Question: Throughout the series, people mutate fairly soon after their exposure to kryptonite. Is it ever explained how Lana has managed to wear a piece of kryptonite around her neck for 12 years and not change?
Answered 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: Was the original actor who portrayed O'Neill in the Stargate movie ever considered for the role for the TV show? Or was Richard Dean Anderson picked from the get-go? And if so, why?
Chosen answer: Anderson is one of the producers of the show, so I guess right from the start he wanted the role of Jack. (I believe he was instrumental in making the show happen) Nor do I see Kurt Russell wanting to do a weekly TV show.
Question: What religion are the Simpsons? I know they're Christians, but what branch (e.g. Catholic? Protestant?).
Answer: Since Reverend Lovejoy is both married and referred to as 'Reverend', they must be Protestants. They never name the exact protestant denomination.
The Western Branch of American Reform Presbylutheranism First Church of Springfield.
Question: Right after Ted is dumped by Elaine, was that Harrison Ford that played the religious zealot he punched out?
Question: If you read the book version of Contact you know that the stuff about transcendental numbers and the Artist's Signature was left out of the movie. This makes no sense to me, since it's not only the real ending, it's the whole POINT of the story. Without this information, the story's fundamental question (does God exist?) is not answered in the movie. Does anyone know why this was left out?
Answer: If anything, I think the film's producers deliberately left godly topics unaddressed (and questions dangling, unanswered) because they didn't want to alienate any particular audience. However, we know the producers of "Contact" certainly did vilify religion through the sinister scenes with Joseph, the evangelical extremist. At the same time, the film created empathy for the president's glib theological adviser, Palmer Joss. So, I don't think the film was shying away from religious topics, and I think it was pretty fair to the religious viewpoint, for the most part. But this movie wasn't about religion; it was about a primitive, materialistic, self-centered and aggressive species (humanity) reluctantly acknowledging the existence of vastly more intelligent and even godlike entities throughout the cosmos. Even the first-contact entities, advanced as they are, acknowledge other entities much more ancient and much more advanced (the virtual architects of the space/time conduit). The implication was that we live in a universe that may be populated with many intelligent entities that answer every human criteria of godhood. Ellie's narrow-minded atheism was surely shaken to its foundation by her experience; and, while she didn't "convert" to archaic earthly religions, she was spiritually a different person upon her return. The film, however, is open-ended and fence-straddling and doesn't presume to definitively answer the question of the existence of god, leaving it up to the audience to decide.
Answer: The film chooses to focus on Ellie's personal journey and how she deals with and comes to terms with what happens - it doesn't really involve God at all, other than the inclusion of Palmer Joss as a religious advocate, choosing to restrict itself to the much less theologically controversial theme of a straight first contact scenario, without the religious overtones. Given the depth of feeling on religious matters in the US, it's hardly surprising that the filmmakers preferred to leave this particular hot topic out. While Carl Sagan died during production of the film, he both co-produced and was involved in the story process, so he was clearly not concerned about this change.
Question: What exactly is the purpose of the inoculation-scar looking thing on the Necromongers neck, if it doesn't keep Vaako and his wife from plotting overthrow of the Lord Marshall, or help suss out the existence of the other remaining Furian?
Chosen answer: They say it in the film, it is one pain that helps to ease another. It is like an initiation and a branding all in one. It is the Mark of the Necromonger.
Question: On the back of the PAL DVD there is a picture of Alex holding back Clear from a car during the day. It looks to be at the place where Terry was killed. Does anyone know if this is a deleted scene not on the DVD? Also, on the commentary the makers of the film said that they shot the bus hit from inside the bus, as well as from the side. Does anyone know where these scenes are now?
Answer: The scene where Terry was killed was most likely shot during the day. It is quite common for film makers to film a scene during the day to get the right lighting effects and then later CGI the night sky and the proper shadowing. This is most effective when you have an area that would otherwise be too dark or have environment that wont allow for the proper lighting for a night shoot. As for the bus, your guess is as good as mine.
Question: The very last mistake listed for Mary Poppins says that you can see the lamp post coming through the bag and the table. I have watched this scene many times (in slow motion and otherwise) and I can't seem to find what you are talking about. Could someone please explain it's talking about?
Answer: There's no reason you shouldn't be able to see it, it's so obvious, unless you have the movie on DVD. It's possible they fixed the framing of the scene for its DVD release.
Question: Someone submitted in the trivia section that there's a shop in Knockturn Alley where the entire set of Harry Potter books are in the window. I couldn't find them. Are they really there? I think if they are, they might be the British version of the books, and I have no idea what they look like.
Answer: Yes they are there, and yes, they are the British versions of the books. This page has pictures of the British covers: http://www.bloomsbury.com/BookCatalog/subject.asp?Category_id=28.
Question: When Morrow bites off Eboshi's arm, the wolf's head has been somehow cut off her body. When the Forest Spirit took her life away, the head was attached. How did the head become detached?
Answer: You can see part of the ooze flowing across Moro's neck, thus it gets severed.
Question: Are there any Easter Eggs on the normal (not extended) DVDs of any of the three films?
Answer: No. All of the easter eggs are on the extended edition of the films.
Question: I know the first film had dialogue references to chapters of the book, such as "A Shortcut to Mushrooms" and "A Long Expected Party". Did this film have any such references?
Answer: Nothing so precise. Like the Two Towers, the chapter headings in the Return of the King tend more to the simple, like "The Siege of Gondor", "Minas Tirith", or "Mount Doom". These do come up in dialogue, obviously, but can't really be considered as references to the chapter titles in the same way as with the Fellowship of the Ring.
Question: I know the first film had dialogue references to chapters of the book, such as "A Shortcut to Mushrooms" and "A Long Expected Party". Did this film have any such references?
Answer: Not really, no. The chapter titles of The Two Towers tend to be relatively factual, like "Helm's Deep", which, while obviously said during the film, can hardly be considered a specific reference to the chapter title. The closest is probably Aragorn calling out "Riders of Rohan" when they encounter them on the plains - there is a chapter with this title (adding "The" to the beginning).
Question: Is there a reason why Uma Thurman's handwriting is so clumsy? I was thinking it would have something to do with her getting shot in the head.
Answer: Maybe it does or maybe she just has bad penmanship.
Question: One of the trivia entry's mentions something about Go-Bots, who are they?
Answer: Go-Bots were transforming-vehicle toys from around the same period, competition for (or rip-off of, depending on your opinion) the Transformers.
Question: What do the castle guards pour on Mongo's head that gives him the foamy hair style and eventually causes his arms to break off?
Answer: Steamed milk.
Question: What if they were to destroy the Matrix, then all the humans would be free but the problem is where would billions of human beings go? Zion, the last city, can't hold them all and they can't live in the tunnels or above the earth's crust because there is no food or water there. The whole war doesn't seem to be well thought out and seems like a big plot hole on the Wachowskis part.
Answer: The inhabitants of Zion seem to have little problem with killing off dozens of 'real people' during their constant gunfights inside the Matrix. This suggests that they would be willing to sacrifice the bulk of humanity. Remember, it's supposed to be difficult for adults who spent their entire lives in the Matrix to survive being suddenly removed from it anyway.
Question: What does NID stand for?
Answer: It stands for either National Intelligence Department, or National Intelligence Division, although it's never expressly stated on the show.
Answer: Fun fact: The producers were originally going to call the NID the "NRD" for "Not a Real Department", but changed it so they could make it mean something sensible if they ever needed to.
Join the mailing list
Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.
Answer: The kryptonite only creates mutations when it reacts with the environment and an individual. Remember, the FDA and several environmental groups did check out Smallville after the meteor shower, but found no danger in the rocks. Obviously they're not always emitting mutating rays, or all the flora and fauna of the surrounding area would be horribly mutated.
Phoenix