The Scent of Pinewood Multiple Choice Quiz | Foreign Mixture

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1. Pinewood Studios were requisitioned for the war effort during the Second War World, with documentaries being the main fare. After the war, David Lean directed "Oliver Twist" (1948). The portrayal of Fagin proved to be controversial with the film being banned in Israel for being anti-semitic. Receiving an Oscar for Best Actor as Colonel Nicholson in "Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957), who played Fagin in "Oliver Twist"?

Answer: Alec Guinness

British actor Alec Guinness made his name in plays and films for some 50 years in the latter half of the 20th century. To his regret, he is probably best known for his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the initial "Star Wars" trilogy, which brought him to the attention of a new generation of viewers. It however made him a wealthy man and also garnered him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

"Oliver Twist" is an adaptation of Charles Dicken's book of the same name, which refers to Fagin as a Jew. The first edition of the book included illustrations by George Cruikshank including one of Fagin which was used as the basis for his look in the film. Alec Guinness wore a large prosthetic nose to achieve the look.

The release of the film in America was delayed until 1951 and had seven minutes of profile shots of Fagin removed. The film was also banned in Egypt, however this was because the film was too lenient in its portrayal of Fagin.

2. Money was tight during the 1940s at Rank Organisation, the owners of Pinewood Studios at that time, following large big budget overruns and films that bombed. Despite the lack of adequate promotion due to the financial situation, the Powell and Pressburger film "The Red Shoes" (1948) however proved to be Rank's most financially successful up to that point, particularly in the US. What was the film about?

Answer: Ballet

Loosely based on the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale of the same name, the 1948 film takes the form of a 'story within a story'. The film includes the performance a new ballet (called "The Red Shoes", based on the fairy tale) with the story of the lead dancer also reflecting the fairy tale. In the fairy tale, the red ballet shoes force her to dance until her death.

3. The 1950s saw the start of a number of comedy franchises at Pinewood Studios. The "Carry On" series, "Doctor" films and Norman Wisdom's comedies were all filmed at Pinewood. "Doctor in the House" was the most popular film in the UK during 1954. Which actor-turned author became a matin�e idol as a result of his leading role as Dr Simon Sparrow?

Answer: Dirk Bogarde

The film is based on a book of the same name written by Richard Gordon, which was a pen name. The lead character, Dr Simon Sparrow, was actually called Richard Gordon in the book, sharing the author's name. The author made an uncredited appearance in the film as an anesthetist.

The film spawned six sequels, based on some of the book sequels, as well as a TV and radio series. There were 19 books in the series. The early books were reportedly autobiographical.

4. The "James Bond" movie franchise has had its home at Pinewood since 1962. Which was the first "Bond" movie to be filmed?

Answer: Dr No

"Dr No" (1962) sees Bond off to Jamaica to investigate the disappearance of another British agent. The trail leads him to Dr Julius No, who has some nefarious plans.

Although the first of the "Bond" films, it was the sixth book in the series written by Ian Fleming. "Dr No" was directed by Terence Young and featured Sean Connery in the role of Bond.

As of 2014, there have been 25 Bond movies, with 23 produced by Eon Productions. Eon Productions was formed by Albert R. 'Cubby' Broccoli and Harry Saltzman to make the "Bond" movies. Pinewood have recognised Cubby's contribution to the studios by renaming their iconic 007 stage after him.

5. The 1970s was a period of change for the Pinewood Studios, resulting in financial uncertainty. The "Superman" and "Superman II" films no doubt played a part in keeping the studios aloft. Who played the lead role in these films?

Answer: Christopher Reeve

All of the actors listed have played the character, although it was Christopher Reeve in the hot seat for these two films as well as "Superman III" and "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace". Reeve became a quadriplegic in 1995, following a fall from a horse, and died in 2004 while co-directing the 2006 animated film "Everyone's Hero".

6. The 1990s saw unfavourable tax laws in the UK leading to an all-time low in film productions. In this climate, Pinewood was kept going by such films as "Aliens 3" and "Batman Returns". The 1997 science-fiction action film "The Fifth Element" was another such film, with Bruce Willis playing taxi driver Korben Dallas. But who played Leeloo, the Fifth Element who dropped into Korben's flying taxi?

Answer: Milla Jovovich

American actress Milla Jovovich was born in the Ukraine of a Russian mother and Serbian father. She ended up marrying Frenchman Luc Besson, who wrote and directed "The Fifth Element". Science-fiction and action films are her genre, which includes her role as Alice in all five (as of 2014) "Resident Evil" films.

7. In 2012 Pinewood named a new 30,000 square foot stage after a British actor and director for his contribution to British cinematography. Best known for his roles in "Brighton Rock" (1947), "The Great Escape" (1963) and "Jurassic Park" (1993), who was this person?

Answer: Richard Attenborough

Richard Attenborough first came to Pinewood when assigned to the RAF Film Unit stationed there during the Second World War. Over the years he has been involved a number of Pinewood films. He won two Academy Awards for directing and producing "Gandhi" (1982), for which Ben Kingsley won Best Actor in the role of Gandhi, and was involved in over 75 films. He died in 2014.

8. One of the features offered by Pinewood since 2005 is a dedicated 1.2 million litre capacity underwater stage. "Atonement" (2007) is one of the films to make use of the stage. Who plays the elder sister, Cecilia Tallis, in the flooded Tube station, filmed in this Pinewood facility?

Answer: Keira Knightley

Kiera Knightley is a British actress who came to prominence with her appearances in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise films, but is perhaps now better known for her period dramas.

Much praised, the romantic drama film "Atonement" was directed by Joe Wright and based on the book of the same name by Ian McEwan. It covers six decades in the life of British family and the consequences of a false accusation. The other three actresses played Briony, the younger sister of Cecilia Tallis, at different stages in her life.

Pinewood's underwater studio could be described as a 20 metre-long swimming pool with a depth of 6 metres, maintained at a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius and complete with viewing windows.

9. Fire has played its part in the history of Pinewood Studios. The 007 stage was destroyed by fire in 1984 and then again 2006. The 1984 fire occurred during the filming of "Legend" (1985). With films like "Alien" (1979) and "Blade Runner" (1982) to his credit, who directed "Legend"?

Answer: Ridley Scott

British director and producer Ridley Scott went on to make "Thelma & Louise" (1991), "Gladiator" (2000) and "Black Hawk Down (2001), for which a total of eight Oscars were received, to go with the "Alien" Oscar.

The stage was originally built for "The Spy Who Loved Me" in 1977 and is now one of the world's largest 'silent' stages, so called because it lacks sound insulation. The new stage is now the largest in Europe (as of 2014) at 59,000 square feet. The stage was renamed the Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage in 1985.

10. Pinewood Studios were built on the former estate of Heatherden Hall in Buckinghamshire. The grounds and estate buildings, and not just the studios, are sometimes roped into a film's production. The adjacent 500-acre Black Woods has been used in various "Harry Potter" films and the fantasy film "Maleficent" (2014). Who plays the titular role in "Maleficent"?

Answer: Angelina Jolie

American actress Angelina Jolie starred as the evil queen Maleficent in a re-telling of Walt Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" (1959) from the perspective of Aurora, the sleeping beauty.

Although achieving Oscar success in "Girl, Interrupted" (1999), it is probably action films such as "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" (2001) and "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" (2005) for which she is best known.

Source: Author suomy

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor skunkee before going online.
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The Scent of Pinewood Trivia Quiz

Pinewood Studios, a British film and TV studio, has been around since the mid-1930s. As you can imagine, a lot of films have visited the studios. Let's have a look at Pinewood and some of these films.

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