From One Ape to Another in 10 Degrees Quiz

Answer: King Kong

The 1976 remake of "King Kong" was produced by Dino De Laurentiis and directed by John Guillermin, who apparently could have been a double for the gorilla; he was known for treating the cast and crew harshly and was almost fired after entering into a public shouting match with the film's executive producer Federico De Laurentiis, Dino's son.

This 1976 remake was actually Jessica Lange's film debut and also starred Jeff Bridges as Jack Prescott, a paleontologist who stows away on the oil tanker to explore this island for himself, and Charles Grodin as Fred Wilson, an executive of Petrox Oil and leader of the expedition to the island. Wilson believes that a recently discovered island has a great wealth of oil beneath it and has gambled his career on finding it. Prescott believes the clouds surrounding the island are the result of carbon dioxide exhaled from large beasts, so he sneaks on board the tanker before it embarks. Later, the tanker comes upon a lifeboat with an unconscious Dwan inside it; she was on board a director's yacht when it exploded and appears to be its only survivor. Place King Kong into the mix of characters and you create a movie that can't decide if it's a horror picture or a love story.

When the ship arrives at the island, Wilson eventually discovers there is a great amount of oil, but it has not evolved into a state that can be refined. Not to return home empty handed, he decides to capture Kong and make a profit by showing him to the world as Barnum might have shown Jumbo the elephant. Kong has become obsessed with Dwan, and Wilson is able to use Dwan as bait. However, Kong's love for Dwan grows so intense that he becomes enraged back in the States when he sees what he believes is a crowd of people harming her. He then goes on a rampage through New York City, and the film's climax occurs with Kong at the top of the World Trade Center with Dwan in hand.

Answer: Crimes of the Heart

"Crimes of the Heart", released at the end of 1986, is about three sisters struggling to deal with their dysfunctional family. Diane Keaton plays the third and oldest sister, Lenny Magrath, who lives a reserved life and struggles with a complex brought on by her infertility.

They were raised by a grandfather after their mother hanged herself and their pet cat, and they have never been well adjusted since their tragic childhood experiences. However, after Babe shoots her abusive husband, all three sisters are reunited and are forced to face each other and their repressed feelings, not only about themselves, but past relationships as well. Sissy Spacek won a Golden Globe for her performance and was nominated for an Academy Award.

Answer: In the Bedroom

"In the Bedroom" was released in 2001. The Fowlers, played by Tom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek, seem to have a good relationship between them and with their son Frank, played by Nick Stahl. However, when Frank comes home from college, his parents are at odds about his relationship with an older divorced woman, Natalie Strout, who has kids from her previous marriage. Ruth Fowler voices her concern to Frank; however, Matt Fowler prefers to give his son freedom to make his own choices. Matters intensify when Natalie's ex-husband, Richard Strout, played by William Mapother, attempts violently to re-enter his ex-wife's life. Eventually, Richard and Frank have an altercation, Richard kills Frank, and Frank's murder becomes a catalyst for the uncovering of undisclosed feelings between Ruth and Matt.

The film was nominated for five Academy Awards: Best Picture; Best Screenplay--Adapted; Best Actor (Wilkinson); Best Actress (Spacek) and Best Supporting Actress (Tomei). While the film actually won no Oscars, Spacek did get a Golden Globe for Best Actress--Drama.

The film was adapted from Andre Dubus' short story "Killings".

Answer: The Wrestler

"The Wrestler", released in 2008, stars Mickey Rourke as Randy "The Ram" Robinson, aka Robin Ramzowski. He is a professional wrestler who is long past his prime and is forced to retire following bypass surgery. He tries to find fulfillment in meaningful relationships with Cassidy, the stripper he frequently visits, and with his estranged daughter Stephanie.

However, when they reject him and his job as a supermarket deli worker proves most unsatifactory, he returns to the ring despite the medical advice that he should never do so, because he believes that his fans are the only ones who truly love him. Mickey Rourke was nominated for an Academy Ward for Best Actor and won the Golden Globe for Best Actor. Marisa Tomei was nominated for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.

Answer: Digging to China

"Digging to China" is directed by Timothy Hutton and represents the film debut of Evan Rachel Wood, of "Running with Scissors" and "Across the Universe" fame, who was nine years old at the time. Woods' character lives in a run-down motel with her divorced alcoholic mother and an older sister, played by Mary Stuart Masterson, who is interested only in sleeping with various men she brings to the motel. Bacon's character, Ricky, is traveling with his terminally ill mother when their car breaks down near the motel and they decide to stay a while with Harriet's family while the car is repaired.

However, Harriet's mother dies in an automobile accident, and Harriet discovers that her older sister is truly her biological mother. The stress and her continuing desire to escape her life lead her to run away with Ricky.

Answer: The River Wild

Released in 1994, "The River Wild" starred Kevin Bacon and Meryl Streep, as well as David Strathairn, John C. Reilly, and Benjamin Bratt. Meryl Streep plays Gail, a woman frustrated by her marriage to Tom, who is played by Strathairn. Tom is engrossed with his work as an architect so Gail, an expert river rafter, decides to get away and take her son on rafting trip down the Salmon River in Utah. Tom later surprises them by showing up to make the river trip.

Then they encounter a couple of other rafters, Wade (Bacon) and Terry (Reilly), and decide to team up. Matters become seriously intense when the family discovers Wade and Terry are armed robbers on the lam.

As they try to escape, they make the situation worse for themselves.

Answer: One True Thing

"One True Thing" was released in 1998 and is an adaptation of Anna Quindlen's novel of the same name. Streep was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress but lost to Gwenyth Paltrow for her performance in "Shakespeare in Love". William Hurt plays George Gulden, Kate's husband and Ellen's father. George pressures Ellen into coming back home to take care of her mother Kate, whom Ellen almost despises.

After Ellen spends time with her family, however, she begins to see them differently; her ideal image of her father begins to fade as she learns of his unfaithfulness to her mother while her respect for her mother begins to grow. Eventually, both Ellen and George come to understand that Kate is the only "one true thing".

Answer: Empire Records

"Empire Records" was released in 1995, and while critics generally were unimpressed with the film, it has become what many refer to as "a cult classic". The film begins with a scene in a local independent record shop called Empire Records. Joe, the store's manager, decides to allow his night manager, Lucas, to close the store for the evening for the first time and leaves.

While closing, Lucas discovers that the store is about to be bought out and transformed into a branch of a mega-chain of music shops.

He decides he will save the store by taking the night's earnings and going to Atlantic City to win enough money to keep the store open as an independent business. Instead, Lucas loses everything. What follows the next day is utter chaos as various individuals not only try to deal with the missing money but also the craziness of the store--a washed-up musician shows up to give out autographs and a guy identifying himself as Warren Beatty is caught shoplifting--as well as the workers' complicated lives and relationships.

The film somewhat launched the career of many accomplished performers, despite its poor reviews; Renee Zellweger, Liv Tyler, Ethan Embry. Robin Tunney and Anthony LaPaglia all played significant roles.

Answer: That Thing You Do!

"That Thing You Do!" was released in 1996 and was written and directed by Tom Hanks, who also played an important role in the film. The movie is about a one-hit-wonder band, symbolically named The Oneders (pronounced like wonders), that has short-lived fame based on their song "That Thing You Do!" The girlfriend of the lead singer and songwriter, Jimmy, is Faye, who comes up with the name for the band.

She appears to be hopelessly devoted to Jimmy, but as the movie progresses, seems to have a more soulful connection with the drummer of the band, Guy "Shades" Patterson. Of course, Guy has a girlfriend of his own, Tina, who seems to be more and more romantically drawn to her dentist.

Interestingly, it is truly Guy who is responsible for the success of the band, for he takes Jimmy's song and livens it up so that it becomes an exceedingly popular hit that gains the attention not only of the public at large but a powerful music agent as well. Will Faye eventually realize who's her guy? Many other important names play roles in the film: Tom Everett Scott; Jonathan Schaech; Ethan Embry; Steve Zahn; and Giovanni Ribisi, as well as Rita Wilson and Chris Isaak with minor roles.

Answer: Mighty Joe Young

The version of "Mighty Joe Young", starring Charlize Theron, and Bill Paxton, was released in 1998, but the original film was produced in 1949. Joe Young, the gorilla, is rejected by the other gorillas because of his tremendous size, and poachers remain a constant threat. Eventually, Theron's character, Jill Young, is convinced by Bill Paxton's character, Professor Gregg O'Hara, that Joe would be safer on a refuge in the United States. Afther the three of them arrive in America, Jill eventually encounters a man named Andrei Strasser, who tries to convince Jill that Joe would actually be safer on his wildlife refuge back in Africa. One evening Joe recognizes Strasser as the man who killed Jill's and his mothers, and he goes berserk.

He is captured and is to be euthanized until Jill and Strasser manage to retake Joe and ship him back to Africa.

However, Jill finally notices Strasser has a missing thumb on his right hand and then realizes who he is.