from 1952. In English, the phrase means "Klaatu drinks Miller Lite."

3. What's the name of the film in which a white haired alien kidnaps two Earthlings and takes them to the dying planet Metaluna aboard his flying saucer? (Hint: The alien has a mutant insect for a servant.)

Released in 1954, the film was This Island Earth. If the white haired aliens were so technically advanced, why had they never discovered Grecian Formula?

4. In the first of the Star Trek movies, the crew of the USS Enterprise was menaced by an entity called "Veeger". What did "Veeger" turn out to be at the end of the movie?

Veeger was eventually revealed to be the Voyager space satellite that was launched during the 1970s. If you think that this made a very lame ending to the story, then 90% of those who saw the film will agree with you.

5. What was the name used in Minority Report for the psychic types who could see into the future?

They were called "precogs". This was done to differentiate them from the less talented psychics who were called "postcogs".

6. What was the maximum lifespan of the androids in Blade Runner?

Because humans were worried about the androids getting out of control, they were designed to live only four years. Selling retirement savings plans to these androids was a tough gig.

7. In what movie (starring Bruce Dern) were the last trees on Earth put into a museum that was kept aboard a space station?

The movie was Silent Running, released in 1977. The film is a moody and largely forgotten classic. Watch it if you can find a copy.

8. How did the sinister aliens reach Earth in the first two film versions of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers?

In both the 1956 original and the 1978 remake of Body Snatchers, the pod people drifted in from space in the form of plant spores. I haven't seen the latest remake (starring Nicole Kidman), but I think the story was changed to involve some kind of plague. All versions were based on a terrific story titled Sleep No More by Jack Vance.

9. Which British science fiction movie from the 1950s featured man eating plants that could move around?

The British movie was Day Of The Triffids, released during 1958. After seeing this one as a small boy, I slept with a can of weed killer next to my bed for at least a year.

10. What was the name of the film that featured groups called the Eloi and the Morlocs?

Released in 1960, The Time Machine starred Rod Taylor and was based on the novel of the same name written by H.G. Wells. Taylor played a time traveller who went to the far future to find that humanity had split into two races, the beautiful but childlike Eloi and the brutish Morlocs. This movie somehow makes me think of the current American presidential primaries.

By the way, some of you may dispute the dates that I've given for the release of certain movies. Sometimes, the actual year of release is hard to pin down because different years will be shown in various movie histories.

I hope you scored well on the questions. Let me know if you enjoy this kind of quiz.

George

P.S. Visit my website at: www.checkmatefiction.com for some free short stories.

Posted by gjcondon on 2008-03-03 13:12:21 | Rating: