German Movies and Actors Trivia Quiz

Answer: 'Lola rennt'

The American title was 'Run Lola Run' (the German title would be translated as 'Lola is Running'). The writer and director was Tom Tykwer ('Heaven' with Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi), probably our greatest directing genius right now (according to critics, reviews and also my personal opinion). 'Winterschlaefer' and 'Der Krieger und die Kaiserin' (also starring Franka) were directed by Tykwer, too. 'Anatomie' also starred Franka, but it isn't one of Tykwer's movies.

Answer: 'Harte Jungs'

'Harte Jungs' ('Tough Boys') was the first German movie that dealt with topics similar to 'American Pie'. It is about 16-year-old Florian who wakes up one morning and finds his male organ talking to him... what follows is a movie that is so stupid that you can't help loving it.

After 'Harte Jungs', there were more movies to come like 'Maedchen, Maedchen' ('Girls, Girls'), 'Schule' ('School') or, recently, 'Knallharte Jungs', the sequel to 'Harte Jungs'.

Answer: 'Der Schuh des Manitu'

Would be translated as 'The Shoe of Manitu'. It is about Abahachi - chieftain of the Apaches - and his blood brother Ranger. Abahachi wanted to buy a pub for his tribe, so he borrowed gold from the tribe of the Chochones. But the businessman Santa Maria - who sold Abahachi the building - betrays him, steals the gold and shoots the son of the Chochones' chieftain and then blames Abahachi and Ranger.

This is why the Chochones want to unbury the hatchet... the only problem: they don't have a hatchet anymore! So they look for something else to dig out, and they find it: They unbury the folding-chair! So now Abahachi and Ranger get into trouble...

Answer: Goetz George

Goetz George is one of the highest-rated actors here in Germany.

Answer: 'Gloomy Sunday'

'Gloomy Sunday' ('Szomoru Vasarnap') was composed by the Hungarian musician Reszo Seress in 1962 (lyrics by Laszlo Javor, English lyrics by Sam Lewis). This song became famous for causing a lot of suicides (more than 200!) - it is said that Seress found such an impressive way of putting his own sadness into the melody that the song brings up all the depressions inside the listeners... kind of eerie.

There are countless records of the song, among others by Elvis Costello, Heather Nova, Marianne Faithful (all for the movie soundtrack), Sarah Brightman, Freddy Quinn and Billie Holliday (the first English record).

The movie was subtitled 'Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod' ('A Song of Love and Death').

Answer: 'Flashback - Moerderische Ferien'

'Flashback' - which isn't as bad as everyone first thought - deals with a young woman whose parents were murdered when she was a child. She survived. Now, 20 years later, she takes a job as a private French teacher, and soon, there are more murders to come... 'Anatomie' with Franka Potente deal with murders at the University of {Heidelberg;} 'Schrei - denn ich werde dich toeten' ('Scream - because I'm gonna kill you') was a TV movie which was basically the same as {'Scream';} and 'Schrei wenn du kannst' ('Scream if you can') was the German title of 'Valentine', starring Marley Shelton and David 'Angel' Boreanaz.

Answer: Katja Riemann

She was in 'Comedian Harmonists', too.

Answer: Mario Adorf

Mario used to play the villains, but meanwhile, he plays everything (and -one). He was in Michael Ende's 'Momo' as well as in the German remake of 'Little Lord Fauntleroy' ('Der kleine Lord'), playing Alec Guinness's role.

Answer: Heinz Ruehmann

He died in 1994.

Answer: Comedian Harmonists

The movie was very successful. It starred Max Tidof, Ben Becker, Heino Ferch, Kai Wiesinger, Heinrich Schafmeister and Ulrich Noethen as the {singers;} the director was Joseph Vilsmaier.