Shining Metal Paths Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Overlook

The exterior shots are of the Timberline Lodge in Mount Hood, OR., but in the film it is called The Overlook. Jack Nicholson's character, Jack Torrance, is the winter caretaker and is quite frightening as he begins to be affected by a dead spirit. His metamorphosis and the changes in his family are the basis for this bloody story.

The term 'shining' refers to an extrasensory aptitude possessed by Jack's son, Danny. He is seen riding the hallways on his tricycle; the walls run with blood and recurring ghosts appear.

At the end, the audience is left to interpret what actually happened. Was the Overlook evil, or did it absorb evil from the people who stayed there? There was much criticism of some of the casting of the film. Other actors considered for the lead were Robert DeNiro, Harrison Ford and Robin Williams. Kubrick stuck with Nicholson, perhaps remembering how convincing he was in "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest".

Shelley Duval's portrayal was criticized as being predictable, and Stephen King had his own criticism but later rated the film as a favorite. Scatman Crothers was featured as the man who recognises the young boy's aptitude and is later able to help him. One of Nicholson's lines remains on the classics list as, "Heeeeeere's Johnny!" - perhaps the answer to a question in a Kubrick film made 24 years earlier.

Answer: Matthew Modine

Matthew Modine has been making movies since 1983, among which are the 2009 film "Little Fish, Strange Pond" and 2012's "The Dark Knight Rises". He has also starred on stage as Atticus Finch in "To Kill A Mockingbird".
The first half of "Full Metal Jacket" is dedicated to the grueling basic training course which involves the breakdown of Private Leonard 'Gomer Pyle' Lawrence. Played by Vincent D'Onofrio, Private Pyle is an overweight and mentally challenged soldier. His problems are further worsened by D.I. Hartman, played by R. Lee Ermey, who had been a real marine D.I. and had an amazing aptitude for swearing, insulting and never being fazed. Ermey was first hired as a technical consultant, but proved to Kubrick that he could rant and rave ad lib for long periods of time without interruption, so he got the part.
In the second half, those who withstood boot camp have joined the action in Vietnam. Modine plays a reporter for 'Stars and Stripes Magazine', as he witnesses the horrors of war up close. The theme of dehumanisation is carried on throughout this film, and the toll on each man is shown in graphic detail. As usual, Kubrick chose just the right music for the soundtrack, and kept it within the war period: "Wooly Bully", "These Boots" and "Paint It Black" among others.

Answer: Kirk Douglas

Born Issur Danielovitch in 1916 to Jewish immigrants from Belarus, Kirk Douglas attended acting school, where he met Lauren Bacall, who later helped to get him established as a film star. Douglas played primarily dominant roles and had parts in several war movies. He became one of Hollywood's leading men and is listed as number 17 in the American Film Institute's 'greatest American male screen legends of all time'. In the 1956 film "Lust For Life", he played Vincent Van Gogh, a role for which many thought he deserved an Oscar.
"Paths Of Glory" opens in France, 1916 and WWI. Officers live in luxury and make life or death decisions that will reflect well on themselves, while the soldiers in the trenches suffer and die. "The Marseillaise" is heard in a low, menacing tone.
Adolphe Menjou is the corrupt and charming General Broulard, commander of French forces, and George Macready is the neurotic General Mireau. When the story begins, the fortified positions of both French and German troops have been held for more than a year; advancements are small and extremely costly. The two French generals decide that their best chance for further promotion is to make a suicidal attack on 'Ant Hill', a position they have no chance of taking. Kirk Douglas plays Colonel Dax, who is horrified when told that he must send his men to certain death.
The troops, unable to advance, fall back or are killed. This failure is blamed on their cowardice under fire and three men are chosen to represent the troops in a court martial whose outcome has been predetermined. At the end of their mock trial, the three are sentenced to death by firing squad. The balance of the film shows how these men and the rest of the company react until their execution. A recurring theme in Kubrick films, the atrocity of war, is represented by the men's own leaders whose closest contact with the fighting is through field glasses. Their white gloves are never dirtied.
'The paths of glory lead but to the grave.' is from Thomas Grey's "Elegy in a Country Churchyard".

Answer: Fear and Desire

Stanley Kubrick was the jack of all trades for this film; he shot the film, directed, played prop man and did anything else needed. The budget was low even for 1953. The plot was simple: the war is not specified, but four soldiers are trapped behind enemy lines. Fear is always present, and desire takes the form of a young girl found in the woods.

The men hatch a plan to ambush and kill two enemy soldiers. When one of the men, Corby (played by Kenneth Harp), locates the enemy through his field glasses, he sees that the two men are exact replicas of himself and his buddy, Fletcher (actor Stephen Colt); the same actors were used for these parts, but in different uniforms.

The action progresses like a 'Twilight Zone' episode from there.

Answer: Spartacus

Kirk Douglas stars as the leader of the slave rebellion, Spartacus. Douglas was also executive producer. This was the one film over which Kubrick did not exercise complete control, as he was asked by Douglas to direct the film but not given autonomy. Kubrick generally made little comment on this situation afterward.
Peter Ustinov as the slave trader, Batiatus, won an Academy award for his part.
Charles Laughton, Lawrence Olivier, Jean Simmons and Tony Curtis flesh out the cast. One scene in which Crassus (Olivier) tries to seduce Antoninus (Curtis), his slave, was cut from the film, as it was decided audiences were not ready for it. There is a lot of symbolism in the film, in particular toward the end.

Answer: Lolita

Based on the novel by Vladimir Nabokov, this film approached a somewhat taboo subject, an older man's lust for a teenage girl, a 'nymphet'. Kubrick took a direct approach to the concept, as most previous films had not. Films featuring sweet young things had long been cloaked in song, dance and other avoidance mechanisms rather than confrontation. Thirteen year old Sue Lyon played the title part convincingly as she was at the right age to understand it. James Mason as the obsessed Humbert Humbert has some lively sparring scenes with Peter Sellers as Claire Quilty. Quilty is aware of Humbert's feelings and thwarts him at every turn.

Shelley Winters, Lolita's mother, is not aware and is thrilled that she is getting so much attention from an interesting man.

The end is perhaps inevitable, but if you've read the book or seen the movie you know it, and if not, do so.

Answer: General Jack D. Ripper

President Merkin Muffley, Group Captain Mandrake and Dr. Strangelove were portrayed by the talented Mr. Sellers, each with a different accent: flat American, British and German. The cast included such greats as George C. Scott as the hawkish General Buck Turgidson, Sterling Hayden as the paranoid General Jack D. Ripper, Keenan Wynn as Corporal Bat Guano, and Slim Pickens as Major T.J. Kong. James Earl Jones played Lieutenant Lothar Zugg and Peter Bull was the Russian ambassador, de Sadesky.

This is classic black comedy.

The film was loosely based on the novel "Red Alert" by Peter George. The similar but sober film "Fail-Safe" was due to be released around the same time, but was delayed, which pleased Kubrick no end. The release of his own film had been deliberately put off from November of 1963 to January of 1964, in deference to the assassination of President Kennedy. "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here.

This is the War Room!" is but one of the much quoted lines from this outstanding and highly praised film.

It is ranked high on almost all the lists of 100 best/best comedic films.

Answer: A Clockwork Orange

We don't know what year it is, but people numb out on drug-laced milk, hoodlums walk the streets speaking 'nadsat' (a contrived Russo-English) and beating people up for the fun of it. Alex, a violent 'droog' is found guilty of murder and sentenced to prison for 14 years; having been a model prisoner and wanting to reduce his sentence, he volunteers for aversion therapy to cure him of his evil aptitude. Alex gets some of his own violence back when released on the streets, and the state takes the blame for over-conditioning him.

There are several disturbing scenes, all to an excellent soundtrack including "Funeral March for Queen Victoria" and excerpts from Ludvig Von's "Ninth Symphony", which is Alex's trigger music.

Answer: HAL

HAL 9000 is the controller of the spaceship carrying Dave Bowman and Frank Poole far out in the solar system. Hal turns out to have a 'mind' (directive) of his own, and gets just a bit guilt-ridden and confused. The film was based on a short story, "The Sentinel" by Arthur C. Clarke, who has since written sequels such as "2010". 2001 was at first bombed by critics, but almost all went back for a second look and later praised it as a magnificent work. Visually stunning and backed by excellent classical music, such as Richard Strauss' "Thus Spake Zarathustra" and a Johann Strauss waltz, the film is riveting in many ways.

Answer: Sterling Hayden

Sterling Hayden was tall, blonde and cool, and had more interest in sailing than in making movies. Hayden had a quiet, menacing look and was not standard Hollywood handsome. He played a corrupt cop in "The Godfather". In "The Killing" he played mean and avaricious 'Johnny',the brains behind a $2 million dollar robbery at a horse racing track. The film was not a great hit at the box office, but has picked up a cult following and many admirers over time. It is noteworthy for its camera angles and shots as well as the process of the story being seen differently by each member of the gang during the same period of time, which builds up to the climax. Part of the planned distraction for the heist was the shooting of a racehorse. Toward the end, when the gang wait in vain for their split, one member asks, "Where is Johnny?"
Vince Edwards and Elisha Cook were also in "The Killing" as was Colleen Gray.
Quentin Tarantino admitted to being influenced by the film when creating his own 1992 "Reservoir Dogs". "The best laid plans..." is a theme seen in other Kubrick films.