Popcorn Crunchers, Reel 03 Trivia Quiz

Answer: mushrooms

The diet of both the Sumerians and the mutant mole people is mushrooms. The mutants farm and harvest them for everyone to consume. One might wonder how the people could survive without sunshine to produce Vitamin D. Mushrooms are rich in Vitamin D.

Answer: Teenage Martians on Earth

Producers of B-horror films enjoyed great commercial success in the late 1950s by grafting their stories into teenage culture. This likely reflected the demographic of the audiences crowding into movie houses and drive-in theatres to enjoy their work. "I Was a Teenage Werewolf" (1957), "I Was a Teenage Frankenstein" (1957), and "Teenage Cave Man" (1958) were all examples of this trend. "Teenage Martians on Earth" is not because it does not exist.

There was, however, a film called "Teenagers From Outer Space" (1959) which was a sort of sci-fi teen romance picture.

Answer: He needs blood transfusions from the living.

Doctor Callistratus is wrongly accused of being a vampire because his blood-typing experiments require the blood of living subjects. After his execution, his servant resurrects him and compels another doctor to do a heart transplant on him. Unfortunately, his blood cells break down continually and he requires transfusions of fresh blood which he obtains from his patients in a prison for the criminally insane which he operates.

Answer: Richard Carlson

Richard Carlson (1912-1977) was the son of a lawyer. He earned a master's degree in English and taught drama before becoming an actor. "The Magnetic Monster" (1953) was his first horror and science fiction movie; it led to several others: "The Maze" (1953), "It Came from Outer Space" (1953), and "Creature from the Black Lagoon" (1954). He concluded his career directing more than acting.

Answer: He thinks it is blasphemous and unnatural.

Scientist Victor Barbicane, played by Joseph Cotten, invents an explosive called Power X which is more potent than anything used in the American Civil War. He is persuaded to use it to send a rocket to the Moon rather than develop it as a weapon. His rival and enemy Stuyvesant Nicholls, played by George Sanders, believes that space travel violates the laws of God and nature.

Answer: Satan's Satellites

"Zombies of the Stratosphere" was produced in 12 chapters running a total of 167 minutes. Each chapter had its own name, e.g. "The Zombie Vanguard", "Battle of the Rockets", "The Iron Executioner", "The Human Torpedo", "Flying Gas Chamber", "Man vs. Monster", and "Tomb of the Traitors". Each episode ran about 13 minutes and ended with a cliffhanger intended to bring the audience back the next week.

In 1958, these episodes were edited into one 70-minute theatrical feature which was titled "Satan's Satellites".

This was one of 14 serials which Republic edited into feature films. "Satan's Satellites" was later colourized for television broadcast.

Answer: Roger Corman

The most prolific director-producer of B horror and science fiction movies in the 1950s, Roger Corman directed "She Gods of Shark Reef" (1958) and shot "Naked Paradise" (1958) back-to-back in the same location. Corman gave the cast and crew one day off between pictures.

It was not uncommon for him to shoot two movies in the same place, when required to travel. The second film was renamed "Thunder Over Hawaii" and was re-released in 1960.

Answer: make-up

Ben Nye (1907-1986) was a pioneer in movie make-up. He headed the make-up department at Twentieth Century Fox. After his retirement in 1967, he founded a make-up company which produced make-up for consumers, actors and people with disfiguring scars. Nye worked on over 500 films at Twentieth Century Fox including "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951), "The King and I" (1956), "The Fly" (1958) and "The Alligator People" (1959).

As regards the headpiece which he designed for the film, Nye said "I never did anything as sophisticated or original as 'The Fly'."

Answer: Himalayas and Los Angeles

"The Snow Creature" is presented in two parts. The first occurs somewhere in the Himalayas (presumably adjacent to India), and the second in Los Angeles, California. While no locale is specified in the first half, it is curious that the "sherpas" all speak Japanese! The sewer scenes were shot in the actual sewers under Los Angeles.

Other scenes were shot in the Bronson Caves in Bronson Canyon in Griffith Park in Los Angeles.

Answer: controlling the minds of all people

The beast has no body, can occupy the body of another creature, can control the minds of other creatures and direct their behaviour. In the beast's own words: "From millions of light-years away I approach your planet. Soon my spaceship will land on Earth. I need your world. I feed on fear, live on human hatred. I, a strong mind, without flesh or blood, want your world. First the unthinking, the birds of the air, the animals of the forest, then the weaker of men, shall all do my bidding.

They shall be my ears, my eyes, until your world is mine."