Easy Mel Trivia Quiz

Answer: Peekskill

Peekskill, New York: In place names in New York State from the Dutch, a "kill" is usually a stream. About 50 miles north of the Big Apple, Peekskill also is the birthplace of Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman) and former New York Governor George Pataki.

Answer: Gallipoli (1981)

The film notes for Gallipoli indicate that the Battle of Gallipoli on the Turkish coast "is to Australians what the Alamo is to Americans." The Gallipoli campaign began on 25 April 1915. The day April 25 is ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the "father" of the modern Turkish state, was also a commander in that campaign.

Answer: The Patriot

Francis Marion did participate in the Grant Cherokee expedition during the French and Indian War, and was also very effective as a guerrilla leader against the British in the U.S. Revolution. He owned a plantation on the Santee River and was a member of the South Carolina Provincial Congress.

Answer: Signs

According to crop circle expert Freddy Silva and the official "Crop Circle Secrets" website, the circles are the result of "energy under intelligent guidance," and are not just bent over by people with boards or other mundane equipment. The crop stems are softened by intense heat before being bent, so they are not broken.

The soil under the crop circles also undergoes "changes in its crystalline structure and mineral composition," all ruling out normal human causes of the phenomena.

Answer: What Women Want

Helen Hunt also stars in "As Good as It Gets" (1997), with Jack Nicholson in the male lead. Nicholson also stars in "Something's Gotta Give" (2003) Adam Brody has the male lead in "In the Land of Women" (2007).

Answer: Mad Max

Mel made three "Mad Max" films, as the original was followed up by "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" (1981),and "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" (1985). Tina Turner plays Aunty Entity in "Thunderdome" and belts out "We Don't Need Another Hero" in the soundtrack.

Answer: Apocalypto

The language used in this film is referred to as "Yucatec Maya" with subtitles for non-Mayan viewers. A great deal of research went into the making of the film. Among the reviews on the IMDb website is one which refers to Mel as "one of the greatest artists of our time." Some of the other reviews are not so complimentary.

Answer: We Were Soldiers

At the conclusion of the film, the names of all the American dead at the Battle of Ia Drang are listed. The film is based on Moore's book, "We Were Soldiers Once...And Young," which he co-wrote with Joseph L. Galloway, who also participated in the actual battle.

Many reviews comment on the faithfulness of the film to the actual battle, as well as to how the war affected the participants, as well as their wives and families at home. Moore's unit is the Seventh Cavalry, the same unit that fought at the Little Bighorn in 1876.

After the battle, the Ia Drang Valley became known as the "Valley of Death."

Answer: Maverick

Garner also appears in the film, but instead of being a member of the Maverick family, he plays Marshal Zane Cooper, like Maverick, a gambler and basic scoundrel. The TV series, which ran on ABC from 1957 to 1962, created three Mavericks besides Garner's Bret: two brothers, Bart and Brent, as well as a cousin named Beau.

Answer: Hamlet

According to the IMDb, prior to this movie role, Mel's only other Shakesepearean role was Juliet in an Australian all-male production of the Bard's classic tragedy, "Romeo and Juliet." However, Wikipedia says Mel also acted "in an experimental production," also in Australia, as Queen Titania in "A Midsummer Night's Dream."