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Movies in Movies Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Movies in Movies Quizzes, Trivia

Movies in Movies Trivia

Movies in Movies Trivia Quizzes

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Fun Trivia
6 quizzes and 60 trivia questions.
1.
  Watching Movies in the Movies   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Each of these movies includes at least one scene where the characters are watching another movie. How well do you remember them?
Average, 10 Qns, skunkee, Jul 11 06
Average
skunkee editor
5335 plays
2.
  Films About Making Films and Television Shows   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Making movies or television programs was central to the plot of all of these movies. How well do you remember them?
Easier, 10 Qns, skunkee, Jul 11 06
Easier
skunkee editor
4210 plays
3.
  Movies Featured in Other Movies   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
One way for a film director to pay homage to his or her favorite films of years past is to insert scenes from them in their movies. This quiz takes a look at some famous examples of this...good luck!
Difficult, 10 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Jul 11 06
Difficult
thejazzkickazz gold member
4504 plays
4.
  Movies in Movies That Have Other Movies in Them   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Can you name the real-life movie within the movie? I'll give you the film it shows up in and a few details. You identify the title of the film within the film.
Tough, 10 Qns, matriplex, Jun 24 19
Tough
matriplex
Jun 24 19
297 plays
5.
  Movies About Movies   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
A common conceit is for film-makers to make films about film-making. Here are some films about films.
Average, 10 Qns, Rehaberpro, Oct 15 16
Average
Rehaberpro
1176 plays
6.
  Marquee Films    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Motion pictures frequently reference other films, many times on marquees. Can you name the films mentioned within other films?
Tough, 10 Qns, parrotman2006, Mar 29 21
Tough
parrotman2006 gold member
Mar 29 21
219 plays

Movies in Movies Trivia Questions

1. What 1945 film can be seen on marquees in both "The Godfather" (1972) and "It's A Wonderful Life" (1947)?

From Quiz
Marquee Films

Answer: The Bells of Saint Mary's

In "Godfather" Michael takes Kay to Radio City Music Hall to see "The Bells of Saint Mary's" Kay asks Michael is he would be interested in her being a nun, and he declines. Kay then suggests she could be Ingrid Bergman, an idea Michael finds more interesting. In "Wonderful Life", the film can be seen on the marquee in downtown Bedford Falls, as George Bailey is returning home after Clarence has restored him to existence. "The Bells of Saint Mary's" (1945) stars Bing Crosby as a resourceful priest and Ingrid Bergman as a serious nun who are attempting to ensure the survival of a parochial school. It was the most commercially successful film of 1945, and remains a beloved classic, frequently shown during the holiday season. "Spellbound" is an Alfred Hitchcock thriller starring Bergman and Gregory Peck. "Anchors Aweigh" is a musical comedy with Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. And "The Lost Weekend" stars Ray Milland as an alcoholic; it won the Best Picture Academy Award for 1945.

2. In David Fincher's brilliant true-crime drama, "Zodiac", Detective David Toschi (played by Mark Ruffalo) attends the screening of a film that bears a disturbing similarity to the murder case he is investigating. What film does Toschi go to see?

From Quiz Movies in Movies That Have Other Movies in Them

Answer: Dirty Harry

In "Zodiac", the legendary detective David Toschi goes to see a special screening of the Clint Eastwood classic, "Dirty Harry". The Scorpio Killer in "DH", played with gleeful malevolence by Andrew Robinson, is clearly based on the elusive Zodiac killer that Toschi is trying to identify and capture. Troubled by the resemblance, Toschi walks out of the screening. Though the Zodiac was never found, the psychotic Scorpio killer is tracked down and killed by Eastwood's Dirty Harry Callahan. Things often turn out better in the movies than they do in real life.

3. What 1997 film provided insights into the murky world of pornography?

From Quiz Movies About Movies

Answer: Boogie Nights

Paul Thomas Anderson's film was a showcase for ensemble acting. Julianne Moore and Burt Reynolds were nominated for supporting acting roles and Anderson for direction. However, there were strong performances by Mark Wahlberg, John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Don Cheadle, and William H. Macy. And we can't overlook Heather Graham as Rollergirl or Alfred Molina's turn as a crazed drug dealer.

4. Scenes from this film classic featuring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed have appeared in dozens of films, including 'The Ref', 'Home Alone' and 'Bruce Almighty'. What is the name of this Christmas-related cinema favorite?

From Quiz Movies Featured in Other Movies

Answer: It's a Wonderful Life

The 1946 classic 'It's a Wonderful Life', directed by Frank Capra, has become so enmeshed in Americana that it is no wonder that the film is 'sampled' rather often in other films. You can literally find dozens of films in which 'It's a Wonderful Life' is referenced, featured or spoofed. Plot: 'It's a Wonderful Life' is about a man who does his best to help his family and his Building and Loan survive during the depression years in the small town of Bedford Falls.

5. In "Back to the Future" (1985), when Marty McFly first arrives in Hill Valley in 1955, what movie is showing at the Essex Theater?

From Quiz Marquee Films

Answer: Cattle Queen of Montana

Marty sees it both on the marquee and on a poster outside the theater. Barbara Stanwyck plays the titular cattle queen, Sierra Nevada Jones. Ronald Reagan plays an undercover US Marshal investigating a crooked rancher involved in arms dealings with Native Americans. The film was originally released in November 1954, so Hill Valley is a little behind the curve when it comes to getting first run films. "The Atomic Kid" is a Mickey Rooney comedy which came out in December 1954; it was on the marquee for the Town Theater in 1955. "Rebel Without a Cause" was James Dean's first big hit, and came out in October 1955. "Mister Roberts" is a military comedy starring Henry Fonda and Jack Lemmon released in July 1955. "Back to the Future" (1985) starred Michael J Fox as Marty and Christopher Lloyd as Doctor Emmett Brown. Marty travels to 1955 in a time machine and threatens his own existence when he interferes with his parents meeting. Everything works out well in the end. In 1985 Hill Valley, the Essex shows adult films and the Town Theater is a church.

6. "Movie Crazy" (1932) was a transition film for what popular silent screen comic into sound?

From Quiz Movies About Movies

Answer: Harold Lloyd

Lloyd played a young man enamored with Hollywood and the movies who through a mix-up is invited for a screen test. While there, he proceeds to have one calamity after another. It was Lloyd's third sound film.

7. The 2002 movie 'Adaptation' features a scene in which Charlie Kaufman (Nicolas Cage) literally walks right onto the set of which other film?

From Quiz Movies Featured in Other Movies

Answer: Being John Malkovich

The scripts for both 'Being John Malkovich' and 'Adaptation' were written by Charlie Kaufman. Since the story behind 'Adaptation' is supposed to be taking place around the time that 'Being John Malkovich' is being made, it makes sense that Kaufman would be interacting somehow with this film within a film. Plot: In 'Being John Malkovich', some people discover a pathway into the soul of actor John Malkovich. They are able to experience things through the actor's eyes, resulting in bizarre consequences.

8. The 1971 film "The Last Picture Show" features three films at the Royal Theater. What is the "last picture" shown in the film?

From Quiz Marquee Films

Answer: Red River

"Red River" (1948) is a Howard Hawks western starring John Wayne and Montgomery Clift. Wayne plays a Texas cattle rancher and much of the film centers on a cattle drive. Clift plays his adopted son. The American Film Institute selected it as the fifth greatest western of all time in 2008. "Father of the Bride" (the 1950 version) is a comedy with Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor. "Winchester 73" (1950) is a western starring James Stewart. "Sunset Boulevard" (1950) was not among the films Peter Bogdanovich used in "Last Picture Show" (1971). The 1950 film tells the story of faded film star Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) and is one of the great films of the decade. "The Last Picture Show" (1971) is a coming of age story set in small town Texas in 1951. Ben Johnson and Cloris Leachman won Academy Awards for their roles. The film introduces several future stars, including Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Timothy and Sam Bottoms and Randy Quaid.

9. During one scene in 'The Shawshank Redemption', a classic Hollywood film is being shown to the prisoners. Which film, starring Rita Hayworth, is featured here?

From Quiz Movies Featured in Other Movies

Answer: Gilda

'Gilda', starring Hayworth, Glenn Ford and George Macready and directed by Charles Vidor, has been referenced or featured in a number of films and television shows over the years. The particular scene they show in 'The Shawshank Redemption' where Rita Hayworth flips her hair over her head after being asked 'Gilda, are you decent?' and responds, 'Me? Sure, I'm decent.' is a classic. Plot: 'Gilda' is a noiresque love-triangle about a casino owner, his unfaithful wife and her former lover who has been hired as the assistant to the casino owner.

10. In "Twelve Monkeys" (1995), James Cole attends a film marathon of the works of what legendary director?

From Quiz Marquee Films

Answer: Alfred Hitchcock

In "Twelve Monkeys" (1995), Cole (Bruce Willis) and Kathryn Railly (Madeline Stowe) attend an Alfred Hitchcock film festival in a Philadelphia theatre. The first film they see is "Vertigo" (1958), the psychological thriller starring James Stewart and Kim Novak. Later James wakes up in the theater and the animals gone wild film "The Birds" (1963) is playing. Director Terry Gilliam later has Madeline Stowe dress exactly as Kim Novak did in "Vertigo" including wearing a blonde wig. Other films mentioned on the marquee are "Strangers on a Train" (1951) and "North by Northwest" (1959). Although Hitchcock was nominated five times as Director, he never won an Academy Award. His 1940 film "Rebecca" did earn Best Picture. "Twelve Monkeys" was directed by Terry Gilliam, and tells of a dystopian future in which a majority of the world's population has been killed by a pandemic. James Cole travels back in time in an attempt to stop the outbreak, where he meets psychologist Railly and crazed environmental activist Jeffrey Goines (Brad Pitt). The film ends with a young James witnessing his own death. It was inspired by the 1962 French experimental film "La Jetee".

11. Johnny Depp took a turn playing who many consider the worst film director of all time. Who was this film icon?

From Quiz Movies About Movies

Answer: Ed Wood

Ed Wood films are considered so bad that they have evolved into cult classics, particularly "Plan Nine from Outer Space" (1956) and "Glen and Glenda" (1952). I remember the shower curtain behind the pilots instead of a door. Coleman Francis gave us "The Beast of Yucca Flats" - described by one critic as the worst non-porno science fiction movie ever made. Not only is Rick Sloane's "Hobgoblins" (1987) on many lists of all-time worst movies but it is the only one to have a sequel "Hobgoblins 2" (2009). It has been described as Jim Henson's worst nightmare. With George Lucas as executive producer and with actors such as Tim Robbins, Lea Thompson, Jeffrey Jones, and Paul Guilfoyle, it is hard to understand how Director Willard Huyck's "Howard the Duck" (1986) was such a financial and artistic failure, given that the budget far exceeded the other films mentioned.

12. Released in 2001, 'Donnie Darko' has already become a cult classic film. In one scene, Donnie takes a date to a movie theater where they watch which 1980's horror cult classic?

From Quiz Movies Featured in Other Movies

Answer: The Evil Dead

The director of 'Donnie Darko', Richard Kelly, not only got permission from director Sam Raimi to feature 'The Evil Dead' (1981) in his film, he was also allowed to distort the picture on the screen in the movie theater at which the film was being played. Plot: 'The Evil Dead' is about a group of young people who become trapped in a small house that is haunted by the spirits of the dead.

13. What 1963 film can be seen on the marquee of the State Theater in "American Graffiti" (1973)?

From Quiz Marquee Films

Answer: Dementia 13

"Dementia 13" was Francis Ford Coppola's directorial debut. It was a low budget horror film produced by Roger Corman. Coppola got his start in films working as a technician for Corman. In a notable continuity error, "American Graffiti" is set in 1962, while "Dementia 13" did not come out until a year later. "American Graffiti" (1973) was the second major film by George Lucas, and was produced by Coppola. It is a coming of age story set in August 1962, and centers on a group of young people on the eve of their heading off into adulthood. It is notable for starring several future stars including Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Paul LeMat and Cindy Williams. "Cleopatra" was a big budget historical bio-pic starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, and the biggest grossing film of 1963. "Tom Jones" was a remake of the Henry Fielding novel starring Albert Finney in the title role; it won Best Picture and Best Director. "Charade" is a spy thriller romantic comedy with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn.

14. The Grim Reaper appears in the 1993 Arnold Schwarzenegger movie 'The Last Action Hero', walking directly off the movie screen from which classic 1950s film?

From Quiz Movies Featured in Other Movies

Answer: The Seventh Seal

The classic portrayal of Death by Bengt Ekerot is renewed once again in 'The Last Action Hero', though, of course, once the Grim Reaper emerges through the movie screen he is portrayed by none other than Ian McKellen! Plot: A crusading knight and his squire return from the Crusades. 'The Seventh Seal' deals with the struggles of the knight, to find meaning in his existence.

15. In the 1971 film "Omega Man" what film did Robert Neville watch?

From Quiz Marquee Films

Answer: Woodstock

"Omega Man" is based on the 1954 novel "I am Legend" by Richard Matheson. Charlton Heston plays Colonel Robert Neville, an army scientist who survives a plague which kills most of the human race after biological warfare. Neville roams around a largely desolate Los Angeles, pursued by mutated survivors from the bio-war. He watches "Woodstock" and from his familiarity with the dialogue it is clear he has seen it many times. "Woodstock" (1970) is a documentary about the 1969 musical festival in upstate New York. It won the Academy Award as Best Documentary and has been wildly hailed as one of the greatest documentaries ever made. "Midnight Cowboy" (1969) stars Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voigt as two down and out hustlers in New York City. "The Last Man on Earth" is a 1964 version of the Matheson story, starring Vincent Price as the survivor. "Planet of the Apes" (1968) would have been a huge in-joke, as it also stars Heston in a dystopian future. In the 2007 version of "I am Legend", Will Smith was in New York City.

16. What Woody Allen film had Jeff Daniels leaving the fictional movie screen into the audience and entering the real life of Mia Farrow?

From Quiz Movies About Movies

Answer: The Purple Rose of Cairo

Hollywood is in panic. What if other screen images decided to walk into the real world? The film was selected as one of the 100 best films by Time Magazine.

17. In the 1995 film 'Twelve Monkeys', directed by Terry Gilliam, which classic movie by Hitchcock (and featuring James Stewart) is seen by the characters Cole and Railly in a brief excerpt?

From Quiz Movies Featured in Other Movies

Answer: Vertigo

The film 'Vertigo' greatly influenced the 1962 French film 'La Jetée', upon which 'Twelve Monkeys' is partially based. The Cole and Railly characters were played by Bruce Willis and Madeleine Stowe, respectively. Plot: 'Vertigo' is about a former detective, with a fear of heights, who is hired to follow the wife of a friend who is believed to have become possessed by another woman's spirit.

18. When Harry Callahan enters the diner in "Dirty Harry" (1971), what Clint Eastwood film is visible on the marquee around the corner?

From Quiz Marquee Films

Answer: Play Misty for Me

"Play Misty for Me" can be seen immediately before the legendary "44 Magnum" scene in "Dirty Harry" (1971). It was Eastwood's first film as a director, and tells the story of a disc jockey (Eastwood) who is stalked by an obsessed fan (Jessica Walter). The film is widely regarded as a classic in the stalker genre. "Dirty Harry" (1971) came out a few months after "Play Misty for Me". Eastwood plays iconic bad cop Harry Callahan, who is chasing a serial killer across San Francisco. It is the fourth film that director Don Siegel made with Eastwood. "Coogan's Bluff" (1968) is a fish out of water movie in which Eastwood plays a gruff Arizona lawman in New York City. "The Beguiled" (1971) stars Eastwood as a wounded soldier being held hostage by school girls during the Civil War. Both were directed by Siegel. "Paint Your Wagon" (1969) was Eastwood's only musical. He stars with Lee Marvin and Jean Seberg. It features the classic song "I Talk to the Trees".

19. The 1994 Peter Jackson-directed film 'Heavenly Creatures' features scenes and excerpts from which classic film noir, featuring Orson Welles and directed by Carol Reed?

From Quiz Movies Featured in Other Movies

Answer: The Third Man

Like 'The Third Man', 'Heavenly Creatures' features a bizarre fantasy world in which murder becomes a subplot. In 'Heavenly Creatures', the two lead characters (one played by Kate Winslet) make Orson Welles and his Harry Lime character from 'The Third Man' one of their obsessions. Plot: In 'The Third Man', a man named Holly Martens (Joseph Cotten) becomes embroiled in a murder mystery involving a former friend named Harry Lime (Orson Welles) who he believes has recently been killed.

20. When Ray Kinsella travels to 1972 Chisholm, Minnesota, what film is playing at the town movie theatre?

From Quiz Marquee Films

Answer: The Godfather

"Field of Dreams" is about an Iowa farmer named Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) who builds a baseball field in his corn field. Old time baseball players, including Shoeless Joe Jackson, arrive. In the end, Ray is able to reconcile with his late father. "The Godfather" is playing at the Plaza Theatre in Chisholm. Ray travels to 1972 to speak with Archibald Graham (Burt Lancaster), a would-be baseball player turned physician. "The Godfather" was both the most successful commercial film of 1972 and won the award for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It follows the rise of Michael Corleone in his family's criminal empire, and takes place during the late 1940s and early 1950s. "Cabaret" stars Liza Minelli as a singer in 1930s Berlin. "The Poseidon Adventure" is a disaster film set aboard an ocean liner and "Deliverance" stars Burt Reynolds and Ned Beatty as river rafters who have a disturbing encounter with hillbillies.

21. In Peter Bogdanovich's "The Last Picture Show", this classic western is the last picture show referred to in the title. What western are we talking about?

From Quiz Movies in Movies That Have Other Movies in Them

Answer: Red River

The great Howard Hawks directed the unlikely pair of John Wayne and Montgomery Clift in this rousing tale of a cattle drive to Missouri. Easily one of the greatest westerns ever made, Bogdanovich beautifully uses footage from "Red River" in his own masterpiece.

22. What documentary forms an important plot device in "Annie Hall" (1977)?

From Quiz Marquee Films

Answer: The Sorrow and the Pity

"The Sorrow and The Pity" (1969) is a four hour documentary about French collaboration with Nazi Germany during World War II. It was actually banned in France for over a decade because it revealed some ugly truths about the character of France. It was directed by Marcel Ophuls. It is widely regarded as one of the best documentaries ever made. In "Annie Hall", the film gets a mention early when Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) tries to get Annie to go and she begs off watching "a four hour documentary about Nazis". At the end of the film, she is taking a date to see the documentary, which Alvy calls "a personal triumph". It is showing at the Thalia Theater, which operated at 2537 Broadway from 1931 to 1987. The scene is also notable as Sigourney Weaver's film debut. "Annie Hall" (1977) was a huge critical success, winning Best Picture, Best Director and Screenplay for Woody Allen and Best Actress for Diane Keaton in the title role. It made around $38 million at the box office. "Hotel Terminus," a film on Klaus Barbie, was also directed by Ophuls, but didn't come out until 1988. It won the Academy Award for Best Documentary. "The 81st Blow" (1974) is an Israeli documentary about the Holocaust. "The California Reich" (1975) covers Neo-Nazis in the United States.

23. This timeless silent film by George Méliès shows up again and again in Martin Scorsese's valentine to moviemaking, "Hugo". What is the name of the film?

From Quiz Movies in Movies That Have Other Movies in Them

Answer: A Trip to the Moon

George Méliès is actually a character in "Hugo", sympathetically portrayed by Ben Kingsley. Méliès, of course, was a French illusionist who became fascinated with moving pictures way back in the 19th century. He made profound contributions to the art of the cinema back in those early days--multiple exposures, time-lapse photography, dissolves, and hand-painted color--these were all Méliès' innovations and all are on vivid display in his most famous film, "A Trip to the Moon".

24. In "Gremlins" (1984), director Joe Dante included an in-joke about what director's films on the movie marquee?

From Quiz Marquee Films

Answer: Steven Spielberg

The marquee shows "A Boys Life" which was the working title for "E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial" (1982) and "Watch the Skies" which was the working title for "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977). Steven Spielberg was the Executive Producer on "Gremlins" and has a cameo as a man on a bicycle. Robert Zemeckis would use the same set to film "Back to the Future". "ET: The Extra-Terrestrial" (1982) was the biggest grossing film of 1982, earning almost $800 million worldwide. It earned a Golden Globe for Best Drama and several awards for John Williams film score. "Close Encounters" (1977) was the third biggest film, with "Star Wars" far ahead. Both films focus on visits by extra-terrestrials to Earth, "Gremlins" (1984) is about a cuddly creature called a mogwai that becomes not so cuddly if it is exposed to water or fed after midnight. It stars Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates and Howie Mandel as Gizmo. It was one of the bigger hits of 1984, earning just over $150 million.

25. A low budget independent film begins to generate buzz of Oscar worthy performances. Those involved, or believe they are involved, begin to jockey for publicity that can generate a nomination. What 2006 film has this plot?

From Quiz Movies About Movies

Answer: For Your Consideration

Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy wrote the screenplay. Catherine O'Hara, Parker Posey, and Harry Shearer vie for an award. Much of the dialogue is improvised by the actors, a characteristic of Guest's other films. 'For your consideration' is a phrase often used in campaigning for awards by studios or individuals.

26. An appropriate final question. Which film is indeed 'the last picture show' in the 1971 film 'The Last Picture Show'?

From Quiz Movies Featured in Other Movies

Answer: Red River

Duane Jackson (Jeff Bridges) and Sonny Crawford (Timothy Bottoms) sit in the local theater and watch the last film performance that is going to be shown there, a screening of the John Wayne classic 'Red River'. Thus the title of the Peter Bogdanovich-directed film 'The Last Picture Show'. Plot: 'Red River' is about a group of cattle drivers who make the difficult trek north from Texas with their herds, made even more treacherous by the fact that the owner of the cattle (John Wayne) has a ruthless disregard for the men's lives. Thank you for playing this quiz, I hope you have enjoyed it.

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