America-Centricity Trivia Quiz

Answer: American Gangster

The movie tells the story of Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), former driver and successor of his mentor, mob boss Ellsworth 'Bumpy' Johnson (Clarence Williams III). Lucas starts smuggling Blue Magic, a potent brand of heroin, directly into the USA from Vietnam during the Vietnam War, cutting out the middleman. He builds a drug empire without chance of being arrested because of the widespread corruption within the New York Police Department. Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) is an incorruptible police officer, unpopular with his colleagues for his honesty. Roberts is assigned with tracking down the suppliers of Blue Magic and arresting them.

Ruby Dee, who played Mama Lucas, won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Answer: American Graffiti

Steve Bollander (Ron Howard) and Curt Henderson (Richard Dreyfuss) are best friends and high school graduates. The evening before leaving for college Steve has a fight with his girlfriend, who is also Curt's younger sister. Meanwhile Curt sees a beautiful blonde girl whom he desperately wants to meet.

The movie gives an idea of how life was like for teenagers in a small town in the early 1960s. It was released in 1973 and directed by George Lucas, who later created "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones". "American Graffiti" was nominated for five Academy Awards but failed to win a single one.

Answer: American Pie

Four high school friends, Jim (Jason Biggs), Oz (Chris Klein), Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) and Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) make a pact to lose their virginity before graduating. A number of attempts by the four boys fail spectacularly which lead to hilarious situations. Unsurprisingly, by the end of the movie they all succeed in their goal.

The movie was a great commercial success what has lead to three sequels: "American Pie 2", "American Wedding" and "American Reunion".

Answer: American Psycho

Easton Ellis' novel was published in 1991 and narrates the life of Patrick Bateman, a rich and superficial Wall Street yuppie, who during nighttime commits grotesquely violent murders. The novel generated a lot of controversy because of some excessively violent passages. The book is considered a critique of the superficiality of our modern materialistic society.

The movie adaptation was released in 2000. Ironically Gloria Steinem, who was one of the most outspoken opponents of the novel, is Christian Bale's stepmother.

A direct-to-video sequel was released in 2002. The death of Patrick Bateman is shown in a flashback, which is the only connection with the first movie. In the sequel Mila Kunis plays a female serial killer.

Answer: False

No, this is completely made up. The screenplay was written in the '90s by Alan Ball. It was originally written as a script for a play, but Ball later rewrote it to be suitable for a movie. When writing Ball was inspired by the Amy Fisher trial (the attempted murder by a 17-year-old of the wife of her lover).

"American Beauty" won five Academy Awards including Best Original Screenplay for Alan Ball.

Answer: An American in Paris

George Gershwin wrote "An American in Paris" in 1928, after spending some time there. It was first performed by the New York Symphony in Carnegie Hall.

In 1951 a musical movie was released inspired by Gershwin's composition. Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) is a WWII veteran who tries to make a living in Paris as a painter. A rich heiress (Nina Foch) takes an interest in his work and offers to organise an exhibition for his paintings. However, Jerry is more interested in a local girl (Leslie Caron), unaware that she is already engaged to someone else. The movie ends with a 16-minute dance scene built around Gershwin's composition. The movie won six Academy Awards, including Best Movie.

Answer: American Ninja

This is not the sort of movie you'd watch for a brilliant story but it has plenty of martial arts action for people who are into that. The movie stars Michael Dudikoff as Private Joe Armstrong. Despite mostly negative criticisms the movie was a commercial success and four sequels were made.

Answer: American Gigolo

One evening Julian Kaye (Richard Gere) is paid to 'perform' with the wife of the financier of a local politician. Kaye also has a relationship with the wife of the same politician. When the wife of the financier is found dead Kaye is accused of her murder. The wife of the politician steps forward to provide Kaye with an alibi, thereby jeopardizing the political career of her husband.

"American Gigolo" launched Gere's career. He later played in much-praised movies such as "An Officer and a Gentleman" and "Pretty Woman".

Answer: Quiet

A love triangle between Thomas Fowler, an elderly English journalist, Alden Pyle, a young American doctor, and a beautiful local girl is set against the backdrop of the French-Vietnamese War (1945 - 1954). The movie is an adaptation of a Graham Greene novel. The first version was released in 1958 and starred Audie Murphy, Michael Redgrave and Giorgia Moll. In 2002 a remake was made starring Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser and Do Thi Hai Yen. Michael Caine was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Thomas Fowler.

Answer: American History X

Derek Vinyard is a fanatical white supremacist who is convicted to three years in jail for the manslaughter of two black gang members who tried to steal his car. Derek's father was a fireman who was murdered by black drug dealers. Derek has a big influence on his brother Danny who tries to imitate him and gets in trouble in school. The school principal hasn't given up on Danny yet and offers him the choice between expulsion or writing a paper about his brother.

In jail Derek is abused by his fellow racists. He survives his time in jail with the support of a black inmate and Danny's school principal. When he gets out of jail he wants to quit the white supremacist group, which turns out not to be so easy. Near the end of the movie there's a telling flashback scene in which Derek's father is speaking out against immigrants, who he thinks are a nuisance. This shows Derek was already influenced by prejudice before his father was murdered.

The movie stars Edward Norton (Derek), Edward Furlong (Danny) and Avery Brooks (school principal Sweeney). Edward Norton was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.