Hard Exotica Quiz / Test | Movies

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who was the triple-threat Canadian who was the writer, producer, and director of "Exotica" (1994)?

Answer: Atom Egoyan

Atom Egoyan was born in Egypt but his family migrated to Canada. "Exotica" (1994) was his first break-through success, winning a modest amount of praise and awards. "The Sweet Hereafter" (1997) resulted in two Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay. His "Chloe" (2009) got mixed reviews but was a commercial success. Egoyan has won several Cannes awards.

Egoyan teaches at University of Toronto in film arts and operates a movie cinema/lounge in Toronto. As to his unusual first name, his parents named him Atom after the first nuclear power plant in Egypt.

If you check out the Rotten Tomatoes film site, "Exotica" got a 97% rating.

2. To what does the title "Exotica" refer in the film?

Answer: A night club which is center to much of the action

Exotica is a night club that features exotic dancing and which is the focal point of action in the film. Most of the prime characters have a connection to Exotica. The Exotica is not a dreary strip joint but well kept and its dancers cater to special whims of its audience.

As one reviewer put it: "The decor creates a tropical club heavy with palm fronds, the music slinks between the tables, the lighting is an oddly muted garishness, gloom cut with neon reds, greens and blues." The dancers grind to a subtle middle east air.

3. Francis (Bruce Greenwood) visits Exotica frequently. Before he goes, he hires a babysitter. Why is this unusual?

Answer: He has no children.

This mysterious behavior puzzles both the babysitter and the viewing audience but is explained in latter parts of the film.

4. Christina (Mia Kirshner) is a dancer at the Exotica. What is her special character choice when performing?

Answer: A school girl

Christina wears a costume much like traditional Catholic schools used to require. When not on stage she sits with Francis and they talk in hushed serious tones as he has purchased her time. At times her behavior may be teasing but adhering to club policy, there is no touching.

5. Eric (Elias Koteas) is Master of Ceremonies at Exotica. How did he first meet Christina?

Answer: Partners on a hunt for a lost child

Eric sits on a perch above the crowd and often makes lurid comments about the provocative dancers and even to the patrons. He and Christina were partners in a widespread search for a missing child and later became lovers. He has to be alert to the temper of the crowd and to keep order and decorum. Rather than the jazz, blues, or rock music that you might expect, the dancers writhe to what sounds like a middle-east harmony that makes you think of Egypt or Turkey.

6. An airport customs officer (David Hemblen) detects Thomas (Don McKeller) of possibly being a smuggler. What is he attempting to smuggle?

Answer: Rare exotic bird eggs

The customs officer makes no attempt to stop him but begins to conduct private surveillance on him. The officer and Thomas have a sexual encounter. The officer confiscates the eggs but pressures Thomas into an on-going relationship under threat of exposure.

7. How does Francis, when not at the Exotica, make a living?

Answer: Auditor

Francis is assigned to audit the books at Thomas' pet shop. He is attempting to establish a paper trail on the pending apprehension of Thomas for smuggling.

8. Zoe is the owner of Exotica. She is both beautiful and pregnant. There are hints that Eric may be the father. She watches the action through a two-way mirror. How did she come to own Exotica?

Answer: She inherited it from her mother.

Because she inherited Exotica from her mother, Zoe is strict in keeping Exotica close her mother's operation and vision; that is, the specialized mood, the women, catering to her clientele, and enforcing the 'no touching' policy.

Arsin�e Khanjian, Atom Egoyan's wife, played Zoe. She was pregnant during the filming.

9. Eric was once Christina's lover. When Francis appears at Exotica and directs all his attention to Christina, Eric feels deep-seated jealousy. How does he cope with Francis?

Answer: Tricks him into touching Christina that bans him from Exotica

Because Christina is an intricate part of his life and psyche, Francis seeks revenge on Eric. Because he has uncovered damning evidence on Thomas' smuggling operation, he recruits Thomas to enter Exotica to help eavesdrop and talk to Christina so he can be with her by proxy, thus setting up a confrontation with Eric. All the puzzle pieces are finally in place. You see "Exotica" not as a 'tense thriller' nor as a 'sexual exploitation' but as a devastating human mystery.

10. Mychael Danna was the music arranger for "Exotica" (1994) and the film soundtrack. On that soundtrack is a song called "Everybody Knows". What esteemed Canadian artist sings it?

Answer: Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen is a anadian award-winning singer-songwriter, musician, poet, and novelist. He is the elder statesman of Canadian popular music. A snippet of his "Everybody Knows" goes:

"Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows that the war is over
Everybody knows the good guys lost
Everybody knows the fight was fixed
The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
That's how it goes
Everybody knows"

In addition to the original music by Danna, you will find adaptations of Prokofiev's "Montagues and Capulets" and Schubert's "Impromptu".

Source: Author Rehaberpro

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor jmorrow before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Exotica Trivia Quiz

"Exotica" is a multi-layered film with a superior ensemble cast.

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