Bad Moon on the Rise Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Wild Bunch

The eponymous Wild Bunch know that their days are numbered. It is now 1913, World War I is only a year away, motor cars are now a part of the landscape and they have made little effort to keep pace the changes. But what else can they do? Led by Pike (William Holden) they're grizzled, they're tougher than coyote jerky and, apart from shooting and thieving they have no other skill set. Early on in the film they botch a bank robbery and then their train heist goes south. To make matters worse they're being pursued by a posse led by Thornton (Robert Ryan), a former member of the gang who had been betrayed by Pike, in a chase that leads to a final and violent confrontation. Within this confrontation there are two poignant, but not so subtle, Peckinpah moments.

The first has its roots at the start of the film where we are witness to a group of children watching a scorpion they had trapped being attacked by ants. As Pike rides into town he makes eye contact with one of the children with an expression that says "watch it kid, this will only lead to pain".

This is Peckinpah's signal that the times are a-changing. At the end of the film it is a child that guns Pike down indicating that the circle of violence will not end with the death of the Wild Bunch, it is passing on to a new and much more savvy generation. The other is that of Robert Ryan's character Thornton, who, as he surveys the carnage at the end of the shoot-out, is offered an opportunity to ride with a new gang. He grins and then rides of into the sunset with them as if to say "what else can I do"?

Answer: Wolf Creek

I saw John Jarratt as a handyman on television on "Better Homes & Gardens". However, as Mick Taylor he is one crazy scary dude. He comes across at the first meeting as a knock-about, salt of the earth sort of bloke. He gives you a tow when your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, he offers you a drink of water ("rainwater from the Top End" he calls it) and regales you with some outlandish campfire tales... but what if he was the reason your car broke down? What if that rainwater he gave you was spiked to knock you out and those fanciful tales were crimes that he'd really committed... bwahahahaha! "Wolf Creek" (2005) is an Australian horror story.

It is unrelenting, truly scary and refuses to let you go once it's gotten its hooks into you. Mick Taylor is a disturbing creation who imparts violence on his victims with a ferocity that will make you gasp and leave you, the viewer, feeling that you're little more than a helpless voyeur.

This is truly a well told story but a word of warning... don't watch it alone.

Answer: Jack Nicholson

When it comes to bad guys surely there is no greater evil than Satan. In this George Miller film Daryl Van Horne arrives in Eastwick with a mission, to make some money and to seduce three of its young ladies. In the process he brings out the latent enchantress that had lain dormant within them without their knowledge. Warner Brothers had originally sought to have Bill Murray in the role and, whilst I love the man as a comedian, I suspect that he would have been his usual rakish self in the part and the film would have lost that vital edge that Jack brings. Nicholson's "man possessed" in "The Shining" (1980) was maniacally delightful but it was a mere warm up for his efforts here.

He goes over the top as the ever libidinous Lucifer, turning on the charm and stirring the town into a frenzy while he gets wicked with the witches.

Answer: Conan the Barbarian

The kingdom is awash with snake cults but it is the one led by the slippery smooth and all persuasive Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones) that grows to attract the most veneration and devotion. Their quest is power and, when we first see them, they are in their fledgling days raiding the village of the young Conan, killing his parents and taking the young man away to a life of slavery. Even at this early stage we are given a glimpse of some sinister magic that may lie within their leader and be the source behind their growth and dominance. Doom develops the faculty to entrance his victims and his followers. He hypnotises them and instills suggestions within them to commit acts of his bidding, such as committing suicide. "That is power" he confides to Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) "What is steel compared to the hand that wields it"?

As the cult grows so does Doom's control and he adds to his repertoire the ability to control snakes (marvel as he turns one of his beauties into an arrow, whispers the command "seek" and then fires it into space where it fatally wounds and kills Conan's lover) and he even metamorphoses into a giant reptile to escape danger.

Answer: Xenia Onatopp

"GoldenEye" (1995) was a return to form for the "James Bond" franchise. Injected with a new Bond, the fresh faced Pierce Brosnan, and an opening sequence that took your breath away more times than most films of the same genre could in their entirety, after ten minutes we were left to look forward to another 120 minutes of exhilarating resurrection. The movie, however, had one major weakness, its primary villain, Sean Bean's Alec Trevelyan. This traitorous turncoat had as much spine as a custard tart and a dialogue that was decidedly bland. Thank heavens then for the over-the-top Xenia Onatopp, his slightly sadistic henchman... er... henchwoman. There are strong women in the "Bond" series, however, they're few and far between with far too many being "turned" by that ingratiating James Bond charm. In this light it was refreshing to see a female giving every man, including Bond, a run for their money. Add to this the fact that she's sexy, totally compelling when she's on screen and she is a stone cold killer who positively relishes the kill.

There is a moment in the film when Bond drives a tank onto a railway line and heads straight for Trevelyan's getaway train. Xenia spots him and delivers the line "he's going to derail us", not as a bad pun but one that is wrought with traces of admiration for its bravado, a modicum of amusement at the possible outcomes and just a tiny trace of sexual ardour. Her passing in the end leaves one disappointed at the loss of all that potential, wondering if we'd ever see another Bond villain like her.

Answer: League of Shadows

After Bruce Wayne's parents are killed before his eyes he searches for a means with which to fight against injustice. His travels take him to Bhutan where he receives an offer from a man named Ducard, played by Liam Neeson, a member of the League of Shadows. This is an ancient sect that, for centuries, has sought to maintain the balance in the world by seeking out and destroying its hotspots of decadence and corruption. He accepts the challenge and is taught the skills of stealth and intimidation and is provided lessons in the martial arts. During his final initiation Bruce uncovers the truth behind the organisation, destroys their headquarters, killing the man he believes to be Ra's al Ghul and saving the life of his mentor, Ducard.

Several years later and Wayne is now the Batman when the League of Shadows appears to "purge Gotham of its sins". Batman overcomes them and in the process destroys Ducard who has revealed himself as the real Ra's al Ghul. Ironically this death re-ignites the circle of revenge as Ra's daughter, Talia, assumes control of the organisation and returns to Gotham in 2012's "The Dark Knight Rises" with the goal of destroying the city by way of a nuclear device.

(Note) In the DC Comics universe the League of Shadows goes by the name of the League of Assassins.

Answer: Amadeus

Antonio Salieri, brilliantly portrayed by F. Murray Abraham, is a pious man and he believes that his skills as a composer were bestowed upon him by God as just reward for his own devotion to the Lord. However, a new kid appears on the block, a certain Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and his music goes beyond the borders of divine, it is nothing short of miraculous. Oh how Salieri wishes he had the power to compose in that light and with such exquisite skill for, surely then, he might be able to sing the praises of his God so much higher.

Then he meets Mozart for the first time. He recognises him as a lewd and vulgar creature. This is not right, he reels. How could the Lord impress such wondrous gifts on a crude and petulant human being. There is no justice here. So Salieri turns his back on his God.

His heart turns black and he hatches a complex plot to match his heart, a plan that would steal Mozart's work and propel him, Salieri, to greater glory. However, it is a plan that ultimately drives Mozart to his death, his final work unfinished and leaving Salieri to wallow in his own mediocrity and, ultimately, insanity.

Answer: True

NO! Not Henry Fonda! He's always the good guy, he wears the white hat and plays the doyens of our society like Abraham Lincoln "Young Mr. Lincoln" (1939).
Is this not the man on a mission who preached "wherever there's a fight, so hungry people can eat, I'll be there" - "The Grapes of Wrath" (1940).
Is this not the hard-nosed defender of justice who screamed "Ever since you walked into this room, you've been acting like a self-appointed public avenger" - "Twelve Angry Men" (1957).
Is this not the actor who would become the cheeky old man that ribs his daughter's boyfriend with "Would you like the room where I first violated her mother?" - "On Golden Pond" (1981).
Surely it's not. I am afraid to tell you that it is. Henry does don the black hat and he wears it so well in this film.

As he prepares a wedding feast for his new bride arriving on the next train, assassins step in and gun down Brett McBain, his son and his daughter. Hearing the shooting McBain's youngest son, little Timmy, comes rushing out of the house to find his entire family dead. As the dust clears Frank (Henry Fonda) steps out of the scrub, duster cloak flapping in the wind as he moves with purpose and four henchmen toward little Timmy. Frank stares him down, the eyes telling you everything you need to know but you cling onto a small shred of hope that there's a piece of decency in this outlaw. Frank gives himself a self satisfied little grin, steadily withdraws his six shooter, points it at little Timmy and calmly guns him down. Noooo! Frank! You low-down, belly crawlin' dawg! I hope you get your comeuppance.

Frank's employer berates him on his rash action. "You were only supposed to scare the McBains away". But Frank has another agenda. In this scenario he can smell a profit, a very healthy profit and nothing, not even little Timmy, was going to get in his way.

Answer: The French Connection

"The French Connection" is raw, brutal and violent. This is also reflected in the film's hero, "Popeye" Doyle played by Gene Hackman, who does not hesitate to resort to violence as a means to an end, is quick to anger, tends to shoot first and ask questions later and does not appear to be the least bit remorseful when he's gunned someone down. In so many ways he projects the image of a hard bitten and frustrated "anti-hero".

On the other hand his antagonist, Charnier, comes across as the yin to Popeye's yang. Here is a villain who is smartly dressed, who makes people laugh, drives a fancy car and buys his wife little gifts... he's all lightness and being. And he's also a clever little croissant (another intended pun). He knows the cops are onto him, he knows that they're following him about... "I haven't spent five minutes in New York without the company of a policeman" but does he sweat? Does he panic? Not a chance mon ami. He remains cool, even as he plays a game of stepping on and off a train with Popeye. In so many ways he almost shouts "anti-villain".

But don't let all that fool you. Do not underestimate this man, he is a scumbag. This international drug deal that he's involved in wasn't set up by accident. It was deliberately planned with brutal single-mindedness and anyone or anything that got in the way was dealt with in a cold blooded and ruthless manner.

Answer: Sleeping Beauty

Forget the 2014 live action film where Angelina Jolie virtually turns the generously evil Maleficent into a positively lame "goody-two-shoes". Now, if you want evil... and I mean "real" evil then turn your attention to this 1959 Disney beauty. She is a work of art. Maleficent comes complete with green skin, elegant and sinister lines, the face of a vampire bat and Eleanor Audley's voice work that positively reeks insolence, innuendo and menace. And if that is not enough to satisfy your iniquitous hunger then check out this little additional extra... at the scent of defeat she has the awesome power of turning herself into an enormous dark dragon with the power to roast her would be tormentors into crispy little critters. But, my buyer beware, she does have a very thin skin and is easily offended. Why, just because she didn't get an invite to a teensy little christening she goes and places a death curse on poor princess Aurora. Ahhh, isn't she a dream? Unfortunately the princess has three good fairies that look after the young royal and they manage to diffuse the curse into one that only puts her to sleep until she can be revived by a kiss from her one true love. Curse those meddling fairies!