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Quiz about Popcorn Crunchers Reel 103
Quiz about Popcorn Crunchers Reel 103

Popcorn Crunchers, Reel 103 Trivia Quiz

Science Fiction and Horror Films of the 1950s

Before television and video games conquered the world, horror and science fiction motion pictures were in their heyday. How much do you know about these films from the 1950s?

A multiple-choice quiz by FatherSteve. Estimated time: 3 mins.
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Author
FatherSteve
Time
3 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
412,878
Updated
Nov 21 24
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
126
Last 3 plays: Guest 83 (5/10), Guest 107 (3/10), Guest 174 (3/10).
Author's Note: A few questions in this quiz may require a broader knowledge about motion pictures, filmmaking and moviemakers than can be gained by seeing a film and reading its credits.
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Question 1 of 10
1. At the end of "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (1959), a naked Alec McEwan is rescued from a tree in which he lands by whom? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Three of these titles are genuine, bona fide, for-real, professionally-produced and theatrically-released motion pictures from the 1950s. Which one is *NOT*? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. How were the Astronians in "Killers from Space" (1954) finally destroyed? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Probably better known for playing Uncle Fester on "The Addams Family" on television, who played Doctor Aranya in "Mesa of Lost Women" (1953)? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. In "House on Haunted Hill" (1959), whose idea was it to have a haunted-house themed party? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Which of the following, if any, were *NOT* titles under which "Mother Riley Meets the Vampire" (1952) was released/distributed? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. In "War of the Satellites" (1958), who are the aliens who are so upset by the United Nations launching satellites to orbit the Earth? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. For what is Mickey Rooney best known in the world of horror and science fiction movie making? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Where is the principal action in "Indestructible Man" (1956) set? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. How could Bela Lugosi, who died in 1956, appear in "Plan 9 From Outer Space" (1957)? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Today : Guest 83: 5/10
Dec 01 2024 : Guest 107: 3/10
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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. At the end of "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (1959), a naked Alec McEwan is rescued from a tree in which he lands by whom?

Answer: a group of nuns

The group of explorers appears to be trapped inside the Earth. They detonate some dynamite which causes an underground volcano to erupt. The lava pushes a huge altar stone on which they are sitting up a shaft to the surface at high speed. The stone and its passengers are ejected from an otherwise dead volcano on the Lipari Islands. All of them but Alec land in the Mediterranean Sea from which they are rescued by Italian fishermen.

The blast blows Alec's clothing off. His naked body lands (harmlessly) in a tree from which a group of nuns rescues him.
2. Three of these titles are genuine, bona fide, for-real, professionally-produced and theatrically-released motion pictures from the 1950s. Which one is *NOT*?

Answer: Monster Manor

"The Black Castle" (1952) starred Richard Greene, Boris Karloff, Rita Corday, and Lon Chaney Jr. "The Castle of the Monsters" (1958) was filmed in Mexico in Spanish as "El castillo de los monstruos" but was shown in the U.S. with subtitles. "Black Cat Mansion" (1958) was filmed in Japan in Japanese as "Bōrei kaibyō yashiki". "Monster Manor" is a series of eight juvenile graphic novels by French author Paul Martin, written in the 2000s. "Escape from Monster Manor" is a first-person shooter video game published by Electronic Arts in 1993.

There was an episode of "Police Story" in 1976 titled "Monster Manor". There was also a television talk show called "Monster Manor 1313" which ran for 19 episodes in 2021-2022. There does not appear to have been a 1950s science-fiction/horror film named "Monster Manor".
3. How were the Astronians in "Killers from Space" (1954) finally destroyed?

Answer: Power is shut off to their cavern hideaway.

The Astronians capture and store the energy from atomic blasts in their secret cavern. This energy is contained using electricity stolen from nearby power lines. Dr. Martin determines that cutting off the power for as little as ten seconds would cause the energy to detonate.

He goes to the power station and compels a worker there to turn off the power, at gunpoint. When the power is shut off, there is a huge nuclear explosion which kills all of the Astronians and destroys all of the giant carnivorous creatures in their menagerie.
4. Probably better known for playing Uncle Fester on "The Addams Family" on television, who played Doctor Aranya in "Mesa of Lost Women" (1953)?

Answer: Jackie Coogan

After a career as a child actor that included work in silent films, Jackie Coogan renewed his career as Uncle Fester on ABC Television's "The Addams Family" (1964-1966). In "Mesa of Lost Women", he played Doctor Aranya, a brilliant but loony scientist who put spider stuff into human beings and human-being stuff into spiders to produce monstrous mutations.
5. In "House on Haunted Hill" (1959), whose idea was it to have a haunted-house themed party?

Answer: Annabelle Loren, Frederick's wife

Annabelle Loren told her husband Frederick that it would be fun to host a haunted house party for their friends. Frederick went ahead with plans for the party but, instead of inviting their friends, invited five strangers: test pilot Lance Schroeder, magazine writer Ruth Bridges, psychiatrist Dr. David Trent, secretary Nora Manning, and the home's owner Watson Pritchard.
6. Which of the following, if any, were *NOT* titles under which "Mother Riley Meets the Vampire" (1952) was released/distributed?

Answer: Carry On, Vampire

This motion picture was initially released in the U.K. as "Mother Riley Meets the Vampire". The thought was to connect it with the previous dozen "Old Mother Riley" movies. The U.S. distributor at first wished to call the movie "Vampire Over London" and made prints of it with that title.

There was some discussion of changing the name to "Carry On, Vampire" but the makers of the successful "Carry On" film series objected and sued. It was finally released in the U.S. in 1963 (!) as "My Son, the Vampire" to capitalize on the popularity of Allan Sherman's comedy record "My Son, the Folksinger".
7. In "War of the Satellites" (1958), who are the aliens who are so upset by the United Nations launching satellites to orbit the Earth?

Answer: Masters of the Spiral Nebula Ghana

A young couple witnesses the landing of a small missile. It contains a message to the leaders of the world demanding that they cease space exploration. It refers to humanity as a "disease". The message is signed by the Masters of the Spiral Nebula Ghana.
8. For what is Mickey Rooney best known in the world of horror and science fiction movie making?

Answer: acting

Mickey Rooney (1920-2014) was a child actor whose roles on stage began when he was 17 months old. He made a whole series of "Mickey McGuire" shorts. As a teenager, he played Andy Hardy in a series of nearly twenty feature films. His later work was primarily in comedy. His only science-fiction film was the lead in Republic's "The Atomic Kid" (1954).
9. Where is the principal action in "Indestructible Man" (1956) set?

Answer: Los Angeles, California

Although "Indestructible Man" begins in a prison near San Francisco (probably San Quentin) and in a doctor's laboratory in San Francisco, the action centers on Los Angeles. Charles "Butcher" Benton, once brought back to life after execution, sets out for Los Angeles to get revenge on his lawyer and his accomplices in the crime for which Butcher was convicted.

Many landmarks in Los Angeles are shown in the film: the historic Bunker Hill neighborhood, Angel's Flight funicular railway, the Third Street Steps, the Rococo-Victorian interiors of the Bradbury Hotel, the Hall of Justice, and the New Follies Burlesque at 548 South Main Street.
10. How could Bela Lugosi, who died in 1956, appear in "Plan 9 From Outer Space" (1957)?

Answer: His footage was shot well before his death.

Ed Wood shot silent footage of Bella Lugosi before the actor's death in August of 1956. Lugosi and Wood were working on three films: "The Vampire's Tomb", "The Ghoul Goes West", and "The Ghoul on the Moon". None of these films was ever made. Wood wrote the script for "Grave Robbers from Outer Space" shortly after Lugosi's death and decided to edit the unused footage of him into the film which ultimately was made as "Plan Nine from Outer Space". Wood hired his wife's chiropractor, Tom Mason, to stand-in for Lugosi in a few necessary scenes by hiding his face with the Dracula cape.
Source: Author FatherSteve

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor jmorrow before going online.
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