This film pioneer produced, directed, wrote and starred in his own films through a career that spanned more than 50 years. For a time, he was unquestionably the most recognizable person in the world. Yet for all his contributions to the art and business of movie-making and for all the critical and commercial success of his films, he never won a Best Actor, Best Director, or Best Picture Oscar award.
Charlie Chaplin
Released in 1966, this song took 17 recording sessions and more than $50,000 to produce, an unheard-of investment for a time when entire albums would typically be recorded in a single day. Among its ground-breaking elements was its use of the theremin, an experimental musical instrument that until that time had been chiefly used to provide sound effects for science fiction movies.
“Good Vibrations”
This laconic, droopy-eyed actor made his name as a character actor, playing jaded tough guys in numerous B-grade Westerns and war movies from the 40s through the 60s. He was, however, a greatly talented actor and gave several classic leading performances in such films as “Out of the Past,” “Cape Fear,” “Night of the Hunter” and “Ryan’s Daughter.” He disliked movie-star affectations and had a uniquely unromantic view of his chosen profession; as he liked to remark, “One of the greatest movie stars that ever lived was Rin Tin Tin, so there can’t be too much of a trick to it.”
Okay, I know Russian Ark was supposed to have been filmed in one take, but I don’t buy it. There are edits in the picture and I doubt any camera could hold enough film to capture that much footage. I think the scenes were done in one take each.
Miss you too buddy. I’m sorry, I know I’m an asshole. Yes, I’ll make it to open mic soon, yes we’ll hang soon. Right now I’m working 10 hour days (including this entire weekend for this event) and I have to figure out where to find time to move by next week.
But as to the rest of your post, YES!!! I actually had every intention of incorporating campus buildings and other info into it. Only problem is I really don’t know the campus too well, and the guys who do (the RHDs) haven’t gotten back to me yet. But please keep your campus suggestions coming.
And everyone else thank you. The clues are getting better. I like yours **
nonsuch** (mainly because I actually knew them).
Anyone here either fresh outta HS or have kids in HS? What are they having kids read these days?
If the bar is closed on Labor Day then next Monday will be my last open mic for a few months (because of school). Either way I hope to see you soon, maybe you’ll be at the Dopefest in October?
Anyway, here’s a campus map for anyone that wants to take a look and get ideas from building names.
I’m no film expert, so I’d be open to a cite - but IMDB buys it as being a single take, and I’d imagine if any film geek had proof otherwise, it’d be up there. Not to say that you’re not right, just that I’d be surprised if no one had commented on this before.
Every account I’ve seen indicated Russian Ark was a single take, and there were no edits when I saw it. There wasn’t even a point where there could have been a camera cut, since the camera was constantly moving. The movie was done on digital video, not film, so there was no need to use a film cartridge.
On to the questions:
This play, often considered one of the greatest in the French theater, was written as a showcase for the famed actress Sarah Bernhardt. It’s the male lead who everyone remembers, though, a swordsman and poet known for a phyiscal deformity.
Cyrano de Bergerac
What classical music piece is supposed to include actual cannon blasts?
Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture
What classical composer is often called “the father of the symphony”?
Yes, it’s Clarke’s Law, and I seem to recall the correct form as “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” I’m still looking for the author of the converse: “Any sufficiently understood magic is indistinguishable from magic.”
How about this question?
This author wrote several best-selling books, worked in Hollywood as some were made into movies, and is considered by some to have perfected his form. He wrote an essay on his work that says of his protagonists “But down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid.”
He had a series of embarrassing exploits in the Congo, where US Army Green Berets and native forces out-manoeuvred and routed his forces and the Simba revolutionary movement they were assisting. Undeterred, after a period of rest and recuperation he set off for similarly revolutionary activities in Bolivia, where he was captured and killed by the Bolivian army and US advisors. Who was this iconic revolutionary of the 60s, best known for his links with Fidel Castro?
Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara
It can no longer be seen as it was designed – the solid silver tables, lamps and plant pots that originally decorated the 73-meter long space were melted down to fund armies and wars: ironic, as it is best known for hosting the signing of the Versailles treaty. Decorated after the Treaty of Nijmegen crowned the glory of the King, it was designed and construction overseen by Charles Le Brun. Le Brun also painted the scenes on the ceiling, representing the King as Roman Emperor, great general and leader of the nation. Identify this location, built for Louis XIV of France.
The Hall of Mirrors
In the early stages of the battle, the Japanese fleet was attacked repeatedly by land-based aircraft from nearby islands, surviving with little or no damage. Their lucky streak seemed to be continuing when the defending Zeros made short work of several squadrons of incoming torpedo bombers from the American carriers. This, however, drew the Zeros down and left the American dive-bombers a clear run at the Japanese carriers, whose decks were crowded with fuelled and armed bombers being readied for a strike at the US fleet. For ten points, identify this key battle of June 1942 which resulted in the sinking of 4 Japanese carriers.
Thanks everyone for these responses!! Sorry I haven’t been responding to them individually, but in addition to this intense week of work in prep for the start of the semester, and packing in the evenings to move, I also seem to be getting hammered over the head with a cold.
I’m going to go through them now and see what to use and what to chuck.
The composer of this classical piece referred to its opening notes by saying “Thus Fate knocks on the door.” Almost 150 years later, during World War II, the pattern of these same notes was interpreted as Morse code. Name the composer, the work, and the significance of the Morse code.
Beethoven, Symphony #5. The rhythm of the opening notes suggests the Morse code dot-dot-dot-dash for the letter “V” for victory.
The opening of this work was used at the beginning and ending of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Name the work and the composer.
“Thus Spake Zarathustra”, Richard Strauss.
This waltz was used as background music for the first depictions of space flight in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Name the waltz and the composer.
“On the Beautiful Blue Danube”, Johann Strauss.
The ending of this classical piece was used as the theme for the TV and Radio series, “The Lone Ranger”. Name the piece and the composer.
“William Tell” Overture, Rossini.
This wedding march is traditionally used when the bride enters. Name the composer and work it is from.
Wagner, from act 3 of his opera “Lohengrin”.
This wedding march is traditionally used when the newly-married couple exits. Name the composer and work it is from.
Mendelssohn, from his incidental music to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.
OK, I’ve just read through them and… oops, rowrrbazzle snuck in on preview; I’ll get to those in a sec.
So I’ve read them all and picked out a few to use, with some editing. This has been (and I hope will continue to be) a fun game, and I’ve learned some good trivia tidbits.
However, if these are questions that should be answerable by 18 y.o.'s fresh outta HS, I should look into getting a nurse to clean my bib of dribble and help me tie my shoes. I mean I’m used to coming onto these boards and feeling dumb, but I can usually hold my own in the general population.
I’d say I knew less then half of them. Perhaps about half if you count the ones I was able to recognize in hindsight after I saw the answer.
In Jonathan Swift’s essay, A Modest Proposal, what did Swift suggest should be done with the children of poor Irish families?
That they should be eaten. By the wealthy.
In 1941, Photographer Yosef Karsh gained worldwide recognition with a portrait of this cigar-chomping head of state.
Winston Churchill. Karsh plucked a cigar out of Churchill’s mouth, causing Churchill to deliver that famous scowl.
Who said? "Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason.”
Orson Wells
Kermit the Frog sang it. Who wrote “The Rainbow Connection?”
Paul Williams & Kenneth Ascher
Speaking of Muppets, This actress was a Muppet puppeteer (Muppeteer?) & even had a cameo in the classic “The Great Muppet Caper.” She gained fame during her long run on “Star Trek, The Next Generation”
Gates McFadden
Speaking of Star Trek, The original series was groundbreaking in many ways. What was groundbreaking about an on-screen kiss on an episode titled “Plato’s Stepchildren,” that aired in 1968?
It was television’s first on-screen interracial kiss.
Speaking of Plato, he was a great philosopher. He was also a fighter. During what war did he serve in the military?
The Peloponnesian War (Fought between 431 BC & 404 BC) Plato served from 409 BC to 404 BC.
Jack Horkheimer: Star Gazer is a filler program that appears on many PBS stations. Name the classical piece used as its theme, the composer, and the artist who did the electronic version used.
“Arabesque #1” by Debussy, realized by Tomita.
In Monty Python at the Hollywood Bowl, there is a skit in which the Pope complaining to Michelangelo about including kangaroos and other odd elements in a painting of “The Last Supper”. This is based on a true incident involving a different artist. Name the artist and the painting.
[spoiler]From http://www.law.harvard.edu/faculty/martin/art_law/feast_in_the_house_of_levi.htm: In 1573 Veronese was commissioned to paint a Last Supper for the convent of San Giovanni e Paolo. On July 18, 1573, he was called before the Holy Tribunal of the Inquisition because certain details in the work were considered irreverent in its treatment of a religious theme; Veronese included dogs, a cat, midgets, Huns, and drunken revelers in the mammoth canvas [but no kangaroos]. The Inquisitors pointed out that in Michelangelo’s Last Judgment there were no such ‘drunkards nor dogs nor similar buffooneries’ as Veronese had painted.
<snip>
To his profound surprise, he was told that he was free, but that he must paint out the dog, paint the Magdalene in its place, and blot out the German soldiers, within three months’ time. Paolo Veronese, once outside the dread Inquisition, shrugged his shoulders, breathed a sigh of relief, and never touched the picture again. One astute thing, however, he did do-he straightway changed the name of the picture from The Last Supper to Feast in the House of Levi…[/spoiler]
Either way I hope to see you soon, maybe you’ll be at the Dopefest in October?