# One sentence summaries that miss the point. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 16, 2003, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774 "2003-03-16T09:15:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Rigel\_Haloran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rigel\_Haloran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigel_Haloran)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/181 "2003-04-21T10:13:25Z")
Stranger in a Strange Land - A young astronaut retruns to Earth Friday (Heinlein novel) - Orphan goes to work for her adoptive father On Basilisk Station - A young officer on her first command gets sent to a backwater post A Hymn Before Battle - Some aliens want humans to fight for them Chasing Amy - Boy meets girl and falls in love ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/182 "2003-04-21T12:09:05Z")
**American Psycho** : Yuppies like to dress well and trade buisness cards. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/183 "2003-04-21T15:39:02Z")
**The Ten Commandments** - Two princes compete for a royal throne and the lady they both love. **The Prince of Egypt** - A young man learns he was adopted. **The Hunt for Red October** - A civil servant overcomes his fear of flying. **Seven Samurai** - Weapons experts take over a farming village. Toshiro Mifune stars as comic relief. **The Magnificent Seven** - Weapons experts take over a farming village. Yul Brynner stars as the leader. ---
**Author:** ![FairyDust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ccd318/32.png) [@FairyDust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyDust)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/184 "2003-04-22T17:34:45Z")
**Helen of Troy (the USA Network version)** Woman kills her husband to punish him for killing their own daughter. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/185 "2003-04-22T18:35:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Iacob\_Matthew \* > **_Final Fantasy 6_: A witch comes to terms with her father’s disappearence from her life and becomes a normal girl.** OK, you’ve inspired me. Final Fantasy: Four young people travel all over the world. Final Fantasy 2: Three young people search for their lost friend. Final Fantasy 3: Four young men travel all over the world. Final Fantasy 4: A young man reconciles with his long lost brother. Final Fantasy 5: A young man attempts to follow in his father’s footsteps. Final Fantasy 6: A gifted young woman struggles to fit into society. Final Fantasy 7: A group of environmentalists encounter opposition to their viewpoint. Final Fantasy 8: A troubled young man finds love among political instability. Final Fantasy 9: A young man woos a girl outside of his social class. Final Fantasy 10: A young woman attempts to follow in her father’s footsteps. Final Fantasy Tactics: Two young men become involved in politics. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/186 "2003-04-23T04:21:34Z")
**All Quiet on the Western Front** : Young man tries to draw in France. ---
**Author:** ![AzRaek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/azraek/32/16739_2.png) [@AzRaek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AzRaek)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/187 "2003-04-23T07:25:43Z")
The Fifth Element: Cabdriver wins tickets to a concert. The Hunt for Red October: Man buys his daughter a teddy bear. Princess Bride: A giant finally does something right. Spice World (sue me, its funny): A bomb blows up a double decker bus. ---
**Author:** ![jinty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jinty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jinty)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/188 "2003-04-23T12:08:48Z")
**The Great Dictator** : a hiilarious Charlie Chaplin comedy about mistaken identity. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/189 "2003-04-23T15:54:29Z")
\*Gone With The Wind[/I] – Arrogant federal officials meddle in labor relations issues, almost sinking a family business, but its plucky owner keeps it afloat with the help of employees. _The Shining_ – A wannabe writer is forced to deal with family issues as he struggles with writer’s block while at vacation resort. _Secretary_ == Troubled woman helps psychologically distant lawyer work more effectively with her. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/190 "2003-04-23T15:57:00Z")
Helen of Troy – Beautiful young woman discovers that being too attractive to men can be quite vexing. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/191 "2003-04-23T16:08:14Z")
_Gone With he Wind_–A young Debutante has a shortage in household funds, & servant trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/192 "2003-04-23T16:53:18Z")
**Vanilla Sky** – Man grapples with issues surrounding reconstructive surgery. **The Executioner’s Song** – Ex-con struggles to re-enter society. **Mulan** – Young Chinese girl discovers father’s armor fits her comfortably. **The Sound of Music** – Austrian postulant revises career choice. **A Tree Grows in Brooklyn** – Arboreal nuisiance achieves rapid growth in urban setting. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/193 "2003-04-23T17:24:34Z")
[grit teeth] Must. Do. Work. Can’t. Post. Now. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/194 "2003-04-23T21:05:03Z")
**Stranger in a Strange Land** (by RAH): Young man who speaks a foreign\* language starts a new religious cult and gets himself in trouble. **New Testament** (by the apostles): Young man who speaks a foreign\* language starts a new religious cult and gets himself in trouble. **Titan/Wizard/Demon** (by Varley): God meddles in affairs of puny humans, and she gets unexpected results. **Book(s) of Swords** (by Saberhagen): Gods meddle in affairs of puny humans, and they get unexpected results. **Neuromancer** (by Gibson): Computers meddle in the affairs of puny humans, and nobody quite understands the results. **The Gods Must Be Crazy** (by those Monty Python guys): Crazy gods, flying an airplane, meddle in the affairs of puny humans. Hilarity results. –Niven & Pournelle (AKA: Writers meddle in classic SF themes)– **The Mote in Gods Eye** (First Contact): Humans meet aliens, find out they’re smarter than us. **Footfall** (Aliens Attack): Aliens meet humans, find out we’re smarter than them. **Legacy of Heorot** (Pioneers on Alien Planet): Humans meet aliens, find out we’re not as smart as we think. **Lucifer’s Hammer** (End of theWorld): Asteroid falls, Earth & people suffer, but everything turns out OK, so maybe we are as smart as we think. **Inferno** (uh…Inferno): Aliens get mixed into religious mythology. A man finds redemption. The **Callahan’s Saloon** series (by Spider Robinson): Everybody drinks A LOT, tells bad puns and gets warm and fuzzy. **Make Room, Make Room** (by Harry Harrison): Humans breed A LOT. **To Your Scattered Bodies Go** (by Farmer): Humans die A LOT. Recover in confusing circumstances. **The Stand** (by Stephen King): Humans die A LOT (but not as much as TYSBG). Good triumphs…wait, should this be in the “meddle in affairs of puny humans” group? **Dark Tower** series (by Stephen King): King writes A LOT. No one knows if it will ever end. Gosh, this could go on forever. 🙂 - The word “foreign” is used here in the same sense the Academy uses it, meaning “not American.” ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/195 "2003-04-23T21:34:11Z")
_Deliverance_- Several men go on boating trip, one finds love. _Motel Hell_- Rory Calhoun stands on hind legs, makes sausages. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/196 "2003-04-24T05:18:09Z")
Redwall: An abbey deals with a rat problem, repairs a damaged tapestry. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/197 "2003-04-24T05:34:34Z")
**NoCoolUserName** , you are officially My Favorite Poster. **Mojo** , you are a sick freak. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/198 "2003-04-24T13:54:36Z")
Red Dawn: Midwestern teens interact with Russians in the mid-80s. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/199 "2003-04-24T13:55:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Derleth \* > \*\ ***NoCoolUserName** , you are officially My Favorite Poster. > \*\* I don’t care how passing your fancy may be, I appreciate the love you’ve given me. I’ve never been anyone’s Favorite Poster before. I’ve never been ON a poster before, altho back in the 60’s I had several black-light Escher posters. Oh, oh–getting off thread–gotta redeem myself: **Red Dragon** : Boy with troubled past sinks his teeth into fine art. **Silence of the Lambs** : Man with troubled past sinks his teeth into fashion design. **Hannibal** : Detective sinks her teeth into “brain food.” Hmm…suddenly I feel the need for some breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![knock\_knock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/22d042/32.png) [@knock\_knock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knock_knock)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774/200 "2003-04-24T14:22:15Z")
**Castaway** - FedEx worker enjoys volleyball, delivers package **Alive** – Hungry passengers must eat disgusting food from airplane when their arrival is delayed **The Negotiator** - Expert negotiator faces difficult hostage situation **The Sixth Sense** - Perceptive boy helps man deal with death of a loved one [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-sentence-summaries-that-miss-the-point/161774.md?page=11)