39 Steven Spielberg Trivia Questions & Answers

Answer: Catch Me If You Can

In "Catch Me If You Can" Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks) chases con artist Frank Abagnale, Jr., (Leonardo DiCaprio) in this biographical comedy-drama from 2002. The real-life Abagnale, who pulled off cons worth millions of dollars before he was 19, met DiCaprio, and liked the film.

Answer: Reese's Pieces

When E.T. is accidentally left behind by his spaceship, he makes his way to a suburban community and into the backyard of one resident. Ten year old Elliott is the first to see E.T. To prove to his family that what he saw is real, Elliott leaves a trail of Reese's Pieces candy in the backyard to lure the creature to his bedroom.

Answer: Duel

During the scene where Dennis Weaver stops to help the schoolbus full of children.

Answer: Close Encounters of the Third Kind

UFO-obsessed Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) may have been played by Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman, Gene Hackman or Al Pacino. Even Jack Nicholson was offered the part. But Dreyfuss fought for the role in this 1977 movie nominated for nine Academy Awards. A close encounter of the third kind is one where human beings actually see aliens. In 2007 this film was preserved in the National Film Registry.

Answer: Peter Pan

Peter Pan is a character J. M. Barrie created in the 1900s. Steven Spielberg's "Hook" tells the story of what happens when Peter Pan grows up. Peter no longer remembers his Neverland days; he is a workaholic and a somewhat absentee father. When Captain Hook kidnaps Peter's children, Jack and Maggie, Tinker Bell and the Lost Boys help Peter remember who he is and come up with a plan to save his kids.

Answer: 1941

'1941' is set in the days after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbour. The people of California are all in a state of panic, fearing an invasion by the Japanese. When a Japanese submarine is discovered sailing up and down the coast, the nervous public are finally able to see the enemy and to defend their homes from attack.

Answer: The Lost World

At the end of the movie when the characters are watching television.

Answer: Schindler's List

German Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) saves the lives of over one thousand Jews while Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley) plays his accountant and Helen Hirsch (Embeth Davidtz) is trapped in the sick ardour of an SS officer (played by Ralph Fiennes). This 1993 film directed by Spielberg won seven Academy Awards.

Answer: Severed head

There is no trace of human remains inside the shark the locals caught, so Chief Brody and Matt Hooper search the water for the real killer. When they come upon the half sunken boat of a local fisherman, Hooper goes underwater to find out more. While he is examining the vessel, a severed head ascends from the wreckage.

Answer: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

Elliott discovered an alien in his family's garden, where he was looking for food. His colleagues, some alien botanists, accidentally left him behind, because they had been disturbed by humans as they were collecting samples. Elliott and E.T. became friendly, but E.T. really wishes to return home. He built a device to communicate with his kind, but the task force are equally busy, trying to track down the alien. The movie was released in 1982, and is one of the highest grossing movies of all time.

Answer: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Aykroyd appears towards the beginning as Indy, Willie and Shorty are boarding the plane.

Answer: Empire of the Sun

Jamie Graham (Christian Bale) is a British boy who becomes a prisoner of war in Japan. Bale was just 12 when he was cast, recommended by Spielberg's then-wife Amy Irving. Basie (John Malkovich) is a ship steward and Mrs. Victor (Miranda Richardson) plays a British woman. Spielberg directed this 1987 "loss of innocence" film.

Answer: Devil's Tower

A worldwide phenomenon takes place, one in which people are experiencing close encounters with alien aircraft. All the contactees are then haunted by a familiar, yet unknown, image. Roy Neary is one of the people experiencing this strange occurrence; he tries to recreate the image using everything from mashed potatoes to shaving cream. Another contactee, artist Jillian Guiler, attempts to capture the image on canvas. Soon, Roy, Jillian, and hundreds around the world discover the image they are seeing is a monument in Wyoming known as Devil's Tower. Many of the contactees flock to this spot, but most are defeated by the government's barricade.

Answer: Sam Neill

Some scientists managed to bring dinosaurs to life, using DNA taken from dinosaur blood that had been obtained from insects trapped in amber. A theme park was built to show off the dinosaurs, but someone plans to steal dinosaur embryos. When the security system of the park is disabled, the dinosaurs are able to escape from their enclosures and a group of visitors to the park are left to run for their lives. Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Samuel L. Jackson and Richard Attenborough also starred in this great Spielberg movie.

Answer: Steve McQueen

Steve McQueen, though interested, turned down the role. But after meeting several times to discuss the role he and Spielberg became good friends.

Answer: The Color Purple

"The Color Purple", a 1985 debut for Whoopi Goldberg (Celie Harris), earned her an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe win. "The Color Purple" was filmed in North Carolina and set in the early 1900s. Celie bears two children by her father, and is forced to marry a cruel husband (Danny Glover). With the help of her husband's mistress Shug (Margaret Avery), Celie's sister (Akosua Busia), and an abused but spirited woman named Sofia (Oprah Winfrey), Celie successfully stands up to her abuser. The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, though it took away none, one of the few times in award history that this occurred. The novel, by Alice Walker, won a Pulitzer Prize.

Answer: The Sugarland Express

1974's "The Sugarland Express" is Steven Spielberg's first theatrical feature and the first time the director worked with composer John Williams. The two teamed again the following year when John Williams composed the score for "Jaws". Other Spielberg-Williams collaborations include "Raiders of the Lost Ark", "Jurassic Park" and "Saving Private Ryan".

Answer: Alice Walker

Spielberg took a big chance with this film, and it paid off with great critical success. Not only was 'The Color Purple' nominated for 11 Academy Awards (though, stunningly, it won zero Oscars), but it also managed to introduce the world to both Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey. Both of them were nominated for actress Oscars in this, their collective acting debuts. Spielberg was not nominated for Best Director, but he was up for a Best Picture nomination.

Answer: Charlton Heston and John Wayne

Both Heston and Wayne felt that the entire '1941' production was un-American and turned down the part.

Answer: World War I

"War Horse" is based on a 1982 children's novel by British author Michael Morpurgo, set in WWI. Murpurgo met a handful of WWI veterans, who told of the salient role their horses held, and of the million horses who died on the British side alone. Murpurgo estimated that in total 10 million horses died. In Spielberg's movie, a single horse serves not only war efforts, but a range of human hearts the horse encounters. Filmed in Dartmoor, England, Spielberg used 14 different horses to play the lead horse character. Lead actor Jeremy Irvine starred in his first film role.

Answer: Tweety 2 and Tweety 3

Tweety the bird is the first and only death in the movie. After his demise, Carol Anne grieves briefly before asking her Mom for a goldfish. By bedtime, Carol Anne is feeding her two new goldfish, claiming, "Tweety 2 and Tweety 3 want seconds."

Answer: Hook

Lucas and Fisher are the kissing couple that float as fairy dust is sprinkled on them. Spielberg leads the pirates in the march onto Hook's ship with Michael's watch on a pillow. And Close is the pirate shut in the chest with the scorpion.

Answer: He's the last surviving brother.

Spielberg won a Best Director Academy Award for this 1998 movie, and Tom Hanks (US Army Captain John H. Miller) was nominated Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance leading seven men in a dangerous search for paratrooper Private First Class Jim Ryan (Matt Damon). Ryan is the only surviving brother of four. Written by Robert Rodat (who was nominated for Best Original Screenplay), the film is based loosely on four Niland brothers who served in WWII. The "Sole Survivor Policy" that drives the plot was enacted in the US military after five Sullivan brothers were killed in WWII. The policy was later extended to include daughters, and was used during the Iraq war. In 2007, after two of three brothers died, the third was sent home.

Answer: The Lost World: Jurassic Park

In 1993, Steven Spielberg directed the hit movie "Jurassic Park". The sequel, "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" came four years after the success of the original and is also directed by Spielberg.
"Jaws" is one of many Steven Spielberg hits; though some characters are carried on in its several sequels, neither the direction nor success of Spielberg are included.
Steven Spielberg did not direct "Gremlins" or its sequel "Gremlins 2: The New Batch", but he did serve as executive producer for both movies and he had a cameo role in part one as the man in the electric wheelchair.
Though the story and screenplay for "Poltergeist" are written by Steven Spielberg, neither it nor its sequels are directed by him.

Answer: Amistad

'Amistad' is based on a revolt by Africans on the slave ship Amistad in 1839. The slaves take control of the ship, but the American navy captures them and takes them to America. The story then goes on to describe the trial of the slaves on their arrival in America. Morgan Freeman and Matthew McConaughey play characters defending the slaves. Anthony Hopkins is John Quincy Adams.