Popcorn Crunchers, Reel 69 Trivia Quiz

Answer: the inventor

The inventor of the flying saucer, Dr. Lawton, played by Roy Engel, keeps his invention in a hanger in a remote part of the Alaska Territory. Neither the American government not the Soviet government owns the ship, not do the Martians, which latter lot are not at all involved.

Answer: Attack of the Deadly Lizards

The monsters in "Return of the Fly" (1959) include a man changed part-way into a guinea pig and another turned part-way into a fly. The monster in "Tarantula" (1955) is a giant hairy spider of the family Theraphosidae. The monster in "The Wasp Woman" (1959) is a businesswoman turned into a homicidal wasp.

A group called Pale Iguana recorded a song titled "Attack of the Killer Lizards" in 2021. "Attack of the Killer lizards" was also a video game released online in 2011. Shane McFee wrote a non-fiction children's book titled "Deadly Lizards" in 2007. Nobody seems to have produced a 1950s motion picture called "Attack of the Deadly Lizards".

Answer: fire

One of the zombie crew members is struck by a car at the beginning of the movie. When the people in the car go back to see the body, it is gone because the zombie was not destroyed. Jeff Clark chokes one of them and it is not deterred. In another confrontation, Jeff stabs a zombie in the neck to no avail. All of the zombies recoil from fire, even as little as a candle's flame, however.

Answer: John Banner

John Banner's character Bavaro is the king of the gypsy moon Posita, a husband, a father, and a friend of Rocky Jones. John Banner (1910-1973) was an Austrian-born actor who appeared on Broadway, in motion pictures and extensively on television. He rarely took parts in science fiction films but did appear in "The Beginning or the End" (1947) and "Crash of Moons" (1954).

Answer: in a pit trap of quick-drying acrylic plastic

The scientists develop a quick-drying acrylic plastic with which to trap one of the invaders inside the body it has commandeered. The first attempt to spray this on a zombie fails and the alien escapes. They then dig a pit, fill it with the acrylic, cover it with branches, and lure one of the zombies to fall into it. Once it is encased in plastic, the alien inside the corpse is immobilized and harmless.

They take the walking dead person (who is no longer capable of walking) into the bunker.

Answer: a novella in "Astounding Science Fiction"

Using the pen name Don A. Stuart, John W. Campbell wrote a short story titled "Who Goes There?". It was published in "Astounding Science Fiction" magazine in 1938. Howard Hawks bought the rights to film it 1950 for $1250. Screenwriter Charles Lederer adapted it with rewrites from Howard Hawks and Ben Hecht.

There were several significant differences between the printed story and the motion picture.

Answer: The Frozen Monster Attacks

When this film was first released to Swedish cinemas on 19 August 1959, it was titled "Rymdinvasion i Lappland" which means "Space Invasion of Lapland". Before its release in the US, it was shortened, scenes were added. This version was released in Europe as "Terror in the Midnight Sun" and in the US as "Invasion of the Animal People".

It remains a great cinematic mystery to which animal people (plural) the title refers.

Answer: acting

Michael Gough (1916-2011) was a British character actor who made one hundred motion pictures, many of them horror films by Hammer Productions. His first was as Sir Arthur Holmwood in "Dracula" (1958). He is remembered as Alfred Pennyworth in four Batman movies, two directed by Tim Burton. Burton cast him in three other films: "Sleepy Hollow" (1999), "Corpse Bride" (2005), and "Alice in Wonderland" (2010).

The British actor appeared on Broadway and won a Tony.

Answer: England

"The Black Sleep" opens in London at Newgate Prison where Dr. Gordon Ramsay awaits execution for a murder he did not commit. The year is 1872. Sir Joel Cadman saves his life by giving him a potion which causes the appearance of death but which can be reversed. He removes the revived Dr. Ramsay to St. Griffins, an old abbey on the east coast of England, which is Cadman's estate.

Answer: True

The first alien's hand, severed in the automobile accident, is far from out of the play in this film. It is mobile (sorta) and still capable of extending its needle-like fingernails to inject victims with alcohol. It can also puncture an automobile tire. Johnny and Joan trap the hand in their car. Artie tries to take a photograph of it but, when his flashbulb goes off, the hand disappears in a puff of smoke.

The title and credits to "Invasion of the Saucer Men" are shown in a book with the title "A true story of a flying saucer". Artie narrates as he turns the pages of the book.

At the end of the film, the closing credits are included in the same book, the page of which is turned by the severed alien hand!