It's So Fascinating! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pocketwatch

Perhaps you've seen it (or maybe you don't remember!); there's been a long-standing trope involving psychiatrists and hypnosis wherein a patient, seeking answers, allows a doctor to place them into a suggestive, subconscious state so that they'll be more willing to reveal their deepest secrets that may be locked away from themselves and repressed over time. Sigmund Freud was, at one time, a proponent of this method, though his work in psychoanalysis pulled him away from that. Since then though, movies and TV shows have often used a swinging pocketwatch as a focus for the technique. "You are getting sleeeeeepy...!"

Answer: Campfire

Studies from anthropologists in the U.K. and the U.S. have backed the notion that the campfire is a calming setting for most because it hearkens back to a more primitive time. Early ancestors of humans would use fire for warmth, light, and cooking food, and over time it's said that evolutionary traits ingrained in man, like enjoying the campfire for its practical uses and societal benefits (ie. drawing others closer for safety and survival), have remained. So the more you stare into the fire, the more relaxed and sociable you'll be.

Answer: Magpie

While it's probably true that some birds will pick up shiny things for whatever reason, scientists have looked into the whole assumption that crows and magpies (and jackdaws) are fiends for all things shiny and disproven the claim as nothing more than an old wives tale.

In fact, studies held in the UK demonstrated that birds placed in proximity to small, shiny objects were more afraid of there being something new and shiny than they were fascinated by it-- and they were afraid so much so that they were less inclined to eat.

At least the research is fascinating...

Answer: Trainwreck

Trainwrecks are positively horrible disasters which often result in lives lost and horrible messes on and off the rails. Over the centuries, as rail travel and transport increased, especially in the United States, such disasters gained prominence in news media. Such tragic events could be horrifying to view, so much so that they would be repellent, but they're also enticing in a way. That's why, people refer to a horrible movie or TV show or event that's so bad it's watchable in its badness as a 'trainwreck'.

A 2015 film called "Trainwreck" (starring Amy Schumer) used the term fairly obviously, referring to both the main character and her relationships.

Answer: Vampire

This is a bit of an interesting trope since vampires can go either way; you could watch a movie featuring a sexy, seductive vampire or you could see a vampire who's disgusting to the point of visceral horror. Nonetheless, the idea of a vampire using 'glamour' to attract its prey is one that authors take or leave depending on their stories.

While some vampires (like versions of Dracula or LeFanu's Camilla) use this power to draw people in, the vampires in "Daybreakers" certainly don't. And then, of course, "Twilight" uses the power a bit more overtly since its vampires can literally sparkle in sunlight. Talk about glamorous, right?

Answer: Barbara Walters

Starting in 1993, 'Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People' featured the legendary interviewer having discussions with the individuals she deemed most interesting from a news standpoint for that year. While 2000 and 2001 were skipped, Walters continued the tradition for more than two decades, meeting with famous political and religious figures as well as, on one occasion, the cast of "Jersey Shore".

Her most fascinating person, appearing on four lists, was Hillary Clinton.

Answer: Kilgrave

Much of the first season of "Jessica Jones" pitted Krysten Ritter's Jones against Kilgrave, played by David Tennant. In Marvel Comics lore, Kilgrave is also known as the Purple Man, known for his ability to manipulate the minds of the people around him using hormones that can control peoples' minds. If he's able to get near someone and make a suggestion to them, he can instantly convince them to act upon what he's asked of them.

In Jessica's case, this meant falling in love with him and, eventually, fighting to free herself from his unbreakable grasp. Kilgrave was originally a villain in the "Daredevil" comic saga, though it shares its universe (and home city) with Jessica Jones' stories.

Answer: Sirens

Sirens are perhaps best known for appearing in Homer's 'Odyssey', during which Odysseus listened to their songs and begged his men (who stuffed their ears with beeswax to muffle the music) to sail their ship to the mystical creatures, only falling out of their spell when they sailed past and far enough away. Legend has it that the sirens did this to lure ships to their rocky coasts so that they would wreck their vessels. Stories of these creatures persisted in the myths and legends of the Greeks and Romans alike.

Answer: Perfume

"Perfume" (or "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" as the film is known) is a story written by German author Patrick Süskind based on a man born with an innate, superhuman sense of smell who, over time, develops a fascination for perfect scents, inevitably killing over a woman's ideal fragrance.

This also allows him to develop his own scent which, when he's sent for execution for his crimes, completely changes the public's perception of him-- for how could a man of such a scent be a murderer? This is taken to its extreme when, developing this scent further, he's able to attract people in the worst way.

Answer: On your head

I'm fairly certain that one of these wouldn't lull you into a suggestive state or a deep slumber, but it bears investigating the far-from-humble fascinator, a piece of headwear that comes in many shapes and sizes provided it meets the goal of being interesting.

Although fascinators have been fashion accessories for quite a while, they rose in popularity in the early-to-mid 2010s after an image of Princess Beatrice wearing a fascinator sparked an internet meme. Since then, dress codes at royal gatherings in the UK have tightened.

But that hasn't stopped elaborate headwear from reappearing on occasion since ostentatious accessories are always in fashion...or at least begging for critical review.