Popcorn Crunchers, Reel 57 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Robby

Robby the Robot was built specifically for "Forbidden Planet." His cost was about seven percent of the total film budget of $1.9 million. Inside Robby was stuntman Frankie Darro who had to be let go for endangering the expensive robot by operating it while intoxicated.

He was voiced by Marvin Miller. Robby's high cost was amortized over a large number of film and television appearances. He was in "The Invisible Boy" (1957), "Invasion of the Neptune Men" (1961), "Gremlins" (1984), and "Cherry 2000" (1988). Robby also appeared (often in cameo) on television's "The Perry Como Show," "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis," "The Twilight Zone," "Mork and Mindy," "Wonder Woman," "The Man from UNCLE," and "Lost in Space."

Answer: Saturn Invades the Earth

"Invasion of the Saucer Men" (1957) had a working title of "Spacemen Saturday Night" and was released in the UK as "Invasion of the Hell Creatures." "Invisible Invaders" (1959) reused the monster costume from "It! The Terror from Beyond Space" (1958). "Space Invasion of Lapland or Terror in the Midnight Sun" (1959) is a Swedish-American motion picture called "Space Invasion of Lapland" in Sweden and "Terror in the Midnight Sun" in its international release. "Saturn against the Earth" is an Italian animated film ("Saturno contro la Terra") made in 2018. "Journey to Saturn" is a Danish motion picture ("Rejsen til Saturn") made in 2008.

In 1944, DC Comics published "Wonder Woman and the Invasion from Saturn." There does not appear to have been a sci-fi movie in the 1950s called "Saturn Invades the Earth."

Answer: Aqua regia melts her.

Efforts to shoot the alien prove unsuccessful. The geologist in whose cabin the people are holed up decides that the alien is protected by some sort of platinum protective shield. Using chemicals he has in his cabin, he makes a solution of aqua regia and tosses it on her when she enters the cabin. She falls to the floor, fizzes, and disappears.

Answer: Lon Chaney Jr.

Lon Chaney Jr. frequently played the monster in horror films. In "Bride of the Gorilla," he plays a native police commissioner in a South American jungle community. He is an intelligent man but, having been raised in the local culture, believes in the myths and legends which suggest that a man may be turned into a gorilla (a "sukara") by means of a curse.

Answer: outsiders invading his remote domain

In the Japanese version of "Varan the Unbelievable," entomologists come to the valley in which Varan lives, seeking a new species of butterfly. They ignore the village priest's warning not to disturb the peace of "Baradagi" who lives in the local lake. Varan arises, destroys the village and heads for Tokyo.

In the American version, an American military scientist is conducting a desalination experiment in Varan's lake of residence, which upsets the monster. His Japanese wife warns him not to disturb the legendary monster but he ignores her wise advice. Similar destruction follows.

Answer: Disney

Walt Disney himself took a personal interest in "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." This explains the construction of the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage at Walt Disney World (1971-1994). The motion picture was shot at a variety of locations by Walt Disney Productions. It was made in both Technicolor and CinemaScope.

Answer: paddle-ball

Reggie Rymal was a stand-up comedian in the 1950s who used a paddle-ball in his act. He appeared in night clubs and on such television programmes as "The Steve Allen Show" and "The Eddie Cantor Show." He appeared in the motion picture "House of Wax" as a pitchman in front of the theatre, using two paddle-balls (one in each hand) to attract a crowd.

This created an opportunity to utilize the 3-D process to best effect: striking the ball on its elastic tether so that it speeds directly at the camera's lens. Paddle-ball was also used in the movie "The Misfits" where Marilyn Monroe plays paddle-ball in a bar, provocatively, in a polka-dot dress.

Answer: acting

Richard Ollie Crane (1918-1969) was an American character actor who appeared in numerous science fiction and horror roles. He played Rocky Jones in "Rocky Jones, Space Ranger" on television in 1954, episodes of which were later edited together into several made-for-tv movies. He was in the theatrical serials "Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe" (1953) and "Mysterious Island" (1951). His feature films included "The Flying Serpent" (1946), "The Neanderthal Man" (1953), "The Alligator People" (1959), and "House of the Damned" (1963).

Answer: Mexico

"The Curse of the Aztec Mummy" is set in Mexico, in and around Mexico City. The Aztec Empire was coextensive with this region.

Answer: a meteorite shattered on impact

The movie begins with voice-over narration: "From time immemorial the Earth has been bombarded by objects from outer space, bits and pieces of the universe piercing our atmosphere in an invasion that never ends ... the greater part are destroyed in a fiery flash as they strike the layers of air that encircle us." A meteor crashes and the narration continues: "Another strange calling card from the limitless reaches of space.

Its substance unknown, its secrets unexplored, the meteor lies dormant in the night - waiting!" Who could know that these fragments from anhydrous outer space would grow and threaten the world when they came in contact with water?