Sub-Titled Films Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ang Lee

Ang Lee has a diverse portfolio of films such as "The Ice Storm" (1997), a telling story of American suburban life; "Sense and Sensibility" (1995), an English costume drama; and "Brokeback Mountain" (2005), a western about same sex love.

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" became the highest grossing foreign language film of that time. It had ten Academy Award nominations winning four, Best Foreign Film, Art Direction, Musical Score, and Cinematography. It won many international awards as well.

The plot revolves around a special sword and romance. Women prove a match for men in combat.

Answer: Spanish Civil War

Eleven year old Ofelia and her pregnant mother travel to be with her step-father, a ruthless military man vowed to hunt down and exterminate the rebels. Ofelia enters a world filled with magical creatures whereby she creates a parable of that war.

Nominated for six Academy Awards, it garnered three wins for Art Direction, Cinematography, and Makeup. It likewise won many international awards.

Answer: The Birdcage

A committed gay couple have a son who is getting married. The plot evolves around trying to make the best possible impression on the young fiance's family. The film has a warmth frequently missing from films about homosexuals. It is funny but never cruel.

"La Cage aux Folles" was nominated for three Oscars for Costume Design, Director, and Screenplay but won none. The English re-make, "The Birdcage" (1997) won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble Performance which included Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, and Diane Weist.

Most gay groups thought the film did much to downplay gay sterotypes.

Answer: Bollywood

At a big wedding, often anything that can go wrong does go wrong. As tradition, the marriage has been arranged by the families so the bride and groom barely know each other. In this instance people travel from around the world to attend, bringing their present with them as well as their past.

Bollywood is based in Mumbai, India formerly Bombay. Typical of Bollywood films are large casts with the plot interspersed with elaborate singing and dancing.

Answer: And your Mother, too

On one level the film can be seen as teenage sex comedy, akin to "American Pie" or "Porky's". On another level we see two young men on the brink of adulthood who are so self-absorbed that they little realize the poverty and winds of social change that swirl around them.

Both come from an elite class and decide to take a road trip. Along the way they meet a woman who acts as a catalyst to the plot. They must face not just the easy libertine adventures that come but their own fears and short-comings.

This Mexican film was well received by critics and was shown as 'unrated' because of the international audience. In the US it no doubt would have been rated NC-17. In France it would probably been deemed suitable for 12 year olds.

Answer: A submarine or U-boat

A friend who recommended this film to me said that he could almost smell the hanging meat, the sweating unwashed bodies, and the claustrophobic air of the submarine. An inexperienced crew prowls the North Atlantic for prey. The Captain must maintain order amid the harsh living conditions of the sub. The film focuses on the crew and there is little political emphasis except apparent indifference.

The film was honored with six Academy Award nominations but won none. It has reappeared in several formats. The original release was about 130 minutes. A director's cut ran 160. A mini-series was produced that ran 310 minutes using original and stock footage.

Answer: Jean de Florette

He does not know that the land is without a water source since his neighbor has diverted the water for his irrigation of commercial flowers. He has to haul water from a great distance with backbreaking labor. In desperation he attempts to dig a new well but is killed by the debris of the explosion.

"Jean de Florette" (1986) did good business in Europe and had a fair market for an independent film in English speaking countries. The sequel, filmed at the same time, was "Manon of the Spring" (1986) which brought resolution.

Answer: Ingmar Bergman

Ingmar Bergman not only was the dominant Swedish director but also won international acclaim for his many films. Not counting international awards, Bergman won three Oscars for Best Foreign Films for "Virgin Spring" (1960), "Through a Glass Darkly" (1961), and "Fanny and Alexander" (1983). in addition he had six nominations for Best Screenplay, two for Directing, and in 1971 was given the Irving Thalberg Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Also in 1983 "Fanny and Alexander" was honored with Academy Awards for Cinematography, Art Direction, and Costume Design. When released theatrically the film ran 178 minutes but later DVD releases run 312 minutes.

Answer: The film got no nominations

This film was a hit all over the world except in the United States as it was totally ignored. It tells the delightful story of a depressed accountant who finds renewal in ballroom dancing.

In 2004 a Hollywood version was cast with a lot of star-power with Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez. The original far outshines the English remake. The Internet Movie Database gave the Japanese version 7.8 stars out of 10, whereas the remake got only 6.1.

Answer: South Korea

"Oldboy" (2003) won the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival and praise from Quentin Tarantino. Roger Ebert said "a powerful film not because of what it depicts, but because of the depths of the human heart which it strips bare". In 2008 it was named one of the ten best Asian films ever made