Offbeat Directors and Their Films Quiz

Answer: Happiness

Todd Solondz ("Welcome to the Dollhouse") directed "Happiness". The film concerns a family with three grown daughters, one lonely and seeking validation, one a confident writer (whose only real relationship is with an obscene phone caller), and one a suburban mother who thinks she has it all (whose husband is a child molester).

It's classic Solondz dysfunction; even the women's parents are going though a bitter break-up.

Answer: Eve's Bayou

"Eve's Bayou" garnered national attention when Roger Ebert named it his choice for Best Film of 1997 (the year of "Titanic"). It is the story of a young girl's recollection of her father's demise, and the circumstances leading up to it. It was written and directed by actor Kasi Lemmons, whose only memorable role was as Jodie Foster's roommate in "The Silence of the Lambs".

She made the film on a shoestring budget with the help of producer and star Samuel L. Jackson.

Answer: Flirting With Disaster

"Flirting With Disaster" was directed by indie sensation David O. Russell. It was a follow-up to his cult favorite, "Spanking the Monkey". "Disaster" is a wild comedy in which a man (Ben Stiller) searches for the parents who gave him up for adoption so he can come up with a name for his own son.

Answer: Dancer in the Dark

Danish filmmaker Lars Von Trier directed "Dancer in the Dark". Catherine Deneuve was so impressed with his previous film, "Breaking the Waves", that she wrote him a letter expressing her desire to work with him. The result was her role as Björk's factory co-worker in this film. Björk was nominated for an Academy Award for writing one of the film's songs. You may recall the lovely swan dress she chose for the Oscar ceremony that year.

Answer: Billy Elliot

"Billy Elliot" was directed by Stephen Daldry. It's the story of a boy whose desire to be a dancer creates conflict with his working class (and on strike) father, who originally signed him up for boxing lessons. Daldry was nominated for an Academy Award for it, as well as for his subsequent film, "The Hours".

Answer: Monster's Ball

Marc Forster directed "Monster's Ball", which is a slang term for the execution of a prisoner. The film shows how a sheriff ruins his life by mishandling the execution, and then becomes involved with the prisoner's impoverished widow, a gritty role which won Halle Berry an Academy Award. Forster next traded grit for schmaltz with 2004's "Finding Neverland", a sentimental story of "Peter Pan" author J.M. Barrie.

Answer: Chocolat

Although the story is set in France, "Chocolat" was directed by Swedish director Lasse Hallström, and filmed in English. It is the story of a chocolate maker who moves into a repressed provincial town and shakes things up. Hallström's other films include "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" and "The Cider House Rules".

There is also a 1988 French film entitled "Chocolat" which was nominated for the Palme d'Or (Best Film) award in Cannes. It was directed by Claire Denis, and has a totally different story set in Africa.

Answer: Bound

"Bound" was the directorial debut of another set of brothers: Larry and Andy Wachowski. In the film, Gina Gershon plays an ex-convict who begins an affair with a mobster's wife. After this film, they went to work on "The Matrix", which spawned two financially successful (but critically reviled) sequels in 2003.

Answer: Memento

"Memento" was the first major film (after one short and one 69-minute feature) directed by Christopher Nolan. The story was told "in reverse", with each scene revealing a new piece of a puzzle involving one man's search for his wife's killer. Even by the end, what actually happened became the subject of heated debate (particularly on the internet).

Although worldwide it grossed less than 1/20 of the first "Harry Potter" film, "Memento" was one of the most critically praised of 2001, and still a financial success. His follow up film, "Insomnia" got good reviews as well, but barely recouped its budget.

Answer: 9 to 5

A comedy involving three women forced to take revenge on their lying, cheating, scheming boss, "9 to 5" was directed by Colin Higgins. His two other films were "Foul Play" and "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas". He died of AIDS in 1988.

Emile Ardolino passed away from the same illness five years later, just before the airing of his superb television version of "Gypsy" (starring Bette Midler). Both men are sadly missed. Thanks for playing!