Fantasmo Films (My Top 15 Movies) Quiz

Answer: Saving Private Ryan

"Saving Private Ryan" was released in 1998, and was directed by Steven Spielberg. It starred Tom Hanks. The film grossed $481.8 million worldwide. It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, and won five Oscars. It is widely considered one of the greatest movies of all-time, as well as being the greatest Oscar snub, as it lost to "Shakespeare in Love" for Best Picture. Quote info: It is uttered by the aged Private Ryan (portrayed by Harrison Young) at the headstone of Captain Miller's (Tom Hanks' character) grave at the Normandy American Cemetery in Collville sur-Mer, France.

It was Ryan's eulogy to the Captain for all he did to save Private Ryan.

Answer: Dances With Wolves

"Dances With Wolves" was released in 1990, and was Kevin Costner's directorial debut on a feature film. It starred Costner, himself. The film grossed $424.2 million worldwide. It was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, and won seven Oscars. It was the first Western to win Best Picture since "Cimarron" in 1931. Quote info: It is a narrated aside by Dances With Wolves/Lt. John J. Dunbar (Kevin Costner's character) midway through the film that describes how he has come to view and feel about the people of the Lakota tribe.

Answer: Ben-Hur

"Ben-Hur" was released in 1959, and was directed by William Wyler. It starred Charlton Heston. The film was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, and won 11 Oscars. Over 2,500 horses and nearly 10,000 extras were used in this film. Quote info: The words in the quote were said by Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston's character) to Messala (Stephen Boyd) about the Jewish people, after denying the Tribune's request for Ben-Hur to help conspire against his own people.

Answer: The Silence of the Lambs

"The Silence of the Lambs" was released in 1991, and was directed by Jonathan Demme. It starred Jodie Foster and Sir Anthony Hopkins. It grossed a total of $273 million worldwide. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, and won five Oscars. It is only the third movie to win "The Big Five" at the Oscars, those being: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay. Quote info: The advice given in this quote is done so by Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), and is bestowed upon Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster).

It is what eventually leads her to Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine).

Answer: Blood In, Blood Out

"Blood In, Blood Out" (subtitled "Bound by Honor") was released in 1993, and was directed by Taylor Hackford (best known for directing "An Officer and a Gentleman"). It starred Benjamin Bratt and Damian Chapa. Sadly, it grossed only $4.5 million worldwide.

The film garnered no Academy Award nominations. Timing may have been its pitfall. It was released during the Rodney King verdict and subsequent riots. It also came out after the movie "American Me", which followed a similar plot. Quote info: This is said by Miklo (Damian Chapa) to Magic Mike (Victor Rivers) just before La Onda (the prison gang aka The Mexican Mafia) strikes against their rivals, and takes ultimate power in the prisons.

Answer: Jaws

"Jaws" was released in the summer of 1975, and was directed by Steven Spielberg. It starred Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss. The film has grossed $472 million worldwide. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, and won three Oscars. To this day, Steven Spielberg is still upset he wasn't nominated for Best Director, and that Robert Shaw was not given his just due for his portrayal of Captain Quint. Quote info: Said by Cpt. Quint (Shaw) to Hooper (Dreyfuss) just before Quint allows Hooper to join the 'sharkin' expedition aboard The Orca near the end of the film.

Answer: A Bronx Tale

"A Bronx Tale" was released in 1993, and was the directorial debut for Robert De Niro. It starred De Niro, as well as Chazz Palminteri. Chazz wrote the play of the same name that the film was based on. It was only released in the U.S and Canada, and grossed over $17 million.

The movie received not a single Academy Award nomination, as it faced a formidable array of competitors (like some of those listed as incorrect answers). Quote info: Lorenzo Anello (De Niro) is upset that his son Calogero (Francis Capra) is hanging around and earning money from the local mobsters.

He ends this quote by saying the working man is the true tough guy/hero.

Answer: The Departed

"The Departed" was released in 2006, and was directed by Martin Scorsese. It starred Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson. The film grossed $291.5 worldwide. It was nominated for five Academy Awards, and won four Oscars. It happened to be Scorsese's first Oscar win.

Many film critics believe he should've won for previous efforts. Martin jokingly said after the win, "I won because it's the first movie I've done that had a plot." Quote info: These are the opening lines to the film as said by by Frank Costello (Nicholson), and he imparts these notions to everyone he meets.

Answer: Spartacus

"Spartacus" was released in 1960, and was directed by Stanley Kubrick. It starred Kirk Douglas, but also had world renown co-stars like Lawrence Olivier, Peter Ustinov, and Charles Laughton. Inflation adjusted, it grossed nearly $471 million worldwide.

The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, and won four Oscars. Kirk Douglas' rejection as the lead in "Ben-Hur" is what prompted him to become the executive producer of this movie. Quote info: This is Spartacus speaking to his band of renegade slaves, and is preceded by the lines, "When a free man dies he loses his pleasure of life.

When a slave dies he loses his pain. Death is the only freedom a slave knows."

Answer: Apocalypto

"Apocalypto" was released in 2006, and was directed by Mel Gibson. It starred Rudy Youngblood. The film grossed over $120 million. Many film critics believe that Gibson's DUI arrest, a mere six months before the film's release, kept it from attaining a single Academy Award nomination.

However, some heavy hitters in the film industry, including Quentin Tarantino and Robert Duvall, have called Gibson's work a masterpiece. Quote info: This is the end to a wise tale told by The Story Teller (Espiridion Costa Cache).

The story tells how man is insatiable, and will keep taking, even to the detriment of all living things.

Answer: Platoon

"Platoon" was released in 1986 and was directed by Oliver Stone. It starred Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, and Willem Dafoe. The film grossed $137.5 million worldwide. It was nominated for eight Academy Awards, and won four Oscars. This movie was the first Hollywood film to be written and directed by a veteran of the Vietnam War. Quote info: Narrated by Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) in a letter to his grandmother about how things are going in Vietnam.

Answer: Sergeant York

"Sergeant York" was released in 1941, and was directed by Howard Hawks. It starred Gary Cooper. The film, with inflation adjusted, grossed nearly $392 million. It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, but only won two Oscars. It is rumored that producer Jesse Lasky forged Alvin C. York's signature on a letter pleading with Gary Cooper to portray him in the film. Quote info: Pastor Rosier Pile (Walter Brennan) is trying to convince Alvin York (Cooper) to quit his sinning ways, and uses the above analogy while Alvin is plowing his land for corn.

Answer: Slumdog Millionaire

"Slumdog Millionaire" was released in 2008, and was directed by Danny Boyle. It starred Dev Patel. It grossed nearly $370 million worldwide. It was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, and won eight Oscars. Although the film was critically acclaimed in the west, reactions in India were quite the opposite. Most film critics from India believe the movie shows their country in a horrible light, and promotes negative stereotypes. Quote info: During an interrogation by the police inspector (Irrfan Khan), the officer offers up this snippet to Jamal Malik (Dev Patel).

Answer: The Oxbow Incident

"The Oxbow Incident" was released in 1943, and was directed by William Wellman. It starred Henry Fonda and Harry Morgan. It was a box office flop, only earning $750,000. It is the first film to be nominated for Best Picture, and nothing else at the Academy Awards.

It is said that Henry Fonda regarded this film as his favorite that he ever acted in. Quote info: This is a sentence from the letter of Donald Martin (Dana Andrews) to his wife, as read by Gil Carter (Henry Fonda) to the posse after Mr. Martin was hanged, unjustly, for cattle rustling.

Answer: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was released in 1975, and was directed by Milos Forman. It starred Jack Nicholson. The film grossed $163.75 million worldwide. It was nominated for nine Academy Awards, and won five. It was the second movie to have won "The Big Five" at the Oscars (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Screenplay).

It was filmed primarily at the Oregon State Hospital. Quote info: This is just one of many quips delivered by Randle McMurphy (Nicholson), in this case to Billy Bibbit (Brad Dourif), while playing cards.