Quiz Time

Final exams are over in my fair city now, but in the spirit of the season, I found this quiz on Susie Bright's blog. It originates on my old favorite, Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule. Heck, I'll play.

1) William Demarest or Broderick Crawford?

Broderick Crawford. I love a heavy and I can't remember ever seeing William Demarest as a heavy. Plus, you have Highway Patrol vs. My Three Sons. So Crawford it is.

2) What movies improve when seen in a state of altered consciousness?

As a matter of pure speculation, I imagine that The Giant Claw would improve with an altered state of consciousness. As a lifelong teetotaller, I don't have first-hand knowledge.

3) Favorite studio or production company logo?

I like the old AVCO/Embassy logo, mainly for the abstract designy-ness of it.



4) Celeste Holm or Joan Blondell?

Oh, Joan Blondell for the win. Mainly for this:



5) What is the most overrated "classic" film?

My usual response to this sort of question is "there's no such thing as an overrated film, just films that other people like that you don't." My current answer is "Citizen Kane," because calling something "the greatest x ever made" is by definition overrating it. And I LOVE Citizen Kane.

6) What movie do you know for sure you saw, but have no memory of seeing?

I have no memory of Now, Voyager. I've seen it at least twice.

7) Favorite Hammer Film?

For the nonce, it's Kiss of the Vampire, because it gave Roman Polanski the idea for The Fearless Vampire Killers and because it's batshit insane on its own.

8) Gregory Itzin or Joe Pantoliano?

Joe Pantoliano is my favorite Steve Carrella in movies based on Ed McBain. Plus, he was Guido the Killer Pimp. So there you go.

9) Create a double feature with two different movies with the same title. No remakes.

Spellbound (the Hitchcock movie and the documentary about spelling bees)

10) Akiko Wakabayashi or Mie Hama?

Mei Hama for me. Mainly because "Kissy Suzuki" is one of my favorite Bond names.

11) Can you think of a (non-porn) movie that informed you of the existence of a sexual act you had not known of prior?

I can't think of one. I'm almost tempted to say Shortbus, but that's cheating.

12) Can you think of a black & white movie that might actually improve if it was in color?

Jezebel with Bette Davis. I mean, come on! That red dress is a freaking plot point! Screams to have been made in Technicolor. Sigh.

13) Favorite Pedro Almodovar Film?

All About My Mother because it's the one where Almodovar finally "clicked" for me (plus, I LOVE Antonia San Juan's character). I was tempted to say Broken Embraces, but I need to see it some more times.

14) Kurt Raab or Udo Kier?

Oh, Udo Kier definitely. One of these days, I'm going to write a slash porn story teaming Udo Kier's Baron Frankenstein in a love triangle with Helmut Berger's Nazi from Salon Kitty and John Phillip Law's Diabolik. It'll be epic.

15) Worst main title song

The main title song from Aldo Lado's nasty Night Train Murders, which sours me on an otherwise sterling Ennio Morricone score. Morricone should have done the title credits.

16) Last movie you saw in a theater? On DVD, Blu-ray or other interesting location/format?

a. Iron Man 2 with my brothers. Before that, it was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I'm hoping to see Bong Joon-ho's new film, Mother, tonight or tomorrow.

b. Lucretia Martel's The Holy Girl. Martel might be a legitimately great director.


17) Favorite movie reference within a Woody Allen movie?

I liked all of the quotes from German expressionism in Shadows and Fog. Hated the movie, though.

18) Mary Astor or Claudette Colbert?

The difference between an "actress" and a "star." I don't know that I have an opinion. I love Mary Astor in Act of Violence, but that's about it (for what it's worth, I hated her Brigid O'Shaughnessy; I thought she was all wrong for the role). I love Colbert in Torch Song and The Sign of the Cross, but I can't say that I like the movies. Call it a wash.

19) Favorite trailer (provide YouTube link if possible)?

Psycho, hands down. I love that it's Vera Miles at the end of it, not Janet Leigh. Hitch knew how to screw with an audience's head.



20) Oddest double bill you either saw or saw listed in a theater

Hmmm...that's a toughie. One that I saw, I guess: Conan the Destroyer and Iceman, which might actually have been a triple bill with either Gymkata or Red Sonja, but I don't remember. We left halfway through the second feature, in any event.

As a side note, this is a double feature I'd like to see on a marquee (but not necessarily in the theater): The Godfather Part III and Not Without My Daughter!

21) Favorite Phil Karlson film?

Hmm...Probably Kansas City Confidential, but I like The Phenix City Story and Scandal Sheet an awful lot.

22) Favorite “social problem” picture?

Um...Do the Right Thing, maybe? I don't know that I have one.

23) Your favourite Harryhausen film/monster?

Speak of the devil: the statue of Kali/Shiva

24) What was the first movie you saw with your significant other?

Life is Beautiful.

25) John Payne or Ronald Reagan?

John Payne, hands down. Reagan never defended Santa Claus.

26) Movie you feel a certain pressure or obligation to see that you have not yet actually seen.

I occasionally feel the pressure to see Fight Club. I'll pass.

27) Favorite “psychedelic” movie (Hey, man, like, define it however you want, man…)

"Begone Dull Care", methinks.

28) Thelma Ritter or Eve Arden?

Thelma Ritter, mainly for Pickup on South Street and Rear Window.

29) Favorite iconic shot or image from a film?

Oooh. That "iconic" is a qualifier, ain't it? Probably the last shot of The Searchers. My favorite shot in movies, though, might be the last shot in The Conversation.

30) What is the movie that inspired the most memorable argument you ever had about a movie?

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, of all things.

31) Raquel Torres or Lupe Velez?

Lupe Velez's life had a tragic ending, so I remember her better. But Raquel Torres was in Duck Soup and wasn't driven to suicide by her religion. So thee you go.

32) Favorite adaptation of Shakespeare to a film?

Chimes at Midnight. Followed closely by Throne of Blood and Kozintsev's King Lear.

33) Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein (in 3D)-- yes or no?

Oh, sure. Why not?

34) Favorite movie rating?

X, because it's not copyrighted by the MPAA and anyone can use it. That seems kind of democratic, don't you think?

35) Olivia Barash or Joyce Hyser?

Joyce Hyser for genderfucking in Just One of the Guys and STILL flashing her boobs (no binding!).

36) What was the movie that convinced you your favorite movie genre was your favorite movie genre?

The original Invasion of the Body Snatchers (horror, not sci fi). Man, that film makes an impression when you see it at ten years old.

37) Favorite Blake Edwards movie?

Victor/Victoria. The runner up is S.O.B.