Scene It? '70s Edition Trivia Quiz

Answer: Rooster Cogburn

"Rooster Cogburn" was the 1975 sequel to 1969's "True Grit", the only film John Wayne took home an Oscar for. The story's set in Arkansas Territory and follows Reuben "Rooster" Cogburn as he sets out to catch the murderin' thieves who stole a U.S. Government wagonload of nitro and killed his two riding partner's fathers.

His posse is an outspoken, Bible quotin', Yankee named Miss Eula Goodnight (Katherine Hepburn) and her young Indian helping hand, Wolf. Even though the setting is supposed to be Arkansas Territory, the majority of the film was shot in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, my homeland.

Answer: Blazing Saddles

The story revolves around a newly appointed sheriff of color and his task of saving the town and its people from a violent takeover. Mel actually wanted John Wayne to take a part in the movie. While eating lunch in the studio commissary, Mel saw the Duke and handed him a copy of the script.

After reading it, John said he couldn't take part in a movie like that but he sure would be first in line to see it.

Answer: Jaws

"Jaws" was based on the premise of a great white shark terrorizing the swimmers and waters of a small summertime tourist town. Who can forget Robert Shaw, as Cap'n Sam Quint, rakin' his fingernails down the chalkboard before he quotes his price? "Jaws" was the all time summer blockbuster of '75 that made Steven Spielberg's career. With a budget of $8,000,000.00 it drew in just under 7.1 million dollars in the opening weekend alone.

It grossed $430,510,134.00 worldwide. I think the studio was happy with their little investment.

Answer: The Exorcist

"The Exorcist" is the story of a young girl being posessed by an ancient demonic force and the nightmare of trying to save the child in a modern society. It's either that or a lesson on how to raise a teenage child. I waited until I was in my late 20s to watch this flick. My father saw the premier in 1973 and told us it was too traumatic for the family to see. My dad didn't scare easy so that pretty much meant I wasn't goin' to see it.

The movie is still tough for me to watch alone and I'm almost 50 now.

Answer: Young Frankenstein

This classic comedy is a spoof of the original "Frankenstein", the story of a mad scientist reanimating a lifeless corpse. The film goes on to show the dangers in this type of experiment and is almost metaphorical in its depiction of man foolishly trying to play God. Mel Brooks wanted to pay homage to the original franchise so he fought with the studio heads and won the argument over filming in black and white.

He also went as far as to procure the original laboratory props from the creator Kenneth Strickfadden.

Answer: The Sting

"The Sting" won seven Oscars that year, including Best Picture and Best Costume. The soundtrack was provided by Marvin Hamslisch and he recreated the ragtime greats of Scott Joplin. In my opinion, I think Joplin's piece "The Entertainer" is more famous in the U.S. as the harbinger of the ice cream man than any other notoriety Scott Joplin ever attained.

Answer: The Godfather

This is the scene that led up to one of the better known lines of the Oscar winning film. Peter Clemenza says the line in the above question, to Paulie (Don Corleone's bodyguard) whose life, unknowingly, is in jeopardy. A little later in the scene, after Clemenza's henchman has just shot Paulie in the car, Clemenza says to the killer "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."

Answer: The French Connection

"The French Connection" is the true story of Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle and his struggle to implicate a French socialite with the imported heroin that is flooding his city. One little element of the film that is never fully explained, is the importance of a straw hat in the back window of Popeye's undercover police car. For those who don't know, this was the sign that told other cops this guy is "one of us and on the job."

Answer: M*A*S*H

This was the comedic story of day-to-day life in a U.S. Army hospital encampment during the Korean War. M*A*S*H started out the 70s with a bang and we all know that it went on to be a long running TV series that lasted longer than the actual war. I honestly feel the TV series could never match the hilarity of the film but, that's just my opinion.

Answer: Animal House

This is my all time favorite comedy. There are so many memorable scenes and quotes that are so profound and disgusting, but decorum prevents listing them here. The movie was based on the misadventures of several Delta House Fraternity brothers and their pledges while attending Faber College.

This classic was almost never made, as no college was willing to let the director, John Landis, use their campus for such a raunchy storyline. Enter the University of Oregon in Eugene; the president of the university allowed the film to be made on and around the campus under the stipulation that the school's name not appear in the credits.