A "Science Fiction/Double Feature" Filmology Quiz

Answer: The Day the Earth Stood Still

"Michael Rennie was ill the day the earth stood still, but he told us where we stand..."

Regarded as one of the true Sci-Fi classics from the '50s, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" is about an alien being named Klaatu (Rennie) who comes to Earth with an anti-violence warning. Directed by Robert Wise and released in 1951, the film also starred Patricia Neal and Hugh Marlowe. It was nominated for two Golden Globe awards in 1952, winning in the category of "Best Film Promoting International Understanding". In 2008, the American Film Institute ranked the film as #5 of the top ten greatest Science Fiction films.

Richard O'Brien (Riff Raff) sang "Science Fiction/Double Feature" (as well as the reprise) in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", and wrote the music and lyrics for the song as well.

Answer: Flash Gordon

"And Flash Gordon was there in silver underwear..."

The original "Flash Gordon" film franchise, titled "Flash Gordon" (1936), "Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars" (1938), and "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe" (1940) were 'serial' films (presented in theaters as weekly episodes, or 'chapters', usually before a feature-length film). Former Olympic gold medalist (400m freestyle swim, 1932 Los Angeles) Buster Crabbe starred as Flash Gordon, along with Jean Rogers (Dale Arden) and Charles Middleton (Ming the Merciless). In 1996, the United States National Film Preservation Board selected "Flash Gordon" to be preserved in the National Film Registry.

There are scenes or situations in both the film and stage versions of "Rocky Horror" that parody the films mentioned in the song. Some are very subtle, some are, well, not so subtle. Rocky's (Peter Hinwood) 'costume' (in this case gold, not silver, but looking a heck of a lot like underwear) is a more subtle reference to "Flash Gordon".

Answer: Claude Rains

"Claude Rains was the invisible man."

"The Invisible Man" was Claude Rains' American film debut, although he was never actually seen by the audience until the last few minutes of the film, as his character (Dr. Jack Griffin) was wrapped in bandages throughout the movie. Directed by James Whale ("Frankenstein") and released in 1933, "The Invisible Man" was adapted from the H. G. Wells novel of the same name. Considered more of a horror classic than science fiction, the film was chosen by the Library of Congress in 2008 to be preserved in the National Film Registry. "The Invisible Man" also starred Gloria Stuart and William Harrigan.

The scenes in "Rocky Horror" in which Rocky is fully bandaged during his 'creation' sequence is another fairly subtle nod to "The Invisible Man".

Answer: Fay Wray and King Kong

"Then something went wrong for Fay Wray and King Kong, they got caught in a celluloid jam..."

In my humble opinion, "King Kong" is by far the most 'classic' film of all those honored in the song, and created the standard for just about all of the horror/science fiction/romance films that followed (Romance you ask? Absolutely! "Kong" is the ultimate 'bad-boy-falls-for-good-girl' love story scenario. In this case, 'falls for' is meant in the literal sense). Released in 1933 by RKO, the film was directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, and also starred Robert Armstrong and Bruce Cabot. Inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 1991, "King Kong" is also rated in seven categories by the American Film Institute.

In the "Rocky Horror" film version, one of the ending scenes with Rocky carrying Dr. Frank N. Furter's (Tim Curry) body up an RKO radio tower (ŕ la King Kong and Fay Wray climbing the Empire State Building) would probably be a 'not-so-subtle' parody example.

Answer: It Came From Outer Space

"Then at a deadly pace it came from outer space (and this is how the message ran.)"

Directed by Jack Arnold and released in 1953, "It Came From Outer Space" was noted for being orginally shown in 3-D, as well as going against the grain of the genre at the time by portraying the aliens as non-violent and without bad intentions. Barbara Rush won the Golden Globe as "Most Promising Newcomer - Female" in 1954, but as of August, 2009 (for some strange reason) the film has yet to be selected to the National Film Registry, and I could not seem to find it on any AFI list.

Move over Mick Jagger! It might be Richard O'Brien's voice you hear singing the song, but the lips you see (and can never forget!) belong to Patricia Quinn, who played Magenta in both the stage and film versions.

Answer: Doctor X

"Science Fiction/Double Feature. Doctor X will build a creature
See androids fighting Brad and Janet..."

The Motion Picture Production Code, established in 1930, was the movie industry's set of guidelines (up until 1968, in which the MPAA film rating system came into effect) of film 'standards and values', and censored 'unacceptable' content. However, the Code was not actually enforced until 1934, giving "Doctor X" plenty of time and room to maneuver around soon-to-be-forbidden themes such as cannibalism, murder and rape. The film was the second Warner Bros. feature to be filmed in the much-improved Technicolor process. Directed by Michael Curtiz, "Doctor X" also starred Lee Tracy.

In "The Rocky Horror Show" (original stage version), Patricia Quinn sang the opening number as the "Usherette", walking down the main asile to the stage carrying a snack tray.

Answer: Forbidden Planet

"Ann Francis stars in Forbidden Planet
Oh oh, at the late night, double feature picture show"

Directed by Fred M. Wilcox ("Lassie Come Home"), "Forbidden Planet" also starred Walter Pidgeon, Leslie ("You can tell me, I'm a doctor") Nielsen, Richard Anderson and Earl Holliman. The film was nominated for an Oscar (Special Effects) in 1957, and is noted for being one of the first films to have its score consist entirely of electronics. Robby the Robot went on to star in the 1957 film "The Invisible Boy", as well as numerous television shows and films throughout the years. Robby was also inducted into the 'Robot Hall of Fame' in 2004.

The "Lip Sequence" during the song (film version) was inspired by a 1966 painting titled "Lips" (go figure!) by the artist Man Ray.

Answer: Tarantula

"I knew Leo G. Carroll was over a barrel when Tarantula took to the hills..."

Directed by Jack Arnold and released in 1955, "Tarantula" also starred John Agar, Mara Corday, and 25 year-old Clint Eastwood in an uncredited role as a jet fighter pilot (Clint's first screen appearance, in Arnold's 1955 "Revenge of the Creature", was uncredited as well). Using a real tarantula (which mutated in the film due to a science experiment) for full-body shots, the special effects were more advanced than the classic mutated-ant flick "Them!" released the year before.

Richard Hartley provided all of the musical arrangements for "Science Fiction/Double Feature", as well as for the other songs in the play/film.

Answer: The Day of the Triffids

"And I really got hot when I saw Janette Scott fight a Triffid that spits poison and kills."

Directed by Steve Sekely and based on the critically acclaimed 1951 novel by Sci-Fi author John Wyndham, the film also starred Howard Keel and Kieron Moore. A highly-regarded television serial version was produced by the BBC in 1981, and the word is out that the BBC will also release an updated "Triffid" film sometime in 2009 (although I have yet to see anything concrete).

One of the original plans for the "Science Fiction/Double Feature" opening film sequence was to have clips of the actual films mentioned in the song interwoven in with the credits. However, it was far too costly to get the rights to the film clips, and the idea was shelved.

Answer: When Worlds Collide

"Dana Andrews said prunes gave him the runes, and passing them used lots of skills,
But when worlds collide, said George Pál to his bride, I'm gonna give you some terrible thrills..."

To be completely honest, another reason I skipped "Night of the Demon" is that it is the only film in the lyrics I have never seen. Oh well, one of these days...

In this excellent (in my opinion) film, Bellus is the "world" on a collision course with our own, and Zyra is the planet (which passes close by Earth ahead of Bellus) in which a lucky few relocate to. Along with "When Worlds Collide", George Pál also produced several other Sci-Fi classics such as "The War of the Worlds", "The Time Machine", and "Conquest of Space". The film was directed by Rudolph Maté, and starred Richard Derr, Barbara Rush and Peter Hansen. Nominated for two Oscars in 1952 ("Best Cinematography, Color", and "Best Effects, Special Effects"), "When Worlds Collide" did bring home the golden statue in the Effects category.

We have the film's Production Designer, Brian Thomson, to thank for coming up with the idea to use O'Brien's vocals and Quinn's lips for the opening credit sequence of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show".