Popcorn Crunchers, Reel 66 Trivia Quiz

Answer: materialized from a mad scientist's thoughts

Professor R. E. Walgate, a sort of mad British scientist, was conducting experiments in mind control, mental telepathy, telekinesis and thought projection. His work led him to accidentally create invisible creatures which were materialized from his thoughts.

They absorbed electrical energy, grew and reproduced, emanated radiation, and became visible. When these creatures escaped from his laboratory, they attacked people, sucked out their spinal fluids, and took their brains and spines to use as bodies.

Answer: The Thing That Threatened the World

"The Thing From Another World" (1951) was about a space creature who landed his flying saucer in the Arctic. "The Thing That Couldn't Die" (1958) was about a 400-year-old severed head that murdered people. "It! The Terror From Beyond Space" (1958) is about a Martian monster who hitched a ride on an American space ship.

There was a 1950s motion picture called "The Monster That Challenged the World" (1957) with a rather humourous looking monster. There was not, however, a film called "The Thing That Threatened the World".

Answer: He is decapitated and turns to dust.

In the battle which culminates the film, Dr. Zurich is in a fight with Lt. Jeff Rowan. He pricks Zurich's neck with a curare-tipped bamboo knife which renders him unconscious. The lieutenant then cuts off Zurich's head which results in his (Zurich's) body turning to dust, except for the skull, the fourth skull, which is found nearby.

Answer: Patricia Neal

The character Susan North is driving at night with the top down in her convertible, listening to classical music on the car radio, when a bright light overhead blinds her and she crashes into a tree. The Stranger from Venus appears and sees that she is seriously injured and unconscious. Through unknown means, he heals her sufficiently that she can walk to an inn nearby where he is staying.

She is played by Patricia Neal.

Answer: Planet X will pass closest to Earth there.

A previously unknown planet, called Planet X by scientists, leaves its normal path through the Heavens. It is headed for Planet Earth with which it may or may not collide. Its course is predicted to pass nearest to Scotland. Astronomer Elliott sets up his telescope to observe.

Answer: Mexico

"The Curse of the Aztec Mummy" was made in Mexico as "La Maldición de la Momia Azteca" by Cinematográfica Calderón S.A. It was filmed in Spanish and subsequently dubbed into English for distribution in the US.

Answer: Julie Blair

The people in the village have a history of making sacrifices to the thing that lives at the bottom of the cove. Pablo, played by Wyott Ordung (the director) and Tula, played by Inez Palange, decide that "the fairest" must be offered to the monster. Pablo makes several attempts to kill Julie: attracting a shark to her while she swims by dripping his own blood into the water; bleeding the air from her SCUBA tank; and stabbing her with his knife (which effort he aborts at the last moment).

Answer: acting

William Boyett (1927-2004) was an American actor who specialized in playing military and law enforcement officers, especially on television. He appeared in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in 1988 as Lt. Dan Bell. On the big screen, he was one of the crewmen on the C-57D space ship in "Forbidden Planet" (1956). Other science fiction and horror films in which he appeared include "Francis in the Haunted House" (1956), "Gemini Man" (1976), "Space Raiders" (1983), "The Hidden" (1987), and "The Rocketeer" (1991).

Answer: Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan

The original Japanese-language edit of "Rodan" was both filmed and set in and around Fukuoka, Japan. Fukuoka was the city destroyed by the monsters. The American edit changed the city to Sasebo, Kyushu, Japan. This was because Sasebo was believed to be more familiar to Americans (there being a US Navy base there) and because there was fear that Fukuoka could be badly mispronounced to highly inappropriate effect.

Answer: Something is destroying ships and submarines.

Admiral Terhune, played by Selmer Jackson, summarizes the situation: "Destruction of four surface vessels, largest 10,000 tons. Radioactivity in Arctic waters, flow ice and bergs. Peculiar television images preceding each distress call. Seven polar atom subs vanished without a trace." The USS Tigershark, a nuclear-powered attack submarine, is dispatched to find the cause and, if possible, destroy it.