Popcorn Crunchers, Reel 120 Trivia Quiz

Answer: a cavern, an ocean, luminosity

The scientists' goal in piercing the Earth's crust and burrowing into its depths was to locate a place where a remnant of humanity might retreat in the event of thermonuclear war. Many hundreds of miles inside the planet, they discover a gigantic chamber.

It has breathable air. It contains a vast ocean. The whole is lit by some sort of phosphorescence. It affords potable water. Unfortunately, something there (perhaps the atmosphere) causes sterility thus, if humanity repaired there in an emergency, it would afford sanctuary to only one generation.

Answer: Godzilla vs. the Matango

"Godzilla" (1954) was the first kaiju movie to introduce Godzilla. "Godzilla, King of the Monsters!" (1956) was a heavily re-edited version of "Godzilla" (1954) for American audiences. "Godzilla Raids Again" (1955) was the second of the Godzilla kaiju franchise.

There was "Mothra vs. Godzilla" (1964), "Godzilla vs. Hedorah" (1971), "Godzilla vs. Gigan" (1972), "Godzilla vs. Megalon" (1973), "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla" (1974), "Godzilla vs. Biollante" (1989), "Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah" (1991) "Godzilla vs. Mothra" (1992), "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II" (1993), "Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla" (1994), "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah" (1995), "Godzilla vs. Megaguirus" (2000), and "Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla" (2002).

There was no "Godzilla v. The Matango". The Matango were creatures made of fungus in a film named after them in 1963. Ishiro Honda directed. Godzilla did not appear (apparently having no interest in mycology).

Answer: a nuclear-tipped missile

The saucer is not destroyed by the torpedoes shot at it by the Tigershark. The alien is not destroyed by the Very flare shot into its eye. It returns to the North Pole to recharge its magnetic energy sufficiently to escape Earth. The submariners rig a surface-to-air missile with a nuclear warhead and launch it, just as the UFO lifts off, destroying it and its alien pilot.

Answer: George Fenneman

George Fenneman (1919-1997) was the announcer for "You Bet Your Life" and Marx's straight man for many years. He played on both the radio version (1947-1960) and the television version (1950-1961). Fenneman's next-door neighbour Christian Nyby was contracted to direct "The Thing from Another World".

He persuaded Fenneman to take a small part as Dr. Redding, one of the research scientists. After the experience, he said he found it difficult to adjust to people speaking all at once and to changes made in the script "on the fly" on the day of production.

Answer: Chet Huntley

Chester Robert "Chet" Huntley (1911-1974) began his broadcasting career at Seattle radio station KIRO-AM in 1934. He was one of the two anchors of "The Huntley Brinkley Report" (1956-1970). Huntley read the prologue to "Day the World Ended".

Answer: added narration by Ed McMahon

When the movie was first released in 1955, it was promptly banned by the New York State Film Board for being inhuman, indecent, and gruesome. It was re-edited to eliminate four scenes and re-released late in 1955. The rights to the film were purchased in 1957 by producer-distributor Jack H. Harris (the guy who produced "The Blob" in 1958) who added narration throughout by a young Ed McMahon (the guy who became Johnny Carson's sidekick on "The Tonight Show" (1962-1992).

Answer: the US Navy declined to assist

The producers of "On the Beach" approached the United States Navy about access to a US nuclear submarine. The Department of Defense refused. No reason was given; some suspected that Gregory Peck's anti-war involvement may have been a factor. The actual submarine used to portray the USS Sawfish was a British non-nuclear diesel-electric boat, HMS Andrew.

In 1959, the British Royal Navy stationed its submarines in Australia. In 1967, the Australian navy began to commission its own subs. In the film, the following written notice appears: "We acknowledge with appreciation the assistance given by the Royal Australian Navy and, in particular, by the officers and men of H.M.A.S. Melbourne and H.M.S. Andrew." The Melbourne was the aircraft carrier seen near the beginning of the film.

Answer: acting

Edward Chapman (1901-1977) was an English comic actor on both television and in motion pictures. He starred opposite Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom as the straight man Mr. William Grimsdale. His few horror and science fiction films include "Things to Come" (1936), "X the Unknown" (1956), and "The Man Who Haunted Himself" (1970).

His performance in "X the Unknown" drew upon his wartime experience as an intelligence officer in the RAF.

Answer: Los Angeles, California

While waiting for their flight to Los Angeles from Washington, D.C., Dr. Ralph Harrison and Professor Arnold Nordstrom share supper and their discontent with the United States' manned space programme. Professor Nordstrom has an underground laboratory at his home in L.A. Nordstrom and Gadge attend a presentation on space flight at the Griffith Park Planetarium near Hollywood.

Some of the film for "Tobor the Great" (1954) was shot at the Iverson Movie Ranch in Chatsworth, California.

Answer: Peace

The cave men do not ride horses. When a man on horseback rides into their village, they don't recognize him as a man and attack him. The Black-Bearded One urges the men to kill the "creature". The Symbol Maker's Son tries to protect him, saying he is a man like them, riding another animal.

The man has traveled all the way from The Burning Plains to speak with them. Exhausted, he falls off his horse and utters a single word -- "Peace" -- before the Black-Bearded One kills him with a spear.