My Favourite Movies in Anagrams Quiz

Answer: The Sound of Music

One of the best movies ever made, in my opinion. It is the story of the von Trapp family, seven talented kids, and a rather stern father, set in 1938, when Austria was about to undergo the Anchluss with Germany. Captain von Trapp was being pressured by the Gestapo to join the German Navy, but did not agree with Nazism. Maria, a rather atypical nun is sent to look after the kids. She teaches them to sing, she falls in love with the captain, marries him and they climb over the Alps to Switzerland, to escape the clutches of the German military.

Julie Andrews was the name on Hollywood's lips, as she had just finished filming 'Mary Poppins', for which she won the Best Actress Oscar. She was nominated again the following year for 'The Sound of Music', but somehow lost to Julie Christie.

Answer: Blazing Saddles

From the man who brought us 'Get Smart' and 'Young Frankenstein', 'High Anxiety', 'Robin Hood: Men in Tights' and 'To Be or Not to Be'. Mel Brooks has quite a few DVDs on my shelves.

'Blazing Saddles', (released in 1974), is to westerns as 'Get Smart' is to secret agents. They are both totally satirical and totally hilarious.

'Blazing Saddles' is a story about a corrupt businessman, an incompetent governor, a black sheriff, an alcoholic gunslinger and a sexy German showgirl. The fate of Rock Ridge (where everyone strangely enough has the surname of Johnson), is at stake. The 'baked beans' sequence is comedic gold!

Answer: The Blues Brothers

Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi were the eponymous brothers, who were on a 'Mission from God' to raise $5000 for the local orphanage. Along the way, they trod on a few toes, including the Illinois Nazi party, a country music band called the Good Ol' Boys, and Jake's homicidal ex-girlfriend. Needless to say, they save the day, but end up back in prison.


Watch for a cameo appearance by a youthful Steven Spielberg, towards the end of the movie.

Answer: Easy Rider

The era of free love, hippies, and LSD was in full swing when 'Easy Rider' hit the screens. Jack Nicholson had a small but important role, and used the movie as a springboard to launch his career as a superstar.

Answer: Stand By Me

River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton, Jerry O'Connell and Corey Feldman were all teenagers when they starred in the movie. The boys were searching for the body of another child that had been hit by a train. They find the body, and it changes their lives, perhaps not for the best.

The novel by King was named 'The Body'.

Answer: The Producers

Our heroes set out to produce a play that is a box-office bomb, because it would cover up their dodgy accounting, but the plan backfires when their chosen play, 'Springtime for Hitler' becomes a smash hit! Another Mel Brooks classic.

Answer: The Great Escape

The movie was loosely based on an actual WWII escape from Stalag Luft III, a specially built, (allegedly) escape-proof POW camp in Poland. A mass escape by over 70 Allied officers proved the Gestapo wrong. The movie was based on a book by Paul Brickhill ('The Dam Busters', 'Reach for the Sky'), and featured many big-name stars: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, and Donald Pleasance. In my opinion, this is one of the best war movies ever made.

Tom, Dick and Harry were the nicknames of the three escape tunnels.

Answer: The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Released in 1975, this very campy comedy/horror movie starred Tim Curry as the over-sexed transvestite, Frank N. Furter, and a young Susan Sarandon as a newly-wed that had a night that she will never forget. The author, Richard O'Brien, played Riff-Raff, with Barry Bostwick (later the mayor in 'Spin City'), Meat Loaf ('Bat out of Hell' singer) and Peter Hinwood as Rocky Horror, a creature created by Frank.

The film quickly gained cult status, with audience participation becoming the norm.

Answer: Forrest Gump

Another of my favourite actors, Sally Field, played Forrest's mother in the story of a below-intelligence man, and his achievements. A Vietnam War hero, a champion ping-pong player, rich (he invested in a 'fruit company named Apple'), and a successful shrimp boat captain.

A great story and an amazing soundtrack. Hanks became only the second actor to win consecutive Best Actor Oscars- he won for 'Philadelphia' in 1993 and 'Forrest Gump' the following year. (Spencer Tracy won in 1937 and '38.)

Answer: The Meaning of Life

The Monty Python troupe revolutionised comedy, especially in Britain, but their special breed of irreverent humour conquered the world. They put out 45 episodes of 'Monty Python's Flying Circus', a skit-based show, between 1969 and 1974, and even did a couple of episodes in German!

They also wrote and starred in several movies, including 'The Meaning of Life', 'The Life of Brian', 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail', all of which are in my collection.

The Pythons were Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Michael Palin. Terry Gilliam was the sole American in the group and did most of the animations.