Popcorn Crunchers, Reel 122 Trivia Quiz

Answer: a gigantic tarantula

Without explaining how it grew to such great size, "Earth v. the Spider" introduces a huge arachnid which threatens the small town of River Falls. The desiccated body of Jack Flynn is found, drained of all of its fluids. The enormous tarantula ventures from its cave in search of food: people.

Answer: Monsters Invade New Jersey

The global political situation in the 1950s was tense. Movies about extraterrestrial invasions provided a sort of catharsis. "Invaders from Mars" (1953) is a true classic. It uses the formula which Steven Spielberg exploited in so many of his films: place a child or children in great jeopardy facing an unimaginable threat.

In this film, David MacLean, a pre-teen, is the only one who knows what the Martians are doing to people. "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956), another classic of the 1950s, involves an "invasion" of spores which fall from space on the small community of Santa Mira, California, which spores turn into pods which replace people with simulacra."Invisible Invaders (1959) is a not-so-classic film about aliens who can occupy the bodies of the recently deceased.

Although the 1938 radio version of "The War of the Worlds" involves aliens invading Grover's Mill, New Jersey, there appears not to have been a motion picture called "Monsters Invade New Jersey".

Answer: Dunning drives the mini-sub into its eye.

Marine biologist Steve Dunning, played by Stuart Wade, pilots a one-man electric submarine as part of his research. He spots the creature at the bottom of the cove and drives his submarine directly into its one eye, killing the beast immediately. He then escapes from the sub using the SCUBA gear he was wearing.

Answer: Tor Johnson

In the beginning of "The Black Sleep", Dr. Gordon Ramsay is in Newgate Prison awaiting execution for the murder of Mr. Curry. Near the end of the film, it is disclosed that Curry is not dead but rather chained up in Dr. Cadman's basement, another of his failed brain-surgery experiments. Tor Johnson more often played in Ed Wood's motion pictures but played a character similar to his usual lumbering homicidal giant in this film.

Answer: Saint Matthew 18:3

"The Space Children" begins with a background of space nebulae and stars. In a sort of chiastic ending, the same nebulae and star background is used again. On it are words written in calligraphy: "'Verily, I say unto you... except ye become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." The entire verse, without ellipsis, is: "And said, 'Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.'" In response to the question "Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" Jesus draws to himself a little child and speaks the quoted words.

The film's usage of this text is different: against the perceived insanity of militarising the space race, the movie suggests that it was little children, not their parents, who led the way to global peace.

Answer: both

Victor Mature starred in "One Million B.C." (1940) opposite Carole Landis. The film was co-directed by Hal Roach and Hal Roach Jr. It has so many parts in common with "Prehistoric Women" as to strongly suggest that the latter was a remake of the former. "Prehistoric Women" (1967) was a British motion picture starring Martine Beswick and Michael Latimer.

While the story of the 1950 film is not copied in the latter film of the same name, there are many parallels and it is clearly the literary ancestor.

Answer: solar orbit opposite the Earth

The Pairan Ginko, in her disguise as Hikari Aozora, explains to the scientists at the observatory that her planet, Paira, is in an Earth orbit, directly opposite the Earth, so that Earth people cannot see it.

Answer: directing

Christian Nyby (1913-1993) edited seven major feature films before becoming a director of both motion pictures and television. He directed several television series including "Gunsmoke" and "Wagon Train". His cinematic directorial debut was with "The Thing from Another World" (1951) although there was some suspicion that Howard Hawks did most of the actual directing on the film, allowing Nyby to take the credit in order to qualify him for membership in the Director's Guild. Nyby went on to direct six more feature-length motion pictures.

Answer: New Orleans, Louisiana

Lester and Orville accidentally launch the spaceship. It whizzes past the Statue of Liberty (she ducks), under the Brooklyn Bridge, and through the Lincoln Tunnel. They land on the outskirts of New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Seeing people in outrageous costumes, they decide they have landed on Mars and don their space suits.

This surprises no one as people assume these to be their Mardi Gras costumes.

Answer: True

United Artists took a page out of scary-movie producer William Castle's book in promoting "The Return of Dracula". Castle advertised that he had obtained a $1,000 life insurance policy from Lloyd's of London payable to anyone who died of fright while watching his movie "Macabre" (1958). An article in the 22 May 1958 edition of the "Valley Times" (North Hollywood) reported, "In advertising 'The Return of Dracula' for its Los Angeles engagement, United Artists alleges the film is so terrifying that 12 insurance companies have refused to assume liability risks covering those who see it."