Popcorn Crunchers, Reel 93 Trivia Quiz

Answer: the City of Atlantis

The explorers come upon the ancient city of Atlantis but find it deserted. To film the city, a miniature model of lost Atlantis was constructed on the set. During the earthquake scene, copious quantities of cooked oatmeal doubled for the lava which destroyed the ruins of the city. A similar technique was used to depict the lava in "The Time Machine" (1960).

Answer: The Scream of the Vampire

In "The Vampire's Coffin" (1959), Count Lavud, the vampire, is portrayed by Germán Robles. In "I Vampiri" (1957), also called "Lust of the Vampire", Professor Julien du Grand, played by Antoine Balpêtrè, draws blood from young women to keep his mistress young.

In "El vampiro" (1957), Carmen Montejo plays Eloisa, who is a female vampire. "Scream of the Vampire" is an art print by Voyvoda S. "Vampire Scream" is an 2000 album by Lareine. There is no record of a 1950s film called "The Scream of the Vampire".

Answer: impalement by a piece of broken furniture

Nancy Perkins goes to Miss Branding's office/private laboratory to beg her to release her from the power which makes her a vampire. Branding hypnotically turns Nancy into her vampire self but, rather than being obedient, Nancy strangles Miss Branding with the chain of the Carpathian amulet around her neck.

In the struggle, Nancy falls and is impaled and killed by a piece of furniture broken in the fight.

Answer: Vincent Price

Price was perfectly cast as the rich and eccentric host of the party in "House on Haunted Hill". His character had been married three times before, all of which marriages ended under mysterious circumstances. His fourth marriage to Annabella was tumultuous.

He suspected her of trying to poison him to obtain his wealth. She suspected him of plotting to kill her to be rid of her as, she believed, he had his three previous wives.

Answer: plastic flying saucer model kits

Some critics jeered that the flying saucers in "Plan 9 from Outer Space" looked like hubcaps. Others ridiculed them as being made of paper plates. According to the documentary "Flying Saucers Over Hollywood, The Plan 9 Companion" (1991), they were made from 1/48 scale plastic model kits.

These kits were designed by Paul Lindberg and marketed by the Lindberg Line beginning in 1952. The kits came with a miniature little green man under the clear dome on the top of the saucer; these were removed for filming.

The model used by the aliens Eros and Tanna was modified by adding a square base to match the exterior of the spaceship in the cemetery.

Answer: It was one of 16 Mother Riley films.

Arthur Lucas developed the drag character of Old Mother Riley. He played her in 16 films, 15 of them with his then wife Kitty McShane playing his daughter. "Old Mother Riley's Jungle Treasure" (1951) was the last film he made with McShane; they were divorced thereafter. "Mother Riley Meets the Vampire" (1952) suffers from her loss; the producers thought that bringing Bela Lugosi into the film would compensate. Lucan died in 1954; he was scheduled to make "Old Mother Riley's Trip to Mars" that year.

Answer: He is electrocuted.

Bullets don't stop him. A bazooka blast doesn't stop him. Flamethrowers don't stop him. Benton escapes from the sewers of Los Angeles into a power station. He climbs to the top of a rail-mounted mobile gantry. He inadvertently sets the crane in motion.

A dangling hook runs into the main transformer which explodes in a rain of sparks and the electricity (which created the Butcher) sears him into ashes.

Answer: directing

Stanley Kramer (1913-2001) was a politically-liberal producer and director of "message films" dealing with controversial social issues. He was recognized with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1961. He both produced and directed "On the Beach" (1959).

He produced "The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T" (1953), "Pressure Point" (1962), and "A Child Is Waiting" (1963). Kramer retired to Bellevue, Washington, across Lake Washington from Seattle, where he wrote movie reviews for "The Seattle Times" (1980-1996) and hosted a weekly movie programme on KCPQ-TV.

Answer: the Muerto Desert of Mexico

Although the geographic setting of "Mesa of Lost Women" is somewhat fluid and imprecise, it identifies itself as a story in and around the Muerto Desert of Mexico. "Muerto" is the Spanish word for "dead" or "death". The couple, Grant Phillips and Doreen Culbertson, are lost in the Muerto Desert.

They are taken to the "Amer-Exico Field Hospital" somewhere nearby. The mad doctor Arana's secret laboratory is located atop the Zarpa Mesa (which was doubled by Red Rock Canyon in California, during shooting).

Answer: the launch/orbit of Sputnik I by the USSR

In October of 1957, the Soviet Union successfully launched and orbited Sputnik I. Eight weeks later, production began on "War of the Satellites". Producer and special-effects maker Jack R. Rabin (1914-1987) suggested to Roger Corman a film about satellites to capitalize on the press coverage of Sputnik. Corman pitched the idea to Steve Broidy at Allied Artists which agreed to fund the film if Corman could deliver it in 90 days... which he did. Filming started 9 December 1957.