Popcorn Crunchers, Reel 172 Trivia Quiz

Answer: It was first a serial

Republic Pictures demonstrated mastery of the art of producing 12-episode theatrical serials and then further profiting from them by editing them into a single feature film. Fourteen Republic Pictures features were made in this way before the market for theatrical serials disappeared in the mid-1950s. "King of the Rocket Men" (1949) was produced as a low-budget serial.

Its twelve exciting episodes were then edited into a 65-minute feature retitled "Lost Planet Airmen" (1951). Republic's 66th and last serial was "King of the Carnival" in 1955. Columbia Pictures' 57th and last serial was "Blazing the Overland Trail" in 1956, which ended the era.

Answer: Flying Saucers Attack

The feature-length movies "Earth vs. the Flying Saucers" (1956), "The Flying Saucer" (1950), and "Supersonic Saucer" (1956) are all actual, un-imaginary, existent, and authentic motion pictures. 1956 was a big year for the release of movies about attacking flying saucers. "Attack of the Flying Saucers" (1956) was a short US production made to look like a documentary. "Fearful Attack of the Flying Saucers" (1956) was a feature-length Japanese tokusatsu film. During production, "Earth vs. the Flying Saucers" (1956) was given the working title of "Attack of the Flying Saucers." Harold T. Wilkins was the author of a (purportedly) non-fiction book called "Flying Saucers on the Attack: Startling New Revelations on the Most Incredible Story of Our Age" (2017).

A musical group called the Rezillos recorded a song on their 1978 album "Can't Stand the Rezillos" called "Flying Saucer Attack." It includes the deeply-moving lyrics: "Laser beams and gamma projectors / There'll be nothing on Earth to protect us / When they arrive out of the sky / They'll be frying us alive." There does not appear to have been a feature-length movie called "Flying Saucers Attack" in the 1950s.

Answer: Frankenstein is the creator, not the creature

In Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus" (1818), the creature sewn together by Victor Frankenstein is not named. In the original novel, the monster is identified as "creature", "monster", "demon", and "it." In Therese M. Shea's book "Was Dr. Frankenstein Real?" (2018), she says, "... many people are surprised to know this monster's name is not actually Frankenstein. That's the name of its creator, Dr. Victor Frankenstein ..." Thomas DeMichele wrote in his on-line article "Was Frankenstein the Name of the Monster?" (FactMyth.com, 28 September 2015), "The monster created by Victor Frankenstein doesn't get an official name in the book. It's accurate to call him 'Frankenstein's monster', but not to call him Frankenstein."

A sophist, particularly one with an advanced degree in literary criticism, might argue that the really real monster in the Frankenstein myth, from an ethical point of view, was the scientist-creator of the aggregate man.

Answer: 1952 Miss Universe contestants

The handmaidens and guards on Venus were played by contestants in the 1952 Miss Universe pageant. Perhaps foremost among these was Anita Ekberg, Miss Sweden 1951, who went on to star in many motion pictures including "La Dolce Vita" (1960) by Federico Fellini.

The other Venusian beauties included Jackie Loughery, Miss U.S.A., Ruth Hampton, Miss New Jersey, Valerie Jackson, Miss Montana, Renate Huy, Miss Germany, Jeanne Thompson, Miss Louisiana, Jeri Miller, Miss Welcome to Long Beach, Judy Hatula, Miss Michigan, and Elza Edsman, Miss Hawaii. Hands up all who knew that there was such a title as Miss Welcome to Long Beach.

Answer: She was in a hospital's lead-lined X-ray room

Roseanne Rogers, played by Susan Douglas Rubes, was pregnant at the time of the nuclear bomb detonation, the radiation from which wiped out most of global humanity. At that precise moment, she was in a hospital X-ray room which was lined with lead shielding. This shielding not only protected the radiologists from stray X-rays but also protected the patient from the atomic-bomb's radiation, as well.

Answer: "The Egg" by Tom Filer

Tom Filer (1925-2013) was born in New York but lived and wrote in Santa Monica Canyon, California -- a place not too different from the Pacific oceanside community where "The Space Children" is set. His story, "The Egg," is about a little girl named Kathy afflicted with polio who finds an egg after a storm.

The egg, which is an alien, tells her to protect it from the adults around her while it grows. The egg then absorbs her, disappears, and leaves her behind, cured of her crippling disease. Bernard Schoenfeld's screenplay differs significantly from Filer's story but retains issues such as well-meaning aliens coming to Earth, and the wisdom of children pitted against the ignorance of adults.

Answer: The doctor gave him oxygen

The aliens occupying human bodies thrive on methane, not oxygen. While Sam and Helen Benson are at a lakeside picnic with Bill and Marge Farrell, the canoe in which they are paddling tips and he falls into the water. The real Sam can swim; the alien inside him cannot. Helen has to save him. A doctor comes and administers oxygen, which Sam cannot tolerate, and he mysteriously dies.

Answer: Acting

American actor Richard Denning (1914-1998) earned a wide reputation for his roles in science fiction and horror films in the 1950s including "Unknown Island" (1948), Dr. Mark Williams in "Creature from the Black Lagoon" (1954), "Target Earth" (1954), Day the World Ended (1955), Dr. Chet Walker in "Creature with the Atom Brain" (1955), and "The Black Scorpion" (1957).

He played opposite Lucille Ball in a radio series: "My Favorite Husband" (1948-1951). On television, he played the mister in "Mr. and Mrs. North" (1952-1954).

He married a scream queen, Evelyn Ankers, who played in "The Wolf Man" (1941), "Ghost of Frankenstein" (1942), "Son of Dracula" (1943), "The Mad Ghoul" (1943), and "The Invisible Man's Revenge" (1944).

Answer: England

Three years after the discovery (and scientific pillaging) of the Princess Ananka's tomb, the archaeological party has returned to England. Something horrendous happened to Stephen Banning inside the tomb, inducing catatonia. He has since been cared for in the Engerfield Nursing Home for the Mentally Disordered. Joseph Whemple, living at the Bannings' English country home, is murdered by the mummy.

Then Stephen is murdered by the mummy. The mummy fails to kill John and is himself killed. Engerfield is a fictional location, but all of this happens in 1898 England.

Answer: Destabilisation of Earth's orbit threatens his planet

The "extra power" drawn upon by Dr. Laird's new hyper-magnetism device appears to be part of the Earth's magnetic core and its magnetic field. Drawing down this field could have serious consequences in terms of altering the Earth's orbit. This has already affected one of Mr Smith's companion flying saucers, causing it to crash. In order to prevent further disaster, Smith is dispatched to Earth to put a stop to Laird's irresponsible research.