Top Movies of 1982 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sean Connery

Along with Ford, Hauer and Young, appearances from Edward James Olmos and Daryl Hannah help provide the acting power behind this masterpiece of a sci-fi film. Based on the book 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' by Philip K. Dick, this is arguably Ridley Scott's greatest achievement. If you haven't seen the film, I strongly advise you watch the Director's Cut over the theaterical version.

Answer: Gandhi

Gandhi (the correct spelling), is considered to be the father of modern India. The 1982 film of the same name pays tribute to his greatness. Richard Attenborough's epic is sweeping, resembling some of the best films by fellow British director David Lean.

The highlight of this movie, however, is the absolutely entrancing performance by Ben Kingsley, who simply becomes Mahatma Gandhi in the film. His Best Actor Oscar was well deserved.

Answer: Ingmar Bergman

It's hard to fully describe what 'Fanny and Alexander' is, but suffice to say it follows the up-and-down lives of a Swedish family that may very well reflect the childhood memories of Bergman himself. The film won Oscars for Best Foreign Film and Best Cinematography (for Sven Nykvist), and two other categories to boot. It's definitely worth your time to investigate.

Answer: Klaus Kinski

Klaus Kinski, who had worked with Herzog before in such films as 'Aguirre: The Wrath of God' (1972) and 'Nosferatu the Vampyre' (1979), once again was enlisted to play the lead character in this Herzog adventure. Though Herzog and Kinski had conflict in the past, including an incident during the shooting of 'Aguirre' wherein Herzog apparently aimed a loaded gun at his acting companion, there is no doubt that this film would not have been the same without their collaboration. Kinski is a mad genius, and so is the character Fitzcarraldo. Don't miss this one!

Answer: Meryl Streep

Though Meryl Streep is noted for her ability to simulate accents, enabling her to create a perfect Polish accent for this film, this is not what sets her apart. It's simply her ability to absorb herself into a character and make the audience relate and understand her on both a rational and emotional level that makes her special. Though she has been great in an array of excellent films, this may be her most unique performance. Oh yeah, and Kevin Kline and Peter MacNicol aren't bad either!

Answer: The Verdict

Paul Newman provided one of his most impactful performances in this gut wrenching courtroom drama, but alas he was up against Ben Kingsley ('Gandhi') and Dustin Hoffman ('Tootsie') that year. Sidney Lumet does yet another fine job directing this film that also features James Mason, Jack Warden and Charlotte Rampling. I highly recommend it.

Answer: Chile

Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek are excellent in their roles as the father and wife of the missing American journalist. Greek-born director Costa-Gavras, known for political thrillers such as 'Z' and 'State of Siege', creates just the right level of suspense to leave the audience on edge from beginning to end.

Answer: Lily Tomlin

Along with Hoffman, Lange, Garr and Davis, a marvelous array of great actors also appear, including Dabney Coleman, Charles Durning, George Gaynes, Bill Murray and even Sydney Pollack, who managed to direct all of this acting talent. Even Andy Warhol makes a cameo appearance in this laugh-inducing comedy with a heart.

Answer: Sean Penn

No fewer than three Best Actor Oscar winners appear in 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High', namely Sean Penn, Forest Whitaker and Nicolas Cage. In addition to them, fine thespians such as Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Ray Walston, Eric Stoltz, Anthony Edwards and Phoebe Cates also grace the screen. Amy Heckerling directs this honest look at American youth culture of the early 80s.

Answer: The Thing

'The Thing' is certainly one of the scariest films of the 1980s, but what sets it apart from other horror films of that era is that it's really well made. Director John Carpenter is careful not to let the special effects overwhelm the underlying theme of the film, which can be summarized in the question 'Who can you trust?' Kurt Russell, known for his work in action movies, gives his most convincing performance (imho) in this excellent movie.

Thank you for playing this quiz. Please feel free to notify me about your favorites from 1982. I'd love to compare notes!