Mother, Is That You? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Billy Loomis's Mom in 'Scream II'

It is a combination of Roman's deadly games and Sidney's confused psyche that keeps the very dead Maureen Prescott's presence very much alive in 'Scream 3'. Norman keeps his Mother in the basement; Oren Scrivello, D.D.S., keeps a shrine to his mother in his bedroom. Fans of the dastardly dentist may recognise Pam Ferris as the late Mrs Scrivello - she played the Truchbull in Danny DeVito's 'Matilda'.

Answer: Catherine Deneuve

The exquisite Miriam Blaylock, who may be older than Egypt itself, selects a new companion every couple of centuries, promising immortality which will ultimately prove a lie. When age catches up with them, it does so in a matter of hours.

Answer: Alien

Mother, the controlling device on board the Nostromo, plays a dual role: while she keeps her charges safe in their womb-like stasis state, she yet remains under the control of the mercenary corporation which sends the crew to the alien planet in the first place. I like to take a cue from JM Barrie and think of this film as 'A Mother with a Monster in it'.

A little trivium for you: Both the ship, Nostromo, and the shuttle in which Ripley finally escapes, Narcissus, are references to doomsaying Polish author Joseph Conrad.

Answer: The owl

The owl represents Mother Bates owing to, amongst other things, its vantage point. It is perched high up, looking down, just as are her 'domains', Norman's head and the Bates Mansion. The owl, of course, has enormous significance in myth as omniscient being, as witch's familiar and as harbinger of doom. Norman says that birds are 'so passive' - a statement utterly belied by the poised-to-strike pose he has given the owl - just as he calls his Mother 'harmless'. Norman is the crow, the psychopomp which scavenges and carries passed souls to the land of the dead (or the swamp). Marion, of course, is represented by the little pheasant or grouse at Norman's elbow - she is the prey, the unwitting and easily-trapped quarry of the predatory owl. Norman's intentions toward Marion at this point are perfectly clear in that he continually puts his hand over the little bird, as though taking possession of it. I like to think of this film as 'A Monster with a Mother in it'.

Answer: Mrs. Voorhees

Mrs. Voorhees, or Pamela to her friends, takes revenge for the death of her son, Jason. Mrs. Myers would be Michael Myers's mom from 'Halloween' and Mrs. Newstead, presumably, is the mother of Jason from the band Metallica.

Answer: Senator

Senator Ruth Martin is played by Diane Baker.

Hannibal: Oh, and Senator, just one more thing: love your suit.

Answer: Rosemary Woodhouse

What Guy Woodhouse receives in exchange for the use of his wife as an incubator for evil is a leg up for his career: his professional rival, whose voice is played uncredited by Tony Curtis, is struck blind.

Answer: Eddie

Eddie, who didn't like his teddy, is played by veteran big-boy operatic rocker Meat Loaf, and makes his entrance in the film riding a motorcycle out of a meat locker. Ironic, since he winds up as dinner that night.

Answer: The Hand that Rocks the Cradle

Curtis Hanson's creepy film ends with the beautiful Rebecca de Mornay impaled on a white picket fence, so luciously symbolic of middle-class suburbia taking its revenge on the infertile interloper. The film also features a little-known and considerably fleshier Julianne Moore as the fast-talking, chain-smoking Marlene Craven. I make no apologies for the ghastly pun in the question above.

Answer: Audrey 2

Audrey 2, or Twoey, sounds a LOT like Isaac Hayes but was actually voiced by Levi Stubbs, lead singer of Motown group The Four Tops. In the 1960 non-musical original 'Little Shop of Horrors', Jack Nicholson played the role taken in the 1980 version by Bill Murray: that of the masochistic dental patient.

It was Nicholson's second movie role ever. Michelangelo doesn't have his own theme, but the Turtles' collective theme rap begins thus: 'On the half shell, they're the heroes four/In this day and age who could ask for more?/The crime rate is high, with muggings mysterious/Both police and detectives are furious...' (not sure how police and detectives are separate entities, but it was a cute song in its day).